Airworthiness and Aircraft Operations
Annex 8: airworthiness
Annex 8 sets the minimum standards for the issue and continued validity of certificates of airworthiness, including type certificates, certificates of airworthiness, and maintenance arrangements. It recognises that design and production approval, and continuing airworthiness, must be linked. The State of Registry issues or validates the certificate of airworthiness; the State of Design and State of Manufacture have their own obligations to share information.
Annex 6: operations
Annex 6 has parts for international commercial air transport - aeroplanes (Part I), international general aviation - aeroplanes (Part II), and international operations - helicopters (Part III). It covers operational control, crew composition, fuel policy, instruments and equipment, and the operator's responsibilities. The State of the Operator oversees operations, and the AOC (air operator certificate) is the formal authorisation.
Continuing airworthiness
Maintenance must be performed by approved organisations or personnel, records kept, and airworthiness directives complied with. MEL (minimum equipment list) and configuration deviation list concepts often appear: an aircraft may be dispatched with certain items inoperative if the MEL permits.
Traps
Questions confuse the State of Registry with the State of the Operator, or claim that Annex 8 covers operations (it covers design and airworthiness). Another trap treats the certificate of airworthiness as permanent: it is time-limited and conditional on maintenance.
Rule of thumb
Design and production are the State of Design/Manufacture; the certificate of airworthiness and continuing airworthiness are the State of Registry; operational oversight is the State of the Operator.