The FAA has issued Order 8000.354 providing guidance to aviation inspectors for dealing with the increase in duration of the Inspection Authorization (“IA”) from one to two years. IA’s must now be renewed by March 31 during odd years (2009, 2011 etc.).
With respect to the activity requirements listed in FAR 65.93 (1) through (5) (which have not changed), if an IA is issued fewer than 90 days before March 31 of an odd-numbered year, the IA will still have to be renewed, but the applicant does not have to meet activity requirements to be eligible for renewal for that 90-day period. However, if an IA is issued fewer than 90 days before March 31 of an even-numbered year, the applicant does not have to meet activity requirements for that 90-day period in order to renew the IA.
Starting in March 2009, in order to renew an IA, the IA must show the activity requirements for each year the IA was active. Additionally, if an IA does not meet the activity requirements at the end of an even-numbered year, the IA may not exercise the privileges of the IA certificate in the odd-numbered year without taking and passing an oral test with the local FSDO.
