Under a Supplemental Type Certificate, can more than one applicant obtain approval for the same design change?

Under a Supplemental Type Certificate, can more than one applicant obtain approval for the same design change?

• A. Yes, if each applicant shows compliance with applicable airworthiness requirements
• B. Yes, automatically without additional compliance
• C. No, only a single applicant can be approved
• D. Only for changes under 14 CFR Part 21

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that STCs are design approvals issued to a specific applicant, based on that applicant’s demonstration of compliance with the applicable airworthiness standards. If another organization submits its own data package for the same design change and shows it meets those requirements, the FAA can issue a separate STC to that second applicant. Each STC is tied to the particular installation scope, aircraft models, and serial ranges described in its package, and is not automatically granted or limited to a single holder. So, yes, more than one applicant can obtain approval for the same design change, as long as each demonstrates compliance with the airworthiness requirements.

The key idea is that STCs are design approvals issued to a specific applicant, based on that applicant’s demonstration of compliance with the applicable airworthiness standards. If another organization submits its own data package for the same design change and shows it meets those requirements, the FAA can issue a separate STC to that second applicant. Each STC is tied to the particular installation scope, aircraft models, and serial ranges described in its package, and is not automatically granted or limited to a single holder. So, yes, more than one applicant can obtain approval for the same design change, as long as each demonstrates compliance with the airworthiness requirements.