An owner or operator will hear of "E3" when they talk to the CAA about importing a second hand aircraft into the UK. E3 refers to the Design Approval held by an organisation and to the processes that must be completed when importing an aircraft into the UK.

For an owner or operator to register a second-hand aircraft in the UK, the CAA must be fully satisfied that the aircraft in question meets the approved design standard for the aircraft type. In the past, aircraft importers had difficulties in showing compliance with CAA regulation with respect to maintenance, overhaul and repair of aircraft

The E3 Approval process was developed to make the transition of aircraft onto the UK register clearer and more transparent to the operators and owners as well as the CAA. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Airworthiness, the aircraft and its records must be inspected and reviewed by an approved E3 organisation. The completed assessment is intended to reflect the airworthiness and operational standard of the aircraft and tells the new operator or owner what actions must be taken prior to the aircraft's entry onto the UK register.

After the assessment is completed, the E3 organisation will issue a Certificate of Design Conformity. The Certificate will clearly identify any differences between the state of the aircraft and its records and the CAA requirements.

Since the end of 2003 importers of second hand aircraft have to use an E3 organisation to review and provide reports to the CAA to support the application for a UK Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A). This provides a detailed status of the aircraft, and thus the application to be processed with a minimum of input.

The majority of Approved E3 organisations are either operators or maintenance organisations. There are only a few independent E3 organisations, i.e; with no ties to an operator or maintenance facility. IBA Group Ltd was the first independent company to gain approval. We take pride in working closely with the authorities and providing a quality product, making the process of gaining a UK Certificate of Airworthiness as straightforward as possible.

Completing all of the reports for an E3 submission involves a review of the aircraft and its paperwork that can be spread over several months. The process is dependant on access to the aircraft and its records, and overall completeness of the relevant materials.