FAR 21.321 — Export Airworthiness Applicability
FAR 21.321 sets the scope for export airworthiness approvals: procedures for issuance and rules for approval holders under Part 21, Subpart L.
FAR 21.321 is the applicability section that opens Subpart L of Part 21, which deals with export airworthiness approvals. It simply tells you what this subpart covers, not the substantive rules themselves.
Specifically, this subpart prescribes:
- Procedural requirements for issuing export airworthiness approvals; and
- Rules governing the holders of those approvals.
Why it matters operationally: export airworthiness approvals are the FAA's way of certifying that aircraft, engines, propellers, or articles being exported to a foreign country meet U.S. airworthiness standards (and any special import requirements of the receiving country). While most student pilots won't deal with exports directly, understanding the structure of Part 21 helps you locate the right rule when questions about certification, manufacturing, or international transfer arise. Think of §21.321 as a table of contents pointer: if a question involves who can hold an export approval or how one is issued, this subpart is where to look.