Critical Characteristic

Critical Characteristic. Any feature throughout the life cycle of a flight safety-critical aircraft part (FSCAP) which, if nonconforming, missing, or degraded, could cause a catastrophic failure resulting in loss or serious damage to the aircraft or an uncommanded engine shutdown resulting in an unsafe condition. A characteristic can be critical in terms of dimension, tolerance, finish, or material; an assembly, manufacturing, or inspection process; or an operation, field maintenance, or depot overhaul requirement. A manufacturing-critical characteristic is produced during the manufacturing process. An installation-critical characteristic, such as torque, is critical in terms of assembly or installation.