(a) Applicability. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this section applies to aircraft, aircraft engines, and ground flight simulators, including their parts, components, and subassemblies, that qualify as civil aircraft under General Note 6(b) ofthe Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) by meeting the following requirements:

(1) The aircraft, aircraft engines, ground flight simulators, or their parts, components, and subassemblies, are used as original or replacement equipment in the design, development, testing, evaluation, manufacture, repair, maintenance, rebuilding, modification, or conversion of aircraft; and

(2) They are either:

(i) Manufactured or operated pursuant to a certificate issued by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under 49 U.S.C. 44704 or pursuant to the approval of the airworthiness authority in the country of exportation, if that approval is recognized by the FAA as an acceptable substitute for the FAA certificate;

(ii) Covered by an application for such certificate, submitted to and accepted by the FAA, filed by an existing type and production certificate holder pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 44702 and implementing regulations (Federal Aviation Administration Regulations, title 14, Code of Federal Regulations); or

(iii) Covered by an application for such approval or certificate which will be submitted in the future by an existing type and production certificate holder, pending the completion of design or other technical requirements stipulated by the FAA (applicable only to the quantities of parts, components, and subassemblies as are required to meet the stipulation).

(b) Department of Defense or U.S. Coast Guard use. If purchased for use by the Department of Defense or the United States Coast Guard, aircraft, aircraft engines, and ground flight simulators, including their parts, components, and subassemblies, are subject to this section only if they are used as original or replacement equipment in the design, development, testing, evaluation, manufacture, repair, maintenance, rebuilding, modification, or conversion of aircraft and meet the requirements of either paragraph (a)(2)(i) or (a)(2)(ii) of this section.

(c) Claim for admission free of duty. Merchandise qualifying under paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this section is entitled to duty-free admission in accordance with General Note 6, HTSUS, upon meeting the requirements of this section. An importer will make a claim for duty-free admission under this section and General Note 6, HTSUS, by properly entering qualifying merchandise under a provision for which the rate of duty “Free (C)” appears in the “Special” subcolumn of the HTSUS and by placing the special indicator “C” on the entry summary. The fact that qualifying merchandise has previously been exported with benefit of drawback does not preclude free entry under this section.

(d) Importer certification. In making a claim for duty-free admission as provided for under paragraph (c) of this section, the importer is deemed to certify, in accordance with General Note 6(a)(ii), HTSUS, that the imported merchandise is, as described in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of this section, a civil aircraft or has been imported for use in a civil aircraft and will be so used.

(e) Documentation. Each entry summary claiming duty-free admission for imported merchandise in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section must be supported by documentation to verify the claim for duty-free admission, including the written order or contract and other evidence that the merchandise entered qualifies under General Note 6, HTSUS, as a civil aircraft, aircraft engine, or ground flight simulator, or their parts, components, and subassemblies. Evidence that the merchandise qualifies under the general note includes evidence of compliance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section concerning use of the merchandise and evidence of compliance with the airworthiness certification requirement of paragraph (a)(2)(i), (a)(2)(ii), or (a)(2)(iii) of this section, including, as appropriate in the circumstances, an FAA certification; approval of airworthiness by an airworthiness authority in the country of export and evidence that the FAA recognizes that approval as an acceptable substitute for an FAA certification; an application for a certification submitted to and accepted by the FAA; a type and production certificate issued by the FAA; and/or evidence that a type and production certificate holder will submit an application for certification or approval in the future pending completion of design or other technical requirements stipulated by the FAA and of estimates of quantities of parts, components, and subassemblies as are required to meet design and technical requirements stipulated by the FAA. This documentation need not be filed with the entry summary but must be maintained in accordance with the general note and with the recordkeeping provisions of part 163 of this chapter. Customs may request production of documentation at any time to verify the claim for duty-free admission. Failure to produce documentation sufficient to satisfy the Center director that the merchandise qualifies for duty-free admission will result in a denial of duty-free treatment and may result in such other measures permitted under the regulations as the Center director finds necessary to more closely monitor the importer's importations of merchandise claimed to be duty-free under this section. Proof of end use of the entered merchandise need not be maintained.

(f) Post-entry claim. An importer may file a claim for duty-free treatment under General Note 6, HTSUS, after filing an entry that made no such duty-free claim, by filing a written statement with Customs any time prior to liquidation of the entry or prior to the liquidation becoming final. When filed, the written statement constitutes the importer's claim for duty-free treatment under the general note and its certification that the entered merchandise is a civil aircraft or has been imported for use in a civil aircraft and will be so used. In accordance with General Note 6, HTSUS, any refund resulting from a claim made under this paragraph will be without interest, notwithstanding the provision of 19 U.S.C. 1505(c).

(g) Verification. The Center director will monitor and periodically audit selected entries made under this section.

[T.D. 02-31, 67 FR 39289, June 7, 2002]