FAA approval of articles (PMA, TSO)

[DuncanGibbons]

From my understanding, the FAA (and EASA) approval of articles (either under PMA, TSO or type certification procedures) or parts applied to repair or replacement parts. Is this correct or do these procedures also apply to the articles originally manufactured by OEMs?

Ie. does the FAA and EASA govern the article/part certification procedures for OEMs (and do the companies that supply these aerospace OEMs with their parts need to be PMA's and follow TSOs etc) or only for repair and replacement manufacturers?

 

[Al Rosen]

The FAA certification process includes all the articles on the aircraft. Replacement parts can only be supplied by the OEM unless you have a PMA. The PMA is obtained after the aircraft is certified. You may have a PMA for a part on aircraft A and supply the same part for aircraft B, but without PMA for aircraft B. Technically you can only supply replacement parts directly for aircraft A. Replacement parts for aircraft B can only be supplied through the OEM.

 

[DuncanGibbons]

And is a PMA needed by a company that supplies original parts to the OEM for the production of new aircraft?

 

[Al Rosen]

And is a PMA needed by a company that supplies original parts to the OEM for the production of new aircraft?

No, PMA is not required and in fact cannot be obtained until after the aircraft is certified. PMA is aircraft specific.

 

[DuncanGibbons]

Thanks for the info

Does the FAA or EASA have any directly related certification requirements for the "tier 1 and 2" manufacturers?

 

[Al Rosen]

Look at Production Approvals where many of your questions can be answered. Unless you have a production approval (PMA or TSO) the OEM flows down the requirements.

 

[DuncanGibbons]

So am I correct in saying, the civil aviation authorities (FAA/EASA) have production requirements set out for OEMs, who in turn use these requirements as influence for the requirements that they require tier1 & 2 manufacturers to meet? So essentially the civil aviation authorities (FAA/EASA) never regulate the tier 1 and 2 manufacturers directly, but do indirectly through the OEM?

Or does the OEM approach civil aviation authorities (FAA/EASA) with the designs and relevant info for a new aircraft along with the tier 1 & 2 manufacturers they plan to use and why, and then the civil aviation authorities (FAA/EASA) give them approval to use said tier 1 & 2 manufacturers and commence with the production of the new aircraft?

Sorry for the repeated question, but I can't seem to find info from FAA or EASA sites about the requirement for manufacturing of parts, only for the production of products.

 

[Coury Ferguson]

As Al has said, you need to have PMA/TSO authority to sell spare parts to the Airlines, which have "certified" aircraft.

You can ask for a license from the OEM allowing you to apply for the PMA/TSO to the local FAA. You will need to be in touch with you Local MIDO (Manufacturing Inspection District Office.) Or you can try and get the PMA approval using similarity as your basis, which takes a DER (Designated Engineer Representative) to review the design and a DAR (Designated Airworthiness Representative) to review all inspection data on the product you are seeking FAA PMA on. It can be a lengthy process.

Your best choice would be to contact your local MIDO and find out all of the steps. If has been awhile since I have asked for PMA, so I might be guiding you down the wrong path.

Just my opinion

 

[DuncanGibbons]

As Al has said, you need to have PMA/TSO authority to sell spare parts to the Airlines, which have "certified" aircraft.

You can ask for a license from the OEM allowing you to apply for the PMA/TSO to the local FAA. You will need to be in touch with you Local MIDO (Manufacturing Inspection District Office.) Or you can try and get the PMA approval using similarity as your basis, which takes a DER (Designated Engineer Representative) to review the design and a DAR (Designated Airworthiness Representative) to review all inspection data on the product you are seeking FAA PMA on. It can be a lengthy process.

Your best choice would be to contact your local MIDO and find out all of the steps. If has been awhile since I have asked for PMA, so I might be guiding you down the wrong path.

Just my opinion

Hi Coury thanks for the reply, Im specifically looking into the manufacture of "original parts" not spares and from what I understand PMA is only for spares.

 

[Coury Ferguson]

So you are looking for a Production Certificate like the OEM have? That involves a lot of requirements in dealing with the FAA. I am not an expert in that. But, I do recommend you contact your local MIDO and ask them. They would know all of the requirements needed of a Production Certificate.