All You Need To Know About PMA Parts

In the field of aviation, aircraft must be constructed and maintained to the highest standards. As such, each and every one of the parts used in aircraft maintenance must meet rigorous standards to guarantee safety, reliability, and performance. Parts Manufacturer Approval, or PMA, represents a certification granted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certain qualified manufacturers, allowing them to produce and sell products that are intended for installation on type-certificated aircraft. In this blog, we will discuss all that you need to know about the significance and certification processes of PMA parts so you can determine if they are worth sourcing for operations.

As we just briefly touched on, PMA parts provide an alternative to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) items, often coming at a reduced cost while maintaining comparable quality and reliability. To be considered more than just an inauthentic part, a PMA part must have successfully gone through a rigorous approval process that includes demonstrating compliance with FAA regulations and proving that it is safe for use on aircraft.

To obtain PMA, a manufacturer must demonstrate that their submitted parts comply with the FAA's regulations and are equivalent to or better than the original products they replace in terms of safety and reliability. One method of obtaining PMA certification is identicality with a licensing agreement. In this approach, the PMA holder obtains an agreement with the original manufacturer to leverage their expertise and data, which streamlines the certification process with parts that are identical to the OEM versions.

In contrast, identicality without a licensing agreement means the PMA holder is effectively reverse-engineering a component to create an equivalent design. In this situation, the manufacturer must demonstrate that the PMA part is identical in terms of dimensions, material, and performance to the original, which requires comprehensive testing and analysis. Although this approach does not involve direct access to the original manufacturer's data, it still ensures that the PMA part meets or exceeds the abilities of the OEM part.

Another method for obtaining PMA certification is through test and computation. In this method, the manufacturer must prove that their part meets the required safety and performance standards through a series of tests and engineering computations. The test and computation method is particularly useful for parts that are not identical to the original, but still need to demonstrate compliance with FAA regulations.

In all, PMA parts play a significant role in the aviation industry by providing cost-effective and alternatives to OEM parts without compromising on safety or performance. Whether obtained through identicality with or without a licensing agreement, or through test and computation, the PMA certification process verifies that these parts meet airworthiness standards, providing assurance to airlines and maintenance providers that they are strictly using high-quality products.

Rapid Delivery for Parts is an online purchasing platform featuring a wide selection of PMA components for various needs. You are welcome to browse our curated catalogs for PMA parts, but you can also narrow down exact items using our search engine and filters. Whenever you come across components of interest, be sure to utilize our online RFQ forms at any time for the means of swiftly receiving quotes from our experts. You can have no reservations about commencing the procurement process with us, as we are owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, an AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B accredited company. Bearing this in mind, do not hesitate to get in touch with a representative by form, email, or phone and see how we can serve you.