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This category contains 292 posts

FAA Issues Revised Production Approval Guidance for Public Comment

The FAA has released for comment an updated draft of 8120.22B (Production Approval Procedures). It is open for comment through April 21, 2025. A cursory review shows that the in-line sample documents have been removed from the PMA section. This is an opportunity to ask the FAA to address some industry concerns, like directions that … Continue reading →

FAA Issues Draft 8130.21J- Open for Public Comment

The new revision to 8130.21J is open for public comment Continue reading →

FAA Publishes Risk Assessment Guidance for Public Comment

The FAA has published for comment a draft Transport Airplane Risk Assessment Methodology (“TARAM”) Handbook. They have also published a corollary draft policy statement. Both are currently available for public review and comment. The two documents are meant to support risk assessment required by SMS rules, but (1) they are useful for performing risk assessment … Continue reading →

Manufacturing Raw Materials May Be Impacted by +25% Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

A 25% additional tariff on steel and aluminum could dramatically increase raw material costs for manufacturers Continue reading →

PMA Parts Update: Aviation Maintenance Magazine

“The boom in the PMA parts market seems destined to continue.” That was one of the conclusions reported in Aviation Maintenance Magazine this week. Aviation Maintenance Magazine published its annual update on the PMA industry. James Careless’ article is titled “PMA Parts Update: The Industry is Still Booming” and the entire article paints a very … Continue reading →

PMA Education and Opportunities in Malaysia

MARPA continued in its global quest to improve PMA understanding with an aircraft parts safety seminar in Kuala Lumpur, today. MARPA joined with CAA Malaysia, FAA and ICAO to host the aircraft parts safety seminar. The seminar examined both unapproved parts and approved parts issues. The program was supported by the US International Trade Administration’s … Continue reading →

MARPA issues White Paper on Illustrated Parts Catalogs, PMA and Copyright Law

MARPA has published a white paper explaining the intellectual property ramifications of sharing a page from an illustrated parts catalog in support of an FAA-PMA application. In order to produce an aircraft part in the United States, the producer typically needs to obtain design and production approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  A parts … Continue reading →

What are Instructions for Continued Airworthiness?

What do you think Instructions for Continued Airworthiness are? MARPA is participating as a member of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). The ARC’s next task is to produce a short statement identifying what ICA are. There are many pages of the regulations and still more pages of FAA guidance material … Continue reading →

MARPA Plans for Malaysia and Japan

MARPA plans to participate in two meetings in Asia in September, and we are seeking participation from our members. September 17 in Kuala Lumpur:    We plan to hold a meeting in Malaysia for government representatives from throughout Southeast Asia.  The main focus of this session is expected to be (1) approved/unapproved parts and (2) … Continue reading →

Can FAA Production Oversight Be Improved?

Section 314 of the FAA Reauthorization Act requires the FAA to examine its production oversight, including the risk-based decision making approach to allocation of manpower to facility oversight.  This affects the oversight decisions made by FAA Certificate Management Sections (previously known as MIDOs). This is a potential opportunity to influence the system for FAA audits … Continue reading →