SofemaOnline Takes a Look at PMA Parts
Comment by Steven Bentley MD of Sofema Aviation Services
What are PMA Parts?
For more than 50 years the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been granting Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) to allow third-party manufacturing organisations to produce replacement parts for aircraft (Means parts that are usually not produced with the permission of the Original Equipment Manufacturer - OEM).
To quote the FAA PMA which standards for Parts Manufacturer Approval is in fact a combined design and production approval which is issued for the production of modification or replacement parts, which includes materials, parts, processes and appliances.
A primary consideration is that you must not infringe upon any product patents.
A PMA approval allows you to fit the part to an aircraft as a replacement for the original part, off course the part must be every bit as safe as the original part and this needs to be demonstrated to the approving authority for example the FAA.
The issues with PMA parts (and there are many issues) usually emanate from either the OEM or the Leasing Company, and in both cases the root cause may be described as “vested interest”.
PMA parts are typically 40 to 50 percent cheaper than the OEM, so of course it will be seen as a shot across the bows of the OEM and a major challenge to the lease company who is focused on maintaining asset value. In reality there is no true compromise on the quality of the product.
The OEM in fact puts forward (or initially they did – this has now diminished somewhat) that there is no guarantee that the PMA will perform as well as the original, and in so doing may jeopardise the aircraft which of course if taken out of context becomes a powerful argument.
In its defence the PMA manufacturer typically comments that there is absolutely nothing wrong with their parts, pointing to the fact that they have been certified by the FAA as being equal to or better than the OEM’s product. So whilst it may appear to be a free market it is not exactly so as whenever possible both the OEM and Lessor will inflict commercial pressure either directly or indirectly to actively preclude the use of PMA.
It is against this background that the battle lines are drawn, as anyone who is familiar with the industry will know airlines operate in an incredibly competitive environment with often very small or even no profit margin which is why an opportunity to benefit from deeply discounted parts is a goal worth pursuing. Still there is a strong case built around the “safety” and the implication of associated exposure as a result of the use of the PMA – even connecting it with the potential loss of good name.
A final comment is to be careful that in using PMA you do not exposure yourself to breach of contractual obligations – this is the real exposure the safety case is simply hot air.
Sofema Aviation Services offers a range of Regulatory and Vocational training to comply with the requirements of EASA. Please see www.sassofia.com or our online training portal www.sofemaonline.com or email us: office@sassofia.com or online@sassofia.com
