What is PMAed, STDed, etc.?

"aptim" wrote in message ...
I was told in A&P school that It stands for Parts Manufactured Approved.

Parts Manufacturer Approval.

Nope. Parts Manufacturing Approval

Jim


"Ron Natalie"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-
-"aptim" wrote in message
...
- I was told in A&P school that It stands for Parts Manufactured Approved.
-
-Parts Manufacturer Approval.
-
-


Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

"Jim Weir" wrote in message ...
Nope. Parts Manufacturing Approval

"Ron Natalie"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:
-Parts Manufacturer Approval.

Sorry, Jim. I disagree. While the FAA abuses the term term as "manufacturing"
in a few advisory circulars. The term is "manufacturer" in both the FAR (Part 21,
subpart K) and in order 8110.42A (the PMA process itself).

Aircraft manufacturers publish parts manuals for the airplanes they
build. The law says that you must use the parts specified in the
manual when replacing things. If the part has an industry-standard
number, like an AN bolt or fitting or wheel bearing, you can buy it
from any aircraft parts supplier.
If the number is a proprietary number (invented by and belonging to
the airplane manufacturer), such as a throttle control cable, the
requirement to use only that part means that you have to buy it from
the airplane dealer. The manufacturers are inclined to take advantage
of this and we see some ridiculous prices.
The PMA (Parts Manufacturer Approval) provision relieves us of
some of the robbery. McFarlane Aviation, for example, manufactures
engine control cables, seat parts, hinges, and a lot of other common
stuff that fits common airplanes, and their prices are much more
reasonable. Their numbers are the original proprietary number with an
identifying prefix added to it to avoid the copyright mess on the
original part numbers, while still qualifying as meeting the parts
manual requirements. Their competition often forces airframe
manufacturers to lower their prices, and some of the stuff they build
is actually better or stronger, such as the McFarlane Cessna seat
rails and roller washers.
It's still wise to shop around. Sometimes the dealer's OEM prices
are better than the PMAd stuff.

Dan

I did a Google search for "owner produced parts" then started clicking.

Very interesting reading!!

1. http://www2.faa.gov/avr/afs/news/arc...2002/Parts.htm

2. http://www.dvcfi.com/aviation/stc.php

3. http://makeashorterlink.com/?L2A512696

4. http://makeashorterlink.com/?H1C521696

Talked to a guy at my airport who is doing much of this with his 177
project. He said he's surprised more owners don't make parts for their
planes, or have the parts made for them. Measure it, build it - is his
motto.

--
Montblack

("Dan Thomas" wrote)
Aircraft manufacturers publish parts manuals for the airplanes they
build. The law says that you must use the parts specified in the
manual when replacing things. If the part has an industry-standard
number, like an AN bolt or fitting or wheel bearing, you can buy it
from any aircraft parts supplier.
If the number is a proprietary number (invented by and belonging to
the airplane manufacturer), such as a throttle control cable, the
requirement to use only that part means that you have to buy it from
the airplane dealer. The manufacturers are inclined to take advantage
of this and we see some ridiculous prices.
snip

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 14:01:52 -0600, "Montblack"
wrote:

I did a Google search for "owner produced parts" then started clicking.

Very interesting reading!!

1. http://www2.faa.gov/avr/afs/news/arc...2002/Parts.htm

2. http://www.dvcfi.com/aviation/stc.php

3. http://makeashorterlink.com/?L2A512696

4. http://makeashorterlink.com/?H1C521696

Talked to a guy at my airport who is doing much of this with his 177
project. He said he's surprised more owners don't make parts for their
planes, or have the parts made for them. Measure it, build it - is his
motto.

I'd be interested in knowing if this guy is generating approved data
for these parts. If he isn't, he is doing no more than producing
numerous unapproved parts with which to get himself and his mechanic
and/or inspector violated. ... not a clever money-saving scheme.

wrote in message ...

An STC introduces an alteration that was not covered by the airplane's
original type certificate. Installation of an STCed part or system must be
accomplished in accordance with the STC. This may be a major or minor
alteration, but as I understand it, it would in any case need to be signed
off by an A&P, and possibly an AI. In many cases a new weight and balance
would need to be calculated and recorded.

An IA must sign off the 337, which is required of any major alteration. An STC
provides authority to make the major alteration. A minor alteration requires
neither a 337 nor an STC.

Ron Natalie wrote:

An IA must sign off the 337, which is required of any major alteration.
An STC
provides authority to make the major alteration. A minor alteration
requires neither a 337 nor an STC.

It sounds from the above like an STC is required before any major alteration
because it "provides authority to make the major alteration". Is that
right?

A lot seems to hinge on the distinction between "major" and "minor"
alterations. What is the difference? Given a particular change (ie.
replacing a panel overlay, or adding instrument lights), how does one know
into which category the change falls?

- Andrew

"Andrew Gideon" wrote in message online.com...

It sounds from the above like an STC is required before any major alteration
because it "provides authority to make the major alteration". Is that
right?

An STC is one way of getting approval for the alteration. Other "data
acceptable to the administrator" is allowed as well. This is called a
field approval (or sometimes incorrectly, a one time STC).

A lot seems to hinge on the distinction between "major" and "minor"
alterations. What is the difference? Given a particular change (ie.
replacing a panel overlay, or adding instrument lights), how does one know
into which category the change falls?

The definitions are here (I'm not going to post them inline as they are a bit long):
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/c...4cfr43_00.html

Some of it is a gray area. Somethings people read more into it than others.
For example, just because something changes the w&b, it is not a major
alteration. It is only a major alteration if it changes the permissable envelope.

Ron Natalie wrote:

The definitions are here (I'm not going to post them inline as they are a
bit long):
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/c...4cfr43_00.html

Appendix A(a) defines "major alteration". Anything else is "minor"?

Some of it is a gray area. Somethings people read more into it than
others. For example, just because something changes the w&b, it is not a
major
alteration. It is only a major alteration if it changes the permissable
envelope.

Where do you see that? I only see a list of items in A(a); nothing that
refers to the W&B.

- Andrew