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PMA parts are safe to use.

PMA, parts manufacture approbal, is an approval granted by the FAA. The FAA grants the PMA to companies that manufactures aircraft parts.

When a comapny is to design or build an aircraft part, it has to submit an application form, where the FAA will review to check if it is airworthy.

Under the Order 8110.42, application for the PMA follows either of 2 processes:
1) Part being manufactured is identical to the original
2) Part being manufactured is modified from the original

In both cases, after having the part manufactured, documents have to be made available to FAA, to ensure the airworthiness of the new part.

1) Part being manufactured is identical to the original

Identically to a part is defined as the same in all respects to a part design in a type-certificated product.

In the event that the design of the part being manufactured is identical to that of the original, a evidence of license agreement will represent this identicality.

2) Part being manufactured is modified from the original

In order to obtain a PMA for modified parts, the company has to carry out the task of proving that the new part is airworthy. This can be done in a few ways, such as trough tests and computations.

After the manufacturing phase, comapies also have to comply to the following:
Set installation eligibility.
• Ensure the part performs its intended function.
• Provide a plan for continued operational safety (COS).
• Determine part criticality by assessing the consequences of PMA part failure on the next higher assembly and associated product.
• Provide instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) for the PMA part or product as necessary.
• Set up and maintain a FIS to meet the requirements of 14 CFR § 21.303(h).
• Report service difficulties.
• Draft a PSCP if applicable.


Once these have beejn fulfilled, the FAA would then grant the company with this particular PMA for this part.

Since FAA, the governing body for aviation, have given approval to the usage of PMA, it can be concluded that PMA parts are safe to use, as the parts would have satisified the FAA's airworthiness directives.

since i can't concentrate and do my work on word, i did it here... and sure it helps... :D
spoke at : 1:56 AM