An aircraft part is an article or component approved for installation on a certificated aircraft. Approval for these parts is derived from the jurisdictions of the countries that an aircraft is based. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration oversees the approval for these parts under Federal Aviation Regulation Part 21.
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A Parts Manufacturer Approval, or PMA, is required for any person producing replacement or modification parts for sale for installation on a type-certificated product.[1]
Life limited parts are parts that, as a condition of their type certificate, may not exceed a specified time, or number of operating cycles, in service [Canadian Aviation Regulations/ CAR 101.01]
Flight critical parts are usually regulated by the FAA and the European Union. These include, navigation systems, communication systems, traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), etc.
Some high value aircraft parts can be repaired using various re-manufacturing processes such as machining, welding, plating, etc..
Suspected unapproved parts are those aeronautical parts that should be deemed unairworthy and are therefore not eligible for installation on an aircraft or another aeronautical product because their design, manufacture or distribution is in conflict with aviation regulations. This means that such a part may not have an approved design, may be manufactured by an unapproved manufacturer, distributed by an unapproved distributor, possibly even taken from scrap aircraft while bypassing mandatory and costly shop inspection and recertification processes. Indiactors for an unapproved or bogus part may reach from missing, incomplete or counterfeit certification, missing or manipulated identification plates, physical aspects like surface grain structure, shape, colour, or weight deviating from the removal part, to any indicators of poor workmanship as well as a suspiciously low purchase price. Suspected unapproved parts shall be reported to the national aviation authority.
Aircraft parts are produced by manufacturers. FAA approved aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturers are represented by the Aerospace Industries Association (commercial aircraft manufacturers), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (general aviation aircraft manufacturers) and Modification and Replacement Parts Association (MARPA) (aircraft parts manufacturers).
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association represents organizations which repair aircraft and aircraft components (including aircraft parts).
Some aircraft parts are sold by distributors. Distributors of aircraft parts are represented by the Aviation Suppliers Association.