When it comes to the aviation industry, sourcing replacement parts is far more than a matter of convenience. In fact, sourcing is a critical practice that directly impacts airworthiness, safety, and regulatory compliance. This is because aircraft components must meet stringent industry standards, especially when it comes to commercial or defense operations. As a result, buyers must be vigilant in selecting parts that are not only functional, but also fully approved for use.
This is where FAA-approved aircraft replacement parts come into play, such items being a dependable solution for meeting various safety and regulatory objectives. Whether you are a procurement specialist for an airline, a maintenance manager for a fleet, or an independent operator, understanding what FAA approval entails and how to source such components effectively is essential. In this blog, we will cover the fundamentals of these items, offering sourcing strategies to support customers looking to navigate the complex and often volatile aviation market.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a recognized entity in the United States that governs aviation safety domestically, its responsibilities including the certification and regulation of various aircraft parts that find use on type-certified products. Simply put, FAA approval signifies that a particular component meets all regulatory requirements for quality, performance, and safety, allowing it to be used on a commercial or defense platform.
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Parts
OEM parts are manufactured by the original producer of an aircraft or its associated systems, such items being certified as part of the aircraft's original design.
Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) Parts
PMA parts are aftermarket components that have been tested and approved by the FAA as suitable alternatives to OEM parts. They often offer cost savings without compromising safety or performance, regularly meeting or exceeding the design standards of the original.
Technical Standard Order (TSO) Parts
TSO parts conform to specific minimum performance standards defined by the FAA. While TSO authorization is not the same as installation approval, it does indicate that the part meets FAA performance criteria.
Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Parts
STC parts are approved modifications that are made to an aircraft’s design, often serving upgrade or retrofitting needs. STCs are considered a form of type certificate, and they are generally handled by regulatory bodies like the FAA or EASA.
Choosing FAA-approved parts goes well beyond being a regulatory formality, instead being a crucial safeguard against system failure, liability, and operational delays. Non-compliance can even result in costly fines, the grounding of aircraft, or, in worst-case scenarios, serious safety incidents. As such, FAA-approved parts are a must.
Generally speaking, the main benefits of FAA-approved parts include:
The global aviation parts market has faced significant disruptions over the last several years, including from supply chain bottlenecks, increased demand for legacy aircraft parts, and long lead times from OEMs. These challenges make strategic sourcing practices more important than ever, with the following being common practices to keep in mind.
Before purchasing any items, always confirm that the part carries proper FAA documentation. As such, buyers should:
Both OEM and PMA parts can be FAA-approved, but they serve different roles in procurement strategies:
Whether one opts for PMA parts for savings or simply sticks with OEM options, both must be sourced through authorized channels to ensure legitimacy.
Not all distributors are created equal, with trusted aviation parts resources offering critical advantages like:
To ensure that you are able to find a partner that you can trust, also be sure to look for distributors who maintain industry certifications like ASA-100 accreditation and ISO 9001:2015 compliance, as these pertain to various inventory management practices and quality assurance measures.
In a volatile market, extended lead times can disrupt operations. Smart buyers mitigate such risks by:
For legacy aircraft or specialized fleets, sourcing parts becomes more difficult as components age out of production. As such, buyers should:
In today’s environment, sourcing is no longer just about price or availability; it is now about trust, traceability, and transparency. For those operating in aviation procurement or fleet maintenance, the ability to quickly and confidently access FAA-approved parts can make a major difference in uptime, cost-efficiency, and safety.
This is why working with a vetted distributor who specializes in certified aviation parts is essential. Platforms like ASAP Parts Online, a proprietary website owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, have become invaluable resources in this regard, offering extensive sourcing options for high-quality, FAA-approved aircraft replacement parts.
ASAP Parts Online offers a comprehensive, centralized platform that is designed specifically to support the needs of aerospace and defense procurement professionals with streamlined options on countless new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find parts. Here is what sets us apart from the competition:
By partnering with a qualified and proven distributor like ASAP Semiconductor, industry professionals can streamline their sourcing efforts, ensure regulatory adherence, and minimize downtime, all while staying within budget. With one of the most robust inventories on the market and a reputation for exceptional service, be sure to shop on ASAP Parts Online and quickly secure the FAA-approved parts that meet your standards for quality and performance.
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