FAA PMA policy
Parts Manufacturer Approval in the United States sits in 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart K. The regulation defines eligibility, and the advisory circulars and orders describe how the FAA processes applications.
The regulation
Part 21 Subpart K, sections 21.301 to 21.320, sets out who may apply, what evidence is required, and how the approval relates to the type certificate holder's design.
- 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart K — Parts Manufacturer Approvals (21.301–21.320)
- 14 CFR 21.502 — acceptance of articles
- 14 CFR Part 43 — maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding and alteration
- 14 CFR Part 45 Subpart B (45.10–45.16) — marking of products and articles
Guidance
The FAA publishes guidance that describes its internal process and the applicant's obligations. Orders 8110.42 and 8120.22 govern FAA personnel in the PMA process, and the advisory circulars cover production and fabrication topics.
- AC 21-43 — Production under 14 CFR Part 21, Subparts F, G, K and O
- AC 43-18 — Fabrication of aircraft parts by maintenance personnel
- Order 8110.42 — Parts Manufacturer Approval procedures
- Order 8120.22 — Production approval procedures
Where the approvals are listed
The FAA maintains its list of PMA articles in the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS). Approvals can be searched by holder, article name, part number, approval basis and the make and model of the aircraft the article can be installed on.
Sources
- FAA — Parts Manufacturer Approval
- FAA DRS — PMA article listings
- FAA — Suspected Unapproved Parts programme
References are provided for orientation. The applicable revision in force at the relevant date governs; confirm against the issuing authority's current publication before relying on any statement here.