Spares and supplies

[boeingbus2002]

Just an enquiry on behalf of someone else..

Does anyone know the details of manufacturers of the single shot Sprays used by airlines to disinfect or as pesticide on landing? Or where they could be purchased.

Also..what requirements are needed if someone wanted to set up as a spares broker. IM sure it is very restricted and highly regulated, but i wanted to pass these details on as he is interested.
Thanks

[Nopax,thanx]

No real idea on disinfectants, but you could try Kemfast, who supply a lot of Chemicals to the aircraft industry (01292 479834)

As to setting up as a Spares Broker - no experience or qualifications needed at all - that's half the problem! A lot of individuals got into the business because all you need is a fax machine and a few contacts......my ex-boss made himself a millionaire with practically no knowledge of practical avaition matters at all - he could just rip off desperate customers. The more reliable and trustworthy vendors will join Trade Associations, but it's all voluntary. The CAA/FAA don't regulate them, the larger customers may audit some of the vendors, but there are still quite a lot of one-horse operations about, servicing the end of the market that doesn't want to pay top dollar.

If your friend has some ready cash available, spares are cheap as chips at the moment thanks to the market downturn - if he knows some good customers, get on their side, and look after them well...they will stay with him and keep him in business. Rip them off and they won't come back. Anyone can make money once, but building strong relationships takes time and patience. That's where the real success lies.

[boeingbus2002]

Thanx no pax, thanx! (lol)
Im surprised about the spares brokerage, even tried to put him off as I didnt agree with him wanting to make a fast buck without knowing much about the regs!
Any ideas where these purchases can be made?
(also does someone check the parts to ensure they are ok before installation?) I dont wanna get him ion the bandwagon if dodgy parts unfit for use may be used.
Cheers

[rwm]

All parts must have proof of certification before it can be installed. If an item is a serialized component that has been repaired or overhauled it must have history cards with it, and you muist be able to trace it's history. But there are a lot of people that can make up false history cards, and do make up false history cards. This is why many operators only deal with reputable and established vendors.

[boeingbus2002]

Cheers RWM
Just as i thought. It will be difficult for him to get into this without a good reputation or backing. Its the false history cards you mention that is dodgy, even if he buys in good faith from someone who he doesnt realise is dodgy!

[Nopax,thanx]

Hi, boeingbus; sorry for not replying earlier, I've been away. rwm's got it in one - wherever there's a need for something to back up a part, some individual will find a way to 'create history'

That's why on all certification (JAA Form 1, FAA 8130-3, even a Certificate of Compliance) there should be a declaration to the effect that the paperwork does not count as authority to install...sounds funny, but what it means is that it's up to the certifying engineer to ensure that the subject part is fit for use.

Now, of course that's where it gets tricky...you can measure a bolt or washer, so it's dimensionally correct. But what material is it made from? Steel, Ok, we can all tell that. But what strength steel? Now take an IDG or starter motor and how can you ever tell what's been done to it?

Years ago, parts were accepted purely on the basis of the paperwork. Then, a tragic accident involving a Norwegian Convair led the authorities into the maze of unauthorised parts. A combination of phoney APU bolts and duff elevator attachments caused the loss of the aircraft and all occupants.

So, pressure was put upon vendors to declare the history of their parts. Fine, except that the certification was written by the vendors, and nobody checked the history anyway. When I left the spares business five years ago, buyers had begun to request proof of purchase from the vendors - that is to say that the seller would need to show who had sold the parts to him, and if it was another vendor, the proof from that vendor, all the way back to an airline, manufacturer or reapir station. Still not impossible to forge the paperwork, tho'.

At the end of the day it's down to the Airline's Quality and Purchasing Departments to use only vendors with a solid reputation, which means (in the case of smaller vendors) a long haul in building up that reputation.

Good luck to your friend, he can do it if he is honest and has good contacts.

[Jango]

One other thing is that any supplier of parts has to be able to show how/where they obtain the parts. The more reputable companies will present a company procedures manual and will in turn be audited by the QA department of the airline/operator buying the parts of them. All helps to keep those bogus parts off the shelf.