PMA Parts

[C.130]

Recently heard conversations down in engineering about PMA parts and the companies decision not to use them, has anyone heard why our illustrious leaders in the many companies we work for will not use these parts, surely if they are approved there should not be a problem.

[A and C]

Quality is the main reason that some people will not use PMA parts , as you say they are aproved but some do not last as long as OM parts so in the long run SOME are not a good economic move.

How ever some PMA parts are very good and offer a real cost saving only close observation by the engineers will tell you what is good an what is not.

[dv8]

PMA?
Is that engineer speak for 'bought them at B&Q'
:cool:

[Dragonspet]

"Perfectly Manufactured Alternative" that just happens to have been bought at a Bar-B-Q. :D

[john_tullamarine]

There's a good deal more involved in such decisions, chaps. Best left to tech department PEs to consider.

Some of the main concerns relate to the degree of support and tech backup which the PMA organisation can, or cannot, provide and the technical knowledge or lack thereof, which went into the "original" work done by the organisation.

Keep in mind that the OEM invests a LOT of effort into design and manufacture - not all PMA organisations have the resources to do that.

[CCAero]

Worth noting that a large number of parts are manufactured under PMA anyway. Presumably the FAA wouldn't approve them if they were "dodgy"???

[MFFA938]

******, CCAERO beat me to it, anyway, if you chaps take the time to carefully check the parts being fitted to your aircraft you will note that most of them are PMA's, in fact if you ever get the chance to look over a brand new aircraft straight out of the factory, you will notice that approx 50% of the parts fitted are PMA's.

This whole PMA issue is a falicy, the management tell us to save money, so we look at PMA's, which can save us a huge amount of hard cash, only to be told that we cannot use them, and then get chewed out for spending too much.

When will managment realise the vast sums of money they are wasting could be saved if only they pulled their heads out of the sand and allowed us poor grease monkies to do our jobs properly.

For you info, just removed and airframe mfr supplied part from my B777,, and guess what it has PMA written on it - go figure!!!!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[john_tullamarine]

I think that we might be missing a few points here.

There is nothing the matter with a manufacturer using PMA parts as they still are subject to review by the production QA system. Indeed, there is no reason why a manufacturer cannot hold PMA tickets anyway. The in service problems mainly come down to one of general support.

It is not simply a policy matter of .. we should .. or should not use PMA sourced items. The sensible airline supply organisation will seek appropropriate technical guidance as to which parts are appropriate to seek supply alternative to the OEM.

[ 05 September 2001: Message edited by: john_tullamarine ]