Chapter 7 Approval of Materials, Parts, Processes, and Appliances
Article 49
Whenever a material, part, process, or appliance is required to be approved under these regulations, unless it is designed, manufactured and mark according to the industry standards that is recognized by CAA or it is produced by an owner or operator for maintaining or altering that owner or operator's product, it may be approved:
1) Under a Parts Manufacturer Approval under this chapter;
2) Under a TSO Authorization issued under Chapter 8;
3) In conjunction with type certification procedures for a product; or
Article 50
An applicant shall apply to the CAA for a Parts Manufacturers Approval. An applicant is entitled to a PMA Certificate (see Attachment 14) if its part is properly certified by CAA .The applicant shall submit to CAA the following:
1) The PMA application form (see Attachment 15);
2) The identity of the product on which the part is to be installed;
3) A document describing its organization, manufacturing facilities and locations;
4) Drawings and specification necessary to show the configuration of the part;
5) Information on dimensions, materials, and processes necessary to define the structural strength of the part; and
6) Test reports and computations necessary to show that the design of the part meets the applicable airworthiness requirements, unless the applicant shows that the design of the part is identical to the design of a part that is covered under a type certificate. If the design of the part was obtained by a licensing agreement, evidence of the agreement must be furnished.
Article 51
Each holder of a Parts Manufacturer Approval shall establish and maintain a quality system (see Attachment 9) that ensures that each completed part conforms to its design data and is safe for installation on applicable type certificated products.
The PMA applicant shall submit a statement certifying that he has established the quality system as above required, and must provide a quality manual describing its quality system to the CAA for approval.
Article 52
Each applicant for a Parts Manufacturer Approval must make all inspections and tests necessary to determine--
1) Compliance with the applicable airworthiness requirements;
2) That materials conform to the specifications in the design;
3) That part conforms to the drawings in the design; and
4) That the fabrication process, construction, and assembly conform to those specified in the design.
Each applicant for a Parts Manufacturer Approval must make all inspections and tests necessary to determine--
No part may be presented to the CAA for an inspection or test unless compliance with paragraphs (2) through (4) of this section has been shown for that part; and no change may be made to a part between the time that compliance with paragraphs (2) through (4) of this section is shown for that part and the time that the part is presented to the CAA for the inspection or test.
Article 53
A Parts Manufacturer Approval for a replacement or modification part is issued when: the CAA finds, upon examination of the design and after completing all tests and inspections, the design meets the applicable airworthiness requirements, and the applicant has established a quality system as required at Article 51.
A Parts Manufacturer Approval is not transferable.
Article 53-1
Classification of design changes for PMA parts.
1) A “minor change” to the design of the part produced under a PMA is one that has no appreciable effect on the approval basis.
2) A “major change” to the design of the part produced under a PMA is any change that is not minor.Minor changes to the basic design of a PMA part may be approved using a method acceptable to the CAA.
The PMA holder shall apply to the CAA for a new PMA of any major change in accordance with requirements prescribed in Article 51.
Article 54
PMA holders shall apply to CAA for authorized release certificate following the completion of procedures contained in Attachment 17. The CAA will issue an authorized release certificate when all procedures are satisfactorily completed on that PMA product.
Identify any portion of the PMA parts that leave the PMA holder's facility as CAA approved with the manufacturer's part number and name, trademark, symbol, or other CAA approved manufacturer's identification.
Article 55
The holder of a PMA must notify the CAA in writing within 10 days, of any change to the quality system and the change that may affect the inspection, conformity, or airworthiness of its product. The PMA holder must obtain CAA approval before making any changes to the location of any of its manufacturing facilities.
Article 56
Each holder of a Parts Manufacturer Approval shall determine that each completed part conforms to the design data and is safe for installation on type certificated products.
Each holder of a PMA shall make necessary inspections and tests upon CAA’s request to ensure the compliance with the provisions prescribed in this chapter.
Article 57
No person may import appliances and parts for civil aviation use unless properly certificated. The holder of an appliance and part shall use the procedures in Attachment 18 for the validation of imported appliances and parts, unless otherwise prescribed in a treaty or an agreement.
Airworthiness approvals that were issued by the airworthiness authority of the exporting country shall be attached with the imported appliances and parts.