WARN
(Please notethe followingstatementsfrom
FAA
Advisory
Circular
20Ii2C
entitled
TLIGIBILITY,
QUALITY, AND IDENTlFlCATlON
OFAPPROVED REPLACEMENTPARTS"):
3.
BAGKGR8
U
N
D.
An increasingamountofreplacementparts(includingstandardparts),materials,
appliances, and instrumentsare offeredfor sale as beingof aircraft qualitywhen actuallythe qualityand
originoftheseunitsareunknown.Usersofsuchunitsareusuallynotawareof thepotentialhazardsinvolved
with replacement parts that are not eligible for use on certificated aircraft. Frequently such units are
deceptively advertised or presentedas "unused," "likenew," or "remanufactured." This impliesthat the
qualityof such unitsisequaltoan originalor appropriately repairedor overhauledunit.
The performancerulesfor replacementof partsand materialsused inthe maintenanceand alteration of
U.S.
certificatedaircraft are specifiedinFederalAviation Regulations (FAR)
43.13
and FAR
145.57.
The
responsibilityforthecontinuedairworthinessoftheaircraft,whichindudesthereplacement
of
parts, isthe
responsibilityof the ownerloperator as outlined inFAR
91.163,
FAR
121.363,
FAR
123.45,
FAR
127.131
and FAR
135.143
(a).
IDENTIFICATION
OF
THE
APPROVED
PARTS.
Approved serviceable replacement
partsare identifiedasfollows:
a. By an FAA Form
81
30-3 (FormerlyFAA Form
186),
AirworthinessApproval Tag. An Airworthiness
Approval Tag identifies a part or group of parts that have been approved by authoriied
FAA
representatives.
b.
Byan FAATechnicalStandardOrder (TSO)numberandidentificationmark
that
indicatesthe partor
appliancehas beenmanufactured underthe requirementsof FAR
37.
c. Byan FWMAsymbol, togetherwiththe manufacturer's name, trademarkor symbol,part number,
andthe makeand modelof the
type
certificatedproductonwhichthe partiseligiblefor installation,
stamped onthe
part
An FAA Patts ManufacturerApproval (FAAIPMA) isissued under FAR 21.305.
The makeand modelidomtationmay beonatagattachedtothe part.
d. Byshippingticket, invoice, or otherdocumentwhich
provides
evidencethat the partwas produced
bya manufacturerhddingan
FAA
Approved ProductionInspectionSystem issuedunder FAR
21,
SubpartF, orby
a
manufacturerhddingan
FAA
ProductionCertificateissuedunderFAR
21,
Subpart
G.
e. By a certificateof airworthiness for export issued by a foreign government under the provisionsof
FAR 21, Subpart
N.
KNOW
YOUR
SUPPLIER.
It
has
come
to our attention that many reproduced parts and
components, particulaiiyinstrumentswhich have been manufactured bypersonsotherthanthe original
manufacturer,areavailableforpurchaseandinstallationon
U.S.
certificatedaircraft. Often, anoriginalpart
isusedasasampletoproduceduplicates.The reproducedpartsappearto
be
asgoodastheoriginalpart;
however, there are many unknown factors to be considered that may not
be
readily apparent to the
purchaser,i.e., heattreating, plating, inspections,testsand calibrations. Alltoooftenthe faulty part is not
discovereduntila malfunctionor anaccident occurs.
SUMMARY.
In
accordancewithFAR'S,certificationofmaterials,
parts,
andappliancesforreturn
tosewice,
for
useonaircraft, istheresponsibEIity
of
theperson
or
agencywho signsthe approval.
The ownerlopetator,
as
denotedinparagraph3
of
thisadvisorycircular,
is
responsiblefor the continued
aiworthiness
of
theaircraft. Toassurecontinuedsafetyinaircraftoperation, itisessentialthat greatcare
be
usedwhen inspecting, testing, and determiningtheacceptabifiof
all
partsand materials. Particular
cautionshould
be
exercisedwhenthe identity
of
material&
parts,
and appliances cannotbeestablished
orwhentheir originisindoubt
