Guidance Material and Best Practices for Alternate Parts (PMA) and Approved (non-OEM) Repairs (DER) - Effective March 2015 - 2nd Edition

Oct 22, 2026

Guidance Material and Best Practices for Alternate Parts (PMA) and Approved (non-OEM) Repairs (DER) provides structured procedures and recommended practices effective March 2015 for evaluating, approving, and using alternate parts and repairs. It covers the background and regulatory requirements, detailed PMA approval methods including FAA approaches, marking and identification, installation eligibility, and continued airworthiness and operational safety. It also outlines operator acceptance processes, engineering review and authorization, implementation steps, routine maintenance use, and record keeping, supported by a comprehensive table of contents.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages38

Reading Time1 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

1 Introduction

2 Background

3 Alternate Parts (PMA)

3.1 FAA PMA Approval Methods

3.2 Alternate Parts (PMA) Marking and Identification

3.3 Installation Eligibility

3.4 Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA)

3.5 Continued Operational Safety (COS)

3.6 STC Design Approval as an Alternative to PMA

3.7 Production and Manufacturing Approval

3.8 PMA Parts Applications and Availability

3.9 Safety Classifications for PMA Parts

3.10 Databases for PMA Parts

4 Operator Procedures for Acceptance and Use of Alternate Parts (PMA)

4.1 Regulatory Requirements and Background

4.2 Typical Airline PMA Procedures and Processes

4.3 Identification of PMA Parts Opportunity and Business Case

4.4 Preparation of PMA Evaluation Package

4.5 Engineering Review and Authorization

4.6 Engineering PMA Acceptance Documentation

4.7 Implementation Steps for PMA Parts

4.8 Maintenance Routine Use of PMA Parts

4.9 Record Keeping

| | | --- | | | Guidance Material and Best Practices for Alternate Parts (PMA) and Approved (non-OEM) Repairs (DER) Effective March 2015 2 nd Edition NOTICE DISCLAIMER. The information contained in this publication is subject to constant review in the light of changing government requirements and regulations. No subscriber or other reader should act on the basis of any such information without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without taking appropriate professional advice. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the International Air Transport Association shall not beheld responsible for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misprints or misinterpretation of the contents hereof. Furthermore, the International Air Transport Association expressly disclaims any and all liability to any person or entity, whether a purchaser of this publication or not, in respect of anything done or omitted, and the consequences of anything done or omitted, by any such person or entity in reliance on the contents of this publication. © International Air Transport Association. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, recast, reformatted or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission from: Senior Vice President Safety and Flight Operations International Air Transport Association 800 Place Victoria P. O. Box 113 Montreal, Quebec CANADA H4Z 1M1 Guidance Material and Best Practices for Alternate Parts (PMA) and Approved (non-OEM) Repairs (DER) ISBN 978-92-9252-611-5 © 2015 International Air Transport Association. All rights reserved. Montreal—Geneva DISCLAIMER While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this report, neither the International Air Transport Association (“IATA”) nor its subsidiaries, members, directors, officers or employees shall be liable for any and all loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of any errors, omissions, or reliance on the contents of this report by that person. COPYRIGHT The contents herein are copyright IATA. No part of this document may be reproduced, recast, reformatted or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission from IATA. THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 2 Background ...........................................................................................................................................2 3 Alternate Parts (PMA) ........................................................................................................................... 5 3.1 FAA PMA Approval Methods .......................................................................................................5 3.1.1 Identicality With Licensing Agreement ..........................................................................5 3.1.2 Identicality Without Licensing Agreement .....................................................................5 3.1.3 Test and Computation...................................................................................................5 3.2 Alternate Parts (PMA) Marking and Identification .......................................................................6 3.3 Installation Eligibility ....................................................................................................................6 3.4 Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) ...........................................................................6 3.5 Continued Operational Safety (COS) .................

FAQs

What does the PMA/DER guidance cover for alternate parts and non-OEM repairs?

It covers background and regulatory requirements, PMA approval methods, marking and identification, installation eligibility, and continued airworthiness and operational safety. It also includes operator procedures for acceptance and use, including evaluation package preparation and engineering authorization.

How are FAA PMA approval methods organized in the guidance?

The table of contents lists FAA PMA approval methods, including identifying how approvals are handled with and without a licensing agreement, and the role of test and computation.

What operator activities are included for accepting and using PMA alternate parts?

Operator procedures include typical airline processes, identifying the business case and opportunity, preparing the PMA evaluation package, conducting engineering review and authorization, defining implementation steps, using parts in routine maintenance, and maintaining records.

Oct 22, 2026

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