It all Filters Down to This…

The most common misconception in the general aviation community is that a PMA (Parts Manufacturer Approval) part is inferior to an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) part.  This may be due to the lack of information the public has available to them as to how a PMA license is obtained.

In November 2007, Bill Burchell of Aviation Week magazine helped us understand the ways that a PMA license is obtained.  The following is the four different ways of classifying a PMA part.

If a part is shown to be identical in all aspects to the approved design, a PMA license is issued.  A minimum performance standard is issued by the FAA when a license agreement between a type certificate or technical standard order and a PMA manufacturer agrees that a part is identical to the original design.  This allows the same part number to be used for both the PMA and OEM part. (Aviation Week, 2007)

If only minor changes have been made to the part the part manufacturer can obtains PMA licensing by providing test computation and comparative analysis demonstrating  that the part meets the requirements of all of the airworthiness standards related to that part. It must be proven that the new part is equal or better to the current part.  With this type of PMA the part number is not allowed to remain the same as the OEM. (Aviation Week, 2007)

Finally if a major change is applied to the part and a STC (Supplemental Type Certificate ) is obtained then the PMA licensing is provided by the FAA as a manufacturing permission. (Aviation Week, 2007)

The latter type of approval is the type obtained by Challenger Aviation to manufacture our re-cleanable air and oil filters.  Our test analysis has consistently shown that the performance of our product is superior to that of the paper and foam filters currently on the market.  Because our air filters are made with surgical cotton and use environment friendly mineral oil to help keep the dirt out and keep the air flowing to your engine we obtained a STC.  However, our filters are also PMA approved and have been through the necessary steps for the FAA to allow manufacturing of our product.

The approval process for our performance enhancing filters is long.  Many customers ask when their aircraft will have a filter approved.  Please know that we work on obtaining STC and PMA licensing throughout the year and plan to cover the aircraft still remaining as soon as possible. 

Heather Rocco-Geissler
CEO