New Video: What is a PMA?

MARPA has added video to our website!

Now if you look at the “What is a PMA” page on the MARPA website, you will see that we have added a video presentation that explains what PMA parts are all about.  This is our first video on our new Youtube page that will become the home to videos about PMA issues.

Please let us know if you have any ideas for video presentations that you’d like to see on MARPA’s Youtube account or on MARPA’s website!

MARPA Releases Latest Revisions of MARPA 1100; MARPA COS

MARPA has released the latest revisions of the MARPA 1100 Standard and MARPA Continued Operation Safety (COS) guidance.  These revisions improve both documents.

The MARPA 1100 Standard is a streamlined program for Parts Manufacturer Approval applications. It reflects a standard mechanism for compiling applications for FAA PMAs for non-safety-significant (NSS) aircraft parts.  These are parts whose failure would have little or no effect on the continued safe flight and landing of an aircraft.

MARPA continues to work with the FAA to help develop corollary FAA guidance to explain to FAA employees the public safety benefits of the program, and to advise FAA employees on how to handle PMA applications properly prepared under the MARPA 1100 standard.  The program will benefit both the FAA and the PMA manufacturing community by allowing the FAA to more quickly approve applications for NSS PMA parts and to focus its limited certification resources on more safety-sensitive issues.

MARPA COS guidance is designed to help PMA manufacturers implement an effective COS program to satisfy the need for PMA holders to be responsible for the continued operational safety of their aircraft parts.  The MARPA COS program uses three philosophies — problem prevention, part monitoring, and problem response — to support operational safety of a manufactured part.

Visit the MARPA website at http://www.pmaparts.org to learn more about the MARPA 1100 program for NSS parts, and the MARPA COS Guidance.

MARPA Annual Conference Hotel Information – Reserve Your Room Before They Sell Out

The MARPA 2012 Conference will be held October 3-5, 2012 at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel.  Please make your reservations early for the Conference: the hotel has sold out early for the past several years and we expect the hotel to sell out again this year.

We have negotiated a room rate of $129.00 per night (not including taxes) for single/double occupancy. This rate applies on a limited basis for rooms up to three days before and after the event, for those who wish to extend their stay.  This is the lowest rate available to any group at the Conference Hotel during this time period!

In order to qualify for this special rate, you must book your room by Monday, September 3, 2012. Click here for a link to the hotel for the MARPA room block. Clicking this link should automatically reference the 2012 MARPA discount code (which is mrpmrpa).

You can also call the hotel directly at (800) 750-0980. Make sure to ask for the “MARPA” rate in order to get our discounted rate!

PMA Parts Conference … ONLINE!

The ap&m Online Alternate Parts Conference is scheduled for June 20th Haven’t yet made your travel arrangements? No worries! This is a virtual conference – you can visit it from your desk.

CHANGE NOTICE: AS OF JUNE 18, THE ONLINE CONFERENCE HAS BEEN POSTPONED – WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE NEW DATE IS AS SOON AS UBM ANNOUNCES IT.

The virtual conference will focus on the market for PMA (Parts Manufacturer Approval) parts and DER (Designated Airworthiness Representative) repairs. It will feature Live Webinars and pre-recorded, on-demand content from a host of organizations.

MARPA will participate in the Conference with a virtual presence, live contact with our staff, and pre-recorded content providing tips for exporting PMA parts.

Contributors include: Air France; Aircraft Engine Support; ap&m Events; ARSA; ASM – Aircraft Systems & Manufacturing; Aviation Instruments & Avionics; CIT Aerospace; Delta Air Lines; FlyPMA.com; IBA; Lufthansa CityLine; MARPA; Spirit AeroSystems; TUI Belgium; UBM Aviation; and Wencor

WHEN?

• June 20, 2012
• EDT 6am – 5pm; BST 11am – 10am; GST 2pm – 1am

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

• Registration Link: http://www.apmexpoonline.com

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

• www.apmexpoonline.com or call +44 (0) 207 579 4864

Delta TechOps President Charaf Challenges the PMA Community to Evolve and Grow

Those of you who were not able to make it to the 2011 MARPA Conference this week missed a show packed with business opportunities, suggestions concerning new markets, previews of FAA and EASA policies affecting PMAs and market information about the ever-changing PMA market.

The 2011 MARPA keynote speaker was Tony Charaf, President of Delta TechOps.  Charaf challenged the PMA industry to continue evolving to meet the changing needs of the airline industry.

Charaf explained that “the world will be inherited by the fasted changing organization.”  He explained that today’s business environment requires constant change in order to continue to meet customer expectations.

Charaf explained that the top three expenses for an airline are fuel, labor and maintenance costs.  Maintenance is an important cost center when trying to reduce Cost per Available Seat Mile (CASM).  Delta TechOps finished the third quarter of this year with $455 million in revenue which means that they are on pace for a record year.  Part of TechOps’ success is based on their use of PMAs – Delta TechOps has been using PMAs as a strategy for reducing airline CASM.

Charaf noted that “the OEMs are changing, the world is changing the airlines are changing, cost structures are changing, our business is changing and you’ve got to change as well.”  Charaf noted that today, PMAs only reflect about 5% of the market.  “We are stuck between you and the OEMs,” he explained.

Charaf warned the group that the “OEMs are squeezing you out.”  He explained that the OEMs who control the bulk of the marketplace are able to control prices on a wide range of parts, and a 3-4% reduction on a hundred millions of dollars worth of parts from an OEM may be more valuable than a 40% reduction on a handful of PMA parts.  For this reason, PMA manufacturers need to find ways to meet a broad range of air carrier parts needs in order to remain competitive.

He also suggested that PMA manufacturers investigate other systems like IFE.

Charaf pledged to continue working with the PMA industry.  “We as an airline will work with you in the segments where PMA parts have merit and we will continue to support you as we have in the past.”  He explained that “Delta and Delta Airlines are still very committed to the PMA industry.”

MARPA Conference Agenda for October 14, 2011

Welcome to the Closing Day of the 2011 MARPA Conference.  We’ve put together this Agenda in order to make sure that attendees can find what they’re looking for!  If you have any questions, please ask anyone wearing a Staff ribbon or a Board ribbon.

Please remember to submit your Conference Survey and your Association Survey before you leave. We use this feedback to help improve MARPA programs for the members. Also, each timely-submitted survey enters the completing-party in the Conference-end drawing for a MARPA-radio-controlled helicopter (you must be present to win!).

MARPA Conference Agenda for October 13, 2011

Welcome to the First General Session Day of the 2011 MARPA Conference.  We’ve put together this Agenda in order to make sure that attendees can find what they’re looking for!  If you have any questions, please ask anyone wearing a Staff ribbon or a Board ribbon.

October 13, 2011

MARPA General Session Day One

7:30 am – 5:00 pm	Registration Desk		Hotel Lobby
7:30 am – 8:30 am	Breakfast		Renaissance I
7:30 am – 5:00 pm	Exhibits Open		Renaissance I
8:30 am – 10:00 am	Opening Session		Renaissance II-III
	→Day One Keynote Speaker Tony Charaf, President, Delta Tech Ops
	→MARPA’s Efforts to Make Life Easier for the PMA Industry, Jason Dickstein, MARPA President
10:00 am – 10:30am	Break (Sponsored by Aero-Instruments)		Renaissance II-III
10:30 am – 12:00 noon	Session II		Renaissance II-III
	→PMA Industry Economic Outlook, Mike Holland, Aerostrategy
	→Making Money in the PMA Industry, Peter Zimm,SH&E
	→Research Tax Credit and Other Tax Tips in a PMA Environment, Kevin Cox, LarsenAllen
12:00 noon – 1:30 pm	Lunch (Sponsored by )		Renaissance I
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm	Session III		Renaissance II-III
	→Industry Developments to Support Supplier Oversight, Ed Bayne, Boeing (on behalf of IAQG)
	→PMA Safety Record – the Empirical Analysis, Larry Shiembob, Timken
	→ 3D Manufacturing: Not Just Science Fiction, Greg Elfering, 3D System Corporation
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm	Afternoon Break (Sponsored by Aero Instruments)		Renaissance I and Renaissance Hallway
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm	Session IV		Renaissance II-III
	→ Regulatory Changes and FAA Advice, Gregory Johnson, Aircraft Safety Engineer, FAA
	→ Working with Delegated Authority, Andy Shields, Vice-President, Wencor
	→PMAs for Articles: How to Manage the Intersection between PMA and TSOA, Darren Lovato, DER Technologies

MARPA Conference Agenda for October 12, 2011

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the 2011 MARPA Conference.  We’ve put together this Agenda of today’s events in order to make sure that attendees can find what they’re looking for!  If you have any questions, please ask anyone wearing a Staff ribbon or a Board ribbon.

October 12, 2011

MARPA Workshop Day

8:30 am – 8:00 pm	Registration in the Main Lobby (for your convenience, we’ve extended the open hours for the Registration Desk)		Hotel Lobby
9:00 am – 12:00 am	AM Workshops
	Workshop A – Continued Operational Safety (COS) and Safety Management Systems (SMS)		Renaissance II
	John Hunter, MARPA COS Committee Chairman Pat Markham, MARPA COS Committee Vice-Chairman
	Workshop B – Maximizing Profitability and Execution of a LEAN Operating System		Capital Room (second floor)
	Rob Tracey and Brent Terhaar, LarsenAllen
12:00 noon – 1:30 pm	Lunch (Sponsored by )		Renaissance III
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	PM Workshops
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Workshop C – Risk Analysis		Capital Room (second floor)
	Moderated by Nate Dalton, Wencor Rod Sands, Jet Parts Engineering George Ringger, G. Ringger Consulting, Inc.
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm	Workshop D – Certification of Engine Parts: The Latest Strategies for Demonstrating Compliance for FAA’s Standards, Mark Bouyer-FAA Engine Directorate		Renaissance II
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm	Air Carrier Committee Meeting		Rainbow Room (second floor)
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm	Board of Directors Meeting (Closed Meeting – Board Only)		Board Room (second floor)
5:15 pm – 5:45 pm	Marketing Committee Meeting		Board Room (second floor)
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm	Opening Evening Cocktail Reception – Sponsored by		Poolside AND Renaissance I (Exhibit Hall)
	Hors d’oeuvres and libations Dress Code: Casual Chat with old friends and meet new ones A wonderful opportunity to renew your business contacts throughout the industry Exhibit Hall Open!

MARPA Early Registration is 43% Higher Than Last Year

With one month left before the conference, MARPA has 208 registered attendees for the 2011 MARPA Conference.  Last year’s early registration list boasted only 145 attendees, so that is a 43% increase over last year.  This means that the 2011 conference is likely to be the largest MARPA Conference ever.

For comparison purposes, last year’s conference had about 210 pre-registered attendees when we left the office for Nevada, and on-site registration brought us to 257 attendees.

We’d like to thank everyone in the MARPA Community for making this year’s conference a success, already.  If you have not yet registered for the Conference, though, please be sure to check out our 2011 Conference Agenda!  You should also examine the early registration list to see how many of your business partners (and how many of your competitors) will be at the Conference.

The downside to this sort of popularity is that the hotel has reported to us that they are sold out for October 10th and 11th (days on which we’d only reserved a small room block).  Space is still available for check-in on October 12th or later (remember, the Conference is October 12-14).  However, today (the 12th) is the last day on which our room block will be reserved for MARPA registrants – after today the room block opens up so get your rooms reserved quickly!

Many members want to invite business partners and customers to dinner (either after the opening night reception or on the night of the 13th, which is a free night).  In order to be fair to all MARPA members and attendees, we make the list available online for all to see on a pre-announced day.  We had previously announced that the early registration list would be available today – and it is now up on the internet.  You can find the Early Registration List online.

MARPA Confirms the Safety of our Friends and Members in Japan

On behalf of all of the members of the MARPA family, we wish to extend our deepest sympathies to our members and friends who have endured the recent tragic events in Japan.

Over the past few days we have been exchanging emails with a number of  our members and contacts in Japan.  MARPA has received word from friends at All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and others, assuring us that our members in Japan are safe at this time.  We greatly appreciate these updates, and hope that they will soon be able to begin to recovering from the effects of the earthquake, aftershocks, tsunami, and power loss.

Our members all appear to be far from the nuclear power plants in Fukushima (about 250 km), so under current estimates they appear to be safe from the radiation threat.  Nonetheless, we have asked them to let us know if there is anything that the Association can do to help them.

Our thoughts and warmest wishes are with the people of Japan in this time.

For more information on how to help, locate or report the whereabouts of a citizen, or find resources, please visit http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html