U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

ORDER 8120.22A

National Policy

Effective Date: 0111 1/2016

SUBJ: Production Approval Procedures

This order provides guidance tor Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) personnel to accomplish certain agency responsibilities. These include the evaluation and approval ofproduction activities of manufacturers and their suppliers producing products or articles in accordance with Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR).

The guidance in this order relates to the following three types of production approvals issued by the Federal Aviation Administration:

I. Production Certificate.

2. Parts Manufacturer Approval.

3. Technical Standard Order authorization.

This order details procedures for the evaluation and issuance of a production approval.

~~ Acting Manager, Design, Manufacturing, &

Airworthiness Division Aircraft Certification Service

Distribution: Electronic Distribution Initiated By: AIR-1 00

01/11/2016 8120.22A

Table of Contents

Paragraph Page

Chapter 1. Introduction

1-1. Purpose of This Order ...................................................................................................1-1 1-2. Audience .......................................................................................................................1-1 1-3. Where Can I Find This Order .......................................................................................1-1 1-4. Cancellation ..................................................................................................................1-1 1-5. Effective Dates .....................1-6. Explanation of Policy Changes ............................................1-7. Additional Changes-----------------------------------------------

.........................................................................................1-1 .........................................1-1 -------------------------------1-2

Chapter 2. Production Under a Type Certificate (Part 21, Subpart F)

Section 1. General Information

2-1. Applicability ..............................2-2. Privileges.......................................................................................................................2-1

...................................................................................2-1

2-3. Advising the Applicant .................................................................................................2-1 2-4. Reserved ........................................................................................................................2-2

Section 2. FAA Actions During the Six-Month Period

2-5. FAA Conformity Determinations .................................................................................2-3 2-6. Assessing the Applicants Progress ..............................................................................2-3 2-7. Extension of Six-Month Period ....................................................................................2-3 2-8. PC Not Established Within Six-Month Period .............................................................2-3

Figure 2-1. Sample FAA Form 8100-1, Conformity Inspection Record.....................2-4 Figure 2-2. Sample Letter of Authorization for Extension of 21.123(g)

Figure 2-3. Sample FAA Form 8110-12, Application for Type Certificate, Six-Month Limitation ...................................................................................................2-6

Production Certificate, or Supplemental Type Certificate............................................2-7 2-9. Review of Production Quality System Data .................................................................2-8 2-10. Provisional Approval Procedures .................................................................................2-8 2-11. Preliminary MIDO Audit ..............................................................................................2-8 2-12. Production Certification Board .....................................................................................2-9

ii

Figure 3-1. Sample PC Application Acknowledgement Letter ...................................3-9

Figure 3-2. Sample FAA Form 8120-4, Production Certificate ..................................3-14 Figure 3-3. Sample FAA Form 8120-3, Production Limitation Record ......................3-15

01/11/2016 8120.22A

Table of Contents (Continued)

Paragraph Page

Chapter 3. Production Certificate (Part 21, Subpart G)

Section 1. General Information

3-1. Applicability .................................................................................................................3-1 3-2. Privileges.......................................................................................................................3-2 3-3. Advising the Applicant .................................................................................................3-2 3-4. Reserved ........................................................................................................................3-7

Section 2. Processing an Application for a PC

3-5. Application ....................................................................................................................3-7 3-6. Preliminary MIDO Audit ..............................................................................................3-8 3-7. Reserved ........................................................................................................................3-8

Section 3. Production Certification Board

3-8. General PCB Information .............................................................................................3-10 3-9. PCB Member Responsibilities ......................................................................................3-10 3-10. Conduct of the PCB ......................................................................................................3-11 3-11. PCB Minutes .................................................................................................................3-13 3-12. PCB Adjournment .........................................................................................................3-13 3-13. Reserved ........................................................................................................................3-13

Section 4. Issuance of Production Certificate and Production Limitation Record

3-14. Preparation and Delivery of PC and PLR .....................................................................3-13

Figure 3-4. Sample PC Transmittal Letter...................................................................3-16 3-15. Initial Risk-Based Resource Targeting Assessment .....................................................3-19

iii

Figure 4-1. Sample PMA Letter of Application ..........................................................4-9

Figure 4-3. Sample PMA Letter...................................................................................4-12

Figure 4-5. Sample Transmittal Letter of Subsequent PMA Supplement ...................4-18

01/11/2016 8120.22A

Table of Contents (Continued)

Paragraph Page

Chapter 4. Parts Manufacturer Approval (Part 21, Subpart K)

Section 1. General Information

4-1. Applicability .................................................................................................................4-1 4-2. Privileges.......................................................................................................................4-2 4-3. Advising the Applicant .................................................................................................4-2 4-4. Reserved ........................................................................................................................4-7

Section 2. Processing an Application for a PMA

4-5. Applicant Responsibilities ............................................................................................4-7

4-6. MIDO/CMO Responsibility .........................................................................................4-10 Figure 4-2. Sample PMA Supplement for Licensing Agreement and STC.................4-11

Figure 4-4. Sample TC, STC, or TSO Authorization Holders PMA Assist Letter ....4-16 4-7 Reserved ........................................................................................................................4-17

Section 3. Issuance of a PMA

4-8. Assignment of the PMA Number .................................................................................4-17 4-9. PMA Letter ...................................................................................................................4-17 4-10. Initial Risk-Based Resource Targeting Assessment .....................................................4-17 4-11. Reserved ........................................................................................................................4-17

Section 4. Post-PMA Activities

4-12. Transferability ...............................................................................................................4-19 4-13. Reuse of PMA Design Data ..........................................................................................4-19 4-14. Changes to the Quality System .....................................................................................4-19 4-15. Revising/Am