Prime Propulsion Aviation Blog: FAA Certification & Engineering Insights

For any aircraft owner, ensuring the airworthiness of your machine is paramount. This not only guarantees the safety of yourself and...

When it comes to aircraft, safety reigns supreme. Every component, from the sleek fuselage to the intricate wiring, plays a crucial role...

As an aircraft owner, you're always looking for ways to save money on maintenance and repairs. One option that can be both cost-effective...

The aviation industry is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for around 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable...

We've covered why working with a DER matters for certification projects in general. This post focuses on how that relationship works specifically for Parts Manufacturer Approvals. A Designated Engineering Representative is an experienced engineer designated by the FAA to perform certain engineering functions on the agency's behalf — including reviewing and approving the engineering data in a PMA submission via Form 8110-3. For a PMA applicant, that means your DER isn't just a

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires aircraft engine manufacturers to perform tests as required in 14 CFR part 33 to...

14 CFR Part 23 is the regulation that establishes the airworthiness standards for normal-category airplanes — the general aviation fleet, from single-engine pistons to smaller multi-engine aircraft. Like Part 25 for transport-category aircraft, Part 23 is a broad regulation covering the whole airplane: structures, flight characteristics, systems, and equipment. And like Part 25, it has one portion that sits directly alongside the engine work most propulsion certification invo

14 CFR Part 33 is the regulation that establishes the airworthiness standards for aircraft engines. Every certificated engine flying today had to demonstrate compliance with it — and so does every significant change made to one. That second part is what most people overlook. Part 33 isn't only the rulebook for certifying a new engine; it's the standard that engine type certificates, PMAs, STCs, and amended type certificates all have to answer to. If your work touches aircraft

Jet engine Inlet and Nozzle Jet engines have revolutionized the way we travel and have made it possible to explore the world at a rapid...

Analyzing the performance of a jet engine typically involves measuring its thrust, fuel consumption, and other operational parameters....

14 CFR 25.981 is a regulation that governs the standards for transport category airplanes. This regulation is part of the Code of Federal...

Test Cell Engineering is a specialized focus area where an individual has to have worked in engine test to understand the systems and be...

The Engine OEMS desire to bring independent Part 145 repair shops into their authorized repair networks is clear. It has been well...

Boom Supersonic announced their engine Symphony,with Kratos, GE, and Standard Aero rounding out the team. Designing an engine is a...

We have taken time to discuss Parts Manufacturing Approval, Supplemental Type Certificate, and Test Cell Correlation but until now we...

The NBAA conference this year was an amazing opportunity for those of us in Business Aviation to connect with old and new friends while...

Our goal of the monthly blog posts is to provide our readers with information that they want and need to continue running a successful...

We have touched on Parts Manufacturing Approvals multiple times; "What is a PMA" and "Two ways to obtain a PMA". Those posts covered the...

When an engine comes off a test cell, the numbers it produces — thrust, fuel flow, shaft horsepower, exhaust gas temperature — are only as trustworthy as the cell that measured them. That raises an obvious question. There are OEM test facilities and there are third-party MRO shops, all of them running engines and all of them generating data. So how does anyone actually know a given cell's numbers are good? That's the job of a test cell correlation. A correlation provides evid

An aerospace test cell is a specialized facility used to validate the design and performance of gas turbine engines. Commercial Test cells are used to demonstrate compliance to 14 CFR Part 33 regulations to obtain type certificates and verify performance post maintenance activities per 14 CFR part 43. A DER or ODA unit member will review data and submit to the FAA to show the engine meets original design spec or revised spec via STC. Test cells are designed to test various ty