The aviation industry is one of the fastest-growing and most expensive industries in the world. Because of this, learning how to cut costs and maximize your budget without compromising on safety is essential for your success. While doing things such as optimizing fuel routes and managing expenses, the biggest key can be found in avoiding expensive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts. These can be one of the most costly factors in aircraft maintenance, leading to unpredictable bills and budget overruns. Instead, opting for FAA-certified Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) filters can help provide a long-term, lasting solution for improved savings. PMA parts from Global Filtration deliver these savings along with meeting regulatory requirements for your aircraft’s safety.
Understanding What Makes PMA Aircraft Parts FAA-Certifiable
The biggest question when comparing OEM and PMA parts is, “If PMA aircraft filters are cheaper, are they really safe?” The truth is that due to the rigorous and non-negotiable certification process, PMA parts are actually more regulated by the FAA and, in turn, much safer for consumers.
The only difference between OEM parts and PMA aircraft parts is the manufacturer. A non-original manufacturer creates PMA aircraft filter parts and must undergo specific testing to ensure they operate with the same level of meticulous accuracy. As a result, it is guaranteed that the PMA part will be identical to or superior to the OEM part – the only difference is the impact on your budget.
The key areas of focus regarding the FAA-certification process include:
- Identicality: PMA aircraft parts must demonstrate a complete match in terms of design, material, manufacturing, and performance.
- Test and computation: This proves that PMA parts are superior or identical to the OEM part in terms of performance and safety – even if there are slightly different construction techniques present.
The FAA certification gives aircraft owners the confidence that their parts will continuously perform exactly the same as the OEM part. In many cases, PMA parts could even be seen as more trustworthy, as they are forced to establish more stringent testing policies and regulations to receive the FAA certification.
PMA Plane Parts Maintenance Cost Analysis
While the FAA certification establishes PMA parts as a trustworthy and compliant option for aircraft filter replacement, another significant benefit is the quantifiable maintenance cost savings. What makes PMA aircraft filters a direct contributor to significant savings is that they offer both lower initial investment costs, paired with long-term savings down the line.
In most cases, PMA parts cost 30% to 70% less than OEM parts. When it comes to aircraft parts, which can be incredibly expensive, these metrics can have a significant impact on your budget. Especially if you are equipping an entire fleet and need to replace 50 or more individual aircraft systems, this is primarily due to a more competitive market for PMA parts. Global Filtration offers affordable prices and reliable, durable results, regardless of the aircraft filtration system you need.
Using poor quality filters can not only lead to unreliable performance, but they can also have an acute, negative effect on other vital aspects of your aircraft filtration system. By choosing to invest in high-quality PMA aircraft filtration parts, you can eliminate the risk by prioritizing quality control throughout the entire system. When your aircraft filter is functioning properly, it alleviates stress on parts such as the pumps or actuators. In many cases, the equipment that a filter protects is significantly more expensive than the PMA filter itself, making its role vital for preventing complete engine or hydraulic system replacements. This helps not only keep your fleet’s performance outstanding, but also keeps you from paying expensive and unpredictable maintenance costs when things go awry.
Common Maintenance Issues Caused By Inefficient Aircraft Filtration
Aircraft filtration systems have a large role when it comes to the safety and durability of the aircraft’s internal system. Regardless of what type of aircraft or what unique specifications exist within the system, the most reliable way to save money is by avoiding reliance on reactive maintenance. Here are the most common ways that poor filtration can contribute to expenses and other large-scale issues:
- Contaminant-included component failure: When filters fail to perform well and allow microscopic contaminants to enter the fluid flow, they put more pressure on other key components like hydraulic pumps, fuel control units, and engine bearings – often leading to premature failure.
- Unscheduled downtime: When filters become clogged early on, it can cause expensive flight diversions or unscheduled downtime and profitability pauses.
- Reduced overall efficiency: High differential pressure across an inefficient filtration system can cause your system to slow and eventually overheat, which ultimately causes a system shutdown.
- Accelerate oil degradation: When contaminants enter the system, they break down the fuel or fluid quickly. This demands more frequent, expensive fuel and fluid replacement.
How FAA-Approved Parts Help Save You From Liability Costs
When it comes to any sort of aircraft fleet, no amount of cost savings is worth an unsafe flight. Before any cost calculations can take place, it is essential to understand the immense value and importance of adhering to regulations. Not only do PMA aircraft filters save your fleet from skyrocketing upfront costs and unpredictable maintenance fees, but they can also save you from big-ticket liability claims. Because of this, PMA parts can help your company by offering increased reliability and low-risk investment.
By completely eliminating the possibility of low-quality, non-FAA-certified parts and the associated massive liability risk, you can set your fleet apart by having reliable, fully documented systems from top to bottom. If you want to create a reputation for your company that exudes thoughtful responsibility and meticulous care for safety, then working with Global Filtration is crucial for the overall success of your aircraft filtration system.
Reduce Your Operational Costs By Opting for PMA Plane Parts
The value of PMA parts is that they typically outperform OEM parts when it comes to operational efficiency. The technical specifics are where your fleet will find significant savings and long-term budget improvements. These metrics prove the superiority of Global Filtration’s FAA-certified PMA parts for your aircraft filtration system:
- Beta ratios: PMA aircraft filters have significantly higher ratios in terms of capturing efficiency for small particles.
- Greater dirt-holding capacity: This means that these filters are able to hold particles for longer, more efficiently. Contributing to longer filter life and fewer replacements.
- Lower pressure drop: Because of the previous two metrics, PMA parts can allow fluid within the system to flow freely, helping reduce heat stress on the pumps.
In most cases, the most expensive aspect of aircraft filtration system maintenance is the unexpected, unscheduled maintenance requirements. By using Global Filtration’s PMA-certified aircraft filter parts, you can drastically cut back on reactive maintenance and instead save money by using filters that work better, for longer.
The Ultimate Verdict: Choose PMA Parts for Safety, Savings, and Strategy
Besides offering more efficient performance and strikingly lower upfront costs, PMA parts also provide significant savings by reducing maintenance, operational, and liability costs. If you are looking for ways to optimize your aircraft filtration system and maximize your budget, working with Global Filtration to find the right PMA part solution is integral. Contact us today for a free PMA part estimate for your aircraft filtration system.