FAR 21.146 — Production Certificate Responsibilities
FAR 21.146 outlines the responsibilities of production certificate holders, including quality systems, conformity, marking, and FAA access requirements.
In Plain English
FAR 21.146 spells out what a production certificate (PC) holder — typically an aircraft or aviation parts manufacturer — must do to keep that certificate valid. While student pilots don't hold PCs, understanding this rule helps you appreciate why the aircraft you fly is presumed airworthy from the factory.
The holder must:
- Amend organizational documents (required by § 21.135) to reflect changes and share them with the FAA.
- Maintain the quality system per the approved data and procedures.
- Ensure every completed product or article — including primary category aircraft built from kits — conforms to its approved design and is in a condition for safe operation before airworthiness certification.
- Mark products in accordance with Part 45, including any critical parts.
- Identify FAA-approved parts leaving the facility with the manufacturer's part number and name, trademark, or FAA-approved identifier.
- Have access to type design data needed to verify conformity and airworthiness.
- Retain the PC and make it available to the FAA on request.
- Disclose all delegations of authority to suppliers.
This chain of accountability is what allows pilots to trust that a new aircraft meets its type design.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 21.146§ 21.146 Responsibility of holder.
The holder of a production certificate must—
(a) Amend the document required by § 21.135 as necessary to reflect changes in the organization and provide these amendments to the FAA.
(b) Maintain the quality system in compliance with the data and procedures approved for the production certificate;
(c) Ensure that each completed product or article for which a production certificate has been issued, including primary category aircraft assembled under a production certificate by another person from a kit provided by the holder of the production certificate, presented for airworthiness certification or approval conforms to its approved design and is in a condition for safe operation;
(d) Mark the product or article for which a certificate or approval has been issued. Marking must be in accordance with part 45 of this chapter, including any critical parts;
(e) Identify any portion of the product or article (e.g., sub-assemblies, component parts, or replacement articles) that leave the manufacturer's facility as FAA approved with the manufacturer's part number and name, trademark, symbol, or other FAA approved manufacturer's identification;
(f) Have access to type design data necessary to determine conformity and airworthiness for each product and article produced under the production certificate;
(g) Retain its production certificate and make it available to the FAA upon request; and
(h) Make available to the FAA information regarding all delegation of authority to suppliers.
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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1What are a production certificate holder's key responsibilities for each completed product?
Per FAR 21.146(c), the holder must ensure each completed product or article presented for airworthiness certification conforms to its approved design and is in a condition for safe operation.
Q2How must a production certificate holder mark products and parts leaving the facility?
FAR 21.146(d) requires marking in accordance with Part 45, including critical parts, and 21.146(e) requires FAA-approved parts leaving the facility to be identified with the manufacturer's part number and name, trademark, or other FAA-approved identification.
Q3What must a PC holder do regarding suppliers and the FAA?
Under FAR 21.146(h), the holder must make information about all delegation of authority to suppliers available to the FAA, and per 21.146(g) must retain and produce the production certificate on request.
Studying for a checkride?
§21.15 Type Certificate Application
FAA application form, aircraft drawings, and engine data
§21.17 Certification Basis
Applicable airworthiness, noise, and emission rules
§21.20 Compliance Showing
How applicants show compliance to the FAA
§21.31 Type Design
Drawings, specifications, dimensions, and limitations
§21.41 Type Certificate
What the certificate includes once the design is approved
§21.47 Type Certificate Transferability
Transfer and licensing notices for FAA type certificates
Related Sections in Part 21