FAR 21.308 — PMA Quality Manual
FAR 21.308 requires PMA applicants and holders to submit an English-language quality system manual to the FAA in an acceptable retrievable form.
FAR 21.308 sets the documentation requirement for anyone applying for — or already holding — a Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA). Under this rule, the applicant or holder must:
- Provide a quality manual that describes its quality system to the FAA.
- Submit the manual to the FAA for approval.
- Write the manual in the English language.
- Make the manual retrievable in a form that the FAA finds acceptable.
Why it matters operationally: a PMA holder is producing replacement and modification parts that go onto certificated aircraft. The FAA has to be able to read, audit, and verify how that manufacturer controls quality. The manual is the FAA's roadmap to the company's quality system, so it must be in English and accessible (paper, electronic, or other acceptable format) whenever inspectors need it. Pilots benefit indirectly: this is one of the controls that keeps PMA parts airworthy and traceable.