Recent confusion about the use of function code 56 has caused some consternation in the industry. The focus of this issue has been on parts obtained from air carriers (which represents a significant portion of the industry's surplus parts).
The issue arose from an FAA email that incorrectly stated that articles obtained from an air carrier were ineligible for 8130-3.This was not a correct statement, and the FAA is planning to issue a follow-up email to correct this statement.
Our FAA contacts says that they have seen at least one case where Limited DAR-F's are issuing 8130-3 tags for parts that were not traceable to a PAH in accordance with the criteria FAA established in the DAR 56 policy memo of October 14, 2016. The FAA reports that a function code 56 designee had issued tags based solely on paperwork from an airline, in the absence of paperwork or markings from the PAH. While some DAR function codes permit reliance on air carrier evidence (e.g. to identify new surplus parts), function code 56 does not permit that to be the sole basis of an airworthiness decision.
Recently the FAA sent an email to the entire Limited DAR-F community to warn them about this issue. The intent of the email was to make it clear that the paperwork or the physical part markings had to be traceable to a PAH in order to issue an 8130-3 tag under DAR function code 56.
The recent emailed guidance suggested that function code 56 does not allow 8130-3 tags for articles from Part 121 air carriers. This description was not an accurate portrayal of FAA policy, because the statement was truncated. We have discussed this matter with Scott Geddie, who heads up designee policy for the FAA, and he confirmed that the correct statement should have looked like this:
This program DOES NOT allow issuance of an 8130-3 tag for:
...
- Parts or articles obtained from an FAA Part 121 air carrier, unless proper documentation exists from the PAH or there are part markings traceable to the PAH
The italicized text (above) was not in the original FAA email, but the FAA has pledged to send a follow-up email with the italicized text, and has confirmed that italicized text represents the intent of the FAA.
For comparison purposes, the original October 14, 2016 policy memo makes the function code 56 requirements very clear. To issue an 8130-3 under function code 56, you need one of the following:
- Certificate of Conformity/Statement of Conformity from a Production Approval Holder (PAH); or
- Certificate of Conformity/Statement of Conformity or shipping document from a PAH supplier with verification of direct ship authorization; or
- Part Markings made under 14 C.F.R. § 45.15.
If you have other evidence of airworthiness (like valid air carrier trace), then an 8130-3 may still be issued - but it must be issued by a DAR with a different function code.