Cobham avionics receives supplemental type certificate authority from FAA

MINERAL WELLS, Texas, 3 Sept. 2009. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is authorizing the Cobham Avionics and Surveillance segment in Mineral Wells, Texas, as an organization designation authorization (ODA) entity for supplemental type certificate (STC) projects.

As part of ODA, the FAA is giving Cobham Avionics in Mineral Wells, formerly known as S-TEC Corp., the authority to perform its own certification activities under FAA oversight. Last year Chelton Flight Systems, also known as Cobham Avionics, was certified under ODA.

The FAA first established the ODA program in August 2006 to make its overall certification process safer and more efficient. ODA manufacturers must have experience and competence in how they comply with regulations, part-by-part. The FAA, meanwhile, can concentrate on the most safety-critical aviation technologies.

Cobham will offer support to agencies that seek to earn their own STC. The Mineral Wells facility has an ODA support staff, including electrical and mechanical engineers, mechanics, avionics installers, conformity inspectors, and pilots.

"This development will allow us to improve customer service and product delivery time, while helping the FAA to continue their efforts to bring safe and products to the commercial and general aviation markets much more quickly and economically," says Jim Shirey, General Manager of Cobham Avionics, Mineral Wells.

For more information contact the Cobham Avionics and Surveillance Division online at www.cobham.com.

-- Posted by John Keller, [email protected]. www.milaero.com.