Making parts

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Rob,

Quote

Yes, but . . .

That is a very good write-up on one way a Quality Program may work.

However, each Quality Program is unique to that specific company.

If there is one thing that I have learned in working with/against the FAA since 1976 on Quality Programs, is that the FAA does not have a clue as to what is/is not a decent Quality Program.

I am a Registered Professional Quality Engineer and have been so since 1978.

The very first time I submitted my Quality Prpgram to the FAA for review & approval, they turned it down because the order that I had things in my program was not in the same order as their check list.

Anyone still think the FAA knows Jack Squat about Quality Programs?

End of rant, proceed with your business as usual,

Jerry Baumchen

[mark 102]

TomWatson

***

Quote

You can jump bedsheets and kite string for a main! Why would working on it require a riggers ticket?

Because it's required by FAR 65.111.

[FAR Part 65.111] (c) talks about "maintain or alter", but that doesn't seem to include making one from scratch. Maintain or alter implies that the parachute already exists from some other source.

So those folks out there making their own [main] parachutes, are they really violating the regs?

No, and there is no regulation limiting the complexity of subassemblies used in the manufacture.

Mark

[riggerrob 558]

Yes Jerry,
Quality control programs vary widely from one manufacturer to another. At 1 factory, the ladies in production had to fill out a 3 page "traveller" for every rig, meanwhile, at another factory, a half page "traveller" was enough.
Also remember that the FAA Inspector is probably the junior inspector in the office and he has been saddled with inspecting helicopter factories, engine overhaul facilities, balloon factories, an avionics shop, an upholstery shop, a seat-belt shop and finally a parachute manufacturer. Expecting a single inspector to keep up to date with all those different industries is almost impossible.