The Drake Group Seminars

This is a three day seminar, regarding the process of how to obtain FAA certifications, commonly referred to as TCs, STCs, PMAs, and TSOs. The seminar material is presented from an industry perspective. Attendees vary from people who are very new to FAA certification to people who have experience but want to expand their knowledge and capabilities.

BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF THE SEMINAR TOPICS

1.    WHAT CAN BE FAA CERTIFICATED

2.    PSCP; THE PROJECT SPECIFIC CERTIFICATION PLAN

3.    THE PRELIMINARY PHASE

4.    THE DESIGN & FABRICATION PHASE

5.    THE GROUND & LAB TEST PHASE

6.    THE FLIGHT TEST PHASE

7.    KEY ABREVIATIONS & DEFINITIONS

8.    FAA DESIGNEES: DERs DARs ODARs DMIR

9.    FAA CONFORMITY & FORMS 8130-9 & 8130-3

10. THE FAA ORGANIZATIONS: ACO, MIDO, AEG, IRS, KGB

11. A FEW IMPORTANT FAA FORMS

12. OVERVIEW OF FAA REGULATIONS CFR PART 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 36

13. THE INTERNET & FAA PULICATIONS

14. AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATES

15. APPLICANT & SUBCONTRACTOR INTERFACE

16. COMPONENT QUALIFICATION TESTING & DO-160 STANDARDS

17. OVERVIEW OF XX.1309 FHA / SSA FUNCTIONAL HAZARDS ASSESSMENT

18. AN OVERVIEW OF SOFTWARE CLASSIFICATIONS & CERTIFICATION

19. A SAMPLE AIRCRAFT MODIFICATION STC PROJECT

20. ELEMENTS OF A PRODUCTION APPROVAL HOLDER (PC, FIS, PMA)

21. ELEMENTS OF AS9100 QUALITY SYSTEMS

22. INCORRECT ASSUMPTIONS AND MISCONCEPTIONS BY FAA APPLICANTS

23. COMMON REASONS WHY PROGRAMS FAIL

24. OVERVIEW OF THE NEW “ODA”

25. TWELVE KEY TOOLS TO MANAGE A CERTIFICATION PROJECT

26. BONUS: HOW TO STAY AWAKE IN SEMINARS

This is a one-day seminar that is structured for persons that may be new to FAA certifications or for those who have previous experience and wish to expand their management skills. By nature, FAA certifications projects are difficult to management, but there are some key tools that can make the task more organized and successful. This seminar examines 12 Tools for Certification Managers. One could also call it “Tips from Guys That Have Done It Before”. Like any tip, use the ones that are appropriate for your project… but all the following items need to be addressed somehow in all certifications…

TOOL #1  THE SPECIFICATION

We start with a session regarding the need to have a written specification or TC STC PMA project description… simple ones for simple projects and more voluminous for bigger projects… but we need one to keep us organized and all on the same track. We will look at some examples.

TOOL #2  DER / DAR / ODA STAFF & PROJECT ADVISORS

While this subject was addressed earlier we stress the need to pick out good DERs, DARs, ODAs and project advisors. Managing the efforts of these FAA designees is sometimes difficult. We present some techniques that may be beneficial in organizing and monitoring the efforts of these FAA representatives.

 TOOL #3  COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST

The compliance checklist are the detail regulations we must address and how we plan to show compliance for each one to the FAA offices. We will look at some simple checklists and some more complex formats. We also review why the FAA considers this document so important.

 TOOL #4  MDL / MRL

The master drawing list and the master report list is a management tool for both the promect manager and the FAA offices. We examine how the MDL/MRL evolves from an early planning document to a final report with exact detail.

 TOOL #5  SCHEDULE

A certification schedule, like most project schedule, probably causes the most ulcers than any single certification element. We analyze how to structure a schedule for a certification project and how not to….

 TOOL #6  BUDGET

A close second in the ulcer department next to schedules, budgets for certification projects are less traumatic if created in detail. We show a way of generating a budget that has a better chance at getting the job done.

 TOOL #7  PSCP

With the previous items started, we can now draft a PSCP, a Project Specific Certification Plan. We look at what should be in a PSCP and how the FAA regards this document. We also look at who needs to sign the document.

 TOOL #8  CONFORMTIY PLAN

Sometimes a subset of the previous PSCP, the conformity plan is probably the most mis-executed part of certification for new FAA applicants. We review what should be in a conformity plan in terms of line items, persons, locations conformity requests and delegations. Even the “big boys” with lots of cert experience stumble on this issue of conformity from time to time.

 TOOL #9  CONFORMITY TRACKING

While this is a subset of the previous conformity plan, conformity inspection tracking is worthy of its own session. A project can have a beautiful plan but the secret is in the tracking of the plan throughout the project. We look at some ways to track our many conformities… both in house and at our suppliers.

 TOOL #10  FAA SUBMITTAL TRACKING

Keeping tracked of what paperwork is being sent to the FAA and the status is a full time job on some larger projects. It is, at minimum, a job that someone must step up to on smaller projects. We examine how FAA submittal tracking can aid both the applicant and the FAA program manager.

 TOOL #11  WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS

We all hate them, but periodic status reports are necessary when we have a lot of people working on a complex project. There are simple ways of making the job of creating the status report easy such that they can be created even if you are away for a few days.

 TOOL#12  COMMUNICATIONS TO PROJECT MEMEBERS

Communication between two people is hard enough… communication on a complex project between numerous people, in numerous locations, with numerous organizations can be single element that makes a certification project able to handle changes as they appear. We offer tips that can reduce the “communication gap”.

This is a one-day seminar that introduces attendees to the basic concepts and requirements in establishing a quality system that meets FAA requirements for obtaining an FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval, PMA. A PMA is a type of a Production Approval Holder, PAH. A PMA is a type of approval needed to build articles for a Supplemental Type Certificate, STC, and Replacement Parts, PMA parts. Attendees are generally new to the subject or need to improve their current quality systems. The seminar also discusses where AS9100 and FAA quality systems overlap and where they do not.

RESPONSIBILITES OF A PRODUCTION APPROVAL HOLDER,  PAH

1. Personnel and Organization Chart
2. PAH Facility
3. Documentation storage and accessibility
4. Material Review Board
5. Marking of Articles with “FAA-PMA” Notation
6. Tool and Gauge Control
7. Destruction of Discarded Articles
8. Training
9. Quality Escapes
10. In-Service Feedback
11. Internal Audits
12. Compliance Matrix of FARs and Quality Manual
13. Forms

SUPPLIER CONTROLS

1. Acceptance and Surveillance of Suppliers
2. Configuration Control of Supplier Design
3. Supplier MRB
4. Quality Approval of Purchase Orders

OPERATONS FABRICATION FLOW

1. Receiving
2. Receiving Inspection
3. Stock Room
4. Inspection and Incorporation of Changes of Articles in Stock Room
5. Work Orders
6. Work in Process WIP
7. Final Inspection and Delivery to Stock Room
8. Shipping

This is a one-day seminar that is structured for a technical person that needs an exposure to aspects of the business world. This seminar is not intended to teach someone how to be an accountant, but rather, expose a technical person to business terms and concepts. The following subjects are briefly but concisely discussed.

1.    DEBITS & CREDITS ANYONE?…

Rest easy… We only spend 5 minutes on these Things!

2.    SOLE PROPRIETORSHIPS & PARTNERSHIPS

The forerunners of corporations were proprietorships and partnerships.  We will look at their pro’s and con’s.

 3.    CONCEPT OF THE CORPORATION

The days of Thomas Edison inventions are in the past.  Today most accomplishments are done through corporations.  We will learn that a corporation is a powerful legal entity.    

 4.    PRESIDENTS, CEOs & THE BOARD

“Why does everyone want to keep The Board happy and what is their job anyway?”  There are good reasons and we learn what their jobs are.

 5.    STOCK, STOCK HOLDERS AND WALL STREET

With so many stockholders owning the corporation, who is really steering the ship anyway!  We learn how the course of a corporation is set.

 6.    DEBT VERSUS EQUITY

The word “versus” makes it sound like a football game between Team Debt and Team Equity.  Well… it is kind of like a football game where we watch the score very closely and we will learn why.

 7.    VENTURE CAPITAL

“Venture” sounds like an action packed “adventure movie” and sometimes it is.  We examine how venture capital funds many projects and new corporations.

 8.    DIVIDENDS VERSUS RETAINED EARNINGS

If we are fortunate enough to make a profit in our corporation, why don’t we take all the profit as dividends and have a big party!  Well if we did that our company would never grow.  We learn why we must share. 

 9.    CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

This is not a facelift for the capital building but a way of buying new facilities and equipment… and it is usually treated differently in budgeting and at the end of the year.

 10.  BALANCE SHEETS & INCOME STATEMENTS

“An income statement seems to make sense… but what in the heck is a balance sheet!”  We will learn how to look at these and determine many things about a corporation.

 11.  GENERAL LEDGERS (& CHARGE NUMBERS)

General Electric… General Washington… and General Ledgers…  The accountants always refer to “him” with great respect and we will learn why.

 12.  HOW FINANCE DEPARTMENTS ARE STRUCTURED

“All those finance guys are just accountants… right?”… Wrong!  We need to understand the difference and the responsibilities of treasurers, controllers, CFOs, etc.

 13.  DIRECT VERSUS INDIRECT PERSONNEL

“I have always appreciated persons with direct personalities. But now you say a direct personality came be an indirect person at work!  You are trying to trick me!”  We will learn the specific differences.

 14.  EXEMPT & NON-EXEMPT PERSONNEL

“Whatever exempt people have… non-exempt people must not have.”  We will learn what the law has to say about that and how it affects you.

 15.    BURDEN RATES, OVERHEAD & G&A (GENERAL & ADMININSTRATIVE)

“I am a young engineer earning $25 per hour and the company is billing me out at $80 per hour.  The company is getting rich on me!”  We will learn what is in overhead and where that other $55 went. 

 16.    WORKMAN’S COMP, SUTA, FUTA, FICA

It costs a lot of money to have employees… more than just what you pay them.  We will find out what all those letters above mean. 

 17.    BUDGETS, FORECASTS & CASHFLOWS

“There is an endless supply of money to fund our wonderful engineering project… right?”  Wrong!  The name of the game is cashflow and we learn how budgets play a big part.

 18.    TERMS & CONDITIONS ON CONTRACTS

Terms and Conditions are in the fine print on the back of the contract that tests our eyesight.  We learn the important Ts & Cs for when we are the buyer versus when we are the seller.

 19.    COST, PRICE & TYPES OF PROFIT

We are not splitting hairs when we want to use the correct word in the correct context.

 20.    DEPRECIATION

“If a company buys a car and depreciates it over 5 years… that means it’s really free… right?”…  Wrong!  We learn how depreciation is handled at the end of the year.     

 21.    BUSINESS PLANS

Plans sound like architect’s blueprints… and in a way a business plan is just that.  We learn what “things” are in a basic business plan.