Aero-Linx!

Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet.

The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile.

Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well.

Aero Linx: Modification and Replacement Parts Association (MARPA)

MARPA is the non-profit trade association that represents the Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) community. A PMA is an FAA design and production approval that verifies that the design of an aircraft part meets FAA safety regulations, and the fabrication inspection system meets FAA quality standards designed to assure that every part actually produced continues to meet the FAA-approved design. MARPA's mission is to promote uniform, outstanding standards within the FAA PMA industry. MARPA speaks with a single, powerful voice to the entire worldwide aviation community to elevate awareness and acceptance. MARPA works with government authorities throughout the world to seek a regulatory atmosphere that promotes high levels of safety without imposing needless resource burdens on the industry. This is just one of the many reasons PMA parts manufacturers can produce parts that are significantly less expensive than their competitors'.

FMI: http://pmaparts.org/