Russia Advances Legislation for Domestic Production of Aircraft Spare Parts
Russia is fast-tracking a legal framework to produce and certify its own aircraft spare parts, aiming for self-sufficiency and avoiding reliance on third countries.
More than three years after the imposition of Western sanctions that isolated its aviation industry, the Russian Federation is working to consolidate a legal and regulatory framework for the domestic production of aircraft components. This initiative seeks to replace initial emergency measures with a long-term industrial strategy to maintain the airworthiness of its fleet, which is largely composed of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, as well as domestic models with high dependence on foreign technology, such as the Superjet 100.
The cornerstone of this strategy is a bill amending Article 37 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation. This bill, which passed its first reading in the State Duma on February 13, 2025, introduces a new type of mandatory certification. This certification will combine manufacturing approval with installation approval, a process similar to the globally used Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA).
The explanatory note for the bill, driven by senators in collaboration with specialists from Yakovlev, warns that without a robust regulatory framework, Russia risks facing a "gray market of non-authentic components." It also points to a situation where "PMA suppliers from China and Iran have privileges compared to domestic industrial enterprises," as it is currently bureaucratically simpler to install an imported part with Chinese quality documents than one of Russian manufacture.
What is a PMA part in aviation? A PMA (Parts Manufacturer Approval) part is a spare component manufactured by a company other than the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), but which has been certified by an aviation authority (like the FAA) as being safe and equivalent in quality and performance.
Why does Russia need to make its own aircraft parts? Following the 2022 sanctions, Russian airlines lost access to spare parts and support from Western manufacturers. To keep their fleets operational, they need an alternative and sustainable source of certified components.
What is the Yakovlev Superjet 100? It is a regional passenger jet designed in Russia. Its original version (RRJ-95) relies heavily on foreign components, especially in engines and avionics, making it vulnerable to sanctions.
This legislative push is built upon the technical and regulatory groundwork the Russian industry has been developing. The company Yakovlev, part of the state-owned conglomerate United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), pioneered the implementation of the "Design Support for Operation" (DSO) concept. This framework allows an alternative Russian developer to assume functions of the original manufacturer, such as failure analysis, modification of technical documentation, and qualification of domestically produced analogues.
According to Vladimir Donchenko, Director of Client Relations at Yakovlev, this activity within the DSO "prevents the repetition of undesirable events in the future." Thanks to this system, which is integrated into the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAP-21), the number of components that can be repaired in Russia has increased from 59 to 422 since the beginning of 2022.
The journey to this point began with emergency measures like Government Resolution No. 353 of March 2022. This resolution temporarily allowed the operation of aircraft without documentation updates from the original developer and recognized quality documents from aviation authorities in countries such as China, Turkey, India, and the United Arab Emirates.
The global aviation industry has a long history with the use of PMA components. Often, even Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) compete in this market. A clear example is Pratt & Whitney, one of the most active players in the PMA parts market for CFM56 engines, which are developed by its direct competitor, CFM International.
With the new legislation, now under review by the State and Legal Administration of the President of Russia after receiving input from various ministries, the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) will be empowered to certify these new components. The ultimate goal is clear: to create a civilized and self-sufficient spare parts market that ensures the long-term viability of Russian commercial aviation.
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