While there is currently no backlog of certification applications at the FAA, the agency says it’s changing the way it processes those applications. The new process replaces “project sequencing” with a system the FAA says “offers applicants increased predictability and a commitment to a response time for the review of the applicant’s compliance data.” The agency doesn’t seem to be promising faster approvals, however, saying “certification depends on the complexity of the project and the experience of the company.” The new process grew out of recommendations from the ongoing review of the certification process.
In its release, the agency says that a strain on resources prompted the agency to start sequencing certification projects in 2005 and it was “unable to tell applicants when a project would start, which often resulted in long project delays until resources became available.” Under the new process, applicants will be able to start their projects as soon as their application package has been approved. Having an Organization Designation Authorization or using delegated engineering representatives (DERs) will speed up the process. The FAA says it certified 10,000 aviation products last year and there is no backlog or waiting list to get new applications into the system.
