Just read in the NBAA news that the FAA plans to remove the DER, (Designated Engineering Representative) from the approval process and replace them with the ODA. ODA’s are folks within large companies, like Boeing, Airbus etc, who have the authority to design and get certified engineering facets of aircraft production, and modification.
The DER has long been crucial to the aviation community, and as independent engineers have been responsible for a host of new products, systems and other major engineering changes in civil aviation. DER’s are invaluable and an ODA network, which primarily will support manufacturers and other modification companies. They will not have the attention to detail, flexibility and availability that DER’s enjoy. In addition, all the non commercial entity work will take preference and anything a normal DER might do will have to take a back seat.
This is a cost cutting move by the FAA, as I see it, plus a method to. absolve themselves of the responsibility of overseeing the abilities of DER’s. In short, it’s going to increase time and cost of any engineering projects that a DER would normally perform and approve.
The DER system works. It’s not cheap, but it’s a way of bringing new systems and engineering fixes to the industry. Once lost, it will not be replaced. As an engineer myself, I see no benefits to this change. It’s going to take our industry backwards, and hamstring creativity and innovation. Just my humble opinion. I urge you to research this situation yourselves and hopefully encourage the FAA to forget this move. If it’s not already too late.
DER’s are a necessary part of Aviation. We need them.