Story ID: 
FAA Grants American Eurocopter ODA Status
By: David A. Lombardo
Caption: The FAA has authorized American Eurocopter to operate under the new organization designation authorization (ODA) program.
Word Count: 150
The FAA has authorized American Eurocopter to operate under the new organization designation authorization (ODA) program. The ODA allows American Eurocopter to act on behalf of the agency when approving and issuing supplemental type certificates (STCs). “This designation will allow us to be more responsive to market demands and significantly improve our reactiveness to our customers’ requirements. This delegation will allow us to meet our deadlines sooner and more effectively,” said Allen Andress, v-p of operations. Companies that apply directly to the FAA for STCs often have to wait as long as two years for agency review. Under the ODA program, companies conduct the STC process on the FAA’s behalf and submit their results to the agency. The FAA in turn guarantees to respond within 30 days. “After we receive FAA approval, we issue the STC,” Andress said. To date, the FAA has awarded more than 450 STCs to American Eurocopter.