Use Of TC ODAS May Cause Unforeseen Litigation Turbulence For Designers

Administrative burdens greatly restrict the availability of the FAA to participate fully in the certification process of new aircraft. Recent TC ODA regulations and a corresponding FAA Order authorizing manufacturers to assume a greater role in new aircraft certifications may lead to new and interesting product liability skies ahead for the aircraft industry. This article reviews the legal foundation of product defect lawsuits against the aircraft industry and proposes several risk management strategies to strengthen your litigation defenses.