Mission & Goals

The alliance has three main goals to address aircraft modification challenges. These goals can be achieved through various initiatives that aim to create a transparent, distinct and independent market for aircraft retrofits.

Our Mission

We work together to build a transparent, distinct and independent market for aircraft retrofits that offers more choice for operators and added value for the aviation industry. Our alliance is open to all market participants including aircraft manufacturers, airlines, suppliers and lessors, because we are convinced that a strong and transparent retrofit market will benefit everyone.

Aircraft modifications, such as the installation of new cabins, connectivity solutions or avionics systems can be approved and documented through a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) offered by providers including our IAMA members.

The alliance addresses customer concerns of airlines and business aircraft operators about documentation, data availability and a worldwide customer support network across different regulatory systems with various national authorities.

IAMA's main objectives are to develop and agree upon common standards for the documentation and quality of STCs, to establish an available, secure documentation platform for airline and business aircraft owners and operators using STCs, and to inform the relevant public and expert communities about the advantages of STC-approved solutions.

The Affiliation will provide our members with a significant voice to resolve issues that affect retrofit certification approvals. Our involvement in IAMA reflects our commitment to our customers, present and future, to be a leader in retrofit aircraft certification quality.

Adrian Honer
Partner and ODA Lead Administrator at Envoy Aerospace, LLC

Our goals

  • STC has value
  • STC incorporates methods to ensure safety and integrity
  • STC incorporates methods to preserve asset value
  • Ensure predictable standards throughout the value chain
  • Connect members to combine their strengths
  • Champion high standards that address aircraft lessors & operator pains
  • Advocate for audits to ensure reliability and sustainability
  • Develop a strong visionary community

IAMA wants to eliminate the STC stereotype and educate our members' customers to the fact that some modifiers provide a product with quality equal to the manufacturer. Through standards and auditing of our members, IAMA will help our members' customers find the modifiers that meet their individual quality requirements.

Marc Haycock
Envoy Aerospace, Partner, April 2nd 2019

IAMA Key Initiatives

At IAMA we have three main objectives:

  1. To develop and agree upon common standards for the documentation and quality of STCs
  2. To establish a secure documentation platform for airline owners and operators and business aircraft owners using STCs
  3. To inform the relevant public and expert communities about the advantages of STC-approved solutions

To achieve these key initiatives, IAMA has established several working groups whose members work towards our goal of creating a transparent, distinct and independent aircraft retrofit market. To learn more about our working groups, scroll down or click here.

In addition, value retention and reliable life-cycle support are essential factors for aircraft operators and owners. IAMA jointly develop transparent standards that will help our customers make the right decisions.

Ian Devine,
Technical Affairs Manager at IAMA

Our Working groups

IAMA has established several working groups whose members work towards the goal of creating a transparent, distinct and independent aircraft retrofit market.

IAMA Standard working group

The IAMA Standard working group's objectives include: simplifying the life cycle of a modification project from the customer's point of view, establishing standards for a predictable quality throughout the modification's life cycle and endorsing the modification through the IAMA brand. These activities enhance the value of the modifications, bringing them to the highest possible quality while maintaining a safe product.

Working group members

  • Johan Seekles, Project manager aircraft completions @Fokker Services
  • Yalcin Faik Sumer, Head of Airworthiness @Etihad Engineering
  • Karl Bock, Principal Design Engineer @Lufthansa Technik AG
  • Michael Burish, Manager, Aircraft Systems Engineering @Carlisle IT

Steering head:
Romain Mbwang Seppoh
Head of Design organisation @Eclipse Technics

Certification & Authority Affairs working group

The Certification & Authority Affairs working group focuses on gaining recognition from and establish effective relations with key authorities (EASA, FAA, TCCA, etc.). This group also actively contributes to validation improvement across all authorities with the aim to support global modification solutions.

Working group members

  • Rob van den Bosch, Chief Certification Engineer @Lufthansa Technik AG
  • Michael Gries, Director of Certification @Collins Aerospace
  • Arthur Reekers, Manager Office of Airworthiness @Fokker Services
  • Benoist Nison, Head of Airworthiness @Eclipse Technics
  • Yalcin Faik Sumer, Head of Airworthiness @Etihad Engineering

Steering head:
Eric Anderson
Global Director of Engineering @CarlisleIT

IAMA community and aligned information campaign working group

The IAMA Community and aligned information campaign working group's aim is to educate stakeholders about value of STCs. They help the market to overcome common risk prejudices by teaching methods used to reduce or eliminate risk. In parallel, the community increases business amongst member through understanding member strengths and capabilities, while protecting member Intellectual Property (IP), which will never be shared.

Working group members

  • Christophe Guillemin, Programs & Operations Director @Eclipse Technics
  • Ahmad Mawajdeh, Senior Manager Engineering @Etihad Engineering

Steering head:
Georg Stoffelen
Head of Product Cabin Modification @Lufthansa Technik AG

Technical Data Exchange & OEM Affairs working group

The Technical Data Exchange & OEM Affairs Working Group improves the aircraft modification market by establishing best practices for the exchange of engineering data for modification purposes and works to reduce impediments in the industry to that exchange. IAMA and our members respect the individual intellectual property rights of all stakeholders in the retrofit market.

Working group members

  • Patrick Gindre, Sales Director @Eclipse Technics
  • Ole Dünhaupt, Design Verification Engineer @Lufthansa Technik AG
  • Brian Raker, ODA Lead Administrator @Collins Aerospace
  • Dirk van Os, Chief Engineer @Fokker Services
  • Ryan Hartland, Lead Design Engineer @Etihad Engineering

Steering head:
Jeff Behlendorf
Director of Product Management @Carlisle Interconnect Technologies