Avionics News September 2012 - 60

legislative

B Y J A S O N D I C K S T E I N AEA GENERAL COUNSEL

n recent years, counterfeit electronics have gotten a lot of press. Recently, the aerospace industry has faced significant scrutiny concerning such counterfeits. But, the industry has risen to the challenge and has developed strategies for addressing counterfeit parts. People in the industry often use the terms counterfeit and unapproved as synonyms, but they actually have very different meanings. It will be important to understand the true meaning of the term counterfeit in order to keep up with the industry changes on the horizon. Unapproved parts are parts that fail to fall within one of the Federal Aviation Administration’s categories of acceptable parts. Parts that are FAA-approved, such as TSOAed units, are approved parts. Parts that are excepted from the approval requirements, such as IEEE standard parts, are acceptable parts. Parts that have no recognized status in the FAA system (not approved and not acceptable) are unapproved parts. A genuine part that was intended for experimental aircraft may be
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avionics news

Counterfeit Electronic Parts I
an unapproved part in the FAA system when someone tries to introduce it into a type-certificated product, because it does not bear FAA approval. But, as long as it is accurately represented, it is likely to not be a counterfeit part. A counterfeit part, on the other PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY OFTEN USE THE TERMS COUNTERFEIT AND UNAPPROVED AS SYNONYMS, BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE VERY DIFFERENT MEANINGS.

Cessna’s trademark in a deceitful way in violation of the Lanham Act. What if I am a supplier to Cessna? If I imply that my parts have been licensed or produced by Cessna when in fact they are unlicensed production overruns that I am selling out the back door, then

hand, is one that is made, altered or represented in a way that can cause confusion, deceit or mistake as to its nature, origin or relationship. The root of counterfeiting law as it applies to aircraft parts is the Lanham Act, which is the trademark law. Under the Lanham Act, it is illegal to use someone else’s trademark, without permission, in a way that causes confusion, deceit or mistake. So, if I manufacture a part myself, but I claim that it is a Cessna part, then I am using

this also probably is a Lanham Act violation. When the term counterfeiting is applied to aircraft parts, it generally means the part violates the Lanham Act. This does not mean all counterfeits are unapproved. There are published court cases involving parts that were FAA-approved, but were confusingly similar to another company’s prior parts so as to cause confusion, that the courts said infringed the Lanham Act (the parts were considered counterfeit).

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Avionics News September 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News September 2012

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View From Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
Aircraft as Antenna Farm
Member Profile
Understated Success
Hooking Up With Aspen’s Connected Panel
Meet the AEA Board
Member Profile
A Conversation With...
Business Basics
Theory & Practice
Legal Ease
What’s New
Avionics News September 2012 - Intro
Avionics News September 2012 - Cover1
Avionics News September 2012 - Cover2
Avionics News September 2012 - 1
Avionics News September 2012 - 2
Avionics News September 2012 - 3
Avionics News September 2012 - Point of Communication
Avionics News September 2012 - 5
Avionics News September 2012 - AEA Now
Avionics News September 2012 - 7
Avionics News September 2012 - 8
Avionics News September 2012 - 9
Avionics News September 2012 - 10
Avionics News September 2012 - 11
Avionics News September 2012 - 12
Avionics News September 2012 - 13
Avionics News September 2012 - The View From Washington
Avionics News September 2012 - 15
Avionics News September 2012 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News September 2012 - 17
Avionics News September 2012 - 18
Avionics News September 2012 - 19
Avionics News September 2012 - Aircraft as Antenna Farm
Avionics News September 2012 - 21
Avionics News September 2012 - 22
Avionics News September 2012 - 23
Avionics News September 2012 - Member Profile
Avionics News September 2012 - 25
Avionics News September 2012 - 26
Avionics News September 2012 - 27
Avionics News September 2012 - Understated Success
Avionics News September 2012 - 29
Avionics News September 2012 - 30
Avionics News September 2012 - 31
Avionics News September 2012 - 32
Avionics News September 2012 - 33
Avionics News September 2012 - Hooking Up With Aspen’s Connected Panel
Avionics News September 2012 - 35
Avionics News September 2012 - 36
Avionics News September 2012 - 37
Avionics News September 2012 - 38
Avionics News September 2012 - 39
Avionics News September 2012 - Meet the AEA Board
Avionics News September 2012 - 41
Avionics News September 2012 - 42
Avionics News September 2012 - 43
Avionics News September 2012 - Member Profile
Avionics News September 2012 - 45
Avionics News September 2012 - 46
Avionics News September 2012 - 47
Avionics News September 2012 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News September 2012 - 49
Avionics News September 2012 - Business Basics
Avionics News September 2012 - 51
Avionics News September 2012 - 52
Avionics News September 2012 - 53
Avionics News September 2012 - 54
Avionics News September 2012 - 55
Avionics News September 2012 - Theory & Practice
Avionics News September 2012 - 57
Avionics News September 2012 - 58
Avionics News September 2012 - 59
Avionics News September 2012 - Legal Ease
Avionics News September 2012 - 61
Avionics News September 2012 - 62
Avionics News September 2012 - 63
Avionics News September 2012 - What’s New
Avionics News September 2012 - 65
Avionics News September 2012 - 66
Avionics News September 2012 - 67
Avionics News September 2012 - 68
Avionics News September 2012 - 69
Avionics News September 2012 - 70
Avionics News September 2012 - 71
Avionics News September 2012 - 72
Avionics News September 2012 - Cover3
Avionics News September 2012 - Cover4
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