What does AN mean in AIRCRAFT & AVIATION

What does AN stand for?

AN stands for Aircraft National, a designation given to those parts or components that have met the standards of the National Aerospace Standard Board (NASB). This standard was established to ensure that all aircraft components produced meet stringent criteria regarding safety and performance. The NASB has developed several different specifications for various types of aircraft components and each specification is labeled with an AN number. For example, if a part belongs to an AN8802 specification then it will bear an AN 8802 label on its surface.

What is an Aircraft National Component?

An Aircraft National component is any part or component that meets the requirements laid out by the NASB and carries an appropriate marking such as “AN” followed by a number according to its category of usage. These components must be constructed from high-grade materials, undergo rigorous testing procedures during manufacture, and receive certification upon completion from a recognized body or institution. Moreover, they must adhere to military-specifications as well as commercial standards where applicable before being authorized for use in various types of aircrafts.

Components Covered under AN

AN covers components ranging from minor accessories like switches and knobs all the way up to major airframe structures like bulkheads and spars. Some examples include navigation systems or radios which must meet certain frequency regulations set forth by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), landing gear systems which require additional shock absorption when faced with extreme force levels during landing, bearing housings which must be able to handle high loads while minimizing friction between moving parts, among many others. Additionally, some additional categories involve special materials like fiber composite laminates used in certain wing designs or exotic metals required in certain aerospace applications due to their superior properties compared to traditional aluminum alloys used in older models of airplanes.

Benefits Provided By an Aircraft National Component

Using an Aircraft National component provides several advantages such as increased safety resulting from strict testing protocols put in place by the NASB prior to approval; improved reliability through higher material quality; reduced maintenance costs; reduced chances of failure due to better design standards; and increased performance over similar but lower grade products available on the market at reduced costs. Furthermore, many manufacturers who specialize in producing these kinds of high-quality Aircraft National components generally offer warranties on their products due to proven results within controlled environment scenarios which further improves overall customer satisfaction levels while decreasing any possible risks associated with using flawed merchandise during production processes.