This was Bill's reply to my email about whether TPAC is certified under Navair to produce the Type A bearings that have four times the lifespan of the conventional AS81820 bearings. There was the original AS81820 plain spherical self-lubricating bearing standard and then four revisions; AS81820A, AS81820B, AS81820C, and AS81820D ("D" being the most recent.) The extended lifespan certification had to do with AS81820C. There was a non-Type A and a Type A rating. The Type A had the extended wear rating.

Here's his reply to me:

The Rev levels C and D added information to the standard 81820. Rev C added a new A series bearing that will run for 100,000 cycles. We will test to that standard later this year. Rev D added information regarding ball passivation and soaking of the bearing in liquid nitrogen. It also removed chrome from the ball. We were tested and approved under Rev D prior to the Rev level being written, since NAVAIR was already subjecting bearings to soaking in liquid nitrogen and since we did not plate our balls (it was optional) and did have them passivated. We are in compliance under Rev C and D and met the standards of both Rev C and Rev D. Again, we did not test under series A of Rev C, but we were tested under the spec for non-A type bearings. Rev C includes qualification criteria for both A-type and non A-type bearings.

Bill McKay
626-755-1211

So they meet the standard for the exrtended wear Type A bearings but have not certified with Navair to that effect yet. They will do that later this year.