Can I remove the speaker from my cessna?

:mad2: So you're saying that since there is nothing in CAR 3, 91.205, or the TCDS requiring the electrical system of an electric flap 172 to be working, you can fly one without it? :no:


This is like aking as if the landing gear had to work :rolleyes:
 
:mad2: So you're saying that since there is nothing in CAR 3, 91.205, or the TCDS requiring the electrical system of an electric flap 172 to be working, you can fly one without it? :no:
Sure it is. 03.353 Wing flap controls. .
 
:mad2: So you're saying that since there is nothing in CAR 3, 91.205, or the TCDS requiring the electrical system of an electric flap 172 to be working, you can fly one without it? :no:


What does the ACO or a DER look at to determine the answer to all our questions?
 
That all being said, I won't pull the speaker. You will need a compass accuracy check afterwards, and the next owner of the airplane may want the speaker anyway.

I had a failure where the headset system in the airplane was not working, but the speaker worked fine. Good thing too because I was at a towered airport. I had a handheld with me but I somehow misplaced the headset adapter cables, so the speaker was my only option.
 
I had a failure where the headset system in the airplane was not working, but the speaker worked fine. Good thing too because I was at a towered airport. I had a handheld with me but I somehow misplaced the headset adapter cables, so the speaker was my only option.

No... Not your only option.... you could have waited for the Green / Red light gun signal...:dunno:
 
Actually boys and girls, the requirement is in the radio installation instructions. It will not be in either the type certificate or the production certificate because you could have ordered the aircraft with either Narco or Arc or King equipment installed.

So if he wants to dump the speaker it is allowed as a minor change.

I'd say Ron got it more right than anyone.
 
No... Not your only option.... you could have waited for the Green / Red light gun signal...:dunno:

Plan B was to call them on the handheld and ask for light signals plus work out my departure in advance. I had filed IFR too which complicated things but the weather was okay so I cancelled it in case I had more communications trouble.
 
Actually boys and girls, the requirement is in the radio installation instructions. It will not be in either the type certificate or the production certificate because you could have ordered the aircraft with either Narco or Arc or King equipment installed.
And do you have any copies of this? My guess is no, they were done at the factory the way the airplane was certified. That is if it is still factory radio...

So if he wants to dump the speaker it is allowed as a minor change.
THat is pretty much what we have been saying Tom.
 
Actually boys and girls, the requirement is in the radio installation instructions. It will not be in either the type certificate or the production certificate because you could have ordered the aircraft with either Narco or Arc or King equipment installed.

So if he wants to dump the speaker it is allowed as a minor change.

I'd say Ron got it more right than anyone.


Tom is probably correct here... The biggest challange would be the "proper and legal" way to remove the speaker feed from the radio /audio panel... Do you just terminate the feed at the old speaker location ?, Do you have to remove the entire wire from the panel to the speaker location ? Do you have to add a dummy load in the speaker output line from the radio ? ...... And on and on....

Several guys have hit on the most obvious.. Why do it in the first place:dunno:.. The speaker weighs what 1.5 lbs ???? Geez, just eat one less Mc Donalds lunch,,, Wear lighter shoes or clothes, Take the AOPA AFD out of the flightbag...
 
Be sure to have a new W&B done, might as well get credit for the weight removed, even if it is small.
 
Tom is probably correct here... The biggest challange would be the "proper and legal" way to remove the speaker feed from the radio /audio panel... Do you just terminate the feed at the old speaker location ?, Do you have to remove the entire wire from the panel to the speaker location ? Do you have to add a dummy load in the speaker output line from the radio ? ...... And on and on....

Several guys have hit on the most obvious.. Why do it in the first place:dunno:.. The speaker weighs what 1.5 lbs ???? Geez, just eat one less Mc Donalds lunch,,, Wear lighter shoes or clothes, Take the AOPA AFD out of the flightbag...


Simple.

Cap & Stow the wires, revise the W&B and the Equipment List, Swing the compass and update the correction card, placard near the Audio Panel that a speaker is not installed and complete the log entry.

Edit: and turn the speaker switch to the off posision.:lol:


There may or may not be settings in the audio panel which disable the speaker amplifier like a dip switch. So consulting the Install Manual would be wise.
 
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Actually boys and girls, the requirement is in the radio installation instructions. It will not be in either the type certificate or the production certificate because you could have ordered the aircraft with either Narco or Arc or King equipment installed.

So if he wants to dump the speaker it is allowed as a minor change.

I'd say Ron got it more right than anyone.


Flyingmoose and I were giving them a paper trail to regulatory requirements to determine major vs minor alteration...

He already has an A&P saying it can't be done so the OP needs to be able to explain why it can be. Not a simple quote from a forum saying the radio requirements are inthe install manual an hence it's minor.

Step 1 in this determination, find out if the FAA required it to be the way it is.
 
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I had a failure where the headset system in the airplane was not working, but the speaker worked fine. Good thing too because I was at a towered airport. I had a handheld with me but I somehow misplaced the headset adapter cables, so the speaker was my only option.


I agree with you a 100%, but we are debating legallity in this instance. Can it be done? Yep easy.

Me being very hard of hearing, cannot hear well from the speaker in flight, so it's near useless. Although I probably could slow the engine RPM to a point where I could hear it. :idea:
 
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I agree with you a 100%, but we are debating legallity in this instance. Can it be done? Yep easy.

Me being very hard of hearing, cannot hear well from the speaker in flight, so it's near useless. Although I probably could slow the engine RPM to a point where I could hear it. :idea:

Don't feel bad.... I have pretty good hearing and I can barely hear the speaker in any GA plane.. :nonod:
 
Don't feel bad.... I have pretty good hearing and I can barely hear the speaker in any GA plane.. :nonod:


I'd say a good 85% of pilot population has this experience.

Old radios with weak amplifiers, ancient speaker technology and a noisy environment = communication between men & women :goofy:
 
I don't have the regulatory answer but here's how I would do it. The Cessna's of that vintage could by ordered without radios, or 'radio delete'. This was done sometimes for foreign markets. Now, the radios are gone, the speaker could still be ordered installed and the wires stubbed, or it could be a speaker delete too.

To convince the A&P, remove all radios which have an audible output(incl nav, ADF, etc). Remove the speaker, remove the headset jacks. Fill out a 337 like we do for a radio swap - "all radios and trays with audible source removed from SN xxxxxx, speaker and headset removed from aircraft. aircraft weighted and balanced and a new W&B computed." Then, go back and put what ever radios you want in, and install the headset jacks and not the speaker and fill out the 337 just like a radio install - "Installed tray and radio blah blah IAW blah blah installation instructions, and installed headset jacks in panel to audio source(s). Compute new W&B."

No reason to have a speaker in a plane which now has no audio devices. Then, go back and install what you want on the 337 just as you did before. Now, you're under the stipulations of the radio install document. If it requires a speaker(doubt it), then you put a speaker in, if it doesn't, then don't.
 
I don't have the regulatory answer but here's how I would do it. The Cessna's of that vintage could by ordered without radios, or 'radio delete'. This was done sometimes for foreign markets. Now, the radios are gone, the speaker could still be ordered installed and the wires stubbed, or it could be a speaker delete too.

To convince the A&P, remove all radios which have an audible output(incl nav, ADF, etc). Remove the speaker, remove the headset jacks. Fill out a 337 like we do for a radio swap - "all radios and trays with audible source removed from SN xxxxxx, speaker and headset removed from aircraft. aircraft weighted and balanced and a new W&B computed." Then, go back and put what ever radios you want in, and install the headset jacks and not the speaker and fill out the 337 just like a radio install - "Installed tray and radio blah blah IAW blah blah installation instructions, and installed headset jacks in panel to audio source(s). Compute new W&B."

No reason to have a speaker in a plane which now has no audio devices. Then, go back and install what you want on the 337 just as you did before. Now, you're under the stipulations of the radio install document. If it requires a speaker(doubt it), then you put a speaker in, if it doesn't, then don't.


337 is not required for minor alterations or minor repairs. It's bad practice issuing them when not required and could even be considered abuse of a government document.
 
Lotta people out there abusing the document.
 
Okay, now that we've got that all sorted out - how about the hand mike? :rolleyes2:
 
Flyingmoose and I were giving them a paper trail to regulatory requirements to determine major vs minor alteration...

He already has an A&P saying it can't be done so the OP needs to be able to explain why it can be. Not a simple quote from a forum saying the radio requirements are inthe install manual an hence it's minor.

Step 1 in this determination, find out if the FAA required it to be the way it is.

Step 1 is to find an A&P with a clue and dump the yahoo he has.
 
The reason the inspector goes after your Equipment List is it's often outdated and they can get you for it.

If you take equipment out, it has to be updated with the weight & balance.

<as the imspector reviews your Equipment List during rap check>

Fire Extinguisher- in the airplane but past hydro date (busted)

or

Missing but still on the Equipment List

or

One installed but not on the Equipment List


Baggage nets - missing

Hand mike - check

Hey where did that radio come from?

Where did the intercom come from?

Where is the 337 for the baggage fuel tank?

Unrealated to the Equipment List:

Show me the approved flight manual supplements for the autopilot and the GNC-530W....
 
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The reason the inspector goes after your Equipment List is it's often outdated and they can get you for it.

If you take equipment out, it has to be updated with the weight & balance.

Any radio replacement will be done according to the radio installations, any modification to the Airframe will be approved on a 337 field approval or a STC. The addition of radio with out modification of the airframe will be done as a log book entry, simply because the airframe was designed to except the installation.

and the W&B and equipment list up dated by the installer.

to remove the speaker after that is a simple log book entry stating that the speaker was removed, to comply with the alternate use in the radio installation procedure.

Simplicity is too complex for most people to understand.
 
and the W&B and equipment list up dated by the installer.

Simplicity is too complex for most people to understand.


A lot of these documents get lost or forgotten...
 
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The Cessna 172 type certificate

http://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/263a36336effbcd38625738a004bbe52/$FILE/3A12.pdf

Each model of the design has its own application by serial number but it is all the same certificate, The early ones do not have a MEL, they simply have a equipment list as delivered from the factory, and operate on the placards as directed in the POH. W&B is calculated each time there is reason to do so. and only the empty weight is entered in the weight and balance section of the POH, so the pilot can use that figure to calculate that flights CG. and max gross.

removing a speaker will be a weight change of less than a pound at Datum, (0 arm) and CG will not need to be recalculated.
 
Then you should kick your A&P ass if it is not correct.


They get lost along the way... Many folks just have the Owner's Manual on board and get a suprise when ramp checked.

How many aircraft have you come across where the weight & balance and Equipment List is all jacked up?
 
They get lost along the way... Many folks just have the Owner's Manual on board and get a suprise when ramp checked.

How many aircraft have you come across where the weight & balance and Equipment List is all jacked up?

Owners that stupid shouldn't fly.


I have a very small client list, and their W&B and equipments lists are in order, isn't that the purpose of the annual and airworthiness check each year? When you sign off an annual aren't you saying the aircraft is airworthy? doesn't all the AROW stuff have to be there?

Plus it is the owners responsibility to maintain their aircraft's airworthiness. They get hit on a ramp check, and it isn't right they deserve what the get.
 
The reason the inspector goes after your Equipment List is it's often outdated and they can get you for it.


Baggage nets - missing

Baggage nets???

Owners that stupid shouldn't fly.


I have a very small client list, and their W&B and equipments lists are in order, isn't that the purpose of the annual and airworthiness check each year? When you sign off an annual aren't you saying the aircraft is airworthy? doesn't all the AROW stuff have to be there?

Plus it is the owners responsibility to maintain their aircraft's airworthiness. They get hit on a ramp check, and it isn't right they deserve what the get.

First item on my pre-flight check-list - ARROW (we have radio licenses in our club planes). I have grounded a plane more than once when the binder with W&B information wasn't on board. Hasn't happened recently. :D
 
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