This will be the last installment of “My Cousin” stories that will tie it all together……maybe. We grew up in north New Jersey. When I was around 10 my father got a job in south Jersey. I would only see my cousin at family functions and we were not close. As life moved on my dream of being a pilot faded as they say life got in the way. My cousin never let his dream die. As I pursued R/C airplanes he pursued flying for real. At some point his parents moved to south ‘Jersey so his Mom could be near my Mom, the only surviving siblings in their family. For about 20 years I would tend to his mom and dad; I.E. my aunt and uncle. Anything they needed done at their house I would take care of. If one was in the hospital or physical rehab I would visit every day and take care of whatever the other needed. In winter my mom and dad would go to Florida for a few months. Every Saturday night while my parents were in Florida my late wife and I would take my aunt and uncle to dinner. During this time my cousin and I grew close and he appreciated me looking after his parents. Honestly I never thought much about it. When my life settled down he started encouraging me to get my pilot’s license. My cousin is not an instructor but a very accomplished pilot flying a Pitts, Aeronca Champ and Comanche. My hardest part of learning to fly was landing, I just did not get it. After each lesson he would call me to see how I was doing. If I wasn’t getting something he would say, “see you in an hour” and hang up. In an hour the Cherokee would be coming in for a landing. After the prop stopped there was no greeting or even a hello, just “get in the @#& airplane”. He worked with me many weekends until I finally got the landing nailed. Each person has a different way of teaching and between my instructor and cousin it all came together. After 62 hours and exactly 1 year to the day from my first lesson I got my license. After that I was renting Warriors and Archers and one day he called and said his usual “see you in an hour”. I thought it was just a visit and when the prop stopped and the door opened he threw me the keys with his 2 requests to enjoy the Cherokee and fly him back to Sussex. We never discussed it but I think this was his way of paying me back for taking care of his parents for all those years. I also swear this is a true story. The end.
King kx155 display issues
- Thread starter RonP
- Start date
-
- Tags
- kx155 display issues
pfarber
Pattern Altitude
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2021
- Messages
- 1,653
- Display Name
- pfarber
My general answer that an typical AnP won't have the tools, training and documentation perform the MX and to certify anything as 'fixed'. A radio would be an appliance and a major alteration if you were to say replace the display, you would need sign offs for *someone* to say yes, its actually working.
(4) Appliance major alterations. Alterations of the basic design not made in accordance with recommendations of the appliance manufacturer or in accordance with an FAA Airworthiness Directive are appliance major alterations. In addition, changes in the basic design of radio communication and navigation equipment approved under type certification or a Technical Standard Order that have an effect on frequency stability, noise level, sensitivity, selectivity, distortion, spurious radiation, AVC characteristics, or ability to meet environmental test conditions and other changes that have an effect on the performance of the equipment are also major alterations.
I read that to say you need approved/acceptable documentation to proceed with any mdification to any part.
There seems to be a bubble people put around the transmitter. The FAR for appliance major alteration just says 'basic design'. So the FAA' s bubble is the entire radio, with specific other regulations for other parts.
The guy that fixes KX-155s and has a new LED display they designed (www.kx-155.com) is performing major alterations and goes to great lengths to state he is NOT an FAA repair station:
Our Technicians have the FCC Radio Telephone License and are authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to work on radios including their transmitter portion. We are Not an FAA repair station.
It is your responsibility to meet any requirements to keep your airplane “legal”.
Now who is gonna know? Realistically no one will ever be wiser as I can throw away the MX record of removal/installation after one year. Ain't no IA gonna queston that entry.
AOPA says this https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2009/september/15/shop-talk-avionics-installations
ANd cites numerous FARs regarding training, tools, documents etc. They go as far as to say:
So, an A&P mechanic can install and/or supervise the installation of avionics equipment, provided that he or she meets all of the same requirements that a technician at a repair station does for the same job.
Specifically to OP, his KX-155 is a NAV/COM. As the above AOPA article states any part of an appliance that controls aircraft flight is an instrument. And any repair to an 'instrument' is a major repair, requiring all the usual paperwork... typically (I would guess) supplied by a CRS.
Last edited:
Again why not? What specific regulation prevents a mechanic from working on the non-transmitter part of a radio if they have the tools and documentation? Part 65 doesn’t prevent it. Part 43 doesn’t prevent it. Nor do either require "training." So I’m curious what rule do you think prevents it?
It seems you are confusing repairs and alterations. Replacing a broken knob or a display with the same type display are considered repairs and not alterations. Installing a different type display like an LED version would be an alteration which would not necessarily mean its also considered a major alteration based on 43 Appx A(a)(4). And for reference, 43 Appx A(b)(4) lists the appliance major repair examples of which only one applies to radio repairs:
Exactly. So why do you think its illegal for an FAA mechanic to install a radio that was legally repaired by a properly licensed FCC technician?
This is the OP and I do not have FCC or FAA credentials. However I work designing spare electronics for the military when the OEM no longer supports a product. I do know for example when we get radar units I am legally allowed to remove the diagnostic board, redesign it, test per gov’t specs and reassemble. I am not licensed to work on the radar section itself nor open it up nor touch it. Per the FCC I am legal to do what I described. My goal is to determine what the display issue is externally to opening the RF section of the radio. Once I determine it is just the display I will bring the radio to my friendly local radio shop and have the display installed, radio serviced and installed. If the problem is signals indicating a failed component inside the radio then I stop there and leave it to the qualified people. In my case I have determined the signals to the display are correct and it is just the display. I really like the LED conversion however it seems to border on not legal except for experimental aircraft.
Not really. It will fall more to your radio shop whether they view the LED display as a major or minor alteration and if a major, how they will obtain the approved data to install it. But definitely worth an inquiry with them about it.
Given your rather unique situation that you had previously shared, it would seem to me that swapping a used part might be better. I don't know how things worked out with that other fellow providing the parts source, though.
This is the OP again. I am waiting for one more piece of information to close the deal. So far I am very happy with the arrangement. The friendly neighborhood radio shop is run by a semi-retired technician. He does not feel the LED upgrade is legal or maybe too much paperwork to do. Either way he will not put an LED display in. He also will not provide the OEM display because they are old and used. He does not want to charge me for a display that may work 1 day or 1 year, I understand that. If I provide the display then it is my fault, not his, when it fails. So to hedge my bet and eliminate cost I did the diagnostic which points to the display. Acquiring one is on my dime and not his reputation. Sometimes I wish I took up kite flying!
This is the OP with an update. I received today a non-functional KX155 that had a working display. I put that display in my KX155 and ALL the digits illuminated! I am to receive another KX155 from the same member that has issues but a working display. That will give me a spare display. I can’t thank that member enough for helping me out with an amazing deal.
Ed does exceptional work on the KX155's. I had a friend go through him and to overhauled his unit The unit looks like new and operates like new at a fair price!