Suppose I wanted to contact the FAA

poadeleted21

poadeleted21

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
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I've seen the cigarette lighter question and the panel mounted clock question come up. Davtron got a letter from the FAA stating that the clocks were considered "minor alterations" and that an A&P sign off was acceptable to install. My clock is actually PMAed for exactly one type of aircraft...and it's not the type I fly. I was wondering, if I wanted to get a letter from them stating that installation of a cigarette lighter was minor, how would you go about it? Would that even be something worthwhile? What's the risk they'd come back and say "NO" and I'd be assaulted by everyone who installed a cigarette lighter as a minor alteration. I spoke with the local FSDO a while back on a similar issue and his off the record response was, and this is a loose quote "On things like that, I defer judgement to the A&P, they are professionals and I won't second guess them unless I suspect they are up to something"

I'm not really going to do it, I'm just wondering how the process works.
 
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There is no procedure. You would be the very first pilot since 1903 to have willingly contacted the government and asked for help.

You're in uncharted waters. Good luck.
 
Jay Honeck said:
There is no procedure. You would be the very first pilot since 1903 to have willingly contacted the government and asked for help.

You're in uncharted waters. Good luck.
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While that was a good giggle, I've found the FSDO, here at least, grounded in reality and excited about aviation.... You have to go WAY up in the chain of command (you know the folks writing policy and mandating the dedicated, sensible folks who work in the field) to find the folks who aren't aviation buffs. :mad2::mad2:

On a more serious note, other than registering my plane (which took nearly 5 months) after I purchased it, all my experiences with the FAA were pleasant.... So far.
 
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bartmc said:
I'm not really going to do it, I'm just wondering how the process works.
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All you really need to do is ask the A&P, if he doesn't know he should ask his A&P-IA, if still no answer have the IA ask his PMI.

That is the common sense method. each step of the way there will be questions to be answered.

The real answer is in this question, " who determines if the modification is a major or a minor" ? Your answer is found in FAR 1.1 and 43-A.
 
Tom-D said:
All you really need to do is ask the A&P, if he doesn't know he should ask his A&P-IA, if still no answer have the IA ask his PMI.

That is the common sense method. each step of the way there will be questions to be answered.

The real answer is in this question, " who determines if the modification is a major or a minor" ? Your answer is found in FAR 1.1 and 43-A.
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I had a post typed up but Safari on my Mac that "just works" crashed. I skimmed your FAR references and I see language like "basic design" that seems a little vague. After hanging out on aviation forums for too long, I see that it's also not clear to the owners if they can just put a davatron clock in or a cig lighter from NAPA in. Davatron must have felt "something" to say this about their products and go to the trouble to get a letter from the FAA.

Even though we consider installation of Davtron products to be minor, it is up to the installing mechanic to determine if the installation is minor or major. For a minor, a maintenance log book entry is all that is required. The FAA has determined that the installation of replacement clocks in non-transport category airplanes is considered to be minor, therefore only a maintenance log book entry is required referencing letter 100S-GA-10-53 from the FAA.
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and reference this letter.

http://www.davtron.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/FAA-installation-replacement-clock-Davtron-090310.pdf

I can only imagine that a cigarette lighter is "more minor" than a clock since a clock could/is considered "navigational equipment" which is addressed more directly in the FARs you referenced.

If I wanted to get this same letter for cigarette lighters/power sources what would I do?

If I had a mechanic claiming "major" per the FARs I should go shopping for one who claims "minor" if my plane is a transport category aircraft.

Jumping to conclusions and unrealistic scenarios, could an A&P go in to business installing davatron clocks on transport category aircraft claiming he'll sign them off as minor when nobody else will?
 
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bartmc said:
I had a post typed up but Safari on my Mac that "just works" crashed. I skimmed your FAR references and I see language like "basic design" that seems a little vague. After hanging out on aviation forums for too long, I see that it's also not clear to the owners if they can just put a davatron clock in or a cig lighter from NAPA in. Davatron must have felt "something" to say this about their products



and reference this letter.

http://www.davtron.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/FAA-installation-replacement-clock-Davtron-090310.pdf

I can only imagine that a cigarette lighter is "more minor" than a clock since a clock could/is considered "navigational equipment"
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1.1 look up "minor repair" then "major repair"

43-A gives all the repairs that are considered major.

Granted the parts you get from NAPA probably came from the same place as the ones you get from your local aviation supplier, but that little piece of paper that came from the aviation supplier gives you authorization to use it.

Big deal going on now about undocumented parts be-careful.
 
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Just remember their motto..

"We're not happy until you are un-happy. "

And they mean it. ;)
 
Call them up, and say you have "this friend" that has a question............
 
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