Wheel Pants

[AisforAirplane]

The great thing about club planes with wheel covers is that no one will ever admit who cracked it doinking the plane.

 

[WDD]

“Doinking” - POA word of the day!

 

[WDD]

Curious to know how a 6 inch rim on the nose wheel works with a standard nose fork?

Apparently - it can't.

After digging more, some previous owner must have changed the nose fork to accommodate the larger 6 inch nose rim/tire although nothing is in the log books.

If I ever wanted to do a "standard" nose fairing I'd now also have to buy and install a new standard size fork and tire rim. As I'm not doing that, I'll have to get a new nose fairing to fit a 6 inch front rim / tire from Knots 2 u. After which I'll stare at the TAS indicator long enough to convince myself that I'm flying 3-5 knots faster........

 

[40YearDream]

SO, I learn new things everyday. To recap:
The previous owner put on over sized tires, but gave me the old wheel pants. I now need new tires, so now is great time to put on the wheel fairings. Got to be easy, right? (buh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)

1) My main wheel fairings that came with the plane are the old style which apparently don't add much to the cruise speed.

2) I have none of the main fairing metal mounting plates. Small pieces of sheet metal. Hey, it's sheet metal. I could make it without too much difficulty, but that wouldn't be legal. Need to buy it. How much could that cost?? Turns out, $2700.

3) The nose fairing would be somewhat helpful with cruise speed, and the fairing I have is for the standard 5 inch rim. The previous owner somehow put a 6 inch rim on the nose. I can use this fairing if I bought a new rim, bearings, seals, whatnot ($1000??). And pay the A&P to convert it back. $600 in labor? Or buy a new nose fairing to fit a 6 inch wheel with a 6.00 - 6 tire for a $2000 there abouts. And pay the A&P to install, since it has an STP and needs a 337.

Morale of the Story: Once again, planes are always going to be interesting and give you "surprises!". All in all, first world problem.

Wouldn't #2 count as an "owner produced part" (which should be perfectly legal) ?

 

[WDD]

An owner can’t produce a part on a certified aircraft and use it without a field approval.

 

[Ed Haywood]

An owner can’t produce a part on a certified aircraft and use it without a field approval.

Depends whether it is a major or minor alteration. IMO mounting bracket for wheel pants is clearly minor for most light GA aircraft. Owner produces, A&P determines acceptable, installs, and makes log entry.

 

[Ed Haywood]

An owner can’t produce a part on a certified aircraft and use it without a field approval.

If you could obtain drawings or duplicate an existing part, sure. Per my other note, would need an A&P who agrees it is a minor alteration and your part is acceptable.

 

[Bell206]

An owner can’t produce a part on a certified aircraft and use it without a field approval.

Not quite. He can produce a part for a TC'd aircraft provided he has approved data for that part which can come from various sources. For example, if you have the factory drawings for say a Piper Super Cub, you could produce your owner part per those dwgs and have a mechanic install it. Or you can hire a DER to issue you a Form 8110-3 for your part which is also approved data. Or, you can make your own determination of what it takes to make the part and use a 337 to approve that data via a field approval, which is then installed as any other part.

However, there can be another route via 21.9(a)(6) for certain sheetmetal/composite parts where a mechanic can fabricate a part for consumption in a repair or alteration. There's no "production" involved but can offer an alternative route vs needing approved data. For example, I can fabricate a new wing skin from 2024 sheet and install it as part of a repair.

 

[WDD]

1). Come Jan or Feb I’ll have my airframe certification, so I could sign it. But….
2) The pants no longer fit because tires are oversized.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Here's a good article about owner produced parts.

DIY Parts - SavvyAviation

If you fly a certificated piston airplane built during the great production boom of the 1960s and ’70s — and statistically most of us do — you’ve already discovered a painful truth about repair parts: every year they’re harder to find, and every year they cost more. Some manufacturers—notably...

www.savvyaviation.com

A&P education may be an issue. I used the phrase while having beers with two IA buddies. They both rolled their eyes and said that's not a thing. The article provides references.

 

[Bell206]

A&P education may be an issue. I used the phrase while having beers with two IA buddies. They both rolled their eyes and said that's not a thing.

More than likely its the standard response when a mechanic doesn't want to perform something. In the case of owner parts, the mechanic owns it all in the end as does the IA at annual time. I learned about owner parts in the Part 135 world and was able to build real-world knowledge how that process works vs reading only articles by various industry people to include the late Bill O'Brien. So I would say its a big stretch for a mechanic to assume all that liability for his labor time only and especially at the Part 91 recreational level.

 

[Ed Haywood]

He can produce a part for a TC'd aircraft provided he has approved data for that part which can come from various sources.

Thoughts on duplication from existing parts?

Busch's article says you could design your own part, make it better than the OEM part, call it a minor alteration, and have an A&P install without any approvals. Thoughts?

 

[Bell206]

Thoughts?

Producing a part out-right as shown in 21.9a5 and fabricating a part for consumption in a repair or alteration as in 21.9a6 are two separate processes, each with their own guidance. So, if what you are saying is that you designed your own part without using 21.a5 and gave it to me to install as a minor, then no.