Substitute Vintage Parts (Pre-1980 CAR3 and Part 23) Program

[bradp]

Saw this in the EAA news this morning.  Pretty cool.  It should make obtaining some aircraft specific parts or substituting parts that make sense and work, but are not listed in the TC / IPC.

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/news-and-publications/eaa-news-and-aviation-news/news/-/media/6e283e810882480caff007430fed9246.ashx

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/news-and-publications/eaa-news-and-aviation-news/news/-/media/6e283e810882480caff007430fed9246.ashx

[jetdriven]

That's almost verbatim language from that FAA AC about parts substitution. But this says you should send in a letter of intent to use some of these parts. However the FSDO's have used Covid to basically ignore anything from anyone.   

[A64Pilot]

Not sure what the EAA link is, I didn’t read it to be honest, but this is a link to the FAA AC for Certified aircraft.

‘ALL Mooney’s qualify under it.

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_23-27.pdf

[hammdo]

I’m going to open a can of worms:

from the ac above:

 

[wombat]

That AC seems to apply only to aircraft type certificated before January 1, 1980.   But it's been 14 years since then... Why can't they move the date up?  (So says someone who is probably buying a 1985 airplane)

[Pinecone]

Mooney M20 is certificated in 1955.  All later M20s are modifications of the original TC, so all Mooneys are covered

Hmmm, among production aircraft, Cirrus is one of the few that would not be covered.

[bradp]

22 hours ago, hammdo said:

I’m going to open a can of worms:

from the ac above:

 

The new work instructions make reference to the AC 27-23. Should be compliant with that.  From what I can tell this process simplified you don’t need a field approval that nobody will look at or a DER for generation of approved / acceptable data. Im reading this as the acceptable data is is the MS/AN/SAE in addition to the data we’re already familiar with (TSO, PMA, etc). So it’s extending the electrical component standard parts idea to other airframe and power plant parts? 

I /think/ I’m also reading this that a parts manufacturer can use this program to obtain a letter for substitution of one part for another with no need for TSO, PMA, STC.  

The other thing in reading is that process for acceptance of a substitution letter is supposed to be streamlined through the Chicago ACO as the point of contact for the program.  Hopefully not the “we don’t do field approvals” FSDO hodge podge. 
 

What’s absolutely needed, maybe with the help of EAA and some tech savvy friends is the formation of a web archive/database that cross references a TC with a substitution part and an acceptance letter so we can all use the Mooney subs, but also have a central repository for other brand P, C, B, etc so we can use their data to submit new for new substitution letters.