The weather was hot and humid in Washington, D.C. I just took a break from my paperwork, put my feet up on the desk, and started to nurse a bad cup of coffee when the fax machine “beeped.”
The incoming fax, from Aircraft Technician, dealt with the difficulty that one technician was having trying to get blueprints and specifications from the FAA and industry to build replacement wood wing spars for Aeronca aircraft models 7 and 11 (A, B, and C).
My first step toward solving the problem was to contact some FAA certification folks here in Washington and in the Great Lakes field office. They confirmed the fact that the FAA would not release technical information they had on file if the manufacturer was still in business.
The next step involved calling Jerry Mehlhaff, president of American Champion Aircraft (P.O. Box 37, 32032 Washington Ave., Rochester, WI 531667, Tel. (414) 534-6315), whose company purchased the rights to manufacture the Citabrias and Decathlon aircraft. He informed me that his company does not make any replacement wood spars for the older Aeronca aircraft. However, he was pleased to report that his company is in the final stages of getting FAA approval for “all metal” replacement wings for Champion models built after 1962.
Mehlhaff also explained that, for liability reasons, the spar blueprints or specifications for older models could not be sold. He did, however, know that a company called Safe Air Repair Inc. (3325 Bridge Ave., Albert Lea, MN 56007, Tel. (507) 373-5408), that could deliver an FAA/PMA-approved spar for those particular makes and models.
John Roscoe, president of Safe Air Repair, says that his company can deliver spars for Aeronca models 7 and 8 Citabrias and Decathlons that match the manufacturer’s specifications. Its spars, says Roscoe, are complete with attach fittings, drilled holes, and are ready for installation.
He also said that selling the spar specifications to individuals would increase the company’s liability – so they would not release the specifications.
The bottom line: You can’t buy approved data to build up Aeronca or later Champion wood spars. But you can still buy FAA/PMA replacement spars for those older makes and models.
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Another fax, received from Aircraft Technician magazine, dealt with a complaint that a technician had dealing with missing or unreadable data plates. He wrote that, during an annual inspection, if you find a missing or unreadable engine data plate, the aircraft is considered unairworthy until the replacement data plate is installed. He was correct (Ref. FAR 45.11).
Both major reciprocating engine manufacturers have similar instructions on how to get replacement data plates. Continental Service Bulletin M87-18 and Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1304F are the sources for this information.
You must send the manufacturer a letter (Continental wants the letter notarized) requesting a replacement data plate, the old data plate, if available, a $15 fee, and a letter of authorization from the FAA. At this time, there are no other options.
The bad news, according to the technician who wrote the letter, is the process takes about a month and a half before you receive a new data plate.
A word of advice: When you find a missing or bad data plate, contact the local FAA airworthiness inspector and ask him to expedite your data plate request with the manufacturer. Maybe he can save you a couple of weeks downtime.
Originally printed in the September/October 1990 issue of Aircraft Technician
