Aircraft Interior Question's ????

[NW_Pilot]

I have a few questions about interior???

Say I can provide all burn certificates for all the material I use in my interior? Other then having a new weight and balance can I FAB my own interior plastic parts out of carbon fiber aluminum etc... If so would I need to do anything other than listed above? Will the carbon fiber or aluminum used need a burn certificate or is that just for fabric/leathers and insulation?

My friend took measurements of my 150 and she designs interiors in Autocad and can make use of a lot of wasted space in the Cessna 150 and the modern materials can provide sound suppression, better insulation, it's lighter, looks better, durable and best of all free.

 

[avbug]

Before you go any further with this question...are you a certificated mechanic?

 

[wrightflyer]

I guess that means no.

 

[USMCmech]

For the sake of argument, I'll try to explain.

There are basicly two ways to modify a certified aircraft from it's origional design, an STC or "field approval".

An STC as we should know is a modification aproved by the FAA for any aircraft of the make/model it is designed for. For example, Texas Skyways near SAT has an STC for C-182s. They replace the O-470 with an IO-540 and a three bladed prop. An A&P mechanic fills out the logbook and the form 337.

"Field Approval" is given on an individual basis for any other modification by an airwortiness inspector from the FSDO. This is commonly done for any avionics change. For example, replacing an old cessna radio with a Garmin 430. This type of "feild approval" is useually easily granted because you are replacing one TSOd radio with another. This work must also be performed by an A&P and he must enter the information in the aircraft's log book.

In both cases the work must be done by or under the supervision of a certified mechanic.



In this case recovering the stock interior with leather would be easily done under field aproval. The FSDO will usually buy this off with a quick check of the paperwork, especially if it done by a shop that does this routinely..

Redesigning the entire interior of the plane could theoreticly also be done under feild aproval. However, the FSDO will want to see all sorts of enginering reports and other documentation that will quickly pile up to the size of a small house. Possibilities include, reports for a structural enginer regarding the new structure, checks of the weight and ballence, fatige tests of your aftermarket parts on and on.

So unless you have a large pile of money you want to get rid of, redesigning is a no go. The cost of getting field approval from the FSDO will probably be more than a C-150 is worth.


Trying to trasfer your plane to an experimantal cert won't work either. Except for homebuilts, experimental certs are effectivly limited to companies conducting research or developing products like an STC. They are also useually time limited as well, after a certian amount of time you must restore your airplane to it's origional condition.

The FSDO won't just give to anybody who want's to change their plane.

 

[avbug]

I guess that means no.

No, if the answer was no, that's what would have been said. But it wasn't. A question was asked, as a starting point from which to proceed with what isn't a simple reply. You saw the question, didn't you?

I had more than one reason for asking the question.

Good reply by USMCMech, however, getting to the meat and potatos of where this is headed...

 

[AC560]

It wouldn't seem though that changing the interior (within in reason with FAA/PMA parts) would be considered a major alteration (Appendix A of Part 43), you would just need is appropriate sign off in the log book and not a 337.

Not disagreeing with what you said just trying to learn a little bit myself as to what is legal and what isn't.

 

[Junkflyer]

The original post was asking about fabricating his own parts not installing pma/faa parts.

 

[AC560]

So if you cut a new panel you would need a 337, if you used a FAA/PMA replacement you wouldn't?

 

[Junkflyer]

A pma part is just as good as from the manufacturer-just a regular r/r write up. If you fabricate a part, it must be approved.

 

[NW_Pilot]

A pma part is just as good as from the manufacturer-just a regular r/r write up. If you fabricate a part, it must be approved.

Thanks for all the info, I just go off the phone with a local DER/DAR and discussed with him what i want to do to the Interior panels and trim he said it dose not need a 337!!!!!! Some items will need to be done under the supervision of a A&P and all things will require a logbook entry along with a new weight and balance when complete!