SAAA Gold Coast Chapter 19 Inc.
Incorporation No. IA30222
PO Box 1141
Paradise Point, QLD 4216
Tel: 0429 2000 98
Fax: 07 5577 1792
E-mail:
chapter19@saaa.com
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Introduction
Initial and refresher courses have already been held for A.P.'s. In the spirit of educating our wider membership the following information is presented to help builders be aware of the issues and faults arising in the process of obtaining a C.of A..
There is quite a large body of information relating to the requirements and regulatory aspects already available on the SAAA website thanks to the dedicated work of David Francis and Peter Johnson, to which you are most encouraged to look at yourself.
The following notes were prepared by Rob Fraser at a workshop held by Chapter 19 on 17 April 2007, with the support and input from A.P.'s Harry Mason and Peter Lewis, and builders: (our National President) Brian Hunter, Neil Aitkenhead, Peter Karanges, Peter Leonard, Ray Evans and Ross Evans.
Preparing for your Certificate of Airworthiness
Most people have some concept that aviation is done "by the book". To be sure, it has been said (somewhat facetiously) that an aircraft is not permitted to fly until the paperwork at least equals the weight of the aircraft.
In any case, most builders have erroneously carried on with the physical "nuts and bolts" of building the aircraft and carelessly left the collection of documentary evidence until it is past the time when it can conveniently be prepared such as:
- While skins and coverings are still open to view and record details of internal structures
- Recording visits by Technical Counsellors and other relevant observers
- Taking test samples and recording their results during construction.
Your A.P.'s
What are A.P.'s ?
Approved Persons are Delegates of CASA (the Civil Aviation Safety Authority), who are authorised to issue Experimental-category Certificates of Airworthiness for amateur-built aircraft
What is their job ?
The A.P. is tasked to perform the following tasks when invited by you to review a project towards the issue of a C.of A.
To see that your aircraft complies with the spirit and the law of relevant legal requirements of the:
- Civil Aviation Act
- Civil Aviation Regulations 1988
- Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998
- Relevant Advisory Circulars
Collate various documentary evidence prepared by you supporting the application for a certificate of airworthiness and forwarding copies of required documents to CASA, the SAAA, and for storing copies that must be maintained.
Confirm that documentary evidence has been properly prepared supporting various inspections required.
Assess whether you have demonstrated that you have built more than 50% of the aircraft and whether you would be eligible to have a maintenance authority for this particular aircraft.
Issue time and area-based restrictions for your aircraft according to their assessment of the risk presented to the general public by your aircraft.
There is a standard fee set by the SAAA for one A.P. inspection, and it is assumed that you have satisfactorily prepared all the required documentation and the aircraft is presented in an airworthy condition prior to the flight test phase.
The A.P. is NOT tasked within the SAAA-set standard fee to do any work outside the above scope such as:
- Travelling further than the standard distance to your aircraft.
- Advising solutions to and/or rectifying deficiences in the airframe and systems, control systems and / or engine.
- Doing your paperwork for you.
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Now the A.P. is usually a Licenced Aircraft Maintenance Engineer with a passion for aviation, and having the capability to provide professional services to advise solutions and to do remedial work at your invitation BUT, be aware, at a negotiated hourly rate and at his convenience considering his other work committments.
Who are my local A.P.'s ?
The following are your Approved Persons located in SE Queensland:
| Peter Lewis | 0439 714 617
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| Howard Mason | 0417 621 655
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| Garry Sweetnam | 0409 939 007
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Key Learnings
Correcting Wrong Views and Assumptions
- Your SAAA-affiliated A.P. is a professional worthy of respect, helping you to get your C.of A. He is required to maintain currency of his endorsements and ratings and keep up-to-date with the regulations.
- Placards and Flight Manual must be oriented towards a person other than the owner/builder flying the aircraft
- Allow others to critically review and question your project. Do your own research and consider the ideas of others until you find the correct solution.
- Not understanding the heat generated by an engine. At night you can see exhaust manifolds and pipes glowing bright red-hot and turbo-chargers bright yellow in colour.
- Registration marks under wings kept small or with low contrast (to avoid being noticed from the ground). Ground-sightings could save your life !
Common Faults
- Builder's log left until too late in project
- Flight Manuals not of adequate standard. (Use format as for C150.) Stall, manoeuvring, VNE speeds in various configurations. Fuel and lubricants approved to use. Fuel and oil capacities. Tyre pressures. Weight and balance calculation methodology. Take-off and landing distances.
- Weight and balance report not prepared
- Dual-person control checks not properly documented (persons, dates, signatures)
- Registration mark application not complete
- Incomplete paperwork
- Radio equipment list not prepared
- Suitable photographs and 3-view drawing not prepared (if your aircraft has gone missing - what does it look like ?)
Technical Issues
- Security of Fasteners - Too many or too few threads showing when nuts are torqued. Re-Using "nyloc" nuts until they no longer provide sufficient friction against undoing due to any means.
- Not calibrating fuel measuring devices before attempting to calibrate fuel system capacities.
- Unusable Fuel - Measured in flight attitude. Suck out fuel until no more comes. Remaining fuel is unusable.
- Electrical Switches - Up ON, Down OFF
- Cables not running straight, crossing over, running around bulkheads causing chafing and wear.
- Ball ends not properly done up.
- Use only aircraft-standard cable ties and wraps (commercial ones can't withstand temperature)
Sourcing various Items
- Log books from Western Airmotive. CA9 (engine), CA10 (airframe)
Street-smart Experience
- Using log books familiar to LAME's (as above) will not penalise the value of your aircraft by thousands of dollars when you come to sell it.
- Use the CASA-standard Maintenance Release.
- Altimeters and other equipment must be calibrated every two years after manufacture. Don't buy too early.
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Inspection Checklist
Click on the following link to open a practical checklist suitable for use in preparing for a request to your A.P. for a C. of A. inspection visit.
BUILDERS C. of A. PROCEDURES GUIDE & CHECKLIST
Thank you to Peter Lewis for providing this checklist.
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News
SAAA National Headquarters now collects chapter fees with your annual fee.
Your committee:
| Brian Hunter | President | 0416 069 151
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| Robert Fraser | Secretary/Treasurer | 0429 2000 98
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| Bob de Lissa | Committee | 0421 632 017
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| Maurice Clothier | Committee | 0410 59 49 64
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| John Keen | Committee | 0412 141 833
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| Hugh Ragg | Committee | 041 22 99 403
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Site Status and Notes
Prepared: Robert A. Fraser
Amendment date:
4 May 2007
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