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I am shocked your DAR signed off on that plan. Mine told me long before he ever saw my plane, a single tie wrap firewall forward and you fail the inspection.
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Why? Is there some regulation that says you can't have tie wraps FWF?
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Originally Posted by Low Pass
Interesting. I had an FAA inspector sign off on my plane and I had plenty in the engine compartment. Guess I've cheated death now 14+ years with them there. (Not the same ones, of course.)
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In another thread it was pointed out quite forcefully that "it is not an FAA inspectors (or DAR for that matter) responsibility to inspect a builders airplane on the premise of making a judgement on whether it is in a condition for safe operation or not. His only official duty is to make a judgement on whether the airplane meets all of the certification requirements as spelled out in FAA Order 8130.2G" (I'm not picking on the original poster with this quote, just using it to make a point).
Then along comes a DAR who makes up a new rule about tie wraps and threatens failure if there's even *one* FWF. Not "don't use them directly on X parts, because they'll wear through the part and that's unsafe" or anything like that. Nope...can't have 'em. Period.
What gives with inspectors or DARs making up their own rules? Some examples I recall:
No nylock nuts FWF (despite the fact that Lycoming ships their engines with nylock nuts in certain places)
Refusal to accept nylocks on props (as shipped from Hartzell)
"Requirement" for red fuel caps
Insisting on .040 lockwire on props, despite Hartzell service instructions specifying .032
Requiring "wet compasses" in EFIS-equipped aircraft
Requiring A&P "sign-offs" prior to the DAR doing the inspection
*Numerous* "challenges" to Van's plans (forcing builders to change a design in some small or large way which deviates from the kit plans...changing rudder stop locations, using a single pin in the seat back hinge and safetying it,
How about the guy in
this thread?
The list goes on and on...wildly varying standards of inspection, huge discrepancies between the regulations and what some require of builders (essentially holding their A/W certificate hostage unless/until the builder complies), fabricated rules, regulations or best practices, etc.
And on the other hand, there are highly competent, skilled, knowledgeable DARs and inspectors out there who do a great job (both at the formal paperwork and at helping ensure the aircraft is safe).
Nearly 9,000 RVs flying now, you'd think that EAB inspections would be getting significantly more consistent FSDO-to-FSDO, inspector-to-inspector, but I don't see it...