RV Wannabe
Well Known Member
I have a couple of questions for those more read/educated on the subject than I.
I was recently told by an IA that since he is an IA he cannot work on, or sign off doing some work on my -4. He says an A&P or the builder could, but he can't since he is an IA. This sounds quite fishy to me. I thought in order to be an IA one must have an A&P, and then inspection authorization could be acquired after a set amount of experience, and the additional proper training and testing to be an IA. Aren't all IA's A&P's with inspection authorization? Is there a way to be an IA without having an A&P? He seems to make a distinction that he could if it was a certified plane, and can't since it is experimental.
This same person told me an owner could not work on the pitot system. It would need to be an A&P, or the builder (I am not) because it is a critical system. We are currently wanting to change out a pitot tube for a heated tube. We have also done a complete glass panel upgrade ourselves which he seems to be fine with, just not the pitot. He also says the pitot would require a test flight.
I will certainly treat the first flight with the respect and consideration it requires like a test flight, just don't know if it requires a phase type flight test? Although I would like to know if the changes made require the wording of the certification of the plane to include IFR, and to be legal to file IFR. If so, maybe it does require a phase?
The airplane will become IFR capable once we are done, and have a legal pitot static/ transponder check from a certified shop. It was not IFR to start with.
Any insight and information appreciated.
Mark
I was recently told by an IA that since he is an IA he cannot work on, or sign off doing some work on my -4. He says an A&P or the builder could, but he can't since he is an IA. This sounds quite fishy to me. I thought in order to be an IA one must have an A&P, and then inspection authorization could be acquired after a set amount of experience, and the additional proper training and testing to be an IA. Aren't all IA's A&P's with inspection authorization? Is there a way to be an IA without having an A&P? He seems to make a distinction that he could if it was a certified plane, and can't since it is experimental.
This same person told me an owner could not work on the pitot system. It would need to be an A&P, or the builder (I am not) because it is a critical system. We are currently wanting to change out a pitot tube for a heated tube. We have also done a complete glass panel upgrade ourselves which he seems to be fine with, just not the pitot. He also says the pitot would require a test flight.
I will certainly treat the first flight with the respect and consideration it requires like a test flight, just don't know if it requires a phase type flight test? Although I would like to know if the changes made require the wording of the certification of the plane to include IFR, and to be legal to file IFR. If so, maybe it does require a phase?
The airplane will become IFR capable once we are done, and have a legal pitot static/ transponder check from a certified shop. It was not IFR to start with.
Any insight and information appreciated.
Mark
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