Brian is absolutely correct here. The real bite is that by not notifying the FAA PRIOR to flying with a "major modification" as definde by the FARs, you are in violation of your operating limitations, which voids your insurance coverage, including liability. Typically, the FSDO will thank you for calling and tell you to note it in your log book and restrict yourself to your original phase one testing restrictions for 5 hours, which does include the same test area. If you never notify FSDO, then from that point forward you are operating in violation of your operating limitations and could be without insurance coverage even if you have made a notation in your log and done phase one testing on the modification.
Another gotcha... If your are no longer living where your KR was originally tested and need to return the aircraft to phase one testing, technically you should ask FSDO to assign a new phase one test area. I've been down this road with FSDO and they were clueless as to how to re-assign the test area, but it is in the FARs. They did eventually assign a new test area, so it can be done. I suspect this was a localized FSDO training issue. Now out of the FARs and back to the real world. The FAA typically has no clue how your plane was originally equipped, so they may not have a clue about a "major modification" like changing to a different type of prop has been made unless you hang yourself after an accident by telling them that you were testing a new prop or if there was a notation in the log book. Since I require myself to test fly and validate changes to the plane anyway, I try to stay within the FARs and will give FSDO a courtesy call when I make major modifications to my plane. -Jeff On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 19:09:46 -0500 "Brian Kraut" <brian.kr...@engalt.com> writes: > It is very common for people to try different props on KRs to get > better > performance. If you do change your prop you need to be aware that > a > different prop constitutes a major change as defined by FAR 21.93. > When you > perform a major change you wind up back in the test phase if you > have > already flown your hours off. What your operating limitations say > about > major changes depends on how old your operating limitations are. > Typically > it requires that you notify the FAA of the major change and have > them > approve your test flying area for 5 hours before you fly the plane > again. > Brian Kraut > Engineering Alternatives, Inc.
