337 approval time

GeorgeC

GeorgeC

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GeorgeC
How long does it take to file a 337 and receive approval? Asking for a friend.
 
who are you submitting the 337? OKC will not respond...they just file them with the aircraft records. If you are seeking a field approval (signature in box 3) with your local FSDO....it depends
 
IA wants to do a repair, checked with a DAR to see if it's a logbook entry or a 337, DAR said 337. The repair will be IAW a repair manual. Hopefully approval from the FSDO will not take too long, and then work can begin.
 
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Logging it on a 337 may not require a field approval. Major repairs go onto a 337 and an IA can return it to service.
 
Pardon my ignorance: so a 337 and a field approval are two different things?
 
Minor repairs and alterations use logbook entry. Major repairs and alterations require a form 337 to document the work. Whether your IA needs FAA field approval or not depends on what he's doing. If the repair is per the manual he probably won't need the FAA. You return 337s to the FAA either way so they become part of the aircraft records. I'm sure someone will nit pick but that's the big picture.
 
GeorgeC said:
Pardon my ignorance: so a 337 and a field approval are two different things?
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Thing #1: It's used to document major repairs or major alterations that were completed using previously approved data such as an STC (FAA form 8110-2), FAA form 8110-3, FAA form 8100-9, FAA form 8100-11, etc. Each of those 8XXX-XX forms are used by certain individuals or organizations to approve data. FAA approved data comes on an FAA form (there are few exceptions).

Thing #2: Filled out by the shop/person(s) using un-approved data (could be just about anything) and submitted to the FSDO to gain approval of that data IOW a field approval. After being approved by the FAA the shop/person(s) doing the work also uses it for Thing #1.
 
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Stewartb said:
If the repair is per the manual he probably won't need the FAA.
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So if the repair is IAW a repair manual, why would one seek field approval? Is it an additional layer of CYA?
 
GeorgeC said:
So if the repair is IAW a repair manual, why would one seek field approval? Is it an additional layer of CYA?
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A whole lot of OEM manuals are NOT FAA approved. The structural repair manual for brand new ____________ will have a pile of general information that is not an FAA approved repair procedure. The SRM also typically contains FAA approved procedures that were issued to fixed known/common damage and it will spell out damage limits and how to fix it. If the damage is beyond those limits it is no longer applicable and other approval is needed.
 
GeorgeC said:
So if the repair is IAW a repair manual, why would one seek field approval? Is it an additional layer of CYA?
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Because the repair manual is Acceptable data not Approved data, using the repair manual to show what you are doing, on a 337, Block 8 shows that info. FSDO will approve that data, in block 3 when they stamp it as Approved,
then the A&P can do the repair as described in block 8, and sign it off in block 6, and have the IA return to service by signing in block 7, send one copy to the FAA, give one copy to the owner for the aircraft's maintenance records, and one copy to the IA for his activity records.
 
bnt83 said:
A whole lot of OEM manuals are NOT FAA approved. The structural repair manual for brand new ____________ will have a pile of general information that is not an FAA approved repair procedure. The SRM also typically contains FAA approved procedures that were issued to fixed known/common damage and it will spell out damage limits and how to fix it. If the damage is beyond those limits it is no longer applicable and other approval is needed.
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Those are normally minor repairs, and returned to service by an entry in the maintenance records.

all info in a SRM is acceptable data, to be used to request a field approval
 
Thank you, gentlemen!
 
A 337 is a form. A field approval is a process. The process uses that form, but there are other processes that use that form as well.
 
Tom-D said:
all info in a SRM is acceptable data,
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FYI: depends on the OEM. For example, the Bell Helicopter Structural Repair Manual is FAA and Transport Canada approved data and is so marked and signed.
 
Thanks for asking these ?s, as a new owner I was confused by this stuff too
 
Depends entirely on your FSDO and the ASI assigned to your field approval. I've had a few done in the last few years. Two required AFMSs approved by the ACO, and both of those took about 6 weeks. I'd expect a repair supported by manufacturer's data would be faster.
 
Bell206 said:
FYI: depends on the OEM. For example, the Bell Helicopter Structural Repair Manual is FAA and Transport Canada approved data and is so marked and signed.
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Bingo!
 
It would behove any one contemplating a field approval to have their IA call their PMI and see what their turn around time is.
 
Bell206 said:
FYI: depends on the OEM. For example, the Bell Helicopter Structural Repair Manual is FAA and Transport Canada approved data and is so marked and signed.
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Show us one like that for our small GA aircraft.
I know next to nothing about Bell Helos, must be nice to have data already approved.
 
Submitted on Thursday, approved on Tuesday!
 
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I (my IA) submitted a 337 for Field Approval to the FSDO the week before Christmas. Still waiting.
 
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