Yep, I plan to argue that very point, thx.
My AI saw the installers applying the film and called the regional FAA office to inquire about its use. They wouldn’t approve it and arbitrarily considered it “heat shrink vinyl wrap”, whatever that is.
Maybe he really meant Artificial Intelligence?
Sounds like a communication problem between your IA and the ASI. There are "certified shrink wrap aircraft systems" out there but they replace an entire aircraft fabric covering not accent stripes. They've been using vinyl decals for N numbers and accent striping/graphics on aircraft for years all with the FAA's blessing. I believe there is an AC that mentions decals for N numbers. Some decal installs actually fall under Part 43 preventative maintenance which allows a pilot to legally install them on a certified aircraft. Good luck.
I don't know if this is true, but since a lot of the more senior guys I hang with say AI, I have been going under the assumption that it changed at some point in the past.
FYI: the key part of the memo:
It's my understanding back in the CAA days when aircraft required a true annual inspection and new AWC issue, the non-CAA people authorized to do that inspection where "designated aircraft inspectors" or something similar. I believe it was common to call them "authorized inspectors" or AIs. Due to some liability issues, sometime prior to the formation of the FAA in 1957 the original annual inspection/AWC issuance was dropped as were the AIs. In their place came Inspection Authorizations (IA) and the old "periodic inspection" became what is now known as an "annual inspection." There's a FAA booklet somewhere that gives this history but I could not find it.
If those "more senior guys" are my age or older, they are probably just getting senile.
You are correct sir! I'm a new pilot just learning all the acronyms.
I'm the owner. I had already looked into it before hiring a graphics shop and didn't see a problem in the FARs. (The memo is well-hidden, so I was going by FARs only). Plus, I saw that the practice is very common, even on commercial aircraft. My IA/AI is also my hangar neighbor, so he saw the work going on and started inquiring. He called regional to get a "field approval", but the "field approval" guy referred us to the memo. Sigh.
Very well said.
As an A&P, perhaps have your IA look at the last sentence in the memo summary paragraph again. It pretty much states what you are doing is exempt from the memo as highlighted in post 22. I've signed off a number of vinyl decal installs with no issues.
So the guy who signs my logbooks is known as an Inspection Authorization?
So you would call him an "Authorization Inspection"? Sounds pretty grammatically challenged to me.So the guy who signs my logbooks is known as an Inspection Authorization?
I would say he’s an A&P who has an IA. He could also be called an AI, but calling him an IA would be grammatically incorrect.
Are you saying this 3M product is STCed? If so, where do you find that information?
I did point this out to him. His response is that his hands are tied since the FSDO won't do a field approval.
Hey, it's no stupider than PIN number or HIV virus. There really is no term for A&Ps with inspection authorization, but they've been called "IA" for the decades that I've been flying.
And I'm pretty sure that the FAA was thinking about wing and fuselage coverings over a bare framework, not over existing aluminium. But whomever wrote the regulation was a civil servant, so there ya go.
FWIW: No field approval needed. Only a simple logbook entry. But it's his certificate, his decision. However, just for reference, provided you don't need to disassemble any items on your aircraft to install these stripes and the total weight of these striping decals is less than 1lb, you could actually install them yourself as a pilot/owner per Part 43 Appendix A(c)(9) as preventative maintenance. And legally sign it off in the logbook. Unfortunately, if this is the IA who also performs your annuals then he may not be willing to sign your next annual.
Why is a field approval required?
