Fuel Valves (again)

[Mark Julicher]

Well I tried.

I called the Maintence folks at San Antonio FSDO and requested an audience with the grand poobah to consider a 337 to replace my fuel valve with a teflon ball valve.

No dice. Hostile. Can't do that. No way. It isn't a PMA'd part. "You don't want me to give you a ramp check do you?" We ONLY use GENUINE aircraft parts around HERE.

'scuse me. thanks for your time, i'll just hang up now, sorry I ever asked, how could an A&P with an aerospace engineering degree have EVER been That Stupid?? gee, what ever was i thinking.....

[VictorBravo]

Re: Fuel Valves (again)

Although I am sorry to hear that you can't change the valve, I do sincerely hope that a few days from now your existing, unmodified, approved fuel valve functions more smoothly than ever before

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Fuel Valves (again)

//rant on

I have hear excellent things about that FSDO! (NOT)
You know, I wonder how many parts were PMA'd on the Wright flyer......or even the original TCraft.

There are still exceptional FAA guys out there (a few haunt our list, and I truly am happy to have them around). Having said that......I am finding that the FAA is more and more a hinderance to safety. The technology available today can only increase safety, but you can only put it in an experimental plane. Also because of the attitude of the FAA a lot of this stuff becomes out of the price range of the average Joe.

Now, our Tcraft don't really need all this glass panel stuff, but other stuff, like perhaps modern fuel valves etc only make my plane safer. It is highly amusing (or infuriating depending on the time of day) that one of these parts is perfectly acceptable in an experimental but not a "certified" aircraft.......

//rant off

sorry about that.....must have been that time of day.....

[N96337]

Re: Fuel Valves (again)

The original fuel valves weren't PMA'd either... It's too bad they get so wound up..... one more reason that experimental has gotten to be such a big deal anymore....
JH

[paulp]

Re: Fuel Valves (again)

Howdy Mark & All,

Mark, you, above all others, should know that if the CAA or FAA were here before the Wright Bros, there would be no such thing as an airplane!!!!!!!