car and faa reg questtion

[swoeric]

Here I find my self looking for some clarification as i begin to install some wiring....


This was going to be a quick project really, just replace wing tanks and add some lights.

This has ended with a new battery which menat lighter better etc...this went to a battery location change then to pulling of wiring ...(it all seemed automotive ish ) ....well if im going to get in there and add a switch and redo the battery I guess i should just redo the aging fuses and if that far i might as well replace the switches.....


The switches i wand are at least 2 pole 3 position


off nav nav and strobe

off master master and alt field

off taxi/landing wig wag landing and strobe

off intercom intercom and radio


you see where im headed....

what are the regs dealing with 1946 model aircraft and switches i c an use.....i know the experimental non tso are at b&C do i fall under car rules or faa


where can i find these certified if i have to

[barnstmr]

Re: car and faa reg questtion

Here are the specific and pertinent Regs CAR 04 (1938) as applicable for the BC models.

Compliance with these requirements can be assured by following FAA AC 43.13-1B... or 43.13-1A.... or CAM 18 (Also attached)

[swoeric]

Re: car and faa reg questtion

Thank you for the quick reply.....


I fully plan on using modern approved wire, connectors, service loops and securing techniques etc....It says in the general equipment is to be installed in accordance with accepted practice...at this writing they did not have approved switches....or does it mean that i must use what is accepted practice today and that thee switches must be faa approved hardware

[barnstmr]

Re: car and faa reg questtion

Eric,
As you see... CAR 04 (to which the engineering design of our old Taylorcrafts were certified) is quite vague in many respects. But it is THE STANDARD for these airplanes. The thing that has changed over the years is that FAA inspectors and engineers have become reliant on current day standards, which raises the bar of "accepted practice".

Remember that the best materials in those days were not necessarily durable. With today's materials it is not hard to find better wiring, switches, etc. But in some cases it is not easy to get something new and different approved for an old airplane. I run into this challenge almost daily.

I find it necessary to help the FAA inspectors to reach a reasonable balance between the the applicable requirements of old .... vs.... today's standards.

We all need to remember that these airplanes cannot necessarily meet today's design standards and that their original certification basis applies.

[swoeric]

Re: car and faa reg questtion

I see where you are going...I appreciate the help here, where experience is key.....the irony is that I am sitting here hammering away (with less thought than that of my switch question) on an internal installation procedure for sealant and hardware in fuel tanks to to meet all of the primes specs and know it will be accepted first time.......

[NY86]

Re: car and faa reg questtion

Use appropriately rated switches with AN or MS designations and everyone should be happy.

Why combine nav and strobe? If you have strobes, they need to be on even when you don't need the nav lights. Also, a separate field switch for the alternator would be a lot simpler and more straight forward. Your radio and intercom should already have their own power switches, so how about an avionics master?

off taxi/landing wig wag landing and strobe

You lost me on that one...

[swoeric]

Re: car and faa reg questtion

the field / master makes one less switch on the panel

the radio/ intercom is essentially my avionics master the intercom does not have a switch...and this keeps me from having another bus.



dont always fly with strobes.....Might be seen

installing two lights left and right one for landing and the other a wide beam for taxi....the wig wag function blinks the lights left right left right ....extremely effective for head on more so than strobes and it doesnt cost me anymore panel space

[NY86]

Re: car and faa reg questtion

dont always fly with strobes.....Might be seen

Sec. 91.209

Aircraft lights.

No person may:
(a) ....
or
(b) Operate an aircraft that is equipped with an anticollision light system, unless it has lighted anticollision lights. However, the anticollision lights need not be lighted when the pilot-in-command determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to turn the lights off.