R&R Pretzel Yoke w/ Alon

Alon or 415 My only worry would be the travel to the stop on the shaft handles then I would agree what difference it's only cosmetic....

This should put my A&P at ease. Thanks so much!

Ronald you are correct with your rationale and the applicable TCDS. All the A&P has to do is make logbook entry as "minor alteration" of control wheel update citing the TCDS. One will find a note, at the start of the Alon model change from the Forney, that the control and wheel were changed.

This is a common case where the A&P/IA doesn't use the authority granted by the FAA to make a decision that it is not a major change but only a minor alteration citing the TCDS and rationale as you detailed, airworthiness etc.. If the the mech will study the Field Approval advisory circular, he will note that the FAA should return any said applications as not being required since "minor" change.

Also as common, if the wheels have already been changed, all the mech has to do is to preference his logbook entry as above, but adding statement that the change was previously made by "unknown person/persons" and alteration has been determined to be minor change as update per TCDS paragraph ###, etc. and is airworthy, etc and logbook entry is to record such previously made.

If the mech is still uneasy, he should collect TCDS data as discussed and call his FSDO that he is determining the change to be "minor" and cite the rationale as above with the pertinent TCDS info and that only a logbook entry is required!!

This authority has been too long in coming and mechs shouldn't be too quick to abrogate the responsibility/privilege. A few years ago the FAA dropped the requirement that all 337s had to pass thru local FSDO - noting that is what the Inspection Authorization is all about. CARPE DIEM!

PS Before someone jumps on you, you have a typo 416D vs 415D.

Weren't the Alons built under the same Type Certificates as the 416-D (A-787)? I would argue that every Alon that came off the line is an example of it having been done before. In my opinion, airplanes manufactured under a single Certificate are all essentially the same design. Lacking any memo's or instructions from the manufacturer, minor changes during production are interchangeable, don't affect airworthiness, and should require nothing more than a mention in the log. You may find it difficult finding documentation of it having been done before because nobody would bother to document it.

It is an interesting problem, keep us posted.

No doubt there has been numerous coupe owners that have replaced their pretzel yoke with an Alon yoke but my A&P says he needs documentation that it has been done before in order to sign off on it. Anybody have some documentation or info to help me out? Thanks.