another IO-360 project

[DonnieR]

After spending a year of nights & weekends working on my 1950 A model
fuselage I decided to take the next step and convert to the IO-360. After reading the other posts about the stc and its problems I decided to do it the hard way (field approval) I have a engine on the way, A prop being put together, and a T-41 engine mount to mod. My one year project is now at 14 mounths and I have not touched the wings yet. Oh well maybe next year.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Good luck Donnie. And I don't mean that sarcastically either. I love to hear about people who have been successful in bucking the trend of no field approvals.

I would assume you've been talking to your local FSDO and working with them or perhaps a DAR. Maybe you could tell us how that process is going.

[DonnieR]

I have talked to the local FSDO and I have been told that he will help any way he can. I am going to use a lot of off the shelf cessna parts, I think it will make it a little easier to get approved.

[Tom Downey]

Why not add the EMS (engine management system( from Precision airmotive. and ask the FAA to issue a EXP type certifiate on your airframe.

Eagle EMS

http://www.precisionairmotive.com/

http://www.precisionairmotive.com/whatsnew.htm#eagle

[DonnieR]

Looks like the EMS system is for the Lycoming engines, I am installing the continental.
I did build a Sportsman 2+2 last summer that has a silverhawk servo on it. 30 hours on it so far runs good no problems.

[blueldr]

DonnieR,

If you're serious about going the field approval route on your IO-360 conversion, I strongly suggest you call and talk to Jim Yates in Edmond, OK,. He is in the directory, or contact me for more onformation.

He had a really long and discourageing session with getting a field approval, and ended up having to hire a DER,at considerable expense, even though the installation had been done by a guy with some prior approvals. He lost a couple of years of the use of his airplane in the process. Even though he works for the FAA, it didn't help a bit.

I did mine with the STC from XP Mods, and Jim Yates said that he wished that he had sone the same. He would have had the use of his airplane a couple of years sooner.

If my experience doing the conversion can be of any interest to you, feel free to call on me.

Dick Lemmon----(916) 635-5566----blueldr@earthlink.net

[ak2711c]

I have never specifically asked my FSDO about a Field Approval on an IO-360 but I have inquired about field approvals for other things that are available on STC. My FSDO's position is if it is available on an STC they will not even consider a field approval. I hope you can talk them into it. XP's $13,000 STC is a lot of money for a motor mount, some parts (most of which don't work), and a set of instructions that are put to better use as TP for the outhouse.
Shawn

[jamyat]

I am Jim Yates that Dick Lemmon refered to. A mechanic friend and I installed the IO360D in my 170A. My friend has a one-time STC. Matter of fact, he was the first to install the IO360 in a 170. My problem began when we decided to change from the T41 mount of the STC to a Piper Seneca mount. The Seneca mount is an easier mount to work with. The exhaust is easier and the cowl requires very little modification. But the FAA wanted a structural analysis of it. I tried to hire an engineer to do the job, but couldn't find anyone. They were all afraid of liability. A university prof said he had a graduate student who could do it. After 4 months it was obvious the student couldn't do it. Lucky for me I am a mathematician, so I checked out a couple of books, bought a program off the internet and started working. After I did the analysis and wrote a report I worked with a DER in Wichita and he signed it off for me. The whole exercise cost over $900 and I don't know how many hours. Then I was lucky that my FAA contacts (I work as a contractor for FAA) helped me get a field approval based on the STC and the DER sign off. All that took about a year and a half and that doesn't count the time spent on the installation. I agree with Dick, the most cost effective way, time-wise, is to purchase the STC from XP Mods.

I have a friend who is trying to get his 172 signed off with the IO360 conversion. He has been trying for 8 years now to get a one time STC. The T41 mount fits the 172 exactly, so he went with all Cessna parts and converted his 172 to a T41. He sent his paper work to Ft. Worth and they lost it. He sent it again, but Ft Worth is like a black hole. They won't answer phone calls, emails, or certified mail. They won't tell you what you need to do to finish the project. He finally moved the project to Wichita. They told him no problem, they could do it. But that was 2 years ago and still no approval. So save yourself a lot of headaches and heartaches and buy the STC.