I doubt that the FAA would have issued an STC for something unsafe or without the appropriate flight test and stress data being made available.
Not necessarily true on the data side - there was an STC air conditionning system certified for a light twin a few years back that used bleed air - the FAA essentially took a quick hop and signed it off. Never mind that the hover performance took a big hit at other conditions than the day they flew!
The FAA from one ACO did not talk to the FAA in another region.
I see that most new a/c (i.e. AW139) seem to have them now!
yep - but the darned boom is DESIGNED for it!
