Un-authorised mods to certified EASA aircraft.

[vee-tail-1]

I guess there is an aviation equivalent to those boat owners who just like to 'mess around with their boats' and seldom go sailing.

I mistakenly sold my EASA Robin aircraft a couple of years ago and am about to buy it back. In that time a well meaning guy has flown it once and spent the rest of the time installing illegal mods.

So far I have discovered extra pitot/static plumbing. Wires connected to both magneto 'P' switches. Wires connected to fuel level, fuel pressure, oil temp, oil pressure, and all four top spark plugs. There is a hole in the carburettor and another one in the carb heat box. The alternator has extra wires and there are many new holes in the engine bay firewall. A single earth failure in one of the illegal boxes could cause loss of both magnetos, and / or loss of electrics and instruments.

It will take me some time to remove that lot and reinstate / verify the compromised systems.

The purpose of this post? (apart from letting off some steam!) Please don't make illegal mods to your aircraft ... some poor engineer like me might have the task of putting it all back together again. :{

[charliegolf]

some poor engineer like me might have the task of putting it all back together again.

I'l help, I'll help, I'll help! (Fabulous looking aeroplane!)

CG

[dirkdj]

Could it be that he installed an engine monitor that was later taken out?

[vee-tail-1]

Could it be that he installed an engine monitor that was later taken out?

Yes it appears to be an uncertified EFIS with GPS and engine monitoring. The holes in the carb and hot air box appear to be for an engine ice detector.

To continue the nautical theme it's a bit like fitting ocean crossing instrumentation to a windsurfer :eek:

[foxmoth]

and am about to buy it back.
And if you have found all these mods then you are buying it back in the knowledge that these have been done - so either accept that or don't buy it!
As the owner he can really do what he wants with his own property, accepting of course that the CAA might slap his wrists, or, a little more serious, the insurance may choose not to pay out,

[vee-tail-1]

And if you have found all these mods then you are buying it back in the knowledge that these have been done - so either accept that or don't buy it!
Agreed ...

As the owner he can really do what he wants with his own property, accepting of course that the CAA might slap his wrists, or, a little more serious, the insurance may choose not to pay out,

Or rather more serious, an innocent new owner might think the aircraft safe to fly. Also EASA part M annex VIII lists the permitted tasks that owners can legally carry out on their aircraft. MODs and ADs are not on that list.

[9 lives]

As the owner he can really do what he wants with his own property, accepting of course that the CAA might slap his wrists, or, a little more serious, the insurance may choose not to pay out,

Sadly true... modifying an aircraft, approved or otherwise, is entirely legal, it's flying the plane with unapproved mods which will get you in trouble. Happily, the owners who seem to tinker the most seem to fly the least, which probably makes the sky safer for the rest of us. Thus, only the plane really suffers....

Most sales agreements I see include the wording that the seller warrants that there are no unapproved mods on the aircraft. It's worth the effort to assure that you're buying what you think you're buying - but certainly no disrespect to Vee-tail - a frustrating situation....

[foxmoth]

Or rather more serious, an innocent new owner might think the aircraft safe to fly.

I would hope anyone buying an aircraft would have a pre purchase inspection, if the engineer doing this did not pick this up I would think the purchaser would have a claim against them!

[vee-tail-1]

I would hope anyone buying an aircraft would have a pre purchase inspection, if the engineer doing this did not pick this up I would think the purchaser would have a claim against them!

Pity that engineer tasked with finding all the unauthorised & unrecorded mods done by a 'tinkerer'. He needs to become like a detective, looking for evidence: like new parts, new wiring, non standard controls & instruments, etc, etc. If the seller is not available or has forgotten some of what was done, it can be a nightmare. But with manufacturers data available, particularly illustrated parts manuals, then putting everything back to original condition is the way to do it IMO.
Actually I confess to being one of those (annoying?) people who really hate to see lovely old cars, aircraft, and indeed my own watermill, needlessly modified. :O

[ChickenHouse]

Just for my curiosity, what do you really mean by "un-authorised mods" on an EASA-reg, now that ELA1 is in place and there are no longer these perky minor etc change requirements?

[JOE-FBS]

Hello ChickenHouse,

I think you mean CS-STAN. This does allow for some mod's to be done without design approval but it is not quite as loose as your post might suggest to some people (quite right too, people should not mess with potentially dangerous things that they are not trained in. I don't do brain surgery or roofing because I am not trained to do either so why so many people think they can redesign bits of aeroplane without training is a mystery to me).

CS-STAN is here

http://easa.europa.eu/system/files/dfu/Annex%20IV%20to%20EDD%202015-016-R.pdf

In grossly simplified summary (so do not use this post as advice for modifying an aeroplane!), it allows installation and exchange of certain (ETSO approved) electrical and electronic items; use of AVGAS UL91; exchange of flight instruments; and exchange of seat upholstery and seat belts.

Most of the changes are not allowed to be released by the owner-pilot and pretty much all of them require flight manual amendment

In the case of the apparent fitting and removal of some kind of after-market engine instruments described by the OP, there is provision for that kind of exchange but not in the gash way described by the OP.

Cheers
Joe