If you believe that modifications under one authority are accepted by another with no additional approval, then you are in for a horrible shock. If the modification does not have specific FAA STC approval, then it will have to be FAA certified or removed.

The initial issue here is that the FAA will require the Manufacturing Conformity Statement from the Original Manufacturer, no matter what. It is a specific requirement of the FAA TCDS.

claudia:
Cyclic is 100% correct on the modifications. And you are correct on the Type Certificates under the Bi-lateral agreements. The reason for the TCDS required conformity statement by the origin aviation authority is the bi-lateral agreement.


And just as Cyclic said the modification must be removed and the aircraft returned to it's original TC condition or the modification must go through a FAA approval process BEFORE a new airworthiness certificate can be issued to the aircraft.


Not a good place to be if importing an aircraft but it happens more than you think especially on the small plank wing side.


W1

Cylic. Have you been involved in an export to usa of a eurocopter in the last year or so? mods APPROVED by one are accepted by the other, the idea of the bilateral agreement !

claudia:

To clarify. I took Cyclic comment to say that there has to be an equivalent EASA STC in order for the modification to be accepted by the FAA. Not all major alterations and repairs will cross the pond. Especially major repairs.

Per the EASA/FAA agreement they accept each others Type Certificates, STCs, Repair Station Certifications (provided they register and meet requirements), and a few other smaller items. But not every EASA country has the same acceptance standards.

Newer EASA aircraft imported since the latest agreement was signed in 2011 have no where near the problems of older aircraft especially aircraft built prior to 2008.

I would be careful to assume that all EASA alterations/repairs regardless of the date complied or aircraft date of mfg fall under a blanket approval with the 2011 agreement.

An imported used aircraft today must still meet its FAA Type Design (which is confirmed with the EASA/CAA conformity statement) with any items outside the type design dealt with separately. And yes I have been involved with a recent EASA import.

W1

** Update **




After a lot of communications, the end result is, As per FAA DAR, we need to obtain a letter, "Statement of Conformity" for the aircraft, which will be raised by Airbus Helicopters and then sent to the DGAC for certification.


Next question:
Does anyone have the contact details for DGAC Certifications, who would deal with this?, I know one of the last posters did mention two people, but has since removed their post.


Thank you all for your input on this matter, very much appreciated, it certainly gave us different lines to go down.

So, is this what everyone is going to have to do in the future.....to export older helicopter to FAA register.

How much will it cost, how long will it take.

Only the ones that have the statement in the "Import Requirements" of the TCDS.