337's

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C170U2
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Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:30 am

337's

Post by C170U2 »

Does the FAA ever mail you back a signed copy of the 337 after you send it in to them for signature? It seems like they should....otherwise how would I know it got signed and approved by the FAA?
hilltop170
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Re: 337's

Post by hilltop170 »

Mike-
I'm no expert on this subject but I have discussed it with a neighbor of mine who is an FAA Operations Inspector in the Anchorage FSDO. His take on how the system works is if it is only a 337 that an IA has authority to approve, it is mailed in to OK City. A committee in OK City reviews the 337 and if there are no problems, it is submitted for recording. If there are issues (typos or omissions), it is sent back to the IA for corrections. The IA should make two identical copies which he authorizes. One is sent to OK City and the other goes into the aircraft records. If there are no problems with the 337, it is recorded and no copy is sent back to the IA. Only if there is a problem does it get sent back. This process may work differently in different FSDOs. They all should be the same but like the IRS, we know different offices have different opinions.

If the 337 requires a Block 3 sign off/approval by a local FAA FSDO Inspector which makes it a Field Approval, then two copies are approved with one going to OK City for recording and the other going into the aircraft records with nothing being returned from OK City.

From what I understand, anything sent to OK City has already been approved by some means. No approvals of 337s are done by OK City. Either an IA is authorized to approve the 337 as in the installation of an STC or a local FAA FSDO Inspector approves a Field Approval. In either case, they are sent to OK City for recording, not approval.

If anyone else has a different take on how this works, please advise, as this is the way I have seen it work for 40 years.
Last edited by hilltop170 on Thu Jun 26, 2014 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
C170U2
Posts: 436
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:30 am

Re: 337's

Post by C170U2 »

That's what I was thinking. My IA sent it in and I never heard anything so I assumed all is OK. Sounds like no news is good news.

Thanks!
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GAHorn
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Re: 337's

Post by GAHorn »

FAA does not "approve" Form 337s. They handle them as Richard says.

1. I have witnessed Form 337s which are bogus in aircraft records. In one instance, the IA created the document and placed it into the records in a clear effort to convince/confuse the owner that major alterations were minor alterations. (This is not the purpose of Form 337...if it were a minor alteration then no Form 337 should be generated at all. This particular 337 of course, was not on record at OKC, likely because the IA knew it was improper and might be kicked-back.)
In another instance the work was never actually performed.
In yet another, the 337 attempted to document an STC which was never properly acquired.
In still another, Block 3 (Field Approval) was a forgery. (This particular instance was on an airplane previously owned by the signatory IA. When we caught it and reported it, the IA surrendered his certificate to FAA and declared bankruptcy. This, of course, left the present owner with no relief.)


2. In some cases OKC has no record of the 337, which may or may not be a problem. While it is possible FAA-OKC has misplaced or simply lost the record (I have heard anecdotally of 337s being found in files of unrelated aircraft ...clearly a simple filing-error....but a potential nightmare for an owner)..., and it might be a simple matter of "lost mail" ...(an acquaintance at FAA-HOU-FSDO has personally related an instance of a mail-truck accident/fire which destroyed numerous records.... and a potential purchaser was asked to believe the aircraft records/logbooks and re-submit a copy.) While this lack of OKC having possession of the record is disturbing ...it can happen.

If I were looking at such a case, I'd have the aircraft inspected and a new Form 337 submitted. (This is what I did when I performed a "pre-buy" inspection on a Baron and found evidence of repairs that pointed to a gear up landing. Lower antennas, beacon, had been replaced in what was described as a "taxi incident". However separate prop logs indicated new props at the same date/time. The repair station inspected the aircraft and documented "found previously repaired" on Form 337 and submitted it. How the conversation transpired between buyer and seller is another story.)

Bottom line: Form 337 is only another form of recorded maintenance/mods/repairs. It is not assurance of airworthiness. Only an inspection of the aircraft can provide that assurance.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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edbooth
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Re: 337's

Post by edbooth »

A bit more information, when performing work that requires FSDO field approval in block 3, (which is probably a rarity these days), don't never ever, ever do the work without first getting approval...it makes them very mad :evil:
Ed Booth, 170-B and RV-7 Driver
hilltop170
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Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm

Re: 337's

Post by hilltop170 »

And can be very expensive for the owner if the mod is not approved! Don't spend any money until the Field Approval has a Block 3 signature from an FAA Inspector.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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GAHorn
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Re: 337's

Post by GAHorn »

Correct. In other words...get permission from FAA ...FIRST. Only THEN proceed with the work and keep the FAA Inspector fully informed of any progress.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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