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FAA Budget Cuts Seriously Impede Its Ability To Serve Aircraft Operators
Recent FAA budget cuts have resulted in the Salt Lake City FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) requiring more time to approve data submitted for major alterations in aircraft. In most cases, approval may come only after 6 or more weeks--long after the alterations have been completed. Meanwhile, the aircraft cannot be returned to service until all documentation has been approved by the FAA.
Such excessive delays can be terribly costly to aircraft operators for whom an aircraft is a vital revenue producing tool. To accommodate the needs of our customers, we offer these options to ease what we hope is a temporary situation:
Option I. Prior to beginning an installation, Kings Avionics, Inc. will inspect the aircraft, gather all necessary data, draft the FAA Form 337 (major alteration form), submit it to the FAA, then wait for approval, and schedule installation only after approved documentation is in hand. This option could mean a delay of 6 weeks or more.
Option II. Kings Avionics has enlisted the services of an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) to assist with documentation required for an alteration. Upon receiving an aircraft for alteration, Kings Avionics will inspect it, gather necessary data, draft an FAA Form 337 and submit it, with wiring diagrams and an installation plan, to the DER. When he approves our prints and installation plan, he will provide an FAA-accepted approval on the FAA 8110-3 Form. The aircraft will be completed and delivered with all approved documentation. Usually, the DER requires about one week and can approve the work while the aircraft is undergoing alteration. This option will add an additional amount to the cost of the proposal under line "FAA Documentation".
Option III. Upon receiving an aircraft for alteration, Kings Avionics, Inc. will inspect it, gather necessary data, draft the Form 337 and submit it to the FAA. The alteration will go forward. If completed prior to receiving approved documentation from the FAA, copies of the unsigned Form 337, along with a release letter will be given to the customer. The release letter will require the signature of the aircraft owner. When the approved documentation is received from the FAA, it will be delivered to the customer. This option does not constitute an "Airworthy Aircraft", and may affect the owner's insurance.
Like many people, we believe huge amounts of government money are wasted every year. We, too, want government waste reduced. But we have been dealing with the FAA for a long time, and we consider it a highly professional organization, staffed by dedicated people who perform valuable services to aircraft operators. It is not just another Federal "entitlement" program. It provides services vital to air safety and does so, in our opinion, very efficiently.
Salt Lake City is home to many operators of corporate aircraft who, along with hundreds of others nationwide, pay considerable sums in taxes that help finance a host of major government programs. To hamstring the FAA by cutting funds it needs to avoid prolonged grounding of valuable, revenue producing aircraft seems amazingly short-sighted. Since government requires aircraft operators to be subject to FAA rules and restrictions, it is unfair not to provide the necessary funds for the FAA to do its work promptly and efficiently.
We call upon Utah's legislators and other responsible thinkers at high levels to investigate this situation and correct it. We believe it is not only bad business, but also false economy, not to do so.
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