Converting a glider from Experiemental to Standard Airworthiness

I'm going to ramble here and hope someone has the patience and experience
to help me :-)

So I'm looking at buying an ASW-24, its currently on an Experimental
Certificate but if I was ever to want to export the glider from the US to
the UK for example), it would need to be on a Standard Airworthiness
certificate, without that, the import is probably impossible.

So.. I called the FAA, and they tell me the procedure is fairly
straightforward and inexpensive so long as everything is in accordance
with the requirements.

What is anyones experience doing this ?

The FAA tell me that what I need is the following ...

1. Get the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet
2. Provide the original Certificate of Airworthiness for Export.
3. Have an FAA inspector carry out a Conformity Inspection (similar to a
very detailed annual inspection)
4. Obtain Standard Certification...easy.

So I found the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) for the ASW-24 on
the FAA website ... easy.

It specifically notes the serial number of the glider I'm looking at
moving as eligible for the Standard Certificate...great.

BUT .. In the TCDS it states that one of the requirements is ...
A U.S. Standard Airworthiness Certificate may be issued on the
basis of a Certificate of Airworthiness for Export signed by a
representative of the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), containing the following
statement: "The glider covered by this certificate has been examined,
tested and found to conform to the Type Design approved under FAA Type
Certificate No. G84EU and is in condition for safe operation."

G84EU is the TCDS document, it refers to itself.

Now this is my problem, I have the original Certificate or Airworthiness
for Export from Germany which says ...
This is to certify that the aircraft identified below for which
the technical data are given in the aircraft data sheet No. 4-366-ASW 24,
has been examined in accordance with the approval requirements applicable
in the Federal Republic of Germany and the special requirements in the
importing State, except as noted below (none), and has been found
airworthy as of the date of examination....

So the wording is similar to the TCDS requirement but not in exact
accordance with the requirement in the TCDS. Obviously because the Export
Airworthiness (issued in 1993) was written before the TCDS (issued in
1998) existed.

BUT.. two ASW-24's out of the many on the register do have Standard
Certifications, so it can be done (one has a serial number before this
one and one after this one). HOWEVER ...Both were registered after the
TCDS was issued (2001 and 2007), perhaps they were imported then and came
with a later Export Certificate that had the right wording ?

What is anyone elses experience with this process ?

Hoping for anyones experience and thoughts...

Peter

On Nov 13, 12:52*am, Peter wrote:
I'm going to ramble here and hope someone has the patience and experience
to help me :-)

So I'm looking at buying an ASW-24, its currently on an Experimental
Certificate but if I was ever to want to export the glider from the US to
the UK for example), it would need to be on a Standard Airworthiness
certificate, without that, the import is probably impossible.

So.. I called the FAA, and they tell me the procedure is fairly
straightforward and inexpensive so long as everything is in accordance
with the requirements.

What is anyones experience doing this ?

The FAA tell me that what I need is the following ...

1. Get the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet
2. Provide the original Certificate of Airworthiness for Export.
3. Have an FAA inspector carry out a Conformity Inspection (similar to a
very detailed annual inspection)
4. Obtain Standard Certification...easy.

So I found the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) for the ASW-24 on
the FAA website ... easy.

It specifically notes the serial number of the glider I'm looking at
moving as eligible for the Standard Certificate...great.

BUT .. In the TCDS it states that one of the requirements is ...
* * * * *A U.S. Standard Airworthiness Certificate may be issued on the
basis of a Certificate of Airworthiness for Export signed by a
representative of the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), containing the following
statement: "The glider covered by this certificate has been examined,
tested and found to conform to the Type Design approved under FAA Type
Certificate No. G84EU and is in condition for safe operation."

G84EU is the TCDS document, it refers to itself.

Now this is my problem, I have the original Certificate or Airworthiness
for Export from Germany which says ...
* * * * This is to certify that the aircraft identified below for which
the technical data are given in the aircraft data sheet No. 4-366-ASW 24,
has been examined in accordance with the approval requirements applicable
in the Federal Republic of Germany and the special requirements in the
importing State, except as noted below (none), and has been found
airworthy as of the date of examination....

So the wording is similar to the TCDS requirement but not in exact
accordance with the requirement in the TCDS. Obviously because the Export
Airworthiness (issued in 1993) was written before the TCDS (issued in
1998) existed.

BUT.. two ASW-24's out of the many on the register do have Standard
Certifications, so it can be done (one has a serial number before this
one and one after this one). HOWEVER ...Both were registered after the
TCDS was issued (2001 and 2007), perhaps they were imported then and came
with a later Export Certificate that had the right wording ?

What is anyone elses experience with this process ?

Hoping for anyones experience and thoughts...

Peter

You may be able to get an LBA compliance letter. A friend recently
imported a Twin Astir without the export CofA. An LBA compliance
letter was required to get a US standard airworthiness. Call the
glider desk at the FAA to see if that's the route.

I'm traveling at the moment, so can't get more specific just now.

Frank Whiteley

On Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:50:27 -0800, Frank Whiteley wrote:

On Nov 13, 12:52Â*am, Peter wrote:
I'm going to ramble here and hope someone has the patience and
experience to help me :-)

So I'm looking at buying an ASW-24, its currently on an Experimental
Certificate but if I was ever to want to export the glider from the US
to the UK for example), it would need to be on a Standard Airworthiness
certificate, without that, the import is probably impossible.

So.. I called the FAA, and they tell me the procedure is fairly
straightforward and inexpensive so long as everything is in accordance
with the requirements.

What is anyones experience doing this ?

The FAA tell me that what I need is the following ...

1. Get the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 2. Provide the original
Certificate of Airworthiness for Export. 3. Have an FAA inspector carry
out a Conformity Inspection (similar to a very detailed annual
inspection)
4. Obtain Standard Certification...easy.

So I found the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) for the ASW-24 on
the FAA website ... easy.

It specifically notes the serial number of the glider I'm looking at
moving as eligible for the Standard Certificate...great.

BUT .. In the TCDS it states that one of the requirements is ...
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*A U.S. Standard Airworthiness Certificate may be issued
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*on the
basis of a Certificate of Airworthiness for Export signed by a
representative of the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA), containing the
following statement: "The glider covered by this certificate has been
examined, tested and found to conform to the Type Design approved under
FAA Type Certificate No. G84EU and is in condition for safe operation."

G84EU is the TCDS document, it refers to itself.

Now this is my problem, I have the original Certificate or
Airworthiness for Export from Germany which says ...
Â* Â* Â* Â* This is to certify that the aircraft identified below for
Â* Â* Â* Â* which
the technical data are given in the aircraft data sheet No. 4-366-ASW
24, has been examined in accordance with the approval requirements
applicable in the Federal Republic of Germany and the special
requirements in the importing State, except as noted below (none), and
has been found airworthy as of the date of examination....

So the wording is similar to the TCDS requirement but not in exact
accordance with the requirement in the TCDS. Obviously because the
Export Airworthiness (issued in 1993) was written before the TCDS
(issued in 1998) existed.

BUT.. two ASW-24's out of the many on the register do have Standard
Certifications, so it can be done (one has a serial number before this
one and one after this one). HOWEVER ...Both were registered after the
TCDS was issued (2001 and 2007), perhaps they were imported then and
came with a later Export Certificate that had the right wording ?

What is anyone elses experience with this process ?

Hoping for anyones experience and thoughts...

Peter

You may be able to get an LBA compliance letter. A friend recently
imported a Twin Astir without the export CofA. An LBA compliance letter
was required to get a US standard airworthiness. Call the glider desk
at the FAA to see if that's the route.

I'm traveling at the moment, so can't get more specific just now.

Frank Whiteley

Thanks Frank, I will on call them again on monday..

Peter