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FAA STC on EASA aircraft

just reading about AP in the other thread

my question is
how does it work for parts that have FAA STC can they be used/installed on EASA reg aircrafts (parts like AP or instruents from aerologic as example)

fly2000

FAA STCs have to be EASA-validated for use on EU aircraft.

Avionics geek.
Somewhere remote in Devon, UK.

Does EASA accept FAA STCs? Very wide question I know but my question relates to a simple and straightforward engine monitor updated replacement?

Thanks

UK, United Kingdom

Threads merged.

In simple terms, no, not directly, as wigglyamp states above.

You can use an FAA STC, or the design data used to obtain it, to obtain an EASA STC, but it isn’t trivial. Some info here.

To my knowledge only Australia accepts FAA STCs directly but in the past here have been some easy conversions e.g. the UK CAA granted many AANs purely on the basis of an FAA STC. Some background info e.g. here but this isn’t useful for new stuff.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

@Fenland

In simple terms, yes.
Do not get fooled by ignorance ;-)

it is a very easy and straightforward procedure:
https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/application-forms/focert00134

Which monitor did you chose?

The UK CAA will now accept STC ‘s from Australia, Canada and the USA for annex 2 aircraft………… this is a far too pragmatic approach for EASA.

A_and_C wrote:

this is a far too pragmatic approach for EASA.

BS

mh
Aufwind GmbH
EKPB, Germany

The UK CAA will now accept STC ‘s from Australia, Canada and the USA for annex 2 aircraft

That’s excellent news.

BS

mh, if you really have to post just a zero-content one-liner, could you please keep it at least non-rude?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

To get a useful discussion, can anyone think of reasons why EASA doesn’t accept FAA STCs? And no, it is no good saying that this is because the FAA doesn’t accept EASA ones. Since EASA ones are much more prescriptive than FAA ones, generally, FAA would likely happily accept them.

Let me throw in a few guesses as to why EASA doesn’t accept FAA STCs.

  • Many FAA STCs are no longer effectively owned by anybody. These “orphaned” STCs can still be installed on an N-reg, but the FAA to EASA STC conversion process blocks such STCs from ever being converted to EASA ones (because without the STC holder participation you cannot do it). Whether this is intentional, one can only guess
  • EASA likes to get regular money from EASA STC holders, and it isn’t going to get this if they just accept some FAA STC. The loss of income to EASA has to be a key factor in not directly accepting foreign STCs.
  • FAA STCs are generally less prescriptive than EASA STCs. Whether this is good or bad depends on your position; also it depends on whether “you” are positioned on the EASA STC generation money stream. I would argue that the argument that an STC needs to be very prescriptive is tantamount to arguing that the installer is incompetent. But the installer=incompetent is the default position in European certification; this is why maintenance needs to be supervised by an approved organisation. Well, that is historical since we now have the ELA1 freelance engineer concession, and hopefully it will become historical for ELA2 also.
  • EASA has weight limits at <1200kg (ELA1) and <2000kg (ELA2) whereas the FAA doesn’t have these; instead the main one is at 5700kg (12500lb). Many FAA STCs are for types which are 2000kg+ and that would complicate any direct acceptance by EASA.
  • There are some duff FAA STCs – ones which e.g. apply to aircraft type X Y and Z but the developer tested them only on X and Y. One example is the K&N air filter STC which applies to all Socata TBs but actually doesn’t fit the GTs and probably doesn’t fit some pre-GTs too. I would suggest that EASA STCs are not immune from this because EASA, like the FAA, only looks at the paperwork submitted by the applicant and a subtle detail won’t get picked up. I happen to be aware of cases where such a discovery was not reported (to avoid rocking the boat) and unfortunately the incentive to do that exists under any regulatory system especially when you have already spent many hours on an installation before the discovery.

Any other reasons?

EASA is not the only one doing this. Most national CAAs don’t accept foreign STCs, presumably because most/all of them are getting regular money from the STC holders

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Cessna traveller I just updated a GEM from insight.

UK, United Kingdom
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