here is the situation. Imagine you have a Cessna 172 imported from US back in early 90ties, currently on EASA member state registration. The aircraft is currently restricted "VFR day/night only" and you want to make it IFR. My position is that as long as the type is IFR certified (and 172 is) it´s just a matter of equipment on board. So once I had full set of IFR required equipment installed I can go to CAA/EASA and ask for removing "VFR only" and get a ticket for IFR. But after dealing with an EASA approved MRO I get the following points - to install GNS 430 into the "VFR only" aircraft as VFR you need to go for minor modification by EASA not a big problem, just some relatively easy paperwork a money. But to get the same installation approved for IFR operation one needs to apply for STC. For me it´s really strange to apply for STC for something what is granted in the Type certificate. Anybody here with some insights or even experience from the past ? Any oficial paper on this? The 172 I am referring to is an 172P, not a new 172S which is covered by EASA accepted type certificate.....older 172s are not in the TCDS on EASA web pages.
But to get the same installation approved for IFR operation one needs to apply for STC
I suggest you ask them for a reference...
For me it´s really strange to apply for STC for something what is granted in the Type certificate.
Indeed! If something is on the TC (for your actual airframe serial number, etc) then it can go straight in, with just a logbook entry.
The 172 I am referring to is an 172P, not a new 172S which is covered by EASA accepted type certificate.....older 172s are not in the TCDS on EASA web pages.
That could be the problem. The TC may not help you in this case. But I still can't see why you need an airframe specific EASA STC for IFR approval of a GNS box.
Thanks Peter, my investigation is ingoing
Is this GNS430 box already in? Was it installed before EASA? In this case I would investigate whether some grandfather rule can be used
unfortunatelly not, there is an old radio (perhaps with vacuum tubes) we are replacing with GNS 430...
Then you might consider a GTN650, which you can install using only a minor change, thanks to the AML STC.
Yes if you can stretch to a GTN650, you should.
I converted my TB10 from day/night VFR to IFR - it was simply a matter of making sure all of the items on the IFR equipment list were present (in my case this meant adding a second altimeter, a clock and a flight conditions sticker).
I would echo the advice to go with the GTN if the budget allows, it's been around for about 2 years now and seems to work pretty well (I am very happy with mine...).
Clearly older 172 models are covered by some kind of grandfathered EASA type certificate, although I would be surprised if Cessna added the GNS series to those certificates. Surely Garmin has an STC for them which they hand out for free?
If the GTN AML STC covers the said aircraft (and covers any airframe serial number ranges if applicable) then whether Cessna approve it or not is not relevant, and you can install it.
The Garmin AML STC is, I believe, available to authorised Garmin dealers, and yes it is free.
My position is that as long as the type is IFR certified (and 172 is) it´s just a matter of equipment on board.
I have been trying to figure out the cost of going IFR (certification wise) with a PA-28. The machine is in a flying club and nobody could tell me exactly. I got all the usual responses "It's too expensive" , "Forget about it", "IFR in single engine is suicidal, expensive and has no purpose".
I tried to find the type certificate for PA28 on EASA website but with no luck. No mention of PA-28 on this page : http://www.easa.europa.eu/certification/type-certificates/aircraft.php , whereas PA-32, 172 all have a pdf.
Anyone knows how I should proceed to get a ball park figure of taking this pa28 from vfr night / day to IFR ?
