MTOW OF 4,400 lbs (EUROCONTROL FEES)

[Quentin]

Dear Dave,

I flight on a 337 in Paris and I hardly try do find how to reduce MTOW under 1999kg, Eurocontrol fees are too expensive.
This 337 is N-registered, N337SL, could you help me ?

Gratefully yours,

Quentin

[Dave Underwood]

Quentin:
1) find out who in France administers Euro Control Registrations and exemptions.
2) Ask around as many Seneca owners have done it already.
3) Your maintenance supplier may have already done it for others.
4) Call who ever it is and tell them the aircraft is now certified at 1999 kgms.
5) Ask who you need to call in Euro control to make sure they get that same message and promulgate it throughout Euro Control.
6) Go fly.

I was not asked for any paperwork and did it over the phone here in the UK.

Blue Skies - D

[Quentin]

Thank your four your quick answer.

I called Euro Control in Belgium, they asked me an AFM (Air Flight Manual).
Unfortunately, ours certify the 337 for 4620lbs although we need 4400lbs for MTOW.

Our maintenance supplier has three other 337, someone under 1999kg, someone not.
But these 337's MTOW were already reduced before he acquired them.
This is the same for the other 337 pilot I know, he bought his 337 with an already reduced MTOW.
So everybody I know can't help me.

So I think I should get an amended Air Flight Manual and that's why I thought a STC was necessary.

Do you have any idea to modify this AFM ?


Thank you very much.


By the way, we landed at Westray this summer, 15nm north of Kirckwall. 530m, Short.
And then Inisomre in Aaran Island, west of Galway, Ireland. 490m, really short.
And we ferried a Twin Comanche from San Francisco to Tahiti, by Honolulu and Kiritimati island.

[Dave Underwood]

A couple of suggestions I suppose:

1) Have you Maintenance firm generate a Form 337 to lower the MTOW on your aircraft.
2) Send them a copy of that 337 minor modification form to Euro Control.
3) You could call the New York FISDO who look after Europe and have a general discussion with them as they may have an alternate and better way of doing the same thing.
4) If that doesn't work, talk to one of the DER's on the forum and ask them to write up a major mod and fill that in and submit that.

On the Form 337 - Minor Modifications form, I'm not even sure you would need to, but sending it to the FAA then registers the lowering of MTOW on the FAA's aircraft file should Euro Control ever want to check. Check with the New York FISDO.

Dave

[Quentin]

Thank you,

I will try with the 337 form with FAA.
I hope it will automatically shutdown the EuroControl Form.

I'll let you know,

I will fly from Bergerac to Paris wednesday.