Altimeter Certification

by Paul
(United States)

If an Altimeter that is not TSO'd meets all of the checks in the manual, that are the same checks as in FAR 43 Appendix E, can it be sent out of the shop with a sticker on it saying it meets FAR 43 Appendix E?

ANSWER: Let me first say that there are six types of FAA approvals for a part to be eligible for installation on an "N" registered aircraft

1. A part produced under a Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA)
2. A part produced under a Type Certificate (TC)
3. A part produced under a Production Certificate (PC)
4. A part produced under a Technical Standard Order (TSO)
5. A part produced under an Approved Production Inspection System (APIS)
6. A part produced under an EASA Production Organization Approval from a country that the U.S. has a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) with Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness (IPA) in place for such parts.

If the Altimeter you are referring to was manufactured by one of the above methods and your company is authorized (instrument class rating) to do the inspection, then yes you can place a sticker on the part saying it has been tested in accordance with FAR Part 43 Appendix E.

How is the easiest way to find out if the manufacturer of the altimeter in question has met the requirements for approval for the unit to be installed in aircraft?

ANSWER: The manufacturer is required to indicate the FAA approval method on the identification label (data plate) of the part. If you cannot determine that it has been FAA approved, it cannot be installed on a U.S. registered aircraft.