Removing a Major Alteration.

Just returned from the annual Inspection Authorization renewal meeting. Not
too boring and some good information and good food. The one thing that got the
most attention was the assertion by one of the FAA inspectors that when you
remove any equipment installed with a Form 337 as a major alteration you must
complete and submit another Form 337 outlining the removal.

Their reasoning is that the 337 is a part of the permanent record of the
aircraft and therefore the record needs to be made complete by showing the
removal of the alteration. In other words the original modification made the
aircraft a properly altered entity and removing the mod again alters its even
though returning it to its original as certificated state. A sort of circle of
life thing I suppose.

Now I have been told by inspectors at other FSDO's I have dealt with that
returning the aircraft to its original as certificated status only needs an
entry in the permanent maintenance records , i.e. logbook, weight and balance
record, equipment list etc.

My FSDO says the other FSDO is wrong. (Big Surprise there!)

What do you say?


John Dupre'