AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2013 - 73

was technically possible, he then had to
figure out how to get the approvals. In this
case the factory proved to be a big resource;
it was able to provide the drawings and give
him the approved data that the FAA could
work on for a final sign-off.
Adams says that other owners in Hall’s
situation probably would have to hire a
FAA designated engineering representative (DER) to create approved data that
can be used as the basis for a one-time
field approval. The last time Lancaster
Avionics used a DER to make this happen,
it cost $3,500 and took about two months.
“Not just any DER will do,” Adams said. “I
found a really good one and things went
smoothly. Trying to find the right guy can
get challenging.” Hall elected to save the
money by doing most of the legwork himself. “He basically handed it to us on a
platter,” Adams said.
“To do this was not trivial,” Hall
explained. He has nothing but good things
to say about everyone who was involved,
but the difference in success came down
to three factors.
The first and biggest decision is picking
the right shop, he said. Weber, an aircraft
dealer and maintenance shop based in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, did the vacuum
pump removal and backup alternator
installation. Hall calls Weber’s Dorn Clare
a “genius” for figuring out a workaround to
deal with the unusual tachometer and its
space limitations, and for installing new
equipment and wiring in a tight Mooney
cowling. He’s been going to Weber since
he bought the airplane, and it’s clear that a
good relationship with the shop helped the
process. Hall also gives praise to Lancaster
Avionics. “They did a phenomenal job. It’s
better than the OEM,” he said. “If you’re
going to do something like this, going to a
top-rated shop is worth it.”
Another area that clearly helped Hall
was having a good working relationship with the Rochester Flight Standards
District Office. He had worked with the
office previously on unrelated business,
and he said he’s found that having a good
attitude of partnership and teamwork

WANT TO LOSE VACUUM?

There are specific steps that must be
followed if you want to get rid of your
vacuum pump.

1. Determine the engine’s potential. Is a
pad available for a backup alternator?
Do you have the capability for a battery
backup? The FAA requires redundancy.
You have to figure out if your airplane
can handle a new redundant system.
2. Check out the type certificate. Google
“Type Certificate Data Sheet.” The FAA’s
complete list of type certificates includes
a lot of gems about your airplane. If the
vacuum pump is listed as required equipment, you have some work to do. If not,
it may be as easy as a Form 337.
3. Engage the shop. Talk to the folks
where you plan to do the work and make
sure they are involved in the process
early.
4. Find an STC. If an STC exists for your
airplane, buy it. Otherwise, you’ll need a
field approval.
5. Get the drawings. If you need a field
approval, you’ll need drawings for a
final approval. Talk to the factory, your
owner’s group, and if all else fails, pay a
DER.
6. Get it approved. It’s important to get
your approval before the work is begun.

with the FAA goes a long way toward getting the resolution you want. Ultimately
his case had to be sent to the New York
Certification Office, but once there it was
relatively painless. “The paperwork was
easy because I understood clearly what I
wanted to do and how I wanted to go about
it,” he said. “If I had been sloppy, there
would have been delays. When I hear complaints about the FAA bureaucracy, I often
wonder who is really at fault.”
Finally, patience seems to have been
a virtue in this case. The entire process
took about two years, from the tire-kicking

stage to final approval, even though the
paperwork was only with the FAA for two
months. Hall’s patience and willingness to
work through the process got him a great
panel at less cost. But that’s certainly not
the route for everyone.
A FEW OPTIONS. Adams says you can do
as Hall did and save yourself some money,
but there are a number of ways to go about
getting rid of the airplane’s vacuum pump
if you’re looking for options. Assuming an
STC isn’t available for a second alternator, you can go the DER route and pay for
drawings. If you do that, he advises timing the process so that the two months the
DER requires to do the work are completed
prior to the install. It’s forbidden for a shop
to begin altering the airplane beforehand.
If you don’t want to go with a second alternator, there are alternatives,
depending on the type of equipment the
owner is putting in the panel. The FAA
has specific guidance on battery backup
options, making those a possible—if
potentially problematic—option. Those
batteries could be self-contained as part
of the unit, additional stand-alone backup
power, or a number of other options, he
says. Regardless of the solution, the installation must act as two independent power
sources, as Hall’s primary and backup
alternator do.
Now two years after the installation,
Hall says everything is running perfectly. “I feel hugely better,” he says. He
loves the panel, and feels confident in the
redundancy. “The chances of a complete
electrical failure are small. The standby
alternator manages itself.” He also says
he doesn’t have any regrets, despite being
the first person to go through the process
with the New York Certification Office—if
not one of the first nationally in an M20J.
In fact, the only thing he said he would
change at this point is to put in a digital
engine management system. That promises to be just a little bit easier than ripping
out the vacuum system.
AOPA
EMAIL ian.twombly@aopa.org

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2013
