by Justin Mahler
Depending on the nature of the change to your aircraft, Spectrum Aeromed can assist you with engineering reports, creating aircraft flight manual supplements, and 8110-3 showing compliance of the data. If you have an aircraft that isn’t commonly used for an air ambulance and the rest of the marketplace didn’t pursue a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), then it would be beneficial to pursue a field approval.
When it comes to field approvals, the term and process is much more specific to the modification. A field approval is a one-time use approval. As an operator, you’re likely familiar with the process, but using a company like Spectrum Aeromed will help in carrying out a field approval.
For Spectrum Aeromed’s part, we can handle what needs to be done for you in about a month. Spectrum Aeromed can provide installation and drawings, (if they were necessary) and instructions for continued air-worthiness, draft a flight manual supplement, and provide any other necessary documentation for operator. If needed, we’ve also handled compliance inspections inside aircraft.
After Spectrum Aeromed’s part, all of those details are turned over to the operator. Then it’s up to the operator to get approved by the local flight standards district office or the local authority.
If you are interested in pursuing assistance for your field approval, contact the Spectrum Aeromed sales representative you are working with and they will help you get the process started.
Justin Mahler is the Director of Engineering for Spectrum Aeromed, and also serves as the company’s designated engineering representative (DER), overseeing the certification and compliance efforts with the FAA. He was recognized in 2012 as one of the “40 Most Influential People Under the Age of 40” in North Dakota by Prairie Business Magazine.