[COUPERS-TECH] Cleveland brakes on a pre-813 serial number 415C (FSDO problems)

[Tom Laird-McConnell]

----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- My coupe is in annual, and at my request the shop is doing a thorough overview of the paper-work (which wasn't done very well when it was restored 5 years ago.)   The problem we have run into is that it has cleveland brakes on it.  Aparantely, the STC for clevelands is for post 817 serial number coupes (because the landing gear axle is smaller on the earlier coupes).  The size of the axles on the earlier coupes is the same size as the piper cub...and so up until this year it has been trivial to get a 337 done for it.   But now my local FSDO is refusing to do a 337 for _anything_ having to do with landing gear.  They don't care that the brakes are better.  They don't care that the installation is exactly the same as the approved piper J-3 installation.  They don't care that nearly all coupes have clevelands.  They don't care that the axle is not changed, that the wheel is the same, and it's just the braking system which is different. They don't care that the brake kit comes from Univair.   They have stated that a new handbook that came out 9 months ago specifically prohibits them from approving any 377s modifications to the landing gear.  So the options they have given me is:   a. go through the paperwork for an STC for this (!yikes!) b. replace my brakes with the original brakes.   My mechanic is beside himself in anger with the FSDO (he says 9 months ago they would have approved this no-problem.)  I'm beside myself in anger with the FSDO.  My mechanic also says he can't sign the annual as is in that he just can't afford the liability of it not being approved.   So my questions are:   a. Has anyone out there had a 337 for clevelands on early model coupes done in the last 9 months? b. has anyone else had this problem. c. Is there *anyone* we can appeal to to get the FAA to lighten up?  How on earth are we going to keep our old planes flying if they won't allow us to make needed safety enhancements to our planes.   I'm so angry I could spit.   -Tom   ============================================================================== To leave this forum go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm Search the archives on http://escribe.com/aviation/coupers-tech/