Mechanic questions his certification to perform transponder and encode calibration checks.

Attributes
ACN	172593
Time
Date	199102
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apv
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	172593
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Our company acquired the avionics FAA certified repair station. I was inserted on the quality control manual and accepted as repair man radio, I being an a&I and a&P mechanic. I was shown how to use and operate the pitot-static chker. Both are kept in calibration. I have made numerous transponder and encoder calibration checks with log book entries and entries on form 337, per 91.17 and 91.172. Now I am not sure if I should have been doing the certification all along. Problem arose by FAA questioning a form 337. The size of the repair shop is very small, with the person in control not around a lot. I will call the FAA and find out exactly what I am allowed to do and what not. Certification checks will be done by whomever the FAA decides is a certified repair man. Corrective action: redoing (recertifying) the aircraft in question.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC QUESTIONS HIS CERTIFICATION TO PERFORM TRANSPONDER AND ENCODE CALIBRATION CHECKS.

Narrative: OUR COMPANY ACQUIRED THE AVIONICS FAA CERTIFIED REPAIR STATION. I WAS INSERTED ON THE QUALITY CTL MANUAL AND ACCEPTED AS REPAIR MAN RADIO, I BEING AN A&I AND A&P MECH. I WAS SHOWN HOW TO USE AND OPERATE THE PITOT-STATIC CHKER. BOTH ARE KEPT IN CALIBRATION. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS XPONDER AND ENCODER CALIBRATION CHKS WITH LOG BOOK ENTRIES AND ENTRIES ON FORM 337, PER 91.17 AND 91.172. NOW I AM NOT SURE IF I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING THE CERTIFICATION ALL ALONG. PROB AROSE BY FAA QUESTIONING A FORM 337. THE SIZE OF THE REPAIR SHOP IS VERY SMALL, WITH THE PERSON IN CTL NOT AROUND A LOT. I WILL CALL THE FAA AND FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT I AM ALLOWED TO DO AND WHAT NOT. CERTIFICATION CHKS WILL BE DONE BY WHOMEVER THE FAA DECIDES IS A CERTIFIED REPAIR MAN. CORRECTIVE ACTION: REDOING (RECERTIFYING) THE ACFT IN QUESTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.