Quote Originally Posted by Raleigh View Post
Interesting discussion. It touches on some legal and safety aspects of airplane repair. I don't expect it's too helpful for Daryl though. Anyway Daryl, there's one more reference you may want to check. It's from the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 43, Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding and Alteration. You can access it from the FAA website:

Appendix A to Part 43—Major Alterations, Major Repairs, and Preventive Maintenance
(b) Major repairs —(1) Airframe major repairs
(xxi) Repairs involving the substitution of material

Regardless of what you read on this forum, it's your IA who will have to approve your work. It may be a good idea to discuss the question with him/her before you get too far into it.
And it can be approved under 43.13
43.13 Performance rules (general).

(a) Each person performing maintenance, alteration, or preventive maintenance on an aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance shall use the methods, techniques, and practices prescribed in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness prepared by its manufacturer, or other methods, techniques, and practices acceptable to the Administrator, except as noted in § 43.16. He shall use the tools, equipment, and test apparatus necessary to assure completion of the work in accordance with accepted industry practices. If special equipment or test apparatus is recommended by the manufacturer involved, he must use that equipment or apparatus or its equivalent acceptable to the Administrator.(b) Each person maintaining or altering, or performing preventive maintenance, shall do that work in such a manner and use materials of such a quality, that the condition of the aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance worked on will be at least equal to its original or properly altered condition (with regard to aerodynamic function, structural strength, resistance to vibration and deterioration, and other qualities affecting airworthiness).