1000 hour metal wing wing strut attach fitting remove and replace

ADs are easy. You look them up. What we want to know is which airplanes have this Airworthiness Limitation?

Could you check the date of the service manual that restricts you?
 
Sure bob , I only have the one page photo on my phone. I’ll head up to tomorrow and have a look. However that statement from The American Champion page that I pasted above suggests that it’s everything 1997 and on. But I will check the manual tomorrow for a date and get back to you. It may be best to call American Champion and ask. The people there are very nice.
 
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Inquiry is in. We have a 1000 hour metal spar Citabria in the club. My PMI and the Repair Station where it is maintained had no idea . . .
I expect an answer tomorrow - but the date on your manual and the revision page will be interesting.
 
Bob Turner said:
Inquiry is in. We have a 1000 hour metal spar Citabria in the club. My PMI and the Repair Station where it is maintained had no idea . . .
I expect an answer tomorrow - but the date on your manual and the revision page will be interesting.
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Thanks. That nails it down. If your aircraft was delivered after the date on the face of that, the inspection is required. Not true of 1996 thru 2000, unless the then published Service Manual also requires it. I note that ACA did not get back to me - might be a sensitive subject?
 
Bob , what does your clubs service manual say?
 
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I don’t know. The aircraft is owned by two good friends, both IAs and management at a large repair station. They were as surprised as I was.

We are looking.

Annual inspections are hideously expensive - an IA not given a current maintenance manual with flags in it will now have to buy one (not the Univair copy) and read it in depth ($100 shop time). An easier way is for the manufacturer to publish a file, like the AD file the feds publish.

This inspection will be about 30 hours of shop time, at $110/ (a lot of that is liability insurance, not wages and benefits).
 
Have your IA owner friends call and ask. ACA will let them know what’s required. While they are at it get a quote from them on the costs involved. They do the inspections at the factory as well. It would be nice to know.
 
You don't think ACA will respond to my e-mail? It sounds like their verbal advice is it is mandatory retroactively.
 
Bob Turner said:
You don't think ACA will respond to my e-mail? It sounds like their verbal advice is it is mandatory retroactively.
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Bob Turner said:
You don't think ACA will respond to my e-mail? It sounds like their verbal advice is it is mandatory retroactively.
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Hi Bob, I thought you had called them. No wonder you don’t have an answer yet. Call them, there are several nice people there that will answer all your questions.
 
Yes, I have called them for advice several times. They are always good about it. This is way more important, and an e-mail or letter is probably the only way to proceed. I can document a phone call, but that is not the best way.

Have you studied the revisions page of that service manual?

Let me put it this way: It is better to strictly adhere to ALL service bulletins and follow exactly what it says in service manuals. But it becomes mandatory to do so when specified in an Airworthiness Limitations section. A good mechanic needs to know the difference between a good idea and a mandatory action. We will be doing a service to the Champ community by making sure we understand this.

ACA told you this is mandatory for all metal spar wings. Shouldn't we assume they will tell me the same thing? This needs to be documented - we need the date and serial numbers of the aircraft that were first delivered with this limitation.
 
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“ACA told you this is mandatory for all metal spar wings.”

All they told me was that it is mandatory for my 2005. Is the clubs a 2001-2005? So far besides the 1996 AD , i only know that 2001 -2005. have an ASL for this. I have no idea what later or earlier manuals say.
The two owner IAs must have resources to solve this.
 
I agree they must. As to whether they do . . .

Mine is a 1977. I will post when we get this nailed down
 
Hi Bob, the procedure was completed. It took six hours start to finish. Only one hole per wing needed to be added. The old ones look like new.
 
Thanks for all your inputs on this thread. Was a good read while eating a sandwich. IA with 2 7KCAB's in the hangar right now. a 71 and a 75. Ironically the 75 has the Milman spars where the 71 has ACA built wings 2 yrs after the AD release after a mouse got on the wood spars. Was told by ACA that even replacement wings are mandatory for the 1000 hr inspection. This one has over 400hrs to go. Interesting on the corrosion finds.
 
Joesf said:
Bob, I’m totally at a loss. I called the ACA factory and they said I’m not airworthy in my 2005 GCAA after 1000 hours until I do as stated in service letter 415 which appears to be part of an AD. A page from my service manual that came with my airplane is below. Then there is this link for 1996 and older planes. SL 415 is the one that says my part numbers need inspection. I agree that the SL doesn’t apply because it’s for 1996 or older models. I think because this Airworthiness Limitation Section was added to the Service manual prior to the production of my 2005 GCAA it is mandatory.
https://airresearch.com/demo/files/961802.RTF
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You are correct, an Airworthiness Limitation is mandatory for aircraft manufactured after the date of the Airworthiness Limitation, ever though it may not be an AD note. @ different things, but both Mandatory.
 
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