Strut Service Bulletin

[Steve Pierce]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Called the Factory. New front struts are $834 each and the rears are $783 each. I bet Univair gets involved pretty quick.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Terry Bowden just fowarded it to me as well. Basically the only replacement strut right now acceptable to the AD is factory struts. I read it and it is almost word for word the factory SB at this point.

Mike

[Steve Pierce]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Just got off the phone with the Univair engineer. Their struts are sealed and cost $760 front and $603 rear. He is checking to see if they will be terminating action for the AD.

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

(A) For original or replacement left and right wing front lift struts (P/N A-A815 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) and aft lift struts (P/N A-A854 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) of original design (vented), repetitively inspect at intervals not to exceed 24 months after the initial inspection required in paragraph (e)(2) of this AD. (B) Replacement of all struts with new sealed front lift struts (P/N MA-A815 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) and new sealed aft lift struts (P/N MA-A854 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) eliminates the repetitive inspection requirement of this AD. (C) If not all the vented lift struts are replaced with new sealed units, then the lift struts that are not new sealed units are still subject to the repetitive inspection requirement of this AD. Follow Part 2 of the Instructions in Taylorcraft Aviation, LLC Service Bulletin No. 2007-001, Revision A, dated August 1, 2007

Does approved equivalent P/N translate to Univair struts??

Frank

[Guest]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Just got off the phone with the Univair engineer. Their struts are sealed and cost $760 front and $603 rear. He is checking to see if they will be terminating action for the AD.

Read the ad closely and it may be easier if you read the pdf version.

pdf version here. If using Windows, "right-click and "save taget as" and save it somewhere on your hard drive. Rob Lees edit


They are a terminating action here's why I say that, look for this in the ad, (B) Replacement of all struts with new sealed front lift struts (P/N MA-A815 or FAAapproved equivalent P/N) and new sealed aft lift struts (P/N MA-A854 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) eliminates the repetitive inspection requirement of this AD.".

I originally pasted the wrong text from the AD above and just now fixed it - sorry

Also I spent time talking to Andy about this last week and he agreed, he's the FAA engineer.

Steve - thanks for posting the AD

[Guest]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

(A) For original or replacement left and right wing front lift struts (P/N A-A815 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) and aft lift struts (P/N A-A854 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) of original design (vented), repetitively inspect at intervals not to exceed 24 months after the initial inspection required in paragraph (e)(2) of this AD. (B) Replacement of all struts with new sealed front lift struts (P/N MA-A815 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) and new sealed aft lift struts (P/N MA-A854 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) eliminates the repetitive inspection requirement of this AD. (C) If not all the vented lift struts are replaced with new sealed units, then the lift struts that are not new sealed units are still subject to the repetitive inspection requirement of this AD. Follow Part 2 of the Instructions in Taylorcraft Aviation, LLC Service Bulletin No. 2007-001, Revision A, dated August 1, 2007

Does approved equivalent P/N translate to Univair struts??

Frank

Far as I know the answer is yes

[VictorBravo]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Will someone who knows this FAA engineer PLEASE find out if this AD is or is not 100% related to the recent inflight failure!!! Meaning... was the seaplane crash DEFINITELY a strut failure or was it a fuselage structure failure?
The FAA truly should not have issued an AD until they knew whether the only structural problem was the struts or not.

If anyolne knows this FAA engineer, also find out why X-ray is not included in the liswt of acceptable methods.

It would seem to me to be kind of silly if it was the fuselage that broke on the seaplane... and the FAActory is only interested in having everyone fly with nice new struts... and all the owners are supposed to fly away fat dumb and happy with their new struts while there is a potential longeron or cluster weld problem.

If anyone thinks this is sour grapes on my part it ain't, I have sealed front struts.

Bill

[Guest]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Will someone who knows this FAA engineer PLEASE find out if this AD is or is not 100% related to the recent inflight failure!!! Meaning... was the seaplane crash DEFINITELY a strut failure or was it a fuselage structure failure?
The FAA truly should not have issued an AD until they knew whether the only structural problem was the struts or not.

If anyolne knows this FAA engineer, also find out why X-ray is not included in the liswt of acceptable methods.

It would seem to me to be kind of silly if it was the fuselage that broke on the seaplane... and the FAActory is only interested in having everyone fly with nice new struts... and all the owners are supposed to fly away fat dumb and happy with their new struts while there is a potential longeron or cluster weld problem.

If anyone thinks this is sour grapes on my part it ain't, I have sealed front struts.

Bill

Hey Bill,

I 've said it on this forum about 4 times now in 3 threads - this ad is not related to the seaplane accident.

The second ad will be related to the seaplane accident.

Here's a heads up- inpect your lower strut attach fittings, remove and fabric or debris embedded in said fitting cavities.

Dave

[N74DV]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

ok.... so, excuse the ignorant question, but how does one know if their struts are sealed?

Am I to assume that if I remove my fairings and look at the ends they would be welded shut if they are sealed or is there some other way of determining?

Also, why would some have sealed and some not? was this something Taylorcraft did between different serials?

I say if anyone does end up needing to buy new struts they should BUY FROM UNIVAIR and keep as much $$ away from Taylorcraft as possible.

[Dano"T"]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

There is a little hole in the top and bottom of original struts....if someone has sealed struts.....Correct me if I'm wrong....it means they bought new ones at some point in the past. I would encourage anyone who has knowledge...or knows someone who is an expert in non-destructive testing to challenge the allowable inspection procedure.....I feel that there is a more simple way to determine whether a strut is good or bad......I feel like this has been rammed down our throats......gimme a break "the FAA found that the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule" I still have not heard of in flight break ups relating to corrosion of the struts. Dave Wiley's accident is still under inv.... and I won't speculate......I'll wait and see.......I have 3 Taylorcrafts, and this sucks...... I inject lindseed oil into my struts with a syringe every year.....So I will now be replacing perfectly good struts for nuthin' IMHO

[Howard Wilson]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

My BL is in annual today. Probably has the original struts. My money will go to UNIVAIR. The term extortion comes to mind.

[Guest]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

The problem with x-ray or visual inspection is that it tells little or nothing about the metal thickness and that's why it was not included.

I spoke with my FSDO today about getting a repair station certificate for doing only this strut inspection, its possible but I am not sure it worth doing. Still digesting it.

[Guest]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

There is a little hole in the top and bottom of original struts....if someone has sealed struts.....Correct me if I'm wrong....it means they bought new ones at some point in the past. I would encourage anyone who has knowledge...or knows someone who is an expert in non-destructive testing to challenge the allowable inspection procedure.....I feel that there is a more simple way to determine whether a strut is good or bad......I feel like this has been rammed down our throats......gimme a break "the FAA found that the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule" I still have not heard of in flight break ups relating to corrosion of the struts. Dave Wiley's accident is still under inv.... and I won't speculate......I'll wait and see.......I have 3 Taylorcrafts, and this sucks...... I inject lindseed oil into my struts with a syringe every year.....So I will now be replacing perfectly good struts for nuthin' IMHO

Dano, well yeah you're right but I don't want to volunteer to be the first or want any of you to be either!

[NY86]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Folk:

In case anyone is still confused, here's my hat in the ring. The AD applies to:
"all serial numbers of Taylorcraft Models ...airplanes that: (1) Are certificated in any category; and (2) Do not incorporate in all struts new sealed front lift struts (P/N MA-A815 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N) and new sealed aft lift struts (P/N MA-A854 or FAA-approved equivalent P/N). "

By virtue of their PMA, the Univair struts are an FAA approved equivalent. If they are sealed, then the AD does not apply. If you install a set, the AD does not apply. Call it terminating, or whatever.

Would have been nice if the AD referred specifically to the Taylorcraft PN of the struts it does apply to...

[O.Taylor]

Re: Strut Service Bulletin

Looking in the Applicability section, it states the Models A, B and F series
then adds TG-6 conversion airplanes???, aren't those L-2's with a different
design of strut, Dick H. help me out here, thank you, O. T.