Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

Lots of phone calls and back and forth information. I will use the Taylorcraft Factory as the official web information, thank you for posting here too.
The AMOC for AD 2007-16-14 is being posted today on the Foundation discussion under Struts. probably Taylorcraft factory too!

[adrozell]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

Man this is a lot better. I have already looked at mine enough to sine it off under the new SB. Now I just have the struts to worry about. Think this is all we needed to begin with. Just a GVI of the aria.

[mikerice]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

The new ATTACH FITTING Service Bulletin 2007-002 Rev. B is on the Taylorcraft factory website.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

The drain hole does not have to have an inspection inside it.... just see that it is there to 'drain" any moisture. I have posted pictures, the 1/4 in borescope is being used to view the cavity in the center of the attachment lug. pictures will be shown on the new revised SB coming ASAP , it will be posted first on the factory web site.

[astjp2]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

The hole will be 1/8", that is what most are, and you can get a borescope that is 1/8", they are spendy. Tim

[whake]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

What is the exact location of the drain hole that is supposed to be under the strut attach fitting ? I am told that a borescope is 3/16 inch in diameter. I cannot immagine a drain hole being larger than 1/16 inch in diameter. Any inspection from the bottom of that fitting is going to be a nightmare.The appearance from the top under the seat appears very well done, strong and clean. I hope to receive my struts from the factory before Nov. 20. I will remove the paint and do the penetrant inspection at that time. Because of strut delivery problems I believe the Nov.20 deadline should be extended. If visual inspections appear satisfactory and are signed off by an IA.

[Buell Powell]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

James,
I called and talked to Andy yesterday and asked about the possibility of an extension also. He didn't say no but told me not to count on it. He also gave me information on where to get struts inspected in San Antonio. It is All American Inspections 210-525-0421. The person to contact is Scott Ruth. I called and if you bring one set to them it is 375.00. For 2 sets it is 500.00-and less per set for more. To go to San Marcos and inspect on my T/craft it would be 750.00-Ugh. I also asked Andy about treating struts. He said that if I can find a way to inject sealer with the struts on it he thought it would be OK. What I am thinking is to detach one strut at a time from the wing, lower enough to inject Tube SealWhich he agreed would be a good choice) in the bolt hole and inject with a large serenge with a flexable tube. I also talked to Joe Perez. Joe said Harry has gotton the correct welding rods and should be making struts now--. Still checking my options but with less than 3 weeks until D (deadline) Day -time is getting short and an extension is certinaly warented. Would really prefer the original size and 4130 but haven't convinced myself it would be worth that much difference even if I can afford it,and as far as I can tell everone that has purchased struts from Univair has had good luck. I have been buying parts from them for a long time and have always been very satisfied with the parts.
Buell

[jstall]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

IMHO the strut attach fitting can be inspected with gear, struts & step in place. The (SL) SB on the struts has been revised, the strut AD is being revised, IMOC's are coming, I am hoping times will be extended. DO NOT shoot me if I am wrong, I am rarely wrong!
I have been on the phones again today ( my day off by the way!) with the factory , FAA and others. Do what it says in the SB, maybe you all can help if you add, owner, A&P, IA to your signature, THIS will NOT be prevenative maintenance. enough said without violating confidences...

Thats good news Forrest. I also visited with Joe Perez in SAT yesterday and expressed the concern that I have with the deadline on Nov 20th, and ask him to relay to Andy that if anyway possible, an extension on the final compliance for the strut AD, as struts are comming out but slow, and there could be a major portion of the fleet litterly grounded in 3 weeks. I view of the fact that there hasn't been a strut failure in flight, I would think that this would not be a problem for them. But?? I'm not as knowledgeable as other on this, just my opinion. Keeping fingers X'ED on all of this, including my
struts at the factory??

JS

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

IMHO the strut attach fitting can be inspected with gear, struts & step in place. The (SL) SB on the struts has been revised, the strut AD is being revised, IMOC's are coming, I am hoping times will be extended. DO NOT shoot me if I am wrong, I am rarely wrong!
I have been on the phones again today ( my day off by the way!) with the factory , FAA and others. Do what it says in the SB, maybe you all can help if you add, owner, A&P, IA to your signature, THIS will NOT be prevenative maintenance. enough said without violating confidences...

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

Does that mean that we have to remove the gear to inspect the fitting? Also, can the fitting be inspected with the strruts in place or miust the struts be removed from the fitting to inspect it.

Frank

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

Can someone post a detailed picture or diagram of the attach fitting drain hole? I would like to make sure mine is not covered up.

Also, I just sent my AP out to spend an hour or so looking over the fitting as best he can without doing any disassembly except removing the seat and maybe a little fabric. Based on the pictures I saw of the failed fitting, this inspection should reveal a fitting in the shape or the failed one.

Danny Deger

Hi Danny,

Forrest did post a picture of it, see page 8 of this thread.

Anyhow you can't hardly see the hole with the gear on.

It is on the bottom of the strut fitting between the 2 lugs of the rear landing gear fitting and slightly inboard of the rear landing gear attach bolt centerline.

Now I just did that from memory so I may be slightly off but look there and see what you find.

Dave

[DannyDot]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

snip

Considering the above I am embarassed to admit that I had no idea that there is, or is supposed to be, a drain hole in the attach fitting.

Guess I should crawl under there and check it out.

DC

Can someone post a detailed picture or diagram of the attach fitting drain hole? I would like to make sure mine is not covered up.

Also, I just sent my AP out to spend an hour or so looking over the fitting as best he can without doing any disassembly except removing the seat and maybe a little fabric. Based on the pictures I saw of the failed fitting, this inspection should reveal a fitting in the shape or the failed one.

Danny Deger

[flyguy]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

My first Taylorcraft the owner left a nut off a bolt on the elevator horn in the fuselage, his buddy the inspector overlooked it, and I was so green I didn't catch it until after I had flown it several times. I lucked out that time.

Yesterday I took off and the little cover on the pitot stuck down and I had to go around the pattern without airspeed info. (I was doing a soft field t/o and didn't look until too late) It was the first time I hadn't flipped the cover up to check it during preflight as long as I can remember.

Lesson here. With even a little care it isn't the airplane that will kill you, 9,999 times out of 10,000 it is the pilot who does something, nay several things in a row, that gets him.

Friends and acquaintances departed this earthly realm: Loop started from ground level. Tried to turn back to airport from 200 ft. Looped without experience in non-certified aircraft. Flew into thunderstorm because "Had to get back home."

I screw up pretty regularly (fortunately so far in minor ways) but I have never had a Taylorcraft let me down

Airplanes are kinda like the lady said about motocycles, they tend to clean up the gene pool. Once it was lions and alligators.

DC

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

Perhaps some of you should visit Alliance and the airport on Tues., Wed., & Thurs afternoons as I have answered phones and slowly explained so many times the same questions about Taylorcrafts.

I always remind the new guys to Read the Taylorcraft Story by Chet Peek, read the Service Manual by Univair that in fact was a retype of the original mimeographed one that was first done by Taylorcraft for the BC12D way back in 1946; Univair did add many other pages and it is the best one. Essco has one too!
As an educator, Ed from VT, who I had mistaken for Ed from Denver should know that his best students always read their assignments before coming to class. please call me and I will put it on my dime. The factory has had the service manual project on hold for some time. I even have one from Greensboro that goes back a ways.
Everybody should have the re printed parts list from the Feris era. It has a lot of good information. Neither I nor the Foundation can be responsible for owners or mechanics covering over drain holes, all fuselages should be internally corrosion proofed prior to cover, the holes being covered afterward have never really proven to be a problem, in fact I feel the whole fuselage should be sealed and inert gas be put into it AS I HAVE stated many times in the past.
As to the 35 years, that refers to the Taylorcraft Owners Club, they did a newsletter quarterly, the Foundation is relatively new and we did not do a newsletter, till this year , our money goes toward the WebSite, this Forumn and storing the historical data that we have here in Alliance. If you want this to continue then you need to contribute. The holder of the TC 's 696 & 1A9 are the official source for techical data, WE have the other stuff. All members get a letter explaining that this is available to them any time HERE at 2D1 , Alliance, Oh.

Another quick thing, please go to the original web site www.taylorcraft.org check out the mass of information posted there on FAQ (frequently asked questions), photos in the gallery, now the new 337 file, the TC's and Model listings, tech stuff, suppliers, etc..
The TC's are also kept right up to date on the factory site, www.taylorcraft.com ,
WE hope to use our web site more in the future, new newsletter coming ASAP when the AD revision comes out. It will focus on the newsletter new format being done by Steve Krog plus a compilation of the events that happened during this ongoing process on the SL's, SB's & AD's. got to go tow banners today & check out a CGS Hawk.

[flyguy]

Re: Fuselage strut fitting - FAA Airworthiness Concern Sheet (merged)

I'll throw this in and everyone can take/use/consider it as they wish.

I have owned 3 Taylorcrafts, the earliest dating back to 1980. I have the fabric around my strut fittings cut away and I leave it that way. It has been that way for some time. The plane is hangared and I don't fly it in the rain. I'm careful when I wash it.

I have looked at the fitting pretty carefully and was rather surprised at the thin bands on the top. They look pretty flimsy to me, but they don't break, unless they are grossly neglected as in the case that brought on all this discussion. Having worked with testing/inspecting astronautical and mil-spec materials for some years I am always amazed at the strength of even small pieces of modern steel.

Considering the above I am embarassed to admit that I had no idea that there is, or is supposed to be, a drain hole in the attach fitting.

Guess I should crawl under there and check it out.

DC