SAIB CE-02-29R1 —

1 REVISED SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

CE-02-29R1 February 28, 2006 http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/safety/alerts/SAIB This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Revised Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts you, owners and operators of Pilatus PC-6 aircraft of information below, marked with revision lines. All other information remains the same.

Pilatus has issued PC-6 Service Bulletin (SB) No. 180, Revision 1, dated September 27, 2001. This Service Bulletin is written to alert owners/operators that Pilatus has developed a Horizontal Stabilizer Trim Warning System for installation on the PC-6 aircraft. The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) of Switzerland reports several aircraft accidents that could attributed to pilots taking off with the horizontal stabilizer incorrectly trimmed. With this condition, the pilot will experience higher than usual stick forces with the increasing airspeed, and unless the pilot takes prompt and proper action, aircraft control could be lost. The trim warning system provide by this SB gives both aural signal and visual warning to the pilot when the aircraft is on the ground and the trim is not in the safe-for-takeoff range. The FOCA believes that the installation of the trim warning system per SB No. 180, Rev. 1, will improve safety even though the unmodified aircraft still meet compliance for the applicable airworthiness requirements. Background

The FOCA has issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) number HB 2002-134 dated April 5, 2002, mandating Pilatus SB No. 180, Rev. 1, dated September 27, 2001 be accomplished and PC-6 Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Supplement Report No. 02207, Rev. 1, dated March 25, 2002 be incorporated into the AFM within the next 200 flight hours time in service after the effective date of the FOCA AD, which is April 5, 2002, but no later than December 31, 2002, whichever occurs first.

FOCA has issued Swiss AD HB-2005-289, issue date August 16, 2005, that includes the missed Fairchild built PC-6 model airplanes with MSN 2001-2092 in AD HB 2002-134. These airplanes were built under a license agreement between Pilatus and Fairchild Republic Company (also identified as Fairchild Industries, Fairchild Heli Porter and Fairchild-Hiller Corporation) in the United States of America.

Per the Pilatus SB and the FOCA AD, all PC-6 Series aircraft with Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) up to and including MSN 939 are effected.

Per FOCA AD HB 2005-289, all PC-6 Series aircraft with MSN 2001-2092 are also effected.

2 Recommendation

We recommend that you accomplish the actions of Pilatus PC-6 SB No. 180, dated September 27, 2001, as soon as possible.

For Further Information Contact

Doug Rudolph, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, ACE 112, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone (816) 329- 4059; fax (816) 329-4090; email: [email protected]

Copies of Pilatus Service Bulletin No. 180, Revision 1 dated September 27, 2001, can be obtained from Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., Customer Liaison Manager, CH-6371 Stans; Switzerland; phone: +41 41 619 6580; fax: +41 41 610 3351; email: [email protected].