SAIB CE-04-82 —

1 SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

CE-04-82 August 27, 2004 www.faa.gov/certification/aircraft This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts you, owners and operators of APEX Aircraft (AVIONS MUDRY et CIE) model CAP 10 B, that the French CAA has issued an Emergency AD (EAD) concerning cracks in the lower rudder support for certain APEX models.

Background

The Direction Generale De L'Aviation Civile (DGAC), France, on behalf of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), advised the FAA of their EAD No. UF-2004-143, dated August 9, 2004, that requires mandatory inspection measures on APEX Aircraft Models CAP 10 B, CAP232, CAP231, CAP231EX, CAP21, CAP20, and CAP20L/S 200 aircraft. The French AD only applies to those aircraft on the French Registry.

Of the referenced models in the French EAD, CAP 10 B is the only US certificated model.

The French AD is applicable to all Apex Aircraft Models identified above, which have been fitted with a lower rudder support (CAP230-30-08-01* or CAP10-30-08-01*, *with or without a letter at the end) supplied by APEX aircraft after January 1, 2001, (part supplied as a spare part or fitted on new aircraft). The French AD is the result of two reports of cracks found in the lower rudder support. The DGAC is still investigating.

Recommendations

While waiting for the results of the investigations and for continued airworthiness, we highly recommend that you inspect the rudder lower support of your aircraft to avoid undetected cracks.

For your information and convenience, we are reprinting part of the compliance section from DGAC EAD UF2004-143, August 9, 2004, below:

2 "3. Mandatory Actions and Compliance Time: The following measures are made mandatory from the effective date of this AD:

3.1 Before the next flight, perform inspection A as described in APEX Aircraft Service Bulletin No. 040707 dated July 29, 2004 in accordance with the “Accomplishment Instructions” paragraph.

3.2 Every 25 flight hours, perform inspection B as described in APEX Aircraft Service Bulletin No. 040707 in accordance with the “Accomplishment Instructions” paragraph.

When a crack is detected on the support, the part is no more airworthy and must be sent to APEX Aircraft for investigation.

4. Compliance Time: The actions required in paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 must be performed upon receipt of this AD.

Reference publication: APEX Aircraft Service Bulletin No. 040707 of July 29, 2004"

For Further Information Contact

Mr. Sarjapur Nagarajan, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Small Airplane Directorate, Attention: ACE-112, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone: (816) 329-4145; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: [email protected]

For Service Bulletin information, contact APEX Aircraft, 1, Route De Troyes, 21121, Darois, France.