Wood Structure, de Havilland models DH60, DH82, DH83 and others in the Moth series of airplanes.

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FAA Aviation Safety SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Wood Structure, de Havilland models DH60, DH82, DH83 and others in the Moth series of airplanes. SAIB: CE-14-29 Date: September 24, 2014 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin is being issued to alert operators and owners of de Havilland Models DH60, DH82, DH83, and other Moth series airplanes that utilize wooden structure of an airworthiness concern, specifically maintenance practices with respect to wood structure.

At this time, this airworthiness concern is not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant an airworthiness directive (AD) action under title 14 of the code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR part 39).

Background

The Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom has in the past issued an airworthiness directive (now cancelled) to impose specific modification and inspection requirements on the de Havilland Moth types with respect to wood structure.

Some of these airplanes are type certificated in the United States (some of the Tiger Moth types), but others of this type and other Moth types may be operated on an airworthiness certificate that is other than a standard airworthiness certificate.

The cancelled United Kingdom AD required inspections according to DHSL Technical News Sheet (TNS) CT (Moth) No. 32, Issue 3, dated 1 December 2008. Recently, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Commonwealth of Australia FAA has issued a proposed airworthiness directive applicable to DH 82 and 82A airplanes.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Commonwealth of Australia has issued the following proposed airworthiness directives (PAD):

• PAD/DH 82/18, applicable to all variants of the DH82 and DH82A (Tiger Moth);

The Australian PAD may be found at:

http://www.casa.gov.au

Recommendations

The maintenance practices with respect to wooden structures are comprehensively covered in FAA Advisory Circular AC 43.13-1B Change 1: Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices – Aircraft Inspection. The requirements in the UK AD to assure the airframe is airworthy already exist in 14 CFR part 43. The suggested maintenance documents provide clarification for the specific structure and are to be used like the maintenance manual. The FAA recommends that owners and operators of

2 the above named model airplanes utilize this AC, the Australian PAD information, and the information in TNS 32 when inspecting the wooden structure of these airplanes.

For Further Information Contact

Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer, 901 Locust Street, Room 301, Kansas City, MO, 64106; phone: (816) 329-4123; fax: (813) 329-4090; e-mail: [email protected]

For Related Service Information Contact

For the DH 82:

de Havilland Support Ltd, Building 213, Duxford Airfield, Cambridge, CB22 4QR. Tel: +44(0)-1223-830090. FAX: +44(0)-1223-830085. e-mail: [email protected]

For the DH 60 and 83:

Air Stratus Ltd, Oaksey Park Airfield, Oaksey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 9SD, UK