Main Landing Gear: Improved inspection at Drag Brace Location

SAIB CE-18-14 Current Issued 05/09/2018 Helio Aircraft LLC H-250 | H-295 (USAF U10D) | H-391B | H-395 (USAF L-28A or U-10B) | H-395A

What is a SAIB?

A Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin is an FAA-issued advisory — not mandatory like an AD, but worth knowing about. SAIBs typically flag service bulletins, manufacturer recommendations, or emerging issues that don't (yet) rise to AD level.

Bulletin text

Verbatim from the FAA-published PDF. 12 paragraphs · 304 words.

1 FAA Aviation Safety SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Main Landing Gear: Improved inspection at Drag Brace Location SAIB: CE-18-14 Date: May 9, 2018 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin advises owners and operators of Helio Courier airplanes of an airworthiness concern, specifically the need for better inspection procedures to detect cracks due to corrosion inside the main landing gear (MLG) legs.

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

Background

There have been several instances of cracking at drag brace attachment location within the MLG of the Helio Courier Models H-391B, H-395, H-395A, H-250, and H-295 airplanes. While the current maintenance procedures include a visual inspection in the MLG leg for cracks, there have been instances where the cracks remained undetected and have led to landing gear failures. An improved inspection technique will improve the success rate of crack detection.

Recommendations

The current visual inspections defined in the airplane flight manual need to be continued. Additionally, it is recommended that the visual inspections be performed with 3X magnification at the drag brace attachment location to better observe any cracks early during the inspections. The drag brace location is the region where the drag brace attaches to the landing gear legs, approximately 29 to 30 inches above the axle centerline. Cracks were found to originate on the aft face of the landing gear legs.

For Further Information Contact

Mr. Ameet Shrotriya, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, AIR-792, FAA, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137; telephone: (562) 627-5362; fax: (562) 627-5210; email:[email protected].

For Related Service Information Contact

Helio Aircraft, LLC; 38400 N. Schoolhouse Rd. #17 Cave Creek, AZ 85331; phone: (928) 899-5099

The FAA-published PDF is the authoritative source. Open on drs.faa.gov ↗