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| I have the upper only. Do I need to add the lower? | |||
| There is ambiguity in the wording of the AD and the referenced service bulletins. The AD tells us to inspect the rudder forward spar for cracks in accordance with the instructions in Beech Service Bulletin (SB) No. 2333 Revision 1 which tells us to remove both hinge brackets and inspect for cracks at each location. If no cracks are found we’re instructed to reinstall the hinge brackets and rudder and inspect again in 500 hours. Then we circle back to the AD which gives us 4 options for continued compliance. Option 3 calls for installation of the rudder spar upper-hinge reinforcement bracket and makes no mention of the lower despite reinforcement brackets being needed at both hinges as both areas have been found to develop cracks. |
| Evidence suggests that many A&P mechanics had been following the AD and SB to the letter and signing off aircraft as both airworthy and no longer needing to have the 500hr recurring inspection performed after installing just the upper bracket, when logically if both hinge areas can develop cracks, then both hinge areas require reinforcement. In researching this I learned the AD was written before Dick Wilson, the designer of the brackets and original STC holder, had engineered the middle bracket. Manufacturing and sale of these brackets was very shortly switched from Space Machine Products (SMP) to General Forming Corp and sold as a pair but the AD was never revised. There is however an AMOC letter from the FAA in 1995 approving the use of the DW-1 and DW-2 brackets in place of the SMP brackets. There is also Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin SAIB_ce-00-21 from May 2001 which adds to the confusion. |
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I verified this with the technical advisors at the American Bonanza Society and was told that yes,
very often they inspect aircraft that had the upper bracket only installed and have to
inform the owner that their airplane is not airworthy unless their mechanic had continued to perform
the inspection on the lower hinge area every 500 hours which is just not being done. So according to
the ABS, you either need to have the middle bracket replaced or continue the 500 hour recurring inspection on that area. If you have just the upper, you can buy the lower bracket only. |
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