The fix identified in two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking would have required the $70,000-plus addition of a spar strap to all affected Cessna 400-series twin aircraft. Now, the potential ADs that might have resulted in the grounding of a lot of aircraft have been withdrawn — but that doesn’t mean they’ve been cancelled. Bob Vila, president of the Cessna Twins Spar Corporation (no, the company name is not a coincidence) told AVweb the FAA, perhaps under the pressure of public outcry, is simply looking at other (hopefully less-expensive) options to fix the pesky problem affecting the main spars on the twins. The NPRMs put a lot of owners in the uncomfortable position of having to decide whether their planes were worth that kind of investment. Although it’s not clear where the process will go from here, a meeting tentatively planned for sometime in August is still slated to go ahead. That meeting (the exact time and place are not finalized) is a follow-up to a meeting held in Washington earlier this year between owners and the FAA.
Cessna Twins Spar ADs Withdrawn
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA has withdrawn proposed Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that would have required a costly $70,000+ spar strap addition to Cessna 400-series twin aircraft.
- The proposed ADs were withdrawn, not cancelled, as the FAA explores less expensive solutions to the main spar problem, possibly in response to public pressure.
- A follow-up meeting between aircraft owners and the FAA is still planned for August to discuss the ongoing issue.
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