AOPA has writtenthe FAA asking that a section of a proposed airworthiness directiveon Lycoming crankshafts be scrapped since it will cost owners thousands of dollars and do nothing to increase safety. As we reported in June, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would require owners of about 3,800 360- and 540-series engines to replace the crankshafts at either the next scheduled overhaul, the next time the case is split, or at 12 years since date of manufacture or overhaul, regardless of the number of hours on the crank. AOPA’s Luis Guttierez says in the letter that even the FAA knows the 12-year deadline has no practical value. “The FAA readily admits in the proposed AD [that] the unsafe condition is unrelated to calendar time and that the crank removal at overhaul is sufficient to reduce the risk of failure to an acceptable level,” Gutierrez said. AOPA is also working on Lycoming, which has set a deadline of 2009 for a special price on crankshaft kits for the affected engines. Swap out the crank before then and Lycoming will supply the parts for $2,000. After that, the normal price of about $16,000 applies. Guttierez says Lycoming is considering AOPA’s request that the special price be available to owners of all affected engines, so owners aren’t forced into retiring crankshafts that have many hundreds of hours of life left in them.
AOPA Battles 12-Year Crank Replacement Rule
Key Takeaways:
- AOPA is challenging a proposed FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) requiring owners of certain Lycoming engines to replace crankshafts at arbitrary 12-year intervals or overhaul, regardless of hours.
- AOPA argues the 12-year deadline is unnecessary, costly (thousands of dollars), and does not enhance safety, as the FAA itself admits the unsafe condition is unrelated to calendar time.
- Lycoming is offering a special price of $2,000 for crankshaft kits if replaced before 2009 (compared to the normal $16,000), and AOPA is advocating for this special price to be extended to all affected engine owners.
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