Although this rule was posted as a Final Rule this week and there was no public-comment period, it was disseminated to various industry groups who were given a chance to respond to the FAA before it was published. And, according to AOPA, that process made all the difference for airplane owners. “The FAA originally proposed a repetitive 400-hour inspection,” AOPA said in a news release yesterday. “But during the airworthiness-concern process, AOPA argued for a permanent fix to save owners the hassle and expense of repeated inspections. The final AD now specifies that if the screw needs to be replaced, it should be installed with Loctite thread-locking compound and a new retainer clip installed. That clip costs about $30.” (AVweb sought comment from New Piper, but they were unable to respond before our deadline.) Owners of affected aircraft must have the control wheel inspected within 25 hours of service after Aug. 10 and the clip installed within 100 hours of service. Most owners will likely choose to have both done at the same time, AOPA said.
…But It Could Have Been Worse
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA issued a new Airworthiness Directive (AD) for aircraft control wheels, which was influenced by industry groups like AOPA despite lacking a formal public-comment period.
- AOPA successfully advocated for a permanent fix instead of the FAA's original proposal for repetitive 400-hour inspections, saving owners ongoing hassle and expense.
- The final AD requires that if a screw needs replacement, it must be installed with Loctite thread-locking compound and a new $30 retainer clip, with compliance deadlines set at 25 and 100 hours of service after August 10.
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