sj
Staff member
Northwest Arkansas
Anybody with a Lycoming Engine just received an AD notice from the FAA concering grounding the aircraft until an inspection has been made of the crankshaft bolts and gears on aircraft that have had a prop strike. They also (in my opinion) made the definition of "prop strike" very loose, and to include any loss of rpm caused by grass, water, etc. Heck!
What are your thoughts on this? How tough is the inspection?
Here is the summary:
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) that supersedes an existing AD, for Lycoming Engines (formerly Textron Lycoming), direct-drive reciprocating engines (except O-145, O-320H, O- 360E, LO-360E, LTO-360E, O-435, and TIO-541 series engines). That AD currently requires inspection of the crankshaft gear installation and rework or replacement of the gears where necessary after a propeller strike, sudden stoppage, at overhaul, or whenever gear train repair is required. This AD requires the same actions but makes the correction that the existing gear retaining bolt and lockplate be removed from service and new hardware installed, and revises the definitions for sudden stoppage and propeller strike. This AD results from a change to the definition of a propeller strike or sudden stoppage. We are issuing this AD to prevent loosening or failure of the crankshaft gear retaining bolt, which may cause sudden engine failure.
DATES: This AD becomes effective June 25, 2004. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations as of June 25, 2004.
Definition of Propeller Strike
(i) For the purposes of this AD, a propeller strike is defined as follows:
(1) Any incident, whether or not the engine is operating, that requires repair to the propeller other than minor dressing of the blades.
(2) Any incident during engine operation in which the propeller impacts a solid object that causes a drop in revolutions per minute (RPM) and also requires structural repair of the propeller (incidents requiring only paint touch-up are not included). This is not restricted to propeller strikes against the ground.
(3) A sudden RPM drop while impacting water, tall grass, or similar yielding medium, where propeller damage is not normally incurred.
(j) The preceding definitions include situations where an aircraft is stationary and the landing gear collapses causing one or more blades to be substantially bent, or where a hanger door (or other object) strikes the propeller blade. These cases should be handled as sudden stoppages because of potentially severe side loading on the crankshaft flange, front bearing, and seal.
sj
What are your thoughts on this? How tough is the inspection?
Here is the summary:
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) that supersedes an existing AD, for Lycoming Engines (formerly Textron Lycoming), direct-drive reciprocating engines (except O-145, O-320H, O- 360E, LO-360E, LTO-360E, O-435, and TIO-541 series engines). That AD currently requires inspection of the crankshaft gear installation and rework or replacement of the gears where necessary after a propeller strike, sudden stoppage, at overhaul, or whenever gear train repair is required. This AD requires the same actions but makes the correction that the existing gear retaining bolt and lockplate be removed from service and new hardware installed, and revises the definitions for sudden stoppage and propeller strike. This AD results from a change to the definition of a propeller strike or sudden stoppage. We are issuing this AD to prevent loosening or failure of the crankshaft gear retaining bolt, which may cause sudden engine failure.
DATES: This AD becomes effective June 25, 2004. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations as of June 25, 2004.
Definition of Propeller Strike
(i) For the purposes of this AD, a propeller strike is defined as follows:
(1) Any incident, whether or not the engine is operating, that requires repair to the propeller other than minor dressing of the blades.
(2) Any incident during engine operation in which the propeller impacts a solid object that causes a drop in revolutions per minute (RPM) and also requires structural repair of the propeller (incidents requiring only paint touch-up are not included). This is not restricted to propeller strikes against the ground.
(3) A sudden RPM drop while impacting water, tall grass, or similar yielding medium, where propeller damage is not normally incurred.
(j) The preceding definitions include situations where an aircraft is stationary and the landing gear collapses causing one or more blades to be substantially bent, or where a hanger door (or other object) strikes the propeller blade. These cases should be handled as sudden stoppages because of potentially severe side loading on the crankshaft flange, front bearing, and seal.
sj