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SEL-55-01 Stabilizer - Tailcone and Horizontal Stabilizer Inspection

I thought it was interesting because I was finding the stabilizer hinge reinforcement channels cracked on 210s back in the late 90s and Cessna issued a kit and Service Letter. I always looked at the 180 and 182 as well. Figured they were prone to the same issues since they were made the same.
 
I had a LONG special drill bit with the flutes cut off except last 1/4" for drilling new rails, and a drill jig for coming in to do the inner ones on fuselage...


the bad thing about this is it says no flight if crack found... can't just put it on the winter project list... many fling around cracked...
 
Yep. common area for flaws

I have a photo in my album here showing some of the area......from 2006.
 
Thanks for posting that Steve. Great for new owners like myself.

Merry Christmas all.

Texmex.
 
I get a lot of emails from Textron Aviation but they usually pertain to jets and turbo props, glad there was some useful information in one of them.
 
I had a bogus repair on mine. I replaced the "Hockey Stick" with a used serviceable part. I presume that replacement of that hockey stick is the only way to repair. They come drilled from Cessna. Does anyone know if that also includes the hole for the bolt?
 
18180 said:
I had a bogus repair on mine. I replaced the "Hockey Stick" with a used serviceable part. I presume that replacement of that hockey stick is the only way to repair. They come drilled from Cessna. Does anyone know if that also includes the hole for the bolt?
Click to expand...

whats the hockey stick? the long stringer? (it does NOT include bolt hole for rear stab attach.. thats what i have the jig and special drill bit for)
 
I was also looking at the "STABILIZERS - TAILCONE AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER INSPECTION, SEL-55-01.
It is a MANDATORY inspection. Must be accomplished at the next 100 hour or 12-month (annual-type) inspection, whichever occurs LATER.

https://support.cessna.com/custsupt/contacts/pubs/ourpdf.pdf?as_id=49452

Please don't quote me as this is just my very uneducated take on it, but I interpret it to say:
Remove tail fairings
Remove tailwheel stinger
Disconnect Rudder Control Cables and Bellcrank Tube
Lift Horiz Stab, may have to remove it
Clean, Inspect and put it all back together
Fill out form and send it to Textron
Logbook entry, etc.

So my question is:
While doing all of this are there other suggestions by some of our more experienced owners as to further maintenance in this area?
Thanks
​
 
Yes, pitch trim jackscrew work...whatever they need, bearings, sprockets, screwjack, boots, proper lube.

Also, intall new rubber trim channel on dorsal fin when reassembling.

Elevator and Rudder hinge bearings.

New Rudder stop bolts? Rudder horn bushings and bolts?

***Also, there is no instruction in that SB to remove the tailwheel spring. You mention "... remove tailwheel stinger..."

The term "stinger", as used by Cessna, is a descriptor for the tailcone fairing with the tail nav light mounted on the aft end of it.

I suppose it is common Airport Vernacular/Slang to call a Cessna tailwheel spring a "stinger", but proper nomenclature in this case will save you some work that is not in the scope of this particular mandatory service bulletin. :)

...........however, now may be a good time to remove that spring and have it NDT'ed and repainted, as well as new bushings.

PS early 180's with the tailfeathers removed can be pretty nose heavy. Especially without wings on them. Take precautions!
 
Thanks Dave for the informative reply. I will talk it all over at the next annual with my A&P.
Of course you are right about the stinger. I always just assumed that the stinger was the bar that the tailwheel is attached to and paraphrased it based on my knowledge. Wrong. And yes, I do have an early 180, 1954.
 
"Mandatory" service bulletins are not mandatory for "N" registered aircraft operated under FAR part 91 unless part of an AD note. Just wanted to point this out, still a good idea to do the inspection, just not mandatory.

Tim
 
Also. To Do: In the "hockey stick" reinforcement, the very aft rivet in that row is often sheared. Its the rivet directly behind the horizontal stab aft mounting bolt.

When the tail is off 180/185's, I always recommend removing the number 4 rivet and installing a 5 in that hole.

That rivet has several thick aluminum components it passes thru, often the head and tail will be retained even when sheared.

smoke there is a sign.
 
Last edited:
Steve Pierce said:
I get a lot of emails from Textron Aviation but they usually pertain to jets and turbo props, .....
Click to expand...

When I got this SL in the mail, I went to the Textron internet link and signed up for email notifications.
They said to identify your model, but there didn't seem to be a way to do it or they didn't have the 180 series (or something).
Now I get notifications about all models, usually the Citation. Just got one today in fact:
Citation® Aircraft:​
SL680-05-02R1 - Time Limits/Maintenance Checks - MSG-3 Scheduled Maintenance Program Change Bridging Document (Models: 680, 680+) Compliance: I - Date: 2/07/2018 SB680A-25-02 - Equipment/Furnishings - Seat Brake Locking Improvement (Models:680A) Compliance: R - Date: 2/06/2018 SB750-34-58 - Navigation - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out Upgrade (Models: 750) Compliance: OI - Date: 1/18/2018 Propeller Aircraft: ​
SEL-79-01 - Oil - Oil Cooler Replacement (Models:T206H) Compliance: M - Date: 2/07/2018SEL-79-02 - Oil - Oil Cooler Replacement (Models:206H) Compliance: M - Date: 2/07/2018​
 
bat443 said:
"Mandatory" service bulletins are not mandatory for "N" registered aircraft operated under FAR part 91 unless part of an AD note. Just wanted to point this out, still a good idea to do the inspection, just not mandatory.

Tim
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing this out! I was getting nervous because I'm #13 in line for an annual (I'll be lucky to have the plane in the water by end of May) and the last thing I want is to have it held up even longer into float season. My plan is to get it inspected in the fall when it goes back on wheels (It's already on floats)
 
I got to do the attach point replacement once on my old 180.

Sorry Cub Driver, but if your mechanic does not at least look at the attach points, find a new mechanic. Maybe not the the point of disconnecting it, but many cracks are found by just looking and feeling slop.

Don't know about you guys, but losing that part of the plane does not sound like a fun idea. Yes, those points crack and fail, but mechanics also find them without extreme measures, and I have never heard of one getting so far out that the plane didn't make it back.
 
How much shop time would it add to do this as described in the MSB, assuming you were already doing an annual?
 
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