Piper Rudder Airworthiness Directive Issued

[bubb2]

How would water get in? The tube is sealed at the top. Unless you park your airplane upside down, you aren’t going to get water in it!

Seaplanes? Lots of spray back there as the airplane climbs up on the step. I don't think it would be an issue but then I no longer work for the FAA, not that my opinion ever mattered when I did.

 

[jrussl]

Thanks for the video, guys!

 

[cgibber]

Thanks so much for taking the time to make this video. What a great community.

 

[dryfarmer]

Thanks Steve and Steve, good video

 

[cubdriver2]

I ordered some nitric acid yesterday. Piper can't say what their rudders were made of after 1974 which I think is bunk.

Clyde might know

Glenn

 

[Foggy]

I'm interested that you think the AD still applies. My SC is also 1976 ( late in the year I think as first flight was 1977). In the UK we are thinking that it is exempted by date.

The way I read it, you still have to perform the acid test to confirm the material is 4130.

 

[Steve Pierce]

Clyde might know

Glenn

I bet Piper knows as well but I can't write in the log book "Clyde Smith said my rudder is 4130". Acid test will be pretty easy after removing the steering arm to access bare metal without cutting fabric.

 

[sj]

The way I read it, you still have to perform the acid test to confirm the material is 4130.

I accidently chopped the portion of the video on acid testing out yesterday, I should have the "addendum" video here in a bit.

sj

 

[sj]

Here is the missing portion of the video on determining which rudder you have.

 

[tempdoug]

with never having put this acid on any metal. by placing a drop of it on it, what will appear? just curious in advance i guess to what i should expect to see?

 

[sj]

with never having put this acid on any metal. by placing a drop of it on it, what will appear?

See video above…

 

[AdL]

Here is a PDF of the test for 4130 vs. 1025 - happens to be for Longerons but I pretty sure the steel does not know where it is being used!

 

[btracy]

Here is the missing portion of the video on determining which rudder you have.

Steve forgot to mention, per the Service Bulletin . Neutralize with baking soda after testing. No need to cause more issues if your rudder tested good

Thanks for all the work Steve & Steve

 

[jrussl]

This is what I bought. https://consolidated-chemical.com/product/nitric-acid-70-acs-grade-corrosive-acid/

Just ordered some as well. Thanks for sharing the link.

 

[tempdoug]

See video above…

not enough volume in your videos for us, hard to hear. not for me anyway.

 

[tempdoug]

Here is a PDF of the test for 4130 vs. 1025 - happens to be for Longerons but I pretty sure the steel does not know where it is being used!

THANK YOU.
the longeron and perform the following:
(1) Using longitudinal strokes sand the top surface of the right and left lower longerons
with No. 80 emery cloth, for an area approximately 3 inches in length and 1/2 inch wide.
NOTE: No chemical reaction will occur unless this area is thoroughly cleaned down to
the bare metal. Use only longitudinal strokes to remove the paint, primer, metalizing or
corrosion from this area.
(2) Wipe specified area with a clean cloth.
(3) Apply one drop of concentrated nitric acid on the sanded area.
(4) If the longeron is 1025 steel, the acid drop will boil and turn a yellowish orange or
brown

 

[sj]

not enough volume in your videos for us, hard to hear. not for me anyway.

Doug,I sent them to standard volumes. You have two places to turn up the volume on videos, one in YouTube itself and one on your computer/device make sure they are both up, but I will double check that for next time as well.

Also, you can turn on close captioning for almost any YouTube video. I watched them that way all the time.

sj

 

[bubb2]

not enough volume in your videos for us, hard to hear. not for me anyway.

Seconded by old Beaver and single engine Otter pilots.

 

[skywagon8a]

Also, you can turn on close captioning for almost any YouTube video. I watched them that way all the time.

sj

What is close captioning ?

 

[sj]

What is close captioning ?

Sorry, “closed captioning” it’s the little CC button and it turns on text you read while watching the video. You can do it on any TV made in the last 25 years or so also.

 

[Steve Pierce]

Here is a PDF of the test for 4130 vs. 1025 - happens to be for Longerons but I pretty sure the steel does not know where it is being used!

Thank you.
From AD 69-23-03:

(1) Using longitudinal strokes sand the top surface of the right and left
lower longerons with No. 80 emery cloth, for an area approximately 3
inches in length and 1/2 inch wide. NOTE: No chemical reaction will
occur unless this area is thoroughly cleaned down to the bare metal.
Use only longitudinal strokes to remove the paint, primer, metalizing
or corrosion from this area.

(2) Wipe specified area with a clean cloth.

(3) Apply one drop of concentrated nitric acid on the sanded area.

(4) If the longeron is 1025 steel, the acid drop will boil and turn a
yellowish orange or brown.

(5) Wipe off the acid spot and neutralize the area with baking soda paste.

(6) Wipe surface and wash with water.

(7) Prime and paint the test area.

 

[cubdrvr]

Thank you.
From AD 69-23-03:

(1) Using longitudinal strokes sand the top surface of the right and left
lower longerons with No. 80 emery cloth, for an area approximately 3
inches in length and 1/2 inch wide. NOTE: No chemical reaction will
occur unless this area is thoroughly cleaned down to the bare metal.
Use only longitudinal strokes to remove the paint, primer, metalizing
or corrosion from this area.

(2) Wipe specified area with a clean cloth.

(3) Apply one drop of concentrated nitric acid on the sanded area.

(4) If the longeron is 1025 steel, the acid drop will boil and turn a
yellowish orange or brown.

(5) Wipe off the acid spot and neutralize the area with baking soda paste.

(6) Wipe surface and wash with water.

(7) Prime and paint the test area.

Wondering about the purpose of the above AD...............this was '69.......long before Piper used 4130. Or did they use a mix of 1025 & 4130 as this AD was for lower longerons and only for a select few serial numbers. AD says aircraft is unairworthy with 1025 longerons the way I read it.

 

[Steve Pierce]

Forward of the factory splice in the longerons was 4130N and aft was 1025 steel. Somebody screwed up and that is why the fuselages had to be tested.

 

[kase]

69-23-03 PIPER: Amendment 39-871. Applies to Piper PA-18-150 type airplanes, S/N
18-8809 through 18-8851, except S/N 18-8844 and 18-8849, certificated in all
categories.

My super cub is a 1969 sn 18-8848. One of the first entries in the log books is complying with this AD. Had 4130 longerons. Has since been replaced with a Univair fuselage.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Forward of the factory splice in the longerons was 4130N and aft was 1025 steel. Somebody screwed up and that is why the fuselages had to be tested.

When were the 18’s all 4130?

 

[Steve Pierce]

When were the 18’s all 4130?

When they started building them in Vero Beach.

 

[McIvorcubdriver]

Thanks a lot to SJ & Steve Pierce for the immense amount of time put into this forum for the benefit of all who belong to Super Cub . Org

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I have 3 rudders with steering arms coming from Dakota cub, and I’ll be covering them if anyone’s in the need. Polyfiber through silver.

 

[SClow303]

I ordered some nitric acid yesterday. Piper can't say what their rudders were made of after 1974 which I think is bunk. I will pull the steering arm out of my Super Cub rudder that was built in 1982 and verify that it is 4130. I have some other customers in the same quandary.

This was my worry. My plane is a 1976 so it will need checked but I am hoping it is Chromoly. I like the idea of not having to split the fabric to test the tube but instead going through the bottom after removal of the steering arm.

 

[cubdriver2]

Really glad I'm EX

Glenn