Aging aircraft inspection

[minton]

I recently heard from a fellow in New Zealand of a requirement for "Aging Aircraft" inspections in NZ. If so is there a thread or information available to reference??

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

What we are hearing from some of our international members is that their government requires all inspections to be completed Cessna comes up with in SBs Sls or in this case an SID. This would be similar to an aircraft maintained and operated under part 135 here in the States.

Here is a link to the SID in our library: http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... 249#p91819

[minton]

Thanks Bruce, that's what I was looking for. 288 pages???? holy cow!!!

[ghostflyer]

Do not panic over SIDS , most of the inspections now have been incorporated into the newer Cessna manuals. The inspection is a little more detailed and invasive but not a big deal really. It's a real good policy to have a good look at areas that have been raised as they are getting older and nature is calling it back to where it all started . Just like us , we are getting old. Er . While x- raying is expensive it does show problem areas . I had done a CLOSE inspection on one of my strut attach points on my wing spar and it looked good . I was about to spray AV-30 on it when a "sales person " from a service provider of aircraft walked in to the hangar. We got talking about the Cessna SIDS program . He offered to show what x-raying was all about for FREE. Okay let's do that area ."the attach point on the wing spar for the strut" it took about a hour of My time away from a job but it was free. " O M G ...... Each rivet on the plate that reinforces and attaches the spar and including rivets in the spar were shot. The heads looked great and the tails were ok also . The center or stem of the rivet was about to be dust. We could use a screw driver and hammer and tap , yes I mean TAP each rivet head off. When the reinforcing plates were removed the area between plates was thick with corrosion . New plates made up and rivet holes were reamed out to the next size . The other wing was then x-rayed at MY expense ( I am sure it was doubled) and nothing was found . We checked each rivet head and drilled a couple out . Nothing found . So why ???? both wings same age on the same aircraft have so a different serviceability rating . So SIDS is GOOD . Many people duck and dive ( too expensive " I only fly 20 hrs a year )when I ask for x - Ray work to be done and I show them the results of what we have found in the past . Most change their mind . You only have to leave the ground for a small time to die if a failure happens .

[bagarre]

Who does XRay inspections on the East coast and how much does it cost??

[minton]

Do not panic over SIDS , most of the inspections now have been incorporated into the newer Cessna manuals. The inspection is a little more detailed and invasive but not a big deal really. It's a real good policy to have a good look at areas that have been raised as they are getting older and nature is calling it back to where it all started . Just like us , we are getting old. Er . While x- raying is expensive it does show problem areas . I had done a CLOSE inspection on one of my strut attach points on my wing spar and it looked good . I was about to spray AV-30 on it when a "sales person " from a service provider of aircraft walked in to the hangar. We got talking about the Cessna SIDS program . He offered to show what x-raying was all about for FREE. Okay let's do that area ."the attach point on the wing spar for the strut" it took about a hour of My time away from a job but it was free. " O M G ...... Each rivet on the plate that reinforces and attaches the spar and including rivets in the spar were shot. The heads looked great and the tails were ok also . The center or stem of the rivet was about to be dust. We could use a screw driver and hammer and tap , yes I mean TAP each rivet head off. When the reinforcing plates were removed the area between plates was thick with corrosion . New plates made up and rivet holes were reamed out to the next size . The other wing was then x-rayed at MY expense ( I am sure it was doubled) and nothing was found . We checked each rivet head and drilled a couple out . Nothing found . So why ???? both wings same age on the same aircraft have so a different serviceability rating . So SIDS is GOOD . Many people duck and dive ( too expensive " I only fly 20 hrs a year )when I ask for x - Ray work to be done and I show them the results of what we have found in the past . Most change their mind . You only have to leave the ground for a small time to die if a failure happens .

I'm not dissing the program, just surprised at how much could be required

[imncntrl]

Who does XRay inspections on the East coast and how much does it cost??

Pipers have the 5 year wing stut AD due to the wings folding in a couple of incidents.. When looking at one, the seller said he pays $500 every 5 years to have an X-ray performed. That sounded too cheap compared to what it involves.