SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN
Aircraft Certification Service
Washington, DC
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
CE-18-11

February 9, 2018

This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) informs registered owners/operators of M7 Aerospace LLC Models SA226-AT/-TC/-T(B)/T and SA227-AC(C-26A)/-AT/-BC(C-26A)/-CC/-DC(C-26B) /-TT airplanes (under Type Certificate Data Sheets A5SW, A8SW, and A18SW) of an airworthiness concern. Specifically, this SAIB provides inspection procedures and on-condition maintenance actions for the elevator quadrant bearing and bore of the affected airplanes.

At this time, the FAA has determined that this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Background


M7 Aerospace LLC recently issued SA226/SA227 series Service Bulletins (SB) 226-27-082 IR, 227-27-062 IR, and CC-27-034 IR, all dated November 28, 2016. The SBs were issued after an operator reported excessive corrosion on the elevator quadrant bearings and inside the quadrant bores. The SBs specify procedures for removing the elevator quadrants for initial and periodic visual inspections for corrosion of the quadrant and bearings, provide rework limits for removing corrosion from the quadrant bearing bores, and provide instructions to check for cracking that may be initiated by corrosion.

Recommendations


The FAA recommends inspecting and replacing (when required) the quadrants if corrosion is beyond the limits of the service bulletins or if cracks are found on M7 Aerospace LLC SA226 and SA227 (specific models referenced above) airplanes using the procedures in the above-referenced service bulletins, as applicable. The FAA also requests operators voluntarily report instances of corrosion on elevator quadrant bores or bearings to the FAA contact listed below.

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. Under the provision of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C 3501 et seq.), the OMB has approved the information collection contained in this SAIB, and assigned OMB Control Number 2120-0731. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20591, Attn: Information Collection Clearance Officer, ASP-110.

For Further Information Contact

John Turner, Aerospace Engineer, AIR-7F1, Fort Worth ACO Branch, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76177; phone: (817) 222-4508; e-mail: john.r.turner@faa.gov.

For Related Service Information Contact


M7 Aerospace, LLC, 10823 N.E. Entrance, San Antonio, Texas, 78216; phone: (210) 824-9421; fax: (210) 820-8609; email: MetroTech@M7Aerospace.com.