Covers All Airplanes Flying Or Under Construction

Vans Aircraft has issued a service bulletin for all of its RV-6/6A,7/7A,8/8A flying or under construction following the discovery of cracks in the forward spar of the horizontal stabilizer that have been found emanating from the stress relief notch at the inboard end of the spar flanges.

In the bulletin, Vans Aircraft says all aircraft should be Inspected for such cracks, and if they are present, stop drill cracks and install HS-00001 Doubler (RV-6,7) or HS-00003 Doubler (RV-8) and HS-00002 Rib Flange Angle (RV-6,7) or HS-00004 Rib Flange Angle (RV-8) to both sides of the aircraft.

The inspections are recommended before further flight and at each annual condition inspection until such time that this service bulletin has been complied with in its entirety.

According to the document, the method of inspection should be to remove the empennage fairing. Carefully inspect for cracks emanating from the stress relief notch at the inboard end of the forward horizontal stabilizer spar flanges. Clean the area and remove any paint, overspray or primer that could hide a crack. Cracks may be very small and hard to detect.

If no cracks are detected, no immediate action is necessary, but the inspection should be repeated at each subsequent annual condition inspection until such time that this service bulletin has been complied with in its entirety. The bulletin describes in detail the steps to be taken to repair the cracks if found to return the aircraft to an airworthy condition.

The bulletin was issued Friday, January 31 and was effective immediately.

(Image from Vans service bulletin)

FMI: Service Bulletin