'Dry' Parts Still OK Per Guidelines

Despite inspectors' reports of 15 incidents of "dry" jackscrews since 2003 on Alaska Airlines' fleet of 26 MD-80 airliners, FAA investigators announced Friday the airline is complying with regulations for maintaining the critical part.

"The current assessment did not find any jackscrews on (Alaska) aircraft improperly or inadequately lubricated," the FAA summary said, adding there were "no safety issues" found.

All 15 incidents were found by airline maintenance workers during routine checks in Seattle, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Crews at Alaska's facility in Seattle, as well as workers at AAR Aircraft Services in Oklahoma City, repaired the problems.

AAR has performed heavy-maintenance work for the airline since Alaska closed its Oakland, CA facility in September 2004.

The jackscrews are two-foot-long components that control movement of the T-mounted horizontal stab on the MD-80.

While calling the jackscrews "dry" implies the components weren't properly lubricated -- as was the case in the January 2000 downing of Flight 261 off the coast of Southern California -- wear tests conducted on those parts found their range of movement still fell within the limits set by the FAA, according to the Post-Intelligencer.

"Based upon our analysis, no additional mitigation strategies related to jackscrews are required," the FAA said in its summary, which was released on Alaska Airline's employee website Friday.

The airline is also fully complying with the Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA calling for regular inspections to be performed after no more than 650 hours of flight, and the wear test performed after no more than 2,000 flight hours.

Last October, Aero-News reported maintenance crews had found an unlubricated jackscrew on an Alaska MD-80 as recently as January 2004.

In its report, the FAA also stated its ground tests of some of the dry jackscrews showed the condition that concerned Alaska's inspectors -- no grease residue -- was duplicated even when the component was properly lubricated.

FMI: www.alaskaair.com, Read The FAA Summary