Action Required For 100-400 Series Airplanes

A clear timetable has been set for a range of structural inspections required to be carried out on Cessna series aircraft. Owners and operators of Cessna 100, 200, 300 and 400 series aircraft must complete structural inspections developed by the manufacturer.

CASA has extended the original deadlines for the inspections and developed a phased timetable to give owners and operators the appropriate time to have the work completed. New details about Cessna structural inspection requirements have been provided by CASA after requests from the aviation industry for additional information.

The structural inspections timetable and requirements have been set out in an aviation ruling from CASA. The ruling relates to Cessna’s Supplemental Inspection Documents (SID). Supplemental Inspection Documents were developed by Cessna and the United States Federal Aviation Administration due to concerns that critical principal structural elements of aircraft are susceptible to fatigue or corrosion damage. In many cases these components have not been inspected since the aircraft were manufactured decades ago.

The structural inspection program, which complements existing scheduled maintenance, requires a detailed inspection of a range of structural areas such as wing spars, wing attachment points, strut attachments, rudder bars and attachment points and horizontal stabilizer attachment points. Inspections are conducted to identify any metal corrosion damage or metal fatigue. Damaged components must be replaced or repaired.

The new aviation ruling makes it clear the structural inspections must be conducted on Cessna aircraft in all categories of operations – private, aerial work and charter. Regular public transport aircraft are already required to undergo the inspections. Inspections are mandatory for all types of maintenance systems – the manufacturer’s schedule of maintenance, CASA’s schedule five and approved systems of maintenance.

The cost of the inspections and any repair work will vary from aircraft to aircraft. Every aircraft ages in a unique way depending on how it has been operated, maintained and stored.

Inspections will be required on up to 3600 Cessna series aircraft in Australia.

The timetable for the completion of the inspections ranges from 31 December 2014 for Cessna 300/400 aircraft to 30 June 2016 for Cessna 100 aircraft.

FMI: CASA Airworthiness Bulletin