AD NUMBER: 2007-13-11
MANUFACTURER: Eclipse Aviation
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2007-13-11 SUMMARY: The FAA is
adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Eclipse
Aviation Corporation (Eclipse) Model EA500 airplanes. This AD
requires you to incorporate information into the Limitations
section of the airplane flight manual (AFM) that will require
operation only in day visualflight rules (VFR), allow only a VFR
flight plan, and maintain operation with two pilots. This AD is
being issued because of three instances of loss of primary airspeed
indication due to freezing condensation within the pitot system.
The loss of air pressure in the pitot system could cause the stall
warning to become unreliable and the stick pusher, overspeed
warning, and autopilot to not function. The concern is heightened
by the aerodynamic characteristics of the Eclipse Model EA500
airplane, which relies on the stall warning and the stick pusher to
alert the pilot prior to the loss of aircraft control. The standby
airspeed is reliable and not affected by this failure mode.
Atemporary AFM revision prohibits operation in instrument
meteorological conditions (IMC), requires two pilots, and limits
the airspeed and altitude envelope if the event occurs in flight.
The AFM limitations and FAA operational rules allow Model EA500
flight crews to file an instrumentflight rule (IFR) flight plan
even though the airplane is not approved for flight in IMC. This
potentially causes an undue workload burden and confusion when the
pilot has to refuse any instructions that take them into IMC. We
are issuing this AD to prevent an unsafe condition whenAir Traffic
Control's (ATC's) ability to maintain traffic separation is
compromised because anairplane on an IFR flight plan cannot accept
a flight plan into IMC.
An Amazing Experience Awaits The Chosen Few... Oshkosh, to us, seems the perfect place to get started on watching aviation recover the past couple of years... and so ANN is putting>[...]
“NBAA has a tremendous responsibility to the business aviation industry, and we are constantly collaborating with them. Our flight departments, professionals and aircraft own>[...]
Dead Reckoning Dead reckoning, as applied to flying, is the navigation of an airplane solely by means of computations based on airspeed, course, heading, wind direction, and speed,>[...]
Aero Linx: Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST) We are a public–private initiative to enhance worldwide flight operations safety in all segments of the vertical flight indust>[...]
We're Everywhere... Thanks To You! Even with the vast resources and incredibly far-reaching scope of the Aero-News Network, every now and then a story that should be reported on sl>[...]