Covers Lateral Tie Rods On Certain Model de Havilland, Moth Airplanes

The FAA has issued two similar Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins (SAIB) directed to owners and operators of certain de Havilland Models DH60, DH82, and DH83 as well as Moth Aircraft Corporation (Moth) Models 60GM, 60 GMW, and 60X airplanes.

The Moth airplanes are type certificated in the United States; the Moth Models 60GM and GMW airplanes are approved under type certificate 197, and the Moth Model 60X airplanes are approved by Group 2 approval 2-150. These airplane models are based on, or may be duplicates of, the de Havilland Model DH 60 series airplanes.

The de Havilland aircraft are not type certificated in the United States, but may be operated on an airworthiness certificate that is other than a standard airworthiness certificate.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Commonwealth of Australia has issued the following proposed airworthiness directives (PAD):
PAD/DH 82/17, applicable to all variants of the DH82 and DH82A (Tiger Moth);
PAD/DH 83/5, applicable to all variants of the DH83 (Fox Moth); and
PAD/DH 60/9, applicable to all variants of the DH60M (Moth) airplanes.

In addition, the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom has issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive G-2014-0001-E, applicable to the Models DH82, DH82A, and DH82B airplanes, as well as all variants and replicas except the Thruxton Jackaroo.
These actions require the inspection of the tie rods and removal of those made by J&R Aerospace of Australia and any of unknown origin.

The FAA recommends that owners and operators of the above named model airplanes that are being operated under a non-standard airworthiness certificate comply with the provisions of the applicable foreign airworthiness information. The CASA PAD recommends that all aerobatic flight be suspended pending a check of the lateral fuselage tie rods.

The FAA has issued AD 2014-17-09 with respect to the same situation on de Havilland Models DH82A and DH83 airplanes that are type certificated.

FMI: http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgSAIB.nsf/MainFrame?OpenFrameSet