Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
421 Aviation Way
Frederick, MD 21701
January 15, 1999
Frederick, MD - The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider an aileron airworthiness directive affecting some 7,500 Mooney aircraft owners. AOPA is asking for changes that could significantly reduce the economic and operational costs associated with the AD without degrading safety.
"AOPA research shows that FAA's mandated solution is more complicated than necessary and may even cause additional airworthiness problems," said Douglas C. Macnair, AOPA director of certification and regulatory policy. "If FAA had talked to owners and shops experienced with Mooneys, they would have come up with a much simpler solution to what seems to be a small problem."
According to FAA, cracks can develop in original-design Mooney control links, an L-shaped rod that's part of the mechanism connecting the yoke to the aileron. Failure of the control link might lead to a loss of aircraft control.
AD 98-24-11, which applies to most Mooney M20 models, requires inspection to determine if improved control links with reinforcing gussets at the angle joint are installed. If not, the control links must be removed from the aircraft and checked for cracks using magnetic particle inspection. Original-design control links must be removed and inspected every 100 hours.
But an AOPA review of the service data showed that only about three cracked control links have been found. And in each case, the crack was detected visually before the link was removed from the aircraft.
"Based on the results of nearly 1,100 inspections conducted to date, AOPA maintains that the initial and repetitive off-wing magnetic particle inspection should be deleted from this AD in favor of an on-wing visual inspection," said Macnair.
Macnair also noted that one repair shop found that many aileron control links were damaged during removal from the aircraft.
"This indicates that repetitive removal of the links for magnetic particle inspection could create additional airworthiness concerns and subject owners to the costs of replacing otherwise airworthy aileron control links," Macnair said.
AOPA also argued that the inspection interval be changed from every 100 hours to each annual inspection after initial compliance. Mechanics normally inspect and lubricate the entire aileron control mechanism during an annual inspection. A visual check for cracks could be accomplished then at no additional cost to the owner.
AOPA noted that because most privately owned aircraft fly less than 100 hours a year, an annual inspection for control link cracks would result in inspections more frequent than required by the current AD.
"These changes would bring about a significant cost savings to Mooney owners, but would not degrade safety in any manner," said Macnair. "AOPA urges FAA to reconsider this airworthiness directive."
Copies of FAA's Mooney aileron control link AD and AOPA's formal petition for reconsideration are available on AOPA ONLINE at www.aopa.org. The 340,000-member Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is the world's largest pilot organization. Its watch on airworthiness directives is part of AOPA's efforts to control the cost of flying.
-AOPA-
99-1-007