# AD 47-50-03: Canvas Seat Inspection

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: Piper J-3, J3C-40, J3C-50, J3C-50S, J3C-65S, J3F-50, J3F-50S, J3F-60, J3F-60S, J3F-65 (Army L-4D), J3F-65S, J3L and 5 more
- Published: June 17, 1950
- Issued: June 17, 1950
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Registered aircraft: 510 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/0D1FBF6B5A8ADDDD8625698B00763C3B.0001
- DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/47-50-03

## The airworthiness directive

47-50-03 PIPER: Applies to J3, J3C Series, J3F Series, J3L Series and J3P.

Inspection required after each 100 hours of operation.

Inspect the front and rear canvas seat installations and note the condition of canvas, eyelets, and lacing. Any parts showing signs of wear, tearing, fraying or substandard material the failure of which could cause possible interference with the control system should be replaced. Check the tautness of the canvas to insure that position clearance with all parts of the elevator control system exists when the seats are occupied.

(Piper Service Bulletin No. 45 covers this same subject.)

## Affected data sheets (5) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS A-692](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A-692): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 6 of 6 models: J3F-60S, J3F-50S, J3F-65S, J3F-65 (Army L-4D), J3F-50, J3F-60
- [TCDS A-691](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A-691): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 5 of 7 models: J3C-65 (Army L-4; L-4A; L-4B (Navy NE-1); L-4H; L-4J (Navy NE-2)), J3C-40, J3C-65S, J3C-50, J3C-50S
- [TCDS A-698](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A-698): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 4 of 4 models: J3L-65S, J3L, J3L-S, J3L-65 (Army L-4C)
- [TCDS ATC 660](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/ATC%20660): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 1 of 1 models: J-3
- [TCDS TC 695](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/TC%20695): Piper Aircraft Inc.; names 1 of 1 models: J3P

## Registered aircraft it may apply to (OpenAirDocs)

Matched by airframe and engine model; the AD's applicability may narrow it by serial number, part number or equipment.

- Aircraft: 510 (510 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Piper 505, Piper-Dahl 2, Piper Whitaker 1, Piper-Ford 1, Piper-Green-Lewis 1

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Piper J3L-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3l-65): 179 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3F-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3f-65): 127 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j-3): 104 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3C-65S](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65s): 27 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3F-50](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3f-50): 22 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3L](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3l): 15 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3C-50](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-50): 13 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3F-60](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3f-60): 13 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3p): 3 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper-Dahl J-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-dahl-j-3): 2 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper-Ford J3](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-ford-j3): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3C-50S](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-50s): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper Whitaker J3](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-whitaker-j3): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper-Green-Lewis J-3 CUBY](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-green-lewis-j-3-cuby): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Piper J3L-65S](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3l-65s): 1 aircraft (airframe model)

All 15 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/47-50-03/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/47-50-03/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

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