# AD 72-20-06: Aerobatic Flight Placard - Type: Airworthiness directive - Status: Current - Products: American Champion 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB and 8KCAB - Effective: October 5, 1972 - Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD - Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane - Amendment: 39-1530 - Registered aircraft: 3,226 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs) - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/BBB9C48BBD081F2986256A3400590E7E.0001 - DRS record last changed: May 30, 2024 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/72-20-06 ## The airworthiness directive 72-20-06 BELLANCA AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (Champion): Amdt. 39-1530. Applies to the following Bellanca Models and Serial Numbers: Models Serial Numbers 7ECA (0-235-C1 Engine) 840-72 842-72 through 871-72 7GCAA 234-72 through 242-72 244-72 through 246-72 7KCAB 304-72 through 310-72 312-72 through 320-72 322-72 7GCBC (150 HP) 346-72 347-72 349-72 through 361-72 363-72 through 376-72 8KCAB 13-72 15-72 through 37-72 Compliance required as indicated after the effective date of this airworthiness directive, unless already accomplished: To prevent flight controls malfunction including possible loss of control due to cable failure, accomplish the following: A) Effective immediately, all affected aircraft are prohibited from acrobatic flight and must have a placard installed in clear view of pilot which reads as follows: All acrobatic flight, including intentional spins, is prohibited. On all model 8KCAB aircraft, revise the FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual to delete Sections 1.2.1 through 1.2.7. Insert the following after Section 1.2 Acrobatic Category Limitations: All acrobatic flight, including intentional spins, is prohibited. B) Effective immediately, all affected aircraft with 100 hours or more cumulative flying time and every 100 hours thereafter must have all flight control cables inspected for evidence of wear, fraying, or stretching. If such wear, fraying, or stretching, is found, replace the defective flight control cable before further flight, except that the airplane may be flown in accordance with FAR 21.197 to a base where the repair can be made. C) All flight control cables of the affected aircraft must be replaced in accordance with Bellanca Aircraft Corporation Service Letter No. 104, dated September 12, 1972, and subsequent revisions or in accordance with data approved by the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, Great Lakes Region. On those airplanes with less than a cumulative flying time of 600 hours, replace cables before reaching 700 hours. On those airplanes with a cumulative flying time of 600 hours or more, replace cables within the next 100 hours flying time. Cable replacement on all affected aircraft must be accomplished by January 1, 1973. All replaced cables must be rendered unusable for any further aircraft applications or handled in accordance with Bellanca Aircraft Corporation (Champion) Service Letter No. 104, dated September 12, 1972, and subsequent revisions. Any cables replaced in compliance with Airworthiness Directive 72-18-03 are exempt from this airworthiness directive. D) The placard required by paragraph "A" may be removed; the revision to the Airplane Flight Manual required by paragraph "A" may be deleted; and the repetitive inspections required by paragraph "B" may be discontinued when compliance with paragraph "C" of this airworthiness directive is accomplished. This amendment becomes effective October 5, 1972. ## Affected data sheets (2) (OpenAirDocs) The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names. - [TCDS A-759](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A-759): American Champion Aircraft Corp.; names 4 of 22 models: 7KCAB, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7ECA - [TCDS A21CE](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A21CE): American Champion Aircraft Corp.; names 1 of 2 models: 8KCAB ## 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: 3,226 (3,226 by airframe model, 0 by engine model) - Makers: Bellanca 1,553, American Champion 838, Champion 834, Aeronca 1 Models with the most aircraft: - [Bellanca 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcbc): 487 aircraft (airframe model) - [American Champion 8KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-8kcab): 449 aircraft (airframe model) - [Champion 7ECA](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7eca): 419 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bellanca 8KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-8kcab): 371 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bellanca 7ECA](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7eca): 347 aircraft (airframe model) - [American Champion 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-7gcbc): 232 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bellanca 7KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7kcab): 230 aircraft (airframe model) - [Champion 7KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7kcab): 151 aircraft (airframe model) - [Champion 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7gcbc): 144 aircraft (airframe model) - [American Champion 7GCAA](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-7gcaa): 119 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bellanca 7GCAA](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcaa): 118 aircraft (airframe model) - [Champion 7GCAA](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7gcaa): 114 aircraft (airframe model) - [American Champion 7ECA](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-7eca): 38 aircraft (airframe model) - [Champion 8KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-8kcab): 5 aircraft (airframe model) - [Aeronca 7GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7gcbc): 1 aircraft (airframe model) - [Champion 7GCAA (CONV)](https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7gcaa-conv): 1 aircraft (airframe model) All 16 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/72-20-06/models.md Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/72-20-06/aircraft.md Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.