# AD 81-16-04: Competition Harness Installation

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: American Champion 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB and 8KCAB
- Effective: July 28, 1981
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Small airplane
- Amendment: 39-4172
- Registered aircraft: 3,226 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/9C66B2383C84E988862569AF00767736.0001
- DRS record last changed: May 30, 2024
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-16-04

## The airworthiness directive

81-16-04 BELLANCA AIRCRAFT CORPORATION: Amendment 39-4172. Applies to Models 8KCAB, 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC and 7KCAB airplanes certificated in Acrobatic category.

To insure that the competition harness (also referred to as the ACRO harness) is installed properly, accomplish the following before further flight:

1. Unless previously accomplished, insert figure I of this AD into all applicable aircraft having approved flight manuals.

2. Attach figure I of this AD to all "Operating Limitation Instructions" (yellow card) for those applicable aircraft where a flight manual is not required (Model 7 Series airplanes).

3. Inspect all competition harness installations to insure that the shoulder straps are installed in accordance with figure I of this AD. Insure that the shoulder straps of the added harness pass on the forward side of the seat back.

This amendment becomes effective July 28, 1981.

## 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/81-16-04/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-16-04/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

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