# SAIB ACE-97-03: - Type: Special airworthiness information bulletin (advisory, not mandatory) - Status: Current - Revision: 0 - Issued: May 15, 1997 - Products: Luscombe 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F and T-8F - Product type: Aircraft, Small Airplane - PDF: https://openairdocs.org/files/sha256/38/24/3824985bc0f2a47944ccd4bdd6d3befbd19b3a9f1636819a065e383d9757b1ce - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/31BC1717131B3C158625721F0052EC49.0001 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/saib/ACE-97-03 ## Text **SPECIAL** **AIRWORTHINESS** **INFORMATION** **BULLETIN** **AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION SERVICE 800 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, S.W.** **WASHINGTON, DC 20591** U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration No. ACE-97-03 May 15, 1997 Published by: FAA, AFS-610, P.O. Box 26460, Oklahoma City, OK 73125 This is issued for informational purposes only and any recommendation for corrective action is not mandatory. INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin is to advise operators of Luscombe Model 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, and T-8F airplanes, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Type Certificate (TC) holder, The Don Luscombe Aviation History Foundation (DLAHF) strongly advises routine inspection and ma intenance of the airframe for corrosion, with particular attention to the internal structure of the wings, in accordance with 14 CFR Part 43. BACKGROUND: The Luscombe Model 8 series airplanes were type certificated and produced from 1938 to 1948. Based on the age of the aircraft and the lack of manufacturer technical support of the type certificate for many years, adequate maintenance instructions (for certain aspects) of the Luscombe model aircraft have not been readily available. Lusc ombe aircraft with metal wings were manufactured with a limited number of removable access panels for routine maintenance. The FAA recently issued an Airworthiness Direc tive (AD) which requires a one time inspection of the wing spars for intergranular corrosion. This AD was based on service difficulty reports of intergranular corrosion of the wing spars on the Lu scombe Model 8 series. (Intergranular corrosion can occur in high-strength aluminum alloys if th ey have been improperly heat treated during the manufacturing process.) As a result of this recent AD action, as well as restorations and re-skinning of the wings on the Luscombe Model 8 series thr oughout the life of these ai rcraft, the TC holder, DLAHF, has received reports of various forms of corrosion and contamination within the structure of the wings. Due to the age of the Luscombe aircraft fleet, and the limited access to the wing internal structure, corrosion due to environmental effects and/or corro sion from bird and rodent infestation should be addressed by annual maintenance inspections. The TC holder, DLAHF, has developed a kit (D LAHF kit #8007) which installs 4 additional inspection holes and modifies the wing tip fari ng to permit permanent access to the internal structure of the wings. Additionally, there exists several Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) for the installation of inspection holes which are F AA approved. Advisory Ci rcular (AC) No. 43-4A, Corrosion Control for Aircraft, dated 7/25/91, provi des information on corrosion theory, effects of corrosion, corrosion prone areas, and preventative maintenance, inspection requirements, and corrosion removal techniques. **2 ACE-97-03** RECOMMENDATION: As soon as practical, for Luscombe Model 8, 8A, 8B , 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, and T-8F airplanes, the FAA recommends installing the removable inspection access holes in accordance with the DLAHF Service Recommendation #2 dated December 15, 1993, REVISED November 21, 1995, or other FAA approved installation. Additionally, the FAA recommends conducting repetitive inspections of the wing spars, on an annual basis, for si gns of corrosion which may be the result of environmental effects and/or corrosion from bird and rodent infestation and fecal contamination. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lirio Liu, Aerospace Engineer, Federal Aviation Administration, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712-4137, (562) 627-5229. ## Registered aircraft it may concern (OpenAirDocs) Registry models matched by make and model, the same way as ADs, most registered aircraft first. - [Luscombe 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8a): 897 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe 8E](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8e): 326 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe 8F](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8f): 119 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe 8C](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8c): 37 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe T-8F](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-t-8f): 25 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe 8B](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8b): 16 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe 8D](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8d): 14 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe 8](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-8): 11 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Silvaire 8F](https://openairdocs.org/model/silvaire-8f): 10 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe/Pedersen T-8F](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-pedersen-t-8f): 1 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe/Ranger Avia 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-ranger-avia-8a): 1 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe/Wilder 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-wilder-8a): 1 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Fleet 8](https://openairdocs.org/model/fleet-8): 0 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe/Duis 8A](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-duis-8a): 0 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe/Hankins 8E](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-hankins-8e): 0 registered aircraft (airframe model) - [Luscombe/Nelson Thomas JR LUSCOMBE 8B](https://openairdocs.org/model/luscombe-nelson-thomas-jr-luscombe-8b): 0 registered aircraft (airframe model) --- 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.