SAIB CE-01-02

SPECIAL

AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION

BULLETIN Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration No. CE-01-02 November 3, 2000 We post SAIBs on the internet at "av-info.faa.gov" This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, an owner or operator, of SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes of issuance of SOCATA Service Bulletin (SB) 70-080.

Background We, the FAA, issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 99-07-11 April 16, 1999. This AD required the implementation of the provisions of SOCATA Aerospace Matra Service Bulletin SB 70-077 on SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes. The service difficulty involved cracking of the outboard horizontal stabilizer hinge fittings.

SOCATA has now issued a Service Bulletin, SB 70-080 to supersede SB 70-077. However, aside from some additional installation provisions, this new service bulletin still requires a repetitive inspection, without a terminating action.

Recommendation We have decided to not supersede AD 99-07-11 until SOCATA issues a service bulletin requiring terminating action.

The Small Airplane Directorate issued a letter to docket 99-CE-08-AD that recognizes SB 70-080 as an approved alternate method of compliance (AMOC) for AD 99-07-11. You can either choose to utilize the provisions of SB 70-077 or SB 70-080.

We have attached a copy of the AMOC letter to facilitate utilization.

For Further Information Contact Federal Aviation Administration, Small Airplane Directorate, Karl Schletzbaum, Project Support Branch, ACE-112, 901 Locust Street. Room 301, Kansas City, MO, 64106; telephone:

(816) 329-4146; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: karl.schletzbaum@faa.gov

Memorandum J.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Subject: INFORMATION: Alternative Method of Compliance Date: JUL 2 6 2000 (AMOC) for AD 99-07-11 From: Manager, Standards Office, ACE-110 Attn. of: 816-426-6932 Reply to Karl Schletzbaum To: Docket 99-CE-08-AD The Small Airplane Directorate issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 99-07-11 on April 16, 1999. This AD required the inspection of the horizontal stabilizer hinge fittings for cracks. The AD applies to SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes and incorporated the provisions of SOCATA alert service bulletin (SB) SB 70-077. The manufacturer has subsequently issued a service bulletin (SB) 70-080 dated May 2000, to supersede SB 70-077. The later service bulletin introduced additional procedures but retained periodic inspections.

SOCATA SB 70-080, dated May, 2000, is approved as an equivalent to SOCATA SB 70-077 dated February 1999, and may be performed in lieu of SB 70-077 to comply with AD 99-07-11.

The provisions of SB 70-077 as stipulated in AD 99-07-11 can still be utilized. In compliance to SB 70-080 is an approved alternate means of compliance for AD 99-07-11. This is approved for all United States registered SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes.

Should you have any questions, please contact Karl Schletzbaum, Project Officer, Project Support Branch, ACE-112 at the number listed above.

balala ~ MichaeY K. Dahl