SAIB CE-04-12

SPECIAL

AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION

BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

No. CE-04-12 October 28, 2003 www.faa.gov - Search "SAIBs" This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts you, an owner or operator of Slingsby aircraft listed below, that Slingsby has issued Service Bulletin (SB) No. 179, Issue 2, dated April 11, 2003. This service bulletin specifies inspections and corrective action for cracks in the tailplane attachment bracket.

Slingsby T67A T67B T67C T67M T67M-MkII T67M200 T67M260 T67M260-T3A

Background Slingsby received reports of cracked tailplane attachment brackets and issued SB No. 179 Issue 2 that specifies inspections of the aft tailplane brackets in order to discover and correct similar cracks.

SB 179 Issue 2 adds repetitive and re-assembly instructions.

Recommendation We are recommending, but not requiring, that owners and operators of Slingsby models listed above, accomplish the inspections of the tailplane attachment brackets as specified in Slingsby SB No. 179, Issue 2, dated April 11, 2003.

Upon receiving Issue 2, and if you have not complied Issue 1, we highly recommend you complete the inspection prior to next aerobatic flight, or within the next 15 flying hours.

If you have complied with SB 179 Issue 1, and if you did not replace the original bracket, we recommend you comply with Issue 2 at the next 150 flying hours from receipt Issue 2. We also recommend that you inspect your aircraft every 150 flying hours thereafter until you replace the original bracket.

For Further Information Contact Gunnar Berg, Aerospace Engineer, FAA Small Airplane Directorate, ACE-112, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone: (816)-329-4059, fax: (816)-329-4090; email:

gunnar.berg@faa.gov

For copies of Slingsby SB No. 179, Issue 2, dated April 11, 2003, contact Slingsby, Kirkbymoorside, York, United Kingdom, YO62 6EZ; phone: 01751 432474, fax: 01751 431173, email:

SAL5@Slingsby.co.uk