The bulletin
Text extracted from the PDF.
SPECIAL
AIRWORTHINESS
INFORMATION
BULLETIN Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration NE-03-10 December 13, 2002 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, owners and operators of Fouga Magister CM 170 and Zephyr CM 175 aircraft with installed Marbore IIF3, IIG3 and Marbore VIF2 engines, that the FAA:
• Has not issued a Type Certificate for the Marbore IIF3, IIG3 and Marbore VIF2 engines.
• Does not allow any engines that were previously operated by foreign military organizations to be used on aircraft with an airworthiness certificate issued in the normal, utility, acrobatic, commuter or transport categories.
Background The French military services have sold surplus Turbomeca Marbore IIF3, IIG3 and Marbore VIF2 engines that were installed on Fouga Magister CM 170 and Zephyr CM 175 aircraft, to the public. We have been informed that some of these aircraft and engines have been imported to the USA and may be currently operating under an Experimental Airworthiness Certificate.
The French Airworthiness Authority, Direction Generale de l’Aviation Civile (DGAC), has issued an Airworthiness Directive (Consigne de Navigabilité) to mandate safety requirements that must be met, prior to next flight, for authorized use of these engines in commercial operation. In particular, the DGAC directs French operators to contact the engine manufacturer to obtain all relevant publications so that an estimate of the remaining cyclic life for life limited parts installed in engines previously operated by the French military service can be made.
Recommendations The FAA has not issued a Type Certificate for these military surplus aircraft and engines because of the lack of historical fleet records to verify, in particular, the cyclic life remaining for the life limited parts. Without complete knowledge of the foreign military’s operational usage and all aspects of its quality system for maintaining the engine, and complete historical records, the FAA could not ensure the appropriate level of continued airworthiness for safe operation as required by § 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, 14 CFR.
We are alerting owners and operators of the Turbomeca Marbore IIF3, IIG3 and Marbore VIF2 engines that this equipment may not be used for commercial operation nor should any parts and/or components from these engines be installed in engines used for commercial operation.
For Further Information Please Contact Antonio Cancelliere, Aerospace Engineer, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone (781) 238-7751; email:
antonio.cancelliere@faa.gov