Cherokee spar AD

Coinneach

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Coinneach
Our A&P says the spar AD doesn't apply to us because it's on airplanes with greater than 5000 TTAF. I don't see that restriction in the AD. Our SN is in the applicability list. Where's he getting that number?
 
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Yeah, 2021-00044 is the one he's thinking of. Nice of the FAA to issue two maybe-overlapping ADs in quick succession.
 
Yeah, 2021-00044 is the one he's thinking of. Nice of the FAA to issue two maybe-overlapping ADs in quick succession.

Theyre not overlapping. The affected areas of the spar and the problems with them are totally different.

I suppose the two separate problems could have been addressed in one AD but I think that would have made things even messier.
 
Where's he getting that number?
FYI: there's been some confusion as people simply refer to both ADs as "spar ADs." The 1st one on spar corrosion is AD2020-24-05/Piper SB 1304 is due within 100hrs/12 mos and is a visual inspection of the spar plus inspection panel install if needed. 2nd one on spar fatigue cracks is AD2020-26-16/Piper SB 1345 and due based on several physical requirements/factored service hours and is an eddy current inspection of the spar mount bolt holes.
 
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FYI: there's been some confusion as people simply refer to both ADs as "spar ADs." The 1st one on spar corrosion is AD202-24-05/Piper SB 1304 is due within 100hrs/12 mos and is a visual inspection of the spar plus inspection panel install if needed. 2nd one on spar fatigue cracks is AD202-26-16/Piper SB 1345 and due based on several physical requirements/factored service hours and is an eddy current inspection of the spar mount bolt holes.
This is what's happening to me just now. Today, I was at the airport installing an OH'd artificial horizon in my airplane, and my A&P/IA asked if I wanted to get the AD 2021-26-16 done, as he had one in the shop that needed it. Told me that if he could get several lined up the price wouldn't be too bad. I told him that the AD didn't apply to me. He pulled up the AD about spar corrosion (2020-24-05) and quickly scrolled down to show that my serial number is on the list. (we'd done that one last year, and not due again for 7 years) I didn't want to get into an argument with him, and may well do it just for my own piece of mind. But the eddy current AD does not apply to my airplane. Only to the taper wing pipers.
 
I didn't want to get into an argument with him,
Argument or not you may want to print out both ADs and ask him to review them at the same time and get things worked out. I recently helped a couple people get their paperwork straight because the wrong spar AD number was signed off for the work performed. Performing the inspection is one thing, but doing it for the wrong reason can lead to some unintended issues.
 
Argument or not you may want to print out both ADs and ask him to review them at the same time and get things worked out. I recently helped a couple people get their paperwork straight because the wrong spar AD number was signed off for the work performed. Performing the inspection is one thing, but doing it for the wrong reason can lead to some unintended issues.
Good point. Would be a cryin' shame to get an eddy current inspection done and signed off under the corrosion AD. (we perform the corrosion AD at every annual whether it needs it or not)
 
This is what's happening to me just now. Today, I was at the airport installing an OH'd artificial horizon in my airplane, and my A&P/IA asked if I wanted to get the AD 2021-26-16 done, as he had one in the shop that needed it. Told me that if he could get several lined up the price wouldn't be too bad. I told him that the AD didn't apply to me. He pulled up the AD about spar corrosion (2020-24-05) and quickly scrolled down to show that my serial number is on the list. (we'd done that one last year, and not due again for 7 years) I didn't want to get into an argument with him, and may well do it just for my own piece of mind. But the eddy current AD does not apply to my airplane. Only to the taper wing pipers.

Multiple things wrong here:
1. The AD for the eddy current inspection of the lower outboard spar bolt holes is 2020-26-16, not "2021-26-16".
2. The assertion that this applies "Only to the taper wing pipers" is INCORRECT. It definitely applies to my Hershey Bar Arrow II.
3. The AD may not apply to your plane based on serial number, but if it applies, you must perform the AD. That could consist of a calculation of factored service hours and a logbook entry. Or it could consist of that calculation followed by the eddy current inspection.

Please don't spread misinformation like this.
 
So you have a pa28r-200, . But, an Arrow, which is the aircraft that started all this. Mabe I should have included Non-Retract/HP Cherokee. (there are some hershey bar 235s in there too I think) But the point is, that the 140, 160, 150, 180, are not there, while the tapered wing, 151, 161, 181, are. SO, for the FG, non HP PA 28s the hershey bar is exempt.

And even if my Cherokee is not exempt, the factored total time is less than 700 hours anyway. But for peace of mind, I may have it done.
 
There is a lot of misinformation about AD 2020-26-16. One reason for that were the changes between the proposed rule making and the final ruling.

PA28-180, PA28-200 and PA28-235 are now included.

The assumption that a/c with less than 5000 hours TT are exempt from the AD is wrong.
- Even if the a/c has less than 5000 hours TT the computation of the factored service hours must be done for each wing spar to be in compliance with the AD.
- Even if the time in service hours are less than 5000, the eddy current inspection is mandatory in case of a previous main spar replacement with a spar with more than zero hours or in case of a missing or incomplete maintenace record.
 
There is a lot of misinformation about AD 2020-26-16. One reason for that were the changes between the proposed rule making and the final ruling.

PA28-180, PA28-200 and PA28-235 are now included.
The 180 is NOT part of the AD. It was dropped along with the rest of the hershey bar wing, fixed gear Cherokees. Perhaps you meant the PA28-180R (Arrow)
 
Even if the a/c has less than 5000 hours TT the computation of the factored service hours must be done for each wing spar to be in compliance with the AD.
PA28-180, PA28-200
FYI: You may want to compare your post to the AD again. The items above are not correct. The Factored Hour check is only applicable to aircraft over 5000 hrs TIS that do not meet either of the 2 other conditions, plus the 28-180 is not applicable and the 28-200 is not a valid model. I linked one of several AD guidance docs below that provides a link at the page bottom to a flow chart to that better explains the AD applicability. It also provides a link to a sample AMOC for those who performed the inspections prior to the AD issue date. But you are correct there is a lot of confusion with this AD.
https://www.faasafety.gov/spans/noticeView.aspx?nid=11681
 
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I'm almost certain that AD 2020-26-16 has been, or will be, incorporated into the IA exam as a test of how well the applicant can read and understand a complex set of instructions and come up with the correct answer as to does this or does this not apply to the sample aircraft? If you can get this one right you deserve your IA. :)
 
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