Concerns on airworthy repair for C172 for checkride

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I'm about ready to take my CFII checkride with a C172, and the owner has made a repair that I don't think is airworthy... The cowling has a crack behind the prop, and he's used what looks like hardware-store hardware (bolt, fender washers, lock nut) to hold the crack together.

I've mentioned it to him, but I'm concerned if I take this plane on the checkride (the only one readily available unless I go to another flight school), I may get a discontinuance or maybe even a disapproval.

What is the proper repair for this, besides replacing the entire cowling?
 
Unregistered said:
I'm about ready to take my CFII checkride with a C172, and the owner has made a repair that I don't think is airworthy... The cowling has a crack behind the prop, and he's used what looks like hardware-store hardware (bolt, fender washers, lock nut) to hold the crack together.

I've mentioned it to him, but I'm concerned if I take this plane on the checkride (the only one readily available unless I go to another flight school), I may get a discontinuance or maybe even a disapproval.

What is the proper repair for this, besides replacing the entire cowling?
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Is there a signoff by an A&P in the Airframe Logbook?
 
I've seen "doublers" used on stop-drilled cowling cracks before, and I don't like them much either. At least in the application I saw it, it was considered proper and was signed off. But I won't fly that plane because it's a Cherokee with three cracked (and doubled) cowling latches, and some of the cracks have grown past the stop drill holes.

A cowling flying open won't cause a crash on its own, but I don't want to deal with it if I can see it coming.
 
I once flew a Cherokee 6 and on short finals the nose cargo door blew open thanks to very questionable repair with doublers. It caused the lock not to "bite" fully to the latch.
 
If it was signed off,in the logs ,don't see a problem. Dobelers seem to bea common fix for cowling so.
 
If you don't feel safe, don't fly it.
 
Repairs to spinners are generally NOT permitted by the FAA rules. Believe me, I've been around that one. I discovered a crack in my spinner and it took me nearly several years to find another serviceable one at a sane price. I would suspect that such a modification would be readily caught. Of course, you can take the plane to the checkride and find it grounded (though they will usually be nice and give you a ferry permit) and you can take it back to the owner and say "told ya!"
 
Unregistered said:
I'm about ready to take my CFII checkride with a C172, and the owner has made a repair that I don't think is airworthy... The cowling has a crack behind the prop, and he's used what looks like hardware-store hardware (bolt, fender washers, lock nut) to hold the crack together.

I've mentioned it to him, but I'm concerned if I take this plane on the checkride (the only one readily available unless I go to another flight school), I may get a discontinuance or maybe even a disapproval.

What is the proper repair for this, besides replacing the entire cowling?
Click to expand...



flyingron said:
Repairs to spinners are generally NOT permitted by the FAA rules. Believe me, I've been around that one. I discovered a crack in my spinner and it took me nearly several years to find another serviceable one at a sane price. I would suspect that such a modification would be readily caught. Of course, you can take the plane to the checkride and find it grounded (though they will usually be nice and give you a ferry permit) and you can take it back to the owner and say "told ya!"
Click to expand...


:dunno:
 
In an old rental, trainer, 172 what your worrying about, a crack in the cowling, could be the lesser of its problems. If the mechanic who works on it says it's ok and the FBO says ok, I'd go. The spinner would be a whole different proposition! If your going for a CFIi check ride, you should have enough hours to sort all this out all by your lonesome.
 
frfly172 said:
If it was signed off,in the logs ,don't see a problem. Dobelers seem to bea common fix for cowling so.
Click to expand...

Signatures don't make airplanes safe. Proper repairs do. I have found way too many lethal but signed-off situations in airplanes to just say that if it's signed off, it's good.
 
flyingron said:
Repairs to spinners
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Ah,,, No, he is saying Cowling, not spinner.

Far 43- Appendix A c, 12 read it.

(12) Making small simple repairs to fairings, nonstructural cover plates, cowlings, and small patches and reinforcements not changing the contour so as to interfere with proper air flow.
 
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Dan Thomas said:
Signatures don't make airplanes safe. Proper repairs do. I have found way too many lethal but signed-off situations in airplanes to just say that if it's signed off, it's good.
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True, but if the owner is saying he did the work, and it's good to go, let him put his signature on it.
 
Dan Thomas said:
Signatures don't make airplanes safe. Proper repairs do. I have found way too many lethal but signed-off situations in airplanes to just say that if it's signed off, it's good.
Click to expand...

If I were the DPE, and saw that type of repair, I'd consider that is how the rest of the aircraft was maintained, and simply say "good by have a nice day".
 
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