PA31 Wing spar AD

[Jabawocky]

Is this going to have any serious impacts on the fleet in Oz, or is it well planned for and everyone is on top of it already?

http://casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/airworth/airwd/ADfiles/UNDER/PA-31/PA-31-037.pdf

[Triple Captain]

That will drop some '$ value' from most of the Australian PA31 fleet. Its been a while since i've flown one with less then 13,000 hours and there has been a few that will exceed the 2 times requirement.

Is the damage tolerance program as extensive as Cessna SIDs?

Does this smell of CASA not FAA or Manufacturer?

[43Inches]

This is an old AD that has been revised;



The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 31 March 1975.

The only new aspect I can see is that they allow continued operations beyond the spar/airframe retirement limit if a maintenance/inspection program is approved and used. Sounds like the 1970s Navajos may just keep going forever.

I have heard that the modification and inspection process for the initial wing spar retirement is not much of a drama. However once the second spar life and therefore the airframe life limit kicks in its a different matter. This was always around 26000 hours on a Chieftain.

[LeadSled]

Folks,
43Inches is on the money.
Do your homework and you will find that virtually every standard category aircraft on Australian register has an Australian imposed life, no such equivalent in US.
The arbitrary 2 spar lives equals the life of the rest of the airframe throws up some wonderfully illogical results.
Tootle pip!!

[chimbu warrior]

PA-31's have had essentially the same restrictions for 40 years now. So do Queenairs, 400 series Cessnas and most similar types.

[43Inches]

Do your homework and you will find that virtually every standard category aircraft on Australian register has an Australian imposed life, no such equivalent in US.
The Cirrus aircraft SR20 and SR22 have an airframe life limit of 12000 hrs on their FAA issued Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS). This is not the case for the PA31. (Old)Piper may have issued guidance on spar life early on, Newpiper wants nothing to do with the PA31, although I have heard rumors that if you order a fleet (20 or more) of them at the right price they may consider new builds. There is no life limit figure for the PA31 other than the main spar assembly.

[Jack Ranga]

There is no life limit figure for the PA31 other than the main spar assembly.


Oh god spare us, the things will be around for another 30 years????

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

With nothing anywhere near the intensity of a SIDS program, all it's gonna take is a wing coming off some African piece of crap and we get the C441 issue all over again.

That'll throw a spanner in the GA works!:rolleyes:

[Pinky the pilot]

although I have heard rumors that if you order a fleet (20 or more) of them at the right price they may consider new builds

All the jigs and associated tooling still exists?

Wonder what the cost per unit on a run of twenty airframes would be? :hmm:

[The Green Goblin]

Looks like the tooling is still used for the larger singles.

[43Inches]

All the jigs and associated tooling still exists?

If you look closely at the Malibu variants and the now shelved PiperJet its pretty clear where the fuselage has come from.

Its a pitty Piper went with the Seneca as their business twin. I would have thought the PA31-325 would be ideal for that market. It would only cost slightly more than the Seneca or Baron to purchase and operate and would be a brilliant machine with modern technology incorporated. This would keep the line open for replacement PA31-350 or the newer T-1020 or 1040 at a reasonable cost.

[LeadSled]

43inches,
Quite so, and the later amendments to FAR 43 do require fatigue lives.
If I recall correctly, the PA-38 was the first FAR 43 aircraft with a design fatigue life.
However, even recent Cessna aircraft have been certified under grandfather clauses, FAA does not generally apply standards retrospectively. And speaking of Cessna, there is the SID program, if it applies to your operation in US --- it does not apply to private operations.
Tootle pip!!

[baron_beeza]

A little background. Much of this is new to me so I am not sure how correct the article is. A potted history of Piper goings on during the era..

[Reprinted from Fliteguide / Imperial Aviation]


Popular opinion holds that Piper's big financial crash began during the mid-eighties. By this stage, the Piper family's involvement had long since terminated - emasculated by boat manufacture Chris Craft's attempts at taking control of the aeroplane company's voting stock in 1969.

Not long after this takeover debacle, Piper surrendered to US corporate manipulation. To avoid a hostile takeover and the almost certain asset stripping, which was at the time a fashionable and legitimate money making strategy, the old man, 'WT' Piper, relinquished control to the huge and multi-faceted holding company, Bangor Punta. In 1983, Bangor Punta, to stem increasing losses, sold to Lear Siegler. It didn't help. By 1987, total sales of piston-powered general aviation aircraft dropped to 1,085 airframes, the lowest number since 1947. Of those, Piper were responsible for less than 300.

The company was sold to US entrepreneur Stuart Millar for US$2.5 million. Millar managed to increase production but could not escape runaway liability costs. Moreover, Pipers were considered to be under priced. In 1991, the company filed for bankruptcy, a year in which Piper made only 41 aeroplanes. Now under Chapter 11, production was eked out for a further four years until it was finally placed under the ownership of investment company Dimeling, Schreiber and Park who retained 50%. The balance of shares were held by Teledyne and a creditors trust. Named 'The New Piper Aircraft Inc, headed by Charles Suma, Piper once again emerged from financial oblivion with an energy last seen in the good old 'WT' days.

Piper's history of financial distress has seen them through the disastrous downturn in light aircraft manufacturing during both the late forties, and seventies. In the company's heyday, during the sixties and early seventies, production approached 5,000 aircraft a year. 'WT' Piper died in 1970 at the age of 89. During his stewardship, he upheld a humble dogma of humour, hometown business principles with a straight-talking management style that commanded tremendous respect amongst his employees. His efforts at keeping his company's products cheap and simple however, often hampered expansion and he was always reluctant to embark on projects out of reach of 'the man in the street'. Bigger and more sophisticated aircraft were an anathema to WT.

It took some persuading for WT to accept there was a market amongst Piper buyers for a light twin.

When the decision was made to go ahead with the Apache, WT insisted it would be the cheapest on the market and indeed sold for US$10,000 less than Cessna's model 310.

When the first PA-28 Cherokee was launched in 1961, it was a triumph of low-cost manufacturing techniques. Like the Comanche that preceded it by four years, the PA-28 boasted Piper's all-moving horizontal stabiliser and swept tail. The aircraft was an immediate success and replaced the company's moribund and tired tube and fabric Tri-Pacer. Unlike Cessna, which spent vast sums in convincing people that flying light aircraft was not far removed from driving a car, Piper sold on price and low operating costs.

The demand for light aircraft continued to swell during the sixties and with it, manufacturers began offering wider product ranges. It was inevitable that Cherokee customers would demand greater carrying capacity and sure enough, Piper were obliged to come up with the Cherokee Six. In essence, the 'Six' added an extra four feet of fuselage length but it was also an entirely new airframe, not only longer but wider too with a far larger engine. The wings and rear fuselage though, were almost identical in size to a standard PA-28. Piper added an eighteen-inch extension between the firewall and cabin for use as a baggage compartment. Deliveries began in 1969 and the aeroplane quickly outsold its Cessna 206 Super Skywagon opposition.

In 1976, Piper introduced a retract version, calling it the Lance. According to Piper, in an effort to reduce the Lance's cabin noise and save weight, 1978 models were launched with a 'T' tai. This modification may have enhanced the aeroplane's looks but added nothing in terms of performance. The T-tail went a long way in improving the Lance's sled-like appearance but met with general disapproval from pilots complaining of increased takeoff runs and other handling indiosyncrasies, especially during rotation. Despite offering the Lance with either a normally aspirated or turbocharged 300hp Lycoming IO-540, Piper only produced the T-tail model for two years.

Although WT had passed away and ownership of the company was in the hands of Bangor Punta, Piper was still keeping abreast of fashion and making improvements to its existing designs. The most notable at that time was the introduction of the tapered wing in 1974.

It wouldn't be long before the larger singles also benefited. Sure enough, in 1978, Piper flew their newly named Saratoga with the modified wing.

First customer deliveries were made in 1981 and again there was a choice of either normally aspirated power or turbocharged. The turbo line was closed down in 1984 and with production down to less than 20 Saratogas per year, the normally aspirated line was closed in 1991.

When Suma's New Piper Aircraft Company got back on its feet, the Saratoga was once again available with a number of improvements. Piper's preference for developing its line from existing models is a throw over from the company's earlier days. Cessna did the same but to a lesser extent as witnessed by the Centurion, Cardinal and Skymaster. As a consequence, the Cherokee Six's plank wings, elongated nose and estate-car appearance have always looked awkward - more so from the pilot's seat, which almost has a taildragger view over the cowling. Nevertheless, Piper was selling utility and this is exactly what the customer got.

When the New Piper Company relaunched the Saratoga, it called it the II HP. On first acquaintance, it seemed the stylists had got the upper hand. The company has actually reduced window size and altered the nostril air intakes to a much smaller and more efficient size. Piper called the intakes 'axisymmetric' and a further benefit was a reduction in drag. The window size reduction did little to enhance visibility. However, it did a greatdeal to improve the slab-sided look so much a feature of the Cherokee-Six line. Piper also modified the interior by moving electrical switchgear to an overhead panel, giving the Saratoga an 'airliner' appeal. Moreover, substantial changes were made to the assembly stage which brought a reduction in lap joints and bigger skin panels.

[43Inches]

Funny that the article does not mention the PA31, almost 4000 were built. When the Saratoga only had 20 orders in '84 the PA31 series had double that. Its strange that Piper has all but dumped the Navajo series despite it still being so popular compared to its other stablemates. I will not even go into how good the PA-42-1000 (Cheyenne 400LS) is and its been dropped from the production list as well, perhaps it was just too soon like the SAAB 2000.

But maybe the article was right, Piper succeeded on cheap, when it went on to build inspirational aircraft it went broke.

[baron_beeza]

Yes, sorry about the article not being on topic. it was just a good potted history I thought, perhaps painting the picture behind a few of the decisions back then.
In all fairness the article was a lead-in to the new generation Saratoga but I cut the more modern history out when I copied it.

[Gulfstreamaviator]

As the life was in those days I think, either 7800 or 8000 hrs...

It went to Africa, nor certain after that.

Back in 1980's. Must look up const number, and see if still flying....

Glf

[baron_beeza]

I stumbled upon a 1981 Chieftain abandoned at an East African airfield. Turns out it had been parked up in 1984 when the engines had run out of time. I was there ten years later and less than $20,000 had the aircraft minus engines, props and cowls bought, moved and under cover. It was a very tidy 2000 hour airframe and the only real damage was on the ferrous fittings.

A few years later I came across a real stash, several airframes and many, many complete engines. All under cover and possibly still there.

Sourcing avgas had become an issue in some areas of Africa and many of the operators had stepped up to turboprops,-F406, B200, LET 410 and the likes.

[Seagull V]

Don't the guys at GippsAero at Latrobe Valley already do some sort of wing life extension program on the PA31. Some body down there once told me that they had modded more than half the OZ PA31 fleet.

[Jamair]

IIRC, Embraer nows owns the tooling and licences for the PA31 line and have / still do turn out Chieftains et al in Brazil..... They call them by the Piper model numbers, 1020 and 1040 I think.

[jas24zzk]

Licence built as the Emb 820c

[DTE]

"Don't the guys at GippsAero at Latrobe Valley already do some sort of wing life extension program on the PA31. Some body down there once told me that they had modded more than half the OZ PA31 fleet."

Yes, I was at GippsAero a couple of weeks ago and they have a PA31 there currently undergoing the 'mod'.

Cheers

Owen

[43Inches]

IIRC, Embraer nows owns the tooling and licences for the PA31 line and have / still do turn out Chieftains et al in Brazil..... They call them by the Piper model numbers, 1020 and 1040 I think.
Piper outsorced construction of PA31 to Brazil (NEIVA) Columbia and Argentina, the Brazillian ones were renumbered as EMB 820. There was a conversion called the Caraja which was PT6 powered. South American produced Pipers can not be registered in the USA, therefor they are valued a lot less. This clause is listed on the TCDS and is governed by the aircrafts serial number.

The T-1000 series was developed by Piper for use by commuter airlines, these were produced in the USA. The T-1020 is a Chieftain with reduced weight and a basic 11 seat layout. The T-1040 is a Hybrid Chieftain/Cheyenne with turbine engines.