Hi aeromariner,
Me again! This from a PA31 operator in the US:
We have had a 27,000 and a 39,000 hour plane inspected via eddy current along the holes of this stack and the only thing found was 'indications'.
We send a portion of the latest (39k) one to NAIR for further analysis and are awaiting results.
We currently life-limit these to 40,000 and have two more set to retire (one at 38k and one at 39k). We have yet to find anything significant so will continue on this path.
T
Piper said the aircraft is no good after 13,000 hours, how is this operator getting the FAA to ok them out to 40,000 hours? Why can't this be done in Australia? What am I missing!
I'm trying not to be provocative, just would like to know the facts and whether, in hindsight, we got this right in Australia.