Propeller TBO

[JUST-local]

The aircraft:- EASA registered light singles.

I have seen many aircraft advertised for sale which appear to be running beyond the TBO, usually calendar life on under ustilised machines.
How is this possible? The aircraft are airworthy (apparently) as in have current C of A and recent Airworthiness Reviews. What and who gives the exemption.

All the aircraft I am invloved with are tied to the manufacturers tbo normally 6 years if specified and between 1000 & 2400 hours.

In the UK we run our engines 20% longer than tbo using GR24 is there something for props that may be costing me and others money?

[NutLoose]

For wobbly ones see, http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP747.PDF

Section 2 Grn 17 I think

Fixed pitch

Is in lamps and covered under

8.1 Overhaul, additional inspections and test periods shall be those recommended by the type certificate holder or supplementary type
certificate holders.

Though a lot of places still seem to do it on condition, I did all of ours on the Annuals to spread them out or we would have had to ground the fleet and do them all at once.

But lets face it LAMPS is a farce, it has you changing Seat Belts on a 150 at 10 years but on a 152 the same belts have no life and are on condition.

Changing engine hoses to Teflon on a Cessna increases the life from 5 years to 10 I think it was... Change the same hoses on the same Engine make in a Piper and they go to on condition.....

Cessna though recognises that the brake hoses when changed to teflon increase in life from 5 years to on condition and even though that was to be added to the manuals 25 plus years ago as stated in the service letter we are still waiting.......

That was why LAMS was so good, it set a level playing field for all of the light stuff so you knew exactly where you were.......... now the CAA are so sh*t scared of getting sued they fail to do their job and try to pass the buck.

These are of importance and the first would cover props

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/AIRCOM200918.pdf


and this will be of interest to you

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/AIRCOM200917.pdf

you should keep an eye on here but a lot of peeps no nothing about it, I didn't until a friend let me know

List of Airworthiness Communications (AIRCOMs) | Publications | CAA (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=33&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=list&type=sercat&id=51)

[JUST-local]

Many thanks Nutloose,

As I thought they should not really by flying with props over tbo!!! I can not find anything about "on condition".

I was told by my surveyor of aircoms just as they came out.

Yes its been a very expensive couple of years for many customers!!! (some have sold up as a result!) I have had to throw away a large pile off good vac pumps, engine control cables, seat belts etc. etc.
Its just very odd and slightly annoying when some of Europe are just not complying with such basics as propellers. What chance is there that they understand or bother with AD's and SB's!!! :yuk:

[Malcom]

The question of lifed items continues with no satisfactory written conclusion.

On third hand advice Ive now taken it to be ADs & Airworthiness Limitations in the TCDS are mandatory while SBs & manufacturers lifed items are not mandatory, but should be reviewed & incorporated into the maintenance programme if desired.

I cant get a simples answer from CAA surveyors as they have their tune sheets changed daily, the CAA advice in the various press articles is different from that presented in LAMP which seems to make it mandatory or not, depending on how you want to read it.

So, is a 2000hr/6yr TBO as required by an SB enforceable? Who knows.:ugh:

[jxk]

The only way to resolve the issues of lifed, recommended and SB and all the other wishy washy terms in the LAMP is to make them ADs; if they are other, then the rules are open to misinterpretation.