I would assume this is good news for the 337? Hopefully, they would not just convert the SID into an AD on just the 337 if all the high wings have the same SID? It seems, barring any other related 337 incidents, that this has run its course?

Watch the video on YouTube. I always check what it said to check without an SID. I wish that Cessna would just admit to a service life for its old airplanes. How long can a C-172 wing last, forever? Or is there an hour limit to its life? Cessna knows the answer to this question, but for some reason won't tell us. The same is true for the 337 too, the only difference is that Skymasters are built more beefer.

You Tube Video mentioned above
 

SID's - Front & Rear Spar Eddy Current (bolt hole)
 

Hi Everyone

I need some thoughts on this matter from other members of the forum, last week all SID's were completed on my plane with the exception of the front and rear spar bolts / screws.

Aircraft is 33701575 (1974)

In my aircraft these two bolts / screws do not exist, they are rivits and are factory. The SID's which my aircraft S/N falls into still specifies the removal of the bolts /screws to complete the stated eddy current inspection of the bolt hole. They even show the photograph of the bolts / screws.

1. Does anyone have information or documentation from Cessna regarding this?

2. Has anyone completed the SID's on their aircraft which has rivits, and what did you do?

A previou post mentioned a discussion with Cessna had taken place regarding this particular issue - the response was remove the rivits and replace with bolts / screws.

I have a window of opportunity to finalise this last remaining SID tomorrow, do I remove the rivits?

Appreciate and assistance with this.

Dave

Dave

Are you referring to the bolts that attach the wing, to the fuselage? These points would be the spar attachments

The parts book does not refer to anything other than the bolts.

I am thinking that your airplane already has the wings removed (based on photos I have seen) so you must be referring to some other area?

From Don Nieser
 

Herb and Dave, my recommendation is ..,. DO NOT REMOVE THE RIVETS IN THE BOTTOM FRONT SPAR TO DO THE SID INSPECTION!
The problem is Cessna made a mistake when they wrote the SID. The way the SID is written it tells to do a wing spar Eddy Current inspection of the holes in the bottom front spar at the area just outboard of the strut attachment and they made it applicable to all 337 and 0-2 Skymaster serial numbers. This SID inspection is exactly the same as the original Wing Spar AD put out by the FAA, AD 78-09-05. The mistake by Cessna is that they should not have included all serial numbers in the SID!

If one reads the 337 Wing Spar AD 78-09-05, one will find out that it correctly does not include all serial numbers because the 337 aircraft with serial numbers higher than 1852 wings were beefed up (made stronger) and did not have the screw/bolt holes in the bottom front spar. The late model wings had rivets in the location that The AD 78-09-05 and the SID say to Eddy Current the screw/bolt holes. It is absolutely ridiculous for people at Cessna to tell him to drill out the rivets. This is not the first time this issue has come up. I tried to get Cessna to make a correction to the SID, but they don’t listen to me.

My recommendation is to make a note in the log book stating that the AD 78-09-05 has been accomplished on the wings and the SID inspections have been accomplished up to the but not including the Eddy Current inspection of the screw/bolt holes in the bottom front spar because Cessna made an error when they wrote the SID.

Herb, what is Dave’s aircraft serial number? What is his last name? I think Cessna should put out a letter to all 337 owners of aircraft with serial numbers greater than 1852 stating that the SID is not correct.

You can post this on the SOPA web site message board or I will when I get time.
Don Nieser
Commodore Aerospace Corp
405-503-4686

Hi Guys

Don & Herb, many thanks for the quick responses to my dilemma. Based on your feedback Don we have now completed all SID's with the exception of the front and rear spar screw holes. Given mine are rivets and the current SID does not detail any information regarding aircraft with rivets.

We also took the opportunity to do further eddy current work on boom attachments to the wings and tail attachment regardless of the visual inspections. As mentioned all but one SID have been completed, so what am I going to do about what we decided not to do?

I have asked the person we used for the eddy current work to look at ways to complete an inspection in this area using other means, one that we can suggest to Mr Cessna for those aircraft that have rivets not screws. I am not saying we will find the answer, but I want to see what some very experienced and knowledgable people in non destructive testing and inspections can come up with.

This Friday I will discuss the way forward on this task with my engineers and the NDI team, the cost associated to complete the proposal and the next steps once we feel there is a workable solution.

My aircraft is a 74G normally aspirated SN 1575, we'll below the SN number Don mentioned.

I will keep you informed.

Dave :D

Cessna - Friend or Foe?
 

After reading this article about the Cessna Centurion, it brings back some unsettled memories of sitting around a table with Skymaster advocates, Cessna Engineers and management several years ago in Wichita. Cessna does not want aging aircraft in the sky. Even though they have been given a congressional write off of all these older airplanes they are still trying to control the fleet. I am glad to hear the results of this situation and my hat is off to those that partnered with Mike Busch to challenge this attempt to control the pilots and owners. There is always two sides of the story but our side is being beat down by a heavy hand.....be careful out there


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