Owen Bell - Aviation Enterprises
 

Howdy, all.

The recent FAA SAIB CE-10-20 released on Tuesday addresses concerns with aircraft that have been fitted with Winglets and/or wing tip extensions.

I have both.

The SAIB directs operators to contact Owen Bell at Aviation Enterprises in Nashville with any specific questions.

I have been trying to contact Mr. Bell by phone, fax, and email concerning the recommended inspection and what I am seeing on my plane. I've even tried the "contact us" form on his website. But I have had no reply to any of my attempts.

Does anyone have an alternate method of getting through to him?

Thanks, all.

Cole

Cole

Just out of curiosity, what are you "seeing" on your plane?

Roger

Owen can be reached at 615-865-1802 cell
Just talked to him yesterday

Funny how the SAIB talks about wrinkles in the wing tips....yet Cessna still is pushing ahead with the wing mount inspections.

I received a mailed advertisement from Aviation Enterprises. Did any one else? They're having a winter sale on many of their mods. But I found the "Ultimate Skymaster" they are selling the most interesting. They advertise a 2,500 mile range (no mention if that was nautical or statute)...either way, that will take you to Hawaii without internal tanks...very nice. I just hope he doesn't get sued from that accident.

I found a few "smoking rivets" at WS-162 and some slightly deformed skin at WS-150.

I can shake the hell out of the whole plane when I do the "Cessna wing rock" and there is NO apparent flexing in the wing...and I mean I can really go to town rocking that sucker...but I am well aware that I am not putting anthing close to flight stresses on the assembly.

I'd ask to post photos of what I found, but the target areas are barely visible in a 2mb image and would never show on a small thumbnail.

I've scheduled with a local shop to inspect the wing next week. I'll have them try to address my gear horn problem while they are digging around.

Given my safety paranoia, it aint flying until I get two (or more) thumbs up

I'll let yall know what they find.

Wish me luck.

Cole

a thumbnail is just that. We can see the entire image when we click on it.

Okie Dokie...

Here is what I found in my cursory look-see.

Left wing:

A few smoking rivets (barely visible in image 1406).

Warped Metal at/near WS-150. The warps are so shallow that I had to get creative with the lighing to make them show up on the photo.


The shop here cant get to it until mid week so I'm on pins and needles for now.

I cant wait to hear back if I have an unsafe wing or if I am good to fly (ALWAYS well within placarded limitations). Then I'll be able to start sleeping again.

If any of yall have any thoughts / opinions / or similar findings, please share them with me. The FAA is saying that this is apparently becoming a fairly common finding with those plane mounting BOTH the extended tips AND the winglets.

It seems like the should be some way of splinting the top and bottom of the wing to give it more linear rigidity....and maybe while they are at it re-vamp the fuel cap interface so we can get Monarch Caps....since they dont think there is enough of us to get their wonderful product approved for out wonderful planes....Grrrrr....

Clear Skies, all....

Cole

Hi Cole,
I don't think that you have to worry about the smoking rivets at all. Those are where the aileron bellcrank is, and those rivets are not sealed. They are fasteners to attach the bellcrank mounting flanges, and if the mechanic were to spray LPS 2 or WD-40 up in there to lubricate the bellcrank bearings, the excess would naturally bleed out thru the unsealed rivets holes. The same would also be true if the wing was recently sprayed with Corrosion X or similiar treatment.

Dave

The wrinkle does look scary. I'd love to hear what the mechanic has to say. I wonder if Cessna will make new wings for out planes? If so, will that reset the spare inspection clock?

Looks kind of ugly

I must however say that I never understood the deal with the extra tanks. It's so 80's Normans Cay and Cat Island. I can run for 6 hours / 900NM with reserve on regular tanks. How much more do you really need? As for the tips, they look cool, but take all that crap off and just put some micro VG's on and make it safe.

Just my opinion :)

The plane came with the extended tanks. But I like having the truely redundant reserve fuel supply. I also like the high altitude performance, the short take off roll, the lower stall speed, the 450# increase in useful load, and the improved ride.

Of course...the newly revealed potential of the wings falling off kinda diminishes the appeal of the "improved ride".

As for the winglets....again, the appeal is the improved performance.

We'll see what the mechanics say.

I've heard Cessna didnt use the best quality aluminum for their skins. Maybe the issue can be addressed by upgrading the skin.

Wing Splints....

Spar extensions....

I dunno...

Cole

What? Cessna didn't use good materials for the skins? Sounds like a law suit if it was an act of commission, and not just an act of omission.

Cessna uses/used the industry standard for aluminum, 2024-T3, and the standard for construction.
The engineers didn't overbuild it to accomodate future after market modifications that may come along, such as wing tip fuel tanks and extended wing tips. And they certainly did not over engineer the wing that an individual would exceed the structural limitations imposed by the said non factory approved modifications.
I'd like to know who has determined that Cessna used non conforming raw materials in its construction?

Dave

What???
 

I'm not an avid supporter of Cessna's customer support, prices or attitude toward the small airplane owner - especially in regard to the aging fleet.

However, I think it is out of line to accuse them of using substandard materials on hearsay. In our litigeous society that could have far reaching negative implications.

I have not seen any evidence in my skymaster that the original construction used anything other than the standard accepted materials. By the way, it looks to me like a pretty solid airframe even though it has been flying for 43 years.

Everybody relax....

I did not say Cessna used inadequate materials when they built the bird 23 years ago.

I said that I had heard that Cessna didnt use the BEST material.

We all know that part of the process of engineering is to find the lowest priced material that will meet or exceed the requirement for the job. There is no evil or malice in doing that. Thats simple common sense and makes the plane affordable.

All I was saying is that there may be BETTER materials available to address the newly revealed areas in need of improvement....for a few planes.

I am not an engineer. I am barely a pilot. I am not second-guessing ANYONE or pointing fingers or accusations as anyone.

Thats all I meant.

Cole