[hharney]

Cessna did not use any computer based analogy to provide any rational to the proposed SIDs. Cessna says that all proposed documents are based on SDR information. There are NO SDR's that relate to the wing/strut attach points. This is the main issue with these specific proposed inspections. Cessna's opinion is that because the aircraft are over 20 years old, they need a routine checkup in these areas to determine if there is a potential problem. The red herring is that the process they require will necessitate removal of the tail, then the booms and finally the wings to perform an eddy current inspection on the attach points. Unless someone comes up with some kind of device that can safely allow the bolts to be removed without removal of the tail and booms, the cost of this inspection is huge. Then you have to take into account the damage that will be subdued to aircraft when non-qualified shops try to perform this inspection. There may be no damage to any Skymasters out there right now but there will be once shops start to perform this inspection.

Don Nieser has even gone as far to search all the military SDR's for the aircraft and I understand that there is nothing in that data base also that would point to a problem. The aircraft is just overbuilt in that area and there are other related components that would fail first before these attach points would be a problem. We addressed this with Cessna but the engineers just think that it's a good idea to inspect these locations. No basis, just a good idea.

I suggested several times at the meeting in Wichita that Cessna should soften these inspections to some type of visual without removal of the bolts. All reports of these inspections could be sent in as information to determine if there is a problem. I don't know if that was the best alternative or not for us because there is still no rational for the inspection.