Cessna C337 SID

[skymstr02]

At least our input is valued by Cessna. I don't think that the 400 series owners had that luxury.

We, as a collective unit, need to be smart and educate the OEM as anyone there that was on the 337 program has long retired or gone west.

[ipasgas1]

Our partnership 337 has been sold and I was looking at getting my own but I am now thinking I should hold off until this is all sorted out so I don't end up getting an aircraft that becomes too expensive to maintain???? How long do they feel this process will take before we know what the new recommendations / requirements are going to be?

[Roger]

Well assuming you are at least 16 years old, it will probably happen in your lifetime, but I wouldn't count on it. I certianly wouldn't delay a purchase based on waiting for a governtment ok, or a "Cash for Airplane" program.

Life is what happens while you let other people decide your fate.

[Shalimar]

I recommend that ipassgas take and underline Roger's final point, "Life is what happens when you let other people decide your fate". This is an on going issue with all aging aircraft. SOAPA is doing a superb job representing us all and the issue should sort itself out. That said, since the concern seems to be for the higher time airframes, i would suggest finding one with 3000 hours or less (this becomes academic if they base it on calendar years which seems even more senseless).
A bigger issue facing all of us is the possible future demise of 100LL but we can't let that stop us either.
Recommendation: Find a lower time 337 that has been well taken care of, has good logs and a knowledgeable owner. Find an A&P/IA that knows and loves Skymasters and pay him/her for a complete pre-buy (suggest not the same shop that performed the last annual).
Since you are experienced with the type you probably already know many of the foibles and should have an idea what to look for. if not this website has many knowledgeble and experienced pilots, mechanics and owners. That can offer some suggestions.
But don't wait on this issue.
Good Luck

[jchronic]

Being involved in marine mammal survey flying in 336/337s, I'm paying close attention to this. Before I retired from management at a Part 121 operator in 2006, also had some dealings with aging aircraft issues at that level. Obviously, there are several agendas and a lot of moving parts involved here, i.e. airplane usage, any valid failure history, failure modes, liabilities, the FAA's sometimes (many times?) unclear aim, etc. etc.

SOAPA's diligence and hard work in this situation is much appreciated. Like everyone here, I'd hate to see these useful and utilitarian airplanes needlessly put out of business by a financially unviable AD, SD, or other. And I completely understand the desire of owners and operators to avoid any financial hit.

However, as we sort through this haystack for 'truth,' I'd offer one observation, illustrated by what I said to an A&P inspecting a homebuilt I wanted to buy: "Give the airframe special attention. I can deal with an engine quitting, but not with a wing coming off."

Capt Ahab

[SkyMac]

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

[hharney]

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?

[hharney]

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

[SkyMac]

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

[hharney]

http://www.337skymaster.com/messages...ead.php?t=3599