Lombardo covers business aviation maintenance-related issues. He is also a writer and on-air reporter for AINtv. He has over 3000 articles published and is the author of several books on aircraft systems for pilots and on the topic of flight simulation.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from the University of Illinois, has taught aviation for over 35 years in industry and as a university professor and academic dean at three different universities. He is also a frequent seminar and after-dinner motivational speaker.&nbsp;
Lombardo holds an A&amp;P Certificate, ATP, CFI and Ground Instructor ratings. He was a corporate pilot and was a research pilot and flight instructor at the University of Illinois. An FAA Safety Counselor for over 25 years, he was one of the original 13 Counselors appointed to the FAA’s Airworthiness Safety Program for maintenance technicians.&nbsp;

Contributor

David A. Lombardo

Twin Commander Aircraft and its authorized service centers are responding to accommodate owners and operators affected by a recent airworthiness directive calling for inspection and modification of the aft pressure-bulkheadarea.
Twin Commander proposed, and theFAA recently approved, a procedure that provides some operators relief from the strict compliance requirements inAD2013-09-05, which is based on <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainmxreports/2012-12-05/twin-commander-technicians-train-sb-241-inspections">Service Bulletin (SB)241</a>.
The revision toSB 241 allows operators to perform an inspection of the aft pressure-bulkhead area, and if the inspection does not reveal cracking, the operator will be able to resume flying for another 100 flights or 110 flight hours, whichever comes first. This procedure may be repeated two more times before implementation of theADis required. The procedure does require that a modified thicker-gauge upper window channel be installedfirst.
Matt Isley, Twin Commander Aircraft’s president, said installation of the thicker upper window channel takes about six days, costs approximately $10,000 and can be performed by a qualified technician. The inspection itself takes about a week and can be done concurrent with the replacement of the upper windowchannel.
“The determination of the allowable flight hours and number of flights is based upon crack-growth analysis. If you check it today and tomorrow a crack begins, the question is how long it will take that crack to grow to the point it becomes a problem. The analysis indicates it would take five times longer than [the time period] we’ve recommended, so there is a significant safety buffer. However, the engineering analysis is based upon installation of the thicker upper window channel to brace the section above and below the picture window. The upper window channel distributes the load that would otherwise be concentrated in the aft pressure bulkhead,” Isley toldAIN.
“This procedure is of particular value to those operators who can’t afford to wait to get a slot in maintenance for the fix. For instance, seasonal operators for whom the bulk of their work is occurring now need to be able to keep that airplane in the air,” Isleysaid.
To date about 110 aircraft have been modified; approximately 440 active aircraft are affected by theAD, and about half of them are based in theU.S.

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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