The FAA issued two direct-to-final-rule Airworthiness Directives this week that affect nearly 6,000 general aviation aircraft.
An Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Cessna addresses the elevator trim tabs in roughly 5,000 twin-engine T310Q, 310Q, and 402B aircraft. Textron already has issued a service bulletin and the FAA is allowing 90 days for owners to make the fix, with the clock starting on April 26. Replacing the elevator trim push-pull rod hardware should cost around $100, the FAA said.
The Piper AD addresses reports of rib cracks found in the wings of PA-28 Cherokees that occurred during production, and extends a previous directive to include upwards of 700 aircraft. Per the FAA, operators should expect to pay $85 for an inspection and $125 if repairs are needed. If not corrected, could result in reduced structural integrity of the wing. Operators must comply with the AD within 25 hours of flying after the effective date of April 26, with the exception of those airplanes listed in the previous AD, which have 25 hours after last October 29 to comply.
