American Champion (Bellanca) 7 and 8 series Aeroplanes — Folding Front Seat Bottom Reinforcement Trusses
- Published
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of the specified ACAC model airplanes should perform the one-time inspection procedure outlined in American Champion service letter number 437 to confirm the presence of the reinforcement trusses. If any truss is missing, the operator must report the airplane model, serial number, and registration number to the FAA contact provided. There is no specified compliance deadline for this inspection.
Summary
The Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin SAIB: CE-13-40 is an FAA informational bulletin addressing a potential airworthiness concern in American Champion Aircraft Corporation (ACAC) Models 7 and 8 series aeroplanes. It highlights the possible omission of two reinforcement trusses in the folding front seat bottom of various ACAC models, including 7EC, 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 8KCAB, and 8GCBC, among others. This bulletin is not mandatory but serves to alert operators and maintenance personnel of the issue.
What changed
This SAIB introduces awareness of a manufacturing omission where two reinforcement trusses may be missing from the folding front seat bottom in certain ACAC model airplanes. It does not mandate corrective action but recommends a one-time inspection to verify the presence of the reinforcement trusses. The bulletin also clarifies that this issue is not currently considered an unsafe condition warranting an airworthiness directive.
Why it matters
This information is important for aviation professionals because missing reinforcement trusses in the folding front seat bottom could lead to seat structural failure, as evidenced by an incident involving an American Champion Model 8KCAB during aerobatic maneuvers. Operators, maintenance organizations, and compliance teams need to be aware of this potential risk to ensure continued safety and airworthiness of affected aircraft.
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