Owen Bell - Aviation Enterprises

[hharney]

Owen can be reached at 615-865-1802 cell
Just talked to him yesterday

[Skymaster337B]

Funny how the SAIB talks about wrinkles in the wing tips....yet Cessna still is pushing ahead with the wing mount inspections.

I received a mailed advertisement from Aviation Enterprises. Did any one else? They're having a winter sale on many of their mods. But I found the "Ultimate Skymaster" they are selling the most interesting. They advertise a 2,500 mile range (no mention if that was nautical or statute)...either way, that will take you to Hawaii without internal tanks...very nice. I just hope he doesn't get sued from that accident.

[N5ZX]

I found a few "smoking rivets" at WS-162 and some slightly deformed skin at WS-150.

I can shake the hell out of the whole plane when I do the "Cessna wing rock" and there is NO apparent flexing in the wing...and I mean I can really go to town rocking that sucker...but I am well aware that I am not putting anthing close to flight stresses on the assembly.

I'd ask to post photos of what I found, but the target areas are barely visible in a 2mb image and would never show on a small thumbnail.

I've scheduled with a local shop to inspect the wing next week. I'll have them try to address my gear horn problem while they are digging around.

Given my safety paranoia, it aint flying until I get two (or more) thumbs up

I'll let yall know what they find.

Wish me luck.

Cole

[WebMaster]

a thumbnail is just that. We can see the entire image when we click on it.

[N5ZX]

Okie Dokie...

Here is what I found in my cursory look-see.

Left wing:

A few smoking rivets (barely visible in image 1406).

Warped Metal at/near WS-150. The warps are so shallow that I had to get creative with the lighing to make them show up on the photo.


The shop here cant get to it until mid week so I'm on pins and needles for now.

I cant wait to hear back if I have an unsafe wing or if I am good to fly (ALWAYS well within placarded limitations). Then I'll be able to start sleeping again.

If any of yall have any thoughts / opinions / or similar findings, please share them with me. The FAA is saying that this is apparently becoming a fairly common finding with those plane mounting BOTH the extended tips AND the winglets.

It seems like the should be some way of splinting the top and bottom of the wing to give it more linear rigidity....and maybe while they are at it re-vamp the fuel cap interface so we can get Monarch Caps....since they dont think there is enough of us to get their wonderful product approved for out wonderful planes....Grrrrr....

Clear Skies, all....

Cole

[skymstr02]

Hi Cole,
I don't think that you have to worry about the smoking rivets at all. Those are where the aileron bellcrank is, and those rivets are not sealed. They are fasteners to attach the bellcrank mounting flanges, and if the mechanic were to spray LPS 2 or WD-40 up in there to lubricate the bellcrank bearings, the excess would naturally bleed out thru the unsealed rivets holes. The same would also be true if the wing was recently sprayed with Corrosion X or similiar treatment.

Dave

[Skymaster337B]

The wrinkle does look scary. I'd love to hear what the mechanic has to say. I wonder if Cessna will make new wings for out planes? If so, will that reset the spare inspection clock?