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Sounds like Cessna needs a couple of good EAA tech inspectors
and a DAR on their staff. Heheheh... That is absolutely inexcusable lack of
workmanship and quality control. Mike C.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:02
AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] You think you have
problems!
I think sometimes, we get so wrapped up in our
small R&D projects that we forget that at least we have control over
it. Imagine just having spent close to an outlandish $200,000 - $300,000
for a new single engine Cessna and then getting the AD mentioned below.
Ed
Emergency AD Affects New 172s, 182s
 If you've recently taken delivery of a new Cessna 172
or 182, check the serial number against a list in an Emergency Airworthiness Directive issued Friday. A few
dozen of the brand-new airplanes are grounded until they can be inspected
for potential control rigging problems. "The FAA has been notified that
inadequate or incorrect flight controls rigging may exist on recently
produced Cessna Models 172R, 172S, 182T and T182T," the Emergency AD reads.
It should be stressed that the affected airplanes are grounded. No ferry
permits or repositioning flights will be allowed. Cessna staff discovered
various problems with aircraft still in the factory. However, it's believed
that some potentially flawed airplanes were delivered (i.e., flown) to their
new owners, who, presumably, have also been flying them.
 What's perhaps most disturbing about this AD is the breadth of
defects discovered by Cessna technicians. Normally an AD focuses on a
specific part or system in an airplane but this one identifies a Pandora's
box of potentially serious issues. According to the AD, Cessna found
misrigged and misaligned control surfaces, a missing bolt on a flap
push/pull rod, cables chafing fuel lines (resulting in damaged fuel lines),
cables routed outside cotter pins, crossed cables, cables routed outside of
pulleys, cables rubbing on bulkheads and center consoles, unpinned or
improperly pinned barrels on control cables and a bent flap bell crank.
These are new aircraft, remember. The AD calls for an immediate, detailed
one-time inspection of the flight control system and repairs, as necessary,
to bring the system up to standard. Since the AD prohibits any flights
before compliance, those with aircraft in places without suitable
maintenance facilities are advised to phone Cessna Product Support at
316-517-5800.
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