Please join me in letting forth a barbaric YAWP, as the FAA has decided that, even though piper never explicitly approved use of PA-30B wheels on a PA-30, in light of 85Y having used the "B" wheels since 1974 without incident, they have granted us a field approval to continue using the "B" wheels provided that we do not consider them to present any sort of safety hazard.
Awesome.
If I sound a little cheeky, please forgive me. I actually do believe that were it not for the FAA's oversight, we would see all manner of unsafe jerry-rigging and shadetree foolishness in aviation maintenance. Our aircraft are safer with FAA oversight, without question. As it is, however, it's tough to wait 3 weeks for them to decide if the wheels were safe, considering they have been in service without issue for 34 years.
But now they're "legit".
As it stands, Piper 85Y is set to return to the line with 100% certainty this Monday, with a possible return on Saturday or Sunday. Don't hold me to that, of course. Many thanks for the patient twinkie pilots who have been affected by this paperwork scourge.
==
In other news,
Cessna 25R demanded and received new tires. The left main (the "good" one) was more hexagon than a circle. The "bad" one looked like it had been shot with a 12ga slug at KCPM. Nice work on those short-fields, guys! :)
Cessna 17J is back from Tom's Cessna in Long Beach for some nit-picking warranty work and upgrades.
Cessna 68U has new brakes. again.
==
Bumpy today, but nice and clear and going to be warmer soon. I can't wait.
Blue Skies,
- Mike
