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Tow bar attachment SB


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Tow Bar Service Bulletin

Tuesday 14 June, 2011 7:49 am | Maintenance, Owners

This SB affects ONLY aircraft that have tow bar interface installed and it must be implemented as defined in chapter 1.1.

Reason: The towing interface has been installed with hand towing in mind, as is appropriate for such a light aircraft. We have received reports that aircraft have been towed with vehicles, and the end stops of the nose wheel steering have not been considered properly. This lead to damages in the nose wheel stoppers.

 

Therefore we introduced clear markings on the outside and define by instruction and placard that the interface is for hand tow only. This change has been implemented in new aircraft production, and must now be implemented to the aircraft in field.

 

Parts required for this SB fulfillment will be mailed from FDUSA.

 

Please make reference to the correspondent SB in your order.

 

For planes affected for this SB it will be necessary to add correspondent Supplement to the manuals – these is mandatory step to fulfill SB completely

 

LSA planes (MTOW 600 kg):

 

Service Bulletin

 

CTLS \ CTLS HL \ MC                                  PZ 3410 6004

 

Supplement to AOI

 

CTLS \ CTLS HL \ MC                                   AZ 0430 0003

 

Supplement to MM

 

CTLS \ CTLS HL \ MC                                    AZ 0480 0001

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FD put the tow bar lugs on the steering column. This of course would be the best place.

But there are quite a few CTSW's and LS's that have a hand tow bar. You only need to get longer bolts for the front wheel pant screws. Buy some 1/2" - 3/4" plastic or metal bushings and use these to replace the front screws on the CTSW. Now you have tow bar lugs on each side. This can be done on any CTSW or LS. I know of several people that have had this mod for at least 4 years. The tow bar is from Aircraft Spruce and it is for a Cessna. I posted pictures years ago. I'll see if I can find them.

 

p.s.

This should be done anyway to all the wheel pants, but is a must for the tow bar.

Remove and throw away the piece of fuel line rubber on the inside of the wheel pant. I can't believe anyone real thought of this to start with, this was a bad idea from the start years ago. On the mains replace that with a 1.25" fender washer. On the front use the washer on one side and then on the other front use the washer plus a hard plastic or metal bushing spacer. This simple mod keeps the wheel pants from shaking to death and eating a hole out on the main wheel pants. I have had to repair a few wheel pants that have been trashed because of that piece of rubber that allows every thing to move and shake.

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Roger, totally agree with your solid mount theory. I dished the stainless washers to conform to the "bowl" fastener depression in the wheel pant and also took a file and radiused the sharp edges on the circumference of the washers so they don't bite into the wheel fairings. I might mention I did this after repairing the wheel pant where the bolt ate out a hole due to the rubber washer. No problems going on one year with the solid attachements.

 

 

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I have no intentions of ever using the tow bar pins on my CTLS and I don't want anyone else towing my plane.

 

So to avoid this SB requirement, it seems like we should be allowed to remove the tow bar pins and simply replace them with regular bolts (with FD approval of course). I'm waiting right now for FD's response to this approach.

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  • 4 months later...

I have no intentions of ever using the tow bar pins on my CTLS and I don't want anyone else towing my plane.

 

So to avoid this SB requirement, it seems like we should be allowed to remove the tow bar pins and simply replace them with regular bolts (with FD approval of course). I'm waiting right now for FD's response to this approach.

Did you ever receive an approval for this?

 

Al Downs

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