FAAST Blast — Week of June 06 - June 12, 2011

Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update

Keep up to date on your industry with some of the latest news and articles.
Read the latest update at www.faasafety.gov

FAA Issues SAIBs for Frayed Aileron Cables; Engine Oil Filter Interference

On Wednesday, May 31, 2011, FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) concerning the possibility of frayed aileron cables on Cessna 172S aircraft. Cessna is aware of the issue and is working on a soon-to-be-released service bulletin. The FAA recommends following the aileron cable inspection instructions every 200 hours, as outlined in the aircraft maintenance manual.

Another SAIB was issued the same day regarding a concern with engine oil filter interference with select Lycoming engine models on the Piper PA-44-180 and Cessna 172R and S aircraft. Defect reports indicated two instances where there was contact between the oil cooler hose fittings and the oil filter. Such a condition can lead to an improperly installed oil filter and result in a loss of oil or oil pressure. FAA recommends inspecting the oil filter for any interference with the oil cooler hose and to have the hose repositioned if adequate clearance does not exist. 

Both SAIBs are available at www.faa.gov/aircraft/safety/alerts/SAIB

How Are TFRs Born?

Have you ever wondered about those TFRs you hear about in your briefings? Who's responsible for them, and why do they just seem to pop up? 

For answers to those questions and more, FAA Safety Briefing editor, James Williams, spoke with experts at FAA who are directly involved in the process. From monitoring special events to working with a number of federal, state, and local security agencies, the men and women of FAA's System Operations Security office work hard to not only set up and publish the TFRs, but also to advocate for GA users.

To find out more about the process and how you can stay up on current restrictions, check out "We're on a Mission" on page 16 of the May/June 2011 issue at: www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing