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News & Media Bonanza group works with FAA to get aircraft back in air

Bonanza group works with FAA to get aircraft back in air

July 5, 2018 By Alyssa J. Cobb

After the FAA issued an airworthiness directive (AD) in March to limit the life of exhaust v-band clamps on Bonanzas and require repetitive inspections, some A36TC and B36TC models with the affected parts have been grounded because Textron Aviation does not have the required replacement parts in stock.

Example of a Bonanza affected by the airworthiness directive. Photo courtesy of the American Bonanza Society.

The AD was issued because of a “fatal accident in which the exhaust tailpipe fell off an aircraft during takeoff,” AOPA previously reported. The AD required the v-band clamps be replaced at least every 500 hours of time in service after the initial replacement.

The American Bonanza Society Air Safety Foundation requested an alternative means of compliance from the FAA’s Wichita Aircraft Certification Office. The agency has approved an alternative means of compliance that allows a similar part, which has a Cessna part number and is in stock at Textron and other Cessna parts dealers, to be used instead.

The global alternative means of compliance lists the new part numbers that are acceptable to be installed on to A36TC, B36TC, V35TC, V35A-TC and V35B-TC aircraft.

On July 13, the FAA  issued a special airworthiness information bulletin to inform the pilot community of the availability of  the alternative means of compliance.

Alyssa J. Miller
Alyssa J. Cobb
The former senior director of digital media, Alyssa J. Cobb was on the AOPA staff from 2004 until 2023. She is a flight instructor, and loves flying her Cessna 170B with her husband and two children. Alyssa also hosts the weekly Fly with AOPA show on the AOPA Pilot Video YouTube channel.
Go to Alyssa J. Cobb's Profile
Topics: Aircraft Regulation, Airworthiness, Ownership

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