Service Bulletin 27-3459 Rev 1: Flight Controls – Flight Control (Gust) Lock Inspection/Replacement
Issued (Original): September 2002
Revision: November 2016
Synopsis of Change: This Service Bulletin has been revised to add ending serial effectivity. The first paragraph of the Description statement has been moved to the Reason statement. The Material Information table has been revised to reflect additional control lock part number information and ending serial effectivity.
Effectivity:
[Editor’s Note: Updates shown include only King Air models and are shown in red for reporting purposes in this magazine.]
Civil:
Beech Model 90, A90, B90, C90, C90A, C90GT, C90GTi, and C90GTx King Air Series, Serials LJ-1 through LJ-2128; Beech Model E90 King Air, Serials LW-1 through LW-347; Beech Model F90 King Air, Serials LA-2 through LA-236; Beech Model 100 and A100 King Air Series, Serials B-1 through B-94, B-100 through B-204, B-206 through B-247; Beech Model B100 King Air, Serials BE-1 through BE-137; Beech Model 200/B200 Super King Air Series, Serials BB-2, BB-6 through BB-185, BB-187 through BB-202, BB-204 through BB-269, BB-271 through BB-407, BB-409 through BB-468, BB-470 through BB-488, BB-490 through BB-509, BB-511 through BB-529, BB-531 through BB-550, BB-552 through BB-562, BB-564 through BB-572, BB-574 through BB-590, BB-592 through BB-608, BB-610 through BB-626, BB-628 through BB-646, BB-648 through BB-664, BB-666 through BB-694, BB-696 through BB-797, BB-799 through BB-822, BB-824 through BB-870, BB-872 through BB-894, BB-896 through BB-990, BB-992 through BB-1051, BB-1053 through BB-1092, BB-1094, BB-1095, BB-1099 through BB-1104, BB-1106 through BB-1116, BB-1118 through BB-1184, BB-1186 through BB-1263, BB-1265 through BB-1288, BB-1290 through BB-1300, BB-1302 through BB-1313, BB-1315 through BB-1384, BB-1389 through BB-1425, BB-1427 through BB-1447, BB-1449, BB-1450, BB-1452, BB-1453, BB-1455, BB-1456, BB-1458 through BB-1683, BB-1685 through BB-1716, BB-1718 through BB-1720, BB-1722, BB-1723, BB-1725, BB-1726, BB-1728 through BB-2019; Beech Model 200C/B200C Super King Air Series, Serials BL-1 through BL-23, BL-25 through BL-57, BL-61 through BL-72, BL-124 through BL-170; Beech Model 200CT/B200CT Super King Air Series, Serials BN-1 through BN-4; Beech Model 200T/B200T Super King Air Series, Serial BT-1 through BT-38, BB-1314; Beech Model 300 Super King Air Series, Serials FA-1 through FA-230, FF-1 through FF-19; Beech Model B300 Super King Air, Serials FL-1 through FL-953, FL-955 through FL-1009, FL-1011 through FL-1030; Beech Model B300C Super King Air, Serials FM-1 through FM-65, and FN-1;
Military:
Model 65-A90-1 (U-21A, RU-21A, RU-21D, JU-21A, U-21G, RU-21H), Serials LM-1 through LM-141; Model 65-A90-2 (RU-21B), Serials LS-1 through LS-3; Model 65-A90-3 (RU-21C), Serials LT-1 and LT-2; Model 65-A90-4 (RU-21E, RU-21H), Serials LU-1 through LU-16; Model H90 (T-44A), Serials LL-1 through LL-61; Model A100 (U-21F), Serials B-95 through B-99; Model A100-1 (U-21J), Serials BB-3 through BB-5; Model A200 (C-12A/C-12C), Serials BC-1 through BC-75; BD-1 through BD-30; Model A200C (UC-12B), Serials BJ-1 through BJ-66; Model A200CT (C-12D, FWC-12D, C-12F), Serials BP-1, BP-7 through BP-11, BP-19, BP-22, BP-24 through BP-63; Model A200CT (RC-12D, RC-12H), Serials GR-1 through GR-12, GR-14 through GR-19; Model A200CT (RC-12G), Serials FC-1 through FC-3; Model A200CT (RC-12K, RC-12P, RC-12Q), Serials FE-1 through FE-9, FE-25 through FE-36; Model B200C (C-12F), Serials BP-64 through BP-71; BL-73 through BL-112, BL-118 through BL-123; Model B200C (UC-12F), Serials BU-1 through BU-10; Model B200C (UC-12M), Serials BV-1 through BV-10; Model B200C (C-12R), Serials BW-1 through BW-29; Model 1900C (C-12J), Serials UD-1 through UD-6.
Non-FAA Approved Airplanes:
Model B200CT (FWC-12D), Serials FG-1 and FG-2; Model B200, Serials BB-1385 through BB-1388; Model B200T, Serials BT-39 through BT-43; Model A200CT (RC-12N), Serials FE-10 through FE-24; Model B200C (RC-12F), Serials BU-11 and BU-12; Model B200C
(RC-12M), Serials BV-11 and BV-12.
Compliance – Mandatory: An Airworthiness Directive has been requested on the matter covered by this Service Bulletin.
Civil Airplanes: Textron Aviation considers this to be a mandatory inspection/modification and it should be accomplished no later than the next Annual/Phase 1 Inspection, as applicable, after receipt of this Service Bulletin.
For compliance information on military airplanes affected by this Service Bulletin, contact the appropriate headquarters.
Reason: This Service Bulletin is being issued to provide safety information once more regarding usage of unauthorized or altered flight control (gust) locks on various Beech propeller airplanes. Recurring inspection information will be contained in the inspection program for the applicable airplane Maintenance Manual.
Numerous accidents and casualties over the years have resulted from the failure of a pilot to remove an unauthorized or altered flight control (gust) lock prior to attempted takeoff. A review of the records from these accidents, dating back to 1975, has revealed that many of the accidents involved use of a make-shift control (gust) lock that was not the one provided by Textron Aviation. In some cases, a common bolt or nail had been inserted through the hole provided in the control column for the flight control (gust) lock. Such a device does not meet the requirements for flight control (gust) locks as defined in 14 CFR 23.679, which states in part: “If there is a device to lock the control system on the ground or water, (a) There must be a means to (1) give unmistakable warning to the pilot when the lock is engaged…”
Warranty: None.
Labor: No warranty coverage will be allowed for the inspection portion of this Service Bulletin.
Estimated man-hours: 0.5 hours
Suggested number of technicians: 1
The above is an estimate based on experienced, properly equipped technicians complying with this Service Bulletin.
Refer to ICAs at https://www.beechcraft.com/customer_support/technical_publications/downloadable_data/ for Maintenance Manual Revisions.
From King Air Communiqué 2016-10:
Issued: October 2016
ATA 05 – High Utilization Inspection Program (HUIP) Contact Information Update
King Air Communiqué 2013-04 provided instructions and contact information on how to sign up for the high Utilization Inspection Program. The web address and email provided have changed as follows: Web address: http://pubs.txtav.com Email address: tmdc@txtav.com
ATA 30 – Prop Heat Operational Check Procedure-Engines Not Running, Rev 1
King Air Communiqué 2016-08 provided instructions on how to check the propeller heat with the engines not running to prevent damage to the propeller de-ice boots. In the De-Ice Timer Check portion, a step was omitted. The wires to terminal block E21 should be disconnected before this check is done.
ATA 31 – King Air Fusion Adaptive Flight Display (AFD) Nuisance Fan Inop Messages
There have been reports on airplanes equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion® avionics of PFD 1FAN INOP, MFD FAN INOP, and PFD 2 FAN INOP Advisory CAS messages during flights with high cabin altitude. The messages only appear when the cabin altitude is higher than would be seen during normal flight operations. When the airplane’s cabin reaches a higher than normal altitude, the air density is reduced and the fan speed can vary outside of the current expected range but are still fully functional. Analysis revealed that an overly conservative tolerance for the fan speed monitor was used and the messages are not indicative of an actual fan failure. These messages would not be seen during normal airplane operations, but could be present during testing of the pressurization and cabin altitude warning systems.
Rockwell Collins has made production changes to the fan monitor to compensate for this condition. An optional service bulletin for fielded AFDs has been released to incorporate the change into fielded displays. Please refer to Rockwell Collins Service Bulletin AFD-3700-31-1 for serial applicability and warranty information (Editor’s Note: attached to this Communiqué on website referenced at end of article.)
ATA 31 – Pro Line Fusion Adaptive Flight Display (AFD) 3700 Flickering
Several operators with Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion® equipped King Airs have reported flickering or dimming of the AFD 3700 when the overhead dimming control is set to the full bright position. This is due to a failsafe function programed into the AFDs which sets the display to 50% brightness if it senses that the dimming control may have failed. The programmed value for this operation is very close to the specification of the dimming potentiometers. The potentiometers are rated for 1K ohms ± 10% and the programmed value to activate the function is set slightly over 1K ohms. A future update to the AFD software will increase the value for this function and prevent its premature activation. In the interim, Rockwell Collins has published the Operators Service Bulletin OPSB 0156-16 (Editor’s Note: attached to this Communiqué at website referenced below) to inform operators of potential for this condition and to provide guidance should it occur. This issue is not cause for any maintenance action unless the issue also occurs at lower dimming settings. Textron Aviation will announce the corrective action when it becomes available.
ATA 32 – The Use of Re-Capped Tires in the King Air
Textron Aviation Technical Support receives inquiries from time to time concerning the use of re-capped tires on King Air airplanes. Textron Aviation Engineering has not approved the use of re-capped tires on any King Air models.
ATA 33 – Emergency Exit Sign Battery Getting Hot
The King Air 300 series airplanes have an emergency exit sign that is powered by four “D” size batteries, part number A14. Textron Aviation has received reports of the batteries getting very hot – to the point that they were too hot to handle. Investigation has revealed that the batteries used by the referenced incident operator were “D” size battery, but not the part number listed in the Illustrated Parts Catalog.
Some brands of batteries use a very thin wall as part of the construction of the battery.
When the batteries are installed in the exit sign assembly, they are under pressure in the retaining clips; this pressure can collapse the walls of some batteries causing them to short internally. It is very important that operators use the correct part number batteries as called out in the Illustrated Parts Catalog to prevent this from happening.
The above information is abbreviated for space purposes. For the entire communication, go to www.txtavsupport.com.
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