Avionics News June 2019 - 30

Advertisers Index
Advantage Aviation Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
Aero Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  84
Affordable Avionics Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
Air Plains Services Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Aircraft Lighting International . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Aircraft Spruce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
APG Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
Applied Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  57, 85
Aspen Avionics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13
Astronics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
Atlas Aircraft Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
AVweb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  44
Banyan Air Service  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  82
C&L Aviation Services . . . . . . . . . .  75, 84
Cal Labs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  84
Carolina Turbine Support . . . . . . . . . . .  87
Carpenter Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Castleberry Instruments & Avionics . . .  50
CiES  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  83
CMD Flight Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  85
Columbia Helicopters . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
DAC International  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  65
Dallas Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  IFC
Duncan Aviation . . . . . . . . . . . .  31, 82, 85
Eagle Aviation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
EDMO  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC
Elliott Aviation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  51
Executive Air Taxi Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Flite Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Flying Colours Corp.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
FLYING Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  IBC
Freedom Air Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Garmin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
Haggan Aviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Hangar One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  82
Hillsboro Aviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
HOVA Flight Services  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics . .  1
Nason Associates  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  71
NexAir Avionics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
Oasis Aviation Maintenance . . . . . . . . .  87
OK3 Air  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
On the Beam Aviation  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
On Wing LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87
Pacific Southwest Instruments . . . . . . .  19
Park Rapids Avionics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Premier Avionics LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Sandia Aerospace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59
Schweiss Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  83
SmartSky Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  45
Southeast Aerospace . . . . . . . .  67, 82, 87
Sparkchasers Aircraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  86
Tech-Aid Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  82
TGH Aviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
Toledo Jet Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Tri-Star Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
Valair Aviation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  69, 85
VIAVI Solutions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
WBParts Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  84
Western Jet Aviation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  87

30

avionics news

*

june

2019

AEROBEARINGS ENFORCEMENT CASE
Continued from page 29

In the meantime, aircraft owners, operators, and
maintenance professionals are left to determine how to handle
bearings handled by AeroBearings.
It's interesting to note the FAA did not issue an
airworthiness directive related to AeroBearings products.
It would seem any violation so significant, so critical in
its impact to safety that it justifies an emergency order of
revocation would justify more than a quiet recommendation
to aircraft operators to check their equipment.
But that's exactly how the FAA responded - by publishing
a safety alert for operators. SAFO 18008 warns aircraft
owners, operators, air agencies, suppliers, distributors and
maintenance technicians of improper maintenance performed
by AeroBearings LLC.
Technically, SAFOs are not legally binding or statutory in
nature, but the fine print (literally) on every SAFO issues a
back-handed warning: "SAFO content should be especially
valuable to air carriers in meeting their statutory duty to
provide service with the highest possible degree of safety in
the public interest. Besides the specific action recommended
in a SAFO, an alternative action may be as effective in
addressing the safety issue named in the SAFO."
Does this language mean any air carrier that ignores or
merely misses this SAFO is not "meeting their statutory duty"
and therefore not providing "the highest possible degree of
safety?"
The SAFO recommends aircraft owners, operators,
maintenance technicians and others should:
1.	 Inspect their records and inventory for any bearings
approved for return to service by AeroBearings LLC.
2.	 Quarantine and inspect any bearings not installed,
then conduct a recertification inspection to determine
airworthiness prior to installation.
3.	 Inspect any installed bearings at the next piece parts
exposure.
It is prudent for maintenance technicians and aircraft
owners and operators to consider the guidance outlined in the
SAFO since the FAA alleges the airworthiness of the bearings
is in question, even though the enforcement case hinges
primarily on paperwork technicalities.
"SAFOs are not necessarily legally binding, but the fine
print on each SAFO should give air carriers, in particular,
pause," Jackson said. "All individuals using AeroBearings
products should follow the advice in the SAFO." q
Avionics News June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News June 2019
