FAA Issues Airworthiness Directive for Reims Aileron Bearings

FAA Issues Airworthiness Directive for Reims Aileron Bearings The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Reims Aviation F406 aircraft aileron bearings. F406, Reims' only aircraft, is a twin-turboprop Cessna variant, The original notice by the French civil aviation authority refers to : "several reports regarding an important corrosion on the bearings with propagation to the bracket-hinge of the rudder. This corrosion has been discovered after rudder removals. This condition, if left uncorrected, could result in the loss of the rudder control on the airplane." Service instructions are Reims Aviation Industries SB F406-57. Bearings must be inspected and lubricated and/or replaced within the next 100 hours or three months of flight operation following the AD's issuance. All Reims F406 aircraft are involved in the directive: F406-0001 through F406-0092. With a history dating to 1933, Reims Aviation was forced into bankruptcy in 2002 by the bankruptcy of Fairchild Dornier, a key customer. Farchild's bankruptcy caused a cash flow squeeze at Reims, exacerbated by late delivery penalties on F406's for the Greek navy. The aircraft construction business exited bankruptcy in 2003 under new ownership, focused on the F406, and splitting off its aerospace division to other investors.