AC 43.13, welding and a hip-check

[Michael Horowitz]

Background: I have a wing strut with a bend in it and it may also be
cracked.
Looking thru AC43.13 at various welding options raises some questions:

Paragraphs 4-92 (Repair by Welded Sleeve) and 4-97(Splicing using
Larger Diameter Replacement Tubes)appear to apply. When would one
technique be used over the other? (NOTE: I am not going to attempt
this repair, just getting familiar with the terms)

In another example: Inspecting another strut, the A&P points out a
slight bend and opines it was caused by someone pushing on the strut.
What are the circumstances that would allow me to straighten a member
( i.e. using a little hip action) vice having to resort to welding? -
Mike

[Craig]

(Michael Horowitz) wrote in message >...
> Background: I have a wing strut with a bend in it and it may also be
> cracked.
> Looking thru AC43.13 at various welding options raises some questions:

Before you even comtemplate doing ANY strut repairs like these, get a
copy of the repair limitations out of the structural repair manual for
the aircraft. Many of the SRM's state that there are no repairs
allowed on the struts. Others allow repairs only if the damage is
within certain limts and/or locations.

When you make a repair like this without the guidence of the SRM, you
now become a permanent test pilot/structural engineer/ stress analyst.
With certain structural items, it's far better to be conservative than
not. A strut failure in flight is about as close to an absolute
guaranteed fatality as you can get.

BTW, what are you working on?

Craig C.

[Michael Horowitz]

(Craig) wrote:

(Michael Horowitz) wrote in message >...
>
>
>BTW, what are you working on?
>
>Craig C.



I had an incident with the Tcraft and wiped out the undercarriage; in
the process took out a fore strut. Located an acceptable landing gear
and my A&P is going to sand-blast it so he can examine it more
carefully. I picked up a fore strut in the same buy with the
understanding that if the A&P put thumbs down on it, I could return
it.

A&P pointed out that based on the formation of the affected area, it
appears the strut bent, then someone attempted (without the benefit of
heat) to bend it back. Based on his comment, it became a source of
spare parts while I went looking for another strut; as part of this
exercise I went to "Best Practices" to read up on welding, hence my
question. - Mike