Oh boy, yet another AD from good old Grob. That makes 16 by my count!

Got to tell a story about the incident that lead to the big flight
control fix. Seems a mechanic who also gave rides on weekends was up
with a passenger in the front seat of a 103 he had just been working
on. The passanger was just that, first ride I believe. On final
approach he started loosing aileron control. Yep, moving the stick
left and right didn't make the bird do anything!

Talk about cool-hand-Luke, this guy un-strapped, flipped open the
hatch on the floor of the baggage compartment (behind the rear seat),
grabbed the aileron linkage and righted the bird, as in made the wings
parallel with the world again! Got to think this guy suspected
something wasn't quite with the aileron system. Anyway, his problems
weren't over because both of his hands were busy with right hand on
the aileron linkage behind him and left hand on the stick for pitch
control. They were too high and if someone didn't pull the spoilers
they were in danger of over-flying the runway.

Cool hand Luke said to his un-suspecting passanger, "Do you see that
blue handle on your left side? Please pull it back a bit".

They got the bird back on the ground in one piece and Grob came out
with a $3000 doller fix that was paid by the aircraft owners (not
Grob) that went through all the flight control systems and fixed
things that an idiot could see weren't strong enough!

OK. rant over, I feel much better now,
JJ

On Jun 8, 12:25*am, "
wrote:
Our club's Twin III had a major problem that was found in a Positive
Control Check, the bolt holding the belcranks for the airbrakes and
the elevator (located behind the rear seat in the control hookup area)
had sheared.

Grob will probably be doing an AD for instpection soon, our plane is
at Grob right now being inspected (they are only a 20 minute drive
from the club!).

Please inspect your Twin III before you fly in again.

And for those of you who don't feel the need to do a PCC .... This
wouldn't have shown up with a visual inspection nor probably on a
"hands on" inspection.

Bob