Ameri-King ELT AD - Who is Affected?

[Jeff_S]

Who else got the email from Frank Crawford re: the AD for the Ameri-King ELT problem? I'm curious how many Mooney's are affected, and how we find out? Is that the standard ELT in all non-406Mhz installations? I looked through my logs to see if the ELT was named during annual, but it's not. I guess I'll have to go to the airplane and check the POH or just open up the back panel and identify. Any other thoughts on this?

[Alan Fox]

Its all Ameri-king products after a certain date , Feds pulled their PMA for substandard parts

[RLCarter]

Out of the 5 planes my IA checked yesturday 4 are effected and 2 are mine, add another line to the compliance record

[MB65E]

What date is listed in the AD other than the C&D order? These guys are the Asian sweatshop of ELT makers. There  Huntington Beach facility is such a mess I was surprised they put anything in airplanes. Their G switches have been failing for years. I've replaced 3 or 4  over the years. The AD appears to just all for an annual inspection? Don't we do that anyway? 

Junk!

-Matt

[Rookie]

3 hours ago, Alan Fox said:

Its all Ameri-king products after a certain date , Feds pulled their PMA for substandard parts

How do we know if ours are involved?

[N6758N]

Just now, Rookie said:

How do we know if ours are involved?

Go on FAA.gov and read the AD, it should have part numbers and/or serial numbers affected. 

[RLCarter]

It's all 450 () and 451 (), don't remember a date range but didn't read it that close, the ELT's do get checked at annual but now these will have to have the AD compliance recorded. The FAA shut down production back in 2015 and the couldn't even supply the O-ring when I needed one for the 172

Edited September 20, 2017 by RLCarter

[MB65E]

I didn't see a date range. But The C&D letter was 12/15. say to replace them, but only if they are bad...

I'd rather get rid of them all together.

-Matt

[Robert C.]

I'm affected, but as noted above, the AD calls for an initial inspection within 12 months and then annual inspections, so I'm not sure what the big deal is.

I forwarded it to my AP-IA and he responded ".....I can talk for an hour on this subject, but nothing will change for you as all of this is performed at a Reliant annual anyway...."

Robert

[RobertGary1]

Why wouldn't they just fix the issue and get their pma back? They were a market leader for the 406 updates. 

-Robert 

[thinwing]

It's not that big a deal..conduct inspection and slap or throw test per 3.4 in ameriking install manual.Basically you inspect for corrosion of battery and all connectors.Check function by slapping the Elt or fast throwing motion forward and back..and check for 3 sweeps 5 min after the hour.Make sure antenna is still connected...also remote activation switch is tested...a crude measure of output is done by cheap am radio set to any frequency set close to antenna and listen for the sweeps.As I understand it ,operators can conduct this test...units can be repaired but not parts from ameriking...FAA is punishing them

 

 

[Marauder]

Why wouldn't they just fix the issue and get their pma back? They were a market leader for the 406 updates. 
-Robert 

Because they violated the FAA trust... it’s one thing to produce a bad part and address the issue with the FAA. It’s another thing to misrepresent things. From the AD:

“BACKGROUND The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has determined Ameri-King Corp., located at 17881 Sampson Lane, Huntington Beach CA 92648, manufactured, sold or distributed parts and articles for installation on FAA type certificated aircraft, which did not conform to an approved design, but were represented as FAA approved.

On December 28, 2015, the FAA issued an emergency cease and desist order to Ameri-King Corp., terminating their TSOA and PMA. The emergency cease and desist order required Ameri-King Corp. to immediately cease and desist manufacturing, selling, and distributing any parts and articles for installation on FAA type certificated aircraft. Prohibited activities also include advertising, repairing, rebuilding, and altering any articles intended for installation on type certificated products.

It appears Ameri-King Corp. may be continuing to produce parts and articles represented as TSOA or PMA approved despite the emergency cease and desist order. Any parts and articles produced by Ameri-King Corp. after December 28, 2015, were produced without an FAA production approval”


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[neilpilot]

1 hour ago, thinwing said:

It's not that big a deal..conduct inspection and slap or throw test per 3.4 in ameriking install manual.Basically you inspect for corrosion of battery and all connectors.Check function by slapping the Elt or fast throwing motion forward and back..and check for 3 sweeps 5 min after the hour.Make sure antenna is still connected...also remote activation switch is tested...a crude measure of output is done by cheap am radio set to any frequency set close to antenna and listen for the sweeps.As I understand it ,operators can conduct this test...units can be repaired but not parts from ameriking...FAA is punishing them

 

 

Before this AD, operators were permitted to conduct this test.  Unfortunately the FAA was petitioned to permit operator sign-off, but declined.  The operator is not permitted to sign off the AD.  

[thinwing]

I better reread the AD..I thought when petitioned for operator check it was agreed to..

[neilpilot]

18 minutes ago, thinwing said:

I better reread the AD..I thought when petitioned for operator check it was agreed to..

This, from the FR preamble to the AD, is why I made my comment.  I hope I'm wrong!

"Request To Allow Operators To Determine if the ELT Is Functional Michael Dunn requested that we allow operators to determine if the ELT is functional. The commenter noted his AK-451 ELT was inadvertently set off and it worked. We disagree with the commenter's request. The service information specified in this AD provides instructions for testing the ELT, and we have determined this test is necessary to address the identified unsafe condition."

[thinwing]

No You are correct..it is an AD so an IA needs to sign off...so it's the slap and shake psh button test every 12 months till replaced with any other ELT other than an Ameriking...as written....it means if your 450 is inop ,can't be fixed ,you can't even put a used working 450 back in...that is under FAA definition of "serviceable elt "being any other elt other than an ameriking!...cute FAA is really trying to bury the brand even going back to the pre trouble units!That what you get when using cheap Chinese parts

[thinwing]

5 hours ago, N6758N said:

Go on FAA.gov and read the AD, it should have part numbers and/or serial numbers affected. 

Nope..it's all of them !Going back to the first one made!

[Greg Ellis]

I read the AD.  I don't think this is really a big deal to the actual owner and operators of the ELT's in the airplanes because it states that inspections must be accomplished within 12 months of the AD.  Well, normally it is tested and inspected during an annual so that is no biggie.  If something is found to be wrong then you take corrective action which you would do anyways if the ELT failed. Now, the cost may come in if it does fail.  You have to replace it with an FAA approved unit which these no longer are.  The AD stated that there have been 75 failures of these particular ELT's.  Ameri-King stated that they have approximately 14,500 of these in airplanes.  So this represents less than a percentage of 1 percent failure.  

[MB65E]

That's reported failures... I'll give two more failures.

Agreed not a big deal for the owners. 

The FAA should post pictures of their facility, owners would remove the product based on the pictures alone.

 

-matt

[201er]

On 9/20/2017 at 7:30 AM, Jeff_S said:

Who else got the email from Frank Crawford re: the AD for the Ameri-King ELT problem? I'm curious how many Mooney's are affected, and how we find out? Is that the standard ELT in all non-406Mhz installations? I looked through my logs to see if the ELT was named during annual, but it's not. I guess I'll have to go to the airplane and check the POH or just open up the back panel and identify. Any other thoughts on this?

Not only are they un-certified, they work like junk. Mine failed a shock test inspection which is how we found out the other issues with it. Didn't last two years. Ended up switching to an ACK.

[KSMooniac]

Mine failed the g test years ago as well, and I had it repaired by an independent repair station where I learned how junky they are. I hope to kick the can down the road another year or two before upgrading to a 406 unit from a better manufacturer.

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[Mooneymite]

Here's a link to the AD:

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/5baf0370c7871deb862581a0004afd68/$FILE/2017-16-01.pdf

Does anyone have a link to the document referred to?  I'm coming up empty.

"AmeriKing Corporation Document IM-450, “INSTALLATION & OPERATION MANUAL,” Revision A, dated October 18, 1995;"

[neilpilot]

4 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

Here's a link to the AD:

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/5baf0370c7871deb862581a0004afd68/$FILE/2017-16-01.pdf

Does anyone have a link to the document referred to?  I'm coming up empty.

"AmeriKing Corporation Document IM-450, “INSTALLATION & OPERATION MANUAL,” Revision A, dated October 18, 1995;"

I'll try to upload it to MS

ELT AK-450 Rev A Installation Manual.pdf

[Mooneymite]

Thanks, @neilpilot !!!

That was fast.  Just what we all need.

 

[ragedracer1977]

Since my C is down for annual as we speak, I don't know what ELT I have.  I replaced the battery a few months ago, but I can't remember the name on it.  Is there a way for me to find out?  So I can get this sorted right now?