AD retrival method

[jamesm]

Hi, I am curious to know what sites or subscription based AD service people use. The old days they would send the Bi-weekly updates cd to the IA's but I am sure the have modernized by now have gone online. I can't seem to remember the names of companies that made these.

The reason I ask is that I am preparing to check ride soon which requires proof AD compliance.  So when switched IA several years back, the previous IA had the AD's in an excel spread sheet table easy to read that he would update at annual time. The current IA includes all AD's compliance list as part of the sign off.

I noticed when I used the FAA DRs web site
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/doctypeDetails

I get quiet the variance of depending how I apply the filters as well as varying consistency which AD are applicable.

I have an 1967 M20C  with Lycoming 0-360A1D wide deck engine,  hartzell  scimitar top prop.

 Can't seem to make sense of this or be able to explain  the discrepancies.  I am over thinking this  or ??? 

 

Thanks in advance,

James

[A64Pilot]

I used to use Tdata, work paid for it, I need to find a software solution so if anyone knows of a good one for just a couple uses per year, I’m all ears.

Most of course seem to be for those with shops that will do many different aircraft in one year, where I only need a few a year

https://tdata.com/product/iapproach-basic/

[takair]

I just use the FAA web site. For low volume work it’s adequate. The old ADs don’t change so you are only looking for deltas from a previous extensive search. I haven’t played with the latest iteration too much, the previous one did everything I needed. 

[Guest]

I don’t use it here in Canada, but from what I’ve seen the Ad Log system looks pretty good for AD tracking.

[kortopates]

For an a owner, you can’t beat the AD log system. They also provide all the materials to organize your AD list and show compliance. About $50 year from memory after the initial year which is more expensive since they send you all materials to organize.


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[EricJ]

1 hour ago, jamesm said:

Hi, I am curious to know what sites or subscription based AD service people use. The old days they would send the Bi-weekly updates cd to the IA's but I am sure the have modernized by now have gone online. I can't seem to remember the names of companies that made these.

The reason I ask is that I am preparing to check ride soon which requires proof AD compliance.  So when switched IA several years back, the previous IA had the AD's in an excel spread sheet table easy to read that he would update at annual time. The current IA includes all AD's compliance list as part of the sign off.

I noticed when I used the FAA DRs web site
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/doctypeDetails

I get quiet the variance of depending how I apply the filters as well as varying consistency which AD are applicable.

I have an 1967 M20C  with Lycoming 0-360A1D wide deck engine,  hartzell  scimitar top prop.

 Can't seem to make sense of this or be able to explain  the discrepancies.  I am over thinking this  or ??? 

 

Thanks in advance,

James

I use https://drs.faa.gov/browse  as well and used the previous FAA system before that.   I used the airresearch system in A&P school, which is one of the pay systems that some shops use.    The new FAA system is free and seems easy enough to use to me, so I've never bothered with anything else lately. 

[jamesm]

10 minutes ago, EricJ said:

I use https://drs.faa.gov/browse  as well and used the previous FAA system before that.   I used the airresearch system in A&P school, which is one of the pay systems that some shops use.    The new FAA system is free and seems easy enough to use to me, so I've never bothered with anything else lately. 

Is there certain search criteria that you use? in other words can you do an AD search as the airplane as a whole (Air frame,Engine,Propeller,Appliance)?

or do you do  separate search for  airframe another search Engine, another search for  propeller,  another  search  for appliances?

How do you deal with all changes in avionics I.E. fuel senders, and other components that have been replaced since original?

Thanks,

James

[EricJ]

29 minutes ago, jamesm said:

Is there certain search criteria that you use? in other words can you do an AD search as the airplane as a whole (Air frame,Engine,Propeller,Appliance)?

or do you do  separate search for  airframe another search Engine, another search for  propeller,  another  search  for appliances?

How do you deal with all changes in avionics I.E. fuel senders, and other components that have been replaced since original?

Thanks,

James

Generally you can start with the airplane, make and model, and the new system gives you all ADs related to engine and accessories that could be expected to be on that model of airplane as original equipment.   When I do a search on my airplane I get several ADs for King autopilots, although my airplane was originally shipped with a Century autopilot.   So you have to weed out stuff that doesn't apply.  That's a normal AD search process, though, to weed out stuff that doesn't apply either by S/N of aircraft or engine or appliance or stuff that just isn't installed.

If you have newer avionics or special STCs or stuff that might not otherwise be expected to be on your airplane, like an electronic ignition or something, you really should search those separately.    You won't, however, have to search for things like alternators or vacuum pumps separately if everything you have is direct replacements for what was originally there.   

Edit:  Engine and propeller searches are separated out as well, but it's the same process; start with make and model.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

I use https://drs.faa.gov/browse  as well and used the previous FAA system before that.   I used the airresearch system in A&P school, which is one of the pay systems that some shops use.    The new FAA system is free and seems easy enough to use to me, so I've never bothered with anything else lately. 

I feel like a dolt and find it horrible to use the new FAA system, it’s a pain compared to the old AD search STC or Type Certificate search.

 

[EricJ]

39 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

I feel like a dolt and find it horrible to use the new FAA system, it’s a pain compared to the old AD search STC or Type Certificate search.

 

I hear that from a lot of people, that they don't like the new system.   It seems a bit better to me, but maybe I've not had to exercise it enough to get to the annoying parts or something.

[A64Pilot]

Again people will argue, but to me the full blown AD search is one of the longest and most arduous process in an Annual for me, but then I guess I’m a Luddite. Computer types probably enjoy it.

In theory any component on the aircraft could have an AD, a circuit breaker for example, how do you know one wasn’t changed and that one has an AD? So you check every CB?

I don’t believe it’s realistic to catch every single possible AD, a prop governor overhauled by x company could have an AD, but only if done from this dare to that date, but if overhauled by y company it’s fine, it goes on and on. Many times you don’t have paperwork saying who overhauled the prop governor.

Where I’m going with this is as an IA I have to research in theory every single component on that airplane since it’s birth for AD’s. I say in theory because I don’t think 100% is realistic, prop governor for example, you can’t verify if it wasn’t overhauled by the company that has an AD against them, so do you require it’s replacement? Some would say yes. 

But if I did the Annual last year, then I only have to concern myself with the last year, so it should be much less expensive to stick with one IA, because every time you change they have to check everything since the aircraft’s birth date.

The AD thing grows arms and legs, that’s why the software was easier for a Luddite like me. 

[PT20J]

1 hour ago, M20Doc said:

I feel like a dolt and find it horrible to use the new FAA system, it’s a pain compared to the old AD search STC or Type Certificate search.

 

 Not to mention all the broken links now on various FAA webpages!

[PT20J]

I keep a spreadsheet of all AD and SB/SI compliance indicating date each was complied with or why it is not applicable, if that's the case (e.g., N/A, serial number). I just update it every year. My IA has some software that he uses to check also.

The governor is a good example of how this stuff can bite. AD 2020-19-06 for a McCauley prop governor bearing affected my governor which was overhauled by West Coast Governor Service in 2018. I was able to comply with the AD without opening up the governor by getting a copy of the work order from West Coast showing that a PMA bearing was used and not the McCauley part called out in the AD. Sometimes all that pesky FAA-required paperwork is helpful 

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