Citation Summer 2004
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SB525-22-01R1
—Joe Austin
Revision 1 of this Service Bulletin came out in June 1996 but there are still quite a few aircraft that have not yet completed it. Revision 1 is a visual inspection of the aileron cable system at the servo and instructs you to verify that the aileron cables are not chaffing against the autopilot drum cable retainers. This inspection can be signed off at the next Phase 5 or will take approximately .5 man-hours of inspection time. This bulletin and revision applies to 525 models up to serial number 0141.
The servo is located in the tailcone, forward of the air conditioning unit near the bottom of the tailcone. Make sure that the cable is not touching the retainers. If it is, check that the cable is not damaged beyond 525 Maintenance manual limits and try to reposition the retainers to prevent further damage. Usually the retainers do not need replacing because they are a non-structural item and do not affect flight characteristics of the servo or aileron system.
If you have questions or comments, please contact Joe Austin at 800.525.2376.
Paint and RVSM Criteria
— George Bajo
An aircraft kept in a quality coat of paint is less likely to develop corrosion. For this reason, aircraft should be stripped, inspected and repainted by a reputable aircraft paint facility every five to seven years. Inferior or old paint can cause electrical problems affecting comm radios and navigation receivers. In addition, many aircraft manufacturers’ “continuing maintenance instructions” for RVSM aircraft stress that the paint around the static ports needs to be kept in “new condition” with no paint chips allowed to disrupt the airflow over the static-sensing areas, which could cause altitude errors.
As more of the fleet undergoes the RVSM certification process, we are learning paint continues to be a critical area. In fact, most aircraft need some amount of paint work around the static ports during RVSM certification. Dealing with a paint shop experienced with this issue is an important key to avoiding significant rework during RVSM certification or during future exterior refurbishment.
ELT Registration
— Dennis DeCook
Have you registered your ELT? All 406MHz emergency locator transmitters must be registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Immediate registration with the NOAA can be accomplished online at www.sarsat.noaa.gov. Registration is required every two years.
Trivia Question
— Joe Austin
The previous question was: Where is eutectic salt used on most Citations?
The answer: Eutectic salt is used in the engine fire loop system. The salt is non-conductive in the normal temperature range but when heated to approximately 500 degrees, the chemical properties of the salt change and become conductive (less that 200 ohms), creating a ground for the Engine Fire Light in the cockpit. Once the fire loop cools down, the salt becomes non-conductive again. This system is used in other locations in other models to perform the same function for bleed air leak detection.
This edition’s question is: In the vacuum-operated pressurization systems of models 500, 550 (non Bravo), S550 and 560, what is the primary function of the 3 micron cabin air filter that is located by the outflow valves?
The first 15 callers with the correct answer will receive a small gift. Call 800.525.2376 and ask for Joe Austin.
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