The FAA has said it will revise its Proposed Airworthiness Directiveregarding ECi connecting rods found in about 2,800 Lycoming engines, ECi President Ed Salmeron said on Friday. The revision will allow owners to wait until their next scheduled engine overhaul to remove the connecting rods, instead of the "within 50 hours time-in-service" originally proposed. The FAA also said it is open to a discussion about inspecting and reworking the rods after they are removed. The original Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, issued on Oct. 5, drew immediate protest from ECi. "We strongly feel that no safety of flight concerns exist," the company wrote to the FAA. AOPA also objected to the NPRM, saying the FAA "blindsided AOPA, ECi, and the general aviation community" by forging ahead with a proposed rule without first consulting industry stakeholders.
http://www.avweb.com/newswire/12_01a/brief...tml?CMP=OTC-RSS
http://www.avweb.com/newswire/12_01a/brief...tml?CMP=OTC-RSS
