74-18-03: Main Landing Gear Axle Elbow
FAA order 74-18-03 is an airworthiness directive in force since August 30, 1974. The FAA's subject line: Main Landing Gear Axle Elbow. It names Curtiss Wright C-46: about 8 aircraft on the U.S. register today, though an order usually covers particular versions or serial numbers rather than every one. System: landing gear.
What it applies to as the FAA lists it
- Kind of product
- Aircraft
- Makes
- Airlift International, Inc.; Curtiss-Wright Corporation; Flying Tiger Line, Inc.; L. B. Smith Aircraft Corporation; Skyways International Trading and Transport Co.; Tempo Design Corporation
- Models
- C-46A, C-46D, C-46F, C-46R, C-46E, C-46A, C-46D, C-46E, C-46F, C-46A, C-46D, C-46F, C-46F, C-46/CW20-T, Super C-46/CW20-T
- On this site
- Curtiss Wright C-46 8 registered
Dates and paperwork
- In force since
- August 30, 1974
- Docket
- Unknown
- Status
- Current
- The FAA's document
- Read the order on the FAA's site
The order itself the regulatory text, as published
Show the full text (1,593 characters)
74-18-03 CURTISS-WRIGHT: Amendment 39-1937. Applies to all Model C-46 Series airplanes certificated in all categories.
To prevent failures of the main landing gear axle elbows, Part Number 8107-63L and 8107-63R, accomplish the following, unless already accomplished:
(a) For aircraft having main landing gear axle elbows with less than 7800 hours' time in service on the effective date of this AD, at 8,000 hours' time in service and thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 500 hours' time in service, inspect the part numbers 8107-63L and -63R elbows for cracks visually with a ten power or higher glass or in an equivalent FAA approved manner.
(b) For aircraft having main landing gear axle elbows with more than 7800 hours' time in service on the effective date of this AD, within 200 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours' time in service, inspect the Part Numbers 8107-63L and -63R elbows for cracks visually with a ten power or higher glass or in an equivalent FAA approved manner.
(c) Replace cracked elbows with serviceable parts before further flight.
(d) Upon request of the operator, an FAA maintenance inspector, subject to prior approval of the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, FAA Southern Region, may adjust the repetitive inspection intervals specified in this AD to permit compliance at an established inspection period of the operator if the request contains substantiating data to justify the increase for such operator.
This amendment becomes effective August 30, 1974.
Source: FAA Dynamic Regulatory System, airworthiness directives. The FAA's document is the authority; the register counts are this site's, from the FAA register of October 7, 2026. Connections as data: /graph/directive/74-18-03.json · aircraft systems.