Step 1 , Determine applicability and inventory affected aircraft: Confirm which aircraft in the fleet are Swift Museum Foundation GC-1A or GC-1B models fitted with Adel Precision Products Corporation landing gear with forged aluminium torque knees. The AD applies only to aircraft “fitted with Adel Precision … with forged aluminium torque knees.” Document the installations and identify serial numbers and maintenance history for the strut assemblies.
Step 2 , Schedule and complete Requirement 1 within six months: Unless previously accomplished, arrange for installation of a suitable external stop or an equivalent safety measure within six months after the AD commencement date (commencement 17 September 2020). The AD allows choice of the external stop design but requires that it function as a safety measure if the internal stop ring fails.
Step 3 , At installation, perform Requirement 2: At the time of installing the external stop, or within the next 100 hours’ time in service if installation has already occurred, examine the Adel strut assembly stop ring for looseness or separation at the braze. If the stop ring is loose or shows separation at the braze, replace it. After reassembly, set the external stop so that there is a clearance of 1/32 to 1/8 inch between the face of the stop and the side of the strut cylinder with the gear fully extended. Where the installation does not achieve the specified clearance, rework the external stop until the clearance is within the stated tolerance.
Step 4 , Put in place measurement and verification procedures: Because the AD specifies a small imperial clearance range, adopt measurement tools and procedures (for example calibrated feeler gauges, clear measurement techniques and calibration records) to verify the 1/32 to 1/8 inch gap. Record the measurement results contemporaneously with maintenance records and maintenance release paperwork as applicable under continuing airworthiness practice.
Step 5 , Observe recurring inspections every 100 hours TIS: Implement a maintenance task to re-check the clearance with the strut fully extended at intervals not to exceed 100 hours’ time in service. Integrate this inspection into the operator’s maintenance schedule and ensure staff are trained in the examination procedure and in identifying signs of brazed joint separation.
Step 6 , Action on zero clearance: If a re-check reveals there is no clearance between the external safety stop and the strut cylinder, disassemble the strut and examine the internal stop ring for indications of failure. If failure is apparent, replace the inner cylinder assembly with Adel P/N 16084 or perform a suitably documented rework that achieves the required safety outcome.
Step 7 , Parts and supply planning: Given the AD specifies Adel P/N 16084 for inner cylinder replacement where failure is found, establish supply lines for that part or plan for an acceptable rework process. Where a non-standard rework is to be relied upon, prepare substantiating documentation and seek the necessary acceptances or approvals under applicable maintenance approval processes (the AD text does not provide the AMOC route, so follow the regulator’s usual channels).
Step 8 , Safety procedures for gear-extended checks and disassembly: Ensure safe procedures are in place for verifying the clearance with the gear fully extended, including any jacking, blocking, or operational safety measures needed to avoid injury or damage during inspection, rework or replacement.
Step 9 , Recordkeeping and audit readiness: Although the AD text does not prescribe specific recordkeeping, maintain contemporaneous records of installation dates, inspection findings (including measurements), parts replaced (including serial numbers and Adel P/N 16084 where used), and the dates and logbooks showing 100-hour interval checks. The AD’s audit provenance indicates regulators may check historic compliance, so maintain traceable records.
Step 10 , Quality control to avoid cascading remediation: Because improper initial installation or failure to achieve the specified clearance can lead to disassembly and replacement of the inner cylinder assembly, ensure that initial installation work is subject to quality assurance checks. Where rework is needed, document the rework steps, measurements before and after rework, and the rationale to demonstrate conformance with the AD’s clearance requirement.
Step 11 , Engage with the regulator where uncertainty arises: If the maintainer or operator intends to employ an alternative external stop design or a non-standard rework approach to Adel P/N 16084, engage with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority early to confirm acceptability and to understand the procedural route for acceptance of alternate methods. The AD itself does not set out an alternative compliance procedure in its text.
Step 12 , Integrate future AD obligations into continuing airworthiness planning: The AD imposes recurring time-in-service checks; make these recurring inspections a standing item in maintenance programmes, ensuring business planning allows for parts provisioning, labour allocation and aircraft downtime consistent with the 100-hour intervals.
By following the sequence above, operators and maintainers will address the AD’s three requirements: installation of an external stop or equivalent, inspection and correction of the internal stop ring and brazed joint as necessary, and recurring clearance checks with mandated action where zero clearance or internal failure is detected. The AD’s numeric clearance and the specific part number for replacement (Adel P/N 16084) provide concrete technical targets for compliance activities.