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SUBJECT:
Upper Windshield Bracket
SUMMARY:
Under the top windshield bracket where it is pop riveted to the keel tube the tube had a crack in it. You could not readily see this on preflight or with the wing cover open. We heard a new popping noise when taxing on a rough taxi way.
Pulling down the bottom wing cover at the velcro opening while taxing, we noticed the front pop rivet moving in and out of its hole. The rear rivet was loose too. When we removed the bracket we found the main tube had been flexing from the rivet pushing up and in, then pulling down and out.
We called Spark at Flightstar. He said there is not a lot of stress on the tube at this spot, but we should fix it. To do so, we got a part #B-146 boom reinforce plate and a rubber isolator from
Flightstar. Since the tube was already cracked between the rivets, we drilled a hole big enough for a 1/4" nut.
Then we bolted the isolator to the reinforcement plate and mounted it to the tube through the four rivet holes with AN bolts, nuts, washers and a long 3/8" wrench. Then we took the original windshield bracket shortened it to fit the old hole in the windshield and on to the new isolator. It seems to be OK.
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