In 2014 the Aircraft was damaged because of a hard landing. Damage extended to the Aft Main Gear Bulkhead and adjoining skins. Bulkhead and skins were removed and replaced by ASIC.

Repairs were part-off / part-on by the 145 Repair Station (ASIC) and no 337’s were required. In conjunction with these repairs, ASIC performed the Phoenix I and II Structural STC’s.

ASIC is unique in its ability to implement a procedure that substantially drives down the cost of ownership through the elimination of costly recurring Eddy Current structural inspections required by the manufacturer. The existing requirements involve the recurrent inspection of critical areas of the aircraft structure where attaching hardware is removed, and sensors are placed in the structural fittings to check for fatigue cracks. This mandatory structural inspection is highly invasive and can
cause long and costly periods of down time for the operator.

Most Caravan Airframe structural inspections are required at 12,500 operating hours and then recur every 2,500 hours thereafter. After 12,500 operating hours, the cost of structural inspections and amount of aircraft down-time is increased by a factor of five-times. Typically, after 12,500 hours total time, the Caravan becomes much less cost effective to operate than alternative, lower-time aircraft.

ASIC has developed a solution to this costly problem on higher-time Caravans. ASIC FAA STC SA01850WI allows for the replacement of the fittings originally installed by the manufacturer which results in a “re-set” of the 12,500-hour airframe structural inspection requirement. This re-set of the inspection clock results in the elimination of five costly inspections over the next 12,500 hours of operation. The maintenance cost and down-time savings are substantial and result in bringing the overall operating cost back in line with much younger aircraft.

The aft fuselage structural inspections start at 16,500 hours and then recur every 1,000 hours thereafter. ASIC FAA STC SA01919WI allows for the replacement of all tail fittings, key structural components, both spars in the horizontal stabilizer, and both spars in the vertical fin. With the 1000-hour interval no longer applicable, the cost of sixteen aft fuselage structural inspections and the related down-time is eliminated. This substantially increases operational effectiveness and reduces overall operating cost.

The Phoenix Caravan STC procedures are not available at any other facility, nor can they be performed at any other location than ASIC.