WOOD DALE, Ill., April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AAR CORP.
(NYSE: AIR) today responded to a South Florida FAA FSDO notice
(UPN No. 2008-S20080110024, dated March 25, 2008) regarding enamel paint
applied to the inside surfaces of Boeing 707, 747, 757 and 767 main landing
gear (MLG) truck beams.
Painting the internal bore of landing gear beams has been an industry
standard practice for years. The paint is applied as an additional layer of
protection against the environment, thereby inhibiting corrosion from forming.
While, the requirement to paint the internal bore, previously contained in the
Boeing manual has been dropped as a requirement, painting of the internal bore
continued to be a standard industry practice.
In July 2001, a major U.S. carrier was specifically given approval from
the FAA to apply enamel paint to the inner surface of MLG truck beams and they
continue to do so. Additionally, Boeing has advised AAR and the FAA that
painting as an alternate finish application, as noted in the UPN, should be
considered equivalent to the maintenance manual requirement provided the other
overhaul instructions are followed. Boeing also advised that the alternate
finish scheme is not considered to be a time limited repair and overhaul
intervals should continue as scheduled.
The FAA referenced an airworthiness directive in the UPN, which it appears
is not applicable to the application of paint to the inside surfaces of MLG
truck beams. Rather, the airworthiness directive applies to operators of
757-200s and -300s with respect to periodic in-service landing gear
inspections designed to ensure that the aft drain hole of the main landing
gear truck beam is clear. The enamel paint applied to the inner surface of the
truck beam, is not the subject of the airworthiness directive and the paint
does not extend to the area where the drain hole is located. When performing
MLG overhauls pursuant to the maintenance manual, AAR complies with the
airworthiness directive and related alert service bulletins on behalf of the
operator and ensures that the drain hole, which is the subject of the
referenced airworthiness directive, is open.
The FAA notice does not require taking any corrective action nor does it
change the time a landing gear with painted interior surfaces can remain in
service nor does it require the removal of any landing gear from service.
This press release contains certain statements relating to future results,
which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements
are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and
estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are
subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including
those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled "Risk Factors", included in
the Company's May 31, 2007 Form 10-K. Should one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or
estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those
described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to
predict accurately and many are beyond the Company's control. The Company
assumes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may
be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated
or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included
in AAR's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE AAR CORP.
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