WingSparInspection.com
Wing Spar Inspection for Piper and Cessna Spar ADs
Tell us your aircraft and home airport. We'll connect you with an independent eddy current inspector who covers your area, plus an A&P for the access work if you need one.
Request a spar inspection
WingSparInspection.com is an independent referral service, not a repair station. Independent inspectors and mechanics perform and sign off all work.
Which spar AD applies to your aircraft
Three airworthiness directives cover about 10,400 U.S.-registered Piper and Cessna airplanes.
Piper PA-28 and PA-32 Wing Spar Inspection
AD 2020-26-16. An eddy current check of the lower main spar bolt holes once a spar reaches 5,000 factored service hours. About 5,440 U.S. airplanes.
Cessna 210 Carry-Thru Spar Inspection
AD 2020-03-16 (210G through 210M) and AD 2023-02-17 (210N, 210R, P210, T210N, T210R). A visual and eddy current check of the carry-thru spar lower cap.
Cessna 177 Cardinal Carry-Thru Spar Inspection
AD 2023-02-17. The same carry-thru spar check, on every 177 variant.
Wing Spar Eddy Current Inspection
Wing spar eddy current inspection for Piper and Cessna spar ADs: what the test finds, who is qualified to do it, what it costs, and how to book one.
Wing Spar Corrosion Repair
Wing spar corrosion repair after a spar AD inspection: cleanup within limits, protective treatment, when a spar is replaced, and FAA cost estimates.
Two FAA proposals from 2024 are still not final rules. One would add about 10,927 more U.S.-registered Pipers, including Cherokee 140s, 160s, and 180s. Details are onPiper PA-28 and PA-32 Wing Spar Inspection.
Why a spar AD takes two different people
A spar AD is two jobs.
- An A&P mechanic opens up the airplane: seats, floor panels, inspection covers, wing bolts. On a Cessna 210 or 177, the FAA estimates about 20 hours of shop labor for access and the visual inspection.
- A certified eddy current inspector tests the spar for cracks you can't see. Most shops don't have one on staff. The FAA's own cost estimates treat this step as a contracted service.
We find the inspector, and the mechanic too if you need one.
What a spar inspection costs
These are the FAA's own estimates from each AD, at $85 an hour. Your shop's rate and your airplane's condition will change the total.
Piper, AD 2020-26-16
About $255 for the logbook review and about $960 for access, the eddy current inspection, and close-up. A new spar, if one is needed, is about $12,340 per spar.
Cessna 210 or 177, AD 2023-02-17
About $2,300, which is $1,700 of shop labor plus $600 for the eddy current inspection. A new carry-thru spar, if one is needed, is about $33,600 to $40,200 depending on the model.
How it works
- Send us your aircraft model and home airport, and the AD if you know it.
- We connect you with an independent eddy current inspector who covers your area, and an A&P if your shop can't do the access work.
- You schedule with them directly. Your mechanic records the AD compliance in your logbooks.