I have a customer who is interested in buying a Malibu and has asked me about the 10,000 hour life limit on the wing - specifically, he wants to know what happens when the aircraft reaches that 10K limit. (I am an A&P by the way) I do not have any experience with an aircraft reaching a life limit and was wondering the same thing myself. Does anyone know what options, if any, there are when reaching that life limit? Can the wing be replaced? Does Piper have a service kit to extend the life? Is there a modifications shop out there that does this kind of thing? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Oops! I screwed up reading the manual. It says "Wing and associated structure" 15,580 hours and "Pressurized structure" as 10,000 hours. I would still take this to mean the fuselage as the pressurized structure is limited to 10K hours. BUT then why would the wing be rated longer if the fuselage is limited to fewer hours? Whichever reached the limit first would be the limiting factor, right? Or would that mean you could continue to fly the aircraft unpressurized for an additional 5, 580 hours?
At 10,000 hours the fuselage pressurized structure would have to be removed from service. You could use the tail and engine on another airplane. You could not fly it unpressurized. You could install a serviceable fuselage and fly another 5,000 hours on the wings but why would you go to that expense.
Short answer is that the airplane is scrap at 10,000 hours. There is an additional cost at 10,000 hours of removing the fuselage from service and complying with FAR 43.
