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PMA awarded for Cessna Exterior Door Handles

By General Aviation News Staff · December 7, 2017 ·

FAIRBANKS, Alaska– Airframe Innovations has been awarded FAA/PMA approval for Cessna Exterior Door Handles.

The idea for a better exterior door handle came to Airframe Innovations owner Karl Braun while standing on floats loading three guests into his Cessna 185. The OEM handles, made of electro-plated potmetal, were very weak and failed in his hand.

As a life-long mechanic he said the first thought that ran through his mind was “Hope I can find one on the weekend. If so, we can get going again in about two hours. Maybe I can save the day.”

But then he looked on shore to his wife and two children. Turning the broken handle over in his hand, he thought, “What if this broken door handle is all my wife is holding when she comes up for air? By then he and the guests would be gone. My wife and my children would be left to live with that.”

Since Airframe Innovations designs and produces aircraft parts, Braun knew the company could make a better handle.

“A handle that will not fail,” he said. “A handle so good it will have a perpetual warranty. A handle that will help people out of an aircraft when they can not help themselves. Then price it so even a cheap pilot will have no excuses not to buy it.”

The new “Help you out handle” list for $200.

“Don’t wait until you need it,” Braun advises.

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Comments

  1. Kenneth Hetge says

    December 14, 2017 at 9:23 am

    Your next challenge is to manufacture and PMA replacement Cessna door hinges!! The cost of these things is so out of line, there must be an alternative. And, the salvage yard stuff is just as tired as what failed. I will be your first customer!!!

    • Karl says

      March 8, 2018 at 9:28 am

      Ken,
      Robair may have what you are looking for.
      Karl
      Tell him we said hi

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