Article updated: 2/4/2013 7:22 AM

FAA mandates safety checks for older Piper planes

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The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring inspections on tens of thousands of older model Piper airplanes to check cables that control tail surfaces.The FAA is posting a directive in Monday's Federal Register, prompted by reports of failures in the cable assembly which direct a plane's nose. The rule requires inspections and parts replacement as needed, to correct what the FAA calls an "unsafe condition."