RansMail #149
November 2013
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Stow Maries near Maldon, Essex UK,
Europe’s only remaining unaltered First World War aerodrome.
Has been purchased by a Trust for restoration, with permanent hangars and
original First World War aircraft. Jeremy Lucas, Stow Maries Trust
Chairman Friends
Of Stow Maries Aerodrome website
Of 250 airfields built in WWI 10 still exist and Stow Maries is
the only remaining almost untouched since 1918 with 24 original Grade II* listed
Royal Flying Corp operation buildings, including the original officers’ mess;
other ranks’ mess; pilots’ ready room; blacksmith’s; ambulance station and
morgue; motor transport sheds; and the aircraft workshop/ radio room. Built in
1916 for UK’s Home Front defence against attacks by German Zeppelins & Gotha
bombers, for 37 Squadron, Royal Flying Corp led by 19 year-old Captain Ridley.
Less well known than Spitfire pilots of WWII they played a vital role. It also
had the first American flight when the USA entered the war. on display. An
essential part of the project will focus on the start-up of an apprenticeship
scheme to keep heritage aviation skills alive.
Some of you will have experienced
our own pre Philippines 'big storm' early Monday 28th
October.
On inspection that
afternoon Jackrell's hangars were all still there & nearly
all unscathed, except an oak that split and fell mostly behind
Rod's Jodel hangar, a substantial subsidiary bough had fallen across
the rear corner.The roof structure didn't collapse
but the corrugated iron sheeting was badly bent. The bough
was cut away very next day by a welcome turn out of pilots armed
with chain saws who tackled it with gusto to relieve the load
& cleared away too. Rod later jacked up the
roof.
The new sub 300kg SSDR outcome from within
our CAA after consultation is still pending - Can't be long now surely
?
Kevin
Armstrong notes that according to Nigel Beale, the Shadow with rear
seat unused will sneak under the new 300kg SSDR limit; at 186 kilos and an 86
kilo pilot, it can then carry 38.7 litres of fuel. Attention to weight loss
would improve this even further, so no Permit, paperwork outside the owner's
remit at all then. Just simplicate & add lightness, as they
say.
Re the
newest GAR notice demands for pilots arriving back in the U.K.- I asked the LAA
about strip users.
Office
manager Penny Sharpe wrote back: "The answer is that no change has been proposed
for strips, where a GAR is required (as well as an agreement with the police in
many cases). The only significant change so far is the need for a GAR with 4
hour notice at designated airports."
The UK
Radiotelephony Manual (CAP 413) New November 2013, for pilots
& Air Traffic Services standard phraseology for radiotelephony
communication in United Kingdom airspace.
Frank Ogden (sub 115kg Chaser
flex-wing).
Has been 'enjoying'
incidents in flight training in Turkey (for paragliders). The wing turned from
aerofoil into a bag of washing while seeking - and finding - a stall point.
Pulled my reserve which only partially opened, subsequently dropping me 1000ft
and hitting the water hard! Thank goodness for self-inflating life
jackets...
The object of
the SIV exercise is to find the point where the glider begins to spin and stall
without entering either state... frames from
video
Frame 1. Am slowing
down the glider towards the stall point
Frame 2. Adding a
bit of LH turn to induce an incipient spin
Frame 3. Hands up on
the brakes to allow the glider to recover airspeed. It dives strongly and begins
to turn
Frame 4. The LH side
goes negative AoA and begins to whip around...
Frame 5. And ties
itself into a knot
Frame 6. What is
left of the wing then stabilises in a parachutal descent
Frame 7. Time to
throw the reserve
Frame 8. Which is
tangles and fails to deploy properly. We later find that it had been mis-packed
by the factory
Frame 9. I hit the
water hard enough to burst the harness airbag
Once (deep) in the
water, the life jacket inflates almost explosively and pushes me up from the
green room, surfacing with the wing over my head and face.
The point that I would make – and this applies to everyone
regardless of aircraft type who has the misfortune to ditch in the sea – is that
recovery onto a rescue boat is far more difficult than you would imagine. My own
experience suggests that a sudden plunge into the depths is quite a shocking and
disorienting experience. Without an high buoyancy, self-inflating life jacket to
bring you to the surface, it would be easy to drown having neither the
consciousness or buoyancy to bring you to a state of rescue, having neither the
strength or visibility to attract attention. I used to stuff my flying suit
pockets with flares and beacons when flying over water in a microlight for any
distance. I am now not sure that one would be in a much of a position to use
them without a really good life jacket. Bear in mind that my experience took
place in the warm waters off Turkey in the Med; the cold waters of the North Sea
or the Channel might have tipped the balance against me. Also my sea conditions
were calm with only slight swell. Even so, it was quite difficult to see and be
seen by a rescue craft, and exhausting if not impossible to climb on board
without assistance. My recommendation? Choose a self-inflating life jacket which
provides a full 275N of buoyancy rather than the normal 150N. (10N roughly
equates to 1kg of buoyancy). I appreciate there might be an issue of accidental
inflation inside a cockpit, but I suspect the need for buoyancy would trump this
in a real situation.Peter Jackson, Rotax 912S
Flex-wing.
I need to have the
1000hr gearbox service & found, Conair, Aerofix
& Airmasters
Can I take the gearbox off and send just by itself or do they need the whole engine (on or off the aircraft) ?
Can I take the gearbox off and send just by itself or do they need the whole engine (on or off the aircraft) ?
Peter
Noonan (Escapade) offered his experience. Gary Masters
(Airmasters) did my 100 Hr check on my 912. It went like a sewing machine
afterwards. He is a man in a tool filled van based in the Midlands. His work is
good & he charges mileage to come. You could fly up to his base or just
get your gearbox up to him for a good
deal.
Mark
& Peter J. reported removed the gearbox Thursday
morning, posted via UPS Thursday afternoon. It arrived at Airmasters mid
afternoon Friday, and Gary has finished the service this morning & I
refitted it back on my trike it on Tuesday !
Jay Phelps (USA) First off, I still
love getting the RANS Mails and seeing what you "Gents" are up to over the
pond... I wouldn't trade you for flying weather though! ! Second I liked the
"any landing you can walk away from" picture, but I must note the bunny tracks
going into (but not coming out of) the "landing site". Maybe the caption
should have read "When rabbits fly" or "How does God turn a rabbit into a
bird?" ...just kidding! Couldn't resist though. BTW, the tracks aren't
fake, they are tracks in the snow from a rabbit and where a hawk swooped
down,
took its prey and left it's wing imprints in the snow.
took its prey and left it's wing imprints in the snow.
On a mechanical note
for you Rotax 503 owners out there. Lesson learned the hard way. It makes a
big difference which way your new wrist pin retaining clip is oriented when
installing it in the piston groove during your rebuild. The gap in the clip
needs to be oriented at the 12 or 6 O'clock position NOT...I say again NOT
the 9 or 3 O'clock! During high engine rpm the ends of the clip can begin
to resonate or begin to lag behind the stroke and either fracture or
dislodge themselves from the groove in the piston. The result is to then
catch on an exhaust port, shear off and have the remainder go up through
your piston rings thereby destroying the piston, rings, cylinder wall etc. An
expensive mistake for an otherwise innocuous part! My preference would be
to install them with the gap at the 12 O'clock as the vertical movement of
the piston will translate to some horizontal force that will attempt to
force the clip open ends back into the groove. It applies to any two
stroke engine. Four stokes don't have the issue because they tend not to allow
the wrist pin retainers to travel past open ports..... Hope this helps save
someone else a few misplaced $$ or ££.
John Murphy, Rans S6 is
contemplating one man wing fold (re. Graham Simons article on how
he does it). Well I have only tried folding the wings the once and I was very
nervous. I must say that my home airfield of Causey Park has an enclosed rigging
areas so not problem with the wind. The reason for me requiring to fold the wing
is not really one of lack of space but the guy who oversees the airfield has put
a caveat on me bringing a 3 axis aircraft to the airfield. It took some
persuasion to get permission and help from the other resident flyers to get him
to change his mind. With a little bit of luck the hanger lord may easy up on the
caveat soon. I am based at Eshott for the time being paying two hanger fees
so need to get this sorted as soon as possible. Eshott is over double my normal
hanger fees so my wallet is taking some abuse. I originally planned to move this
month as I have some 30 hours on the RANS but the weather has not played ball
this last few weeks. Causey Park has two grass runways and both are 250 metres
long (short). So until the weather broke I was on track to get in and out safely
but after this layoff I feel I need more practice. I have been based there
with my GT450 for almost four years and have had little difficulty
getting in and out. However with a 582 RANS it is intimidating to say the least
especially when the grass is long and wet. I console myself by looking at one of
my hanger colleagues who flies a SkyRanger 912 80 horse power which has a faster
approach speed. The CFI at Eshott has suggested the technique of
holding at full power and release the breaks with no flaps to reduce drag and
load up with two stages of flap when the speed has reach 40mph. But with this
much rain it may be prudent to wait until the spring to return to Causey.
The U.K
'SSDR' e-Go is test flying
The new British plane made its
maiden flight over Norfolk. The single seater e-Go was designed and constructed
in the village of Conington near Cambridge and has a top speed of 155 miles per
hour.
Clive
Innocent (Escapade with 2200 Jabiru
power)
Late October, a foul weather
day, so decided to do a bit of maintenance.
First job was to
use my 'Jiggle Pump' to drain the wing tanks into cans. Then drain the header
tank via the 'Curtis' valve under the fuselage. Thoroughly inspected all fuel lines from firewall aft. All
looked fine, but the 'TYGON' ones in the
cockpit which were once translucent green, had gone brown. They also get
flexed each time the wings are folded/unfolded. I replaced those with normal
black rubber ones like all other Escapades were commonly fitted with. Mine
was a new type Reality wanted to try out. After removal of the old fuel tubing, I tried to snap it, by
direct manual pull and also rapid flexing back and forward. I had to resort
to a knife ! So although discoloured, it was perfectly serviceable. I looked in the rear fuselage with a powerful light and all is in
good condition, with surprisingly no evidence of mildew ! I took the serial number of my battery, as it
is now almost 10 years old and still going strong ! It can't last much longer
though.........Can it ? So,
I came home feeling pleased with a good inspection result.
Talking Maintenance.: Why Mechanics Make
Mistakes By Mike Busch "The Savvy Aviator #58" June 5, 2008 (AV
Web)During the century
since the Wright Brothers first flew, the predominant perpetrator in aircraft
accidents has shifted dramatically from machine to human. Today, human error is
responsible for 90 percent of aircraft accidents and incidents. It's not that
people have become more careless, forgetful, inattentive or reckless. It's that
aircraft and aircraft components have become much more reliable. As component
failures become fewer and fewer, human failures represent an ever-increasing
percentage. Most of the efforts of the aviation research community have focused
on errors committed by pilots. This is appropriate, since about 75
percent of serious aviation accidents are due to pilot error. However, there
have been a significant number of serious, even fatal, accidents caused
primarily by maintenance errors. While there has been increased focus on
maintenance errors by the airlines, particularly in the wake of the Aloha and
ValuJet crashes, not nearly enough attention has been given to maintenance
errors in General Aviation (GA).
Kinds of Maintenance ErrorsLess-than-adequate maintenance can be divided into two broad classes:Introduction of a problem that was not there before the maintenance began; and Failure to detect a pre-existing problem during maintenance inspections. Errors of omission seem to be the most prevalent kind of maintenance errors. An analysis of 122 maintenance errors detected by a major airline over a three-year period revealed the following breakdown:
Omissions: 56 percent
Incorrect installation: 30 percent
Wrong parts installed: 8 percent
Other errors: 6 percent
When the 56 percent of errors attributed to omissions was further examined, the breakdown was:
Fasteners left undone or incomplete: 22 percent
Items left locked or pins not removed: 13 percent
Filter/breather caps loose or missing: 11 percent
Items left loose or disconnected: 10 percent
Spacers, washers, etc., missing: 10 percent
Tools, spare fasteners, etc., not removed: 10 percent
Lack of lubrication: 7 percent
Access panels left off: 3 percent
Miscellaneous: 11 percent
The Reassembly ProblemClearly, most maintenance errors occur not when taking something apart, but rather when putting that something back together. There's a good reason for this. Consider a bolt (figure below) onto which eight nuts have been assembled, each one labelled with a unique letter A through H. There is only one way to take this assembly apart, but more than 40,000 ways to put it back together -- all but one of them wrong. Assume that the mechanic's task is to disassemble the nuts from the bolt, clean them, and then reassemble them in the original order. There is really only one way to take this assembly apart, but there are 40,320 different ways in which it could be put back together -- and 40,319 of them are wrong! This simplistic example illustrates the fact that the task of disassembly usually constrains the mechanic to one particular sequence, with each succeeding step being prompted by the last. The mechanic doesn't require much guidance, because the disassembly procedure is usually obvious. In contrast, correct reassembly usually requires knowledge -- either in the mechanic's memory or in written form. Human memory being as imperfect as it is, reassembly based on memory is error-prone. Reassembly based on written guidance (such as a checklist or service-manual instructions) is far more reliable, but people doing a hands-on job tend to be reluctant to consult written instructions. (Watch your A&P work on your airplane, and note how rarely he consults the service manual or any other form of written guidance.) Reassembly-by-memory is probably adequate for a task that the mechanic does every day. Most maintenance tasks aren't like this, however, and we all know how easily we can forget the details of a task after even a short period of time. To make matters worse, a wrongly-assembled component is not always obvious on later inspection. The absence of washers, bushings, fasteners, seals, O-rings, caps, lubrication, etc., are often concealed once the component has been reassembled. Thus, reassembly errors often create the opportunity for double jeopardy: a high probability of forgetting something important during reassembly, and a low probability of detecting the error once the job is completed.
Slips, Mistakes, and ViolationsFailures by a mechanic to perform a task as planned are commonly termed slips, lapses, trips or fumbles. A slip occurs when the mechanic is trying to do the right thing, but screws it up somehow. Slips can be caused by:
Omitting some necessary action;
Performing some necessary action in a clumsy fashion;
Performing some unwanted action; and
Carrying out the right actions in the wrong order.
Such slips most often occur when doing tasks by memory -- often well-practised tasks that are done frequently in an automatic fashion. Mistakes are higher-level failures caused by an error in the plan itself. These are usually caused by lack of knowledge, and occur most commonly when performing tasks that are not done very often. Often, mistakes are caused by trying to do something by memory that should have been looked up on the service manual. Forgetting to torque a cylinder hold-down nut is a slip; torquing it to the wrong torque value is a mistake. Violations are deviations from standard practices, rules, regulations, or standards. While slips and mistakes are unintentional, violations are usually deliberate. They often involve cutting corners in order to take the path of least resistance, and often become part of a mechanic's habit pattern. In a recent column I wrote about an incident in which the pilot of a Cessna 340A launched into IMC on the first flight after maintenance, only to discover that his airspeed indicator, altimeter and VSI stopped working as the aircraft climbed through 3000 feet. The cause of the problem turned out to be a mechanic's failure to reconnect a static line that had been disconnected during maintenance to facilitate access. The mechanic's failure to reconnect the line was an inadvertent slip -- he forgot. On the other hand, the mechanic's failure to perform a static-system leak check (required by FAR any time the static system is opened) was a deliberate violation. Because of the violation, the slip went undetected and jeopardised safety of flight.
DistractionsDistractions play a big part in many errors of omission. A common scenario is that a mechanic installs some nuts or bolts finger-tight, then gets a phone call or goes on lunch break and forgets to finish the job by torquing the fasteners. I have personally seen some of the best, most experienced mechanics I know fall victim to such seemingly rookie mistakes. I know of several fatal accidents and countless less-serious incidents caused by such omissions. Just as pilots need a "sterile cockpit" during high-workload phases of flight, mechanics need a distraction-free workplace when performing safety-critical maintenance tasks. Unfortunately, the typical piston GA shop is a distraction-rich environment. Phone calls come in. Customers drop by unexpectedly. UPS and FedEx drivers deliver anxiously-awaited parts. The Snap-On tool truck stops by. The shop's FAA principal maintenance inspector pays a surprise visit. The roach coach arrives with lunch. This is less of a problem in the big turbine shops, where there's usually a Parts Manager to deal with deliveries, a Customer Service Manager to handle customer visits and phone calls, and a Compliance Manager to interface with the FAA. But in the smaller shops that owners of piston GA usually use, employees usually wear multiple hats and must deal with these distractions as they come. That leads to mistakes. Big shops have their own issues. Shift changes cause lots of problems, when the first-shift technician assumes the second-shift technician will handle something, but the second-shift guy fails to do it because he assumes the first-shift guy handled it.
Quality AssuranceI've visited a half-dozen different GA aircraft and engine factories to watch how they build our flying machines. One of the fundamental work rules at these plants is that there must always be at least two sets of eyes that look at every step of the process: the technician that performs the work, and an inspector who verifies that the work has been done properly. Often, there are three sets of eyes: two technicians who work as a team and check one another's work, and then an inspector who re-checks the work. Large repair stations that work on turbine aircraft often have similar rules, where designated inspectors are required to check the work of each mechanic and sign it off. But the smaller shops where most piston GA maintenance is done seldom can afford the luxury of having dedicated inspectors on staff. One A&P will sometimes ask another to check a particularly critical or complex task, but most maintenance is checked by just one set of eyes belonging to the mechanic who did the work, and most scheduled inspections are done by just one IA. Fewer sets of eyes inevitably means that more slips, mistakes, violations and discrepancies escape detection.
The Owner As Final InspectorAircraft owners and pilots need to understand that maintenance errors create a significant hazard, and act accordingly. The most likely time for an aircraft to suffer a mechanical problem is on the first flight after maintenance. Prudence demands a post-maintenance test flight every time the aircraft comes out of maintenance. The test flight should be done in VMC, without passengers, and in a place where the pilot can easily put the airplane back on the ground if something isn't right. Prior to the test flight, the owner or pilot should conduct an extraordinarily thorough preflight. Make sure that all inspection plates and fairings are installed and secure, all cowling fasteners are tight, and all fuel and oil caps installed. Check that all flight controls and trim systems are free throughout their full range of motion and operating in the correct direction. Check that all instruments and avionics systems are functioning properly. Perform a ground test of the autopilot. Run up the engine thoroughly, then shut down and check for leaks. Be sure you don't smell fuel or anything burning. In short, be thoroughly sceptical any time an aircraft comes out of maintenance. Your pre-flight and test flight are the last line of defence against maintenance errors.
Kinds of Maintenance ErrorsLess-than-adequate maintenance can be divided into two broad classes:Introduction of a problem that was not there before the maintenance began; and Failure to detect a pre-existing problem during maintenance inspections. Errors of omission seem to be the most prevalent kind of maintenance errors. An analysis of 122 maintenance errors detected by a major airline over a three-year period revealed the following breakdown:
Omissions: 56 percent
Incorrect installation: 30 percent
Wrong parts installed: 8 percent
Other errors: 6 percent
When the 56 percent of errors attributed to omissions was further examined, the breakdown was:
Fasteners left undone or incomplete: 22 percent
Items left locked or pins not removed: 13 percent
Filter/breather caps loose or missing: 11 percent
Items left loose or disconnected: 10 percent
Spacers, washers, etc., missing: 10 percent
Tools, spare fasteners, etc., not removed: 10 percent
Lack of lubrication: 7 percent
Access panels left off: 3 percent
Miscellaneous: 11 percent
The Reassembly ProblemClearly, most maintenance errors occur not when taking something apart, but rather when putting that something back together. There's a good reason for this. Consider a bolt (figure below) onto which eight nuts have been assembled, each one labelled with a unique letter A through H. There is only one way to take this assembly apart, but more than 40,000 ways to put it back together -- all but one of them wrong. Assume that the mechanic's task is to disassemble the nuts from the bolt, clean them, and then reassemble them in the original order. There is really only one way to take this assembly apart, but there are 40,320 different ways in which it could be put back together -- and 40,319 of them are wrong! This simplistic example illustrates the fact that the task of disassembly usually constrains the mechanic to one particular sequence, with each succeeding step being prompted by the last. The mechanic doesn't require much guidance, because the disassembly procedure is usually obvious. In contrast, correct reassembly usually requires knowledge -- either in the mechanic's memory or in written form. Human memory being as imperfect as it is, reassembly based on memory is error-prone. Reassembly based on written guidance (such as a checklist or service-manual instructions) is far more reliable, but people doing a hands-on job tend to be reluctant to consult written instructions. (Watch your A&P work on your airplane, and note how rarely he consults the service manual or any other form of written guidance.) Reassembly-by-memory is probably adequate for a task that the mechanic does every day. Most maintenance tasks aren't like this, however, and we all know how easily we can forget the details of a task after even a short period of time. To make matters worse, a wrongly-assembled component is not always obvious on later inspection. The absence of washers, bushings, fasteners, seals, O-rings, caps, lubrication, etc., are often concealed once the component has been reassembled. Thus, reassembly errors often create the opportunity for double jeopardy: a high probability of forgetting something important during reassembly, and a low probability of detecting the error once the job is completed.
Slips, Mistakes, and ViolationsFailures by a mechanic to perform a task as planned are commonly termed slips, lapses, trips or fumbles. A slip occurs when the mechanic is trying to do the right thing, but screws it up somehow. Slips can be caused by:
Omitting some necessary action;
Performing some necessary action in a clumsy fashion;
Performing some unwanted action; and
Carrying out the right actions in the wrong order.
Such slips most often occur when doing tasks by memory -- often well-practised tasks that are done frequently in an automatic fashion. Mistakes are higher-level failures caused by an error in the plan itself. These are usually caused by lack of knowledge, and occur most commonly when performing tasks that are not done very often. Often, mistakes are caused by trying to do something by memory that should have been looked up on the service manual. Forgetting to torque a cylinder hold-down nut is a slip; torquing it to the wrong torque value is a mistake. Violations are deviations from standard practices, rules, regulations, or standards. While slips and mistakes are unintentional, violations are usually deliberate. They often involve cutting corners in order to take the path of least resistance, and often become part of a mechanic's habit pattern. In a recent column I wrote about an incident in which the pilot of a Cessna 340A launched into IMC on the first flight after maintenance, only to discover that his airspeed indicator, altimeter and VSI stopped working as the aircraft climbed through 3000 feet. The cause of the problem turned out to be a mechanic's failure to reconnect a static line that had been disconnected during maintenance to facilitate access. The mechanic's failure to reconnect the line was an inadvertent slip -- he forgot. On the other hand, the mechanic's failure to perform a static-system leak check (required by FAR any time the static system is opened) was a deliberate violation. Because of the violation, the slip went undetected and jeopardised safety of flight.
DistractionsDistractions play a big part in many errors of omission. A common scenario is that a mechanic installs some nuts or bolts finger-tight, then gets a phone call or goes on lunch break and forgets to finish the job by torquing the fasteners. I have personally seen some of the best, most experienced mechanics I know fall victim to such seemingly rookie mistakes. I know of several fatal accidents and countless less-serious incidents caused by such omissions. Just as pilots need a "sterile cockpit" during high-workload phases of flight, mechanics need a distraction-free workplace when performing safety-critical maintenance tasks. Unfortunately, the typical piston GA shop is a distraction-rich environment. Phone calls come in. Customers drop by unexpectedly. UPS and FedEx drivers deliver anxiously-awaited parts. The Snap-On tool truck stops by. The shop's FAA principal maintenance inspector pays a surprise visit. The roach coach arrives with lunch. This is less of a problem in the big turbine shops, where there's usually a Parts Manager to deal with deliveries, a Customer Service Manager to handle customer visits and phone calls, and a Compliance Manager to interface with the FAA. But in the smaller shops that owners of piston GA usually use, employees usually wear multiple hats and must deal with these distractions as they come. That leads to mistakes. Big shops have their own issues. Shift changes cause lots of problems, when the first-shift technician assumes the second-shift technician will handle something, but the second-shift guy fails to do it because he assumes the first-shift guy handled it.
Quality AssuranceI've visited a half-dozen different GA aircraft and engine factories to watch how they build our flying machines. One of the fundamental work rules at these plants is that there must always be at least two sets of eyes that look at every step of the process: the technician that performs the work, and an inspector who verifies that the work has been done properly. Often, there are three sets of eyes: two technicians who work as a team and check one another's work, and then an inspector who re-checks the work. Large repair stations that work on turbine aircraft often have similar rules, where designated inspectors are required to check the work of each mechanic and sign it off. But the smaller shops where most piston GA maintenance is done seldom can afford the luxury of having dedicated inspectors on staff. One A&P will sometimes ask another to check a particularly critical or complex task, but most maintenance is checked by just one set of eyes belonging to the mechanic who did the work, and most scheduled inspections are done by just one IA. Fewer sets of eyes inevitably means that more slips, mistakes, violations and discrepancies escape detection.
The Owner As Final InspectorAircraft owners and pilots need to understand that maintenance errors create a significant hazard, and act accordingly. The most likely time for an aircraft to suffer a mechanical problem is on the first flight after maintenance. Prudence demands a post-maintenance test flight every time the aircraft comes out of maintenance. The test flight should be done in VMC, without passengers, and in a place where the pilot can easily put the airplane back on the ground if something isn't right. Prior to the test flight, the owner or pilot should conduct an extraordinarily thorough preflight. Make sure that all inspection plates and fairings are installed and secure, all cowling fasteners are tight, and all fuel and oil caps installed. Check that all flight controls and trim systems are free throughout their full range of motion and operating in the correct direction. Check that all instruments and avionics systems are functioning properly. Perform a ground test of the autopilot. Run up the engine thoroughly, then shut down and check for leaks. Be sure you don't smell fuel or anything burning. In short, be thoroughly sceptical any time an aircraft comes out of maintenance. Your pre-flight and test flight are the last line of defence against maintenance errors.
Wifrid Rouff (Rans S5 France)
As you can see,
the "cargo pods" we have added under the wings are not only convenient
to carry extra fuel (each can contain a 5L jerrican and some other stuff
including extra oil) but also very practical to convey a baby
passenger.
Steve Slade - Rans Grey fuselage Paint colour Match
?
He painted the frame
with Grey VG18. It was not an exact match, but it was pretty
close.
Kevin Stewart 912UL
Engine vibration on throttle back (Rotax forum, 4 Stroke Technical
Questions)
http://www.rotax-owner.com/rotax-forum/3-4-stroke-technical-questions/4054-912ul-engine-vibration-on-throttle-back/6908
Bad news. I removed the gearbox and sent it away for inspection and unfortunately the prop shaft splines are worn. I know that I have no choice but to have it rebuilt but I have been offered the choice of rebuilding it as it was or fitting a slipper clutch.
The cost of either option is truly eye-watering, it is over £1k or £1k5 for the slipper clutch option.
http://www.rotax-owner.com/rotax-forum/3-4-stroke-technical-questions/4054-912ul-engine-vibration-on-throttle-back/6908
Bad news. I removed the gearbox and sent it away for inspection and unfortunately the prop shaft splines are worn. I know that I have no choice but to have it rebuilt but I have been offered the choice of rebuilding it as it was or fitting a slipper clutch.
The cost of either option is truly eye-watering, it is over £1k or £1k5 for the slipper clutch option.
Roger Lee added:
Sorry to hear about your gearbox and it certainly looks worn from the
picture. This may have happened from more than one cause. I hope you get it
taken care of and back in the air soon. I don't know the history of your engine,
but for others and for your new parts here are a few items that can
extend gearbox life of a 912 and or the lack of doing some maint.
practices can shorten it.
Improper oil, don't use car oils they lack the additives that motorcycle oils have and will cause excessive wear. Changing oil at the proper intervals. I use 25 hrs. for 100LL and 50 hrs for 91 oct. unleaded. I don't use 100 hr. oil changes even if it's in the book. Almost everyone one I know uses the 50 hr. interval for 91 oct. Oil is the life blood of the engine. Disease it and your engine pays later. Keep the carbs synced at every annual or 100 hr. inspection. If you have a slipper clutch make sure the friction torque is up in the proper range. Service the gearbox at the proper hundred hour mark for your engine and fuel use. Check the magnetic plug every oil change to look for any early signs of trouble. Use proper Rotax oil filters. Poorly filters let gritty oil PTAs and cause you issues pass n the road. Moisture in the oil and not getting it up to temp to burn off these impurities. I don't like the Rotax oil filter price any more than anyone else, but I won't sacrifice an expensive engine because of a few bucks. Improper starting and or carb set-up that allows kickback. Very cold weather starts that takes many times to start the engine. Warm it up with some sort of engine
pre-heater. Installing the higher torque starter can help. It has a gold coloured case verses the older starters black case.It can make starting a little easier and have to crank a little less which translates to less long term wear. Then once a great while there is some unexplained wear problem that just happens because humans built it or didn't hardened the metals quite right.
Please note. The above things that people do to their engine don't cause immediate issues, but like smoking give it a little time and it will cause problems and they usually aren't cheap.It's hard to tell some people that they are harming their engine when it seems to run fine. It's just doing damage slowly so an owner can't see the immediate problem so it's hard to convince some. Doing things the right way up front even though it seems to cost a little more saves tons of money in the long run.
Improper oil, don't use car oils they lack the additives that motorcycle oils have and will cause excessive wear. Changing oil at the proper intervals. I use 25 hrs. for 100LL and 50 hrs for 91 oct. unleaded. I don't use 100 hr. oil changes even if it's in the book. Almost everyone one I know uses the 50 hr. interval for 91 oct. Oil is the life blood of the engine. Disease it and your engine pays later. Keep the carbs synced at every annual or 100 hr. inspection. If you have a slipper clutch make sure the friction torque is up in the proper range. Service the gearbox at the proper hundred hour mark for your engine and fuel use. Check the magnetic plug every oil change to look for any early signs of trouble. Use proper Rotax oil filters. Poorly filters let gritty oil PTAs and cause you issues pass n the road. Moisture in the oil and not getting it up to temp to burn off these impurities. I don't like the Rotax oil filter price any more than anyone else, but I won't sacrifice an expensive engine because of a few bucks. Improper starting and or carb set-up that allows kickback. Very cold weather starts that takes many times to start the engine. Warm it up with some sort of engine
pre-heater. Installing the higher torque starter can help. It has a gold coloured case verses the older starters black case.It can make starting a little easier and have to crank a little less which translates to less long term wear. Then once a great while there is some unexplained wear problem that just happens because humans built it or didn't hardened the metals quite right.
Please note. The above things that people do to their engine don't cause immediate issues, but like smoking give it a little time and it will cause problems and they usually aren't cheap.It's hard to tell some people that they are harming their engine when it seems to run fine. It's just doing damage slowly so an owner can't see the immediate problem so it's hard to convince some. Doing things the right way up front even though it seems to cost a little more saves tons of money in the long run.
Rick Farrer S6 - ESD G-MYGP
Wondered if the might Rans S6-116 with relatively heavy Rotax 912
of 80 h.p. could be lightened to fall within microlight requirements ? [I
suspect the LAA would know if 50 kg lighter at 450 kg would do.
mike]
New RansMail
Readers.
Mike
Gaffney has just bought a Rans S6.
David Vives.
I live in the Principality of Andorra (a Tiny country in
the Pyrenees mountains), so I fly in the very north of Spain and south of
France. I'm a very low-time pilot, having 21 hours since I got the ultralight
license 10 months ago. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that I'm not flying as
much as I'd like due to the high expenses (for me) of renting an ULM in my
airclub. That is a Tecnam P92 (which is a nice and error-safe bird to fly).
In order to get some experience, and reduce flying costs as much as possible, I
was thinking about buying a French Rans S4 with a 447 engine. Looking
to see what an X-air looks like. I've found them to be in Spain and France
- the S4 looks much cooler ! But.......[David has been in touch since
then with other e=readers to find out more pro's & cons. including two seat
microlights. mike]
Curtis
Swope (USA) recently
purchased a Rans S5 and needed some info, he contacted Rans and they sent a
DVD with the assembly manual for the cost of shipping.
I'm from New Paris, Pennsylvania. I have
flown for about 10 years in various aircraft starting in a challenger then to a
quicksilver then to a phantom and currently flying a Rans s5. I fly from a very
beautiful grass field in Osterburg PA. I fly year round, winter is here and
I need to get my doors on. Is the tube at the top of the plane supposed to
be straight, mine is slightly curved down and I'm not sure but the plane has a
weak climb out in temps above 80 is this normal ?I
am a member of the freedom flyers you can visit our website at http://www.eaa-aircraft.com/
[He attached a pic
of his plane check out the tube up top to let him know what I
think of the slight curve down, but not easy to discern. One thing that you could check, is the
fixed tail-plane angle of incidence compared with the underside of the wing
[which ought to be in line with the top longeron]. It should be approx. 1
to 1 1/2 degrees negative. Another check is to carefully note exactly how far
forwards the stick is in straight & level flight - I used my fingers against
the instrument panel base, or fold a piece of card to be able to find that
position when back at the hangar. Put the stick back there & the elevator
should be flat with the tail plane, if not & pointing either up or down
then the tail-plane angle is not at the best position. The front mounting lugs
of later S4 a/c have a better setting and there's a choice of tow positions
anyway so you could perhaps improve it and that will make a small betterment in
drag. I've done that to my S4 to gain a mph or
two and similar on the S6-116 which otherwise was pig to fly with cruise
power.mike.]
Flying
Against All Expectations, Mary Ellis or Ladies delivering
warplanes
USA PRU Spitfire video 1944
UK CAA Safety Data General
Aviation Reports issued Nov for October 2013
Richard Warriner Rans S6-116 G-BUWK
has S6 ESD
Microlight parts for sale.
The whole lot
for £6K:-
Fuselage aft
of the passenger cage (no skin on this part of the airframe).
Tail components including rudder, vertical stabiliser, elevators and horizontal stabilisers.
Wings, including flaps, ailerons and struts. Note: the covering on the wings is in very poor condition. One wing has a rib broken (while moving the wing in storage)
Rear fuel tank and mountings.
Two main gear legs and wheels.
Instrument panel and some instruments (Alt, VSI, ASI)
Build manual and other documents including airframe logbook etc.
Complete set of new skins, in the original box. The previous owner was going to recover/restore the aircraft and had bought the skins.
Note: Rans don’t supply lacing cord with sets of skins, or at least they haven’t with this set.
See G-MZAH in GINFO for colours etc. This is an early S6, with the horizontal stab attached to a tube at the bottom of the vertical stab and not attached to the longerons.
This aircraft was bought as a potential ‘donor’ during the rebuild of my aeroplane. On subsequent inspection the fuselage cage showed signs of damage, including the main gear truss. The fuselage cage has been scrapped. Although originally fitted with a Rotax 503, there was no engine with the aircraft when I bought it.
e-mail richardwarriner@hotmail.com
Tail components including rudder, vertical stabiliser, elevators and horizontal stabilisers.
Wings, including flaps, ailerons and struts. Note: the covering on the wings is in very poor condition. One wing has a rib broken (while moving the wing in storage)
Rear fuel tank and mountings.
Two main gear legs and wheels.
Instrument panel and some instruments (Alt, VSI, ASI)
Build manual and other documents including airframe logbook etc.
Complete set of new skins, in the original box. The previous owner was going to recover/restore the aircraft and had bought the skins.
Note: Rans don’t supply lacing cord with sets of skins, or at least they haven’t with this set.
See G-MZAH in GINFO for colours etc. This is an early S6, with the horizontal stab attached to a tube at the bottom of the vertical stab and not attached to the longerons.
This aircraft was bought as a potential ‘donor’ during the rebuild of my aeroplane. On subsequent inspection the fuselage cage showed signs of damage, including the main gear truss. The fuselage cage has been scrapped. Although originally fitted with a Rotax 503, there was no engine with the aircraft when I bought it.
e-mail richardwarriner@hotmail.com
Hadfold
'International' is on the Charts (almost) UK AIS/NATS notice 14th
November. 1:250,000 Sheet 8 England South.
HADFOLD
FARM Ref: 105500 Year: 2013 Effective: 13/11/2013
Add minor civil aerodrome at 510004N 0002745W with an elevation of 67 ft amsl.
Add minor civil aerodrome at 510004N 0002745W with an elevation of 67 ft amsl.
Old RansMails are now on
line courtesy Peter Greenrod. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4702449/Ransmails.pdf
Collected Rans S4
& S5 Tips http://ranss4s5tips.blogspot.co.uk/
Rotax practical owner help
http://www.rotax-owner.com/rotax-forum/index
RansClan forum http://www.ransclan.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?40-Engines
RansFlyers web http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RANSflyers/?yguid=339885221
Rans Aircraft USA site
http://www.rans.com/aircraft/home.html
(Engine broke - a dead stick landing into a Kent meadow Kent 16th
Nov.)
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