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Maurie Bradney, long time instructor/manager of Waikerie Gliding Club also of MND. I lost a niece in the last year from that cause.

Thanks Mike, I often wondered what happen to Maurie.

Has anyone experience wilth Rotec aerosport water cooled heads for Jabiru 2200? Installed in Savannah VG ? Seeking consumer reports after seeing the ad in EAA Sport Aviation Magazine.

The water cooled heads were a concept to overcome some head heating issues with earlier generation engines. Jabiru changed the fin design of the cylinder heads quite some time ago which overcome cooling issues. The later generation heads were generically called fine finned heads. Water cooled heads would add weight, water and complexity and are not required. Of course this is only my opinion.

Hi guys,

I’m looking for a diagram of the pin in/out for the DB25 connector used in the VHF wiring harness. THANKS.

Probably failure to do checks was this pilot's undoing. We are all taught to do checks during our standard circuit pattern and it becomes habit. This was a straight in approach which probably didn't help. I watched this happen as I have a great view of 09/27 from my hangar. I spent three hours helping get the aircraft on its wheels. Back engine had a prop strike. Cargo pod on the belly took all of the airframe damage - Lucky he had a cargo pod.

 

 

Interested to know more about this. I have a 19 registered aircraft. What does Darren look at or require?

See PapaFox's post re 262AP - he has it correct.

 

 

That's sad Bruce. The GFA used to be a great model of how it should be done. I note in your Avatar you own a Libelle. I use to own VH-GBU.

 

 

Well - my thoughts for what they are worth. Over a short period of time the available L2 list will be diminished to mostly commercial operators that have a financial interest in keeping their level 2 authorities. A lot of others that have volunteered many hours of their time to helping others with maintenance and repairs will opt out because the renewal process is too onerous. This will cause many aircraft owners to carry out their own maintenance/repairs as they will not be able to justify the cost afforded to their hobby to pay an L2. The L2 renewal process should be simplified with a notification by mail with a simple - do you wish to revalidate your L2 authority for another two years Y/N. Again these are my thoughts right or wrong and I wont get into a verbal too and fro with any members over them. Oh! and thanks for taking the time to read them. :-)

 

 

I have seen a video of the event. The aircraft was flying around at or below tree top height for some time and appears to have simply flown into the power lines.

 

 

THANKS Dave,

 

Tried that. No good. Bolt head still rubs on tyre wall.

 

Cheers

 

Daryl

 

 

Mackgrl, I'm not sure how turning the caliper bolt around would help. Still have to fit a nut which would also foul on the tyre. How did you overcome?

 

Cheers

 

Daryl

 

 

Yeah I have thanks Doug. It seems the supply of suitable ribbed tyres has dried up. I ended up ordering some from SkyShop who are an Australian reseller for Aircraft Spruce.

 

 

Thanks you are right Geoff. Already been down that path and received a refund.

 

 

Hi,

 

Just fitted a new set of main wheel tyres on my Jabiru 120. The tyres were supplied by Jabiru and are Trelleborg brand 4.00 x 4 6ply. Unfortunately, due to the profile of the tyres, they foul on the brake caliper bolts.

 

It appears that suppliers, including Jabiru, are having trouble supplying ribbed tyres.

 

Looking for ideas as to where I can source suitable tyres.

 

THANKS

 

Daryl

 

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-02/person-killed-in-gliding-accident-in-vic-chesney-vale/5997616

I flew to Corryong yesterday and was lucky enough to be offerred a ride in Dragon Rapide VH-UXZ. I read the history of this aircraft and noted that Sander Veenstra brought the damaged aircraft into Australiaa in 1979.

 

It had several owners before Maurice Rolfe bought it and restored it as a part time project over thirty years. Must say, it was a great opportinity to have a flight in such an aircraft.

 

 

http://www.warrentruss.com/portfolio.php?id=2556

Government response to aviation review http://www.warrentruss.com/portfolio.php?id=2556

 

 

Yes but what about when one breaks or pops the valve head off, which has happened several times when the inadequet upper retainers fail. That still leads to a catastrophic engine failure ...piston relief or not. Also convieniently forgotten are all the failures of the flywheel bolts which often leads to sudden engine stoppage due ignition failure. This critical area has not been adequetly addresses yet.

Maj, I take offense at your suggestion that I am conveniently forgetting all the other failures. Without getting into lengthy discussion I said "current prevalent issues". I did not conveniently discount the other issues as you suggest. From my experience the most "prevalent" problems of recent times have been through bolt failures and valves sticking in the guides. I maybe should have also qualified my comments by saying in standard Jabiru configuration. (airframe/engine/propeller). There are probably thirty or so Jabiru powered aircraft in my area and I'm pretty well attuned to what engine problems have been encountered over the last ten years. I have yet to see one caused by the valve retainer failing, although I know it has happened. I have seen one failure due to flywheel bolt failure when a non-standard prop was fitted. I have tried to provide a non-biased, factual input based on my experience with Jabiru engines.

In light of your comment which raised the question my integrity and raised my blood pressure a tad, I have made my final post.

 

In closing, my post was in no way supporting the integrity of Jabiru engines or the factory customer service.

 

 

All of the issues you have mentioned are correct over the history of the 2200/3300 series of engines. However, some of the problems you have raised may no longer an issue as they have been rectified over time or the affected engines are no longer in service. You quote "larger" valve relief.........not larger but either valve relief machined into the piston crown or not. I have been involved with the Jabiru product since before the intoduction of the 2200/3300 series engine having my first flights in a 1600 powered version. I am an L2 and have ben trained by the Jabiru factory and Wayne Johns in SA on Jabiru engine rebuilds so I have some experience. The current prevalent issues are through bolt failure/crankcase fretting and valves sticking in guides. The piston valve relief might be a "bandaid" fix but I can tell you that I'm a lot happier flying with one of these engines knowing a stuck valve will not cause a catostrophic engine failure. I also read a few posts citing engine overheating problems. This has not been an issue since the introduction of the fine fin series of heads some years back. So, during the evolution of the engine the issues have changed. My feeling is CASA will be targeting the current series of production engines and not ones made ten years ago with some of the problems you have raised in your post.

Just reread my post.....apologies for the typos......but you get the message.

 

 

How do flycut pistons stop valves failing?Were they previously hitting the piston?

Yes a stuck valve will hit the piston. (Not one with valve relief)

 

 

Through-bolt failure, exhaust valve sticking for which Jabiru themselves have released a bandaid (larger vavle reliefs in the pistons), heads pulling in requiring valve lash checking every 25 hours, head sealing leakage, cylinder barrel and head cracking, flywheel bolt failure and inconsistent overheating.There, someone, for the very first time, has finally mentioned the issues.

All of the issues you have mentioned are correct over the history of the 2200/3300 series of engines. However, some of the problems you have raised may no longer an issue as they have been rectified over time or the affected engines are no longer in service. You quote "larger" valve relief.........not larger but either valve relief machined into the piston crown or not. I have been involved with the Jabiru product since before the intoduction of the 2200/3300 series engine having my first flights in a 1600 powered version. I am an L2 and have ben trained by the Jabiru factory and Wayne Johns in SA on Jabiru engine rebuilds so I have some experience. The current prevalent issues are through bolt failure/crankcase fretting and valves sticking in guides. The piston valve relief might be a "bandaid" fix but I can tell you that I'm a lot happier flying with one of these engines knowing a stuck valve will not cause a catostrophic engine failure. I also read a few posts citing engine overheating problems. This has not been an issue since the introduction of the fine fin series of heads some years back. So, during the evolution of the engine the issues have changed. My feeling is CASA will be targeting the current series of production engines and not ones made ten years ago with some of the problems you have raised in your post.

 

 

Maybe another solution would be for the mandatory fitment of CHT probes on every cylinder with a display in the cockpit with a audible alarm that is set at a certain temperature.[

And now that I remember - last year there was a 3300 on our field having the through bolts done. After the new bolts were installed and torqued up, the prop didn't want to turn. Cases fretted out at 700-odd hours. Funnily enough the top end was all good ...The engine was biffed - based on past experience, there didn't seem to be much point asking Bundy to care.

The problem of through bolt failure and crankcase fretting go hand in hand.

 

 

Well it is now the 28th.......Any news as to whether I can take a passenger in my aircraft today or not?

 

 

Personally - I find some of the engineering stuff a bit bewildering. Through bolts pop because the joint they are securing moves and bending-back-and-forth fatigue snaps them. That is how clamp joints fail ... always ..... The only real answer for an under-performing clamp joint is "more clamp force". Bigger and/or better bolts .... Ditto with flywheel bolts.

Hey Ian....I think you get it.

 

 

Can anybody inform me which thru bolts are the most common to break ie. upper or lower and on which side of the engine , any bolt size. Just doing some research on this.thanks

A.D.

Add to your research.....which generation engine. Hyd/solids lifters/cam/hollow or solid push rods... et cetera The point is, there have been a lot of changes in the "evolution" of Jabiru engines. In my experience the solid lifter engines did not appear to have through bolt failures. The early broad fin heads had cooling issues that could be somewhat managed by the operator. With the introduction of the hydraulic lifter engine came new issues. These issues have been highlighted by Jabirus recent statement.....through bolt failures and valves sticking in valve guides. Now there have been changes along the way of the hydraulic lifter engine .....3 (or more) cam changes, 12 point nuts, larger through bolts, pistons with valve relief to name a few. Have these changes been made as a bandaid treatment or to cure root causes of ongoing problems.....? I don't know I'm asking the question for those that have more knowledge than me.