Kev

Ray,

On my 912S since new I have averaged less than 9.5 lt/hr - that's two-up and average trimmed at 60kts. Drag counts.

Fly safely

Kev

Bill,

I like the wing rack on your trailer. Thinking of doing something similar on mine. Until now, have carried wing on car, but now have new car and don't want to fit roof racks. any chance of some closer-up piccies?

Safe flying

Kev

Baphomet,

Have just checked on the airborne website:Airborne Microlight Aircraft, microlights, trikes, ultralights, ultralight trikes and hang gliders

Torque values are: blade 11lb/ft and mounting bolt 14lb/ft. Retorque every 20hr. Dismantle & inspect every 200hr.

Safe Flying

Kev

Baphomet,

I used to have a Brolga prop, although it was a 4-blade, not 3-blade. the torque values from memory were: 10ft/lb for the clamp bolts and 15ft/lb for the mounting bolts.

Beware of substituting grade 8 bolts for grade 5. If the manufacturer specifies grade 5, then that's what you use. Grade 8 are harder (for this read more brittle) and will fail by shearing whereas a grade 5 will bend.

One or two trike flyers in US have found this out to their cost, when they replaced their hang bolts with grade 8's supplied by their local hardware store.

Safe flying

Kev

This service bulletin concerns possible cracking of the welded end caps and details inspection and rectification action.

Details can be found on PM Aviation - Microlight flying and Ultralight Manufacturing, and select

SB 127 issue 2.

Safe flying

Kev

Recently received from US.

AirBorne trike owners and repairmen - check mast block

Aloha AirBorne trike owners and repairmen. We here in Hawaii have had this discussion recently and wanted to share it with all of you. We've noticed on all of our aircraft the black mast block that fits into the aluminum block (below the shoulder harnesses) can move down the mast. If it moves down far enough, the "overcentre latch", or the mast support latch, will press against nothing and the weight of the wing will be on the front tube.

The black block should be flush with the aluminum block. If you find yours low, mark on the mast with a sharpie a line even with the top of the aluminum block. Then lower the mast halfway, loosen the two 5mm Allen head bolts, slide the black block back up to your line and tighten the two 5mm Allen head bolts.

Owners can easily miss this as it's not listed specifically in AirBorne's checklist. Repairmen should know about it so they can enlighten the owners when they catch it.

That's it.

Just wanted to share our findings.

Safe flying!

Aloha~

Good one Alf - it says it all.

Safe flying

Kev

Aaron,

Yes, Airborne are issuing an Approval on a one to one basis for this modification.

Contact Ricky Duncan and request the Approval.

Safe flying.

Kev

Ray,

No, it doesn't have to be registered as an LSA in Australia. It is certified under LSA for export purposes. You are free to register it in Australia under LSA or Primary Category (CAO 95.32).

Safe flying

Kev

Scott,

Be aware that although both organisations comply with CAO 95.32, their respective Operation Manuals continue on from CAO 95.32 and differ considerably at the moment.

Apparently this situation is set to change in the future, due to the CASA decree that both organisations will jointly rewrite their Ops and Flying Manuals. The idea is that the playing field will be completely level, and the two organisations will hold hands and play nicely. Also encompassed in this change wil be a raising of the bar with regards to flying training and maintenance standards.

I have chosen to remain with the HGFA because of the current board's attitude to raising maintenance & safety standards on trikes.

Safe flying

Kev

Thanks for that Trent. I will pass the information on.

Safe flying

Kev

There is currently a thread running on the trike site detailing the numerous failures (cracking) of the bracket which supports the 582 oil injection reservoir. So far, all of the problems appear to be with Airborne trikes.

I am trying to gather as much data as possible on this problem, so would appreciate details from anybody who has suffered this fault on any other aircraft, ie not Airborne and also not trike.

Safe flying

Kev

There is currently a thread running on the trike site detailing the numerous failures (cracking) of the bracket which supports the 582 oil injection reservoir. So far, all of the problems appear to be with Airborne trikes.

I am trying to gather as much data as possible on this problem, so would appreciate details from anybody who has suffered this fault on any other aircraft, ie not Airborne and also not trike.

Safe flying

Kev

Yup.

Safe flying

Kev

Now I have only been aware of this problem for about a week, but from reading this thread, it is obviously a common and widespread fault. I think that it is extremely remiss of the manufacturer to continue to ignore the fault after having received what can only be a whole heap of Defect Reports from all of the people who have experienced this fault.

Safe flying

Kev

Justin,

Great to see you've joined the Forum. Now all you need to do is retire and move up here. The scenery is not as spectacular as 'The Bays', but the flying is great.

Safe flying

Kev

All,

A few years ago, a couple of books on 'weather' were recommended to me by a CFI who was ex merchant navy and whose daytime job was analising and predicting weather. He was very good at it.

The books were: The Wonders of the Weather by Bob Crowder and

Manual of Aviation Meteorology by B.O.M.

Both make for exellent reading and understanding of how weather works. They won't tell you when and when not to fly, but they certainly help to interpret the visual clues we see when walking the earth and looking skyward.

Safe flying

Kev

Nick Hi,

Sounds like you may need to make or acquire an adapter for the

Warp Drive prop.

Suggest you contact Conrad Beale at conairsports.co.uk

He will almost certainly be able to let you know if it is doable and what with.

Safe flying

Kev

Bluey Hi,

I would say that it is definitely worth investigating. The black flecks could be either rubber material from a seal, or possibly more likely carbon. If carbon, they should crush to a powder.

That aside, you appear to have a definite coolant leak in the top end, and this needs to be looked at. If you do this , have a really good look at where the cylinder seals contact the head. A small amount of corrosion/pitting here will promote leaking. Rotax allows you to skim the head up to 0.012". Obviously this should be recorded in the engine logbook.

Also worth considering is that even a full overhaul only replaces most of the consumable items and not all. The rest of the engine will continue to wear/deteriorate, and you seem to have a lot of hrs on this engine. It might be worth you considering replacing with a new one. Expensive, I know, but it really does give you peace of mind. Hope this helps.

Safe flying

Kev

Bluey

Good News :thumb_up:

Airborne Australia will soon be issuing an Approval for these Tundra kits on Edge-X trikes for everyone who has already installed this mod. I believe they will be contacting owners directly. It will be sent out together with installation instructions and drawings.

It is in progress at the moment and a statement will be appearing in the Soaring Magazine shortly for HGFA members.

Safe flying

Kev

Dennis,

The short answer to your leniency question is no. HGFA rules state:

the aeroplane must be maintained in accordance with the maintenance standards set out in the appropriate technical manual.

In your case, the trike manufacturer's (Airborne) TBO will supercede the Rotax TBO, so your overhaul will be due at 400hr.

Your leak sounds like it may be from the forward crankshaft seal. If this is the case, then your engine is going to need that overhaul.

Safe flying

Kev

Bluey,

as Eastmeg2 states, there are Edge X Classics out there that have been retro-fitted with tundra kits. The bad news is that if you are HGFA, this would be a major modification (not sure about R.A.Aus), and unless you can get Airborne to authorise it (in writing) it will be illegal, and will fail it's Airworthiness Inspection come registration time.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's best that you know before you spend your hard-earned cash.

Safe flying

Kev

I was lucky enuff to attend and thought it was excellent!I think part of rainbows message was to stick with procedures in your manuals etc and dont second guess them and dont shortcut for any reason?

 

gary

Good luck with your Inspector rating - let me know how you get on.

Safe flying

Kev

Hi Ozzie

The course was held at Maitland and organised through the HGFA - see my post on: http://www.recreationalflying.com/forum/engines-props/12177-rotax-maintenance-training.html after I had gone to the USA to do the LSA Repairman course with Carol & Brian Carpenter, with a view to bringing their maintenance course to Australia for Trike flyers. They came over from the states to help us set up the first course, and there will be further courses being run in the future, using their courseware.

Safe flying

Kev

Davidh,

As an afterthought, did the mould clean off alright afterwards, or was it sort of permanent?

Safe flying

Kev.