Bruce

I have just delivered a new 2010 model Bravo to a Qld customer, it still comes without struts. I am unaware of any plans for struts on this wing. Tecnam owners can now register for Service Bulletins at www.tecnam.com Click on "Customer Service" then on "Restricted Area" Copies of all manuals are also available Regards Bruce

Will do, just waiting on some additional Dynon Skyview components from Mendelssohns

I have just assembled and test flown s/n 006 Mark, currently fitting avionics. Will update in two weeks. S?N 009 arrives shortly for Geoffrey in WA. Regards Bruce

A new brand of oil thermostat that is suitable for both Rotax and Jabiru engines is currently being advertised. I have been fitting oil thermostats to new aircraft for over two years and I am a strong advocate of the benefits. TECNAM Italy fit the PERMA-COOL brand of oil thermostat to the new IFR twin and from 2010 the PERMA-COOL oil thermostat is a standard fitting on all new TECNAM Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). The Rules for LSA aircraft as published by CASA require the manufacturer to accept responsibility for all airworthiness issues to do with the aircraft and as such an owner or dealer in Australia can only fit equipment/accessories/avionics (oil thermostats, VHF radios, transponders, EFIS, etc.,) that are approved by the manufacturer. While the owner of a TECNAM LSA aircraft may fit a PERMA-COOL oil thermostat, no other oil thermostats are approved at this time. Should any owner particularly want another brand of oil thermostat, we have a system in place where we have to apply to TECNAM Italy for a one-off approval for an individual aircraft and serial number. Imported Ultralight TECNAM aircraft are administered by RA-Aus on behalf of CASA and both RA-Aus and CASA accept responsibility for the ongoing airworthiness. Imported Ultralight aircraft have to have a Type Certificate issued by the Airworthiness Authority of the Country of Origin before registration is approved by RA-Aus. Contrary to popular belief, an imported ultralight cannot be freely modified unless it is approved by a CAR 35 Engineer or a person authorised by CASA. So if you want to fit an oil thermostat to an imported TECNAM Ultralight, discuss the proposed installation with RA-Aus Technical Manager - Steve Bell first. See you at TEMORA Regards Bruce

Roly, the main difference between the Australian Tecnams and those in the UK is that ours are all factory built and fitted with 100 hp Rotax engines. I assume that you are the builder or have purchased from the builder. (UK does not allow factory built recreational aircraft and I think you are limited to 450 kg MTOW?) All our nose wheels are quite light in the ground steering so possible sources of friction are over-tightened bolts where the nose wheel is fastened to the engine frame or your chains to the springs are too short and you are having to really stretch the springs. As a first step why not try to taxi with the springs to the rudder pedals disconnected and see if that makes a difference. Regards Bruce (TECNAM Australia)

Yes, same pressures apply to P92 Echo

Hi Jeff, Tecnamman is quite correct, there is a kit to fit a 600 X 6.0 tyres as mains to a Sierra. The kit comprises, longer stub axels, brake disc, calipers, rims, tyres and tubes. The tyres inflated to 19 psi are superb on soft strips and also on rough tufted grass strips. Unfortunately everything imported now has gone up in price. Speak with Geoffrey and he can get you a quote. Tecnam have recently approved the Curtis quick drain oil valves and an oil thermostat for fitting to LSA aircraft. This dramatically improves the oil temperature warm up time and Tecnam have these units fitted on the P2006T light twin. This may be an advantage for winter operations at Busselton. Regards Bruce

John and Ian, Thank you for drawing this issue to my attention. The Airworthiness Notice (AN) issued by RA-Aus gave the impression that TECNAM was advising all TECNAM owners to install fuel tank drains. This is definitely not the case and the AN will be withdrawn by RA-Aus A little bit of history is in order! Where an aircraft has an Ultra Light Type Certificate, RA-Aus through its delegation from CASA assumes responsibility for the ongoing airworthiness of the aircraft. This is usually done in conjunction with the manufacturer but from time to time RA-Aus will issue an AN independant of the manufacturer if urgency is required. To date RA-Aus have not issued any blanket approvals in writing regarding the fitting of fuel tank drains to Tecnam ultralights. Structural modifications, unapproved by Tecnam or RA Aus are in breach of the UL Type Certificate and could invalidate factory built status. This would prevent the aircraft being used for flight training for example. Under LSA regulations the manufacturer self certifies against one major airworthiness standard. Some of the options are the Australian 101.55, British BCARS or the American ASTM's. As the greatest growth market is in the USA, TECNAM along with most manufacturers certify conformity with the ASTM's. Each aircraft model is then subjected to a FAA approval process before being allowed to be sold in the USA. All TECNAM aircraft models sold as LSA in Australia have conformity with the ASTM's and have passed through the FAA approval process. As the manufacturer is responsible for the ongoing airworthiness, it is illegal for anyone to modify a production built LSA aircraft without approval from the manufacturer. As such an unapproved modification invalidates the factory warranty and LSA Airworthiness Certificate and unless the factory issues approval for the modification, the aircraft must be re certified as LSA Experimental. As Tecnam's airworthiness representative in Australia, I have become aware of the illegal modifications. Steps were taken to achieve factory approval and legitimise the illegally modified aircraft. This approval was received from Tecnam and passed onto the LAME concerned who now becomes the approval holder. This approval restores the Production LSA status of the aircraft and the Type Certificate status of the UL aircraft. There is no requirement for TECNAM owners to install fuel tank drains in their aircraft. This is optional and the details of modification approved by TECNAM can be obtained by contacting your Tecnam State distributors or myself who will put you in touch with the approval holder. Again I emphasise that TECNAM, (along with Evektor, Jabiru, Foxbat, Lightwing Speed and many others), complies with the ASTM conformity process and has undergone a stringent FAA approval which is recognised by CASA and RA-Aus. We are grateful to TECNAM for approving the fuel drain modification. Without it a number of owners would be facing "19" UL registration or LSA "EXPERIMENTAL" recertification. Those owners who have had their aircraft modified in any way anywhere in Australia should contact the LAME or Level 2 Maintenance person concerned and ensure that full details of the TECNAM factory (or RA-Aus for UL models) approval are included in their airframe log book. The fuel drain approval is dated 19 September 2008 and is referenced TECNAM Number 001 Revision 2a. (Only P92 Echo Super UL aircraft had TECNAM approval prior to this date). While those involved assure me that they are motivated by reasons of safety and I now accept this, all importers, manfacturers and regulators must maintain the integrity of the LSA regulations. Personally, I think that tank fuel drains are a good idea and as a result of our visit to the Tecnam factory last week, we will shortly see fuel tank drains as an option on new UL and LSA aircraft. Regards Bruce Stark TECNAM Australia

Further to Tim's comments, the small white wire that commects to the sender can flex up and down in the airflow through the cowl. I had one Echo Super where the flexing caused the wire strands to progressively break. As this happened the gauge fluctuated, eventually going straight off the top of the guage when it broke right through. Happened on a NSW Sierra as well. Crimp a new connector and cable tie the wire to reduce flexing movement. Also had a faulty sender on another aircraft Regards Bruce

Speak with Cynthia Nardalla at QBE Aviation Melbourne. She will be able to help with Tecnam insurance.

All the figures for the P2002 airframe are esentially the same but MTOW 580 kg for the JF and 600kg for LSA airframe. Other main difference is that the Tacho of the JF is cable driven and gives propellor rpm whereas the LSA Sierra tacho shows engine rpm. If referring to the P2002JF manual you should multiply the rpm settings given by 2.431 to get comparable rpm settings for a P2002 Sierra. Regards Bruce

David, The AWB you refer to relates to the Tecnam P2002JF of which there are seven of type on the CASA register. Your aircraft is Ultralight registered and you will need to check with Chris Keihn at RA Aus to make sure that you are allowed to modify the bolts. Owners of any LSA certified aircraft should not under any circumstances modify their aircraft without approval in writing from the respective manufacturer as this will invalidate the LSA certification. I am unaware that Tecnam have given a blanket approval for replacement of any bolt with AN hardware on an LSA certified aircraft by owners or maintenance organisations in Australia. Tecnam have updated the two outer bolts on each leg and these are available from your dealer as a replacement kit. There are many Tecnam aircraft in schools accumulating high hours per month and high total hours without incident. I think that the quality of instruction given in these schools and the diligence of their maintenance person in checking undercarriage bolt torque settings has a lot to do with their trouble free performance. On the subject of AN bolts versus metric, European manufacturers were producing aircraft for the European market long before the markets opened up in USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Metric bolts were used for a metric marketplace and it it is not just a case of stick an AN bolt in the hole as the bearings and bushes used are also metric. As the LSA market develops outside of Europe, many changes to the way aircraft are designed and put together will be market driven. In the meantime finished aircraft leave the Tecnam factory at a rate of over one per day! Regards Bruce

USA site http://www.tecnamaircraft.com/P92_Eaglet.htm

Talk with Wally Rudin at Narrandera. He installed this oil thermostat on a Tecnam Echo Super (912ULS) and swears by its effectiveness.

For the last 12 months LSA aircraft ex factory coming in have been 23 psi in the mains and 15 Psi in the nose wheel. Oversize 600 x 6.0 are run at 19 psi Rgds, Bruce