Rotax Engine Database for life extension application

[Observer]

Lamercyfly, I see no reason why your posts should be removed. You say it as it is

Had the border between MISASA and AE not become so fuzzy, 582 owners would not have been in such a predicament, AE would not now have had to take out all stops to save face (altruistic move this is not), and MISASA would have had more members, not a declining membership.

[lamercyfly]

Aish guys, it was not my intention to start a bashing exercise here.

We all know the past, and the facts remain the facts. It is not necessary to re-open the wound.....

So a request from me to please not hi-jack this post.

I still request the moderator to remove my posts.

Thankyou.

And to Cobra, thanks, I have tried again, and this time I was successful. It would appear my 3G connection was at fault, and I am just a doff fellow

I have managed to enter now, and I will do my best to gather information from all pilots I know, and get it entered..

Regards.

[Observer]

Dave, sure enough, but let there be no mistake - this heading could just as well have been Aviation Engines for life extension application.

[Morph]

Hi.

Will 1 of the moderators please remove my last 2 posts....

Thankyou.

Regards.

Done

[lamercyfly]

Hi Morph.

Thanks, and my apologies for not thinking those mails through well enough before posting them.

Cheers.

[Oddball]

Hey there David,

Sorry, I have been off line for a couple of days; thanks for the info. Busy going through it right now and will mail you directly if required.

Just a note to all, Niren and I are working together on this and sharing whatever data we have to push this through. If any of you know any people who are not MISASA members or who are not on this forum please call them, get the data and send it to me- especially those high time engines!

An interesting bit of information- Niren and Aviation Engines did actually try to create this database a couple of years ago and are being very helpful right now as well. I am sure that more overhauls are better for business but less engine sales aren't, and they are savvy enough to want to strike a balance that works all round..

[CFD]

ROTAX 503/ 582 ISSUE
I know all who contribute here are well-meaning but all are missing the key point here - WE FLY NON-CERTIFIED EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT - if we wanted to own aircraft that are to be subjected to these rules then we would by some BLIK AERIE with a prehistoric lump of cast iron that converts fossils to noise and gas!

While we may fight and get this 300hr crankshaft rule extended by some hours, it is all pointless. The law now requires that owners adhere to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule (not just the 300hr crankshaft issue!). Amongst others, this schedule also calls for the crankshaft to be checked and seals replaced at 150hr and such other costly and difficult issues such as replacing cylindel head/base gaskets AND cheching piston rings and cylinder diameter at 50 hrs. Do you have any idea how expensive and inconvenient all of this is going to be?

I will put my you-know-what on a block and make the following predictions:

1. Owners of these engines WILL NOT log the true engine hours any longer - I already know of pilots who have indiated that they will merely write up a few hours each year! - The consequence of this is that a prospective buyer 5 years down the line will have no idea what he is buying DOES THIS ENHANCE SAFETY? - there will be a huge market for fraudulent logbook entries with APs being enticed (via payment) to sign out aircraft due for their annual inspection. It is going to cost tens of thousands of rands to keep your engine compliant - a few grand to grease the palms of an AP is cheap by comparison - DOES THIS ENHANCE SAFETY?

2. More honest pilots will be forced to install other less well proven engines which have longer service intervals in their aircraft. Very few of these engines have a proven history of use in this country and there is a very limited skills and knowledge base accociated with these types. I am not a ROTAX fan, the cost is a total rip-off, but at least it has a proven record! DOES THIS ENHANCE SAFETY?

3. Even more threatening is that pilots will install one-off backyard/garage developed engines that have no real place in an aircraft and will be able to write their own maintenace shedule to escape this current crazy situation - DOES THIS ENHANCE SAFETY?

4. It is my prediction and hope that AVIATION ENGINES & ACCESORIES will go bankrupt. I for one will never support this organisation as I believe they had a big hand in this fiasco and have no interest in changing the current state of affairs! I urge you all to source your engines and parts elsewhere - maybe that will get some reaction!

There is only one solution: The authorities need to re-introduce the system of pilot/owner/operator responsibility based simply 'ON CONDITION', which is the whole point of having the non-certified category in the first place!

All this running around over minor details is pointless - microlighting as we know it will be dead in two years if the current senario continues!

[lamercyfly]

Hi CFD.

Yup, we all feel the same way, and we have all expressed our ruddy frustration over the past few months.......

I am confident however, that within days we are going to be receiving notice from the authorities that will put a positive end to all this.

I am satisfied, from communications i have had over the past few days, that the SACAA are about to exempt microlights from the maintenance schedule, re-inforcing owner responsibility and also re-allow owner maintenance.........

I remain confident and optimistic. The current SACAA CEO understands aviation, and is no idiot.......

Regards.

[Henni]

I will put my you-know-what on a block and make the following predictions:...

Boy, that REALLY made me feel a lot better - it is hard to keep one's emotions at bay during times like these. You said it exactly as I feel it. Thanx.

Henni

[Oddball]

Thank you to all of you who participated in the engine survey. These documents reflect the results and summary of the survey thusfar. The results will be used in support of an application to the CAA where an alternative maintenance schedule, based on our local experience, will be proposed. We are busy setting that up and will post it here soon. Note that the ‘other’ engines, such as 618’s, 532’s etc. will be included in the application.

Futher information will be posted on the MISASA website as we have it.

[Oddball]

This is a preliminary result - please continue to add data to the database if you havenot already done so - use the form on the MISASA website (http://misasa.flyeaaforum.com/?p=318#more-318)

We still need more data....

[John Boucher]

This is really a concern for all of us.....

DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME THAT THERE ARE ONLY SOME 100 AND SOMETHING 503/582/618'S FLYING IN SOUTH AFRICA?

WHERE ARE THE REST OF THE ENGINES IN SA?
DOES CAA NOT HAVE A DATABASE OF THE AIRCRAFT USING WHAT ENGINES?
DON'T THE OWNERS OF THESE ENGINE TYPES NOT REALISE THE DIRE SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN?
DOES THIS JUST SPELL - OH TO HELL WITH IT, I'LL FLY ILLEGAL, NOT LOG MY HOURS ETC. DOES NOT HELP 300HRS or 5 YEARS!!!!

[CFD]

TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT AT LARGE - stick your regulations up there where the sun don't shine.

From now on we will join some taxi association and will thus have total immunity from prosecution!