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Roger Lee
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1464
Location: Tucson, Az.
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 Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:50 am Post subject: Authorized Maint person |
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Hi Guys,
I was looking through some manuals for who is authorized to work on different SLSA's. Flight Design has an issue in their manual and states these people are authorized. The owner where noted, a Light Sport Repairman with a Maint. rating or " a higher grade certificate". No such thing in the mechanics world as a higher grade certificate according to the FAA. It only exist in the pilot side. Flight Design has to spell out i.e. LSR-M, A&P or I/A. So for now only an owner where it says owner or an LSR-M can do maint on a Flight Design.
That said I was looking at the Allegro Flight manual and on page 34 it states that "Periodic Inspections of the Engine and Propeller to be made according to the respective manuals".
This means for an A&P, I/A or an LSR-M to work on your Rotax engined SLSA they must have been to Rotax school to qualify. There are three things a person can do to qualify, but 99% of us just go to a Rotax school. If they are not qualified then if you get caught or in an accident and your books are checked then you and the Maint. person will get touched by FAA.
If you have the "Service" rating you can drain the oil, do an inspection, balance the carbs type things. You are not allowed to remove any components like a fuel pump or gearbox or any thing else.
"Line" maint rated, You can now remove components off the engine that was covered in that particular Rotax class. It would cover what is in the Line Maint Manual. These items are fairly general in nature and very light maint., more inspection type items with some testing included. This is mainly for small engine components that you might find in a general maint inspection like a hose. If it isn't in the Line Maint Manual you can't do it. For example. You can remove the carbs for the 200 hr. rebuild, but you can't do the work because the carb rebuild was taught in the "Heavy maint" class. You would have to send them out or find a guy that is heavy maint rated to do the carb rebuild. You could not remove the heads or rebuild the gearbox like when Rotax recalled all those gearboxes to be redone. You could not take the gearbox off and do an inspection. This was taught in the Heavy Maint class.
The "Heavy" Maint group can do everything right down to, but not including an overhaul. This person can remove all the components, do inspections of the components, remove the heads and cylinders or test components, but can not do an overhaul. He can do a gearbox inspection after a prop strike, pull the heads for a valve job, ect...
The "Overhaul" group of which there is darn few around and usually only the distributors.
It used to be that a Rotax 912ULS total overhaul (rebuilt engine) was about $8K, but I heard yesterday that it is now about 70% of the cost of a new engine. That makes it around $12.5K with a new engine in the $18K range.
Kodiak (main Rotax distributor) is making some sweeping changes that will effect a lot of maint individuals. This is driven by an FAA survey/audit around the nation and with MFG's to help come inline more with the ASTM standards. They are trying to keep a tighter rein on maint quality control of their engines as well as an idea as to who is working on them and to insure they are qualified. So of these maint people who are not current, not taken and updated class or only have the service class may be left behind if they don't get more involved with classes, quality control and possibly tooling. Someone is trying to work and help the little guy on the tooling aspect, but has not been decided yet. I have just heard that Rotax has as low as 80%+ of the LSA and light plane market and as high as 92% with the USA it's top buyer. Rotax really only has two competitors and they really aren't a threat. Rotax distributors are now supposed to tell someone who calls up looking for a service person of only the Rotax QUALIFIED people and that means people that have the right type of service rating for the work to be done and someone who is up to date with schooling and with the proper tools.
Just a note as to what the different ratings from Rotax mean. By the way within the next two weeks Rotax is going to have anyone claiming to be a repair center or service facility fill out some paperwork. They want you to check off all the Rotax tools you have, sign a form of Rules/Regs. as to how you will maint and conduct business with their engine and under the Rotax name and they are even telling people they will come out and inspect some of the so called repair stations. You will have to take an update class once every two years and fill out an application form every year.
This is really no difference than what the GA aircraft do now. Rotax is trying to come in and be more main stream, professional and initiate better quality control. This will not only affect individuals, but many LSA aircraft MFG's that will need new rotax schooling for their personnel.
This will do two things. Unfortuneately many people will not comply and be out of the SLSA maint and for some it will spur them onward. I think it will have a bigger negative effect at first then come back around after a while. I do hope after hearing some of the new changes that some of the distributors can change Rotax's mind on a few details so as not to put overt pressure on the Rotax maint. people. It is a new program and subject to some change I hope.
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_________________
Roger Lee
Tucson, Az.
Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
Light Sport Repairman
Home 520-574-1080 TRY HOME FIRST
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Thom Riddle
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 5:12 am Post subject: Re: Authorized Maint person |
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Roger,
That is an interesting development. As an FAA certificated Powerplant Mechanic I can do ANY maintenance and repair on a Type Certificated Rotax Engine installed in a Diamond Katana, a Part 23 certificated aircraft.
It appears to me that Rotax is getting the big head and in time it could back-fire on them. Now that some lower-cost SLSAs are installing Jabiru engines Rotax's share in this market could begin to decline. I really like the Rotax 912 series engines but if I were in the market for a new SLSA I'd be inclined toward a Jabiru powered one, with the maintenance issues and costs being a primary motivator.
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Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)
Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
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Roger Lee
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1464
Location: Tucson, Az.
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:04 am Post subject: Re: Authorized Maint person |
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Hi Thom,
Much of this is being generated or pushed by the FAA from a survey and was not Rotax's doing. Rotax is now on-board and do want to have better quality control since the ultralights have worked themselves up to open a new LSA category. I don't believe from what I know about Jabiru that they have the facilities or money to ever keep up with Rotax. SLSA is just starting to fall more in-line with maint requirements of type certificated aircraft. Look at what you personally went through (school and experience) to get your license for all that you can do now. SLSA engines are different than a Cont or Lycoming's and they are just trying to make sure that all the mechanics no matter who they are, are educated as to the differences. I agree it will take so more time and effort by everyone. The initial cost of a Jabiru right now is about $6K-$8K cheaper right now, but I don't care for the engine as much.
In your Rotax type certificated 912S. Does it say in the authorization section that you had to go to Rotax school?
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_________________
Roger Lee
Tucson, Az.
Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
Light Sport Repairman
Home 520-574-1080 TRY HOME FIRST
Cell 520-349-7056 |
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Thom Riddle
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject: Re: Authorized Maint person |
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Roger,
The Katana that I've done work on has a Rotax 912F engine and the Diamond documentation says nothing about special training required to do work on this Rotax engine.
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Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)
Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
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Roger Lee
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1464
Location: Tucson, Az.
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: Authorized Maint person |
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Hi Thom,
Does the Katana manual say to follow the Rotax manual for engine inspections or maint.? If it does then section 2 in the Rotax Line Maint. manual says who is qualified to do the work.
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Rotax Maint. Autorization.pdf |
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_________________
Roger Lee
Tucson, Az.
Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
Light Sport Repairman
Home 520-574-1080 TRY HOME FIRST
Cell 520-349-7056 |
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Thom Riddle
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: Re: Authorized Maint person |
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I don't recall. I don't have the maintenance manual in my possession at the moment.
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_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)
Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous |
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