Rotax 100hr Maintenance Question

[FlyingMonkey]

My airplane is due for its annual condition inspection during the first week of July.  It is due for the Rotax 100hr service at 202 hours, and it is currently at about 184 hours.  I am planning to have the annual, Rotax maint, an autopilot install, and some miscellaneous work done sometime in the next couple of months, at Lockwood Aviation in Sebring.

 

The first question: Is the Rotax 100hr service purely for Rotax warranty and service, or regulatory?  In other words, if it's not done exactly at or before 100hrs, is the airplane out of airworthiness?

 

The reason I'm asking, is that I will probably hit the 100hr service interval before I fly down to have it done, unless I park the airplane and stop flying it at some point before then.  I can do that if necessary, but if I can squeeze a few more hours out of it during the improving springtime weather, I'd like to.

 

Second question:  If I do need to park it, how many hours should I set aside to get it to service?  It's a 4 hour flight to Sebring, should I set aside 4.5?  6?  10?  This maintenance planning stuff is new to me so I want to make sure I leave aside enough time to get it where it needs to be legally.

 

Thanks!

[Anticept]

100 hr is regulatory if you are receiving flight instruction and the instructor or organization that the instructor is part of, provides the airplane. Otherwise, it is only a rotax and FD "requirement," with no regulatory backing.

[Ed Cesnalis]

Aren't annuals due at the end of the month?  Do it a day late and you get another month? 

[S4Flier]

Andy -- you also have 10hrs leeway on the 200.

[FastEddieB]

Aren't annuals due at the end of the month?  Do it a day late and you get another month? 

 

I always begin an annual at the end of the month, so it gets signed off in the following month.

 

Gradually working my way to spring, so it isn't so freakin' COLD when mine is due.

 

Last one begun at the end of Feb, signed off in mid-March and not due again until 3/31/15!

[FlyingMonkey]

Andy -- you also have 10hrs leeway on the 200.

 

That's good to hear, that is probably all the time I'd need.

 

As for timing the annual, I'm not as worried about that...I'll do it a month or two early so that I can go ahead and get my autopilot and AoA pitot installed, and the OAT moved to the correct spot.  But that 10hr leeway will give me some flexibility to schedule things a little later.  Next year I'll probably time the annual more carefully, though I suspect that if I fly like I have this year I will hit the Rotax 100hr again before the annual, and it makes sense to do both at the same time unless you are flying like 150hr+ a year.

[Ed Cesnalis]

Why do you want to do the 100hr?  

[Anticept]

Rotax warranty expires after 200 hours, andy.

[FlyingMonkey]

I thought the Rotax service was every 100 hours...incorrect?

[S4Flier]

Rotax warranty expires after 200 hours, andy.

Or 18 months whichever comes first.

[FlyingMonkey]

Or 18 months whichever comes first.

 

My airplane is a 2007, do you think I'm still covered?  

[Ed Cesnalis]

Part 91 ops do not require the 100 hour and my Rotax warranty was expired 7 years ago.

 

If there is no difference between the 2 inspections including the 100 hour every year in writing it is just words, no actual additional inspection.  Silly.   

 

Roger, you say don't worry about the timing which means to me, don't do and early or additional inspection just make sure you add some words when you do your annual and you wouldn't buy a plane that didn't do this?  I can't see what difference it makes.

[Anticept]

100 hour inspections are a carry over from the dawn of aviation. Back then, radial engines had an overhaul period of 100 hours or less. Oil filtering didn't really exist; just about the only kind of filtering was a CUNO type filter, which is a stack of metallic disks with spacers between them to catch big metal pieces. Some of the engines dumped tons of oil while running, and it was just a natural consequence of the extremely large clearances.

 

As TBOs increased, the 100 hour rule kind of stuck. It ended up being a good multiplier base for limiting part life. Up until the 60's pr 70's, oil changes were only recommended every 100 hours. As time went on, we found out that changing oil more often was greatly beneficial, because it was really hard for oil to last long in an engine for that entire 100 hrs.

 

It's rare to find any inspections that are off timed from 10, 100, or 1,000 hours. There's some 2k, 5k, and 10k inspections in aircraft, but generally it's all divisible by that 100 hour mark.

 

Personally, seeing 100 hour, or lack of, inspections within a logbook won't really bother me when buying an airplane, by itself. It's consistency of oil changes, thoroughness of maintenance entries (too much info is as bad as too little! I don't need to know how much every single little bolt is torqued, just tell me what you were trying to replace or repair, and what instructions you followed), if there are any large gaps in annual inspections and how long ago those gaps occured, and how the owner carries themselves, as well as the reason for selling. And of course, when the last inspection was done .

 

All that said, since I rent my plane, I prefer to follow 100 hour inspections for liability concerns. I've heard about rotax and FD standing behind their products too, but I'm on the fence about doing 100 hrs all the time if it was for my own use only, as the cost of all those inspections would probably exceed any discounts.

[Anticept]

What checklist do you use for your annual?

 

Also, why does rotax have the compression check listed as "perform every 200 hours" when 43 app D (d)(3) clearly states that 100 hr inspections (not sure how annual condition inspections and app D relate, but imagine it's still the basis just like annuals) must include a cylinder compression check? Of all the checks performed on engines, that's one of the most important ones...

[Anticept]

It's not new. I have an '07 912uls manual laying around that says the same thing. .

 

Again, what annual checklist do you use?

 

Also, as a counter point to what you said above: there's a point where you are being safe, then there's such a thing as just being sheltered. The latter is what led the FAA to being such a massive beauracracy. Money is the largest factor and I'm usually more annoyed than not at some people's maintenance practices, but I still think that 100 hr inspections for private use might be a little overkill as long as the owner takes care of the plane. To each our own!

[Anticept]

I have that one. It's just that I found my old one lying around and was curious if it was always that way

[Doug G.]

I always begin an annual at the end of the month, so it gets signed off in the following month.

 

Gradually working my way to spring, so it isn't so freakin' COLD when mine is due.

 

Last one begun at the end of Feb, signed off in mid-March and not due again until 3/31/15!

I did the opposite with mine. It was originally July, but I backed it up to June, so it isn't so freaking HOT when mine is due.

[FredG]

"As far as warranty. I lost an engine. Rotax stepped up and paid for that solely from my detailed logbook after 6 years. Don't fool yourself into thinking your done with that."  

 

​Roger, I suspect that your experience with Rotax might be different than the experience of those who are not as connected and who are not as visible to the LSA community.  Yes, I am well aware of Rotax providing some assistance to owners with out of warranty engines.  Still, I would bet that you get faster service from Rotax than the average owner.  

[Doug G.]

I not only enter things in my logbook, but I keep a file that holds detailed info on my annuals.

[Doug Hereford]

To all,

There is only ONE legally required inspection for SLSA aircraft.......... "Condition Inspection". 

The terms "Annual Inspection", and "100 hr. Inspection" DO NOT apply to SLSA aircraft....... period. These inspections have legal definitions that pertain to standard airworthiness aircraft (not special airworthiness).

If the SLSA is not flown for hire, then "Condition Inspections" are due every 12 calendar months.

If the SLSA aircraft is flown for hire, then "Condition inspections" are due at each 100 hrs. TIS, or 12 calendar months (which ever comes sooner). Whether done on an annual interval, or 100 hr. interval, the scope and detail of the inspection is the SAME, and the sign-off is the SAME.

To me, it is helpful to look at SLSA inspection requirements this way. People interchange the terms Annual, 100 hr, and condition inspection all of the time, but they are technically not interchangeable.

If you are one of those owners who want to have other mfg. recommended inspections done, ie Rotax 100 hr. items, etc....... then my advice is to specifically request that your maintenance provider comply with these items, and you provide them with the checklist. Otherwise you have no right to ask them to include those additional inspection procedures into a "Condition inspection" sign-off.

Also, the 10 hr. "grace" period for 100 hr. inspections DOES NOT apply to aircraft with light sport certificates.

 

Doug Hereford

[S4Flier]

Doug - excellent points as to what is required as per the regulations.

 

However, one may want to adhere to the manufacturers recommendations, though, so the Rotax +/-10 hr leeway would apply in this case. Whether that is material after the engine is out of warranty is up to the owner and Rotax.

[Anticept]

Looked up 91.327 ( c ) and ( c )( 1 ), and compared the wording to 91.409 ( b ), and additionally reading 91.409 ( c ) and ( c )( 1 ), supports doug's claims.

 

However, part of the phrasing says "inspection procedures developed by the aircraft manufacturer or a person acceptable to the FAA" in 91.327. The grammar in that paragraph is very weird. I am going to call up AFS 610 tomorrow and ask about this.

[Doug Hereford]

Anticept,

The phrase "Inspection procedures" refers to the accepted methods, techniques, and practices that must be employed when performing maintenance. Key word being "perform". Procedures are not used to convey requirements of "WHEN" inspections are to be performed. A practical example of what I am talking about is this:

 

MFG's condition inspection procedure contains a checklist with all of the required inspections listed on it. Off on the R/H side of this list are columns that specify intervals of "WHEN" these inspection items are due to be done. This information on the check list is NOT regulatory, and could actually cause the inspector to perform an incomplete inspection of the aircraft. If he/she only performs the "100 hr. items", and these items do not cause the entire aircraft to be inspected, he/she cannot actually certify that the aircraft is in a condition for safe operation, as the regulations require.

 

As I said before, there is only one required inspection in the SLSA world. "Condition inspections" are WHOLE aircraft inspections performed to determine whether the aircraft (entire aircraft) is or is not in a condition for safe operation.

 

My reply speaks only to regulatory requirements as that is what I thought the original question pertained to, however, I can't imagine Rotax denying an otherwise legitimate warranty claim if someone did not comply with all of their whimsical inspection stuff. I also can't believe anybody would continue to buy their product if they did do this.

 

Doug Hereford

[Doug G.]

So does that mean the wings have to be pulled every inspection?

[Anticept]

Doug H, the part of interest is who is a person acceptable to the FAA?

 

Also, define condition inspection. I point that out because I do not see where in 91.327 that it says you must perform a condition inspection every 100 hours when used in flight instruction. It only says to use procedures developed by the manufacturer (or this mystical person). I quote below:

 

© No person may operate an aircraft issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category to tow a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle for compensation or hire or conduct flight training for compensation or hire in an aircraft which that persons provides unless within the preceding 100 hours of time in service the aircraft has—

 

(1) Been inspected by a certificated repairman with a light-sport aircraft maintenance rating, an appropriately rated mechanic, or an appropriately rated repair station in accordance with inspection procedures developed by the aircraft manufacturer or a person acceptable to the FAA and been approved for return to service in accordance with part 43 of this chapter; or

Also, condition inspections have been held for a long time with experimental aircraft to at least include the items in 43 app D. If it wasn't so late, I would do some more digging to see what the FAA wants done on S-LSAs but I need to get up early in the morning.

 

The LSA regulations are poorly written. That came from AFS 610 themselves. The regulations always refer to the "Administrator" for example, but if the FAA ever changed their name, anything referring to the FAA (like in the light sport regs) instead of the "Administrator" would be in limbo.