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1. 10:50 AM - Authorized Maint person (Roger Lee)
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| Subject: | Authorized Maint person |
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.
--------
Roger Lee
Tucson, Az.
Light Sport Repairman - Maintenance Rated
Rotax Service Center
520-574-1080
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=219089#219089
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