My understanding is that Blanik owners are encouraged to do the visual
inspection and provide the information to the manufacturer (who
provided me with the inspection heads-up direct) and also the GFA ( who
provided the AD with the inspection heads-up to known Blanik owners in
Australia).
I understand some people have also received direct information on the
event which triggered the inspection in the UK from sources there.
This opens the potential that the manufacturer assess the individual
aircraft history and advise further operation on the information given.
My reading of the inspection heads-up is that if the individual
aircraft meets both the operational limits and visual inspection, then
it can be signed back into service.
I understand that representations are also being made to the
manufacturer that as Australia has additional experience with the type
in terms of airframe testing beyond the original service life limits
and has thus sources here to monitor on-going life and operations.
Which might give the manufacturer option to consider individual
aircraft service.
The 3 individual visual inspections I have seen give no indicator of an
operational issue.
Nothing has been said as I hear it about retrospective Llewelyn mod to
individual aircraft.
I am aware of a point of view about the desirability of this type being
in operation.
In a perfect world, clubs would have reserves to update their fleets
from past earnings & current borrowings.
In the circumstance as we find it, even large clubs have had to be
careful about fleet renewal.
Small clubs have not had that option. The sport in decline has left
them with low utilisation and borrowing capability. In effect small
clubs are running off the residual asset.
The operational status of the type creates the potential for number of
clubs to be inoperative. Some sites with the type have already been in
or close to this state. While in some minds this might be a positive,
focusing public interest in the sport with fewer larger operators. That
is not my view. The sport as a whole is diminished as options and
choice narrow.
Clubs with the type have been working with owners of other types to
borrow, hire a transition while the operation issue is under
consideration.
On 16/08/2010, at 9:24 AM, Kym Z wrote:
Hi all,
As you'd all know, Blaniks (unless they have the Llewelyn mod, and
unless they comply with the limited -but badly worded criteria from
the factory on the AD) are currently grounded...
Are we the only club still using a Blanik as our only trainer? It's
pretty hard to operate without a trainer... what are other clubs doing
about the situation?
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