Blanik L-23

"Duane Eisenbeiss" wrote in message
news:HFIgc.24675$0b4.31395@attbi_s51...
There is a new Service Bulletin on the Blanik L-23 that requires
Magnafluxing the "U" shape bracket that connects the two elevator halves.
The bracket on our ship had 3 cracks. If you have a Blanik L-23 and have
not had it checked would suggest you do so. Losing half an elevator you
might still have control. Losing both halves would probably be parachute
time.

For those that have had the check, are cracks being found?

Duane

No cracks on our L-23 (tested a couple of weeks ago) but it's relatively low
time and not aerobatted. It's not clear at this point whether this may
become a repetitive check. The reporting requirements of the SB will
hopefully pinpoint any pattern of problems. I got a second hand report that
something like 35% of the fleet in the Czech Republic had cracks (at least
one you could see daylight through). There was a fatal last year there
during an aerobatic flight. Possibly the part was contracted for or made in
batches and that there are some bad welds.

Frank Whiteley

Possibly the part was contracted for or made in
batches and that there are some bad welds.

Frank Whiteley


With many cracked and many not cracked this sounds like a possibility,
especially the made in batches part.
As reported in my first post, ours had cracks but had never been submitted
to aerobatic flight (at least not any that someone would admit to).

Duane