Yikes, glad I don't have a Pegasus!

I spoke with Greg Davison at the FAA in Oklahoma City the other day and
he gave me the scoop on the AD and its implications.

Yes, technically there is a 3000 hour life limit on all Pegasus gliders
sold in the US. This is not an FAA rule- it came from Centrair. The
glider is certified to 12,000 hours in Europe, but the US STC was only
for 3000 hours. As a result, the AD had to be issued.

Don't panic, though. Greg has met with Centrair and they have agreed to
issue a 3000 hr. inspection protocol like other gliders require. Once
this inspection reqirement is issued (probably in the Spring of 2006),
the FAA will put out another AD that will supersede this one.

Greg realized that the 3000 hr. limit is not realistic, and Centrair
agrees. It was just a screwup when the glider was originally certified
in the early 1980's. I have been assured that the problem WILL be
fixed. It is just that the FAA had to comply with the original
manufacturer's intent and the resulting limit.

Greg was extremely helpful in explaining the situation. He has promised
to keep poking at Centrair until they come up with the 3000 hr.
inspection regimen. Greg suggested I call him in February 2006 to check
on Centrair's progress.

My Pegasus has around 2400 hrs. so I was more than just a little
concerned. Especially because I usually put 200+ hrs per year on my
glider. I am encouraged by his response, and I am back to getting a
decent night's sleep.

An email to Centrair urging them to work on the inspection protocol
might be a good idea. )

Mark Mocho

300 000 hours ( yes 3 hundred k ) is a 'realistic' lifespan for a
plastic glider. Read the recent OSTIV proceedings if you dont believe
me.

Ian

wrote:
300 000 hours ( yes 3 hundred k ) is a 'realistic' lifespan for a
plastic glider. Read the recent OSTIV proceedings if you dont believe
me.

Better start that flight instruction fund for the great grand kids.
:-)

That's ~34 years of flight. Under day/VFR conditions, it would take well
over a century to accumulate if you flew every day. That many years of
exposing a composite structure to sunlight and ozone would worry me a bit,
OSTIV not withstanding. Add turbulence and hard knocks (not to mention
parts availability) and I suspect the lifespan would be significantly less
than 300K hours.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out.

Ray Warshaw (tongue firmly in cheek)
1LK

wrote in message
oups.com...
300 000 hours ( yes 3 hundred k ) is a 'realistic' lifespan for a
plastic glider. Read the recent OSTIV proceedings if you dont believe
me.

Ian

Among many well-reasoned points, Mark wrote:

...It is just that the FAA had to comply with the original
manufacturer's intent and the resulting limit...


This isn't true at all. FAA doesn't have to do anything more specific
than "keeping the airways safe." They do whatever they feel like
doing.

-Pat

I spoke with Greg Davison at the FAA in Oklahoma City the other day and
he gave me the scoop on the AD and its implications.

SNIP
Don't panic, though. Greg has met with Centrair and they have agreed to
issue a 3000 hr. inspection protocol like other gliders require. Once
this inspection reqirement is issued (probably in the Spring of 2006),
the FAA will put out another AD that will supersede this one.

Greg realized that the 3000 hr. limit is not realistic, and Centrair
agrees. It was just a screwup when the glider was originally certified
in the early 1980's. I have been assured that the problem WILL be
fixed. It is just that the FAA had to comply with the original
manufacturer's intent and the resulting limit.

Greg was extremely helpful in explaining the situation. He has promised
to keep poking at Centrair until they come up with the 3000 hr.
inspection regimen. Greg suggested I call him in February 2006 to check
on Centrair's progress.

OK, this thread probably has limited interest for most glider pilots.
But I've still been waiting for several days for someone to jump in
with, "Hey, this FAA guy sounds like a breath of fresh air. Yeah, the
FAA feels compelled (surprise) to enforce the manufacturer's life limit
but they seem to have a very practical attitude about it. And they're
working to get it fixed. Things haven't always been so. Thanks, FAA."

Sure, it would be nice if the Feds ignored the useless rules and
enforced only the ones that really make sense. But then how do they
look in front of Congress if some yo-yo goes into cloud trying to climb
through a wave window, pulls the wings off a Pegasus, and drops the
debris into a crowded schoolyard? And he shouldn't even have been
flying the aircraft because the manufacturer said it was dangerous!!!!!

We don't always have it so good. Let's give the FAA a little slack on
this one. Sounds like they know what needs to be done even if it will
take longer than anyone likes.

Or maybe it's not the FAA, it's just some relatively clear-headed guys
who work there and know us. Even more reason to say "thank you."

Chip Bearden

wrote:
I spoke with Greg Davison at the FAA in Oklahoma City the other day and
he gave me the scoop on the AD and its implications.


SNIP

Don't panic, though. Greg has met with Centrair and they have agreed to
issue a 3000 hr. inspection protocol like other gliders require. Once
this inspection reqirement is issued (probably in the Spring of 2006),
the FAA will put out another AD that will supersede this one.

Greg realized that the 3000 hr. limit is not realistic, and Centrair
agrees. It was just a screwup when the glider was originally certified
in the early 1980's. I have been assured that the problem WILL be
fixed. It is just that the FAA had to comply with the original
manufacturer's intent and the resulting limit.

Greg was extremely helpful in explaining the situation. He has promised
to keep poking at Centrair until they come up with the 3000 hr.
inspection regimen. Greg suggested I call him in February 2006 to check
on Centrair's progress.


OK, this thread probably has limited interest for most glider pilots.
But I've still been waiting for several days for someone to jump in
with, "Hey, this FAA guy sounds like a breath of fresh air. Yeah, the
FAA feels compelled (surprise) to enforce the manufacturer's life limit
but they seem to have a very practical attitude about it. And they're
working to get it fixed. Things haven't always been so. Thanks, FAA."

Sure, it would be nice if the Feds ignored the useless rules and
enforced only the ones that really make sense. But then how do they
look in front of Congress if some yo-yo goes into cloud trying to climb
through a wave window, pulls the wings off a Pegasus, and drops the
debris into a crowded schoolyard? And he shouldn't even have been
flying the aircraft because the manufacturer said it was dangerous!!!!!

We don't always have it so good. Let's give the FAA a little slack on
this one. Sounds like they know what needs to be done even if it will
take longer than anyone likes.

Or maybe it's not the FAA, it's just some relatively clear-headed guys
who work there and know us. Even more reason to say "thank you."

Chip Bearden

I second what Chip wrote. While I'm no fan of bloated, CYA-driven
bureaucracies I get to pay for whether I want to or not, and while I
find the humor in "We're from the government; we're here to help,"
disturbingly and frequently too close to the mark, I found Greg
Davison's attitude refreshingly common-sense, and arguably as pro-active
as is likely to be found in a Federal bureaucracy.

Though not a Pegasus owner, I had already been thinking prior to Chip's
post - and belatedly now say - "Thank you, Greg!" for picking up and
running with this particular ball.

Bob Whelan

At 13:18 09 December 2005, Pat Russell wrote:
Among many well-reasoned points, Mark wrote:

...It is just that the FAA had to comply with the
original
manufacturer's intent and the resulting limit...


This isn't true at all. FAA doesn't have to do anything
more specific
than 'keeping the airways safe.' They do whatever
they feel like
doing.

-Pat

There was I all ready to hire a shipping container
and buy up all the 3000hr Peguses or Pegii and ship
to the uk
Drat
Nigel

No, but you can buy up all the new rudder pedals sold to comply with the
last AD and send them back to France!

"Nigel Pocock" wrote in message
...
At 13:18 09 December 2005, Pat Russell wrote:
Among many well-reasoned points, Mark wrote:

...It is just that the FAA had to comply with the
original
manufacturer's intent and the resulting limit...


This isn't true at all. FAA doesn't have to do anything
more specific
than 'keeping the airways safe.' They do whatever
they feel like
doing.

-Pat

There was I all ready to hire a shipping container
and buy up all the 3000hr Peguses or Pegii and ship
to the uk
Drat
Nigel