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#71
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
Matt,
I am currently flying a 17B FES and and have a Mini Lak FESL on order. I would really appreciate a conversation about your trip to the factory and your thoughts on both the Mini and the 17C. Here's my email address: . Thanks, Steve Bair |
#72
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
Matt,
Thank you so much for sharing your most positive experience with Lak. I am in a full agreement with the previous poster, in that I would love to hear more about your recent visit to their production facilities. As I told our Lak sales representative up here in Canada, it’s unfortunate Lak doesn’t organize a North American tour with there lineup of toys. I have several questions and concerns over their products, starting with fit and comfort in a Mini with my 6 foot frame, to support for batteries here in North America. John Hebert Montreal, Canada |
#73
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 7:14:48 AM UTC-8, wrote:
Matt, Thank you so much for sharing your most positive experience with Lak. I am in a full agreement with the previous poster, in that I would love to hear more about your recent visit to their production facilities. As I told our Lak sales representative up here in Canada, it’s unfortunate Lak doesn’t organize a North American tour with there lineup of toys. I have several questions and concerns over their products, starting with fit and comfort in a Mini with my 6 foot frame, to support for batteries here in North America. John Hebert Montreal, Canada |
#74
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 7:14:48 AM UTC-8, wrote:
Matt, Thank you so much for sharing your most positive experience with Lak. I am in a full agreement with the previous poster, in that I would love to hear more about your recent visit to their production facilities. As I told our Lak sales representative up here in Canada, it’s unfortunate Lak doesn’t organize a North American tour with there lineup of toys. I have several questions and concerns over their products, starting with fit and comfort in a Mini with my 6 foot frame, to support for batteries here in North America. John Hebert Montreal, Canada |
#75
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
Hi John:
I'm 5'7", so I can't help you on fit. But I found both the LAK17 and the Mini completely comfortable, and I think there was extra room beyond my personal dimensions. The 17 and the Mini essentially have the same fuselage, so if you've ever sat in a 17, you would probably find the Mini about the same fit. As for batteries, I assume one could get support through US/Canadian distributor, but my guess is that any serious repairs would have to come from LZ in Slovenia. As you probably know, LZ recalled all FES batteries for inspection and upgrade following the two battery fires. Here's what I wrote about that issue for Soaring: In accordance with a Modification Bulletin issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the LAK factory has reinforced the battery pack housing with flame retardant fiberglass, installed an independent fire warning system, and added a safety valve smoke vent to the battery compartment cover. The FES system has been with us for about eight years now. During this time some 180 gliders have been fitted with the engine, either as self-launch or sustainer. /There have been no reported engine failures in flight./ However, there have been two fires involving the lithium polymer battery packs at the heart of the FES system. One happened during a landing in the UK and was extinguished after the pilot exited the glider safely. The pilot reported that one of the battery packs had previously been dropped, which could have damaged one or more of the lithium cells. The other fire occurred in a trailer where the batteries had been stored with the units still connected, a big “no no“ according to FES maintenance manuals. While the exact cause of the fires has not been determined, any fire involving lithium batteries can be extremely serious – these units pack a lot of energy and must be handled with respect. In response to the fires, LZ Design, the Slovenian manufacturer of the FES system, has recalled all the battery packs for disassembly and inspection. LZ is checking for the suspected presence of small metal shards, a possible by-product of machine work on the battery case cover. Since the individual lithium cells are housed in plastic bags rather than hard cases, if a shard were present it would be possible for it to migrate during battery usage and penetrate a lithium cell, potentially causing a short and a resulting fire. After each inspection is complete, LZ re-installs all the lithium cells in a solid matrix of silicon gel, which should correct the problem. Regards, Matt Herron |
#76
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 2:26:46 PM UTC-5, Matt Herron (Sr) wrote:
Hi John: I'm 5'7", so I can't help you on fit. But I found both the LAK17 and the Mini completely comfortable, and I think there was extra room beyond my personal dimensions. The 17 and the Mini essentially have the same fuselage, so if you've ever sat in a 17, you would probably find the Mini about the same fit. As for batteries, I assume one could get support through US/Canadian distributor, but my guess is that any serious repairs would have to come from LZ in Slovenia. As you probably know, LZ recalled all FES batteries for inspection and upgrade following the two battery fires. Here's what I wrote about that issue for Soaring: In accordance with a Modification Bulletin issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the LAK factory has reinforced the battery pack housing with flame retardant fiberglass, installed an independent fire warning system, and added a safety valve smoke vent to the battery compartment cover. The FES system has been with us for about eight years now. During this time some 180 gliders have been fitted with the engine, either as self-launch or sustainer. /There have been no reported engine failures in flight./ However, there have been two fires involving the lithium polymer battery packs at the heart of the FES system. One happened during a landing in the UK and was extinguished after the pilot exited the glider safely. The pilot reported that one of the battery packs had previously been dropped, which could have damaged one or more of the lithium cells. The other fire occurred in a trailer where the batteries had been stored with the units still connected, a big “no no“ according to FES maintenance manuals. While the exact cause of the fires has not been determined, any fire involving lithium batteries can be extremely serious – these units pack a lot of energy and must be handled with respect. In response to the fires, LZ Design, the Slovenian manufacturer of the FES system, has recalled all the battery packs for disassembly and inspection. LZ is checking for the suspected presence of small metal shards, a possible by-product of machine work on the battery case cover. Since the individual lithium cells are housed in plastic bags rather than hard cases, if a shard were present it would be possible for it to migrate during battery usage and penetrate a lithium cell, potentially causing a short and a resulting fire. After each inspection is complete, LZ re-installs all the lithium cells in a solid matrix of silicon gel, which should correct the problem. Regards, Matt Herron 3 fires. One in the US UH |
#77
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
John,
I took a chance to try on Jamie Shore's Mini LAK here at SCOH and I did fit - barely. I am 6'2" and I think with some fiddling of the seat cushion type I would fit very comfortably. Did not get to fly it so cannot comment on how comfortable I would be after 3 to 4 hours in it - guess I'll have to fly before I buy. Tony Smolder TS1 |
#78
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 12:22:06 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 2:26:46 PM UTC-5, Matt Herron (Sr) wrote: Hi John: I'm 5'7", so I can't help you on fit. But I found both the LAK17 and the Mini completely comfortable, and I think there was extra room beyond my personal dimensions. The 17 and the Mini essentially have the same fuselage, so if you've ever sat in a 17, you would probably find the Mini about the same fit. As for batteries, I assume one could get support through US/Canadian distributor, but my guess is that any serious repairs would have to come from LZ in Slovenia. As you probably know, LZ recalled all FES batteries for inspection and upgrade following the two battery fires. Here's what I wrote about that issue for Soaring: In accordance with a Modification Bulletin issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the LAK factory has reinforced the battery pack housing with flame retardant fiberglass, installed an independent fire warning system, and added a safety valve smoke vent to the battery compartment cover. The FES system has been with us for about eight years now. During this time some 180 gliders have been fitted with the engine, either as self-launch or sustainer. /There have been no reported engine failures in flight./ However, there have been two fires involving the lithium polymer battery packs at the heart of the FES system. One happened during a landing in the UK and was extinguished after the pilot exited the glider safely. The pilot reported that one of the battery packs had previously been dropped, which could have damaged one or more of the lithium cells. The other fire occurred in a trailer where the batteries had been stored with the units still connected, a big “no no“ according to FES maintenance manuals. While the exact cause of the fires has not been determined, any fire involving lithium batteries can be extremely serious – these units pack a lot of energy and must be handled with respect. In response to the fires, LZ Design, the Slovenian manufacturer of the FES system, has recalled all the battery packs for disassembly and inspection. LZ is checking for the suspected presence of small metal shards, a possible by-product of machine work on the battery case cover. Since the individual lithium cells are housed in plastic bags rather than hard cases, if a shard were present it would be possible for it to migrate during battery usage and penetrate a lithium cell, potentially causing a short and a resulting fire. After each inspection is complete, LZ re-installs all the lithium cells in a solid matrix of silicon gel, which should correct the problem. Regards, Matt Herron 3 fires. One in the US UH I went to the FES presentation in Reno this year. I was unimpressed in the resolution of the fires that have occurred (I am an electrical engineer), especially in not acknowledging the third fire. My advice is to wait until the root cause of these fires has been conclusively identified. Having a parachute (as one friend of mine opined) is not an adequate backup plan. Tom |
#79
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
On 11/27/18 9:01 PM, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 12:22:06 PM UTC-8, wrote: On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 2:26:46 PM UTC-5, Matt Herron (Sr) wrote: Hi John: I'm 5'7", so I can't help you on fit. But I found both the LAK17 and the Mini completely comfortable, and I think there was extra room beyond my personal dimensions. The 17 and the Mini essentially have the same fuselage, so if you've ever sat in a 17, you would probably find the Mini about the same fit. As for batteries, I assume one could get support through US/Canadian distributor, but my guess is that any serious repairs would have to come from LZ in Slovenia. As you probably know, LZ recalled all FES batteries for inspection and upgrade following the two battery fires. Here's what I wrote about that issue for Soaring: In accordance with a Modification Bulletin issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the LAK factory has reinforced the battery pack housing with flame retardant fiberglass, installed an independent fire warning system, and added a safety valve smoke vent to the battery compartment cover. The FES system has been with us for about eight years now. During this time some 180 gliders have been fitted with the engine, either as self-launch or sustainer. /There have been no reported engine failures in flight./ However, there have been two fires involving the lithium polymer battery packs at the heart of the FES system. One happened during a landing in the UK and was extinguished after the pilot exited the glider safely. The pilot reported that one of the battery packs had previously been dropped, which could have damaged one or more of the lithium cells. The other fire occurred in a trailer where the batteries had been stored with the units still connected, a big “no no“ according to FES maintenance manuals. While the exact cause of the fires has not been determined, any fire involving lithium batteries can be extremely serious – these units pack a lot of energy and must be handled with respect. In response to the fires, LZ Design, the Slovenian manufacturer of the FES system, has recalled all the battery packs for disassembly and inspection. LZ is checking for the suspected presence of small metal shards, a possible by-product of machine work on the battery case cover. Since the individual lithium cells are housed in plastic bags rather than hard cases, if a shard were present it would be possible for it to migrate during battery usage and penetrate a lithium cell, potentially causing a short and a resulting fire. After each inspection is complete, LZ re-installs all the lithium cells in a solid matrix of silicon gel, which should correct the problem. Regards, Matt Herron 3 fires. One in the US UH I went to the FES presentation in Reno this year. I was unimpressed in the resolution of the fires that have occurred (I am an electrical engineer), especially in not acknowledging the third fire. My advice is to wait until the root cause of these fires has been conclusively identified. Having a parachute (as one friend of mine opined) is not an adequate backup plan. Tom The third fire was disclosed in one of the papers I read, it was about 40 pages on the testing and corrective actions that were being taken. It did strike me as random shotgunning of fixes, replacing the carbon fiber battery cases with fiberglass would seem to be minimally effective for a lithium fire. Improving the terminal insulation, when terminal insulation had no apparent involvement in the fires, may not do anything. Hard to argue with an improved fire detection system, but does nothing to prevent the fires. -Dave |
#80
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Which 18m FES sailplane to buy?
On 11/27/18 9:01 PM, 2G wrote:
On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 12:22:06 PM UTC-8, wrote: On Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 2:26:46 PM UTC-5, Matt Herron (Sr) wrote: Hi John: I'm 5'7", so I can't help you on fit. But I found both the LAK17 and the Mini completely comfortable, and I think there was extra room beyond my personal dimensions. The 17 and the Mini essentially have the same fuselage, so if you've ever sat in a 17, you would probably find the Mini about the same fit. As for batteries, I assume one could get support through US/Canadian distributor, but my guess is that any serious repairs would have to come from LZ in Slovenia. As you probably know, LZ recalled all FES batteries for inspection and upgrade following the two battery fires. Here's what I wrote about that issue for Soaring: In accordance with a Modification Bulletin issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the LAK factory has reinforced the battery pack housing with flame retardant fiberglass, installed an independent fire warning system, and added a safety valve smoke vent to the battery compartment cover. The FES system has been with us for about eight years now. During this time some 180 gliders have been fitted with the engine, either as self-launch or sustainer. /There have been no reported engine failures in flight./ However, there have been two fires involving the lithium polymer battery packs at the heart of the FES system. One happened during a landing in the UK and was extinguished after the pilot exited the glider safely. The pilot reported that one of the battery packs had previously been dropped, which could have damaged one or more of the lithium cells. The other fire occurred in a trailer where the batteries had been stored with the units still connected, a big “no no“ according to FES maintenance manuals. While the exact cause of the fires has not been determined, any fire involving lithium batteries can be extremely serious – these units pack a lot of energy and must be handled with respect. In response to the fires, LZ Design, the Slovenian manufacturer of the FES system, has recalled all the battery packs for disassembly and inspection. LZ is checking for the suspected presence of small metal shards, a possible by-product of machine work on the battery case cover. Since the individual lithium cells are housed in plastic bags rather than hard cases, if a shard were present it would be possible for it to migrate during battery usage and penetrate a lithium cell, potentially causing a short and a resulting fire. After each inspection is complete, LZ re-installs all the lithium cells in a solid matrix of silicon gel, which should correct the problem. Regards, Matt Herron 3 fires. One in the US UH I went to the FES presentation in Reno this year. I was unimpressed in the resolution of the fires that have occurred (I am an electrical engineer), especially in not acknowledging the third fire. My advice is to wait until the root cause of these fires has been conclusively identified. Having a parachute (as one friend of mine opined) is not an adequate backup plan. Tom Page number 38, brief mention https://assets.publishing.service.go...GSGS_09-18.pdf |
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