Devon and Somerset Microlight Club : Safety and operations updates

Bernard Bader	Inspector no. 483. Rotax 4 and 2 stroke servicing. Flex-wing and 3-axis inspections.	Taunton 01823 256046

Mark Jones	Inspector no. 532. Check pilot no. 101. 3-axis inspections and check flights.	Westbury 07841 614577 www.galaxymicrolights.co.uk

Chris Pidler	Inspector no. 297 (senior inspector). Check pilot no. 258. Rotax 2 stroke servicing. Flex-wing and 3-axis inspections. 3-axis check flights.	South Bristol 01275 371031 / 07970 573868 Chris.p (at) talktalk.net

Carl Tharme	Inspector no. 187 (senior inspector). Flex-wing and 3-axis inspections.	Yeovil 01935 420872

Jim Greenshields is also a check pilot (no. 157) for flexwings and 3-axis, and offers Rotax 4 stroke servicing at Dunkeswell.

A Mandatory Permit Directive has been issued by the CAA for all permit to fly aircraft using Trelleborg Hydro K fuel hoses. There have been reports of hoses cracking after only a few months...

The CAA have issued an Emergency Mandatory Permit Directive for all Quik-Rs relating to the security of keel pocket webbing.

P&M Aviation have issued Service Bulletin 127 for all Quiks, GT450s and Quik-Rs fitted with CTK twin stainless steel exhausts. Owners are advised to check for cracks.

The CAA have republished many of their Safety Sense leaflets. These cover a wide range of topics, and among the blazingly obvious warnings they do contain a lot of useful advice! Microlighters should probably be familiar with 'Use of MOGAS', 'Military Low Flying' and 'Strip Sense' to name just three. The leaflets are all online and if you've ever wondered what a Standard Overhead Join is there's also a handy poster at the link below.

On 12 March 2009 the existing Air Traffic Services Outside Controlled Airspace (ATSOCAS) will be overhauled. Essentially, Flight Information Service (FIS) will be replaced with Basic Service, Radar Information Service (RIS) will be replaced with Traffic Service and Radar Advisory Service (RAS) with Deconfliction Service. A new 4th service, providing traffic avoidance ("deconfliction") in the absence of radar cover will also be introduced, called Procedural Service.

The CAA have produced a zappy interactive guide to the changes (including R/T terminology we can expect to hear): www.airspacesafety.com/content.Until 12 March the existing services should contine to be used.

At present there are both civilian and military operations at RAF St Mawgan. As from 1 December 2008 though the RAF base will be closed and the airfield will be renamed Newquay (ICAO designator EGHQ).

The MATZ will no longer exist and the ATZ will be under ATC control (ie. no entry without clearance). The LARS frequency will change to 133.4 (60 nm coverage), Tower to 134.375, and ATIS on 127.4. There are ILS systems on RWY 30 & RWY 12.

A fairly minor change, but one which could make TAFs even harder to decipher than they already are. As from 5 November 2008 Terminal Area Forecasts (TAFs) will always include the day of the month, in addition to the hour of the day, when time information is given. For example, an Exeter TAF might look like:

EGTE 061656Z 0618/0703 17005KT 8000 SCT020 BECMG 0620/0623
17015G25KT -RA BKN012 PROB40 TEMPO 0621/0624 4000 SHRA BKN007
BECMG 0700/0702 27015G25KT 9999 NSW SCT025

The new date information is highlghted in red above.

So the "0618/0703" reference shows that the TAF is valid from 1800 on the 6th to 0300 on the 7th. The next time reference, "0620/0623", should be read as meaning that the weather will change some time between 2000 on the 6th and 2300 on the 6th. Not that it will change between 0620hrs and 0623hrs! The reason for the change is that some TAFs will now be issued for longer than 24 hours. Full details are contained in AIC 47/2008 (Yellow 266) - www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/aic/yellow/EG_Circ_2008_Y_047_en.pdf

(As ever with TAFs and METARs remember that times are GMT (UTC) - they do not change to BST when the clocks go forward!)

As of 9 July 2008 microlights (and other aircraft with a Permit to Fly) are now permitted to fly over 'congested areas' (i.e. towns and cities), subject to compliance with rule 5 of the Rules of the Air.

The relevant bit of rule 5 states that a pilot must not fly below a height:-
a) which would enable him to land clear of the area in the event of engine failure, or
b) less than 1,000 ft above the highest fixed obect within 600m.
whichever is the higher.

This exemption from the CAA is valid until 8 July 2009, but it is expected to be renewed at that time. Apparently the CAA conceded that since things are unlikely to fall off Permit aircraft, there was no safety case for the restriction. Details are contained in CAA ORS4 no. 691 - www.bmaa.org/upload/misc/200872572150.Exemption%20-%20Overflight%20of%20congested%20areas.pdf

Update 2/7/09 - The right to overfly built up areas has been extended by the CAA indefinitely.

As from 1 March 2009 (at latest) holders of a NPPL(M) will have more onerous currency requirements to comply with. While it used to be necessary to complete at least 5 hours as pilot in the preceding 13 months in order to get a Certificate of Experience stamped in your log book, you will soon be required to complete the following within the preceding 24 months:-

• at least 12 hours flight time, including 8 hours PIC (6 of which must have been within 6 months of revalidation)
• at least 12 take-offs and landings
• at least 1 hour flight training with an instructor. (If this flight has not been completed, the rating will be endorsed ‘Single seat only’, which means that only single-seat aircraft can be flown, not that the pilot can fly two-seat aircraft solo.)

Revalidation of existing NPPLs before 1 March 2009 will continue to be governed by the old system. The pilot must have flown at least 5 hours in the preceding 13 months. However, the next period of validity will then be for 24 months and at the end of that period the holder must have satisfied the new requirements in order to revalidate.

New NPPLs issued after 31 January 2008 will start immediately with the 24 month validity period and new requirements.

A Mandatory Permit Directive has been issued by the CAA requiring replacement of defective fuel pumps fitted to 912 engines on some Permit aircraft. The defective pumps produce too much pressure which could cause significant fuel leakage or engine problems. Pierburg pumps are not affected.

A Pegasus Quantum 15-912 suffered an in-flight structural failure during a training flight with both pilot and instructor on-board. The aircraft was in a 30 degree banked turn at the time and had just completed a sequence of 60 degree banked turns. The instructor took control and was able to land safely in a nearby field.

It was found that the front strut upper channel had a fracture running through the bolt hole and additionally both lugs had failed and were left attached to the strut by the securing pin. The part is identified as Pylon Item 6 - ZCH-011 "Front Strut Upper Channel" in the Pegasus Aviation Quantum Parts Catalogue Issue 2 - 23.01.02. There was also a dent in the rear face of the monopole adjacent to the over centre locking catch which had bent rearwards, about this point, by approximately 2 degrees. See appended photographs of the failed parts.

The aircraft had approximately 1100 airframe hours (end 2007) and was built in year 2000.

The cause of the failure awaits the conclusions of the AAIB investigation, but until then, one working hypothesis is that the upper channel may have been rotated through 180 degrees during the rigging process leading to additional bending stresses on the component.

16/09/2008 16:30 - After examining the photographs, Jim Cunliffe, MD of P&M Aviation Ltd, is of the opinion that the Front Strut was rigged with the Upper Channel in the upside down position.

All owners are requested to pay special attention to the orientation and condition of this component when rigging their machine.

Rob Hill
BMAA Chief Inspector
Issue 2
16/09/2008

Update: A mandatory Service Bulletin (SB126Qtm) has now been issued by P&M - Date Added 31/7/09

The weekend had been booked, with Phil Parmiter and I spending it at the Woodsprings model show nr Bristol, where Phil would have been showing off his skills with the larger scale models. Woodsprings is one of the best model shows in the country with an equal mix of models large and small; mixed with a smattering of full size to spice up the weekend. But a phone call from the organisers the week before, informing us that the site was under water, made us change our plans.

We had been planning an overnight stop for months so when the weather forecast looked good for the Saturday and part of Sunday we thought about a trip to Bodmin, stop over and come back the next morning. I had been having trouble with my radio and didn't want to fly without, so whilst I spent the morning re-installing my Lynx interface into Skyranger G-MARO, Will Gillam and Phil flew up to Henstridge in Rans G-CBOS. I had just had the interface back from Lynx so I was confident that I would have it installed by the time they returned.

So I was not happy when I tried the radio out only to find that I could not contact anyone. I waited until Phil & Will came back and we put the planes at each end of the runway. Whilst I could hear Will all he got was white noise!!!! By this time I had had enough so we decided to contact Jim Greenshields and ask for advice. Jim very kindly suggested I bring both of my radios up and we would try them out.

Any excuse for a flight - so we took both planes up to Dunkeswell. Lovely flight with no problems. Jim and Big Al were up with students, so a cup of coffee with Val and little Jim was called for. When Jim returned he thought the quickest way to check things out was to put one of his Icom units in G-MARO and see what the result would be. We thought the safest way to test the radio would be for Phil to take G-CBOS back to Bridport and after leaving the circuit change to the Microlight channel [129.825] so as not to interfere with traffic at Dunkeswell. The only thing it confirmed was that the interface was still faulty so it would have to come out yet again (all those bloody cable ties so lovingly fitted)!!!

All I could do was go back to Bridport without a radio and spend the afternoon ripping out the interface. I started up, all seemed fine and I taxied up to the café for the trip down 23. I stopped at the end of the new taxi way and did my checks. All was in the green, power run up and mag check was no problem. I taxied out for an immediate take off and lifted off in the usual short run and all seemed fine until I reached the threshold at 350ft. I thought I must have knocked the throttle with my knee as the engine suddenly lost revs. But I soon found I had more of a problem than that.

The engine was surging and I was losing power- so what were my options:

• Panic.

• Pray for divine intervention

• Kiss my ass goodbye

• Look for a field quick

Well - what I did was what Al had trained me to do, Al had nagged me so many times about looking out for a landing spot that one of the first fields he had ever cut the throttle on and told me to land in was the one that presented itself. I was, I thought,a bit high but the option was landing in the trees over the ridge. I pushed the nose down to keep the speed up and rapidly lost height. The result was that I was coming in very fast! “No problem it's a big field” went through my mind, but it's amazing how you quickly run out of ground.

On the ground I was so close to the trees I thought ‘Oh S---! This is it', but a hard right rudder and some brake pulled her around. Phew!!!!!!!!!!! What had happened? It's amazing that after a close shave like that you realize it must be your lucky day. I taxied away from the trees, passed some shocked cows and tried to work out what was wrong. The engine hadn't stopped and I appeared to have throttle control. I gave the plane a full throttle run up without a blip. At this point, with the adrenalin going to my head, I wasn't thinking straight. My first thought was I need to get out of this field and back home, so after a fast taxi across the field I tried again. Every thing seemed fine: she kept full throttle into the climb out over the farm and then it went again. It was at this point a wise man would have said, ‘Silly XXXXXX! you should have waited until you found the problem' -(well, Al did later).

The trouble this time was that I was a lot lower and had fewer options to land in. Luckily, by this time, I was flying downwind so a gentle bank brought me back into wind in the same field, with the cows thinking ‘What the hell is this silly bugger playing at!'. The second landing was far gentler than the first and this time common sense prevailed and I stopped and turned off.

A moment's reflection on my actions; get out; kiss the ground and check the state of my underpants, then a quick phone call to Val at Somerset Microlights. I had heard Al on the radio telling Dukeswell I was down safe the first time, so I knew everyone was aware of my situation and Val confirmed that and asked if I was OK. ‘Yes' was the reply and the plane was in one piece as well. Val told me to sit still, help would be along soon. I then phoned Phil Parmiter who was relieved to find I was ok - he said he would grab some tools and come up to Dunks.

While I waited I tried to work out what was wrong! It had to be fuel so I removed the bowl on the carb, no mess there. Carb icing - no couldn't be that, both carb heaters were on. So what else could it be?

By this time help had started to arrive in the guise of Mike Hawkins and a more welcome face I couldn't have wanted to see. Mike climbed over the fence and came to see what could be done. At this point there was no chance of me flying out, so a trailer was the obvious next move. Mike went off to find a gate that we could get out of and that was the last I saw of Mike for an hour and half. I think he drove around most of the area and knocked on doors until he found the right farmer with a key. (Sorry about the cow muck, Mike.)

By this time Jim had returned and was trying to sort out a rescue plan. He and Al decided to hop over in the school's C42 to see if they could fix the problem on the spot. So fifteen minutes later a very welcome sight came in over the hedge, did a low circuit and landed. An examination of the fuel system showed ingress of air, at full power, into the fuel line which was causing the problem and after an engine run Jim felt that by not using full power he could hop G-MARO back to the airfield. I jumped in with Al in the C42 and Jim shot over the field, lifted off and took her back into the airfield.

When we got back to Jim's a close examination showed that the squeeze bulb on the fuel line was allowing air into the fuel line at max revs. So a new filter and length of piping minus the squeeze bulb solved the problem. By this time the Tracy Island guys had come over and the general feeling was that I should do a tight circuit and then Colin and Peter Bishop would be my wing men back to Bridport.

So off I went, with a little trepidation, but I needn't have worried. Full power down the strip and away climb without a problem, I kept the climb shallow in case I had to return to my favourite field! Once around the circuit, which I did without any problems, the engine singing like normal, I was quickly joined by the Bishop Brothers and I headed for home very happy to have some company.

So,on reflection, what have I learned from this is:-

1. My Skyranger is a wonderful aircraft and can handle all I throw at her.

2. Don't ever take a take-off for granted.

3. After engine trouble don't take off till you know what caused it!!!

Now its time to give some much deserved thanks:-

First to Mike Hawkins who was first to my rescue and a very welcome sight. I hope he has cleared the cow mess off his trousers and out of his car.

To Val whose voice helped relieve the worry.

To Jim and Al, whose training gave me the skill to do an emergency landing not once but twice, and whose speedy action got the plane sorted and got me back home.

To all the guys from Tracy Island for moral support and to Colin and Peter for stewarding me home. And last to my good friend Phil Parmiter whose moral support got me through it all.

by ‘Dances with Cows'