Sport Pilot Talk

cogito · Joined: 24 Mar 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Los Angeles

Just flew my new (used) Sting Sport down to LA from Washington state and am getting it (and me) sorted out. A couple of things:

1) Here's where you CT owners might help out. my Sting doesn't have a tail tie-down anchor point. I've seen some CTs with a furry strap tie-down that goes around the tail. What is that strap and where do you get one?

I know some Stings have a tail tie-down anchor point, but for those that don't, like mine, what do you do? I've heard about tying down backwards and using the nose-wheel, but that would be extremely inconvenient where I tie-down.

2) Tach time? for recording pilot time one uses hobbs time. no problem there. But for scheduled engine maintenance one usually uses tach time, where do I find that? in the EIS there's a page that on mine reads:

05:00:00 97
175.6 Hrs Unit

(There's a degrees symbol after the "97.")

The 175.6 hours is about the same as the hobbs time, I'm used to the tach time being lower than the hobbs.

any ideas?
thanks,
Craig

drseti · Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 1390 Location: Lock Haven PA

cogito wrote: Tach time? for recording pilot time one uses hobbs time. no problem there. But for scheduled engine maintenance one usually uses tach time

Craig, that's true for Lycoming, Continental, Franklin, Jabiru, and most all other engines -- but not for a Rotax. Bombardier specifies (most explicitly, in the maintenance manual) that all scheduled maintenance and component lifetime intervals on a Rotax engine are to be based upon total engine hours, irrespective of engine load factor. In other words, hobbs time. (This means oil changes come more often on a Rotax than they do on a Lycoming, even though both happen at 50 hours).

BTW, most A&Ps don't know this (though anyone who's gone through the Rotax schools should). So, a lot of Rotax engines maintained by non-Rotax-certified A&Ps are out of compliance! :(

cogito · Joined: 24 Mar 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Los Angeles

Dr,
I must have missed that gem at the Rotax class. Yes, it looks like you're correct re: using hobbs time on rotax. Funny, the sportcruiser I used to rent had a separate (lower number) tach time. Makes me think the TBO is less than I thought.

Problem #2 solved. Anyone know the answer to #1?
thanks,
Craig

zaitcev · Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 258 Location: Albuquerque, NM

I don't know if it helps, but jeepers use so-called "tree saver" or "trunk saver": it's a wide belt that goes the tree trunk and then hooked to winch line, to prevent damaging trees. May be an overkill for the application though, even the smaller ones are rated enough to let you hook the whole airplane on them.

Example:
http://www.quadratec.com/products/92109_2111.htm

drseti · Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 1390 Location: Lock Haven PA

cogito wrote: Yes, it looks like you're correct re: using hobbs time on rotax.

For those who'd like the exact citation, it's in Rotax 912 Series Maintenance Manual (MML 912) Edition 2, rev. 0, October 01/2009, section 05-10-00 page 3, paragraph 1.1):

" - All time during which the engine is running is counted towards the total number of operating hours.
- The time is counted irrespective of the load factor of the engine, such as idling or take-off power."

Quote: Funny, the sportcruiser I used to rent had a separate (lower number) tach time.

It's amazing how many FBOs continue to operate and maintain Rotax-powered S-LSAs by tach time (directly in violation of Rotax rules, which under both FAA and ASTM guidelines must be adhered to).

Quote: Makes me think the TBO is less than I thought.

Yes, by about 30% on average. :(

Jack Tyler · Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:32 am Post subject:

Craig, your Q is a good example of how useful an owner's forum can be. So in addition to posting/reading threads here, you might e.g. want to register at http://stingsportowners.wordpress.com - or another Sting Sport-related owners' forum - and help it become a reservoir of info for you and others.

Congrats on the purchase and first long cross-country. I've envious...

dstclair · Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 212 Location: Allen, TX

There also the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/SportairUSA/106193243776

roger lee · Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 8:39 am Post subject: Tie downs and Hobbs

Hi Craig,

Hobbs times are more accurate for engine time and tach time is usually around 20% off as it is accrued and regulated by engine rpm. Hobbs time works any time the engine has an oil pressure of 15 psi or higher and runs steady. It's really better if everyone used Hobbs as it's a more true measure of engine time.
The tail tie down that the CT and other aircraft use works very well. It is made of a padded Kevlar strap. You can order one from Flight Design USA and your tail tie down problem is solved. It has sewn in loops on the ends to pass a rope, chain or hook a carribeaner in.

cogito · Joined: 24 Mar 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Los Angeles

Roger,
Thanks for the Flight Designs info. I just ordered the padded Kevlar strap, exactly what I was looking for.

Jack,
I agree re: user/owner's forums. I've looked at stingsportowners.wordpress before, but I must be reading it wrong. The newest posts appear to be made in 2007.

dstclair,
Thanks for the facebook tip. I'd forgotten about that forum.

It's possible there aren't enough Sting Sport owners to make a vibrant forum on our own, and our numbers don't appear to be growing. At all.
I'm glad to be able to get help from sport pilots who fly different types of Light Sport Aircraft. (see Roger, above)