Inspection And Maintenance Required After An Overload Clutch Slipping Event

The Rotax folks have published a Service Bulletin after issues were noted that affect all R915i and R916i series engines. Rotax operators have reported occasional, isolated, cases a momentary slipping of the overload clutch -- which may lead to a slight exceedance of the maximum rpm limit, followed by the engine rpm quickly normalizing. Rotax describes the overspeed event whereby the engine speed setting is actually between 5500 rpm and 5800 rpm at WOT stabilized, 'followed by a sudden overspeed up to 6500 rpm for less than a second..."

Collectibles Around, but Not for Long

PlaneTags has finished up a run of plates using some of the castoff skins of the upper wings from the Experimental Aviation Association's B-17 Aluminum Overcast. The skins were taken off in March of 2014, when the aircraft was overhauled and stripped down for a much needed refurb. The EAA has put up 8 different variations, since the removed skins had black, white, and silver sections to choose from. Most of the time, ones with some kind of striation or paint application seem to do better on the secondary market, so the "partial black paint" or riveted pieces will likely prove popular in years to come. Expect to pay about $110 on the lower end for a plainer tag, and about $165 for the more interesting variants. 

There Was No Record Of Any (Pilot) Experience In The Accident Airplane Make And Model

On May 20, 2024, about 0842 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Quicksilver Sport 2S, N960B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cleveland, Georgia. The sport pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 test flight. According to the owner of the airplane, he transported it via ground to the sport pilot/light sport aircraft repairman’s facility at Mountain Airpark (0GE5), Cleveland, Georgia. The sport pilot/repairman performed maintenance, which included replacing the fabric, replacing a throttle cable, and performing an annual condition inspection. The accident flight was a post maintenance test flight. Although the sport pilot owned a Zenith CH 701, he had never flown the make and model accident airplane.

SportPlane Finds Fans Across Europe, And The World,  Thanks to Value Proposition

Czech sportplane manufacturer Direct Fly has finished delivering its 200th ALTO NG, the latest iteration of their 600-kg sportplane. The Alto was previously offered as the Alto 912 TG model, sporting some light tweaks and changes for improved stiffness and durability. One such modification added additional engine space up front, shifting the weight a tad to prevent the TG's habit of tail standing when disembarking. The newer ones also make full use of the 15-kg baggage compartment, with improved engine performance, intake, and cooling. Improvements to riveting points, welds, and fixtures help to streamline the build for those who complete their own sportplane, too.