Enstrom 280FX down in USA, 2 fatal

[Lonewolf_50]

Originally Posted by Shawn Coyle

I heard that the aircraft was close to 30 years old, and had close to 10K hours. Was there need to inspect the spindles by either age or hours?
Going to be pretty difficult to track down a manufacturing problem with that age and hours, isn't it?

Unless the original spindles (or one of them) had already been replaced at a previous time ...

[CO280fx]

Revised EAD

20% of inspected spindles showed evidence of cracking! Now all spindles with >1500hrs TIS require inspection:

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/0/f5030410d75defef86257e23006a16c9/$FILE/2015-08-51_Emergency.pdf

[lvflyer]

Well I'm hearing the need for a manufacturer recall. Why should we be responsible for the costs when it was on condition?

[cockney steve]

Is there a language-problem here?

Calendar life= elapsed time?
Hours life = number of hours in use?
On condition= replace when it's no longer serviceable?

I don't see any description for " lasts until the end of time and certainly after all associated components have crumbled to dust"

1500 hours service-life does not seem abnormal for many parts, as per the details posted by CO280fx

[lvflyer]

As posted by CO280fx. Service life of 19000 hours on spindle. Turning out to not be true. Do you think someone needs to answer for the error in testing or judgement? Over $8k each for a spindle is a large burden for private owners that don't make any money with their helicopter?

[FSXPilot]

Hahaha! You want the manufacturer to pick up the tab. HAHAHAHAHA!

Dream on sunshine.

If that was the case Robinson would've gone bust a decade ago.

[CO280fx]

lvlflyer,
Once again your words show that you just don't get it.

Good luck.

[lvflyer]

Nothing wrong with dreaming. Still value of all our Enstroms dropped. Hopefully proliferation of trainer will increase desire and hope this issue doesn't taint the trainer's popularity. I'm curious how many on here have Enstroms just for pleasure and not commercial interest.

[rotorboater]

New EAD just released grounding all machines over 1500 hrs before inspection
More expense, its not be a cheap year so far for me.

[bvgs]

Anyone got any idea how much the testing will cost per spindle? Mines have only done just over 1600 grrrr. Mind you wouldn't like to be up when it parted company!

[lvflyer]

At this time Enstrom is not charging for the testing if you send them the spindles. They do charge a disassembly/assembly charge if you send the entire retention systems, which I am going to do so they can completely flush the old Mobil 28 out of them.

[cockney steve]

^^^^^^ sounds like they are being honourable with the testing.....given their rep. one would hope they will give a substantial discount, based on hours run, on any proving faulty...of course, one can also expect to see a dramatic reduction in the designated service-life of these components.

Having said that, consider the number that have run high hours faultlessly, V the one failure and the small number found unsound.....a faulty batch sounds a plausible explanation.

[flylow]

Anyone got any idea how much the testing will cost per spindle? Mines have only done just over 1600 grrrr. Mind you wouldn't like to be up when it parted company!

I picked mine up yesterday. All passed. Just under 1800 hours on them. One mechanic I talked to said he had 9 tested and it ended up costing him $25 each. The place I took mine to decided to rip me off when I told them it was a rush job, and they charged me $1,000. After some complaining by me they agreed to drop it to $435. That was the cost for the job... all 3 spindles. I was *going* to drop off another set to that company to be tested, but told them after the price they charged me, I'd send the other set elsewhere. Perhaps to the factory but I didn't want to wait for the backlog.