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-   -   Enstrom 280FX down in USA, 2 fatal (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/555574-enstrom-280fx-down-usa-2-fatal.html)

Lonewolf_50 2nd Apr 2015 20:53


Originally Posted by Shawn Coyle (Post 8912712)
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 11th Apr 2015 15:29

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 11th Apr 2015 16:17

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 11th Apr 2015 17:52

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 11th Apr 2015 17:57

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?

http://i.imgur.com/rJ4BD8E.png

FSXPilot 11th Apr 2015 18:17

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 11th Apr 2015 18:35

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

Good luck.

lvflyer 11th Apr 2015 18:59

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 13th Apr 2015 12:13

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 14th Apr 2015 16:52

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 14th Apr 2015 17:45

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 15th Apr 2015 20:19

^^^^^^ 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 16th Apr 2015 11:10


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.


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