Peter wrote:
I would not expect the BEA to do anything excessively diligent when it comes to GA
Not true. The BEA has published numerous safety investigation reports on various GA topics, including on the Thielert engines and nose wheel locking on DR400 for example…
Peter wrote:
The majority of diesels are operated by schools
What’s the basis of this assertion?
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
I’ve just been through the latest stats for the CD engines.IFSD rate 1.74 / 100k hours, note the required IFSD rate for ETOPS 180 is 2 / 100k…
Unscheduled maintenance events 1.1 / 1’000 hours.
This “Unscheduled maintenance event 1.1 / 1’000 hours” can’t be true. I’ve been at the maintenance shop countless times with ECU failure warnings. Usually it was fixed with a software reset but it had to be done by authorized staff.
An ECU failure warning is a nogo item.
Well considering the size and number hours flown it’s quite possible that just like with cars there are some lemons out there.
All boils down to what is considered a “maintenance event”, but if it is considered a nogo item a software reset probably is.
Anyone hanging out within a light year of a sizeable operator of these, let alone someone whose A&P has regular contact with them, will know that 1.1/1k is pure fiction.
But, maybe, according to Mr Heisenberg, and with apologies to all the German, French, Italian etc car makers, their database knows when it is being interrogated and it outputs massaged data 
Is this assumption based on the same data as the motorcycle – airplane accident analogy?
jeff64 wrote:
I’m not luckymaa but my club have had the same problems with either (or both) the DR401 and DR400 CDI.For the flaps (happened essentially on the DR400 CDI), I think they changed practically the whole flaps actuator system to resolve the problem. In the end, they are not even capable of saying what was wrong.
For the engine, we replaced both engines with the new generation of the engine.
So far (4 months of operations for the 401, and one month for the other), so good.
Hi Jeff,
i asked the guys responsible and they said it seems ok for the time being, but not sure if they trusth its solved for ever. Last time they did not work was in May.
Keep fingers crossed it remains like this..
For flaps to self actuate, the number of possibilities is quite small. The system consists of
For it to move by itself, basically you need a fault in one of the above, or a bad connection.
Bad connections can usually be found by waggling the wiring. The other stuff can just be replaced. The relays are the simplest; they usually plug into sockets. I would visually inspect the socket contacts, and put some ACF50 in them. It could simply be a faulty flap position selector switch; just replace it. On a French plane it is most likely a switch made by APEM which is not cheap (maybe €100 without paperwork) but if it was me I would just change it before the next flight because it’s too cheap to worry about, on the scale of flying costs.
If the fault can be replicated on the ground then it should be dead easy to find.
I am wondering whether a wooden airframe presents additional challenges with electric flaps and the necessary limit switches remaining in the right place over temperature. Basically the whole actuator and limit switches need to be mounted on a piece of metal.
We will organize a Robin DR401 fly-in next year in Rothenburg o. T . (EDFR) ,
We would especially like to refer to clubs and holders of the Robin DR401 155 CDI.
We have already invited (18th of September 2017) Robin and Technify to this fly-in . We would like to discuss all benefits and problems with them. We have suggested the last weekend of March, April or May 2018.
We have got a verbaly acceptance from Technify. Robin is still missing.
Keep informed via Facebook “Aeroclub Rothenburg Tauber” or https://www.edfr.de
Aero Club Rothenburg o. T e. V.
We operate a C172 with CD 155 conversion 3rd radiator in 200h since March 2017 and no solution in sight.
