Last night two engines were stolen from two aircraft (PH-1466 and PH-1106) at Hilversum EHHV.
Rotaxes? There’s been a spate of Rotax thefts in the UK too.
Concerning the stolen Rotax, this should be reported to Rotax:
http://legacy.rotaxowner.com/si_tb_info/serviceletter/sl-912-013r7.pdf
That’s horrible.
The really interesting Q is who can use these? In the UK, widespread legend (no idea if it is true) has it that they go into two communities, one of which is go-carts.
Peter wrote:
one of which is go-carts.
They removed the engine mounts as well. Those are only really useful in an aeroplane.
Arent these engines WAY too big for go-karts ???
That’s completely crazy!!!
I mean, how much ‘technology’ is needed to get these engines ripped off? At Night? on an airfield?
I hope people in CAA wont become paranoid now, and ask super surveillance on non towered airfields…because if you can get an engine you could also take a plane and crash it into the Dam!!!
What crazy times….
Which airfields were affected in UK?
From farm strips:
http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2016/News/stolen.html
Peter wrote:
one of which is go-carts.
The Rotaxes that have been stolen in the UK are the semi-aircooled 4 cylinder 4 stroke Rotaxes which are way too big (and completely unsuitable for) for karts. Maybe the 2 strokes have been stolen off flexwings in the past for karts. I would suspect they are stripped for parts and sold as parts.
Very sad.
One sees reports like this every couple of months, from over all of (Western) Europe, always going for the Rotax 912 (never the 912S or the 914), always taking the engine mount too. My impression (but no more than an impression) is that it is one very specialised person or team. I can’t see why the engines would be sold for spare parts: revenue to the criminal(s) must be higher for a complete engine, and in only one single transaction. Though selling only components does hide the serial number which is a major give-away. But I do not see much demand for 912 cylinders or cranks, and replacing those is quite a bit of a job.
My utter sympathy with the affected owners/operators!
