[Peetwo]

CASA embuggerances continue under Skidmore.

With the exception of the AOPA Project Eureka at Appendix 4 (pg 71-86), the sorry tale of CASA prejudice and embuggerance of Jabiru Aircraft, much like most aviation industry issues,  seems to have been bureaucratically obfuscated into a distant memory with the convenient smokescreen of a seemingly never-ending, bollocks, election campaign.

However with only 2 weeks to go to poll day now might be a good time to start reminding the pollies that (despite the Skidmore protestations that he is changing the duplicitous culture of CASA) the trail of biased, non-evidence based embuggerances of certain selected industry stakeholders continues unabated -  

So on the Jabiru front I noticed a short accident summation where RA-Aus asked for ATSB assistance with a fatal Jabiru accident :

Investigation number: AE-2016-018

Due to this being an RA-Aus registered aircraft this accident is being investigated by the NSW police. IMO this is fortuitous as we will actually get an objective, totally independent investigative report that is being prepared for the Coroner. 

However from the summary this did not stop every man and his dog being present at the breakdown of the engine:

The Jabiru 2200J engine was disassembled and examined at a facility at Bankstown Airport on 8 April 2016 in the presence of a number of interested parties, including the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, NSW Police, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and the manufacturer.

 
Fortunately this time CASA and the ATSB apparently could not add to their Jabiru dirt file :

The examination did not identify any anomalies that may have contributed to the development of the accident. No further assistance was provided to RA-Aus, and further enquiries should be directed to the NSW police as the investigating agency.

I then went to the reference provided by Shane (from page 42 here: https://www.raa.asn.au/storage/57-may-2016-w.pdf ). 
This article gives an excellent insight (from a tertiary qualified engineer and Jabiru owner with over 1300 hours in Jabiru aircraft) into the due diligence and risk mitigation JA have deployed to address the identified problem causing catastrophic engine failures:

This saga involves failure of the bolts which hold the cylinders to the engine block and has led to in-flight engine shutdowns, hysterical internet forums and crippling operational restrictions imposed by CASA. Due to my technical interest, and possibly due to my engineering qualifications, Rod Stiff and Sue Woods were generous enough to show me the technical reports on research work which Jabiru has done over many years to solve the problem. In my experience, it is a classic example of engineering detective work.

 
The full article is well worth the time to read and even I can follow the gist of the technical detail. Here is the closing last paragraphs:

The root cause has been addressed in the latest crankcase design. It is still present in the earlier hydraulic lifter crankcases, such as mine, but operating experience and theoretical calculations indicate the 7/16” and the more elastic 3/8” through-bolts are effective in solving the problem. There have been no through-bolt failures in any aircraft with these modifications (including flying schools) since they were introduced. The latest style, dampened 3/8” bolts, once fully deployed in the field, are expected to totally eliminate any resonance effects in those crankcases.

This is the good news for both existing and prospective Jabiru owners. More disturbing, however, was to learn that of the more than 50 engines returned to Jabiru for overhaul each year, about half have not had all the service bulletins or service letters applied. No matter how thorough the engineering or how comprehensive the solution, it is useless if not applied in the field. As a professional engineer with almost 40 years’ experience, I find it staggering any owner, or maintainer, could ignore a directive from a manufacturer. The legal liability alone should be enough to discourage the practice.

  
Read that then refer to the Project Eureka Appendix 4 reference (above) and make your own assumptions on whether CASA, under Skidmore, has turned the corner to being trusted by the industry to which it oversees...  
 

Finally some sanity in the nuthouse?? -  

Courtesy of Oz Flying today:

• A Jabiru 2200 engine. (Jabiru)
  

CASA lifts Restrictions for Compliant Jabiru-powered Aeroplanes
30 June 2016

  
CASA has lifted the operating limitations on many Jabiru-powered aircraft provided the individual motor complies with conditions laid down in a new legislative instrument.

In an announcement made today, CASA outlined maintenance requirements that needed to be met in order for aircraft to be allowed to operate without limitations, which include adopting Jabiru's maintenance schedule and replacing engine though-bolts in accordance with Jabiru service bulletins.

CASA Director of Aviation Safety Mark Skidmore said the risk mitigations had been developed in collaboration with Jabiru and Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus).

“CASA’s engineers have looked very carefully at engine failure data and analyses and worked with Jabiru’s engineering adviser,” he said.

“CASA and Jabiru now have a better understanding of the problems involved and this has led to the development of the new direction.

“I am pleased operators of Jabiru-powered aircraft can now resume normal operations once the appropriate maintenance-related actions have been taken.”

The legislative instrument signed by DAS Skidmore on 28 June gives Jabiru owners and pilots the option of continuing to fly with the limitations under Schedule 1 of the instrument, or complying with Schedule 2 and flying without the limitations.

Schedule 2 requires the aeroplane owner to identify the engine compared to a CASA table and comply with the maintenance and inspection requirements according to the table.

Jabiru founder Rod Stiff made the following statement following the CASA announcement.

"The instrument is basically saying that Jabiru engines that comply with the Jabiru maintenance schedule and the Service Bulletins and Letters and have no modifications have all the limitations lifted.

"With the accompanying CASA’s Jabiru Engine Reliability Analysis File ref16/181471, it is heartening to see recognition by CASA of the issues faced which are beyond our control and the steps taken by Jabiru to deal with the issues within our control.

"It is also heartening to see the dramatic increase in compliance to the Service bulletins/ Letters and maintenance procedures. This combined with our Jabiru engine training workshops has resulted in fewer incidents and puts us well ahead of Rotax for reliability, the standard by which CASA based their aggressive actions.

"We will continue to work for and with our customers and operators to strengthen and grow the Jabiru fleet. We have weathered the storm – it is now onwards and upwards for the Jabiru fleet."

The specific requirements of Schedule are set out in the Jabiru Limitations Document 28 June 2016.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/lates...JLWZGoR.99

MTF...P2