Unable to reach 2000hrs TBO on P2002-JF

by Thierry Blatti in 912 / 914 Technical Questions 14 years ago

Here in Switzerland all Tecnam P2002-JF operators are unable to reach more than 1500hrs TBO with Rotax912 S2 engines. In the other hand, DA20-Katana operators operating the same engine do not experience this problem we have on the P2002-JF.
To make it short, in our flight school we got three P2002-JF flying each 600flt hrs a year. We did experience four engine changes within three years. An approximate average of an engine change every 1000flt hrs.
Does this engine makes a good combination with the Hoffmann propeller (two blade wooden fixed pitch)?
Other neighbouring flight-schools operating P2002-JF are experiencing the same problems as we got.
Many thanks for your help
Thierry Blatti / CFI

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Re: Unable to reach 2000hrs TBO on P2002-JF

by agustin arango » 14 years ago

agustin arango

1 5 0

I think it will help to explain the problem found on the engine that caused the removal from the airplne. Which parameter was out of tolerance? Both schools are experiencing same removal cause?

There are many variables that can cause an engine to last more or less hours even when treated according with the manual and following the maintanence program correctly.

Example: high altitude airports or sea level, fuel on the region, TOW of plane, short or long runway, contamination like dust, ambient temperature, rate of cycles/hour, cruise flights or constant "touch and go", lubricants used, compliance with all SB and recomendations, humidity, variable pitch prop, RPMs of operation.

Even jet engines experience different TBO depending on the operator for the causes explained above.
A jet engine performing transatlantic flights can last 18000 hours but if used for short flights 1cycle/hour it can las 6000 hours.

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Re: Unable to reach 2000hrs TBO on P2002-JF

by Roger Lee » 14 years ago

Roger Lee

129 5.31k 5.1k

Hi Thierry,

You should easily get 2000 hrs. I know people that are well over 3000 hrs.and have never had any major maint. You need to make sure you follow the Rotax recommended maint time tables and practices. Deviating from some of these can be death to an engine before it's time (i.e. 1000 hrs)
Make sure you use good oils, change it at 50-75 hrs intervals, use unleaded fuel if possible, if you have to use 100LL use a lead scavenger like Decalin. Change plugs more frequently. Don't try to get 200 hrs out of them, change them at 75-100 hrs. Keep those carbs synced every 100 hrs.Make sure your gearbox friction torque test is in the 400 in/lb range and if you drop down to 350 or less re-shim the gearbox. Don't use a real long heavy prop. All these items may seem minor and maybe they seem major to you, but the cost of an engine rebuild or a tear down is far worse and expensive in the long run.

Roger Lee
LSRM-A & Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
Tucson, AZ Ryan Airfield (KRYN)
520-349-7056 Cell

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Re: Unable to reach 2000hrs TBO on P2002-JF

by Thierry Blatti » 14 years ago

Thierry Blatti

1 7 0

Hi Agustin and Roger
Many thanks for your technical answers. I really appreciate. I should say that this particular aeroplane seems to have a disagrement between the AFM and the Engine Owner Manual. I'm talking about prop/rpm while the P2002-JF has that instead of engine rpm indication. The Engine Owner Manual says: At WOT the prop must rotate at least at 2150rpm. The P2002-JF AFM says: CRZ climb is 70kias. At this particular speed, the prop is at 2050rpm. Which is not enough according Engine Manual. In 2008, year we started operating this type of aeroplane we did noticed that disgreement.Tecnam was advised and told us. No problem. I even phoned up the propeller manufacturer. They asked me to send them the AFM. Which I did. No further answers came back. Either, from Tecnam or from Hoffmann-Propeller in Germany. By surpsise, three months ago, Tecnam told us to climb at minimum 2150 prop/rpm. Now, CRZ Climb is about 80kias. The result is a very poor climb rate in the Alps. But, we do this procedure as often as possible in order to save our engines. Up to now we did the oil change at the scheduled check only. Which is 100flt hrs from the Tecnam if we operate with unleaded-gasoline. We're using 98oct unleaded gasoline in all three P2002-JF we got. Now, we've decided to change the oil every 50flt hrs.
To save weight, Tecnam has installed a small battery. Result is that we often have unsuccessfull start.
With OAT below 3Â°C in our school every engine is pre-heated before start.
There's three flight schools in western-Switzerland how're operating P2002-JF. 8 aeroplanes in total. We all have the same problem. It even seems to be that among us, the engine which lasted the most was one of our. This one lasted up to 1490flt hrs. Most of the replaced engines where found out of tolerance close to 1000flt hrs. They where not reaching any more the minimum prop/rpm on the initial take-off run.
Many thanks to you all for reading this. Cheers
Thierry

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Re: Unable to reach 2000hrs TBO on P2002-JF

by Thierry Blatti » 13 years ago

Thierry Blatti

1 7 0

Any more imputs about this?
Thanks in advance

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Re: Unable to reach 2000hrs TBO on P2002-JF

by Alistair Hart » 13 years ago

Alistair Hart

0 1 0

Hi Thierry

I am interested to know more about the the problems with your engines not making 2000 hours.Is it a crank case problem or low oil pressure problem that requires over hall.With all of your engines has the problem been the same each time.

Regards Alistair

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Unable to reach 2000hrs TBO on P2002-JF

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