ELSA Annual inspection

It’s not an “annual”, it’s a “condition” inspection, since it’s an experimental.

You should look into getting your light sport repairman’s certification, which would allow you to work on any LSA you own. (In the USA/FAA)  It is a two or three day course.

Vans aircraft has a document specifically for the condition inspection on the RV-12iS.

The maintenance manual talks all about it.  Page 18-7 has the inspection checklist.

https://store.vansaircraft.com/aircraft/download/kitplans/?file=RV-12iS+MM+R3.8.pdf&kit=RV-12iS

Hi William,

Here is my opening sentence for my logbook label. To me documentation is everything. Plus using a checklist helps keep mechanic's and owners doing what they are supposed to do and not neglect things because they forgot or didn't know.

"In accordance with the RV12 and Rotax maint. manuals this aircraft had its 100 hour and annual condition inspection performed."

Do them both at once.

When I did a research project a long time ago the FAA said it didn't care how often you do an annual condition inspection, but after your last one you have up to 12 months to get the next one done. So technically you could do an annual every month. Same with the Rotxa 100 hr.

So with this opening sentence we are resetting both time tables so you are doing both inspections at the same time.

Then most owners don't do an exact 100 hr. inspection. It ends up usually a little short of the 100 hrs. and some a little longer. By logging both of these in my opening sentence I reset both times and both inspections are done and signed off. Both inspections are very close to the same with a couple difference, but you can cover those easily. 

The other thing I do and rarely ever see is I print out the Rotax checklist and let's say the RV12 checklist. I fill out the front pages and sign off everything so I don't miss things. Then if I touch it, tweak it, torque it or change it I annotate this in the checklist margins. I also make sure my logbook label has all this info too. Then I give these finished checklist to the customer to keep in a binder. This way the customer, next mechanic or new owner know exactly what I did and it documents trends on the aircraft. This type of documentation also helps protect you from FAA scrutiny, insurance issues and civil court liabilities. After spending almost 30 years in the courts testifying (medical background) I never once got burned and many cases were won because of my documentation. Good documentation is everything and it's easy.

One of my sayings is " Don't strive to be average, strive to be a cut above".  A three liner logbook label is a sin. 😏

William

The 100 hour inspection applies to aircraft used for hire, such as in flight training or glider towing. An ELSA can’t be used in those ways, although you can get training in your own aircraft. So if you flew your aircraft 200 hours a year you would still only have to do an annual inspection.  

If you had an SLSA, and had it leased to a flight school or were hiring it out to tow gliders, then you would be required to do a 100 hour inspection at each 100 hour interval regardless if 12 months had passed or not. Flight school aircraft often end up getting more than one 100 hour inspection a year.  

Thank you-all for the information.

It sounds like I follow the same protocol I've been 

using on all experimental airplanes.

The Rotax line maintenance manual leads you to

think they want a 100 hour inspection regardless of how the airplane is used.

Thank you,

Bill 

Hi William

The engines sold by Rotax go to almost every country in the world.  There are some 200 OEM that use Rotax.  Contrary to popular belief not all follow or adhere to the FAA regulation or rules.  The manuals of Rotax follow normal protocol from an aircraft producer.  They have to have better documentation that other component suppliers in that for the most part they are the only manuals most homebuilders or experimental users have.  With that in mind the manuals such as the maintenance manual line, MML, contain all the recommended requirements from Rotax.   

As a component part the engine is likely the most important one to have documents.  Under the FAA rules for special light sport, factory build aircraft, most OEM tell you to follow the Rotax manuals.  As an experimental you must do an annual condition inspection, you are not bound by any documents but best practice says you would follow the ones from the OEM or Rotax in case of the engine.  Roger Lee in doing an annual has a problem in that he wants you and himself safe.  He can't just pencil whip up an annual for you, he has to show what work was done and document it.  I fully agree with that practice and think everyone should. 

Cheers