Rotax 912 crankshaft directive

johnM · Post by **johnM** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 4:21 pm

A new directive for the Rotax 912 has been issued today, which supersedes that of a few weeks ago. EASA EAD 2011-0224-E: More engines are now involved.

My understanding is that crankshafts with particular serial numbers are affected but cannot figure out from the new directive how to check the crank S/N in my engine as no engine S/N are mentioned.

Any ideas?

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 5:05 pm

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 5:25 pm

EASA do indeed mean crankshaft all the way through.

Initially hasty I persistently read it wrongly as 'crankcase' numbers.

My 912 log book doesn't disclose any number for the shaft, nor that it's ever had a new one, anyway it's so old I'm pretty sure by now it's proved it's bullet proof !

Sorry again for misinformation. (now deleted)

mike hallam.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 7:47 pm

There's better data on the Rotax pdf, can't copy of course, but have screen printed best bit. It's a mix of engine followed by crankshaft numbers !

Unfortunately although this web reply box has an "Img." code it refuses to accept it.

All I can suggest is you PM me & I'll send it to you, or anyone else wanting it.

mikehallam@btinternet dot com

Kevin Dilks · Post by **Kevin Dilks** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:55 am

I received a list via the rotax owner site , the crank numbers without engine numbers are for when a replacement crank has been fitted.

In traditional Rotax manner we have to wait for several versions of the bulletin to arrive before we get the definitive list of effected parts...........
as per the gear set sage a couple of years ago.

I would like to know how they found this one , did some poor chap have a crank shear ?

Cheers
Happy having a older engine!

Post by **John Dean** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:41 am

Mike,

The forum software does not accept .pdf as an image file. If you convert it to a .jpg, it will display it as you would expect.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:55 am

Thanks John,

Actually that's exactly what I do when trying to pick a bit out of, and save from otherwise lengthy pdf formats. [A free screen saver prog. works well].

BUT I couldn't get the paste button to illuminate & assumed I was barred from adding jpegs.

I know some sites demand only pix from one's own web site, but if that's the case it is really too much hassle. Other sites e.g. BMAA do allow moderate pictures & I believe Pprune ?
Perhaps you could enlighten me how I can put up the engine numbers list here, please.

mike hallam.

Post by **John Dean** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:59 am

Mike,

With the software we have, any pictures must be hosted somewhere on the internet and the location inserted between the "img" tags. There is no facility to host the pictures on the forum server.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:32 pm

Fair enough John.

"It is just as I feared, ........

(two owls and a wren, three larks and a hen have all made their nests in my beard")

The offer for a PM list still stands. there must be oodles of 912 engine users out there, resolutley refusing to find out if their engine is on the Rotax schedule.

mike hallam.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:24 pm

Hurrah for our own dear CAA who have issued a clear & definitive MPD.

Here >> http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/20111129MPD2011009E.pdf

mike hallam

Bill McCarthy · Post by **Bill McCarthy** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:32 pm

I don't have one of these engines installed but I would have thought that nothing short of a replacement crankshaft (with the affected batch serial numbers) is mandatory. If there is a latent defect then exchange for a quality assured component surely ?

rans6andrew · Post by **rans6andrew** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:53 am

it would have been much easier for most of us if the initial information had stated when the engines/crankshafts had been manufactured!

Apparently, on the BMAA forum, Conrad Beale stated that the critical time interval was Oct/Nov 2010. I guess most of us would remember if we had bought a new 912 or replaced a crankshaft this time last year.

He also stated that SkyDrive had not sold any of the affected engines into the UK. This was after the first SA came out two weeks ago. Not sure if that still applies now that the number of affected units has been increased.

Rans6.......

Conrad · Post by **Conrad** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 9:08 am

Rotax ASB912-059 / 914-052

The Alert service bulletin issued by Rotax remains at the initial issue & Rotax have not increased the serial number range. There are 2 ASB’s, one for certified engines & one for non certified engines. Rotax released the engine serial & crankshaft serial numbers that are affected.
Rotax bulletin for certified engines http://www.rotax-aircraft-engines.com/p ... d05092.pdf
Rotax bulletin for UL engines http://www.rotax-aircraft-engines.com/p ... d05094.pdf

The EASA AD is only for certified engines & does not apply to most microlights / LAA aircraft (unless you have installed a certified engine for some reason)
The suffix A, F, or S on a 912 or 914 engine indicates a certified engine, they can also be identified by a red/silver engine serial number plate.
EASA only listed the affected crankshafts for certified engines & omitted the engine serial number.
EASA then chose to extend the serial number range of affected components & reissued the bulletin with the revised range of crankshafts which included non certified crankshafts (still no engine numbers). The AD still only applies to certified engines though!
I have had confirmation from EASA that the engine serial number range listed in the Rotax ASB (which includes the engine serial number) can be used to determine affected engines as long as the engine has not had a crankshaft replacement.
EASA AD http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2011-0224-E

The CAA MPD is for non certified engines.
The UL/ULS suffix is used on the non certified engines. The UL engines have black/silver engine number plate. The CAA MPD includes the engine serial numbers & crank serial numbers.
CAA MPD http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?c ... il&id=4777

A 912UL is a non certified engine, and a 912A or 912F are certified engines.
Take care the 912ULS is often misquoted as a 912S which can lead to confusion the latter one being certified.

There are only a small number of affected engines worldwide all from a batch produced late 2010.

John Price · Post by **John Price** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:01 pm

Thanks Conrad.

John.