Rotax and your schooling

[Roger Lee]

 

Rotax update school

(Posted by me on another forum on 2-21-10 I think this deserves another look for all our newer people)

 

Hi All,

 

Remember when you read this, Don't shoot the messenger!

I had to go, too.

 

Back from the first Rotax update school in the nation at CPS in California. Here are some interesting items.

If you have to attend a Rotax update school don't bother studying like I did because nothing on the three test had anything to do with the specs and was taught in the refresher class. So be a good listener. Three 10 question test and you have to get at least 8 correct on each. There is a general test, a service test and a line maint. test. It is an all day class and all lecture. Here is the big item I learned.

The update class does not re-certify you for heavy maint.

You have to take the heavy maint 3 day class all over every 2 years for the heavy re-certification. The reason for this is darn few people ever do the heavy maint, but when it is needed then it is indispensable. Each Rotax mechanic will have to take a refresher update class to continue to work on a Rotax engine if he wants the heavy certification. Now before anyone goes off on this, remember that a regular A&P or A/I has to have a refresher class every two years also and if that A&P doesn't work for over 6 months he is technically not certified any longer. So the SLSA industry is really no different than the GA side and they are trying to make sure everyone stays safe because we fly to the same places and mix with the same people around the world even if we fly SLSA. The FAA, Rotax and Jabiru are trying to make sure the appropriate people work on SLSA engines. Remember that no where in an A&P school did the GA A&P get any Rotax or Jabiru specific training as he did Continental or Lycoming, not to mention many GA A&P's worked under someone for years to get their knowledge after getting their A&P license.

So what this means is that anyone working on an SLSA no matter what their title will have to attend a Rotax school and everyone will have to attend the update class every two years or you will loose that right to work on a Rotax. Don't flip out on Rotax because Jabiru has the same training. You will be limited to what you can work on depending on what level of class you take, i.e. service, Line maint or Heavy maint.. For the FD CT guys the manual says you can do an engine inspection if you follow the Rotax manual and the Rotax manual says you can do an inspection with just the service class, but you can not repair or replace engine components with only the service level class. You can do oil and plugs and a few other things for those who are worried.

The problem here is that we as an LSA group around the nation haven't done as good a job as we could have when it comes to policing ourselves and doing the right thing when maint was required. Some of the problems have been people that think they don't have to follow any bodies rules, but most have been educational issues. This forum has done a good job keeping people up to date on this subject. There have been a few problems. I did here while in class one GA A&P that signed off on an SLSA without the training had his license suspend for 1 year and another A&P was fined $3K. A&P's or mechanics will usually always get fined more than an owner because the FAA holds them to a higher knowledge standard. Mechanics went to school and are supposed to keep up better and have the training to know better.

 

To put this in the right frame of mind Rotax, Jabiru and the FAA are trying to keep the LSA aircraft from having more than their fair share of maint issues and crashes and trying to raise the education level for everyone.

 

The only thing that has changed here in all this was that Rotax wants people to take the Heavy maint course again for that certification every two years. Every thing else about who can work on an SLSA is the same as it always has been.

 

 

 

Just a idea,

If you don't want to go to Rotax school and you love your GA A&P then pay his way to a Rotax school then he'll be able to do it all.

[Doug Hereford]

Full of misinformation

[Doug G.]

Yes, it needs a lot of editing Roger.

[Anticept]

Some corrections:

 

IAs need refreshers, or completion of one of the other of the 5 items (FOR each 90 days means they could do 8 annuals just after renewal and be good for two years). There is no refresher for an A&P, but an A&P needs to work 6 months out of a 24 calendar month period to maintain privileges.

 

The FAA strongly recommends training per the manufacturer, but it's not the only way to get experience. However, not receiving training from the manufacturer does mean that you could inadvertently void the factory warranties. This has been pretty standard in the industry as well for decades with other aircraft.

 

Our local A&P school does want to offer a Rotax class for basic understanding of the engine for the A&Ps. I don't know though if RSFC would even allow that though.