Blanik L-13 Fly Again

[[email protected]]

N90846 flew on 10/18/18 after about 10 years of being grounded by an AD that covered around 850 worldwide including approx. 125 in the USA. Due to Greg Mecklenburg’s efforts starting two years ago the FAA approved a repair. (See the article in SOARING a couple of months ago). Three gliders were crammed into a shipping container and sent to the Blanik factory in Prague last Feb. and returned mid Sept. they are like new gliders with total overhauls and lifetime limits extended to 6,000 hours. After completing an annual inspection this last Tuesday and getting the paperwork signed I took mine up for a test flight. By the end of the afternoon we did six launches including a BFR for a friend.
Tom
Boise Pilot

[JS[_5_]]

On Sunday, October 21, 2018 at 5:51:03 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> N90846 flew on 10/18/18 after about 10 years of being grounded by an AD that covered around 850 worldwide including approx. 125 in the USA. Due to Greg Mecklenburg’s efforts starting two years ago the FAA approved a repair. (See the article in SOARING a couple of months ago). Three gliders were crammed into a shipping container and sent to the Blanik factory in Prague last Feb. and returned mid Sept. they are like new gliders with total overhauls and lifetime limits extended to 6,000 hours. After completing an annual inspection this last Tuesday and getting the paperwork signed I took mine up for a test flight. By the end of the afternoon we did six launches including a BFR for a friend.
> Tom
> Boise Pilot

That is great news, Tom.
Did they rebuild the usual suspects like the flap tracks and horizontal stab attachment?
What was the total turnaround cost?
Jim

[[email protected]]

Full C inspection. Now have 6,0000 hour life limit. AD repair was just under 15,000 eu.

[[email protected]]

Had additional things done like new interior, real-not handheld - radio installed, paint refurbished, landing gear strut rebuilt, the 46 year old control bridges replaced - this replacement was done for less than the parts priced here in the US over 10 years ago - that are covered in another AD. Still have to do the annual inspection but do not expect to replace the bridges again. The “C” inspection is very detailed including all new cables roller bearings on the flaps etc. Shipping three in a container was very economical. Greg Mecklenburg did very extensive work on container fittings! He still has them should others want to repeat our process. We did hit a hiccupe on the return from the WA dock to Bozeman. The unions hit us pretty hard.

[[email protected]]

You should check with Blanik America, Vitek to get the current price for the work. Understand that prices may be a bit higher that when we contracted for the work.

[[email protected]]

Great work
Can you please send me the contact for the container fixtures? I' m studying to do the same with our Blanik
Thans, Kees

[[email protected]]

Does the current time to date on the glider count towards the 6000 hour life limit. Another words we have ~ 2500 hours on our L-13. After the repair would we 3500 hours remaining or 6000 hours?
Regards
John