Typical glider service lives?

I noticed the SZD-55 has a service life of only 3,000 hrs with a possible 1,500 hr extension. Is this typical of other modern ships like the Discus, Ventus, LS, DG series etc??

I think it’s pretty typical. My ASW-15 just completed it’s 3,000 hour inspection and is good until 6,000 hours. Given my typical utilization (50 hours a year if i’m Lucky) it’s unlikely to need another life extension inspection during my lifetime.

There are a couple of Janus flying round in France somewhere that as far as I am aware are allowed to go to 18,000 hours. 12,000 hour check done, extended for another 6,000. Not bad value for money if you intend on flying a lot

Do Schempp-Hirth and Schleicher published approved service life numbers somewhere on their websites? I can’t find them.

On Thursday, November 22, 2018 at 1:21:08 PM UTC-5, wrote:
I noticed the SZD-55 has a service life of only 3,000 hrs with a possible 1,500 hr extension. Is this typical of other modern ships like the Discus, Ventus, LS, DG series etc??


Not accurate information. Service Bulletin BE-012/55-1/2012 extends the service life of the SZD-55-1 to 12,000 hours (from 3,000). It requires periodic inspections every 1,500 hours with the results sent to the Type Certificate Holder (TCH) who responds with a life extension for the next 1,500 hours, up to 12,000 hours), some FM and TSM pages changes.

In the preamble, in part:
"To extend the life-limit of an airframe of SZD-55-1 / SZD-55-1XM the Allstar PZL Glider (TCH) has completed the actions as follows:
- precise check of four gliders S/N 551193056, 551190005, 551191010
& 551192042, respectively after 2908, 3341, 2978 & 2963 FH TT (total time);
- fatigue characteristic of SZD-55-1 airframe structure;
- fatigue test of wing connection’s node."

A copy of the SB is on the SZD-55 Yahoo group, which I moderate.

Dan
2D (551190001 - still a baby at 1,006 hrs)

Well then!! Thanks Dan!!

Schempp-Hirth gliders have a 6000 hr limit before the first inspection, and if IRRC, all Schleicher gliders have a 3000 hr limit before the first inspection.

They can typically be extended out to 12,000 or 18,000 hours with recurring inspections.

However, since most privately-owned gliders tend to fly 100-200 hours per year a 12,000 hour life gives a 60-120 year period. Even a club or commercial glider that flies 500 hours a year still gets 24 years.

Big picture, life limits are not a problem for most gliders or owners.

FRP structure has no practical service life. Manufacturers approve more hours as fleet ages, at least those who are still in business. There is no reason to ground glider at 12/18000 hours, same inspection program always gives you another 1500/3000/6000 hrs.

On 22/11/2018 18:21, wrote:
I noticed the SZD-55 has a service life of only 3,000 hrs with a possible 1,500 hr extension. Is this typical of other modern ships like the Discus, Ventus, LS, DG series etc??


Most new glider designs come to market with an initial service life,
which currenty seem to be 3000 or 6000Hrs. When some examples reach that
initial limit the manufacturer (assuming they still exist) then define
an inspection program to be undertaken which allows the life to be
extended be say 6000Hrs. The process repeats when one gets to 6000Hrs etc.

If you look in the TN/ADs from the various maufactureres you will find
technical notes being issued defining extensions.

Example the LS4 originally had a service life of 3000Hrs. TN4027a for
the LS4 now details the inspection program as at 3000, 6000, 9000, 10000
and 11000 which allows a service life up to 12000Hrs.

DG and Schleicher still seem to start with 3000Hrs as did earlier
Schempp Hirth gliders. Later Schempp gliders have 6000Hrs as the initial
life.

The SZD-55 is probably an example that the life was initially 3000Hrs
after which SZD produced an extension up to 4500Hrs. The original SZD
manufacturer didn't really exist for a while so nothing further
happened. The newer Allstar PZL company which now owns the design and
manufactures the glider produced a TN to extend the life upto 12000 hrs
in 2012

Nick

--

Nick Hill

Check out the service life of the Pik20D's

https://www.trafi.fi/filebank/a/1475...n_20151115.pdf


which is referenced in the EASA SAS for the Pik20D after the guy's in
Finland had the Pik20D recertified as fully aerobatic in 1999.

The report was requested by EASA so they then had to accept it

Some info from the report.

"- 10000 FLH aerobatic flight only
- 65000 FLH total flight time including max 8000 FLH aerobatics
- 265000 FLH without any aerobatics"

"For reaching a long time usage of the glider, say 65000 FLH which could
take over 500 years with an annual flight time of 100 FLH"

"it is proposed that for a normal condition aircraft the fatigue
inspections are started at 10000 FLH with an interval of 5000 FLH until
65000 FLH is reached."

The report sates these are fatigue inspections not life inspections. The
report makes interesting reading for it's implications for all composite
gliders.


At 10:10 23 November 2018, Nick Hill wrote:
On 22/11/2018 18:21, wrote:
I noticed the SZD-55 has a service life of only 3,000 hrs with a
possible
1,500 hr extension. Is this typical of other modern ships like the
Discus,
Ventus, LS, DG series etc??


Most new glider designs come to market with an initial service life,
which currenty seem to be 3000 or 6000Hrs. When some examples reach that
initial limit the manufacturer (assuming they still exist) then define
an inspection program to be undertaken which allows the life to be
extended be say 6000Hrs. The process repeats when one gets to 6000Hrs
etc.

If you look in the TN/ADs from the various maufactureres you will find
technical notes being issued defining extensions.

Example the LS4 originally had a service life of 3000Hrs. TN4027a for
the LS4 now details the inspection program as at 3000, 6000, 9000, 10000
and 11000 which allows a service life up to 12000Hrs.

DG and Schleicher still seem to start with 3000Hrs as did earlier
Schempp Hirth gliders. Later Schempp gliders have 6000Hrs as the initial
life.

The SZD-55 is probably an example that the life was initially 3000Hrs
after which SZD produced an extension up to 4500Hrs. The original SZD
manufacturer didn't really exist for a while so nothing further
happened. The newer Allstar PZL company which now owns the design and
manufactures the glider produced a TN to extend the life upto 12000 hrs
in 2012

Nick

--

Nick Hill