BLANIK L-13 AD Status

On Feb 3, 2:30*pm, Tim Hanke wrote:
On Feb 3, 9:19*am, Tim Hanke wrote:



Current Status of the Blanik L-13 SPAR AD Grounding?

Does anyone know what the current status of the Blanik L-13 Eddy
Current testing procedure is? Has the University of Prague developed
this procedure for LET’s review?

It is my understanding the clubs of *the Czech Republic have been
flying the L-13’s by claiming hardship to the Czech Federal
Government. This doesn’t help the situation, as there is no pressure
being applied against the LET Factory.

Thanks for any information you may be able to provide.

Tim Hanke
Adirondack Soaring Group, Inc.
Saratoga Springs, NY USA

Tim,

Never say "Thanks for any information you may be able to provide" on
this forum. Ask for factual information otherwise you get all the
"sky is falling" and "I heard from a friend of a friend" reports that
add nothing to the conversation.

I would suggest calling or e-mailing the SSA government liaison, the
FAA representative in charge of the AD and daily calling the US
representative of Blaink until we get additional details such as the
proposed inspection plan, the current status of the testing and a
tentative date of when the testing will be done.

I would guess we may need to form a group or several groups to
purchase the correct probe and then send them to those that need it to
help reduce the cost of inspection.

There are enuff Home Builder's out there, what is stopping us from reverse
enginering the wing and doing a wood spar and built up rib's. By using all
the factory fitting's and linkage's,it should not be that much heart
ache.

Ken

On Feb 3, 7:36*pm, Ken Latam wrote:
There are enuff Home Builder's out there, what is stopping us from reverse
enginering the wing and doing a wood spar and built up rib's. By using all
the factory fitting's and linkage's,it should not be that much heart
ache. *

Ken

I like that idea! Form a Blanik interest group to pool some cash.
Build a simplified wing without the complex Fowler-flaps and an
updated airfoil. How about a composite wing to get over that metal
fatigue issue? That would breath new life into the old bird.

U. Neumann

At 06:17 04 February 2011, GM wrote:

I like that idea! Form a Blanik interest group to pool some cash.
Build a simplified wing without the complex Fowler-flaps and an
updated airfoil. How about a composite wing to get over that metal
fatigue issue? That would breath new life into the old bird.

And while we're at it, why not design and build an improved fuselage with
better visibility and some comfort designed in? Do that, and the Blanik
will be the bird it should have been from the beginning.

Jim Beckman

On Feb 3, 4:36*pm, Ken Latam wrote:

There are enuff Home Builder's out there, what is stopping us from reverse
enginering the wing and doing a wood spar and built up rib's. By using all
the factory fitting's and linkage's,it should not be that much heart
ache. *

I think that the trouble there is that these days wood offers a
relatively poor value proposition in terms of strength and stiffness
per unit dollar. That is especially true when torsional stiffness is
as important as it is on the Blanik. The forward sweep means that the
structure is closer to divergence than would be an unswept wing.

I think that the trouble there is that these days wood offers a
relatively poor value proposition in terms of strength and stiffness
per unit dollar. That is especially true when torsional stiffness is
as important as it is on the Blanik. The forward sweep means that the
structure is closer to divergence than would be an unswept wing.


If I were to redo the L-13 wing,first thing would be to remove the forward
sweep and use a strait leading edge with the taper on the trailing edge.
And leave off the wingtip torpedo's,maybe have 45degree winglet's
instead. It will need to go thru the whole certification process anyway so
may as well make change's to simlpify the build.

Ken

Ken Latam wrote:

If I were to redo the L-13 wing,first thing would be to remove the forward
sweep....


The forward sweep is there so that the main spar does not go through the
rear seat - which would annoy the occupant. :-) Losing the forward sweep
would require a redesign of the fuselage.

Tony

"Ken Latam" wrote in message
...

If I were to redo the L-13 wing,first thing would be to remove the forward
sweep and use a strait leading edge with the taper on the trailing edge.

Will this new straight wing design have the CL as far forward as the original
forward swept wing? Because otherwise I believe you may need to slide the main
spar carry-through forward into the rear cockpit. Sounds a bit uncomfortable for
the CFIG!

As always, the devil is in the details.

Vaughn

If I were to redo the L-13 wing,first thing would be to remove the
forward
sweep and use a strait leading edge with the taper on the trailing edge.
And leave off the wingtip torpedo's,maybe have 45degree winglet's
instead.

Pretty sure the forward sweep is a C/G thing, useful cockpit load and
all... also takes the place of washout, but the C/G thing is more of
a challenge to design around. Agreed on the topedos though. If someone
made a decent composite wing for the L-13, it really should work well.
Plain flaps instead of complicated/ineffective fowlers, and simple
Horner tips...

-paul

On Feb 3, 9:19*am, Tim Hanke wrote:
Current Status of the Blanik L-13 SPAR AD Grounding?

Does anyone know what the current status of the Blanik L-13 Eddy
Current testing procedure is? Has the University of Prague developed
this procedure for LET’s review?

It is my understanding the clubs of *the Czech Republic have been
flying the L-13’s by claiming hardship to the Czech Federal
Government. This doesn’t help the situation, as there is no pressure
being applied against the LET Factory.

Thanks for any information you may be able to provide.

Tim Hanke
Adirondack Soaring Group, Inc.
Saratoga Springs, NY USA