EASA AD on FES battery systems

from https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/sites/3/2017/09/BGA-Newsletter-September-17.pdf

Airworthiness
FES Battery Fires. On 10th August, a FES-equipped sailplane
experienced a severe fire in the forward FES battery after landing
normally at Southdown Gliding Club. The pilot was uninjured and the
fire was extinguished, although the battery compartment and
surrounding structure were damaged by the fire. This event is the
subject of an AAIB Field Investigation and no findings of cause have
yet been established. The AAIB is aware of a second FES battery fire
that occurred on a different FES-equipped sailplane in May 2017, and
is working with the sailplane manufacturer and LZ Design, the
manufacturer of the FES system, to determine the cause of both
battery fires. Whilst the facts have yet to be determined, it is possible
that there could be internal fault within battery cells that could cause
an electrical short between cells and thereby a spontaneous
combustion which battery temperature monitoring will not warn of.
Part of the AAIB work programme involves CT-scanning battery packs
to identify any foreign objects. The potential lack of fire warning is
also being carefully considered.
If you have any questions about operating and maintaining a FES
installation and associated battery, please contact the glider agent in
the first instance.

On Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 7:30:07 AM UTC-4, Graham Smith wrote:
from https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/sites/3/2017/09/BGA-Newsletter-September-17.pdf

Airworthiness
FES Battery Fires. On 10th August, a FES-equipped sailplane
experienced a severe fire in the forward FES battery after landing
normally at Southdown Gliding Club. The pilot was uninjured and the
fire was extinguished, although the battery compartment and
surrounding structure were damaged by the fire. This event is the
subject of an AAIB Field Investigation and no findings of cause have
yet been established. The AAIB is aware of a second FES battery fire
that occurred on a different FES-equipped sailplane in May 2017, and
is working with the sailplane manufacturer and LZ Design, the
manufacturer of the FES system, to determine the cause of both
battery fires. Whilst the facts have yet to be determined, it is possible
that there could be internal fault within battery cells that could cause
an electrical short between cells and thereby a spontaneous
combustion which battery temperature monitoring will not warn of.
Part of the AAIB work programme involves CT-scanning battery packs
to identify any foreign objects. The potential lack of fire warning is
also being carefully considered.
If you have any questions about operating and maintaining a FES
installation and associated battery, please contact the glider agent in
the first instance.

This is from the LZ Design webpage news section ( http://www.front-electric-sustainer.com/news.php ) :
"September 2017
On Sept 6th 2017, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) number 2017-0167-E. The AD identifies the occurrence of fires in the FES battery packs produced by LZ Design. It is unknown whether the fires are a result of battery internal issues, the specific installations in the affected aircraft, or external conditions such as mishandling.. LZ Design is collaborating with the EASA and also the AAIB from UK with the intent to issue battery inspection procedures and, if necessary, modification instructions."

Photo of the glider on fire in the UK found he
http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/...ions-1-8170542

At 07:45 28 September 2017, Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas
wrote:
Photo of the glider on fire in the UK found he
http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/...ions-1-8170542

https://assets.publishing.service.go...017_G-GSGS.pdf

Would be more factual and detailed.

On Thursday, September 28, 2017 at 7:15:06 AM UTC-4, Tim Newport-Peace wrote:
https://assets.publishing.service.go...017_G-GSGS.pdf

Would be more factual and detailed.

Thanks Tim, actual facts are *much* appreciated (and rare on RAS)...

On Thursday, 28 September 2017 15:49:02 UTC+3, Dave Nadler wrote:
Thanks Tim, actual facts are *much* appreciated (and rare on RAS)...

I do not think facts are rare on RAS, can you elaborate?

On Friday, September 8, 2017 at 12:14:40 PM UTC-4, JS wrote:
Saw the document on [Aus-Soaring] thanks to John Welsh.
Link to UK site below.
Jim

http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/...D20170167E.pdf

It's not call rant.aviation.soaring for nothing.

Comparing to other online news and discussions, I find RAS to be highly reliable source of information with reasonable amount of rant. In fact, I am not aware of any other single source of news and facts which is better, more reliable and more timely than RAS. Usually when someone posts misleading information they get corrected quickly. Using this thread as an example, I wonder if/when/how I would have known about this serious issue without RAS. I wouldn't be surprised if some FES owners learned about this issue first time on RAS.

Ramy

On Friday, September 29, 2017 at 10:16:13 AM UTC-7, Ramy wrote:
Comparing to other online news and discussions, I find RAS to be highly reliable source of information with reasonable amount of rant. In fact, I am not aware of any other single source of news and facts which is better, more reliable and more timely than RAS. Usually when someone posts misleading information they get corrected quickly. Using this thread as an example, I wonder if/when/how I would have known about this serious issue without RAS.. I wouldn't be surprised if some FES owners learned about this issue first time on RAS.

Ramy

Some of us just have PTSD from the Lennie days & view RAS with a measure of skepticism. You're right though that viewed from the perspective of the current state of the web RAS isn't too bad. Thanks everyone for keeping this a reasonably civil discussion space.

Craig

On Friday, 8 September 2017 17:14:40 UTC+1, JS wrote:
Saw the document on [Aus-Soaring] thanks to John Welsh.
Link to UK site below.
Jim

http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/...D20170167E.pdf

Are Schleicher sitting pretty or does the electric ASG32 use similar batteries?