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IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 19th 12, 03:44 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Pat McCartan
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

Our club owns an I.C.A.-BRASOV IS-28B2 Twin Lark which is grounded because it has exceeded its 35 year factory maintenance program service life. About a year ago the current type certificate holder, S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A., announced it intended to submit a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to EASA - with follow-on submission to the FAA. We are no longer able to reach S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A. by phone - and they do not respond to emails. Can anyone shed any light on the status of the SLEP or offer any contact information for S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A.? We enjoy this ship and would like to return it to service.
  #2  
Old April 19th 12, 11:03 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Kent Leyde
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

On Thursday, April 19, 2012 7:44:11 AM UTC-7, Pat McCartan wrote:
Our club owns an I.C.A.-BRASOV IS-28B2 Twin Lark which is grounded because it has exceeded its 35 year factory maintenance program service life. About a year ago the current type certificate holder, S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A., announced it intended to submit a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to EASA - with follow-on submission to the FAA. We are no longer able to reach S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A. by phone - and they do not respond to emails. Can anyone shed any light on the status of the SLEP or offer any contact information for S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A.? We enjoy this ship and would like to return it to service.




On Thursday, April 19, 2012 7:44:11 AM UTC-7, Pat McCartan wrote:
Our club owns an I.C.A.-BRASOV IS-28B2 Twin Lark which is grounded because it has exceeded its 35 year factory maintenance program service life. About a year ago the current type certificate holder, S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A., announced it intended to submit a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to EASA - with follow-on submission to the FAA. We are no longer able to reach S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A. by phone - and they do not respond to emails. Can anyone shed any light on the status of the SLEP or offer any contact information for S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A.? We enjoy this ship and would like to return it to service.


Last year

On Thursday, April 19, 2012 7:44:11 AM UTC-7, Pat McCartan wrote:
Our club owns an I.C.A.-BRASOV IS-28B2 Twin Lark which is grounded because it has exceeded its 35 year factory maintenance program service life. About a year ago the current type certificate holder, S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A., announced it intended to submit a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to EASA - with follow-on submission to the FAA. We are no longer able to reach S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A. by phone - and they do not respond to emails. Can anyone shed any light on the status of the SLEP or offer any contact information for S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A.? We enjoy this ship and would like to return it to service.


After seeing Steve Rander's name in a Soaring (Feb 2010) article about the Lark safe life issue, I traded some correspondence with him on the topic. (Steve, are you out there?)

During our correspondence, Steve decided to get in touch with the factory again. At that time (June 2011) he received a very hopeful sounding reply, something to the effect that the factory was only waiting on some local "airframe health reports" that would serve as a basis for life extension before submitting to EASA ...it all sounded very imminent. Steve was intending to share this with SSA for publishing; I don't recall if the info was published or not.

I touched base with Steve again last month; he indicated that the factory had become silent...sounds similar to your experience.
  #3  
Old April 20th 12, 05:28 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Pat McCartan
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

Steve and I are in the same club - Willamette Valley Soaring Club - and are working this project together. True - we received an email from I.C.A. BRASOV's "Head of Commercial Dept." on June 14, 2011 that indicated the factory had collected engineering data for the single seat Lark and was preparing to submit it to EASA for SLEP approval. She further indicated that after gaining SLEP approval for the single seat Lark they would be submitting SLEP engineering data to EASA for the twin Lark. Since that time the factory has neither returned emails nor answered the phone number listed on its web site. And I have gotten up in the middle of several nights to call them!!

So the question is - has anyone had more success with this issue than Steve and I have? Does anyone have I.C.A.-BRASOV contact information that "works"? Any insight would be helpful.

Also, is there anyone on this forum who is a Romanian resident who might be able to provide contact information for I.C.A.-BRASOV?

And, of course, is it possible I.C.A.-BRASOV has gone out of business?
  #4  
Old April 20th 12, 06:07 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Kent Leyde
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

Well, that explains the similar experiences...doh! Say "hi" to Steve for me, he has been very helpful and informative.

I believe Rollin Hasness in Spokane is also actively working on this issue.


  #5  
Old April 20th 12, 08:53 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
stephanevdv
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

On Apr 20, 6:28*pm, Pat McCartan wrote:

And, of course, is it possible I.C.A.-BRASOV has gone out of business?



They are still in business, but...

But they have taken quite some losses in the past few years (more than
2 million Lei last year alone, for a turnover of just above 400 000
Lei...), and the business needs urgent restructuring. The company's
bank accounts have been blocked since the end of 2010 due to a court
decision concerning unpaid wages in 2009, and their activity in 2012
has been mostly selling of existing spare parts. They are in fact
insolvent at the moment. On their website, they just published a
report (http://www.icabv.ro/images/file/Rap%...%202_2012.pdf),
dated April 4th, 2012, about the next general assembly of shareholders
that should implement drastic restructuration measures.

The future looks grim.




  #6  
Old April 21st 12, 03:48 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Matt Michael
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

On Apr 19, 9:44*am, Pat McCartan wrote:
Our club owns an I.C.A.-BRASOV IS-28B2 Twin Lark which is grounded because it has exceeded its 35 year factory maintenance program service life. *About a year ago the current type certificate holder, S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A., announced it intended to submit a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to EASA - with follow-on submission to the FAA. *We are no longer able to reach S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A. by phone - and they do not respond to emails. *Can anyone shed any light on the status of the SLEP or offer any contact information for S.C. Constructii Aeronautice S.A.? *We enjoy this ship and would like to return it to service.


It has always been my understanding that if you don't comply with the
life limit extension requirements or exceed the times you can convert
to experimental certificate (in the US) and keep on flying. This
would render the glider useless for commercial operations but
otherwise it would be airworthy.
  #7  
Old April 22nd 12, 12:06 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

Our club considered buying one a couple years ago. I asked our FSDO if we could convert it to experimental. He refused on the grounds that to convert the airworthiness cert to experimental for the sole purpose of circumventing a manufacturer's lifetime restriction of an airframe was not a valid reason.


It has always been my understanding that if you don't comply with the
life limit extension requirements or exceed the times you can convert
to experimental certificate (in the US) and keep on flying.


  #8  
Old April 23rd 12, 04:27 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Kent Leyde
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

Was able to learn a little bit more about the situation via a friend-of-friend who spoke to someone at the ICA BV factory.

Indication is that there will be an associates meeting tomorrow, likely outcome (95%) is to close the company. He also says that "the activity will be transferred to a nearby company IAR Brasov. However, he supposed that 1 to 2 months will be needed for complete technological transfer."

I've sent a follow-up to see if a contact person at IAR Brasov can be identified.
  #9  
Old April 24th 12, 01:52 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

On Friday, April 20, 2012 12:28:37 PM UTC-4, Pat McCartan wrote:
is there anyone on this forum who is a Romanian resident who might be able to provide contact information for I.C.A.-BRASOV?


I believe there are folks with Romanian I.C.A.-BRASOV connections working at Seminole Lake Glider Port in Florida.
  #10  
Old April 24th 12, 09:12 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Pat McCartan
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Default IS-28B2 Twin Lark - Service Life Extension Program

Kent, Thanks for continuing to work this issue. I suspect there are quite a number of Lark owners who are in the same situation our club is in. Our Lark has exceeded its 35 year life limit and is now stored in a warehouse awaiting any possibility of a type certificate holder-approved Service Life Extension Program. Perhaps if we all keep sharing information we can put our much loved Larks back into our fleets.

 




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