Hi.
After engine start a couple of days ago, I noticed that the flap took much longer time to raise than normal. (I always shut down with flaps full down and raise it after engine start)
The flap-motor sounded like it was running normal.
I tried to lower the flaps with the same result: flap-motor seemed to run with the normal speed but the flaps moved slower than normal.
I shut down, opened the flapmotor housing and found that the end of the flapmotor-rod had unscrewed itself from the flap-motor.
The reason this had happened, was that the safetywire had broken off, so the flapmotor rod could rotate when the flap-motor was running, allowing the end to be unscrewed.
(sorry for the possibly wrong english words)
The safetywire was mounted per plans and per Vans SB.
To avoid the same safety-wire mounting, I drilled a small hole on the end-bolt and used that for securing the safetywire.
I have about 110 hrs on the plane now and this schouldn't have happened so early I think?
My question is: has this safetywire breakage happend to anyone else?
If so: how did YOU fix it? Maybe someone else has a better idea than mine?
After engine start a couple of days ago, I noticed that the flap took much longer time to raise than normal. (I always shut down with flaps full down and raise it after engine start)
The flap-motor sounded like it was running normal.
I tried to lower the flaps with the same result: flap-motor seemed to run with the normal speed but the flaps moved slower than normal.
I shut down, opened the flapmotor housing and found that the end of the flapmotor-rod had unscrewed itself from the flap-motor.
The reason this had happened, was that the safetywire had broken off, so the flapmotor rod could rotate when the flap-motor was running, allowing the end to be unscrewed.
(sorry for the possibly wrong english words)
The safetywire was mounted per plans and per Vans SB.
To avoid the same safety-wire mounting, I drilled a small hole on the end-bolt and used that for securing the safetywire.
I have about 110 hrs on the plane now and this schouldn't have happened so early I think?
My question is: has this safetywire breakage happend to anyone else?
If so: how did YOU fix it? Maybe someone else has a better idea than mine?
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