Flying the P92RG

[Paul Willett]

Have been running a Tecnam P92RG for the last couple of months.

 

Interested to hear from other owners of Tecnams their experiences with their aircraft, including tips for maintenance whilst touring, issues that have come up, etc. etc.

 

Very happy with the aircraft so far - especially the fuel economy.

 

Originally planned to syndicate the aircraft and have set up a website in anticipation ( at http://www.p92rg.blogspot.com ) - but to be honest enjoying it too much myself at the moment!

 

 

[Paul Willett]

A picture of the Tecnam

 

 

 

[Admin]

Great photo Paul! - keep them coming

 

 

[greggf]

Hi Paul,

 

How would you rate the Tecnam for "bigger" people. I'm not fat, but I'm no Twiggy (gives my age away!) and at 6'1" (187 cm) I don't always fit into Italian vehicles that seem to be engineered for the 5'3" latin lothario.

 

Gregg

 

 

[Paul Willett]

Well, not being one it's a bit hard to say! I know of plenty of large people who fly them however - I have had plenty of 6'+ passengers who seem ok.

 

Best bet - find one locally and jump in.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

I have flown 25 to 30 hours in a Golf (p96) good fun and good cross country proformance. The only problem I remember was gatting the flaps up before I exceeded it Vfe.

 

 

[tecnamman]

Hello Paul

 

I have just discovered this great site – I was saying to the Tecnam agents in Victoria what a great idea it would be if some IT savvy owner could host a discussion site so fellow owners could share their experiences, information, interesting flights, maintenance issues and possible improvements to our pride and joys

 

I took delivery of my new Sierra 2002 on the 29th March 2006 and have accumulated 35 hours to date, most of it around Tyabb Victoria where she’s hangared. Most passengers (including the local CFI) are very impressed with the new ‘toys’ credentials. Comments like” I can’t believe how smooth it is – hardly any vibration or wind noise. Can’t believe it gets off the runway so fast, lands in such a short distance etc”. I get a few probing questions occasionally like:-“How do think it would stand up to the bump and grind of ab initio training and hire – the 152’s are 30 years old and still going strong – this thing looks too light and fragile to stand up to that sort of treatment

 

My answer is I simply don’t know as no airframe life is specified by Tecnam and no one in Aus has had one long enough yet to find out Basair out of Bankstown has 6 certified versions of the Sierra and I guess they will be the first to find out some years down the track

 

Whilst I’m very satisfied overall, there are a few things that need to be addressed by the Tecnam factory.

 

1) No floor plates behind the seats in the Sierra – if pens, small tems fall out of your flight bag they end up floating around in the fuselage and risk causing interference with the controls. I fixed that one in very short time by fabricating 2 floor plates out of .020" Alclad. Prime with Tempo Zinc Chromate underneath and finish the top with black satin enamel to match the plates under the seats. It’s a fiddly job and be careful not to put any weight on the baggage floor with the sheet metal screws out – it will collapse under the weight of a battery drill…almost. And don’t drill, screw or

 

even scratch the carry through cast spar…not ever. Forming the rear of the plate to the round cross brace means no alteration to the interior side trims - they reaffix over the top of the plate with original securing screw. Record your mod in the log book and if you hire the crown jewel for dollars it must be signed off by a level 2 or LAME.

 

2) Shuddering brakes…….I’d really like to hear from you Tecnam owners out there if you have experienced this annoying idiosyncrasy and have you fixed the problem??? Good news if you haven’t……..I think I have, and it seems to work o.k.Enough for now or I run out of material for another session. Some photos of the plates if anyone is keen to make the mod…….

 

Dave O

 

tecnamman

 

 

 

 

[Ben Longden]

The GV Aero Club (Shepparton, Vic) have one P92.. and have students and an Instructor that are way way over 6ft..

 

With the adjustable seat, pilot height is no issue in the Tecnam.

 

Ben

 

 

[Paul Willett]

Hi Tecnamman/Dave,

 

Just back from a trip to Cairns in my machine. 7:23 Redcliffe-Cairns, smooth all the way.

 

What did you do re: the brakes?

 

 

[tecnamman]

Hi Paul

 

 

 

That a long haul from Redcliffe to Cairns – approx 800 nm up the coast according to Google Earth! I have not been on such an adventure in the Sierra yet but planning to do so after X-mas. One of the Tecnam owners down here is trying to get a social group together for weekend fly aways etc…..

 

 

 

In regards to the brakes……if you’re having trouble with shudder try applying STA or similar high temperature synthetic brake grease to the pins that the brake discs are supposed to slide on. Be very sparing in application and ensure disc moves freely on the pins. Carefully remove any excess grease so as not to contaminate the discs or pads.

 

 

 

I had a terrible problem with brake shudder almost from day 1. It was so bad that the whole aircraft shuddered quite violently at the slightest application of brake. I rang the Tecnam distributor in New Zealand and his response was to wait until the pads ‘bed in’.

 

 

 

I believe other Tecnam owners have experienced this problem, but I can only confirm 1 other instance to date and another on the grape vine.

 

Hopefully when the word spreads about this site other owners will come on board and share their thoughts and insights.

 

 

 

Paul, if you are having trouble with shudder could you let me know……..you didn’t say you were but I’m guessing you probably do since you have asked for my fix.

 

 

 

I have done approx 30 hours (TT50) since with no more problems.

 

 

 

If you have any other issues/problems/fixes would be pleased to hear.

 

 

 

Cheers for now

 

 

 

Dave O’Dea

 

 

[Paul Willett]

Had some shudder previously, but funnily enough since changing a tyre (third flat so far!) it has gone.

 

Am moving up to some better tyres shortly.

 

Will PM you shortly with some other 'discoveries' - Paul

 

 

[bushpilot]

Hey Guys,

 

Your 'discoveries' could be of use to others too; it's always interesting to read allsort of technical and practical feedback - as it can often be related to other types...

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

 

[timshel]

I am new pilot with 35Hrs only all on Gazelle - flew Tecnam p92 super echo and sierra at YLTV a few weekends ago, loved the high wing, found the low a bit "flighty" (pun..) but realy have heart set on RG2000, due to extra cruise speed. Graeme from Tecnam said it was only extra 3-4 knots, yet the owners I have spoken to (and the website) claim much better. Any comments from those who have flown both highwings. I assume also that they both handle the same not withstanding the cruise speed. ? Cheers

 

Tim

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

G'day Tim,

 

welcome to the site.

 

I have quite a few hours on a P92 Echo Super but unfortunately none on the RG. For a point of comparison over any reasonable distance the P92 Echo Super will give you a very honest 108-110 knots TAS. What are you expecting from the RG?

 

As an aside (and I hope that I don't bust Ian's commercial advertising rules), if you are looking for a lightly used Tecnam, Shepparton Aero Club have a P92 Echo Super for sale at the moment at an attractive price. If you are interested PM me.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Do go to the effort of chasing as many of the RG owners as you can. I heard a disappointed owner at Narromine with one claiming lower than expected cruise speeds, however from memory a figure of around 124 knots TAS is achievable at altitude, so perhaps indicating 110-115 at the lower levels might be about right.

 

 

[Guest bateo]

When I first started flying the Tecnam's, I was lucky enough to have a 'tinker' of the controls of an RG.. We had a TAS cruise at 119 knots.. Was exactly the same to fly in comparison to a P92 Super.. Just about 19 knots faster!

 

 

[timshel]

Thanks all - from your replies I understand that the handling of both highwings is identical its just the cruise speed that differs, just still not sure by how much. I loved the handling and flight manners of the P92 super echo. Shortest landing roll if have ever seen. I am excited to hear the RG2000 is similar. Will keep interviewing RG owners about the TAS they can acheive. I found the Super echo TAS to be about 100-103kts at 4800 rpm. The sierra achieved 110 at the same revs. Does this sound accurate.?PS Love this website -

 

 

[Guest mcpherson01]

Have now done 17hours in my Echoe Super which I purchased new in 2007 from the Vic dealer, at 4800 I would only acheive in the high 90's and would not place to much confidence on what the local dealer may tell you. Still a great machine to fly, McPherson 01.

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Have now done 17hours in my Echoe Super which I purchased new in 2007 from the Vic dealer, at 4800 I would only acheive in the high 90's and would not place to much confidence on what the local dealer may tell you. Still a great machine to fly, McPherson 01.

G'day Mc 01,

 

I'm sad to hear that. I've flown 3 "identical" P92 Echo Supers. Two will reliably true at just under 110 knots. The other indicates at least 10 knots slower, maybe a little more.

 

I wonder with that machine whether in fact the ASI is under reading. Have you checked the calibration on yours? Try it both ways against a GPS and average them out.

 

The other thing is that some contacts of mine in the industry in Italy say that GT Tonini means "never the same pitch twice". Do you have a GT prop?

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[timshel]

Hey Mike, What RPM were you doing at 110, and what do you typically cruise at in way of Fuel consumtion, rpm, and TAS. I am very keen to buy tecnam, just want to know if the extra cruise on the RG2000 is worth the money and hassle. I flew a jab 160c with 100hrs on the clock the other day and I honestly thought the landing wheels were going to break as we touched and go'd as it carreened under the prop toque from left to right Very disconcerting. But alot cheaper..

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Hey Mike, What RPM were you doing at 110, and what do you typically cruise at in way of Fuel consumtion, rpm, and TAS. I am very keen to buy tecnam, just want to know if the extra cruise on the RG2000 is worth the money and hassle. I flew a jab 160c with 100hrs on the clock the other day and I honestly thought the landing wheels were going to break as we touched and go'd as it carreened under the prop toque from left to right Very disconcerting. But alot cheaper..

The Jab drivers on this forum have banned me from making any comment about Jabs so I won't:cool:

 

Example: Shepparton, Narrandera, Narromine: 297 nm and 3.6 hours on the meter.

 

Of that time I reckon aorund .6 - .7 was taxiing, warm up and stuff like that. I know that sounds like a long time but it was early morning and cold when I left YSHT, then we landed and taxied in at YNAR and then had to queue behind a Rex aircraft. Then at YNRM we had two very long taxis in a queue of aircraft.

 

So that leaves 297nm in 2.9 hours that means 102.4 knots average. Of course those distances don't include joining and flying a circuit. As well the speed includes time in the circuit at slower than cruise speeds and I slowed down in some turbulence for about 20nm.

 

The Dynon in the aircraft was showing around 109 TAS - it calculates TAS. From memory I would have been at 4800rpm. These particular aircraft top out at 5000rpm on t/o and maybe 5050rpm in fast cruise. Nowhere near the Rotax redline.

 

Fuel for the whole 3.6 hours was 54 litres or 15 litres/hour. Or do it another way - take off 7 litres for the taxi time and you are left with 2.9 hours and 47 litres: 16.2 l/h.

 

I flight plan on 105 knots and 18 litres. The speed is pretty accurate in practice and the fuel is conservative.

 

I think the trip up was at A035 and back at A045 from memory. BTW the trip back substituted West Wyalong for Narrandera and came up with exactly the same hours and within 1 litre on fuel. Can't remember about winds.

 

I use Narromine as an example but it is pretty indicative of what you get.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest bateo]

At 4800 RPM I am usually getting around 102-105 knots on a good day... Thats using around 18 L/per hour. Most of the time I like to cruise at around 4600 RPM which leaves me at about a happy 100 knots on a 16 L/per hour. Hope this helps.

 

 

[timshel]

Thanks guys - very helpful data. My only remaining question now is to any RG2000 owners out there as to what they cruise at. My dilema is I have a p92s echo new I can have now, and a second hand rg2000 with 100hrs now. Is the RG worth the extra problems and maintenance etc. By the way - Mike - may I ask which Dynon you have installed D100? and what did it cost to install. I am looking at that option too?

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Hi Tim,

 

It's not my a/c it's a club aircraft that I fly a lot.

 

The Dynon is this one: http://www.dynonavionics.com/docs/D100_intro.html

 

Tony Brand at Horsham Aviation Services brings them in. You should ring him and ask the cost and the cost of installation.

 

http://www.horshamaviation.com.au/Dealerships/DynonAvionics.html

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Lindsay]

Hi there, this is my first post. I thought I'd add my 2 bobs worth to this thread.

 

After much test flying, debate and deliberation the Temora Aero Club took delivery of a new P2002 low wing Sierra on the 24th of May 2007. The aircraft is RAAus LSA registered for 600kg MTOW and is used predominantly for training. It clocked over 200 hrs last week.

 

It has only basic VFR instrumentation but is fitted with a Garmin 295 GPS, Transponder and SL40 radio.

 

Notes on its operation thus far in the training environment :

 

110 kt cruise @ 5200 rpm (run on avgas)

 

200 hrs from first set of tyres (poor quality, 1 puncture)

 

coolant leak in first 50 hrs tracked down to a loose hose clamp

 

Two broken muffler springs (attachment lugs modified rectified problem)

 

Shuddering brakes (pins require regular lubrication)

 

It is a fantastic aircraft which handles beautifully and is admired by all who fly her.

 

The only negative comment received by typically GA pilots with limited RAA experience is the amount of right rudder required on takeoff and climb out which can catch the uninitiated out on their first flight.

 

Last week one of our club members who is learning to fly at present purchased a 2003 model P92 RG. The aircraft currently has 100 hrs on the hour meter. After reading the earlier post on this thread this morning we decided to fly the aircraft and perform a few simple performance checks given the variations reported by some owners.

 

9.30am 02/10/07 YTEM conducted at 4000' full fuel 535 kg take off weight

 

5200 rpm 110 kts IAS (107.4 ground speed average verified by GPS)

 

Clean stall 50 kts IAS

 

15' flap 45 kts IAS

 

Full flap 41 kts IAS

 

Gear extended 15' flap 45 kts IAS

 

Regards

 

Lindsay