Upkeep and Maintenance Costs on Trikes

[crazy diamond]

HI All,

 

I'm interested in doing my trike rating and keen to purchase something to get me airborne. I am reading with interest though posts about requirements to overhaul engines every three hundred hours, and replaces masts etc every however long, realistically what is an average hourly operating cost taking all the things that need to be overhauled/replaced/repaired into account, I'd be looking at flying quite regularly, thanks.

 

 

[Air Creation]

The average price in my experience with Aussie, English & French trikes is pretty much around the $70 to $80 per hour range.

 

This will vary considerably depending whether you purchase a new or sechand aircraft. The later model machines IMO require less maintenance with greater TBO on engines with the four strokes..!

 

Also, different trike manufacturers have different overhaul requirements on individual components. For instance, AFAIK P&M Aircraft have a 500 landings overhaul on undercarriage components... Air Creation have 150 hour overhaul of wing with fabric test swabs built into the wing and a lifetime warranty if performed as required, posted elsewhere Airborne have replacement of wing at 1000 hrs...!!

 

Wings are usually around the $10 to $12 K and engine overhauls will depend on type but in the $1000 to $2000 average price with freight.

 

At the end of the day..flying trikes is affordable, safe and heaps of fun!

 

Smooth landings

 

Chris

 

 

[crazy diamond]

What about a 1999 Airborne Edge X, with a 503, trike and engine have both done 325 hours.

 

 

[crazy diamond]

and it has a Wizard wing from memory...

 

What's Mast replacement cost and how much is an overhaul on a 503 worth these days?

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

T...... Airborne have replacement of wing at 1000 hrs...!!Wings are usually around the $10 to $12 K and engine overhauls will depend on type but in the $1000 to $2000 average price with freight.

 

At the end of the day..flying trikes is affordable, safe and heaps of fun!

 

Smooth landings

 

Chris

Chris, 1000hours on a Trike is a Bloody long time!!! Most who arent training would probably struggle to get 100hrs a year (2hrs every weekend! remembering that in general Trike drivers tend to be even more fair weather fliers than the 3 axis bunch) ..........

 

If its a 503 engine then it has to be a wizzard wing, anything faster (from memory only Streak available back then) wont work on a 503 without it operating near flat out the whole time. In fact even 2 up on a 582 with the wing hanging on the front bolt hole isnt really effective

 

But fun they are....up until its winter then they can be misserable...like all open cockpit planes...... Buggered if I know how they fly them in Canada or places a damn side colder than Aussie is. In summer however fantastic as you take advantage of the lapse rate cooling looking down at those baking below...

 

Chris if you have to do a tear down on your every 150hours then I pressume where Airborne force a new wing at 1000hrs arent you doing teh same thing just bit by bit.....I would expect that most of the tubing would need to be replaced in a similar timeline wouldnt it....Considering that teh Airborne of the time was primary certified by CASA then its replaced becuase the engineering determined it had to be...Why would the AC be different? same fundamental design same fundamental engineering loads arent they?

 

Andy

 

 

[Air Creation]

Thanks for the comments Andy,

 

The fundamental designs are very different with many trikes and engineering loads, all depending upon the certification standard to which the trike complies.

 

DGAC Design Certification requirements and the DULV for microlights are proven to be the toughest in the world.

 

The Aussie CASA primary certification requirments for Aussie trikes is very different to the French and German standards.

 

Aircraft construction is only similar in that the wing airframe is a collapsable tubing dacron configuration..and the undercarriage has an engine/prop and three wheels..thats where it ends.

 

The type & grade of tubing, bolts and safety features incorporated into the configuration vary greatly between the Aussie and French trikes.

 

We have recently delivered a new Tanarg BioniX 13 to Peter McLean at YFT..and it sure is not your usual airframe design, with five design patents to protect the years of development by the factory and other manufacturer copies arriving in the market - which has happened in the past.

 

The reason for regular maintenance and the periodic change-out of certain components is to maintain the integrity of the machine and addionally to maintain the factory warranty.

 

Its not bit by bit maintenance, the maintenance requirements established by Air Creation have proven since 1982 to retain resale value as the aircraft matures with age and provide control in structural safety.

 

IMO-the major significant difference with the European Standards and the Aussie CASA standard is the requiremenst for Aerodynamic Pitch Stability Testing by the DULV. Possibly if CAO95.32 requested this practice of proof, we may have a lower accident rate for trikes in Australia..many will ague this one I am sure. (hang gliders require this pitch testing procedure since about 1980.. althought we can fly 70kt two seat rocket ship trikes under CAO95.32 without any confirmation that the wing is pitch stable, only a statement by the manufacturer...how is that!)

 

The German DULV pitch rig. Testing costs manufacturers a huge amount to schedule, test and certify their products for the issue of a DULV Compliance Certficate.

 

 

We all deserve the right to fly safe pitch stable trikes in my opinion now that we are moving into three decades since evolution of the powered hang glider.

 

Thats my two cents worth.. call me bias if you wish and I have spoken for many years about these issues of safety for trikes.

 

Open for discussion and comments.