Lite Flight Green | Foxbat | Sales, Service,Training

LOOKING AFTER YOUR ENGINE

The Rotax 912 series engine has an enviable reputation for reliability. Many, many thousands have been made and used in aircraft. However, just because it has a reputation for reliability doesn't mean you can take it for granted.

Foxbat Australia strongly recommends you register your Rotax engine serial number with the Rotax owner website - you will then receive by email any service bulletins which affect your engine.

Apart from the mandated pre- and post-flight checks and regular maintenance, there are a few other steps you can take to help your engine stay reliable:

wait until the oil temperature reaches 30º C before taxiing and stay below 2,500 rpm
wait until the oil temperature reaches at least 50º C before exceeding 2,500 rpm or engine run-ups
on long descents, warm the engine at least every 1,000 feet with at least 30 seconds of full power
if the oil temperature will not stay in at the yellow arc or higher, consider fitting an oil thermostat or restricting some of the oil cooler intake area
change the spark plugs regularly as per Rotax maintenance schedule
keep the carburetors dynamically balanced (check every 200 hours or so)
based on type of fuel used, change the oil and filter at least as often as Rotax recommends
try to maintain at least 4,800 rpm in the cruise and better 5,000 or more. Rotax engines thrive on revs!

LOOKING AFTER YOUR PROPELLER

Aeroprakt aircraft may be fitted with one of several different types of propeller, all 3-blade, on-ground adjustable for blade pitch:

KievProp; composite with brass leading edge inserts (supplied and recommended by the Foxbat factory)
WarpDrive; carbon fibre with nickel leading edge additions (tapered or broad blade)

There are pro's and con's to each of these but whichever one you prefer, here are some general tips to look after your propeller:

ensure all three blades are pitched exactly the same; even ¼º difference can induce vibration, which will eventually damage the exhaust system and maybe even the engine gearbox and aircraft
closely inspect the blades during pre- and post-flight checks to ensure any stone damage is quickly identified and rectified per the manufacture recommendations
when taking off, apply power slowly over a count of 4-5 or so and lift the nose off the ground as soon as possible before applying full power. This will minimise stone damage
avoid flying through heavy rain. The metal (or Kevlar) edges of the blades will help to protect them but the blade inner leading edges and backs will erode with frequent flying in rain
if you find vibration is a constant problem (even after balancing the carburetors and checking the blades are pitched identically), it may be that the cylinder firing order is synchronized with one of the prop blades. Try removing the propeller from the gearbox flange, turn it through one bolt hole, and re-mount to the engine
keep your propeller clean and free from dead insects
only use recommended cleaning agents as some heavy duty cleaners are known the damage the propeller blades coating

WINDSHIELD AND DOORS CLEANING

Before removing bugs or any dirt

wash with plenty of clean water and a clean wet soft micro fiber cloth - we recommend to use a spray bottle with water to soak the area and let the dirt/bugs soften for a few minutes before you begin.

Cleaning your Foxbat/Kelpie or Vixxen windscreen
We recommend cleaning PET (or polycarbonate) plastics first with a weak solution of soap or detergent and warm water. It is also possible safely to use a specialty cleaning product such as Plexus, Vuplex, Novus® No.1 or Brillianize.
Begin by gently blowing away any loose dust, dirt and dead bugs from the surface. DO NOT use a pressure washer on any part of the aircraft, including the screen.
To give a final clean to the screen, apply the specialty cleaning product (or a weak soap and water solution) with a dampened non-abrasive/non-contaminating/lint-free soft cloth, microfibre cloth, or cellulose sponge.
Rinse well with plenty of clean, clear water.
Pat dry with a chamois leather, damp cellulose sponge, or microfibre cloth to prevent water spotting.
Repeat this process regularly to ensure there is no build up of dirt on the windscreen. If possible, clean a dirty screen immediately after flight to stop dirt etc hardening during the time before you next fly.
DO NOT use window cleaning fluids with ammonia (such as Windex®, or Formula 409®), Mr Sheen®, gasoline, denatured alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, or acetone, which will cause the plastics to craze with minute cracks.
DO NOT use so-called ‘aviation approved’ screen cleaners as these may have been formulated for cleaning other types of plastics.
DO NOT use proprietary chemicals (such as ‘Bug Off’) to soften and remove dead bugs from the screen. Simply spray water on the screen and let it soak for 5-10 minutes, re-spraying if needed to keep the surface wet. Then wipe with a wet non-abrasive/non-contaminating/lint-free soft microfiber cloth, Rinse well with plenty of clean, clear water. You may need to repeat this process a couple of times to remove all dried-on dead bugs.

Send us a message

Call us or visit us