LAK-17B FES is to be shown in Reno
November 7, 2011
The high performance racing sailplane LAK-17B with electric propulsion is being completed at Sportine Aviacija with the plan to exhibit it at the Soaring Society of America Convention in Reno during the first week of February 2012. Read more about the LAK-17B FES here.
L-13 Blanik update
December 5, 2011
AD&C, the STC
developer, advised recently:
Unfortunately we have no estimate if and when FAA will
approve our STC. We
are currently working on a change to the STC to approve 5000h
total airframe
life without aerobatics as supposed to the currently approved
3750h with 2%
aerobatics. This will alternatively be available at the same
cost. There is a
chance that FAA approves this version easier since it does not
require any
airplane records which is one of the concerns they have.
November 7, 2011
The FAA works
on issue papers. Regretfully
things are still moving very slowly. During a long teleconference
with the FAA operative in charge, the FAA said, ..."Had the
FAA been involved in the STC request evaluation from the start,
together with the EASA, perhaps the STC would have been accepted
by the FAA by now. However, since we were not included, we
now feel compelled to ask the EASA for substantiation of their
decision (to issue the STC)." This government to government exchange may take
months more. It is uncertain how much longer.
The good news is that work has not stopped on the evaluation and
that the FAA wants to approve a fix once they are convinced it is
safe and sound. For that purpose, currently the FAA is preparing
issue papers to send to the EASA, for them to substantiate the
STC.
June 20, 2011
The European EASA issued the AMOC Approval No. 10035384. The Alternative method of compliance (AMOC) satisfies the Airworthiness Directive, whereby the glider may be again operated within the conditions and limitations set by the original glider type certificate after the AMOC is performed.
June 14, 2011
The European EASA issued the Supplemental type certificate, No. 10035295.
Aircraft Design and Certification Ltd. reported today, "After quite some ups and down in the project to regain the airworthiness of the Blanik we finally are on the other side of the finishing line. The STC has been granted by EASA today."
Hopefully the FAA will follow suit soon.
May 2, 2011
Aircraft Design and Certification Ltd. and Blanik America signed an agreement whereby AD&C appointed Blanik America their exclusive distributor of L-13 Blanik modification kit and drawings for U.S.A. and Canada.
May 1, 2011
Elisa Bretterebner reported on the First Flight of the first modificated Blanik L-13 worldwide. Click here for more photos.
Germany, April 8, 2011
AD&C, an engineering service provider with EASA Part 21 Subpart J Design organization approval received the approved flight conditions for the first modified airplanes from EASA. It is expected that the STC finalization will take perhaps another four weeks.
The representatives of Blanik America hope to meet with the key engineers of AD&C at AERO-Friedrichshafen.
Below is an extract from the press release which was issued on April 8, 2011.
Aircraft Design and Certification Ltd. (AD&C) is developing a supplemental type certification (STC),
including a structural modification as well as an inspection and replacement program, as method of
compliance for EASA-AD-2010-0185-E. The approval process utilized a cooperation arrangement with
the type certificate holder Aircraft Industries (formerly “LET”). The STC is now available at AD&C.
The STC is based on elaborate 3D geometry and load path analysis (by reverse engineering) and is
verified by high quality finite element method (FEM) calculations and structural testing including
strain verification. Even individual rivet/bolt load analysis has been performed to identify the root
cause of the problem. The well known and approved load spectra KosMos, incorporating a realistic
quantity of aerobatic maneuvers, is adapted and applied for the analysis of the Blaník wing and
fuselage carry through sections. Further analysis includes the horizontal tail attachment area. Based
on the findings of the analyses 3 new parts have been designed and installed to improve the load
transfer from wing spar to fuselage. Hi-Lok® bolts, known to have superior fatigue resistance, are
used to exchange the critical rivet in rivet spar cap connections and to ease later inspections in the
affected areas.
Currently the STC is at final approval stage by EASA; approval by FAA has been applied for. Current
types of aircraft are the L-13, the L-13A will be included shortly. The permissible operational life of
the modified area is prolonged to a total of at least 6000h (irrespective of the accuracy of individual
historical records), however the limitations of the rest of the aircraft cannot be changed, without
according in depth analysis, from the original 3750h. AD&C is considering a further program for a
general life time extension, pending on market response.
The modification can be installed at any Part-145/Part-M or equivalent approved maintenance
organisation having the Blaník within their scope of approval. In the course of the modification,
personnel approved (EN 4179 or NAS 410) for non-destructive testing utilizing Eddy current, optical
(borescope) and dye penetrant inspection techniques is required.
Aircraft
Industries, a.s.
Kunovice December 6, 2010.
Aircraft Industries (AI for short, formerly known as LET) sent
an inspection procedure draft for approval to EASA. The request
was accepted by EASA and the project was launched. EASA
established a project manager with whom AI established contact
and is currently completing a translation of the certification
program and gradually preparing the inspection material.
VZLU (the Aviation Research Institute in Prague) is developing
the inspection process eddy current methodology for cracks. The
process will be verified in the next phase on the samples of
critical points of various crack sizes to determine the minimum
size of an identifiable fracture.
The factory indicated that it will inform about the further
development progress.
GLIDER MODELS --- 30 % OFF regular price
Model, Czech Master Resin, with three different decal schemes and full instructions,1:72 scale. ALL IN STOCK |
Reg. | Sale |
|
 |
L-13 Blanik | $27.00 | $18.90 |
 |
L13AC Blanik (TG-10C) | $39.80 | $24.90 |
 |
L23 Super Blanik (TG-10B) | $27.00 | $18.90 |
 |
L 33 Solo (TG-10D) | $27.00 | $18.90 |
Black Forest Soaring Society pilots, one of them flying a LAK-17AT sailplane made an excellent showing at the U.S. Region 9 Contest in Parowan. "In 18 meter, Clay Thomas in a LAK 17AT, VH, moved into first place overall with a winning speed of 95.1 MPH!!! On Day 4 Clay won the 18 m class in the LAK-17AT and Rick won the 15 m class while Dave moved up to 2nd over all. They were smoking!" Click here for the Contest Results.
| Exciting new models of L-13 Blanik and L23 Super Blanik became available. So exciting that Blanik America has purchased a good supply of them in order to be able to offer the models to customers. The models are very finely crafted kits with numerous design schemes. | |
 |
 |
We are convinced that buyers will be really pleased with them. Call (509) 884-8305 or email us. Click here to send us your request. |
|
ABADIE BERARD MARYLINE flying a LAK-17A won the 2009 French Feminine Championships.
The latest
from Sportine Aviacija - the newest model LAK-17BT sailplane. Click
here for photos from test flights. The factory team
is quite pleased that their high expectations are being met. They
reported:
"On May 7, 2009 in
Leshno, one day before the Polish Open Class Championship,
Sportine Aviacia with the help from the Polish gliding team have
done comparison flight testing of the LAK-17BT and ASG-29. Both
gliders were loaded to the same 56 kg/m2 wing loading. The tests
were done at 200km/h; 160km/h and 120km/h. At all speeds, the
LAK-17BT was equal or better than the ASG-29."
The U.S. Civil Air Patrol ordered four more new L23 Super Blanik two-place training gliders for their operation. Altogether, the CAP operates over 25 Blaniks distributed evenly among the 50 U.S. states.
News Archive Click here for news and publications since 1990.