Very sorry to hear about your prop strike, Kevin.
Unfortunately, the following comment on the forum is not correct, even
if you have the slipper clutch:
At least with the Rotax if there is no runout problem on the prop flange
you
can just bolt up a new set of blades and go again...not sure what
airmaster
advises though.
Attached please find a Rotax Service Letter addressing prop strikes, and
a relevant page in the most recent version of the Line Maintenance
Manual re. inspections, all of which shall be carried out by authorized
service personnel.
In addition to this, the Scandinavian repair center for Rotax advises
that the roller bearing for the propeller shaft, mounted in the engine
crank case, shall be replaced.
This information may come as a surprise to some, as it did to me when I
first heard about it an authorized Rotax maintenance course. I held the
fairly common misconception that if you have the slipper clutch, just
replace the prop. NOT SO! The advantage, though, is that with slipper
clutch the probability of damage to the gear box or the crankshaft is
significantly reduced, but not eliminated. Thorough inspection
according to the Rotax SL/Maintenance manual is mandatory, however. A
Katana with 912S with slipper clutch here in Norway recently had a prop
strike with engine damage as a result - in some instances, the damage
occurs before the clutch slips, the repair center told me. Prop strike
at idle RPM is sometimes worse than at high RPM, they added.
Svein
LN-SKJ
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