pv9
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Post by pv9 on Nov 30, 2021 3:38:35 GMT
I was pretty seriously considering a P2008 but…
I’m going through the “Maintenance Shop” subforum and am seeing some pretty scary issues reported that would almost certainly lead to an investigation and AD on a certificated aircraft.
- Cracked engine mount
- Several reports of cracked windshield in flight
- Cracked exhaust
- Premature wear on stabilization nuts
- Oil leak due to burned hose (not tied off properly)
In my 15 years of flying C172s, I haven’t seen factory fresh aircraft with these kinds of problems. Is this a “LSA” issue? Cheaply made, you get what you pay for?
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Post by Ed Midgley on Nov 30, 2021 13:40:05 GMT
Everything you point out has happened but, most owners haven’t had these experiences. When things go wrong most people want to shout it out. Part of the problem is most A&Ps aren’t experienced with working on Rotax engines which have external coolant and oil hoses.
I believe the windshield problem was on early models.
A one time tightening of the stabilator nuts was all my plane required.
As far as quality goes all the aluminum skins, ribs and soars are epoxy primed and epoxy bonded before being riveted together. All the fuel lines in the wings are labeled with direction of flow.
I do believe in the past the importer could have done a better job of flight testing the planes after assembly in the US.
Over the years many Cessna, Piper and Beechcraft have had problems with new delivery planes.
Unlike mass produced cars aircraft are produced in very small numbers so by the time a problem shows up the plane is out in the field with an unhappy owner who wants to vent his frustration on a forum.
I have almost 1100hrs on my P2008 and it’s as good as my S Model Bonanza and Cessna 180 were. My P2008 is the best handling plane I’ve ever owned and has no bad habits. I like to say it’s very user friendly.
Ed
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Post by Glenn on Nov 30, 2021 13:54:59 GMT
I agree with Ed. The P2008 is a great little plane.
Out of the list, tightening the stab is the only thing my P2008 has required.
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pv9
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by pv9 on Nov 30, 2021 14:38:48 GMT
I agree with Ed. The P2008 is a great little plane. Out of the list, tightening the stab is the only thing my P2008 has required. Did Tecnam promptly issue a service bulletin for the stabilator? I could not find one. I also came across a nose landing gear weakness issue. www.taiib.gov.lv/en/media/258/downloadTecnam seems to be slow to respond to these issues. The LSA industry in general is less heavily regulated so that might be the problem, though I would expect a premium LSA manufacturer to be proactive. At nearly $248K a turbo P2008 is half the cost of a DA40 or C172 so I was/am expecting a high level of attention to problems. |
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Post by Glenn on Nov 30, 2021 15:03:53 GMT
Any plane can be abused till there's a failure. Landing nose wheel first?
Example: Cessna 182s are especially prone to having nose gear and firewall issues cause too many pilots can't seem to land properly. They abuse the nose gear on landing. I have lost count of how many Cessna log books where I've seen entries showing nose gear and firewall repairs.
All of my students had it hammered in their heads to land on the main gear. The nose wheel is for steering, not landing.
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Post by FormerCirrus on Nov 30, 2021 16:51:14 GMT
We who came to the P2008 from the Cirri world are familiar with this.
If you go the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) site, you'll get the idea that Cirri break all the time. Cirrus Aircraft is not happy that all the failures and squawks get reported by owners on COPA ... it is one of several reasons why Cirrus Aircraft won't advertise on COPA or in COPA's magazine.
Airplanes are low-volume production things. We will never see car-level quality. That Tecnam owners are reporting squawks on this site is actually a good thing. It means the information -- and fixes -- gets out there.
Other LSAs like the Bristell or Sling have no equivalent sources of information. The temptation is to think they are squawk free. We don't know that. And if you do have equipment troubles, where do you go for information?
If you feel uncomfortable about the P2008's reliability, contact Mark Gregor. He's the most knowledgeable, straight-shooting P2008 expert in the U.S.
I bought a 2018 demo model from Mark earlier this year. I paid what he asked. I did not negotiate price. Because I knew Mark is worth every penny when it comes to his advice and recommendations over the length of your ownership.
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pv9
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Post by pv9 on Nov 30, 2021 16:55:27 GMT
This is a very good thread. Anyone have Mark’s contact information?
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Post by FormerCirrus on Nov 30, 2021 17:38:21 GMT
507-327-9465
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pv9
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by pv9 on Nov 30, 2021 18:33:20 GMT
Are the Cirrus issues reported as serious as cracking engine mounts, etc? |
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Post by Glenn on Nov 30, 2021 18:41:36 GMT
This is a very good thread. Anyone have Mark’s contact information? 507-327-9465 gregorma@bevcomm.net |
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Post by FormerCirrus on Dec 1, 2021 1:05:09 GMT
Are the Cirrus issues reported as serious as cracking engine mounts, etc? Every model series of the SR22 -- G1, G2, G3, G5, G6 -- had its issues. Doors and engine mounts in the early models. Hit or miss on engine/prop vibration. Exhaust valves in the turbo models. Till very recently, the factory starter was too weak. It often failed and wasn't up to the job of hot starts. Then ... some planes just had the Monday/Friday quality control problem. Cirrus build quality is pretty buttoned down today. Of course, the price for a new G6 is a million dollars. Late-model Tecnam P2008s (like my 2018) are probably the equivalent of the Cirrus G2 series. COPA was and is an invaluable source of squawk and fix information. Any good owner group should be. While TecnamTalk lacks the population of COPA, it is a good source of info. I had considered a Bristell 914, but chose the Tecnam P2008 914, not least because of TecnamTalk and Mark Gregor. |
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pv9
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Posts: 41
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Post by pv9 on Dec 1, 2021 2:02:00 GMT
I too am a ex-Cirrus and ex-C172 pilot. Was never active on COPA because I did not own — always rented.
The P2008 could be my midlife crisis. My wife and I are downsizing our house, kids are getting ready to go to college.
I just don’t want an aircraft that’s going to spend its life in maintenance. Where I live, there’s only one A&P at the airport and it can take a couple of weeks to get a squawk fixed due to the backlog.
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Post by Cluemeister on Dec 1, 2021 3:02:09 GMT
Airplane ownership has its ups and downs. I don’t think Tecnam’s quality is any worse than others, it’s certainly better than many. I think there are many days plane owners wonder what they were thinking as they pay for unexpected repairs. But there are other great flying days that outweigh that negative. You may need to ask yourself if you would enjoy plane ownership.
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Post by FormerCirrus on Dec 1, 2021 3:05:13 GMT
Given your situation -- about nearby availability to maintenance, especially -- you might be better off with a 172/Cardinal/182/Cherokee/Dakota.
For me, a 2018-year P2008 914 w/BRS checked all the boxes. I haven't been disappointed. Very happy.
If I had double the budget, I might consider a Tecnam P2010 or a Peterson Katmai (modified 182 with canard wing and 300hp engine).
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pv9
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by pv9 on Dec 1, 2021 5:32:00 GMT
I don’t have an issue with the occasional unexpected expense.
My plan is to save up monthly to set aside a budget for that and replenish it if I use it.
My bigger concern is that the aircraft is constantly in need of small fixes due to squawks (e.g, stabilator loose, trim stopped working, etc etc.)
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