A Maintenance Oriented Podcast For Airplane Owners, Pilots, and Mechanics

Year: 2020 (Page 3 of 4)

144 – Joe Godfrey, Engine Data, and Savvy Analysis

Joe Godfrey is an expert when it comes to analyzing engine data from aircraft engine monitoring systems.

Joe is the Director of Operations at SavvyAnalysis, as well as a Columnist and Editor for SavvyAviation News.

Not only does Joe analyze airplane engine data, but he also owns and flies his own airplane, a Bellanca Viking.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Puzzler” in the Savvy Aviation Newsletter, where some real-world airplane engine data is discussed in a way to help us understand how to “read” the data. These puzzlers are from actual problems encountered in real airplanes.

Listen to today’s episode to hear Joe’s thoughts on the value of engine monitors in airplanes, and how to interpret the data that’s collected.

Savvy Analysis is by far the BEST platform I’ve ever seen for analyzing engine data. You can open an account for free, and upload your data, and look at all the graphs and features for free. If you need help interpreting what you see, you can pay a small fee to have Joe and the other experts at Savvy analyze your data for you and help you understand what it means.

Click here to learn more about SavvyAnalysis.com

While you’re there, be sure to check out the new technology being launched by Savvy to help detect failing exhaust valves before they become an in-flight issue. It’s called FEVA, which stands for Failing Exhaust Valve Analytics.


Joe Godfrey is also a very interesting guy outside of aviation… he plays multiple types of guitars, and he’s had some pretty cool experiences in the music industry. Check it out at his personal website: JoeGodfrey.com


Finally, listen to today’s episode to find out why I’m now kicking myself for not collecting the engine data out of an airplane that had the engine come apart recently. Thankfully, the pilot was flying alone and landed safely. It would have been a great learning opportunity if I could have seen the data on a computer screen after the #2 connecting rod punched a hole through the crankcase and broke the left magneto right off the engine!

Next time I’ll be more proactive to collect the data… it would have been so easy.

The instructions for doing this, and so much more, are at SavvyAnalysis.com


One last fun thing: I also discovered Joe knows a lot about jingles and ring tones… I mentioned to him that I’d been wanting to have a ring tone set up on my iPhone so that “Brown Eyed Girl” would play when my wife Maria calls me (she actually is my brown eyed girl!). The very next day, he sent me a custom ringtone… thanks Joe!

You can contact Joe through Savvy Aviation or through his website JoeGodfrey.com


The post “144 – Joe Godfrey, Engine Data, and Savvy Analysis” first appeared on AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com

143 – Oh No! A Lycoming Exhaust Stud Pulled Out!


Note: The “Safety Wire Like A Pro!” video training course is available for one more day at 20% off (use code “canard” for discount coupon.) Read about the training here:

https://airplane-owner-maintenance.teachable.com/p/safetywiring


Three stories for today:

Story #1:

A Lycoming exhaust stud pulled out.

It was disappointing, but turned out to be an inspiring learning experience.

A helicoil had previously been installed, which pulled out, and left a hole too big to install another helicoil (thread repair). Listen and find out how we solved the problem with a “Keensert” thread repair:

It worked fantastically!


Story #2:

Bad spark Plug.

We also talked in this episode about a bad spark plug and how we determined which one was bad, using the engine monitor system in a Cirrus SR22.

The EGT for cylinder #2 was higher than all the others because only one spark plug was firing in that cylinder which caused the exhaust gases to be hotter when they crossed the EGT probe.

It turned out the spark plug ceramic was cracked and the plug was not working at all: (I verified it using the spark plug tester.) There’s actually another crack on the other side of the ceramic as well.

With some basic training, an engine monitor can be an excellent troubleshooting tool.


Story #3:

Rough engine in an Ercoupe.

After some troubleshooting, it was discovered that cylinder #2 had no compression due to a stuck exhaust valve.


Other resources mentioned in this episode:

https://airplane-owner-maintenance.teachable.com/p/safetywiring

(Use code “canard” for 20% off on the safety wiring training course until midnight May 31, 2020.)


PilotWorkshop.com

(Be sure to sign up for the free pilot “Tip of the week.”)


142 – Fixing a Stranded Cessna 172XP and Flying it Home

What an adventure!

This airplane got stranded at Wilmington, Delaware due to failure of the #2 cylinder on the Lycoming IO-360 engine.

The local maintenance shop discovered the exhaust valve rocker shaft stud had broken… here’s what it looked like:

Obviously, that cylinder was rendered useless… and it caused a significant power loss. Thankfully, the flight instructor and student were able to make an uneventful landing at KILG.

Weeks later, Kenneth and I set out on an adventure to fix the airplane and get it back home.

We left early one morning with a new cylinder assembly and all the parts and tools we anticipated needing for the repair.

It went as well as could be expected… here’s Kenneth at work in the shop, where we were surrounded by amazing airplanes… a TBM, a Cirrus Vision Jet, and some other bigger jets. The only other piston airplane in this shop was a Piper Warrior.

I wasn’t sure how it would go having two of us working on the same cylinder change, but it went very well.

We took a short lunch break to grab some burgers at Wendy’s, and by mid afternoon, the installation was complete.

We did a short ground run, and then it was time for a brief local flight to make sure things were good for the return to Shenandoah Valley. I’d never done a maintenance test flight at a towered airport, so that was a little different, but actually went very well. The controller was excellent to work with and very helpful, which was much appreciated.

After the short flight, we checked the engine again and everything looked good. Now it was time for the flight home.

Kenneth flew the Mooney we had traveled in that morning, and I flew the Cessna 172XP. Most things went as planned, except for the out of the ordinary situation right before takeoff.

A single engine Cessna landed and told the controller their oil door popped off, and it was on the runway. So we had to wait for a maintenance truck to come out and retrieve the oil door off the runway before we could take off. I didn’t see that one coming!

The trip home went very well… I flew VFR, so I was thankful I had noticed the night before that I could fly slightly around the North side of the BWI, IAD, and Washington, DC area, and stay clear of those areas.

This airplane has a JPI engine monitor, and I later downloaded the data and saw exactly where the cylinder failure had occurred. Take a look:

I just wish the sample rate had been set to 1 second, instead of 6 seconds, but it’s better than nothing for sure. The upper graph is the EGT, and the yellow line is cylinder #2, the one that failed. What I haven’t fully figured out yet, is why the purple (#4) dropped off so dramatically right after that. I’m thinking that happened since it was right next to #2, but I need to ask an engine data expert about that. Maybe I’ll check with Joe Godfrey with Savvy Analysis.

(The bottom graph is engine RPM.) There’s so much more information in the profile that is not shown here.

One more thing… I was very thankful that when I got an error message on the way home, it was for cylinder #1 and not #2, the one we had just fixed. Here’s a shot of the engine monitor on the trip home:

It later turned out that one of the probe wires for #2 was loose… an easy fix.

All in all, it was a great adventure, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to help rescue a stranded airplane. It’s a wonderful thing to fly an airplane you’ve returned to airworthy condition!

Here’s a screen shot of my trip home… a little squiggly, but I figure it’s not bad for the given circumstances!



141 – Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, is Exactly Backwards!

Scroll down for pictures of some things included in today’s episode.


Sitting in my truck the other day, I had a revelation. Here it is:

When you are having maintenance done on your airplane, Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, is exactly backwards.

Instead, it’s important to “Communicate, then Navigate, and finally Aviate.”

First, communicate.

TALK WITH your A&P or shop about the work you need done. Establish good communication right from the start, and maintain that communication all the way through the process. This way, you can hopefully avoid the surprises that could happen.

Second, navigate.

WORK WITH your A&P or shop to navigate through the discrepancies on your airplane, and develop a plan of action you both agree on.

Third, and finally, aviate.

FLY WITH your A&P!

Well… maybe not always, depending on the situation. BUT, in my opinion, your A&P should trust their work enough to be willing to go flying with you after working on your plane.

Here’s the point:

When something unexpected happens in flight, it’s absolutely important to “Aviate, then Navigate, then Communicate.”

But for maintenance, it’s just the opposite.

For maintenance, it’s vitally important to “Communicate, then Navigate, then Aviate.”

Communicate what you need done, and stay in touch through the process.

Navigate a clear plan of action WITH your A&P.

And when the work is done, you’re ready to AVIATE!


Here’s the Piper Cherokee that needed cowling latch repair: (Super nice-looking airplane.)

And here’s the Aerostar fuel quantity gauge that was discussed in this episode: (This was the successful reading after cleaning the wiring connection inside the right wing fuel tank.)


Now back to my little “rabbit trail” I mentioned early in today’s episode:

I did in fact, fill out the contact information on Matt Guthmiller’s website, to see if he would be willing to be a guest on the podcast sometime… we’ll see what he says. (At 19, he became the youngest person to fly around the world solo in an airplane!)

I can’t find the video I watched last night, but Matt has a ton of great videos on YouTube… and if you’re interested, by all means check out his website:

MattGuthmiller.com

I also found a good video by Bold Method, that explains what a contact approach is. I was curious after hearing Matt Guthmiller talk about it.


Have a great week friends!

The post “141 – Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, is Exactly Backwards!” appeared first on Dean Showalter’s website, AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com

140 – I Traveled to Wyoming and Canada this Week and Learned About Four Different Airplanes!

Before we get into the places I “traveled” through FaceTime calls, I wanted to share something you might be interested in… my friends, John and Leslie Caubble (FlyMauiHI.com) now have a “Fly Maui” YouTube channel, and I recently watched their new video where they talked about ForeFlight basics… It’s called ForeFlight 101. It’s really good information, and here’s a link for that video:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_wXmz7UGuFcK4paSe0gRg


I “traveled” to 3 different locations this week, not physically, but through FaceTime video calls, where I talked with 3 airplane owners and “walked around” their airplanes with them. It was a blast! Listen to today’s episode to hear about those calls.

Facetime call #1: Dallas Mount in Wheatland, Wyoming

Dallas owns and flies a 1952 C35 Bonanza. He bought the airplane and brought it back to life, after some years of inactivity. His story is inspiring, and I had a great time talking with him and his buddy Arnie. Listen to today’s episode to hear more about the history of Dallas’ airplane and the things he’s doing to get it in excellent operating condition.

FaceTime call #2: Curtis Penner in Canada

Curtis Penner was the first airplane owner I talked with this week. He’s up in Canada, just across the border from North Dakota. He’s got two airplanes, an RV-10 and a Bearhawk Patrol. The RV-10 is a tricycle gear traveling machine, that Curtis describes as “Like a Cirrus, but affordable,” and the Bearhawk Patrol is a two-place taildragger type aircraft.

Here’s the RV-10:

And here’s the Bearhawk Patrol:

Now THAT is aviation adventure!

Also, later on, after our call, Curtis sent me an email with some excellent widsom and advice about succeeding as a pilot and airplane owner… I shared that portion of his email in the audio for today’s episode.


Facetime call #3: Warwick Patterson in British Columbia

Folding bikes and a Cessna 172

Warwick owns and flies an older well-kept Cessna 172 and is a very fascinating individual. One of his websites is FormulaPhoto.com (very interesting indeed.)

I also discovered Warwick has a podcast and YouTube channel: “Flying BC.” You can find information about the podcast at FlyingBC.com

Flying BC

I highly recommend starting with episode 3, “James Marasa: Out of the clouds, into the trees.” This is an incredible survival story that could have been a disaster… well worth listening to.


So those are the three FaceTime calls I wanted to share in this episode.

I also have two other items I talked about as well: An early morning flight with my Friend Matt in a Cessna 182, and a conversation with April Zook of the AD Toolbox and AirworthinessDirectives.com

First, the flight with Matt: (It was one of those glassy smooth mornings:)

And here’s the view approaching back into SHD after our trip to Brookneal, Campbell County Airport:


And the final thing I wanted to share in this episode, is about April and Reuben Zook, with AirworthinessDirectives.com and The AD Toolbox. They are great people and I was reminded of that again when April asked me to give some feedback about a new project they’re working on… so I thought I’d mention them again here and encourage you to check out their resources.

April and Reuben have the best AD research and record keeping system in the industry… and they are super nice people who are available whenever you have a question.

Have a great week friends!

139 – My Alternator Came Apart… Should I Also Replace the Voltage Regulator?

NOTICE: UNTIL THE END OF MAY 2020, USE CODE “CANARD” FOR A 20% DISCOUNT ON MY VIDEO COURSE “SAFETY WIRE LIKE A PRO!” (Listen to the podcast to hear the story behind the word “canard” and why I chose that for the code.)

Click the following link to learn about the course:

https://airplane-owner-maintenance.teachable.com/p/safetywiring


I received an email recently asking a question about an alternator that came apart due to a failed bearing… listen to today’s podcast episode for some thoughts on that.

Also, many older airplanes don’t have a digital voltage indicator on the instrument panel, so here’s a fantastic solution for plugging in to the cigarette lighter: (and the great thing is, it’s under $20!)

https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/flight-gear-dual-usb-charger.html


Here are some other items of interest from this past week: (All of these situations are described in today’s episode.)

STRANGE VACUUM GAUGE INDICATIONS IN A MOONEY – CHECK OUT THE DETERIORATED HOSE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSING THIS:


EXHAUST SYSTEM PRESSURE TESTING ON AN AEROSTAR:


A SLICK MAGNETO THAT MADE IT TO ABOUT 1700 HOURS! (This one has gone to Kevin Herrington at Aircraft Ignition Services, LLC for repair.)


A LOOSE BOLT IN A TURBOCHARGER SUPPORT BRACE: (NOTICE THE RUSTY COLOR IN THE SEAM, WHICH INDICATES CHAFING. ALSO NOTICE THE WEAR MARK UNDER THE WASHER.)

For more information about noticing colors on an engine, check out podcast episode 036 – Tell-Tale Colors in an airplane’s engine compartment.


A FUEL QUANTITY COMPUTER IN AN AEROSTAR:

(We sent this component to Tech-Aire in Wichita, KS because the right fuel gauge was not indicating properly, and “Bill” advised the problem is usually in this box… so I’m hopeful this will fix it.)


PLEASE SEND ME A VOICE MESSAGE OR AN EMAIL:

Which one of these video training courses would you be most eager to learn from:

  1. Servicing landing gear shock struts.
  2. Basic electrical system operation and troubleshooting.
  3. Exhaust valve borescoping and interpretation.
  4. Another idea you have! (Let me know.)

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so click that tab over on the right side of the page and record a voice message, or, send me an email: dean@airplaneownermaintenance.com


Don’t forget, you can get my safety wiring video tutorial course for 20% off through the end of May 2020… click this link for more info:

https://airplane-owner-maintenance.teachable.com/p/safetywiring

138 – Mike White and his 1948 Piper Stinson

——————————————————————————————————————–

Special announcement: We have more pictures of Mike’s airplane, but first, I want to let you know about a Zoom call I’ve scheduled for tomorrow.

I’m hoping to provide a way to get together online for some aviation encouragement in this weird time we’re in with the Corona Virus and the effects of it. Here are the details for tomorrow’s call:

Time: Mar 28, 2020 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/100883804?pwd=R1ZlQWVwRFhUdldOMnFCKzJlVlVmZz09

Meeting ID: 100 883 804
Password: Airplane

If you’d like to see some pictures of things I’ve been working on, and how it has looked at our airport this past week, along with some encouragement to keep moving forward in this time, then please join me tomorrow on the call!

If it works out well tomorrow, we might have another call again soon.

——————————————————————————————————————–

Now back to Mike’s Piper Stinson…

Listen to the audio for today’s episode to hear the fascinating story of how Mike and Sasha White acquired their favorite airplane, and named her “Charlie!”

The freshly overhauled Franklin engine is in pristine condition!

The tail has a very distinct design:

There’s even some beautiful wood interior reminiscent of Charlie’s rich history:

The cowling trim is also a sight to see:

Charlie’s instrument panel sports the beautiful red paint to match the exterior:

… and the leading edge slots provide excellent slow speed and stall characteristics:

All in all, this is a very cool airplane!

I had no idea there was such a thing as a “Piper Stinson.” Thanks Mike, for educating me!

I discovered just today Mike has a special tail hoist he built to lift the tailwheel off the floor for cleaning the belly… real craftsmanship!

So… perhaps the next time Charlie rolls up to the ramp at KSHD, I’ll get to meet the whole crew… Mike and Sasha, and their little Yorkipoo, Bocce!

137 – IA Seminar Borescoping and Exhaust Valve Stories

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to present a talk at our local IA renewal seminar about exhaust valve borescoping.

I shared some of my favorite pictures – the ones that demonstrate how critically important borescoping is, and that compression testing alone is not sufficient.

The following three examples are especially startling, since they showed a compression test of at least 60/80, but were in imminent danger of in-flight failure:

The FIRST ONEis from a Continental engine in an A36 Bonanza. Notice the green area at 9:00, indicating that area was in danger of a piece breaking off the edge.

The SECOND ONEis from another Continental engine, also an A36 Bonanza. The compression of this one was 61/80, but there was a chunk missing from the edge, with a crack toward the center of the valve!

The broken edge still had enough area to seal for a compression test:

And the THIRD ONE was from a Lycoming engine in a Cessna 152. Take a look:

In the previous three examples, the borescope was absolutely necessary to discover these dangerous and unairworthy exhaust valves.

For comparison purposes, the following two pictures are examples of healthy exhaust valves:

I also shared some pictures of valves that other people have removed from their engines.

The following is from Sylvan Martin’s Grumman Tiger with a Lycoming O-360 engine. Sylvan was able to land safely after his engine ran slightly rough. He said, “My opinion is that cylinder 1 would have been noticeable at a minimum of 150 hrs before it deteriorated to the point of cracking that far across the face… Compression check will help w/ ring problems, but our family’s experience in industrial diesels (power generation) is that rings fail slowly/predictably while valves fail suddenly/catastrophically…..”

He later had to change two other cylinders, after the borescope indicated they were burning:

(Previous three photos courtesy of Sylvan Martin.)

Jason Figueroa had to change a cylinder on his Cherokee 235’s Lycoming O-540 engine due to a burning exhaust valve that was found with a borescope.

(Photo courtesy of Jason Figueroa.)

Jason said, “Borescoping told us we had an impending problem, and led to catching it before it failed.”

Here are two more exhast valve pictures from an unidentified source:

I’m convinced this broken valve could have been detected with a borescope LONG BEFORE the edge broke off.

My hope is that all of us who have the responsibility of determining the airworthiness of piston engines in airplanes, will use a borescope along with the compression tester for higher levels of safety and reliability.


Do you have a dream to fly? If so, you might be encouraged by the poem I shared at the end of my talk yesterday. My daughter sent it to me one day last Summer… it’s called, “The Dream Does Not Die!” If you’re interested, be sure to listen to the last part of the audio.

136 – Engine Oil Leak: How Much is Too Much?

Engine oil leaks are a common problem on small airplanes with piston engines. But how much oil leakage is too much? Here’s an indicator: If there’s oil on the nose tire, and it paints a stripe on the pavement with each revolution, that’s too much oil leakage.

This was the case the other day on a Cessna 172, so we did some detective work to see where the oil was coming from.

After removing the cowling, it was obvious the oil leak was significant, and it appeared to be coming from the left side of the engine.

Here’s what we discovered about the rocker oil return line on cylinder #4:

The wire that holds the engine baffles in place under cylinders 2 and 4, had cut a hole in the bottom of the rocker cover oil return line. When the engine is running, this line continuously returns oil from the rocker arm area back to the crankcase. With engine vibration, this is a common area for chafing to occur, and is an important area to inspect.

Here’s a closer look at the oil line after it was removed. The spiral wrap was a previous attempt to prevent chafing, but the wire still cut through the line.



After removing the spiral wrap, the chafed area was clear:

It doesn’t take a very large hole to make a big oil mess!

This story reminds me of some helpful principles for evaluating engine oil leaks:

  • If engine oil is dripping on the nosewheel, it’s probably not normal and needs to be checked.
  • If something changes, check it out. Example: engine breather tubes sometimes drip after shutdown, but if you notice a dramatic increase, make a further investigation.
  • When troubleshooting oil leaks, go to the highest point on the engine where you see oil. Oil can run down on lower components and lead to wrong conclusions about the source of the oil leak.
  • Verify all connections and fittings are tight.

Listen to the audio in today’s episode to hear about some other loose fittings that recently caused problems… one on a Piper Turbo Arrow, and one on a Piper Saratoga.

135 – Carl Valeri: Airline Pilot, Piper Pilot, and Aviation Careers Coach

After a successful career in computers early in life, Carl Valeri decided years ago it was time to pursue his passion for aviation. Since that time, he’s been an airline pilot, flight instructor, aviation careers coach, mentor, Piper Cherokee pilot, and many other things.

Carl is well known as the host of two podcasts, the Aviation Careers Podcast, and the Stuck Mic AvCast. You can find him in both of those places:

AviationCareersPodcast.com

StuckMicAvCast.com

Be sure to check out the Scholarships Guide that Carl produces… there are more than $50 MILLION dollars worth of scholarships represented in the guide. Click here to check out the Aerospace Scholarships Guide.

Also, check out Carl’s training courses: Click here to see the options.

And for Instagram, just look for “carlvaleri”


In today’s episode, we talked about all kinds of fascinating things, including:

  • Carl’s background and how he got into aviation.
  • How he was hired years ago as an airline pilot, and furlowed the same year, in 2011.
  • How his struggle served to prepare him for what has become one of his greatest passions… “Helping people move forward with their aviation career.”
  • What the acronym “CAMEL” means to an airline pilot… I had never heard this before, and I thought it was really cool.
  • Carl’s current opportunity to lease and fly a Piper Cherokee… the 12th Cherokee to come off the line years ago.
  • The maintenance issues he’s encountered recently with the Cherokee.

And since this is the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast, it’s only appropriate that we document this part with some pictures.

ISSUE #1: Smoke in the cockpit! Apparently somebody forgot to tighten an oil line!

The oil made a mess on the cowling. And upon closer examination, the source was identified – the rocker oil return line B-nut had come loose. When the oil dripped down on the hot exhaust, it produced smoke that made its way into the cockpit.

Solution and reminder: Always double check engine fluid lines and hoses, and apply torque putty to the B-nuts.

ISSUE #2: Fuel leak. Carl told us about a leak that showed up under the airplane on the left side. Listen to the episode to hear his advice about how to communicate with your A&P about issues like this.

It turned out the leak was from his “gascolator” or fuel strainer. Here are the parts from this ancient piece of technology… just like you might have seen on your grandpa’s tractor!

In this situation, Carl made the wise decision to upgrade to a “Steve’s Aircraft” gascolator, a much better design with increased reliability and ease of maintenance. Take a look:

ISSUE #3: Exhaust leak. Carl noticed some abnormal discoloration at the cowling seam.

It turned out there was a significant leak at one of the exhaust sleeve transitions in the engine compartment.

This situation is a little different than many Cherokees, since this particular engine was installed with an STC.

ISSUE #4: Electrical problem. With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, Carl was able to recognize how the airplane had been showing some warning signs of this issue… be sure to listen to the audio to get the details.

What seemed like a complex problem in the beginning, turned out to be a blown fuse.

Sometimes the little things can make a big difference!

In spite of the maintenance challenges, Carl still loves to fly the Cherokee. I think one reason why is because he shares his love for aviation with others:

In telling about his aviation adventures in life, Carl is quick to acknowledge that, “I could never have done any of that without the help of others.” Now, he’s “paying it forward” in so many ways to help those who are coming behind him.


And finally, to finish up with a little humor: “Even an airline pilot who flies jets, recognizes there’s something missing in the following picture!

Carl, thank you very much for pushing all of us to keep moving forward and appropriately pursue our aviation dreams! We appreciate you, and I sure am glad flying still puts a smile on your face!

« Older posts Newer posts »