My friend Matt and I had a plan, and it was going to be an awesome adventure. The crisp, clear morning was as nice as we could hope for on a November day in Virginia. The half hour drive from my house to the small town New Market Airport was absolutely refreshing… exhilarating even.
As I pulled onto the airport drive, I didn’t go far before I was compelled to back up and take a picture of the signs that arrested my attention. “DEAD END STREET” AND “LEARN TO FLY HERE” just did not seem to fit together in my mind. As I think about it, I wish I could replace that top sign with “PATHWAY TO POSSIBILITIES!”
For me, and for my friend Matt, we had far more in mind that day than any dead end street. If our planned adventure came together, we would be flying a little Cessna 150 to Tangier Island (KTGI) and maybe having a crab cake sandwich for lunch. But first, we had to solve a problem… a report of “No oil pressure.”
We struggled to get the “barn doors” open in the old rustic hangar, and the site looked so familiar for these old airports, complete with gravel floor, a motorcycle off to the side, as well as a Cessna 120 and another Cessna 150. I was actually pleasantly surprised when I saw the good condition of the airplane we’d be working on.
We decided to go ahead and start the engine and see if we got any oil pressure within 30 seconds. The engine started nicely and within seconds, we saw the oil pressure needle creeping up… good news indeed. However, after some warm-up time, we noticed the oil pressure needle went back down, and was approaching the red line at the bottom of the gauge. (It had never made it up to the green arc.)
So we shut down, and decided to see if the oil pressure line had any air in it. Thankfully, the gauge was very accessible at the bottom of the pilot instrument panel. After loosening the nut for the oil pressure line behind the gauge, there was not even a drop of oil there. So we attempted to motor the engine with the starter to get the air out of the line.
Now we had another problem… low battery power! The engine wouldn’t even turn over more than a turn or so. Back to troubleshooting, except now in the electrical system.
Matt suspected the alternator was not working, and this proved to be true when we discovered no voltage at the field terminal on the back of the alternator when we turned the master switch on.
Then something jumped out at me… I was standing over on the left side of the engine, and I noticed the whole wiring harness plug was disconnected from the voltage regulator at the firewall. Take a look.
Amazing how well things work when all the wiring is connected properly!
So after charging the battery, we tried again to purge the air out of the oil pressure line. Matt motored the engine with the starter for maybe 30 seconds, and just as he let off the starter, I saw oil seeping out at the gauge connection… success, finally!
This time, after starting, the oil pressure climbed up in the green arc, and stayed there during the runup.
Now, how about Tangier Island? Could we still go?
Nope… I noticed the maintenance records were in the back of the airplane, and the airplane was still in annual… sort of. The main thing is there was some lacking documentation that made it unwise to fly the airplane until it was resolved. Mechanically, I totally would have been confident to go flying in that airplane with Matt. But paperwork-wise, the issue needed to be resolved.
That’s ok… instead of lunch at Tangier Island, Matt and I had breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. And… we’re not giving up on the Tangier Island idea. In fact, after thinking about the whole thing, I did some research, and discovered a young man named Swayne Martin, who gave me even more motivation to visit Tangier Island. He and his brother flew their mom there in a Cessna 172 several years ago as a mother’s day gift! If you’re interested, his post is very interesting.
You may recognize Swayne from his involvement with the Boldmethod online flight training resources. He also has an excellent YouTube channel. I also found out he has gone on to become a first officer with one of the regional airlines. Well done Swayne!
Now back to Tangier Island… Matt and I are not giving up, and I’m confident we’ll still get there one of these days… very possibly in that very Cessna 150 we worked on. And when we do, you’ll hear about it, because it will no-doubt be an excellent adventure for another podcast episode!
It really was a great day, and the sunset view of my neighbor’s field from my back yard, was just as fantastic as the sunrise view on the way to the New Market Airport.
Days like this make me say, “Thank you Lord, it’s good to be alive!”
Corrosion in the towers of a magneto can cause high resistance, and the problem will be magnified as you go up in altitude.
This green corrosion could likely be cleaned up and it may improve some, but it may also indicate a good time to perform either a 500 hour inspection or an overhaul on the magneto.
Pressurized magnetos have an o-ring that seals the connection where the wiring harness attaches to the magneto. I found this one on a twin Cessna last week, while changing one of the magnetos.
Listen to today’s episode to hear about the details of this issue, and some things to think about for optimal magneto performance.
Thankfully, we got the twin Cessna running again, and the owner made 4 flights the very next day!
Not long ago, there was an unusual engine failure in a Cessna 182 at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport.
Cindy Ferek was the flight instructor on board that day, and she landed the airplane safely on the runway. Before we get into that story, I’d like to introduce Cindy. (The Cessna 172 in the following picture is not the airplane that had the engine failure.)
Cindy taught high school physical education for 21 years at Turner Ashby High School, which gave her an excellent teaching foundation that she uses today as she skillfully works with students in the cockpit of airplanes. Not only is Cindy an excellent flight instructor, but she’s also just an inspiring person to be around! I hope you’ll listen to the podcast to hear about more of Cindy’s story, both in and out of the airplane.
The engine failure we talked about in today’s episode, happened in the traffic pattern, thankfully. Here’s the airplane after they landed safely and parked it in the grass to save the engine:
Shortly after their successful landing, one of the line guys tugged the airplane up to the maintenance shop.
At first it was challenging to figure out what actually happened to the engine, because there was no external evidence of any problems. But a borescope inspection revealed the exhaust valve in cylinder #1 was not opening at all. And after removing the rocker cover, it became really obvious. The rocker arm shaft boss had broken apart and the rocker arm could not operate the exhaust valve.
Thank you Cindy, for sharing a bit of your aviation journey and your engine failure story with us, and for all the excellent work you do to make aviation such an inspiring endeavor to pursue!
For those of you who would like to contact Cindy, there are multiple ways to get in touch with her. (And she would love to hear from you.)
Blog: CindyFerek.Weebly.com
Email: pilotcferek@gmail.com
Cell: 540-607-0251
P.S. One last reminder:
If you work on your airplane, and need to learn to perform excellent safety wiring, check out the “Safety Wire Like A Pro” video tutorial course… It will show you in great detail how to do an excellent job, whether it’s safety wiring an oil filter, a fuel strainer, a brake caliper, or any other item an airplane owner is approved to perform.
Before we get to the fuel strainers, here are some highlights from the past couple weeks:
Our local EAA chapter had its annual pig roast / fly-in / picnic at Sheldon Early’s “GMI” Greenmount International – a fun name for a country grass runway. It was a perfect evening with a bunch of great people.
There’s even a quaint old porch area for watching airplanes!
One of the members brought a chromed exhaust valve to show me… check it out:
Also, I want to say a big congratulations to John and Leslie Caubble… they both passed their instrument check rides this past Monday, September 30, 2019! Well done friends! You can keep up with their Hawaii flying endeavors by listening to their podcast “Fly Maui.” FlyMauiHI.com
Now for fuel strainers. In today’s episode, we talk about the proper torque value for single engine Cessna fuel strainers, or gascolators. This is one of those “special torques,” and it’s worth checking the maintenance manual for the proper torque value… otherwise, it’s so easy to overtorque the base nut that holds the fuel strainer in place.
Listen to this episode for some ideas on how to avoid common pitfalls.
Remember, 25-30 inch pounds is not very much at all!
Finally, I want to say a huge thank you to Jodey Smith – JodeySmith.com
Joday helped me solve a problem I’ve had for quite some time… only the last 100 podcast episodes were showing up in the podcast apps.
But this past weekend, Maria and I attended a speaker training conference by Kent Julian in Georgia, and Jodey Smith was there running the sound, video, and camera equipment… Jodey told me in about 2 minutes what I should try… and it worked! Thanks Jodey!
So… if you want to access the early episodes of the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast, you can now find all 124 episodes in the podcast apps and directories.
That’s all for this episode… have a great weekend!
An outstanding pilot gave me a ride in his RV7 this week, but before we get to that, here are a few things we’re talking about in this episode:
A crazy wiring situation in a Cessna 180. Check out the wiring pieces I saved after installing a new wire under the instrument panel…
2. Replacing some heat / air ducts and hose clamps in a Cessna 414.
3. One of the most encouraging and inspiring emails I’ve ever received from a podcast listener… listen to today’s episode to hear the email… I think you’ll be inspired also… thanks Joe!
4. A super fun ride in an RV7 with builder / owner/ F16 pilot / Boeing 767 captain / Oshkosh formation flyer, J.R. Pigg. What an absolutely incredible experience! We did aileron rolls, loops, a figure 8, and more… thank you J.R.! You made my week!
J. R. flies with a group of RV’s This was an unforgettable flight! This cool airplane is now at the paint shop!
I saw something not long ago while changing an aircraft tire, and it startled me for a bit, until one of my co-workers helped me remove the danger.
Here’s what I saw:
The picture above might look fairly normal, until you notice the bulge up near the brake disc. Take a closer look in the next picture:
There’s a chunk missing from the edge of the wheel! After carefully removing the valve core and letting the pressure out of the tire, I was able to take a close look:
I’ve never seen an airplane wheel quite like that, and I hope I never see one again.
I also included a few other items in this episode, including some information about ICA (Instructions for Continued Airworthiness,) and some information about ferry permits.
Stay in touch: you can email me dean{at}airplaneownermaintenance{dot}com
Or, leave me a voice message by clicking the tab, recording a message, and send it to me. I always love to hear from you guys!
I think so… and in today’s episode, we’ll talk about some evidence for one of those times. Scroll down for the appalling pictures I took recently!
But before that, I want to share some inspiring information related to the amazing Stinson family of airplanes. And… if you are as involved in your airplane’s maintenance as Bret Chilcott and Randy Phillips, the chances are slim to none that you’ll ever find yourself in a situation where you need to fire your A&P. You’ll be so involved in the process, that you naturally work with an A&P and IA who are competent, skilled, and very professional.
Here’s a video from Bret Chilcott. He sent this to me a good while back when he was changing a cylinder on his Stinson 108 airplane… I love the color of his airplane! Thanks for the video Bret! You’re one of my airplane owner heroes!
And for you Stinson owners, (and perhaps others as well, because the Stinson guys are so inspiring,) here’s a link to the Stinson Tech Channel on YouTube, which is managed by Randy Phillips, another great guy. Listen to today’s episode to hear an audio clip from Randy.
Randy mentioned something I have not thought much about… the “Owner assisted engine overhaul.” What a fascinating idea! I’m interested in learning more about that one… thanks Randy!
One more really helpful contact for Stinson airplanes and for Franklin engines, is Jack Stewart. Jack is the A&P / IA who Randy Phillips worked with to overhaul his airplane engine awhile back. He’s very knowledgeable and here’s a link for a YouTube video of a Franklin engine seminar by Jack:
Now for a totally different topic.
I discovered something awhile ago on a Cessna airplane that was absolutely appalling to me, and I thought I’d share some pictures and some thoughts that came to my mind about “When to fire an A&P.”
It’s rare that I see something this appalling on an airplane, but I thought this one was so bad, I’d talk about it in today’s episode and share some pictures. It was also a good opportunity for me to use my borescope, since I had to take most of these pictures under the floor of this airplane.
Here is a sampling of what I found on a seat track installation in a Cessna airplane… I could hardly believe it!
Oops! This rivet was obviously hit with a rivet gun, but was not bucked properly. Oops! They forgot to put a nut on this screw. Oops! Lots of mis-drilled holes. Oops! Rivets too short, and holes too large. Also check out the butchered holes to the left. Oops! Left rivet: Too short, deformed, and hole too large. Right Cherry Max rivet: Hole too large, and rivet not seated properly. Oops! A piece of seat track installed UNDER the floor!?!? Oops! Rivet hole way to large. Oops! Blind rivets not seated properly… the center stem and locking collar should be visible and flush with the surface of the rivet head. Oops! Extra, unused holes in the seat track. Oops! This rivet was pulled crooked and did not seat properly. And for the final oops… they didn’t even bother to clean out the shavings and old rivet tails under the floor.
So… what about all this?
If I found any one of these situations in the previous pictures on an airplane, and it was an isolated issue by itself, I’d probably just fix it and go on without thinking too much about it. But to have so many issues on the same installation… that’s just incompetent at best, and even might be considered beyond negligent.
Perhaps, this is one time when it would be appropriate to “Fire an A&P.” I certainly would not want this person anywhere near my airplane engine, or any other critical part of the airplane. This, to me, is totally unacceptable, and it got me thinking about when it might be appropriate to “Fire an A&P.” And I thought of several times. Here they are:
If they are deceptive, and you can’t trust them.
If interactions with them are continually frustrating.
If there is continuous lack of communication.
And… if they do something like the butchered seat track installation in these pictures.
Thankfully, A&P’s are usually skilled, dependable, and conscientious. But for some rare occasions, there might be a time to “Fire an A&P.”
My challenge for all of us: Be the best you can be, in the situation you’re in!
And for all A&P’s and IA’s who are doing excellent work: Well done my friends! You have a very important job and people are counting on you. Keep up the good work!
Note: The Exhaust Valve Borescoping and Lapping Presentation at Oshkosh was so much fun, and I met some fantastic people. If you’re buying the borescope I recommended, go to AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com/119 and click the links for the borescope of your choice. Use the code “Dean” for a 10% discount.
Now for the trip to Oshkosh:
The Luray, Virginia guys!
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Final approach to runway 27 – Land on the “Green Dot!”
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I met Bret Chilcott from Neodesha Kansas, and listened to his excellent presentation about Stinson 108 aircraft, and what a value they are.
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So many sleek and fast airplanes at AirVenture!
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I managed to grab a quick picture with Mike Busch… he did 13 seminars this year!
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Check out one of the stunningly beautiful float planes there:
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Jack Swift was the first person to purchase my video course, “Safety Wire Like A Pro!” I met him at Boeing Plaza, between the Boeing 747 and the 787. What a great guy!
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Check out the turbine 206 on floats at the seaplane base:
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And a mission organization who uses Cessna 206’s in Papua, New Guinea. samaritanaviation.org
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Chris Palmer with AviatorTraining.com was there, and it was great to meet him in person! I gotta get a new hat for next year… that thing is ridiculous 🙂 Check out Chris on Instagram @angleofattack – he got a ride in the back seat of one of the Aeroshell Team T-6’s! Well done Chris!
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Bob Ripley was in the ABS tent, and I got to thank him for his help… he’s a walking encyclopedia of Bonanza and Baron knowledge! Having access to Bob for technical questions, in my opinion, is one of the best benefits of ABS membership.
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It was also a great privilege to meet Joe Godfrey and Dave Pasquale. Joe is an engine monitor and analysis expert, and Dave is a borescoping and valve lapping expert. Both of these guys work with Savvy Aviation, and Dave also has his own maintenance shop, Pasquale Aviation, LLC, in Pottstown, PA.
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Finally, don’t miss the story behind this picture…
I saw this guy with his young family and decided to take a picture to get his information. I forgot about it until today when I was looking through my photos. His story is absolutely inspiring. Listen to the audio for this episode, and then check out his website:
Scroll down to check out Dean’s favorite borescope.
I have three kids, and those are my two oldest… from many years ago 🙂
Morgan, my oldest, is on the left, and Seth is on the right. I’m guessing they were around 9 and 7 years old at that time, and they’re now 22 and 20!
So why am I showing you this picture? Good question. I’m using this picture because it’s deeply meaningful to me, AND this Cessna 182 has turned into my favorite exhaust valve borescoping and lapping story.
I’ll be telling that story in a presentation at Oshkosh on Saturday July 27, at 8:30 am. Hope to see you there!
The whole idea of “lapping” the exhaust valves came out of first borescoping the valves.
A borescope is necessary to determine if an exhaust valve is a good candidate for lapping or not.
And for this purpose, I’m a firm believer that:
Sometimes a borescope is better than a compression tester.
When it comes to viewing the condition of piston engine exhaust valves, a borescope is better than a compression tester. I have three specific story examples of actual airplanes that had an exhaust valve in serious trouble, but all three of those cylinders still had a compression test result of at least 60/80. After seeing these examples, it is EASY to see that “Sometimes, a borescope is better than a compression tester!”
So… I’ll also be talking A LOT about borescoping in my Oshkosh presentation. I’ve actually tracked down the company that produces my favorite borescope and I’m looking forward to meeting these people at Oshkosh. Oasis Scientific will have a booth there.
They’ve been great to work with and have set up a code for me to offer you 10% off the purchase price. Just use my code “Dean” at checkout to receive the 10 % discount. Oasis Scientific has many borescoping products, and here are my two favorites to recommend to you: (The first is the borescope alone, and the second is a bundle that includes an adapter to allow you to view and save pictures on your iPhone or iPad.) I bought the bundle and am very happy with it.
If you will be at Oshkosh 2019, you can go to Oasis Scientific’s booth and get their discounted show price PLUS another 10% discount by using my code “Dean”.
The borescope above will connect directly to an Android device or tablet.
Or if you’re like me and want to use your iPhone or iPad, you’ll want to buy the bundle which includes the VA-400 above along with a WiFi adapter to allow viewing on your iPhone or iPad. Here’s the bundle: (This is the one I bought.)
It’s an incredible tool that comes in a really nice metal box.
I’m really happy with this borescope. If you’re looking for a borescope, this one may be a good option for you as well.
Don’t forget to use the code “Dean” at checkout to recieve a 10% discount off the purchase price.
If you have not downloaded my free UPDATED Exhaust Valve Inspection Guide with pictures and descriptions of what to look for, be sure to grab a copy of that as well… it will be super helpful in using your new borescope. You can get access to that free guide here: airplaneownermaintenance.com/exhaustvalves
In the next podcast episode, I’ll give a report on my first time to Oshkosh!
Have a great week, and I hope to see some of you at the big airshow!
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