Author: Dean Showalter (Page 19 of 25)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Videos mentioned in today’s episode:

Mike Busch’s story about his aviation journey:  savvyaviation.com

(Scroll down on the home page, and the video is right there.)

Bret Chilcott and his new LED nav lights for his 1947 Stinson:

You can buy these nav lights at Aircraft Spruce:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/navstrobesextant40.php

(There is also a cheaper version of LED nav lights, but they are for experimental aircraft only.)

Bret also gave us a report on his starting procedure for his Stinson… thanks Bret!

Also in today’s episode, I share a question my wife asked me about how we start the lawnmower 🙂

And the featured topic of this week, is about overcoming resistance, to get to a new, significant place in life.  I was reminded of this when I was working on the nosegear of a C-182RG that drove me crazy.

The collar under the block of wood, was so stubborn to get off!

The piston at the bottom of the strut fork also needed to be resealed.

And during the reassembly, this little homemade block of wood, proved to be one of the most important tools in the process.

This whole deal, was a reminder to me, of how difficult it can be sometimes to press forward to a new level of anything in life.  Sometimes the resistance is overwhelming, but it’s worth it to keep moving forward!

And finally, back to Bret Chilcott… he had a question about some water droplets in his bottom cowling.  What do you think?  Are they from melted carb ice, or is there something else to consider?

If you have an idea about this, you can contact me, or contact Bret directly.  His contact information is at his website:  AgEagle.com

Thanks for listening to today’s episode!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How do you start your airplane engine?  Is it perfectly “by the checklist,” or some other method?  We’ve talked about this topic in the past, and it will come up again in today’s episode.  Listen in, take the challenge, and see if it might be worth considering a small modification to your starting procedure.

Also, if you have not listened to episode 019, you might want to go back and catch that one… it goes into much greater detail on the subject of starting airplane engines, and some things to think about.  It might surprise you!

Also, in today’s episode, we give an update on the Lycoming connecting rod bushing issue.

Thank you, Mike Busch, and the Savvy Aviation team, for keeping us all up to date on this issue.   The recent email from Savvy Aviation is how I first discovered the FAA had issued an AD on this connecting rod issue.

Here’s a link to SB 632B:

http://www.lycoming.com/sites/default/files/SB632B%20Connecting%20Rod%20Identification.pdf

And here’s one for AD 2017-16-11:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2017-16968.pdf

And finally, one for Lycoming Service Instruction 1458G:

https://www.lycoming.com/sites/default/files/SI1458G%20Connecting%20Rod%20Bolts%20%281%29.pdf

Bottom line:  If you have a Lycoming engine that is affected by this AD, your local A&P may very well be able to remove the cylinders, do the inspection, and reinstall the cylinders, as long as your connecting rod bushings PASS THE TEST.  However, if you need to have any connecting rods changed due to failing the bushing test, BE VERY CAREFUL about having the work done by your local A&P… this is a task that just might be best accomplished by a reputable engine-overhauler.  Just read through SB 632B (great pictures,) and SI 1458G, and you will discover that “This ain’t no task to be taken lightly!”  Make sure it is done with the care and precision necessary  for reliable operation.

Also, in today’s episode, I talked a little more about the instrument nut that I recently found behind the instrument panel of a Cessna 182.  This past week, I noticed some good techniques for fastening instrument nuts in place to prevent them from falling down behind the panel.  Here are a couple pictures from a twin Cessna I worked on this past week at Classic Aviation, LLC:

Notice how the lacing cord is used to tie the instrument nuts in place.

And here’s another method of tying the nut in place with lacing cord:

Thanks so much for the feedback I received from Arthur Rosen, and from Joshua Swartz, both about the issue of starting airplane engines, and what they found helpful from episode 019.  (Listen to the episode to hear what their emails said to me.)  This leads me to the challenge I’m giving today:

The Zero-Throttle Starting Challenge:

To find any piston airplane engine, where this technique does not work… because I don’t know of any at this point.  (This starting technique is describe in great detail, in Episode 019.)

I also received an email from Bret Chilcott this past week… thanks Bret!  If you have not listened to the episode with Bret, he is doing some very fascinating things in aviation, both flying his own 1947 Stinson, and also, providing drones that are used to survey crop fields.  Take a look at the notes for episode 055 and the great pictures and videos that Bret provided for us.  AgEagle is the name of his company (AgEagle.com)

Thanks for listening, and for checking out the website… if you appreciate the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast, please go to iTunes and leave a star rating, and write a short review, so that others can become aware of what we offer.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

What kind of “sticky” are we talking about?  Listen to today’s episode, and you’ll find out.

But first, we have a couple of other things to cover:

1. Update on the Cessna 182 that was mentioned in a recent episode, where some pitted lifters and a questionable spot on the camshaft, were found.
2. Follow up on a situation with a listener’s attitude indicator.

In today’s episode, we talk about a variety of things, including sticking exhaust valves in Lyoming engines.  Lycoming has a Service Bulletin (388C) that was issued years ago to address this issue.  (Thank you to Barry Sparonello, who requested some information about this topic in a podcast episode.)  The specific test on the valves and valve guides is sometimes referred to as the “wobble test.’  Here is a link to that Lycoming Service Bulletin:

http://www.caa.si/fileadmin/user_upload/pageuploads/AD-NOTE/AD-2006/093_sb_SB388C.pdf

Paul New, at Tennessee Aircraft Services, in Jackson, TN, is very experienced with this procedure, and has the necessary equipment to do it.  Here is a link to an excellent article that Paul wrote on this topic:

http://www.tennesseeaircraft.net/422/

Check out some other items in this episode as well, including when to overhaul your airplane engine… for Lycomings, SI 1009 might be helpful as a reference.

Also, listen to today’s episode, to get some good information about the new Service Bulletin on Lycoming connecting rod bushings – MSB 632B.

Don’t take your Lycoming engine apart just yet if you don’t have to.  Let the dust settle on this service bulletin, and then make a decision.

Here are a couple Interesting / Startling things I found recently:

An instrument nut, that had fallen into a wire bundle behind the instrument panel in a cessna 182.  Thankfully, it was not shorting anything out!

A razor blade that was riding around in the tail of a twin Cessna for who knows how long!

Have a great week everyone!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

When you taxi up to the maintenance shop, how do you park?  And when you pick up your airplane after maintenance, how is your situational awareness when it comes to starting and taxiing operations?

These are a couple of items we discuss in today’s episode.

We also cover some listener feedback.  One is a Piper owner who has a situation with an attitude indicator… we talk about that a little.

The other is a Grumman Tiger owner who had some requests for future topics.

Thanks so much to both of you for contacting me!

Finally, in today’s episode, I share a surprising thing I found in an airplane I was working on.  Here are a few pictures:

The aircraft battery has been removed from this area in the tail of this Aerostar.

This is the view inside that tail area after the plastic cover is removed at the forward side of the battery compartment.

And this is what I found in there!  A stubby 5/8 wrench… who knows how long it has been riding around in there?

If you have any questions or comments, leave me a voice message by clicking the tab over at the side of the page, or send me an email:  dean(at)airplaneownermaintenance(dot)com.

Thanks!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In today’s episode, we talk about a real life situation that is in process right now.  Someone walked in the shop a couple days ago and asked my opinion about some lifters and the cam shaft in this C-182 engine.

The following pictures ARE NOT the lifters I referred to in the podcast.  These pictures are from a C-310 years ago that had a severely worn lifter and cam shaft, which resulted in that engine being overhauled.  If lifters look like this, they must be removed immediately, (most likely the cam shaft too.)

Many times, lifters will show just a bit of pitting.  The ones I referred to in the podcast, had a small area on each one.

If possible, this is the type of thing you definitely hope to find BEFORE you buy the airplane, if possible.  Many times it’s hard to know what things look like inside, unless you remove a cylinder and take a look.

Here’s where you can go to watch that 2:13 video I referred to, and hear from Adam Sipe about their prebuy services:

https://www.airplaneprebuy.com/

And by all means, whatever you do, and whoever you choose to hire, ALWAYS do a prebuy inspection… and consider carefully what action to take, based on the results… you just might avoid a costly situation in the future.

Send me any prebuy stories you’d like to share, to dean(at)airplaneownermaintenance(dot)com

Thanks!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sometimes, a “One-Time” AD might need some further attention.

In today’s episode, we highlight one of those AD’s.   AD 91-17-01 affects Beechcraft Bonanzas, Barons, Debonairs, and Travelairs.  Listen to today’s episode to hear about the details, and when you might need to be especially aware of this AD.

Here are some pictures of the left and right elevator trim actuator areas and where the identification paint markings need to be applied.

We also discuss a couple other AD’s on a Cessna 182 that might also need some further attention, even though they are written as “One-Time” AD’s.

 And here’s the pictures I mentioned in this episode… the red velvet pancakes, and the strawberry orange cream cheese crepe!

That’s it for this week… please send any feedback, questions or comments to this email:

dean(at)airplaneownermaintenance(dot)com  (trying to avoid the crazy web bots picking up my email!)

And, you can always click the button on the right side of the page at airplaneownermaintenance.com

Thanks!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Real-Life maintenance lessons from a Beechcraft Baron that could apply to many different kinds of airplanes:

• ECI cylinder AD.

• Fuel selector issue.

• Cigarette lighter anomaly.

• Heater decay test.

• Simple check for engine controls.

• Oil drain plug safety wiring.

• Oil leakage at oil cooler.

• Continental throttle body support studs and nuts.

The top area  with the dark residue, is where the missing nut and worn stud, were located.

• Aircraft battery connections.

• Hydraulic fluid leakage at parking brake valve.

• Propeller slow to feather and unfeather.

• Crankshaft seal leakage.

  

Since the prop had to be removed, it’s a perfect time to replace the crankshaft seal.

• Required POH placards.

Thanks to Adam Sipe and Don Sebastian for having me as a guest on the Airplane Intel Podcast!  It was a great conversation with them and you can find that episode here:

 https://www.airplaneprebuy.com/020

Also, while you’re there, take a look around at all the valuable resources they provide.

I’m incredibly grateful to all the people who have taken the time to leave a rating and review for the podcast on iTunes.  I caught up on sharing those in this episode, with the latest 4 reviews.  If you appreciate the Airplane Owner Maintenance podcast and have not left a rating and review, I’d be grateful if you would do that, and the process is simple:

1. Go to iTunes.

2. Click on “Store.”

3. Type “Airplane Owner Maintenance” in the search bar and press enter.

4. Click on the little square podcast picture.

5. Click “Ratings and reviews.”

6. Select and click your star rating.

7. Click “write a review.”

8. Type and submit your review.

Thank you so much, and if you would like me to share your real name and a website, just leave that in the text of your review, and I’ll be happy to do that for you!

Here’s a new podcast I’m recommending, that I found out about through Don Sebastian:

The “Aviation News Talk” podcast with Max Trescott, who was the 2008 National CFI of the Year.”  You can check out the podcast and resources here:

http://aviationnewstalk.com/

In his latest episode, he had some excellent tips on mag checks, both in flight and on the ground, before shutdown.

Send me any questions and feedback to dean@airplaneownermaintenance.com

Or, leave me a voice message on the website. Thanks!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

It was such a pleasure to meet Paul and Helen New, the owners of Tennessee Aircraft Services, Inc. in Jackson, Tennessee.   In addition to running the maintenance shop, Paul is a writer, speaker, consultant, and technical advisor for the Cessna Pilot’s Association.

Paul soloed the day after his 16th birthday, but he operated the controls of an airplane long before that… listen to today’s episode for some fascinating stories.

Also, be sure to check out Paul’s website, TennesseeAircraft.net.  He has some great articles there, as well as several videos.  Paul is a great resource for general aviation, and as he mentioned in the interview, he can be reached at tasnew@gmail.com.

Paul pointed out that Helen is an IA also… she’s the “Intelligence Auditor!”

What a necessary position, to make sure the maintenance record entries are legible, and will be preserved for future use.

Paul also gave us some tips about what NOT TO DO, and what TO DO, when it’s time to take your airplane to the maintenance shop.

One of these tips could help you not to lose your maintenance records, which is vitally important, since missing maintenance records could reduce the value of an airplane by about 30 %!

We both gave a shout-out to our English teachers… mine was Miss Beachy, and Paul’s was Faye Hardin.  We might have “endured those English classes years ago, but today, it’s a valuable skill to be able to write maintenance record entries that are concise, accurate, and that make sense.

The Cessna 210 is one of Paul favorite airplanes, and if you have a 210 with a specific maintenance need, you might want to consider flying it to Jackson, TN!

Paul shared a life lesson that he learned from aviation… “It’s not the bounce… it’s the recovery that counts.”  It’s not the things that happen to you in life… it’s what you do and how you react and respond to those things, that really makes the difference.  What a great life lesson!

And finally, on my way out, I stopped in the FBO and looked around… what an incredibly nice pilot’s lounge, complete with a “massage chair!”  This is worth walking inside for, if you ever fly to Jackson, Tennessee!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Here’s one of the recent videos I put on YouTube:

You can check out my YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2jZzMk6R_eyUjsS-Wj5ig

Be looking for more, and improved videos real soon.

In today’s podcast episode, I gave an evaluation of the safety wiring video, and some ideas about things I’d like to do differently next time.

Today’s episode also includes the rest of the dual magneto story from a couple weeks ago.

And finally, I got a listener question that I thought was worth answering on the show, so that’s in there as well.

Thank you Chris McGough, for the excellent question… it made me dig a little, and hopefully others will benefit from the information as well.

Here are some links from today’s episode:

The AvWeb article about safety wiring techniques:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2jZzMk6R_eyUjsS-Wj5ig

Excellent article by Jeff Simon called: EATING THE ELEPHANT: USING EXPERIENCE TO QUALIFY FOR YOUR A&P CERTIFICATE:

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2014/may/21/using-experience-for-ap

An Airframe and powerplant Q and A:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/lbb/local_more/media/ap_testing.pdf

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Yep, that’s a chunk that broke off this magneto’s mounting flange.  And as we talk about in today’s episode, when that mag fell out of the back of the engine, the airplane immediately became a glider.

So, are these “dual magnetos” a good idea, or a bad idea?  I’m sure there are lots of opinions, and I’ve got one too.  But don’t take my word for it… do your own research, and see what conclusion you arrive at.

Here’s the difference between the old style magneto attaching clamps in the bottom of these pictures, compared to the much better attaching clamps in the tops of the pictures.

In today’s podcast, we discuss 4 different stories related to this issue of “dual magnetos.”

The picture at the top of this post is the dual magneto from this Piper that had to land in a field back in 2008.  Thankfully, there was minimal damage, but a landing gear door was also damaged in addition to needing a magneto.  And since this particular airport had minimal maintenance facilities available, we ended up fixing everything outside… not the most ideal, but we got the job done!

Another story is of a Mooney I worked on and found the wrong gasket installed on the dual magneto, and the mounting nuts undertorqued.

And one more story of another Mooney, and the accident report from the dual magneto failure… thankfully, only minor injuries in that accident.

Finally, my most recent reminder of how critical it is to install dual magnetos correctly, is this Piper Lance.  Listen to the podcast to find out why this airplane would not develop full power, and the EGT’s were ridiculously high for such a low power setting.

So, if you have a dual magneto (2 mags in one case, driven by one gear,) here are some recommendations to consider, so that you can operate as safely and reliably as possible:

1. 1. Make sure the correct gasket is installed.  P/N LW-12681, a round gasket.  (Not an oblong gasket with holes, for mags that have flanges.)

1. 1. Be sure the correct attachment clamps are installed.  Take a look at the pictures for the old style clamps and new style… make sure you have the new style, P/N 66M19385.  They are easily identified by the oblong ends, that cover more surface area where they contact the magneto flange.

1. 1. Be sure the torque is proper.  Ask your mechanic what torque was used for the magneto attaching nuts.  Last time I checked, it was 204 inch pounds… I’ve found numerous mag attach nuts undertorqued.  By the way, if your mechanic gets offended when you ask this question, it might be time to go somewhere else.  I welcome this kind of question… after all, your safety and the safety of your passengers, depends on it!

1. 1. Be sure there is torque putty on the attaching nuts, and check it frequently, to look for any movement.  My favorite is Fluorescent yellow.

1. 1. Do the recommended 500 hour magneto inspections.  Make sure it’s done by a reputable shop… we either send mags out, or get an exchange one.  Don’t take chances with such a critical component.

1. 1. Consider modifying your engine to 2 single magnetos, especially at overhaul.

1. 1. For me personally, don’t buy an airplane with a dual magneto… just my opinion.

1. Print and keep these 2 documents with your maintenance records, and hand them to your mechanic whenever you are having dual magneto maintenance done.

Lycoming Service Instruction 1508C:

https://www.lycoming.com/sites/default/files/Dual%20Magneto%20Attachment.pdf

Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) NE-08-26R2 :

https://www.askbob.aero/sites/default/files/ne-08-26r2.pdf

And, one more article if you want to dig a little deeper and learn a little more about dual magnetos:

http://mechanicsupport.blogspot.com/2008/08/bendix-d3000-magneto-redundancy.html

Finally, if you are interested in learning more about how CHT’s and EGT’s are related to mag timing, check out some of Mike Busch’s excellent articles at SavvyAnalysis.com

Let me know what you think about today’s episode… whether you agree with me or not, I’d like to hear from you, so please contact me with your thoughts.

Email:  dean@airplaneownermaintenance.com

Or, leave a comment on this page, or even better yet, leave me a voice message by clicking the button over to the right.

And if you appreciate the podcast, please leave a rating and review over at iTunes.

Thanks, and have a great weekend!