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!
Sometimes small, general aviation airplanes get too much maintenance, and sometimes they get too little. We talk about that in today’s episode along with some real life examples.
But first, I want to give a shout out to two people I have absolutely loved learning from recently because they are both excellent teachers.
Chris Palmer: Aviator and flight instructor living in Homer, Alaska. I’ve been going through Chris’ online instrument ground school course, and it is absolutely amazing. Stunningly excellent graphics, interesting and engaging teaching, and the best review of the FAA test questions I’ve ever seen. Check out his courses and training here:
Carl Valeri: Airline pilot, podcaster, and aviation careers coach. Carl is the host of the Aviation Careers Podcast, and he shares a TON of great useful information about flying and aviation careers in a really fun and inspiring way. If you want to make progress in your flying career, you MUST check out Carl’s podcast and resources. You can find his podcast in iTunes or other podcast apps, and his website is here:
Listen to today’s episode to hear about some things that got my attention last week at Classic Aviation:
A one time AD that keeps getting signed off year after year.
A purple paperclip on a jet at Shenandoah Valley.
A couple examples of too much maintenance.
One example of not enough maintenance.
Here’s the purple paperclip:
Not something I would expect to see on a jet like this 🙂
And here’s my example of “not enough maintenance.”:
That induction filter had not been changed in a long time, as evidenced by it falling apart when I removed it.
Here’s the recommendation to change these filters every year… it’s right there on the package of the new filter:
You can hear more details of all these items by listening to today’s audio.
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Finally, if you’re going to Oshkosh, I’d love to meet you. I’ll be presenting a talk on Saturday morning, July 27 at 8:30 am. The topic is “Exhaust Valve Borescoping and Lapping.” I’d love to meet you there.
My new friend, Brad Flickinger. Brad is a podcast listener from Pennsylvania who stopped in to see me at SHD recently.
A flap problem on a Cirrus SR22.
1.Oshkosh Announcement:
I’ve never been to the EAA Airventure Oshkosh Airshow. But this is the year to change that, and I’m planning to go this year! I can’t wait.
I have been scheduled to give a workshop presentation at Oshkosh this year. The name of my workshop is “Exhaust Valve Borescoping and Lapping,” and you can click this link to get the details:
It will be in Workshop Classroom A, on Saturday, July 27, at 8:30 am.
If you will be at Airventure / Oshkosh this year, please stop by for this presentation… I would love to meet you there.
2. The Aeronca Champ that landed at SHD:
Such a classic little airplane!
And it even had a backwards tachometer, like the one I flew years ago.
… and with a wooden prop and no electrical system, it’s a really simple airplane.
3. My new friend, Brad Flickinger.
Brad stopped in to see me at Classic Aviation at SHD recently. I found out he’s been listening to the podcast while driving a truck.
Brad owns and flies a Mooney, and we are currently making plans for me to go spend some time with him and some of his airplane friends in PA.
Thanks Brad, for taking the time to stop in for a visit. I always love to meet podcast listeners in person!
4. Cirrus SR22 Flap Problem
I’ve been doing an annual inspection on an SR22, and one of the squawks was that the flaps would not extend all the way.
A call to Cirrus Tech Support turned out to be a fantastic experience!
Ben gave me some ideas about what to check, and one thing he suggested checking was the flap system relays under the floor panel behind the copilot seat.
The relays are inside this panel.I numbered the relays so I would not get them mixed up for troubleshooting.
After following Ben’s instructions, I put the forward two relays in the aft two positions, and the flaps worked flawlessly!
I was very grateful for the excellent tech support from Ben at Cirrus Aircraft!
He helped me isolate the problem, and the solution turned out to be two $13 relays, instead of a high dollar flap drive unit. Thanks Ben!
After we get the new relays installed, the flap system will be back in business, ready for reliable operation once again.
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