If you’ve dealt with a failure of the alternator drive coupling on a Continental engine, you now understand the importance of the coupling inspection. Massachusetts-based Approach Aviation initially came out with a tool kit (ADCKIT1) designed for the proper removal, testing and installation of the alternator drive couplings found on Continental IO-520/550 series engines. Now […]
During routine inspections, good technicians dig deep into the airframe looking for structural cracks. And if you’re doing even a causal preflight walkaround it’s not uncommon to find cracks around cowlings, windows and fairings. None of them should be ignored. Surface cracking doesn’t usually mean a cowling or control surface will come apart, but it’s […]
Emergency battery power for primary EFIS is the belt-and-suspender backup for total electrical system failure, but not for some Garmin G5 models that sit for long periods of time. That’s why Garmin has issued a mandatory Service Bulletin (22013 Rev. A) to prevent the problem of total backup battery discharge if the aircraft electrical power […]
Piston-powered airplanes aren’t exactly free of vibration and that beats the heck out of exhaust systems. That means that between-annual inspections are important, especially if you think the system was subjected to unusual punishment. Ever pull the mixture back for shutdown and the backfire sounded like a shotgun? That could have done some damage to […]
If you’re doing your own routine maintenance—and if you’re not, why not?—you’re going to need a means to open your canister oil filter after every oil change. There are choices on the market, and each design seems to follow a slightly different philosophy, even if the desired result is much the same: Cut the base […]
It’s enough to make you cringe. You’re taxiing on a paved surface littered with gravel, or even on unpaved surfaces in the outback, with your new sexy composite four-blade and you can almost hear the prop blades’ leading edges getting gouged with stone. Turns out the durability and lifespan of those composite blades are better […]
Engines, exhaust systems, propellers, cabin vents and aging door and window seals are just a handful of sources that can make the typical aircraft cabin a miserable place to spend hours on end. It’s also a path to irreversible hearing damage. How do you know if your cabin is too noisy? Fly in a comparably […]
Yes, we’ve heard all of the disparaging remarks: Magnetos have been around since there was dirt; they’re the trailing edge of technology and general aviation would proceed into broad, sunlit uplands if mags were to be consigned to the scrap heap and replaced with electronic ignition. Nevertheless, while we think that electronic ignition is great […]
If you do it right, they say, you may never have to touch the brakes while landing. But it seldom happens that way, and that’s why tires and brakes take a beating. We lock the brakes, we ride them, we overheat them. And the chain reaction—at best—means premature brake wear. At the worst, it’s a […]
As we’ve reported, thanks to space-saving, small-supply oxygen systems from Aerox and Aithre, more pilots and their passengers may be using O2 in the cabin who otherwise wouldn’t. But we’re also hearing about the challenges of getting these little cylinders filled. Some FBOs and maintenance shops unfamiliar with these new bottles (some as small as […]
Venture on an aircraft refurbishment project—large or small—and there’s a good chance you’ll be replacing plastic parts. This is an important market because the majority of aging aircraft are decked out in old, faded, cracked and brittle plastic. Sun, vibration, temperature fluctuations and general wear and tear quickly take a toll on plastic components. The […]
The backup rechargeable batteries used in current-gen EFIS models have gotten better over the years. But they still require routine inspections, might have mandatory replacement intervals and are intolerant of extreme storage conditions. Don’t underestimate the costs associated with replacing them, either. Fortunately there are some things you and your mechanics can do to ensure […]
