Maintenance Matters

The engine just doesn’t seem to be acting normally in power output. What’s the first thing to check?

Six-year life-limited components, the pyrotechnic line cutter replacement is a straightforward task, but bring it to the pros.

You really don’t want to park them in the elements, you do need to clean them without harsh chemicals and definitely inspect blemishes and other damage.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Judging by the condition of the engine mounts (technically called engine isolators) we’ve seen on aging piston singles and twins, it’s no wonder that gyro failures, cracked interior components and even structural failures are a nagging problem for some owners. And while some airframes inherently have more perceived vibration than others, aero engineers place vibration […]

Paint scheme designs are most often influenced by the designs used by manufacturers. Years ago, we purchased many more new aircraft, and factories were churning out sparkling new models to fulfill that demand. Most often, design was strongly influenced by manufacturing. Straight lines and spaces between the colors are easier and less costly to lay […]

Paint jobs seem to get pushed to the end of the budget line and that’s not really a good thing. Airframe corrosion is a plague spreading in the aging fleet, and neglecting the aircraft’s finish is a way to make the problem worse. There are plenty of good reasons to repaint the aircraft, and just […]

In 1977 Cessna introduced the 172 N model, employing the newly developed O-320-H2AD engine and allowing Cessna and Lycoming’s common parent to save money and offer slightly more horsepower. Unfortunately, the engineering compromises made in the valve train resulted in camshaft lobes and associated lifters that were quite corrosion intolerant. Cost saving led to minimizing the size of the hardened surface, so the contact pressures became extreme. The design was barely adequate, as long as no rust occurred. But any rust increased pressures beyond what the oil could handle, and metal-to-metal contact would occur, rapidly wearing away the valve train components in as little as a few hundred hours.