suggestions for new aircraft owner?
- Thread starter WannFly
- Start date
My Archer came with a parts manual. Helpful for looking up part numbers and system diagrams.
ktup-flyer
En-Route
Don't stick it in too far. (The 100LL nozzle)
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Aztec Flyer
Too late. As an airplane owner you already violated the first thing you didn't know you should have known. 
Buy good tools. Quality screw driver and socket/wrench set, spark plug socket, gapping tool, feeler gauge, spark plug cleaner, safety wire pliers so you can do your own spark plug maintenance and oil changes. Get someone experienced to help you the first few times you do this.
Find a copy of the Piper maintenance manual as post #2 suggested. It's less expensive for you to do the legwork figuring out a part number to replace something broken or damaged than to pay your mechanic to do it. Get to know the electrical system and the fuel system - really know it. If something happens in flight, understanding how these systems are put together and how they work can help with diagnosing the source of a problem.
Go to the Piper website and sign up with your email for their Service Bulletins. Do a search on the ones already issued for your model. They will automatically send you anything new. Most mechanics are so busy they can't stay on top of everything coming out every day on every airplane they deal with. They will take the time during annuals to research ADs and mandatory Service Bulletins, but you can do a lot of that yourself and be an informed owner. Search the Lycoming listing for the same thing for your engine.
Buy good tools. Quality screw driver and socket/wrench set, spark plug socket, gapping tool, feeler gauge, spark plug cleaner, safety wire pliers so you can do your own spark plug maintenance and oil changes. Get someone experienced to help you the first few times you do this.
Find a copy of the Piper maintenance manual as post #2 suggested. It's less expensive for you to do the legwork figuring out a part number to replace something broken or damaged than to pay your mechanic to do it. Get to know the electrical system and the fuel system - really know it. If something happens in flight, understanding how these systems are put together and how they work can help with diagnosing the source of a problem.
Go to the Piper website and sign up with your email for their Service Bulletins. Do a search on the ones already issued for your model. They will automatically send you anything new. Most mechanics are so busy they can't stay on top of everything coming out every day on every airplane they deal with. They will take the time during annuals to research ADs and mandatory Service Bulletins, but you can do a lot of that yourself and be an informed owner. Search the Lycoming listing for the same thing for your engine.
WannFly
Final Approach
she looks a whole lot better with the pants on... I might have to keep it off in winter
Roger!
One thing I haven't done yet is making a searchable electronic copy of the log books. It's hard to find when things were done in 40 years worth of logs. Took me forever to find when my vacuum pump was last changed out.
WannFly
Final Approach
I have that in my list of things to do, along with zillion other manuals to read... there is a whole carton of manuals and log books I inherited with the plane....
James331
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James331
Find a good APIA and learn and do all that you can.
All logs should be in google docs after a good OCR scan.
Short term due list on a little notebook in the glove box
Understand that "in the green" doesn't mean chit, and learn what's the norm for your plane.
If you have slick mags, ditch them for bendix when they start to get a little long in the tooth.
Oil is the cheapest MX you can do.
Get a battery tender of some sort.
Nip things in the bud.
Buy your own parts.
Get on the type clubs sites.
Get it balanced (prop) and rigged (airframe).
Don't scratch it
All logs should be in google docs after a good OCR scan.
Short term due list on a little notebook in the glove box
Understand that "in the green" doesn't mean chit, and learn what's the norm for your plane.
If you have slick mags, ditch them for bendix when they start to get a little long in the tooth.
Oil is the cheapest MX you can do.
Get a battery tender of some sort.
Nip things in the bud.
Buy your own parts.
Get on the type clubs sites.
Get it balanced (prop) and rigged (airframe).
Don't scratch it
WannFly
Final Approach
Roger. My plane is going for annual in June, told my AP I will hang around when he does the annual and do whatever I can to help out. he is onboard
WannFly
Final Approach
Thank much. yes I have Slick mags, I will add to the list of things to get looked at during annual (I am guessing its a part of annual, but will add to my list of things to do anyways.)
denverpilot
Tied Down
Stuff I learned after buying:
- Find out where EVERYTHING is in your aircraft and how it's serviced. Annual is a good time to do this with inspection plates off. Don't expect a busy mechanic to show it all to you without being compensated. Tell them it's worth a couple extra billed hours.
- Mechanics don't always put the greatest entries in logs. Learn what they're supposed to write and ask why they didn't.
- Stickers. Some love them, some swear at them, but many shops these days will provide stickers with the legalese the mechanic wants in the logbook printed on them with their signature. See above. Look them over carefully before sticking them in, and secondly, make sure they get put in. Do not lose them.
- Do your own AD search. Make sure yourself that they're all covered. Get the CD of maintenance data on your aircraft ordered from FAA. Go through it and all the logs. Just read it all. Nothing fancy. Know the history of the aircraft. Maybe consider buying ADLog if you like a very organized system.
- After the second try to fix something, take it to a different mechanic. None know everything. Third tries never work. Find someone who knows how to do it.
- Never trust any avionics shop that says something will take one week. Never ever happens. ;-)
- CamGuard. Too much to post here, but read years worth of debate online. Some swear by it. We decided it's such a low cost we use it.
- Filters. They plug and rip and do all sorts of things and as a renter you rarely think about them. Get spares. Engine air filter, vacuum air filter, oil, etc.
- Make a list of those "consumables" that stays in your phone. Part numbers. So you can order anytime anywhere. Add to that list light bulb part numbers for all the bulbs you'd need for a legal/safe flight. (Nav, tail, beacon, landing, taxi.) They're sometimes spendy so Know up front. Maybe keep spares. They don't burn out often, but know if you can get them locally or if you need to mail order.
- Tires. Be nice to them. Don't buy cheap AFTER you've finished training. Training will beat them up, most likely. But after that, GOOD tires and tubes will last seemingly forever if you're nice to them.
- Weight and Balance -- if you have a need to remove seats to haul anything AND the manufacturer doesn't provide W&B calculation data for doing it. Get a second W&B made up. Keep both in the aircraft. Now you're legal whatever you need to do.
- KNOW that the airplane will break someday on you, out of town. It'll happen. Just accept it now and get used to the idea. Maybe you'll get it fixed that day, maybe you'll need to stay a couple more days, maybe you'll get a rental car and drive all the way home and not pick it up for a while. But it'll eventually happen.
-Type clubs. Sometimes worth their weight in gold. Information about common problems. Information about parts. Information about things that will wear out. Check into what's available for your airplane type.
- Ad James said, nip little things in the bud. Anything you would "squawk" at a rental place, fix it. Today. Don't bother piling things up. Other stuff will come up anyway. Prop have a ding? Get it dressed. Struts look low? Service them. Check tire pressure yourself regularly. Etc. If you wanted to fly a beat up rental, you wouldn't have bought it.
- If you live somewhere cold, decide if you're going to pre-heat in winter and get that setup figured out now in summer and tested and ready to go.
- Tie-downs. You'll want something good. Eventually you'll take it somewhere you have to park it in the grass, probably. Do the research and buy solid hardware for that, and good ropes. Get a bag and keep all of that stuff in it.
- Find out where EVERYTHING is in your aircraft and how it's serviced. Annual is a good time to do this with inspection plates off. Don't expect a busy mechanic to show it all to you without being compensated. Tell them it's worth a couple extra billed hours.
- Mechanics don't always put the greatest entries in logs. Learn what they're supposed to write and ask why they didn't.
- Stickers. Some love them, some swear at them, but many shops these days will provide stickers with the legalese the mechanic wants in the logbook printed on them with their signature. See above. Look them over carefully before sticking them in, and secondly, make sure they get put in. Do not lose them.
- Do your own AD search. Make sure yourself that they're all covered. Get the CD of maintenance data on your aircraft ordered from FAA. Go through it and all the logs. Just read it all. Nothing fancy. Know the history of the aircraft. Maybe consider buying ADLog if you like a very organized system.
- After the second try to fix something, take it to a different mechanic. None know everything. Third tries never work. Find someone who knows how to do it.
- Never trust any avionics shop that says something will take one week. Never ever happens. ;-)
- CamGuard. Too much to post here, but read years worth of debate online. Some swear by it. We decided it's such a low cost we use it.
- Filters. They plug and rip and do all sorts of things and as a renter you rarely think about them. Get spares. Engine air filter, vacuum air filter, oil, etc.
- Make a list of those "consumables" that stays in your phone. Part numbers. So you can order anytime anywhere. Add to that list light bulb part numbers for all the bulbs you'd need for a legal/safe flight. (Nav, tail, beacon, landing, taxi.) They're sometimes spendy so Know up front. Maybe keep spares. They don't burn out often, but know if you can get them locally or if you need to mail order.
- Tires. Be nice to them. Don't buy cheap AFTER you've finished training. Training will beat them up, most likely. But after that, GOOD tires and tubes will last seemingly forever if you're nice to them.
- Weight and Balance -- if you have a need to remove seats to haul anything AND the manufacturer doesn't provide W&B calculation data for doing it. Get a second W&B made up. Keep both in the aircraft. Now you're legal whatever you need to do.
- KNOW that the airplane will break someday on you, out of town. It'll happen. Just accept it now and get used to the idea. Maybe you'll get it fixed that day, maybe you'll need to stay a couple more days, maybe you'll get a rental car and drive all the way home and not pick it up for a while. But it'll eventually happen.
-Type clubs. Sometimes worth their weight in gold. Information about common problems. Information about parts. Information about things that will wear out. Check into what's available for your airplane type.
- Ad James said, nip little things in the bud. Anything you would "squawk" at a rental place, fix it. Today. Don't bother piling things up. Other stuff will come up anyway. Prop have a ding? Get it dressed. Struts look low? Service them. Check tire pressure yourself regularly. Etc. If you wanted to fly a beat up rental, you wouldn't have bought it.
- If you live somewhere cold, decide if you're going to pre-heat in winter and get that setup figured out now in summer and tested and ready to go.
- Tie-downs. You'll want something good. Eventually you'll take it somewhere you have to park it in the grass, probably. Do the research and buy solid hardware for that, and good ropes. Get a bag and keep all of that stuff in it.
ircphoenix
En-Route
If there's something you want to add, customize, or spend extra money on...
DON'T DO IT NOW.
Give yourself a year. Fly the plane frequently. Your AP will be different from the last AP that worked on it. He'll have different things that he notices that the other guy didn't. And they'll be unexpected expenses. If, after the first year, you have "extra" money to add or upgrade stuff, THEN start considering spending it. ASK ME HOW I KNOW.
DON'T DO IT NOW.
Give yourself a year. Fly the plane frequently. Your AP will be different from the last AP that worked on it. He'll have different things that he notices that the other guy didn't. And they'll be unexpected expenses. If, after the first year, you have "extra" money to add or upgrade stuff, THEN start considering spending it. ASK ME HOW I KNOW.
CMongoose
Pre-takeoff checklist
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CMongoose
An awesome list above already.
Find and build a relationship with a good A&P, sounds like you may have that already. You need to be able to trust each other and sometimes collaborate on fixing the tough problems.
Do your own research, including joining a type club. You can't expect every A&P to know the nuance of every type out there. Last year alone I had two repairs last year that could have been significant expenses were it not for the knowledge and shared experience of a type club. In one case what could have been $500+ in parts alone came down to a few hours labor and two O-rings.
Although this might sound vain, figure out your method for protecting your paint and glass early and keep it up. Both perform more than just a cosmetic function. Look after your paint and help it look after your plane. This doesn't always require the fancy aviation cleaners, but do make sure that what you're using is safe for your airplane. Hence doing the research early. Also, as a personal preference, the dry wash method means you can do it in your own hangar (if you have one) and don't need a water source. It also means you can give the plane a very through pre-flight while you clean it!
Scan your log books and store them somewhere. I've got mine in PDF form and keep promising that I'll go through and bookmark the critical entries one day. Until then, at least I know I have a backup.
Having said all of that ircphoenix had the most important piece above, fly! Give yourself time to learn the plane, figure out the quirks, fix the things that break (and they will) before investing any more.
Find and build a relationship with a good A&P, sounds like you may have that already. You need to be able to trust each other and sometimes collaborate on fixing the tough problems.
Do your own research, including joining a type club. You can't expect every A&P to know the nuance of every type out there. Last year alone I had two repairs last year that could have been significant expenses were it not for the knowledge and shared experience of a type club. In one case what could have been $500+ in parts alone came down to a few hours labor and two O-rings.
Although this might sound vain, figure out your method for protecting your paint and glass early and keep it up. Both perform more than just a cosmetic function. Look after your paint and help it look after your plane. This doesn't always require the fancy aviation cleaners, but do make sure that what you're using is safe for your airplane. Hence doing the research early. Also, as a personal preference, the dry wash method means you can do it in your own hangar (if you have one) and don't need a water source. It also means you can give the plane a very through pre-flight while you clean it!
Scan your log books and store them somewhere. I've got mine in PDF form and keep promising that I'll go through and bookmark the critical entries one day. Until then, at least I know I have a backup.
Having said all of that ircphoenix had the most important piece above, fly! Give yourself time to learn the plane, figure out the quirks, fix the things that break (and they will) before investing any more.
murphey
Touchdown! Greaser!
The piper service manual has a detailed list of what should be examined at 50,100,250,500 hours. The 100 hour list is the basis for the annual.
murphey
Touchdown! Greaser!
I forget...where are you located?
MickYoumans
Cleared for Takeoff
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MickYoumans
First suggestion is post some pics of the new plane. Second is fly the crap out of it and enjoy it. Everything else will fall into place over time.
WannFly
Final Approach
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Aztec Flyer
There is nothing wrong with Slick mags. Some people don't like them because it's cheaper to buy a new Slick magneto than the parts to overhaul them.
Check in your logs to find out how many hours since they had their last 500 hr service. If it's recent then at your annual you'll probably only have to check the timing (which is a routine part of any annual or 100 hr check). If it's getting close to 500 hrs, or they are overdue (unfortunately not uncommon) talk to your mechanic about it before your annual. The 500 hr service kit is not expensive, but some prefer to send the mags out to a specialty shop for that sort of thing. I use Aircraft Magneto Service in Missoula, MT, and they have always done good, timely work for me.
WannFly
Final Approach
Roger. Thanks to the previous owner, I have all digital copy of the logs, I will make an excel list to when what was done.... and approx when it's due
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WannFly
Final Approach
It has Tanis and I am in a non heated hangar. Might get a ceramic for the cabin and turn it on the night before in winter. Good idea? Bad?
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Rcmutz
Cleared for Takeoff
The best backup you can carry in the plane is a credit card for when you become AOG, or due to weather delays.
gsengle
Pattern Altitude
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Gsengle
I put a ceramic heater when it's really cold in my baggage compartment but don't leave it unattended, that seems risky
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It stays cold enough in Fargo I wouldn't worry too much about leaving the wheel pants on in the winter. Most of the runways stay pretty clear.
Your list was pretty good but I'd add some clarification to this point. Know what the mechanics must write, what would be nice if they would write, and what they shouldn't write. The logbooks are there to document the work performed on the plane and/or ADs complied with. There is no obligation for the mechanic to write why they performed such work and the logbook is not a place for a mechanic to opine about the condition of the airplane.
Further, it would behoove all owners and prospective owners to read FAR part 91 and actually learn about aircraft document retention and what is important in the FAA's eyes. It is not the same as what everyone posts and says you need to have.
A cabin heater would be nice as long as it is safe to leave unattended. Before I worried about that you're going to want to worry about getting a real cowl cover for the winter to retain the heat. Up in Fargo when it gets cold you can leave a Tanis plugged in for days and the engine will still be cold to the touch if you have no blanket on it.
Rushie
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Rushie
Figure out a way to get some extra regular income.
WannFly
Final Approach
murphey
Touchdown! Greaser!
$10 in quarters for the candy machine, $100 in twenties for everything else.
Always open the hangar door ALL THE WAY. Because if you open part way, not intending to take the plane out, then later on, decide to push the plane out you will ding the plane!
If its not broke, dont fix it. Keep it stock.
If its not broke, dont fix it. Keep it stock.
tyndall
Pre-takeoff checklist
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LawnDart
And if your shop uses them, make sure they are laser printed, not inkjet and certainly not thermal. Just saw a logbook that has years of blank stickers.
denverpilot
Tied Down
Well put.
Spot on. Anyone wants to buy a kidney?? Like new
What's the total time since new, and do you have a regular oil analysis done? ;-)
Speaking of that: Oil analysis. On the airplane engine, not your kidney...
Decide if you're doing it and if so, since it only works really if you have long term trends, contact your favorite analysis place and get them to ship out some sample bottles now... since you'll be flying the snot out of the airplane here soon, and the first oil change will come up quickly. ;-)
WannFly
Final Approach
This is a hard one... I have read both sides, some says do it religiously, others say, they will always find something and put crap in the report to cover their basis.
Also trying to figure out how many hours between oil change... I have seen people do it anywhere from every 25 to every 50. Guess it's cheap insurance and doesn't hurt to do often once I learn how to do it myself. First time let AP do it and help, next time I do it and he supervises and from then on do it myself. If I choose every 25 hrs... well... I am at 16 hrs since ownership already
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AKBill
En-Route
Lots of good information from everyone posting. I hold an A&P and do most of the maintenance, I work with my IA and we talk about what needs to be done.
I own a Beech Sport and joined the Beech Aero Club (BAC) forum. There are maintenance videos, AD lists, preventative maintenance tips, spare parts and maintenance manuals that can be down loaded. I have learned a lot from the forum. I am still learning things after 20+ years of ownership.
Treat your engine nice, don't go from idle to full power in 2 seconds slowly increase power. Don't go from cruse setting to idle during decants. Change oil at recommended intervals.
Have fun flying and enjoy the benefits of aircraft ownership....
I own a Beech Sport and joined the Beech Aero Club (BAC) forum. There are maintenance videos, AD lists, preventative maintenance tips, spare parts and maintenance manuals that can be down loaded. I have learned a lot from the forum. I am still learning things after 20+ years of ownership.
Treat your engine nice, don't go from idle to full power in 2 seconds slowly increase power. Don't go from cruse setting to idle during decants. Change oil at recommended intervals.
Have fun flying and enjoy the benefits of aircraft ownership....
denverpilot
Tied Down
This is a hard one... I have read both sides, some says do it religiously, others say, they will always find something and put crap in the report to cover their basis.
Also trying to figure out how many hours between oil change... I have seen people do it anywhere from every 25 to every 50. Guess it's cheap insurance and doesn't hurt to do often once I learn how to do it myself. First time let AP do it and help, next time I do it and he supervises and from then on do it myself. If I choose every 25 hrs... well... I am at 16 hrs since ownership already
I've never seen Blackstone just put something in an analysis to find something in half a decade of doing it, if it makes you feel any better about it. Looking back at our reports prior to that, none there, either. They HAVE amazingly nailed a couple of minor things though in their reports. Probably the most surprising was when they told us it looked like there was a hole in our air filter by the raised silicon numbers they saw. Dirt/dust. Yup. Hole in the air filter we never saw during preflight. Amazing. A little "flap" would open in it from a rock that had cut it when the engine was running. You could stick your pinky through the air filter if you pushed the little flap open. The analysis able to see some really tiny changes.
We are on the side of "just do it". It's pretty cheap insurance for finding something early. Problem is, if you find something early, then you still have a decision to make.
I have joked in the past that the oil analysis probably really should be called "the 50 hour early warning system".
You'll get the analysis back that says something looks wrong, halfway into the oil change and it'll probably say "monitor for one more oil change"... and then you will, it'll still have metal from somewhere showing up, and you'll be tearing the engine open within 50 hours. LOL.
And of course, the oil analysis rarely says anything before you suck a valve. Bang! Haha.
Mayday, mayday, mayday...
Anyway... we use it. And will continue to do so. Like the CamGuard, doesn't add significantly by percentage to the oil change price and might, granted, might warn us of impending doom in the low end of the O-470. Probably won't tell us jack about anything in the top end.
Maybe it's just nice to read, "The numbers look normal for an O-470 at this number of hours" every few months.
On change interval...
We shoot for 25 and don't freak out too much if we go over because the airplane is busy/flying. Far better to dump a quart in if its low and keep flying the hell out of it, if the airplane isn't sitting. Longest we've gone was 39. And that's pretty rare, but it happened during my recent training stuff. No time to change it, and airplane was flying nearly daily, so no big deal. Still made me want to squirm a little. Mostly because I like maintenance to be done on time, not for any other "real" reason.
Worth seeing if the engine manufacturer has any recommendations or mandates, too, of course. We have a spin on filter, and I assume (but don't know) that you do, too. Not much left out there that is flying with a screen, but I wouldn't go that long on a screen. Too much crap being pumped around in the oil.
Oh yeah, have your mechanic show you how to cut open the oil filter and inspect it for crap properly. Analysis is only half of the game. Big chunks will be in the filter. Usually. You hope anyway.
And you'll have fun learning how to safety wire the filter. Hmmmm. That might be worth mentioning too, those safety wire pliers work well. You can do it by hand, but I like ours. I wouldn't say my safety wire jobs are pretty/beautiful, but I know the filter isn't going to back off... the first few times you do it, you'll look at it and think, "Man that sucks..." Just cut it off and do it again. Haha. Think of it as practice. Safety wire is cheap.
Oh. Back to that logbook thing. Learn the EXACT correct wording to write in your own book for owner maintenance, and use those exact words. I've seen all sorts of goofiness in logbooks from owner maintenance and while none of it really hurts anything, just make it look good.
Oh... photos. Photos of every freaking thing under the cowl or anything you can get at with a part number or data plate on it. You can cram an iPhone in amazing places and get them, too. Ha. So someday when you're sitting at home and thinking "we are going to need a new alternator soon", you just open your photo folder and find the shot of the alternator data plate for your shopping online expedition. Then you'll realize the exact same alternator is available at NAPA for 10x less money, but not legal to use. And you'll decide you hate airplane parts shopping and you're going to go pour yourself another stiff drink. Hahaha.
WannFly
Final Approach
Thank you. Very helpful. Not being a private pilot yet, don't think I can do my own maintenance, but good time to learn from my AP while he is doing all these stuff. Now all those summer projects around the house that I had planned last fall...seems like will have to wait...foreverI've never seen Blackstone just put something in an analysis to find something in half a decade of doing it, if it makes you feel any better about it. Looking back at our reports prior to that, none there, either. They HAVE amazingly nailed a couple of minor things though in their reports. Probably the most surprising was when they told us it looked like there was a hole in our air filter by the raised silicon numbers they saw. Dirt/dust. Yup. Hole in the air filter we never saw during preflight. Amazing. A little "flap" would open in it from a rock that had cut it when the engine was running. You could stick your pinky through the air filter if you pushed the little flap open. The analysis able to see some really tiny changes.
We are on the side of "just do it". It's pretty cheap insurance for finding something early. Problem is, if you find something early, then you still have a decision to make.
I have joked in the past that the oil analysis probably really should be called "the 50 hour early warning system".
You'll get the analysis back that says something looks wrong, halfway into the oil change and it'll probably say "monitor for one more oil change"... and then you will, it'll still have metal from somewhere showing up, and you'll be tearing the engine open within 50 hours. LOL.
And of course, the oil analysis rarely says anything before you suck a valve. Bang! Haha.
Mayday, mayday, mayday...
Anyway... we use it. And will continue to do so. Like the CamGuard, doesn't add significantly by percentage to the oil change price and might, granted, might warn us of impending doom in the low end of the O-470. Probably won't tell us jack about anything in the top end.
Maybe it's just nice to read, "The numbers look normal for an O-470 at this number of hours" every few months.
On change interval...
We shoot for 25 and don't freak out too much if we go over because the airplane is busy/flying. Far better to dump a quart in if its low and keep flying the hell out of it, if the airplane isn't sitting. Longest we've gone was 39. And that's pretty rare, but it happened during my recent training stuff. No time to change it, and airplane was flying nearly daily, so no big deal. Still made me want to squirm a little. Mostly because I like maintenance to be done on time, not for any other "real" reason.
Worth seeing if the engine manufacturer has any recommendations or mandates, too, of course. We have a spin on filter, and I assume (but don't know) that you do, too. Not much left out there that is flying with a screen, but I wouldn't go that long on a screen. Too much crap being pumped around in the oil.
Oh yeah, have your mechanic show you how to cut open the oil filter and inspect it for crap properly. Analysis is only half of the game. Big chunks will be in the filter. Usually. You hope anyway.
And you'll have fun learning how to safety wire the filter. Hmmmm. That might be worth mentioning too, those safety wire pliers work well. You can do it by hand, but I like ours. I wouldn't say my safety wire jobs are pretty/beautiful, but I know the filter isn't going to back off... the first few times you do it, you'll look at it and think, "Man that sucks..." Just cut it off and do it again. Haha. Think of it as practice. Safety wire is cheap.
Oh. Back to that logbook thing. Learn the EXACT correct wording to write in your own book for owner maintenance, and use those exact words. I've seen all sorts of goofiness in logbooks from owner maintenance and while none of it really hurts anything, just make it look good.
Oh... photos. Photos of every freaking thing under the cowl or anything you can get at with a part number or data plate on it. You can cram an iPhone in amazing places and get them, too. Ha. So someday when you're sitting at home and thinking "we are going to need a new alternator soon", you just open your photo folder and find the shot of the alternator data plate for your shopping online expedition. Then you'll realize the exact same alternator is available at NAPA for 10x less money, but not legal to use. And you'll decide you hate airplane parts shopping and you're going to go pour yourself another stiff drink. Hahaha.
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denverpilot
Tied Down
Thank you. Very helpful. Not being a private pilot yet, don't think I can do my own maintenance, but good time to learn from my AP while he is doing all these stuff. Now all those summer projects around the house that I had planned last fall...seems like will have to wait...forever
You're correct, but you'll be there soon enough that you might as well know what you can and can't do.
https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/pic-archive/aircraft-ownership/preventive-maintenance
There's legal, and then there's smart. I wouldn't jump into tires and wheels without training... for example... just because you passed a Private rating yesterday.
I'm pretty sure the owner maintenance regs were written back when grandpa was flying the Cub out of the cow pasture and he just replaced the engine on the tractor an hour before that. Most people today can't find the open end of a wrench, so there's that...
Skyrys62
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Meet the Fokkers
Number one thing to know about plane ownership is that it can help you get laid.
everything else is technical mish mash
you take her vertical, she'll take you horizontal
nuff said
everything else is technical mish mash
you take her vertical, she'll take you horizontal
nuff said