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  1. chemgeek

    Dangerous request from airport manager?

    Yep, formalized noise abatement procedures is the way. This might include climb and or heading recommendations on takeoff before turning on course or on crosswind, calm wind runway recommendations, and/or establishing formal right traffic patterns (and publishing in the chart supplement) if...
  2. chemgeek

    Can an annual substitute for a pre-purchase inspection? If an annual is done before the due date do any maintenance issues need to be fixed?

    An annual inspection determines if your airplane is airworthy enough to fly. A pre-buy determines if the airplane has any show-stopper issues, is up to your safety standards, and identifies any deferred maintenance you have have to do after purchase to bring it up to your standards. An aircraft...
  3. chemgeek

    Converging from opposite sides

    This is pretty common. Sometimes, it's an issue of itinerant pilots not listening to AWOS and making incorrect assumptions. When I encounter this issue (and am in the pattern to land on the favored runway) I would simply announce "winds favor runway 4, NXXXX downwind for runway 4, full stop." If...
  4. chemgeek

    Dealing with a crisis(?) of confidence

    You simply need to get more experience. You basically have a license to learn as a freshly certificated pilot. If you are concerned about your flying technique, fly with an instructor to shed the rust. Otherwise, plan some cross-countries to new destinations--any excuse will do (ice cream...
  5. chemgeek

    Anyone else? Avionics nightmare, theft, sabotage

    Time to lawyer up to recover what you can. The shop should have liability insurance.
  6. chemgeek

    G5 batteries charging issue

    Have you checked "(2022) Service Bulletin 22013 Rev A: G5 Backup Battery Discharge" to see if your unit is affected? A large number of early G5 units had an idle battery discharge issue which is fixed by this service bulletin. Unfortunately, I think the freebie fix offered by Garmin expired last...
  7. chemgeek

    Starter not disengaged

    It is very common for the Bendix gears to get grimy and stick in the extended position, or refuse to extend. Once they start doing this, they often get stuck more often. I eventually replaced my starter with a SkyTec starter which is lighter and cranks faster, and not a problem since...
  8. chemgeek

    "Inspected oil filter, found no metal" - myth or reality?

    FYI, wear metals measured by ICP-OES or similar atomic absorption or fluorescence methods are typically less than 1 um in size, and will not be trapped by oil filter material. Nor will they be visible to the naked eye.
  9. chemgeek

    What's YOUR Best Headwind Story ...

    Lots of mountains in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Northeastern New York causing burbles with strong west or northwest winds in spring and fall.
  10. chemgeek

    Coming in hot

    I don't care what the recommended procedures are, aircraft flying around an airport have a responsibility to minimize the chance of a mid-air conflict whether or not they believe they have the right of way. In this case, the two aircraft involved were talking, but one was acting cavalierly and...
  11. chemgeek

    What's YOUR Best Headwind Story ...

    Flying back from BHB to Central NY in September, I was getting beat up pretty bad by orographic turbulence at 6500, so I reluctantly climbed to 10,500 to get a smoother ride. The headwinds there were fierce. Flying over the Mass Pike and NY State Thruway I was being handily passed by tractor...
  12. chemgeek

    How long do your batteries last?

    I gave up on flooded cell batteries long ago. Sealed AGM batteries (i.e. Concorde) are very tolerant of neglect and don't need service (water replenishment). AGM batteries have very low self-discharge rates, so leaving them for a month or so will not result in any issues. To get long life out of...
  13. chemgeek

    FAA Tells Pilots To Go Analogue As GNSS ‘Spoofing’ Incidents Increase

    The practical problem with MON is that the VOR network is already getting so sparse in the Northeast (between decommissioning and the many out-of-service VORs) that it can be difficult to find usable airways to get you where you want to go without going way out of your way. This is already...
  14. chemgeek

    How much wind is too much?

    My instructor and I took advantage of some of these windy, gusty days to work on crosswind landing techniques. This can build skill and confidence in dealing with weather conditions you may encounter later as a certificated pilot. While a 10G15 burbly crosswind is not all that much fun, it is...
  15. chemgeek

    Putting CamGuard to the Test

    CamGuard does contain organic phosphates. I suspect it may also contain calcium sulfonates, which is a well-known anti-corrosion lubricant additive.
  16. chemgeek

    How to buy a plane

    Pretty much....I will add: 4) be patient 5) paint doesn't make the airplane fly: look for a well-maintained engine and airframe. C+ paint is not a big deal.
  17. chemgeek

    Uncoordinated flight-aileron trim tab

    Does the AI show your airplane out of level in cruise with the ball out of center?
  18. chemgeek

    Amelia Earhart’s Long-Lost Plane Found?

    When they send a robotic camera down there, they will know soon enough what they have.
  19. chemgeek

    Iowa Aircraft Registration Fee Increase Proposed

    I'm glad our otherwise "high tax state" does not try to do this kind of thing. And there is no sales tax on aviation parts or labor.
  20. chemgeek

    Carb ice? (and beating myself up...)

    Checklist, checklist, checklist. Memorize your engine anomaly checklist and/or panel flow. You just had a reminder. I had a total engine stoppage (likely due to carb icing) when returning from an IPC in actual conditions in winter, complete with a thin layer of icy lake-effect clouds. A CFII...
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