ScottM
Taxi to Parking
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2005
- Messages
- 42,529
- Location
- Variable, but somewhere on earth
- Display Name
Display name:
iBazinga!
I only had one squawk going in and it was a cracked piece of non structural plastic.
I only had one squawk going in and it was a cracked piece of non structural plastic.
i am thinking that the plane going in for maintenance is a good thing for Chicago area pilots. This should assure good WX for the rest of you!!Good luck !
It sure is a good time to have the plane down. We have had horrible weather here in Chicagoland lately... so it seems unlikely you will miss any good flying days.
For the cracked plastic, you may want to check out http://www.planeplastics.com/
Sent the plane in for a replacement PTT switch on the copilot's yoke came out with:
A new Overhauled Turn Coordinator
Replaced some engine gaskets and fittings to tighten thing up a bit, improved the performance nicely!!
New "less-tight" spring in my Oil Pressure sensor system and an adjustment to the oil pressure gauge to read in the middle of the green at full/cruise power rather than just touching the top of the green area
Keep those AU's coming!
You're gonna thing you died and went to Aztek heaven if it all works. Just think: now you'll be able climb into the back to break up a dogfight (the canine kind) while the airplane flies itself.BTW, Lance, my Altimatic IIIB now has functional roll and pitch. The altitude hold is getting fixed now. Hopefully it'll be fully functional now after close to 300 hours without it.
You're gonna thing you died and went to Aztek heaven if it all works. Just think: now you'll be able climb into the back to break up a dogfight (the canine kind) while the airplane flies itself.
Got the call today.
The ELT tray clip that secures the ELT went missing. The AP asked if I wanted a new tray $35 form Wentworth or just safety wire the ELT in. I opted for the latter as I expect to upgrade the ELT in a year or two to a 406MHz one.
The gas caps are missing the little rubber valves. I know about this last year and we have been looking for the part number and the AP found it. So he is ordering those. $50.
I had forgotten that the ELT switch panel in the cockpit had come loose and needed to be realigned and secured.
3 fasteners on my wheel pants are missing. Probably knocked off at 6Y9
But that is all that was found.
Build your own plane and do your own annuals, or buy an experimental, do your own annuals, and have an A&P sign it off for $500.
...or do owner-assisted annuals in your own hangar, learn more about your plane, and save serious coin. This is my plan henceforth.
Plus, wrenching on the plane is serious therapy.
It has taken a couple of years of proactive maintenance to get to this point. My first few annuals had some interesting finds. My rule is to look at things closely and take the best route to replace items. Don't try and stretch a few more hours out of them. Since I have owned the plane I have put at least half of what I initially spent on it back into it. The idea being that it is always cheaper to pay now than later.Geez, Scott, I can't get away from an oil change that clean. Good deal.
It also helps you learn your plane, which has tremendous value.
I try to always work with the mechs on the plane if not do the entire job myself and have them supervise and sign it off. More often, though, we have enough stuff to do at any given time that we'll all be working on it, attacking different things.
It has taken a couple of years of proactive maintenance to get to this point. My first few annuals had some interesting finds. My rule is to look at things closely and take the best route to replace items. Don't try and stretch a few more hours out of them. Since I have owned the plane I have put at least half of what I initially spent on it back into it. The idea being that it is always cheaper to pay now than later.
Build your own plane and do your own annuals, or buy an experimental, do your own annuals, and have an A&P sign it off for $500.
Sounds like you've been maintaining the plane well all along. Good on you!
...or do owner-assisted annuals in your own hangar, learn more about your plane, and save serious coin. This is my plan henceforth.
Plus, wrenching on the plane is serious therapy.
One more thing was found. The left strut valve was leaking when they took the cover off. AP put in a new valve but it still leaked so he had to replace the entire stem too.Got the call today.
The ELT tray clip that secures the ELT went missing. The AP asked if I wanted a new tray $35 form Wentworth or just safety wire the ELT in. I opted for the latter as I expect to upgrade the ELT in a year or two to a 406MHz one.
The gas caps are missing the little rubber valves. I know about this last year and we have been looking for the part number and the AP found it. So he is ordering those. $50.
I had forgotten that the ELT switch panel in the cockpit had come loose and needed to be realigned and secured.
3 fasteners on my wheel pants are missing. Probably knocked off at 6Y9
But that is all that was found.