Danos
Line Up and Wait
How long would you let a plane sit without being run before you would be concerned about the engine? Rental. Not your own.
Safe to fly. Pickle?
How long would you let a plane sit without being run before you would be concerned about the engine? Rental. Not your own.
This last month, I've encountered two pilots who left their planes to sit for nearly three months, not run at all. I repeated the suggest to run it once a week at least a half dozen times. The fuel and time cost nothing compared to the harm caused.
Treat the engine for corrosion protection. Involves special oil, desiccant "spark" plugs etc. There's another option called "flying storage" which is just special oil that can be used in flight although it's apparently not all that good a lubricant.
It has to be better than three months with no oil circulation. What's the solution?Running it once a week can do more harm than good.
It has to be better than three months with no oil circulation. What's the solution?
I'd say run it once a week as in a full runup if not a pattern flight. I can't picture why it would be bad to run it once a week if you're doing runups....
Afterall, there are many planes that fly once a week, right?
IIRC, running it (not in the pattern or full run up) for about an hour may just get the water (from condensation) to separate from the oil. Then the cylinders are exposed to the separated water and they can rust.I'd say run it once a week as in a full runup if not a pattern flight. I can't picture why it would be bad to run it once a week if you're doing runups....
Afterall, there are many planes that fly once a week, right?
Fly it once a week: good
Ground run it once a week: bad
http://www.lycoming.com/support/tips-advice/key-reprints/pdfs/Key%20Operations.pdf
(See "Frequency of Flight and its Effect on the Engine")
Dan (ex-N3319R)
This last month, I've encountered two pilots who left their planes to sit for nearly three months, not run at all. I repeated the suggest to run it once a week at least a half dozen times. The fuel and time cost nothing compared to the harm caused.
Depends on how you run it. If you do like Lycoming says and run it long enough to get the oil to 165F and keep it there for 30 minutes (gotta do that in flight -- on the ground, the CHT's will redline), you'll be doing what you need to keep it healthy.Running it once a week can do more harm than good.
Of the two guys I dealt with, one has a PPL and could do the flight. The other is a student and not solo'd.Depends on how you run it. If you do like Lycoming says and run it long enough to get the oil to 165F and keep it there for 30 minutes (gotta do that in flight -- on the ground, the CHT's will redline), you'll be doing what you need to keep it healthy.
Depends on how you run it. If you do like Lycoming says and run it long enough to get the oil to 165F and keep it there for 30 minutes (gotta do that in flight -- on the ground, the CHT's will redline), you'll be doing what you need to keep it healthy.