preventative maintenance

blueskyMD

blueskyMD

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
352
Location
Allentown PA
Display Name
Display name:
Bigfoot297
During the past year I have been stranded due to unexpected maintenance issues 4 times and that's more than even been. I am always second guessing myself if I replaced things proactively rather than waiting for them to be broken , then I could have prevented some of those major inconveniences.
Last July broken starter - was on for 9 years. Stuck 500 NM away from home at night
2 weeks ago alternator was 6 years old - fortunately broke at home base
Last week both main tires flat 3 days apart both happened away from home base found holes in the tubes.
I am wondering whats next ? Alternator belt? Its many years old, I have not replaced during my ownership of the plane for 9 years. vaccum pump its about 10 + years old. Attitude indicator its also 10 + years old. How many of you will replace things even when they are working fine but its many years old ?
 
I have a decent excel chart with expected life limits (hours) on many things and preemptively try to iran/replace, but it's not perfect.
(you need lengthy study of many components to have any accuracy)
Some things are too difficult or expensive to iran early so they are run to failure (powerpack = long ride home with pinned gear)
 
What's the synopsis been that your mechanic has given after each annual?
 
After a while, on an airplane, everything is, on average, 1/2 worn out.

Ive heard of pilots that fly IFR replacing their vacuum pump pre-emptively though. Its really up to you.
 
I replace wear/time limited items before they fail (hopefully). Alternator belts, tires, tubes, brakes fall into this category.

Starters and alternators are not wear items from my perspective, so I fly them until they die.
 
I don't replace preemptively, unless there's pre-indications. I just overhauled/exchange the damn gear powerpack as it was unable to retract the gear 2 weeks ago. Happened suddenly too. Weird failure mode, I would have expected some pre-indications. Not complaining though, cheapest way to IRAN is not to have to constantly chase a slow developing problem, and still get max use out of the failed component.

As to tires, the tubes get pinched if underinflated. Im paranoid and inflate them back to no slack on the tire wall, it doesn't take much to pinch these stupid things.

As to vacuum pumps, I dont' worry about them. I do very light IFR in my recreational life, and I have a moving map and a TC, I can keep myself sunny side up for long enough to land. If I was doing hard widespread IFR all the time I would install an electronic AI backup. But then again i wouldn't be doing it in an underpowered Arrow in the first place. So I don't much worry about vacuum pump failure.

Hope your luck turns for the better in upcoming trips. It might not be a bad idea to have a replacement alternator belt in the plane with you if you intend to go really far from home. Ditto for one tire tube. Neither takes up weight in the bag compartment.
 
blueskyMD said:
During the past year I have been stranded due to unexpected maintenance issues 4 times and that's more than even been. I am always second guessing myself if I replaced things proactively rather than waiting for them to be broken , then I could have prevented some of those major inconveniences.
Last July broken starter - was on for 9 years. Stuck 500 NM away from home at night
2 weeks ago alternator was 6 years old - fortunately broke at home base
Last week both main tires flat 3 days apart both happened away from home base found holes in the tubes.
I am wondering whats next ? Alternator belt? Its many years old, I have not replaced during my ownership of the plane for 9 years. vaccum pump its about 10 + years old. Attitude indicator its also 10 + years old. How many of you will replace things even when they are working fine but its many years old ?
Click to expand...

To get an airplane up to a reliable standard simply takes money. Mags get a 500 hr inspection. Plugs are examined, cleaned & tested (including the resistance check) and replaced when they even think of not meeting the standard. Alternator belt is replaced anytime the prop is off and even better, a spare is tywrapped to the engine as a spare. Alternator is actually removed and brushes checked every year or two. Brakes are removed and actually check the condition of the entire pad. Hoses get changed every 5 or 10 years. Fuel injection pressures are checked. Etc, etc, etc.
An annual inspection is the bare minimum required. Why not do a mid time annual at 6 months? Why not start doing a full 50 hour inspection instead of just an oil change? Get a copy of the maintenance manual and start reading the inspection and servicing sections. As the owner, you control the maintenance of your airplane.
 
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