What kind of airplane is this?

[kgruber]

This should be easy. I just needed a good picture of an alternator right in the air intake, where it gets good and wet in rain.

 

[cowman]

Single engine monoplane.

(also you should have altered the picture so that the identifying markings are not visible)

 

[Unit74]

It looks like a $5k annual in progress to me.

 

[MachFly]

Ignoring the "SR20" sign, that leading edge of the left wing where the airfoil changes screams "CIRRUS!!!"

 

[Dav8or]

I just needed a good picture of an alternator right in the air intake, where it gets good and wet in rain.

Or nice and cool while running lots of electric systems. Are there a lot of alternator failures in the rain with SR20s? Is this something that should be brought to the attention of the FAA? Clearly it's a safety issue. Do you think there were any engineers anywhere that looked at this placement before? Do you think the FAA and their engineers missed this obvious blunder during certification?

I would send this picture to the FSDO, I'm sure they'll quickly see the error and quickly write up an AD.

 

[Archammer]

I just needed a good picture of an alternator right in the air intake, where it gets good and wet in rain.

That is crazy! I can smell the electrical fire from here. ;p

 

[Dav8or]

That is crazy! I can smell the electrical fire from here. ;p

Really? Can you cite a Cirrus fire that started with the alternator? Ever even heard of one? Is there a placard on the Cirrus panel that says "Flight in rain prohibited"?

I think some people here need to do some research on cowling design.

 

[Archammer]

I think some people here need to do some research on cowling design.

Yes, starting with the guy who stuck the alternator right in the GIANT opening in the front of it.

Why do I need to cite a cirrus issue? Those alternators are out of a Chevy truck anyway right? Ya, good talk though

 

[MAKG1]

Why am I not concerned about that?

Do you know where the alternator is on your car? Do you know how well the radiator keeps rain out of the engine compartment at highway speed?

It's not at all hard to weatherproof an alternator.

 

[cowman]

Yes, starting with the guy who stuck the alternator right in the GIANT opening in the front of it.

Why do I need to cite a cirrus issue? Those alternators are out of a Chevy truck anyway right? Ya, good talk though

My Archer's alternator is out of a Dodge truck and located just below the opening on the cowling. I doubt that's much better.

 

[Norman]

Twin Cessna alternators are right up front in the air stream. Never heard of one even going off line in the rain.

 

[kmead]

The PA 46-310P #2 alternator is out in the open of the left inlet. It does very well unless you have a loose drive belt and fly through rain. The #2 alt. fail light comes on then #1 picks up all of the load after the belt begins to slip. Once you exit the rain it's back on.

 

[Dav8or]

Yes, starting with the guy who stuck the alternator right in the GIANT opening in the front of it.

Why do I need to cite a cirrus issue? Those alternators are out of a Chevy truck anyway right? Ya, good talk though

Seriously. You really, really need to study up on how the cooling under the cowl actually works, not how you think it works. There are very good reasons why that alternator is in no danger of becoming the 4th of July sparkler you think it will. Do you really think the Cirrus engineers are that stupid? Do you really think the FAA engineers that signed off on this design where really that stupid? Do you think think the hundreds, if not thousands of Cirrus pilots who have taken this plane into rain are really that stupid?

Do your homework.

 

[ja_user]

Chevy has more experience sourcing alternator's than any of the GA manufactures.