Wisdom from experience

[4RNB]

It seems that in trying to be a prudent new aircraft owner that there are lessons to only learn through experience. I'll point out my two big ones, curious if you have others that I might learn from.

1. ACF 50 or corrosion X. I had this treatment done shortly after buying my plane. It continues to seep out on my new Bruce cover. I would kind of like to get the plane painted but was told I need to wait two years. When inspection panels are open I can just see the stuff in drips. Lesson: it does not need so much placed and don't do it unless you are sure you are not going to paint your plane.

2. I had both magnetos sent out for 500 hour inspections at first annual, it is taking a while. Lesson: Perhaps magneto exchange would have been a quicker way to do this, I did not know.

What about you?

 

[iamtheari]

Always leave your cell number at the FBO. That way, if your plane gets a flat tire, you will get a phone call during business hours asking if you want them to fix it instead of getting back to the airport at 5:01 pm on Friday and having to pay the night mechanic rate.

 

[Bell206]

It continues to seep out on my new Bruce cover.

FYI: either product requires a very fine mist during application. If it runs out afterwards was applied too heavy. We would use modified paint spray guns to apply CorrX on a regular basis with no run off. As to repaint, some shops will not give a warranty on the paint if there is visible corrosion preventative present. There are methods to clean out excess preventatives but it is labor intensive.

 

[Adam Weiss]

Man, I continue to learn every flight. Ive had my plane for 2yrs, ~250hrs, and I’m amazed at how much I continually learn.

 

[Daleandee]

One lesson I've learned that applies to airplanes and life itself ... "you don't have to like someone to learn something from them." I've met some very opinionated people that were extremely knowledgeable but were "quirky" to put it mildly.

As for the corrosion protection ... I use ACF-50 on my kit built plane but I didn't use it until the test flight portion was done and I had painted it. I did the condition inspection last month and I'm still seeing traces of the ACF-50 seeping out of the hinge lines and other places where I put it. It'll stop soon enough ...