by Mike Busch | Oct 1, 2021 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
What to do about uncomfortably high CHT For decades now, I’ve been preaching that the two keys to piston aircraft engine longevity are avoiding extended periods of disuse and managing CHT. If you allow your engine to sit unflown for weeks at a time, you risk internal...
by Joe Godfrey | Sep 16, 2021 | SavvyAnalysis Puzzlers
Hold your nose and drink a glass of water. Take a deep breath and hold it. Have someone scare you. There are lots of “cures” for the human hiccups. Don’t try these when your airplane hiccups. If you could choose, would you rather deal with something...
by Joe Godfrey | Aug 20, 2021 | SavvyAnalysis Puzzlers
Pilots think of ground effect as the reduced aerodynamic drag that happens under the wing to cushion a landing or help with a short-field takeoff. Analysts, who are also all pilots by the way, think of it as what happens when a poor ground connection for an engine...
by Mike Busch | Aug 1, 2021 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
This cutting-edge technology could revolutionize GA maintenance. The exhaust valve is the most likely component of a piston aircraft engine to fail catastrophically. When one fails, combustion ceases in the cylinder, the engine loses power and starts running rough....
by Mike Busch | Aug 1, 2021 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
If your A&P seems over-cautious and self-protective, there’s good reason. By Mike Busch Mechanics have always been subject to FAA sanctions: certificate suspension or revocation, fines, warning notices, letters of correction, and remedial training. But enforcement...
