by Mike Busch | Mar 1, 2021 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
An FAA review of 10 years of NTSB data tries to quantify the risk. I’ve been known preach about the virtues of maintenance minimalism—a.k.a. “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”—and the risk of maintenance-induced failures—a.k.a. “MIFs.” But just how risky is...
by Mike Busch | Feb 1, 2021 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
Preventing and dealing with magneto-ignition system failure. Both the FARs and their predecessor CARs require that certificated spark-ignition recip-rocating aircraft engines—the kind most of us fly behind—have fully redundant dual ignition systems: PART...
by Mike Busch | Jan 1, 2021 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
The spark plugs in most piston aircraft engines are still powered by 120-year-old technology. My airplane’s piston engines utilize a magneto ignition system. If you’re flying a certificated airplane, chances are good that yours does, too. The fact that we’re still...
by Mike Busch | Dec 1, 2020 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
Rigid baffles and flexible baffle seals are critical in keeping your engine cool. The Cessna T210 owner was clearly frustrated with his new engine installation: “I recently had my engine rebuilt and had a new baffle kit installed. The CHTs for cylinders #5 and #6 are...
by Mike Busch | Nov 1, 2020 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
Maintenance-induced problems are common, and it often an experienced pair of eyes to diagnose them. Elko Regional Airport (KEKO) is located in northeast Nevada at an elevation of 5,000 feet above sea level, and is known for its competitive avgas prices. It’s pretty...
