by Mike Busch | Apr 1, 2020 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
Is it legal to install uncertified equipment in a certificated aircraft? I receive and answer hundreds of emails each week from aircraft owners, pilots and mechanics who have maintenance-related questions. One I received several weeks ago seems worth sharing: Mike, I...
by Mike Busch | Mar 1, 2020 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
Why it’s nearly impossible to install a cylinder properly when the engine is on the airplane. Cylinder replacement is a highly invasive and risky procedure with a long history of causing catastrophic in-flight engine failures that cause airplanes to fall out of the...
by Mike Busch | Feb 1, 2020 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
When using fasteners loaded in shear, things can get interesting. The wing of the B-17 is attached to the fuselage by three bolted shear joints. Last month, I wrote about joints involving threaded fasteners loaded in tension—that is, along the bolt’s longitudinal...
by Mike Busch | Jan 1, 2020 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
When using threaded fasteners in tension, it’s all about the preload. Tightening a cylinder hold-down nut is an extraordinarily critical task. Failure to do it exactly right can result in catastrophic engine failure. Threaded fasteners are ubiquitous in aviation. Look...
by Mike Busch | Dec 1, 2019 | AOPA Pilot Magazine, Magazine Articles
Don’t fall victim to an overzealous mechanic. Mark is the owner of a beautiful Cessna 185 Skywagon based in the San Francisco Bay area. Awhile back, Mark and his wife travelled to Minden, Nevada in this airplane to visit with Mark’s mother-in-law who was ill. A few...
