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Fire in the Hole

by | July 1, 2018 | ,

Spark plugs start the fire going, and need some TLC We all know what aircraft spark plugs do: They accept high-voltage pulses from a magneto or electronic ignition unit and produce an electric spark inside the cylinder’s combustion chamber to...

An IA’s Dilemma

by | June 1, 2018 | ,

“Autographing a lie” is the worst FAR violation a mechanic can commit By Mike Busch | A&P/IA An IA is an experienced A&P mechanic who—by virtue of having earned an Inspection Authorization—is empowered by the FAA to make aircraft airworthiness...

The Bottom End

by | May 1, 2018 | ,

What’s inside your engine’s crankcase? Reciprocating aircraft engines come in a variety of different cylinder arrangements—radial, inline, V, and opposed—but most engines used in piston general aviation are horizontally opposed four- and six-cylinder engines. These engines have two banks of...

Where Fuel and Air Meet

by | April 1, 2018 | ,

Basics of piston aircraft engine fuel metering systems If you fly a piston aircraft, chances are it has a spark-ignition (SI) engines that burns gasoline. There also exist compression-ignition (CI) engines—also called diesels—that burn kerosene, but in today’s GA fleet...

Planes and Cars

by | March 1, 2018 | ,

Some thought-provoking comparisons I received a thought-provoking email from AOPA PILOT reader Nate Bissonette of St. Paul, Minnesota that started me thinking about differences between automobiles and GA airplanes. According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average...

Making Metal Behave

by | February 1, 2018 | ,

How we coax metal aircraft parts into doing what must be done Metal is neat stuff. It’s strong, hard, and tough. It’s easy to form, work, shape and machine. It’s fireproof and can stand up to high temperatures. But these...

GA Engine Summit 2017

by | December 1, 2017 | ,

Industry and the FAA meet to discuss GA piston engine issues In mid-September 2017, I was invited to participate in a two-day “GA Engine Summit” meeting in Burlington, Massachusetts—about 30 minutes’ drive northwest of Boston. This meeting was a long-awaited...

By The Book?

by | September 1, 2017 | ,

Must manufacturer’s maintenance guidance be followed? Have you ever had your mechanic tell you something like this: “It has been six years since your propeller was last overhauled, so we’re going to have to overhaul it this year as required...

Back In The Game

by | August 1, 2017 | ,

The first flight after maintenance is special. My client wanted to buy a Bonanza A36, and narrowed his search to two promising candidates. One had recently suffered a “forgot to remove the tow bar” prop strike, necessitating an engine teardown...

Traveling Toolkit

by | July 1, 2017 | ,

What “stuff” do you carry in your airplane? It’s a well-known fact: Most mechanical problems occur between Friday night and Sunday afternoon when you’re hundreds of miles from home base. The difference between a minor annoyance and a major travel...

Outside the Box

by | June 1, 2017 | ,

Compared to Lycocontisauruses, the Rotax 912 is delightfully different.  The past 20 years may well have yielded more outside-the-box ideas than any other comparable period in history. The iPod redefined the music industry in 2001. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter (2004–2006)...

Borescope Ascendancy

by | May 1, 2017 | ,

Time to topple the venerable compression test? The differential compression check has been a mainstay of piston aircraft engine maintenance for the last 80 years. Like anything else in aviation that’s been around for a long time, various Old Wives’...

Field Approvals

by | April 1, 2017 | ,

Do you really need the FAA’s blessing to modify your aircraft? A Bonanza owner wanted to power his portable GPS and his iPad simultaneously in flight, so he asked his avionics shop to install an extra cigar lighter socket on...

Buy…or Walk Away?

by | March 1, 2017 | ,

Thoughts about when to purchase and when to pass. Who among us hasn’t spent hours looking at Trade-A-Plane or Aircraft Shopper Online looking for that perfect low time airplane with a fresh engine overhaul, new paint and interior, great avionics,...

Buyer Beware

by | December 1, 2016 | ,

If a plane is listed for sale cheap, there’s always a reason. “Hey Mike, this is Danny in Louisiana,” read the email. Danny is one of my clients who used to own a Cirrus SR22 and now flies a Cessna...

Stuck in Reykjavik

by | November 1, 2016 | ,

When the pilot of a round-the-world flight found himself AOG in Iceland with electrical issues, remote diagnosis saved the day. Ademilola “Lola” Odujinrin has a passion for aviation. He’s 37 years old, resides in Nigeria with his wife and two...
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