Maintenance with full time mechanic

sanships · Post by **sanships** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 4:03 am

In the Philippines, labor is quite cheap that usually private aircraft owners can afford to hire a personnal licensed A&P mechanic to take care of the aircraft full time. I am a 175 hrs private pilot and the 170b I bought is my first private solo purchase of an aircraft, the other is a 1/4 share of a piper cherokee 180. I intend to keep this aircraft for a while and am contemplating if I should upgrade everything or just leave the aircraft as stock as possible. Since I am considering a personnal mechanic, what would be your adive on the following:
1) Goodyear to cleveland brakes upgrade. Should I upgrade anyway even though the mechanic can clean and maintain it regularly?
2) JPI 700 engine monitor(or similar). Does it make sense to have this if the mechanic regularly cleans the plugs and monitors performance closely? I intend to fly 10 hours a month.
3) On this aircraft, Is there such thing as overmaintaining an aircraft that the mechanic breaks more components because of opening and checking the engine too much? Is it better to just leave the engine alone and just keep to the 50/100 inpections?
4) If the engine accessories can be cleaned more regularly, like magneto's, starter and generator, will this make them last longer? any suggestions? Are they TBO dependent?
5) Any other airframe parts/components that will benifit from constant maintenance?
6) What changes would you have done in your maintenance program if you had your own mechanic?

Thanks!

Post by **GAHorn** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 1:09 am

I recommend you follow the inspection/repairs/overhaul times in the 100 Series Service Manual, 1962 and Prior.
When your Goodyear brakes are worn out, replace them by converting to Clevelands. (The price of parts necessary to thoroughly/completely overhaul the Goodyear system will pay for the Clevaland conversion in only a short time, not to mention the ready availability of Cleveland parts.)
The Cleveland system is also not prone to locking up by jamming the brake puck/linings like the Goodyears can do, which can ground-loop your airplane.
This carbureted engine's fuel metereing system is so rudimentary that the JPI 700 (and other digital multi-cylinder "engine analyzers") cannot be relied upon to noticeably improve engine longevity. (IMHO) I suggest you follow the recommended leaning procedure found in the Owner's Manual and the maintenance procedures found in the Service Manual mentioned above and save your money.
The Maintenance/INspection intervals mentioned in that manual are sufficient to properly support this airplane, once it has been brought up to proper specification. (In other words, if it is already a healthy airplane, there's no reason to exceed the requirements of the factory recommendations.)
I would recommend that you change your tailwheel mainspring and attach bolt every 500 hours.