Attention to detail
Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 5:39 pm
This is sort of a rant. I really really am starting to hate taking on new annuals. It seems that owners shop around for the best price instead of the best value. After years of this the aircraft is usually in a condition that it takes a lot of parts and labor to bring into an airworthy condition. A lot of these aircraft seem to be migrating north to Alaska from southern states. Below is a Lycoming oil pan gasket removed from an engine that was installed at overhaul 700 hours ago. The hole with the damaged gasket is for the oil pump pick up. It took over 40 seconds for oil pressure to register and "has been this way since overhaul" I put oil in to go over the gasket level, started the engine and had instant oil pressure. Drain oil remove sump, see that yes gasket was indeed damaged and install new gasket. Start engine oil pressure instantly beyond red line, immediately shut down, remove tall tower oil pressure relief valve, remove NINE washers, reinstall spring and oil pressure normal. What the H are these shops down there thinking when they do things like this? This is an example of yet another engine from a well known shop and state that borders the Mexican border and starts with a "T" and ends in "S" but did not include enough "S's" when they named the state.
Different aircraft for the master cylinders. Please note that it felt very loose and owner was adamant about not removing it for inspection. I removed it anyway and you can see the holes are about twice the size of normal and at some point failure was imminent. This would have been a no brake situation and rudder pedal going to firewall.
I realize most owner pilots are endowed with super powers and can handle any situation so good maintenance is not always necessary. However I am more concerned with who might be in the other seats when super powers fail hence detailed inspections. Oh yes the brake cylinders on this aircraft were leaking. I removed pistons and everything was clean. I removed O rings from pistons and they were much smaller than the correct new ones I installed which remedied the leak...Parts books are not always correct so use some common sense when doing maintenance. If things are loose and should not be investigate it, if it leaks fix it, if it is supposed to move and does not make it right. All these aircraft are recent immigrants from down south. I think this should dispel the myth of Alaska bush mechanics fixing things with bailing wire and bubble gum. There many STC's and parts manufactured up here and most flying aircraft are in good mechanical condition. Please at least once a decade spend the money to have a thorough inspection and maintenance done to your aging antique aircraft.
Different aircraft for the master cylinders. Please note that it felt very loose and owner was adamant about not removing it for inspection. I removed it anyway and you can see the holes are about twice the size of normal and at some point failure was imminent. This would have been a no brake situation and rudder pedal going to firewall.
I realize most owner pilots are endowed with super powers and can handle any situation so good maintenance is not always necessary. However I am more concerned with who might be in the other seats when super powers fail hence detailed inspections. Oh yes the brake cylinders on this aircraft were leaking. I removed pistons and everything was clean. I removed O rings from pistons and they were much smaller than the correct new ones I installed which remedied the leak...Parts books are not always correct so use some common sense when doing maintenance. If things are loose and should not be investigate it, if it leaks fix it, if it is supposed to move and does not make it right. All these aircraft are recent immigrants from down south. I think this should dispel the myth of Alaska bush mechanics fixing things with bailing wire and bubble gum. There many STC's and parts manufactured up here and most flying aircraft are in good mechanical condition. Please at least once a decade spend the money to have a thorough inspection and maintenance done to your aging antique aircraft.