Club Notes
Notes from club meetings about proper maintenance, etc.
Tug
- don’t turn on the power switch while the tug is plugged in
Wing Walk
- slowly turn around and use the step, dont jump
Tire gauge and nitrogen tank
- hang up the hose on the bungie
- make sure to close the tank, it has been left open before and nitrogen lost
Struts
- check , wipe down before/after flight with wipes in cabinet
- pink hydraulic fluid in cabin for struts
Yoke
- wipe down before flight
Cleaning the windshield
- spray both sides then wipe
- clean in up and down motion not circular
Wing walk
- don’t remove the strap
Stabilator
- damaged by getting pushed at an angle into the hangar and repaired by insurance company. Cost to club $2700, Insurance cost 13k
G5’s
- make sure the G5s have shut off
Baggage compartment
- ensure strap is inside compartment when closed
Flooded Engine Starts
- Starting a warm engine
- position throttle to 3/4 open
- lean mixture
- when engine catches, throttle to normal starting position and mixture rich
- Only engage the starter when the prop is not spinning
CO Monitor
- especially important during slow flight
- is battery operated. need to turn it on/off for use
Rudder
- deflection of the rudder during landing causes side-loading. in the past this pinched a tire tube
Passenger Seat
- don’t slide on the passenger seat when getting in
Handheld Radio
- located behind the passenger seat
- there is an antenna plug and cable in the pilots seat to get to the external antenna
Annual Inspection/Service Bulletins
- Tee bar inspection is performed every annual by Aero Innovations
Spark Plugs
- Fine Wire spark plugs
Body
- new fiberglass nose pieces painted and installed June 2022
- nose wheel fairing had a crack due to pressure on nose wheel during landings May 2022
- clean oil from body of plane
- static wick from stabilator replaced 2020
- new wing root seals 2020
Battery Minder
- disconnect from wall before unplugging from plane
- connect to plane, then plug into wall
- make sure it is actually on (wall outlet breaker not tripped)
Startup Location
- put plane nosewheel on yellow dot for startup
Engine Oil Heater
- set to green dot on the dial
- make sure it is actually on (wall outlet breaker not tripped)
GTN650
- make sure database is updated when setting up for each flight
- if you happen to be flying when a new database has become effective, will need to acknowledge that and “update”
- make sure to delete any waypoints added and return to default settings after flight
- bluetooth connection to foreflight available
Plane cleanup
- clean up seatbelts but don’t tighten down too much
- if you have had the plane outside the hangar and it is dirty on return, clean it
Prop
- was overhauled 2021
Engine
- fuel leak where mixture adjustment was attached to caurberator. Fixed by penn yann 2020 Fuel
- dont fill past collar Panel
- compass, turn/bank unit replaced summer 2020
- don’t use alcohol based cleaners on displays or switches in the aircraft
Electronic Ignition
- replaced during 2020 annual with electronic
- The electronic ignition is installed on the one side replacing one of the mags (with impulse coupler).
- Electroair
- at first there was a timing issue that caused backfires but it was repaired by manufacturer
Maintenance Records
- Bluetail, an aviation records platform that can be accessed online Club currency
- members must log at least 2 tach hours and log at least 3 take-offs and landings to a full stop in the club plane in the previous 90 days to maintain PFC currency as PIC.
- 2022 $9357
- All ADs have been complied with including the eddy current inspection on the spars, which was done last year. The cost to perform the annual inspection was $9,357.98. Dave (the A&P mechanic) spent 112 hours on it but only charged us for 91 hours (@$80/hr). John spent another 40 to 50 hours of his time working on the seats at no cost to the club. Major items addressed this year include:
- Wing spar inspection panels installed.
- Left magneto, 500-hour inspection and repaired (broken parts were passed around at the meeting).
- Elevator trim drum, shaft, bearings and the cable were replaced.
- Front seats were disassembled and repaired. We had to do some welding of the steel frame along with some aluminum supports in the seat-backs. The frames were fabricated and riveted in place and then the seats were re-covered with our new foam and fabric. All the labor for this was completed by John at no cost to the club.
- Engine fuel sump drain was replaced as the old one was leaking badly.
- All ADs have been complied with including the eddy current inspection on the spars, which was done last year. The cost to perform the annual inspection was $9,357.98. Dave (the A&P mechanic) spent 112 hours on it but only charged us for 91 hours (@$80/hr). John spent another 40 to 50 hours of his time working on the seats at no cost to the club. Major items addressed this year include:
- 2021
- eddy current inspection
- cracked primer line
- new disks, pads, bearings on main landing gear.
- new door seal
- new power quadrant
- prop re-dressed and balanced. bulkhead for spinner had been getting cracked, hopefully prop balance will help
- 2020 $23k
- new engine 22.8k
- replaced magneto with electronic ignition
- SureFly EIS4100IC electronic ignition system
- new alternator
- brake linings
- cable AD (2000 hour)
- Ed welded muffler system and wheel pants
- 2019 $5900
- Garmin GFC500 autopilot installed
- 2xG5’s re-installed
- vacuum system removed
- servos installed in wings
- avionics changes result in 15lb lighter airplane