TURBO OR NO? Comparing the Skylane RGs

THE HIGH and the WRITEY Kevin Garrison QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Steve Ells FULL CIRCLE Thomas Block NEWS AIRCRAFT SAFETY ALERTS ADVERTISER INDEX BACK WHEN: VINTAGE CESSNA ADVERTISING AND MARKETING 08 08 12 18 20 24 64 68 80 82 Deciphering Logbooks: Pre-purchase Maintenance Record Review by Kristin Winter The Genesis of a New Autopilot by Steve Ells Turbo or No? Cessna R182 vs. Cessna TR182 by Steve Ells Surviving an FAA Ramp Inspection by Michael Leighton Central Arkansas by Heather Skumatz Cover: Cessna TR182 Photo: James Lawrence Photo: James Lawrence NOVEMBER 2017 42 30 56 36 28 Jennifer Dellenbusch THE VIEW FROM HERE Summer Camp, Aviation-Style True confession: I was the kid who wanted to go to summer camp, but never got to go. I don’t know if this desire came from watching too many episodes of “The Adventures of Spin and Marty” or from reading books about kids who went away to camp and came back transformed. The ads that ran in the back of the kids’ magazines were also enticing: hiking, horseback riding, archery, swim- ming! To a suburban kid like me, it sounded like heaven. And so it was with great interest that I listened to an EAA Chapter 1 volun- teer explain to me a little bit about its programs for kids. I was attending the Aircraft Spruce Customer Appreciation Day event in Corona, California and EAA Chapter 1 volunteers from Flabob (KRIR) in Riverside were on hand to raise money to send kids to aviation camp. The Tom Wathen Center at Flabob Airport hosts an Air Academy for kids ages 12 to 17. The two- to four-day program includes hands-on activities geared to teaching STEM skills in a fun environment. A tour of March Air Reserve Base in nearby Moreno Valley and a Young Eagles flight round out the experience. Over 1,500 kids have attended this camp and graduated with a better under- standing and enthusiasm for aviation. EAA’s headquarters in Oshkosh also hosts an Air Academy with three levels of learning: Young Eagles Camp for kids 12 to 13; Basic Camp for ages 14 to 15; and Advanced Camp for ages 16, 17 and 18. The camps are weeklong residential adventures in aviation and take place at the Air Academy Lodge on EAA grounds. I can’t go back and relive my childhood to add an aviation-based summer camp, but I can help today’s kids get that experience, and I’ll be looking into ways to do just that. Do you, your local airport or EAA Chapter participate in camps or learning events for kids? If so, please write and tell me about it. Blue skies, LETTERS to the EDITOR Send your letters to editor@cessnaflyer.org “Propeller Vibration and Dynamic Balancing” by Jacqueline Shipe, October 2017 Jen, Thank you for adding me to the sub- scriber list for paper copies of the maga- zines. I have been bringing them into our flight club and leaving them out for mem- ber and student perusal. This afternoon, I stopped by to grab a few things and found a group of no fewer than six people gathered around the October 2017 Cessna Flyer talking about Jacqueline Shipe’s propeller balancing article and pictures. The illustrations in the article really seemed to be helping the pilots under- stand the process, and two said they were considering having our local A&P bal- ance their props after reading. Scott Kinney Eugene, Oregon Cessna Flyer engages flyers of all types Jen, I sold my Cherokee five years ago [and] I’m now flying an RV-7. I’m keeping my eye out for a super-clean Cardinal. Your magazine is too good to not subscribe, and I believe [it] keeps getting better! I do hope I’m able to make Waupaca. See you there, Tom “Is Your Engine Worn Out? How to tell and what to do about it” by Steve Ells, October 2017 Dear Editor, I learn something every time I read an aviation magazine. With Ells’ latest story about engine health, I learned a LOT of things. Letters continued on page 10... CES SNA F LYE R (08) NOVEM B E R 2017 FOD: MEET DURATHERM ® New, advanced element design is less likely to ground your aircraft. Our patented DuraTherm® technology is resistant to foreign object damage (FOD), providing continued operation if struck. It offers better operational efficiency through more uniform heat distribution and is fully interchangeable with current prop de-icers. Learn more at goodrichdeicing.com 800 DE-ICERS (800 334 2377) | deicers@utas.utc.com VISIT OUR WEBSITE Free White Paper: De-Ice Boot Maintenance nextgen ads-b mandate is fast approaching! If so, contact us today for a quote on an ADS-B installation in your aircraft and BEAT THE RUSH! www.brantaero.com Letters continued from page 08... CES SNA F LYE R (10) NOVEM B E R 2017 In addition to feeling a little less uneasy about the amount of oil my new- to-me Cessna’s engine uses, I feel like I’ve gotten some very sound advice about how a person can truly tell, as Steve says, when “it’s time.” One buddy I share a hangar with is past TBO, having some issues and con- templating his options. I’ve already made a copy of the article and put it on his windscreen. Thanks to all of the experts who write for your magazine. You guys do a great job of getting the word out to us “little guys” who just want to keep flying and still have some ice-cream money left over for the grandkids. Steve Watter (aka “Capt. Steve”) Richardsville, Virginia Pilots have opinions. Let’s hear yours. Contact us at Editor@CESSNAflyer.org ©2017 Icom America Inc. The Icom logo is a registered logo of Icom Inc. 42459 Here for the Holidays Attention Pilots. Introducing Icom’s new A25 series, the stocking stuffer that belongs on your wish list. Contact your authorized Icom dealer today! www.icomamerica.com/A25 A25C A25N Follow us today. NEW world in-flight scenarios with Garmin avionics. Cost to attend is $795. Register online at flyGarmin.com. Nov 4 — Dallas, TX. Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD). Challenge Air Fly Day. 8 am to 4 pm. Pilots volunteer their planes to fly children with special needs on a 25-minute flight to build confidence and self-esteem. Pilots must have 500 PIC hours, current medical and FAA license and insurance for $1 million. Challenge Air for Kids and Friends has been around since 1993 and has been doing an event in Dallas for many years. Contact April Culver, events@challengeair.com or phone 214-351-3353. Visit challengeair.com. Nov 18 — Hagerstown, MD. Hager- stown Regional (KHGR). Paws and Planes: Holiday at the Airport. Families are invited to join Santa Claus and chil- dren’s book sensation Turbo the Flying Dog. There will be photos with Santa and Turbo, educational activities, story times and a book signing. This free event is a joint effort by Aviation Insurance Resourc- es (AIR) and the authors of the children’s book series “Turbo the Flying Dog” to raise awareness about both aviation and animal rescue. 1 to 4 pm at Rider Jet Cen- ter. For more information, visit facebook. com/turbotheflyingdog. OTHER EVENTS Nov 4 — Cleveland, OH. Burke Lakefront Airport (KBKL). Annual Fly-in Breakfast, Book Sale and Author Day at the Interna- tional Women’s Air and Space Museum. Enjoy pancakes and sausage while brows- ing books and various odds and ends. Breakfast is a suggested donation of $5. Back again will be our Author Day and will feature local authors Neil Zurcher, CFA EVENTS Jul 21–22, 2018 — Waupaca, WI. Wau- paca Municipal (KPCZ). The 14th annual Gathering at Waupaca. Save the date for CFA’s annual pre-OSH event with fun, food and friendship. Watch this space and CessnaFlyer.org in the coming months for more details. FEATURED EVENTS Nov 2–3 — Chandler, AZ. Garmin Chan- dler Office. Pilot Training Class. Provides the same in-depth instruction offered at Garmin Headquarters. For those who al- ready have an existing GTN 650/750 and/ or G500/G600 installed in the panel of their aircraft, as well as for pilots consider- ing an avionics upgrade. The collaborative environment includes practice of real- SEND EVENTS to editor@cessnaflyer.org CES SNA F LYE R (12) NOVEM B E R 2017 4912 SOUTH COLLINS • ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT • ARLINGTON, TX 76018 800-759-4295 • FAX 817-468-7886 • e-mail: acsales@vanbortel.com • www.vanbortel.com TRADE YOUR CESSNAFOR A CESSNA FROM THE WORLD’S LARGEST CESSNA DEALER! Bob Adamov, Deb Thompson, Tonya Prater and others still to be announced. 8:30 am to 1 pm. Contact Katie, 216-623- 1111. Visit iwasm.org. Nov 4 — Philadelphia, PA. Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE). Rusty Pilots instructed by AOPA Presenter John McGonagill. Life may have gotten in the way, but the dream of flight can be yours again. Returning to the skies is easier than most people think: no FAA check- ride or test, and you might not even need a medical. 9 am to 12 pm. Free for AOPA members, $69 for non-members. Pre-registration is encouraged since seats fill up fast! To pre-register, visit https://ww2.eventrebels.com/er/Regis- tration/StepRegInfo.jsp?ActivityID=227 65&StepNumber=1. Nov 4 — Belleville, IL. Southwestern Illinois College. AOPA Part 107 Drone Seminar. Drones are one of the fastest growing segments of aviation, with more than 13,000 remote pilot certificate appli- cations submitted during the first month of the FAA program. CFIs cover topics from regulations and airspace to weather and emergencies. 9:30 am to 3 pm. Pre- registration is encouraged. Visit https:// ww2.eventrebels.com/er/Registration/ StepRegInfo.jsp?ActivityID=22216&Step Number=1. Email drones@aopa.org. Nov 8 — Fresno, CA. Doubletree Fresno Convention Center. Fly by Night. Espe- cially in light aircraft, flying after dark comes with real trade-offs. Using decades of accident data, we identify common problems and recommend the best ways to avoid them. 7 to 9 pm. Register at aopa.org/forms/event-registration/SSFLY_ CA_171108. Contact Member Services, memberservices@aopa.org. Nov 8 — Flying to Cuba Webinar. Join Craig Spence, Secretary General, AOPA, Government Affairs Policy; and Ferdi Mack, Senior Manager, AOPA Pilot Information Center, for an update on flying General Aviation aircraft to Cuba. The focus will be on changes since the new administration. Hear the latest on regulations, procedures and restrictions. 8 to 9 pm EST. Webinar link: https:// aopa.realmagnet.land/november- 8-livestream. Contact AOPA Pilot Infor- mation Center, pilotassist@aopa.org. Nov 9 — Cincinnati Municipal/Lunken Field (KLUK). Cincinnati Flying Club Seminar at Greater Cincinnati Airman’s CES SNA F LYE R (14) NOVEM B E R 2017 Since 1967, Superior Air Parts has built its reputation on delivering products that make flying more affordable, attainable and reliable for aircraft owners around the world. Take our Millennium Cylinders for example: With a list of advanced features, complemented by their unmatched reliability and overall value, today Millennium is the #1 name in replacement cylinders. They’re in-stock and ready for delivery from your nearest Millennium Cylinder distributor! For a complete list, visit superiorairparts.com or call: 972.829.4635 FEATURE FOR FEATURE. DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR. NOTHING BEATS SUPERIOR’S MILLENNIUM CYLINDERS. MillenniumC y l i n d e r s ® MillenniumC y l i n d e r s ® ADVANCED ALUMINUM ALLOY HEADS VOLUMETRICALLY MATCHED PORTS INCREASED PORT WALL THICKNESS VERY HIGH QUALITY CASTING ® MILLENNIUM CYLINDERS IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF SUPERIOR AIR PARTS, INC. THROUGH HARDENED AMS6382 STEEL BARRELS IMPROVED COOLING COMPUTER-GENERATED HEAD FIN CONFIGURATION ADVANCED CYLINDER BARREL CHOKE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 7 Club. Join AOPA’s You Can Fly Ambas- sador Andy Miller and Southwest Ohio Flyers for a free seminar highlighting the benefits of joining a flying club. Join us for this complimentary seminar and learn how Southwest Ohio Flyers works, how afford- able it is and the positive affect it can have on your flying. Interested in starting a club of your own? Andy will also present a short program designed to demystify that process as well. 7 to 8:30 pm. Seat- ing is limited, so RSVP now. Visit https:// ww2.eventrebels.com/er/Registration/ StepRegInfo.jsp?ActivityID=23473&Ste pNumber=1. Nov 11 — Fitzgerald, GA. Fitzgerald Municipal (KFZG). Fitzgerald Harmony Jubilee Festival & Hamburger Fly-in. The Rotary Club of Fitzgerald invites pilots and their families to join us for a ham- burger from 11:30 am to 1 pm. This fly-in is being held in conjunction with the Harmony Jubilee Festival. Enjoy hot air balloon rides, a kids’ zone, musical entertainment throughout the day, an artisan market and other events. For more information, visit harmonyjubilee. com/fly-in.html. Contact Art Anderson, andersonphoto@windstream.net. Nov 11 — Fairview, OK. Fairview Mu- nicipal (6K4). 66th Annual Fairview Fly-in and Airshow. The World’s Oldest Free Fly-in! Free breakfast to those who fly in 7 to 10 am, and a free turkey for every 10th airplane to land. Antique, experimen- tal, warbird and classic aircraft. Veterans ceremony at 10:45 am. Lunch available 11 am to 1 pm; airshow at 12:30 pm. Free admission; breakfast for non-pilots is $5. 7 am to 3:30 pm. Contact Teresa Regier, regierflying@pldi.net. Nov 11 — Knoxville, TN. Downtown Island (KDKX). EAA Chapter 17 annual Banquet Luncheon. EAA Chapter 17 is proud to announce that AOPA’s CEO Mark Baker will be our Keynote Speaker at this year’s annual banquet. Cooperation between AOPA and EAA has has resulted in many significant improvements for Gen- eral Aviation and pilots. Baker will speak about not only current issues, but of his passion for aviation. He has dedicated his life’s work to not only protect and enhance the freedom of flight that GA pilots enjoy, as well as some experiences and the most unique airplanes that he flies and owns. 11:30 am to 2:30 pm; $25 per person. Shuttle service available from KDKX to Bearden Banquet Hall. Contact Mark Scheuer, marksscheuer@gmail.com. For tickets and registration, go to eaa17.org. Nov 18 — Lakeland, FL. Lakeland Linder Regional (KLAL). Lakeland Flying Club Seminar and How to Fly to the Bahamas event. Hosted by Lakeland Aero Club. Join AOPA’s You Can Fly Ambassa- dor Jamie Beckett for a free seminar designed to demystify the process of starting and running a successful flying club and learn about the free resources available from AOPA. 9 to 11 am. Fundraiser cookout for $7 following the seminar. Lakeland Aero Club Director and Bahamas Flying Ambassador Mike Zidziunas will conduct a How to Fly to the Bahamas seminar at 1 pm. Attendees are invited to learn how to get more out of their flying experience by piloting their own aircraft or their flying club’s aircraft to the Bahamas. RSVP now to guarantee your spot: https://ww2.eventrebels.com/er/ Registration/StepRegInfo.jsp?ActivityID =20770&StepNumber=1. Contact Jamie Beckett, Jamie.Beckett@aopa.org. Send events to editor@cessnaflyer.org. CES SNA F LYE R (16) NOVEM B E R 2017 continued on page 79... Everybody has a bucket list of things they want to get accom- plished and experienced in life before they leave this planet. Non-aviation types dream of climbing mountains and eating exotic foods. We pilots have a totally different take on this kind of planning. We have “sky bucket” lists. I have been blessed throughout my life in the flying depart- ment. There have been a few setbacks; I never got to be an Air Force or Navy fighter pilot or a starship captain, but overall, I have had a great life in aviation. Airline captaining, banner towing, flight instructing and the like have filled my existence for the past 40-plus years. Last month, I turned in my metaphorical gun and badge to the chief (pilot) and left my last income-producing job in the airlines. I retired from my job as a simulator instructor and pilot exam- iner for the second airline that came into my life. When you voluntarily leave something that has been vital to you during almost all your life, it gives you a little pause. I would be lying if I did not admit that I had to blink hard and take a deep breath as I said goodbye to my very last ATP stu- dents and the Boeing 767 simulator. Leaving was a little sad, but it was time to go. Category III approaches, V1 cuts and gate holds will no longer be in my repertoire, creating room for flying my Cessna 140 wearing cutoff shorts and T-shirts instead of those white shirts with epaulets that were required uniform when I flew 727s and 777s. I no longer will deal almost daily with the FAA. I hope to be flying in remote locations where the FAA is a distant rumor spoken of in hushed tones by the local flying natives over air- port campfires. Finishing one part of aviation has opened to me the unlim- ited vistas available in other areas of flying. It is time to figure out what my bucket list is for this lifetime endeavor I have called flying. A bucket list of any kind is not a fixed catalog of things you plan to do because the cold breath of mortality is blowing down your neck. It is a checklist, if you will, of things you want to do while you still can. The best time to draw up a sky bucket list is when you are very young and have almost unlimited time to get everything done. I wish I had made my list when I was 20 instead of now, but there is no time like the present to start something like this. My list contains things I want to do today, but the items on it can certainly change tomorrow. Here are some items on my sky bucket list. Feel free to steal any ideas you want, although I am sure your list will be very different from mine. • Rebuild airplanes. I helped on various aircraft rebuilds when I was a lineboy in Lakeland, Florida, but I let that string drop and was too busy flying subsonic people-movers when I was an airline monkey to keep working on airplane restora- tions. My Cessna 140 is now in the hangar with its rag wings stripped and ready for a recover. I will spend a lot of time— beginning now—learning to restore my airplane. I hope to be flying it again soon, but even if it takes a long time, I am doing a bucket-list item and enjoying myself while I learn. • Big trips. I want to take some epic trips with my airplane or somebody else’s airplane. I am talking Alaska. I am talking a coast-to-coast flight in a slow taildragger from Kitty Hawk to LAX. I am talking flying to Europe the slow way. There is a Paris-to-London flight that pilots in Kentucky do: they fly from London, Kentucky to Paris, Kentucky and back. I’ll probably start with that. • New types. I want to get a type rating in a Ford Tri-Motor. Hot-air balloons are in my future, as are a few parachute drops. I want to get a sailplane license and then spend a season out west, soaring my brains out. • South Seas adventures. I already have a seaplane license, but I never used it once I got it. I want to some serious island- hopping in a great seaplane like a Goose or a Widgeon. Ideally, I would like to restore a PBY and take it out to the South Seas and places like Fiji to fight Nazis with my big brother. We have been planning this fantasy for years. (Yes, I know that there are very few Nazis in the South Seas to fight. That is the beauty of our plan.) • Own and fly a great warbird. I have always wanted a Spitfire Mk VII, but I would happily settle for a P-40 or a Corsair. I have friends here in my hometown that have warbirds and I ache to fly in formation with them someday in my very own Spitfire. Kevin Garrison THE HIGH AND THE WRITEY Sky Buckets! Newly retired from instructing for the airlines, Kevin Garrison shares his newly created aviation bucket list. I never, ever again want to tell a story that includes, “back in my day things were better.” Today is better. Tomorrow is even better. CES SNA F LYE R (18) NOVEM B E R 2017 Steve Ells QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Shoddy engine work, missing logbooks and coping with the new Lycoming AD. continued on pg 22... CES SNA F LYE R (20) NOVEM B E R 2017 When you can’t get any more rope in, turn the prop to bring the piston up, thereby compressing the rope against the bottom of the valves. Then, with the correct tool, the spring cap washer can be depressed and the valve cap keepers removed. This will give access to the springs. Reverse the process to finish. Steve Hi Steve, I am looking for some learned advise to make a go or no-go decision on the purchase of a Cessna 182R Skylane. The plane is missing the logs prior to 2002. The logs are complete from 2002 forward, including the overhaul of the engine in 2015. Thanking you in advance for your assistance, Don Hi Don, Incomplete logbooks (records) during a purchase will cause a marked reduction in the selling price. Some experts say it’s worth 10 percent off. More extreme opinions cite a decrease in value of up to 25 percent. When I bought my airplane the logbooks (aircraft records) were very incomplete with only two very brief entries in new logbooks and estimates of the total time. I didn’t pay a lot because not only was the airplane missing logbooks, but it also hadn’t been kept up. What attracted me was the combination of the clean, no ac- cident airframe, solid Lycoming engine and new prop. You are in a different situation than I had when I bought my airplane. First off, it’s a buyer’s market right now. Secondly, the airplane you’re looking at has complete records for the past 15 years. I suggest that you have good records of the airplane condition and that you use the missing logs to lowball your pur- chase offer. Be bold. You can negotiate from your bold position but make sure the seller knows that you aren’t going to pay the Vref or Aircraft Blue Book price. To fill in my knowledge of my airplane, I contacted the FAA Aircraft Registry office and paid $10 for a CD containing all the Form 337 and registration records on file at the FAA HQ. The CD arrived about three weeks later. You can expedite the search by contacting services such as Aero-Space Reports or one of the other title search companies. Expedited services usually cost around $35. Often, a review of these records will help fill in blanks about the history of an airplane. For instance, the data I got from the Registry Office showed that my aircraft had been based in the desert Southwest. With that information, I could contact mainte- nance shops in that area (Albuquerque) which enabled me to fill in some more blanks. To my surprise and joy, about 11 years after I bought my airplane I got a letter from a shop owner in Albuquerque who was retiring. He told me he was clearing out his hangar and had found my logbooks. He wanted $500; we negotiated down to $250. Now I have the complete logs for my airplane. Let me know if I can help further. Happy flying, Steve Hi Steve, I have a Continental O-300-D engine. I just had a stuck valve on the No. 6 cylinder. When the mechanic took the valve cover off, he said that the rocker arms were on the wrong valves. One of the rocker arms has a hole in the top for oiling that was sup- posed to be on the exhaust side and not the intake side. Also, there are three springs and the big one was in backward. I had to send the cylinder in because it had low compression. Is this right, and could this cause the compression problem? Gary Hi Gary, A stuck valve will cause compression problems, especially in Continental engines since the exhaust valves are cooled by con- tact with the valve seat. Since the stuck valve is not consistently being cooled by contact, the valve can overheat and erode due to high temperatures. I strongly suggest that you get your mechanic to check all the cylinders for correct positioning of the rocker arms. The rockers with the oil holes must be activating the exhaust valves. It’s also permissible to have a rocker arm with an oil hole on the intake valve position. Your mechanic can check the springs without removing the cylinders. Here’s how to do it. Remove both spark plugs. Position the piston a few inches below top dead center. Feed as much soft rope in to the combustion chamber as you can through a spark plug hole. Rocker arm with oil hole visible. You’ll find... Members’ forums with new topics and responses added regularly. ADs, NPRMs, SAIBs and other safety alerts in a searchable database. Article archives from the past 13 years. A Cessna model database with photos and articles and constant updates. Easy photo upload procedures. Secure online account updates and renewals. Ability to comment on articles and photos. Digital editions of the magazine. The Cessna Yellow Pages, an online directory for aviation products & services. Log in today! CessnaFlyer.org Take a closer look at CessnaFlyer.org. MSB 632B affects a wide range of Lycoming engines. CES SNA F LYE R (22) NOVEM B E R 2017 If your serial number is listed, you must comply with the AD within the next 10 hours of engine operation. Due to the large number of engine affected and the work required to comply, owners of affected airplanes are facing an undetermined amount of down time. I hope your airplane is not affected but if it is, I’m sorry to hear it. Steve Know your FAR/AIM and check with your mechanic before starting any work. Steve Ells has been an A&P/IA for 44 years and is a com- mercial pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings. Ells also loves utility and bush-style airplanes and operations. He’s a former tech rep and editor for Cessna Pilots Association and served as associate editor for AOPA Pilot until 2008. Ells is the owner of Ells Aviation (EllsAviation.com) and lives in Templeton, California with his wife Audrey. Send questions and comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Resources Aircraft records FAA Aircraft Registry registry.faa.gov Expedited aircraft records search Aero-Space Reports aerospacereports.com/services Lycoming engines Airworthiness Directive AD 2017-16-11 rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/AO- CADSearch/E0CE3E112906B48286258178006891AE?OpenD ocument Lycoming engines Service Bulletin MSB No. 632B lycoming.com/content/service-bulletin-no-632-b Hi Steve, My mechanic just called to tell me that I need to bring in my aircraft as soon as possible because he needs to take the engine apart to check it out. I’m sort of new at this airplane ownership business. When I asked him what the hurry was and why now, he told me that the FAA had just sent out an emergency AD and that he thought it might apply to my engine. I just installed a fresh Lycoming engine not a year ago. What could go wrong in that time? Chuck Dear Chuck, On Thursday, Aug. 10, the FAA issued Airworthiness Direc- tive (AD) 2017-16-11. This AD mandates (by law) that around 1,300 Lycoming new, overhauled and rebuilt engines be sub- jected to an inspection within the next 10 hours if the engine serial number and type is listed in Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin MSB 632B. (The bulletin is available on the forums at CessnaFlyer.org under “Magazine Extras.” —Ed.) A wide variety of engines are affected, starting with the simple four-cylinder O-235 up through six-cylinder aerobatic AEIO- 580 engines. There’s even an eight-cylinder IO-720 engine listed. In addition to engines, connecting rod piece parts are also included in the AD. Affected engines and connecting rods were shipped from Lycoming between Nov. 8, 2015 through early February 2017. MSB 632B is titled “Identification of Connecting Rods with Non-Conforming Small End Bushings.” The inspection proce- dure in MSB 632B calls for removal of all cylinders so that a test tool be installed on the small end of each cylinder connect- ing rod to determine if the installed bushing is faulty. If the bushing passes the test, there’s no fault and the cylinders can be reinstalled. If the bushing can be displaced during the test, the connecting rod must be removed and sent back to Ly- coming for repair or exchange. This is a very serious fault since a displaced small end bushing changes the thrust vectors applied to the connecting rod, which can result in a broken rod and catastrophic engine damage. The first step is to download a copy of Lycoming MSB 632B and check the serial number and type of your engine against the listing of affected engines in the bulletin. Planning a vacation or move? Don’t miss an issue of Cessna Flyer Contact us and we will hold your magazines until you’re ready for them. Email kent@aviationgroupltd.com Phone 626-844-0125 CES SNA F LYE R (24) NOVEM B E R 2017 It was in that final stint of eight years flying the North Atlantic Ocean where I met… the best darn copilot that I ever had. During my 36-year career as an airline pilot, I spent approxi- mately 75 percent of the time as a captain and 25 percent as a copilot. I never flew an airliner as a flight engineer. The airline didn’t have any aircraft that required that extra cockpit person until I was high enough on the seniority list that I didn’t need to consider bidding the F/E seat—I just always wanted to have a steering wheel in front of me. My initial foray from copilot to the captain’s side of an air- liner’s cockpit occurred after a little over four years, beginning with piston-powered airliners that were initially built in the late 1940s. When I upgraded to captain, it was on the 48-passenger Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprop, which I generally flew out of New York’s LaGuardia (KLGA) and JFK airports. After a couple years we elected to have a (pretty stupid, in my opinion) pilots’ strike, which lasted long enough to finan- cially destroy the airline, but we lucked out of that boondoggle by being merged into another airline, where I basically spent the remainder of my airline career. Four more years of copi- lot, then back to the captain’s seat in a series of airplanes that began with old turboprops and finished with modern widebody jets across the Big Pond. It was in that final stint of eight years flying the North Atlantic Ocean where I met Scott Reynolds, the best darn copi- lot that I ever had. I’ve had a number of really top-grade copi- lots over the years that were all very professional and a joy to have on board (and some pretty horrible ones, too—but that’s a different story). But Scott was exceptional and we simply clicked so well together. I’m going to skip to the end of the story first, by telling you that Scott Reynolds passed away last July, just short of his 70th birthday. He was a little less than three years younger than me, but he was pages and pages of airline seniority numbers junior to my own seniority number, which is why I sat on the left of the Boeing 767 and he sat on the right. Scott had worked at a number of other outfits before finally settling with the company that I had the good fortune of spending an entire career with—such are the vagaries of airline flying jobs and seniority lists, as all airline pilots are more than well aware. Scott’s wife Sharon recently told me the story of when Scott first learned that he was scheduled to fly the Atlantic with me. I had the reputation of being a “tough” captain (I preferred to think of myself as “exacting,” while I knew that a number of the copilots called me something somewhat less benevolent). He told his wife that he was dreading this trip to Frankfurt, Germany, with me, but he needed the trip to fill out his sched- ule for the month so he kept it. We met in the International Flight briefing room two hours before departure. Scott later told me that he was impressed that I was interested in all the details of the pre- flight planning to which a number of the other International captains paid little attention. As we pored over the details of taking that two-hundred-ton airliner and two-hundred-plus passengers across 3,000 miles of ocean in the middle of the night, we could feel that certain sim- patico click between the two of us: Scott was a conscientious and competent fellow who enjoyed working with the details and in-flight possibilities as much as I did. By the time we had gotten the flight planning done and the airplane ready, it was obvious that this was going to be a good trip for both of us. Scott and I shared a common attitude toward the job, toward the details and toward the responsibili- ties that both of us periodically found somewhat lacking in some of the others that we worked with. A wonderful profes- sional relationship and a true friendship developed from there. So here are a couple of Scott Reynolds stories, in no par- ticular order, from the days that he flew on the right of me as an enormously valuable second-in-command as we plied the Atlantic Ocean so many times over the next several years. Scott was once again my copilot when we flew our airline’s inaugural flight to Rome, Italy. Previous to this, our airline’s world ended abruptly at Germany, so we were headed to another galaxy as far as we were concerned. Without me even needing to ask, Scott had assembled all the data he could lay his hands on for Rome’s airspace and its airport so we could be as little surprised as possible at arrival time. (This is way before the era of the Internet, so digging out data was not the piece of cake that it is today.) We (including our relief copilot, who occupied the middle seat behind me and Scott) must have had a dozen different charts and routings out to cover any possibilities and, I swear we were prepping for the landing while we were still over France. As we descended into Rome and were being radar vec- tored for an ILS approach, there were several rainshowers and thunderstorms around that needed to be dealt with. Thomas Block FULL CIRCLE Remembering Scott Reynolds Capt. Block pays tribute to an exceptional copilot. As pilots and plane owners, our members are doing things “worth the writing” every day. We welcome our members’ stories in the pages of Cessna Flyer magazine. To find out more, email editor@cessnaflyer.org “... Either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.” —Ben Franklin CES SNA F LYE R (26) NOVEM B E R 2017 “Flighta’ two, you’a cleared direct to-a the beacon, cleared forra da ILS approach,” said the controller in Italian-accented English. I was studying the radar and before Scott could answer, I said to him, “Tell him we can’t go direct to the beacon because of that rainshower—tell him we’ll go east, then turn tight back to the beacon.” Scott used his best sugar-talk to pass on my intentions, to which the controller immediately responded, “Hey, that’s OK, you justa doa the besta you can.” Welcome to the Eternal City! For the remainder of our years of flying together, anytime a situation got a little tight for some reason, one or the other of us would simply say, “That’s OK, you justa doa the besta you can.” Another time, with Scott at the controls, we were westbound back to the U.S. streaking along at a high flight level, “making fuel,” which meant that because of some economy tricks we were using, we were doing better than the computer-planned fuel burn and putting some extra fuel “in our pockets,” as I liked to call it. Scott was really into the game that day, and was planning a full-court press on fuel savings techniques—which included staying as high as possible as long as possible and then doing an idle power descent to nearly touchdown. “Scotty, my boy, you’re too optimistic,” I said. “Something will screw this up. You need to leave yourself more margin.” “Nonsense,” he answered. “I have this wired.” Sixty seconds later, the controller suddenly announced that he needed us to cross some nearby fix at some low altitude. “How did you know?” Scott asked as he had to grab full speed brakes and suddenly needed to throw fuel economy out the window. “How did you know?!” I didn’t, of course—a pure guess on my part. But I just smiled and said, “Scotty, my boy, you’ll get the hang of it someday, after you get a little more seasoning.” On another occasion we had a legitimate emergency partway across the Atlantic. We were eastbound, headed for Madrid, Spain, when—in the middle of the night and about 400 miles out to sea—the two independent flight display navigation com- puters somehow got themselves electronically linked together and they both locked up, thus instantly failing ALL the naviga- tion displays on both the captain and first officer’s instrument panels. (This is, incidentally, the dramatic basis that I used in my airline/adventure novel “Captain.”) Scott and I calmly and carefully attempted to do lots of dif- ferent things to get the navigation displays back, but nothing worked (it later turned out to be a computer software virus wherein hostile zeros and ones collided with each other). So, we came up with a game plan using the inertial digital readouts of latitude/longitude. We plotted our actual position on the chart every 15 minutes for the rest of the night and made small heading changes to remain right on the course line that we had plotted out during the preflight briefing many hours earlier. Once we hit Europe (a difficult target to miss; just ask Lindbergh), we went back to old-school techniques and flew a raw ILS display to touchdown. Having a competent copilot you trust is really invaluable during moments like these. The final Scotty story took place on the ground, back in Rome, a few years later. The relief copilot, Scotty and I had taken a long walk out to dinner and were a good distance from our hotel. As we walked out of the restaurant when the meal was finished, I suggested that we take a taxi back since it was late and we were full of Italian food and had sore feet. Scott said, “Good idea, boss; I’ll get us a cab.” He waved a cab down, and Scott climbed into the front seat with the driver while I sat in the back with the other copilot. Scott said the name of our hotel, then added, “…and step on it, we’re in a hurry.” Without a word, the cab driver floored the accelerator in the little whatever-it-was we were riding in, and we were off to the races! We were literally driving on sidewalks, passing other cars, going through traffic lights (we learned later that red lights are mere suggestions in Italy), horn blaring as we weaved around everything in front of us. With a jolt, we pulled up in front of the hotel and came to a stop. The driver turned to Scott and, in a calm voice asked, “Wassa that-a fast enough for ya?” We shakily got out of the cab and made Scott pay the entire fare! So, Scotty, my boy, it’s been a helluva ride. Thanks for the good work, and thanks so much for the great memories. We are all headed westbound for that final flight; some of us a little sooner, some of us a little later. But I do have to say that—just like he did everything else I ever saw him involved in—Scott Reynolds even managed to do the dying part prop- erly: he simply went to bed one night and didn’t wake up the next morning. You can’t do any better than that. Godspeed, Scotty. Editor at large Thomas Block has flown more than 30,000 hours since his first hour of dual in 1959. In addition to his 36-year career as a US Airways pilot, he has been an aviation magazine writer since 1969 and a best-selling novelist. Over the past 30 years he has owned more than a dozen personal air- planes of varying types. Send questions or comments to editor@ cessnaflyer.org. Capt. Block (left) and his copilot, Scott Reynolds. “How did you know?” Scott asked as he had to grab full speed brakes… Aviate, Navigate, COMMUNICATE. Now there are even more ways to contact your Cessna Flyer Association. Visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/CessnaFlyerAssociation Follow us on Twitter: @CessnaFlyerAssn And don’t forget to log on to the forums on cessnaflyer.org Other ways to get in touch... Call us: 800-397-3920 Text us: 626-844-0125 Email us: editor@cessnaflyer.org Genesys Aerosystems’ 3100 promises precise, digital flight control for every phase of flight. By Steve Ells The Genesis of a New Autopilot CES SNA F LYE R (28) NOVEM B E R 2017 I ran out of time at AirVenture to hear all of the product news firsthand, so I caught up with some vendors after the show. Jamie Luster, director of sales and marketing of Genesys Aerosystems, was one. I asked her about the relationship between S-TEC and Genesys: Genesys Aerosystems “is still S-TEC autopilots,” she assured me. And in keeping with S-TEC’s long his- tory of developing autopilots for General Aviation airplane owners, Genesys Aerosystems introduced its newest autopi- lot— the 3100—at EAA AirVenture 2017. The 3100 is an attitude-based autopilot with advanced features including Automatic Trim, Envelope Protection/Alerting, Straight and Level Recovery, Precision Approaches/Missed Approaches, Indicated Airspeed Hold and Altitude Preselect. Unlike past S-TEC autopilots, which are known as rate-based systems—since Photo courtesy Genesys Aerosystems Engineered to Lead. www.tempestplus.com 800.822.3200 Tempest® knew there had to be a better way to change oil. The result: Tempest’s patented Easy Drain™ oil filter tool—a drain tool that makes oil changes easier and cleanup faster. With its simple three-step process, the Easy Drain tool saves time, prevents drips and spills, and makes cleanup as easy as 1-2-3. Innovative, forward-focused design — proof that Tempest is engineered to lead. Manufactured by CES SNA F LYE R (29) NOVEM B E R 2017 corrections are derived from sensors in turn-and-bank-style detectors—the 3100 is a fully digital attitude-based autopilot. The 3100 allows for seamless inte- gration with legacy analog avionics as well as with today’s Electronic Flight Instrument Systems (EFIS) from Garmin, Aspen and other sources. STCs are underway for installation in Cessna 182s and 210s, Piper Saratogas and Beech Bonanzas now. Luster said, “We are dedicated to getting STCs [for installa- tion of the 3100] at an increased rate.” Owners that want their aircraft included in the pursuit for STCs for the 3100 are encouraged to go to the Genesys Aerosystems website to make that request. Luster also said that Genesys Aerosystems will continue to support S-TEC autopilots. According to Luster, the S-TEC faithful swarmed the Genesys Aerosystems booth at AirVenture after the 3100 was announced. “The show was fantastic,” said Luster. “People were lined up two and three deep wanting to learn more about the 3100.” Steve Ells has been an A&P/IA for 44 years and is a commercial pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings. Ells also loves utility and bush-style airplanes and operations. He’s a former tech rep and editor for Cessna Pilots Association and served as associate editor for AOPA Pilot until 2008. Ells is the owner of Ells Aviation (EllsAviation.com) and lives in Templeton, California with his wife Audrey. Send questions and comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Resources Genesys Aerosystems genesys-aerosystems.com CES SNA F LYE R (30) NOVEM B E R 2017 dreaded FAA ramp inspec- tion, or “ramp check,” is a fact of life for most avia- tors. If you fly into or out of busy Gen- eral Aviation airports, eventually you will be “ramped.” Is this something to be feared? The an- swer is yes and no. I have been ramped more than a few times in the last 30 years as I’ve flown around South Florida. The best possible re- sult is that nothing will happen. The worst- case scenario is that you may find yourself fighting a violation or certificate action. When approached by an FAA inspector, you should know the following things: An unexpected “ramp check” can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to ruin your day. If you have your paperwork in order and know your rights, you’ll be prepared when you hear an FAA inspector say, “Excuse me, I have a few questions…” By Michael Leighton Surviving an FAA Ramp Inspection THE Photo courtesy Textron Aviation Engineered to Lead. www.tempestplus.com 800.822.3200 Tempest® innovation is changing industry expectations and, in the process, making its competitors go back to the drawing board to play catch up. Tempest leads modern aviation spark plug design with its fired-in suppressor resistor—others have since followed. In oil filter design, Tempest leads the way with its proprietary, internal magnetic, secondary filtration system. Plus, Tempest’s Spin-EZ® oil filter is an industry first with its patent-pending, non-stick seal technology. Forward- thinking differences like these set Tempest apart and prove what others now know—Tempest is engineered to lead. CES SNA F LYE R (31) NOVEM B E R 2017 ally, you must have photo identification. Most pilots use a driver’s license to satisfy this requirement. You are required to have these items with you and to show them to the inspector. The same is true for any law enforce- ment officer; state, local or federal. No one can legally take your license or medi- cal from you, but you must present them. In addition to inspecting your personal documents, any law enforcement officer or FAA inspector is entitled to see the aircraft’s registration, airworthiness cer- tificate, aircraft flight manual (AFM) or pilot operating handbook (POH) and the current weight and balance document. Before you do anything, ask to see his or her 110A. This is the inspector’s of- ficial ID. The inspector can ask you to produce your certificate and medical (or your driv- er’s license, if you’re operating as a sport pilot or under BasicMed rules). Addition- Before you do anything, ask to see his or her 110A. This is the inspector’s official ID. CES SNA F LYE R (32) NOVEM B E R 2017 Most importantly, know what law enforcement and the inspectors can and cannot ask of you. Engineered to Lead. www.tempestplus.com 800.822.3200 Surpassing others in starting power, energy efficiency, and performance reliability, Tempest® is the leading influence in engine starter/alternator innovation. Our PowerFlite® starters can reduce current draw by up to 20% compared with other brands. Plus, Tempest starters are designed with aerospace quality brushes for longer life, a proprietary ball bearing design for less internal friction and heat, and a newly designed, field-wound electric motor. Pair these with our FAA/ PMA-approved PowerFlite alternators and you’ll agree: Tempest is engineered to lead. All others can do is follow. CES SNA F LYE R (33) NOVEM B E R 2017 I know of one inspector whose favorite violation is failure to have the current flight manual update for your aircraft. Be sure the AFM or POH you have in the airplane is the latest version. Flight manual supplements and oper- ating manuals for non-factory installed equipment, such as the GPS or autopilot, must also be in the aircraft. I keep a binder with copies of all of the information listed above, the VOR check log and the fire extinguisher log in the seat back pocket. I also keep electronic copies of these documents on my iPad as a backup. Failure to have this informa- tion in your aircraft is a violation. Pilots are required to have a VOR check log in the aircraft if using the VOR radios for navigation. Pilots operating aircraft with two VORs can check the receivers against one another when tuned to the same ground facility. If you’ve only got one VOR installed, it can be checked against approved VOR test signals or checkpoints. No matter what check you use, it must be logged with the date, place, bearing error and tester’s signature. Most fire extinguishers have instruc- tions for continued airworthiness (ICA) that require a monthly visual inspection and a scheduled recertification. All that is required for a visual inspection is to verify the gauge on the extinguisher is in the green. Maintain a page in your binder with a line entry (like one you would use for the VOR) that has the date and the signature of the person who inspected the fire extinguisher. If you have an extinguisher that is subject to ICA and does not have a gauge on the bottle, you are supposed to have it weighed every 30 days on a calibrated scale. It is much easier to buy one that has a gauge. A Gulfstream pilot friend of mine got caught with this on a ramp check. He argued that the fire extinguish- er inspection is a maintenance function, but that did not satisfy the inspector. Pilots are typically told to keep their flight logbooks at home. However, stu- dent pilots, sport pilots and recreational pilots are required to have their logbooks in certain circumstances. If your log- No one can legally take your license or medical from you, but you must present them. The author keeps a binder with all of the necessary documents inside the aircraft, and he also keeps electronic copies on his iPad as a backup. Photo: Michael Leighton CES SNA F LYE R (34) NOVEM B E R 2017 books are required, be sure that they are updated and that you are current for the specific flight and aircraft. You are not required to grant access to your aircraft to an FAA inspector. I do not suggest that you grant access to in- spect your aircraft, because something as simple as a missing placard can result in a violation. If an inspector were to find an out-of-date chart or an out-of-date GPS database, you could be violated. They do have the right to inspect the seats and seatbelts. You could argue that can be done through the windows. An FAA inspector cannot detain you or unreasonably delay you. You can simply say, “I’m sorry, I am late for an ap- pointment but the aircraft is hangared at (insert your airport name here) and you are welcome to come look at it there any time you like.” If the aircraft is registered under a cor- porate name, you may not have the au- thority to grant permission for inspection. In that instance, inform the inspector you cannot authorize an inspection and notify them as to the airport where the airplane is based. Law enforcement inspections are more complicated. Local law enforcement must have probable cause to detain and in- spect your aircraft. Other governmental agencies can also detain and inspect your aircraft. Additionally, they are not required to tell you what they are look- ing for or why. One day on the ramp at Palm Beach In- ternational (KPBI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advised me they were going to inspect my airplane. The inspec- tion dog “liked” my plane, probably because I had just transported two dogs to the Bahamas. A couple of CBP agents proceeded to take my airplane apart. Since I was alone, I called 911 and asked for a local law enforcement officer to come out to the airport so I had a wit- ness to the events. That did not please CBP, but I thought that was my best op- tion for ensuring I had an impartial third- party witness. An hour and a half later, all the seats were sitting on the ramp, all the floor- PROP SUPER CENTER ©2017 RAM Aircraft, LP CF082217 R A M A I R C R A F T, L P • SINCE 1976 • You are not required to grant access to your aircraft to an FAA inspector. CES SNA F LYE R (35) NOVEM B E R 2017 boards were removed and all the exterior inspection panels were opened. Obvi- ously, they found nothing. They told me I could go. One of the CBP officers, whom I had known for 20 years, informed me that I could file a complaint and probably get reimbursed for a portion of the expenses to put my plane back together. However, he suggested the post-complaint grief probably would not be worth the finan- cial reimbursement. My mechanic happened to be on the airport that day and helped me put it all back together so I could fly home. Unfor- tunately, the inspection damaged every pressure seal in my Cessna Model 414 and cost to me almost $4,000 in repairs. Should you be ramp-checked, AOPA recommends one of two courses of ac- tion. The first is to be courteous and respectful, remembering that anything you say can and will be used against you. Every question should be answered like you are testifying in court and no unsolic- ited information should be provided. The second course of action is to be extremely cooperative and go out of your way to assist them. I tend to follow the first approach. Whichever approach you choose, be sure and get the name of everyone you speak with and anyone who might be a witness. Most importantly, know what law enforcement and the inspectors can and cannot ask of you. AOPA puts out a free two-page guide on the subject, titled “What to do if Stopped by Law Enforce- ment.” Keep a copy in the plane. Michael Leighton is a 11,000-hour pi- lot, three-time Master CFI and an A&P mechanic. He operates a flight school in Spartanburg, South Carolina and Fort Pierce, Florida. Michael can be reached at flymkleighton@gmail.com or flymkleight- on.net. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Resources What to do if Stopped by Law Enforcement Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association download.aopa.org/epilot/2013/ CBPGuidelinesKneeboard.pdf Wipline Floats ∙ Skis ∙ Modifications ∙ Aircraft Sales ∙ Avionics ∙ Interiors ∙ Paint ∙ Maintenance www.wipaire.com/paint REFINISHING award-winning World-class refinishing isn’t out of reach, or out of budget. Our experienced staff will provide a paint transformation you can be proud of. Don’t compromise on quality when deciding where to bring your investment. Aircraft painted by Wipaire have won Grand Champion awards at both EAA AirVenture and Sun ‘n Fun. South St. Paul, MN (KSGS) - 651.451.1205 Leesburg, FL (KLEE) - 352.323.4809 www.wipaire.com CES SNA F LYE R (36) NOVEM B E R 2017 ing at the hieroglyphics on an Egyptian tomb. Alas, it takes years of experience to discover the Rosetta Stone which will al- low decoding of all the potential warnings contained therein. However, with a basic understanding of maintenance recordkeeping require- ments and practices, a hopeful would-be purchaser may learn enough to decide whether to proceed to spend the money to have a complete pre-purchase inspection. Types of maintenance records The owner or operator of an aircraft is primarily responsible for the maintenance of an aircraft and for keeping the main- tenance records up to date. Many owners assume that it is the mechanic’s respon- sibility. That is not the case. Similarly, most owners are shocked to learn how few maintenance records must be maintained. Federal regulations require records of repairs, alterations and inspections be main- tained for the airframe, for each engine, for each propeller and for any appliances installed. rom the first few lessons onward, most aspiring pilots are taught that aircraft come with maintenance logbooks. If nothing else, the stu- dent learns to check to see if the aircraft has had an annual inspection in the previous 12 months. Fast forward to the now-certificated pi- lot who is eyeing her first airplane for pos- sible purchase. She is staring at the log- books like some English explorer squint- It is standard practice (but not re- quired) to have separate airframe and engine logbooks. If the propeller is of the constant-speed variety, then it is common to have a separate logbook for each pro- peller. It is less common to have separate records for avionics and other appliances, though the adlog™ system does include a separate book for avionics. Examples of other appliances would be propeller gover- nors, combustion heaters, etc. Maintenance records are usually kept for the life of the aircraft. As above, this is standard practice. However, only a small fraction of the maintenance history must be kept throughout the life of the aircraft. The FAA requires only six categories of in- formation be maintained throughout the life of the aircraft and be transferred with the aircraft when sold. 1. Total time in service of the airframe, each engine, each propeller and each rotor. 2. Current status of life-limited parts installed on the aircraft. 3. Time since last overhaul of parts and DECIPHERING LOGBOOKS: Pre-purchase Maintenance Record Review The sheer volume and complexity of aircraft maintenance records can be daunting to novice aircraft buyers. A&P/IA Kristin Winter guides you through review of logbooks, FAA forms and work orders to help you separate the good from the bad in your aircraft purchase process. F An annual inspection (air- frame) entry. The mechanic recorded AD compliance and work performed, but did not record all part numbers used in the service. By Kristin Winter continued on page 39... CES SNA F LYE R (37) NOVEM B E R 2017 components required to be overhauled at intervals. 4. Current inspection status of the aircraft. 5. Current status of all Airworthiness Directives. 6. FAA 337 forms documenting major repairs and major alterations. What is notable by its absence is a requirement to keep records of repairs for longer than one year or until super- seded. Owners could legally jettison a vast amount of maintenance records. Of course, doing so would seriously harm the value of their aircraft. I have yet to see anyone keep just the minimum required records. However, missing logbooks are not that uncommon and generally have somewhat of a negative effect on the valu- ation. The earlier in the aircraft’s history that the missing logs cover, the less the ef- fect on the value. When reviewing a set of maintenance records, there should be at least one or more airframe, engine and possibly propeller logbooks. In addition, you should expect any number of FAA 337 forms and an AD compliance sheet or sheets. There should also be ancillary documentation from the last engine and propeller overhauls, such as work orders, parts lists and maintenance releases for any subcontracted work or component repairs or overhauls. The latter could be either in the form of a yellow tag or an FAA Form 8130-3. Establish a maintenance timeline Airplanes that sit too much rot too much. I like to start my review of the airframe logs at the beginning and work forward, making notes of when the an- nual inspections were completed and how many hours were put on the aircraft be- tween inspections. That gives you a good idea of the usage pattern. Typically, when factory new, aircraft accumulate several hundred hours a year, and then usage tapers off from there. There is often another bump in usage when a new owner takes possession, but then the usage again tapers off. The poten- tial for internal engine corrosion is very real for aircraft not flown regularly. I also look for any entries that suggest that the aircraft suffered some sort of inci- dent or accident. These often do not show up in NTSB records and log entries rarely tell you exactly what happened. While it takes years of experience to catch all the clues that a mishap oc- curred, entries for sheet metal repairs, replacement of parts that don’t typically Typical paperwork for an engine overhaul. Logbook sticker (top left), work order (right), invoice and additional work order details (lower left), as well as yellow tags for cylinder stud assemblies and magneto harness. The fuselage, right wing, vertical stabilizer, rudder and right aileron were repaired shortly after this aircraft left the factory. Further investigation showed that was parked and another aircraft taxied into it. The Form 337 in the aircraft records described the parts and methods used to repair the damage. Annual inspection history for a piston single aircraft. This aircraft has averaged only about 40 hours per year since its last engine overhaul. CES SNA F LYE R (38) NOVEM B E R 2017 (Note: This is an actual, unedited logbook entry. —Ed. ) February 27, 2011. Airframe Hobbs – 691.6. Total Time – 4085.5. Inspected aircraft utilizing PAC Inspection Report #230 209 and FAR 43, Appx. D. Complied with AD 77-13-21 paragraphs A&B as follows: Removed landing gear struts and drag links. All parts disassembled, cleaned, and stripped of paint. All parts visually inspected for damage. aluminum parts treated with Alodine 1201 and steel parts cadmium plated by Prime Plating, FAA repair station PPIR291X, I/A/W QQ-P-416, Type I. Replaced all bolts and bushings in all drag links with new Piper bushings as set forth in Piper SB782B and installed with all new hardware. Bushings reamed and honed to fit. Struts painted with primer and Juneau White Imron paint and reassembled with new O-rings I/A/W Piper PA-30 service manual. Nose gear strut housing, inner sleeve, and nose gear drag links repaired by S&B Industries (See repair tags and form 8130-3). During reassembly and installation process the following new parts were installed: Nose (2) 20803-002 bushings, (1) 80012-077 bushing, (1) 20737-004 bushing, (2) 17164-004 bushings, (1) 14976-015 alignment roller, (1) 17976-016 bushing, (1) 411-349 screw, (1) 452-357 bushing, (2) 80012-006 bushings, (1) 14976-017 bushing, (4) 20737-020 bushings, (2) 452-366 bushings, nose wheel p/n 40-90, (2) 487-292 springs, fabricated and installed new nose gear canvas cover, p/n 23956-000. Installed (4) new nose door actuator rod ends p/n 469-138. Installed new nose gear door actuator bushings p/n 61402-061 and 61402-062. Installed new nose gear door actuator springs p/n 24033-000 and 24033-001. Mains (2) 14175-050 bushings, (4) 452-575 bearings, (2) bungee cords, (2) 451-782 torque plates, (2) 83302-040 down lock assist springs, (2) 20737-016 bushings, (8) 20737-020 bushings, (4) 452-366 bushings. Disassembled, cleaned, and repainted brake calibers and reassembled with new o-rings, (4) new piston insulators p/n 752-094, (2) 756-147 shims, (2) 756-148 shims, (4) 66-62 pads, (4) 66-65 pads, new Rapco discs RA164-02201. (2) anchor bolts, p.n. 751-402. Installed new inner tube in RH main tire. Removed main gear doors and in- stalled serviceable units with new actuator rod ends p/n 452-383. Installed new PMA landing gear conduits p/n W455-180 with (4) new rod ends p/n 452-377 and (2) 452-412 rod ends. Replaced 21087-000 spacer and AN24-60A bolt. Serviced and inspected landing gear transmission I/A/W with PA-30 service manual. Installed new wiring from main landing gear down limit switches and safety switch from unit to wing root area I/A/W AC 43.13, Chap. 11. Rigged and adjusted landing gear I/A/W PA-30 service manual. Performed numerous retraction checks. Complied with AD 79-12-08 by leak testing I/A/W SL 851, next due at 791.6 Hobbs. Complied with AD 83-10-01 by cleaning fuel strainers; next due at 741.6 Hobbs. Complied with AD 08-14-07 by inspection I/A/W Lycoming SB 342E, no defects noted; next due 791.6 Hobbs. Complied with AD 04-25-16 by inspection I/A/W Kelly Aerospace SB 107A, no defects noted; next due at 791.6 Hobbs or next annual inspection. Replaced vacuum regulator filters. Installed new ELT battery, due again on 3/2013, ops checked OK. I certify that I have inspected this aircraft in accordance with a annual inspection and find it to be in an airworthy condition. Kristin A. Winter A&P 3146426IA. Logbook entries are too often incomplete, illegible and/ or inaccurate. For example, a logbook entry for an annual inspection that declares; “All ADs complied with” tells you nothing about the AD status. Strangely, the FAA has never tried very hard to improve the industry practices by enforc- ing the requirements. FAR 91.417 outlines three things that must be in a log- book entry. Mechanics are required to enter a description of the work accomplished or type and scope of inspection performed, his/her signature and certificate number, type of certificate and the date. An inspector recording an annual inspection is not required to record the aircraft time in service, though most do. This is actually the responsibility of the owner. A good logbook entry will have the current hour meter or tachometer reading on the aircraft or engine as applicable, and its total time in service. The entry will list the parts or components removed and replaced or a description of what exactly was done, and reference the data source used. What constitutes an adequate description of the work performed is left open to some interpretation. The FAA has published Advisory Circular 43-9C with guidance. FAR 43.9 and 43.11 also refer to the requirements. A poor (but typical) logbook entry might read: Removed alternator and installed overhauled unit. This description of work would be accompanied by the mechanic’s legible signature and certificate type and number along with the date. A better description would be: Removed alternator, model ALX-8421, s/n xxxxx and in- stalled overhauled alternator, model ALX-8421, s/n xxxxx, in accordance with manufacturer’s service manual. Engine run and alternator tested. No defects noted. See Form 8130-3. This entry would also include the current aircraft time and the other required items. The latter entry lets the owner eas- ily track which accessories are on the aircraft and provides some assurance that the mechanic might actually have fol- lowed the manufacturer’s instructions. FAA certified repair stations have slightly different require- ments. If repairing a component, they will typically provide a Form 8130-3. Repair stations can sign off a log entry for a repair to the aircraft with the company name and certificate number. When a repair station makes an entry in the logbooks that references a work order, a copy of that work order must be kept by the owner. When a component that has been repaired or overhauled by a repair station is installed by a local mechan- ic, the 8130-3, or another form of maintenance release such as a yellow tag, is normally either stapled into the logbook or otherwise provided to the aircraft owner. The mainte- nance release is essentially the maintenance record for the work done on that part by the repair station. A note on the importance of saving work orders; invariably the work orders contain information that doesn’t end up in the logs. Sometimes the failure to save a work order costs the owner significant extra money. For example, if in the future there is an AD that applies to some part in the engine, it is the work order that is most likely to tell if OEM or PMA parts were installed. This might be critical if an AD is issued against a PMA part, but not the OEM part. Without the work order listing the parts used, a mechanic may have to partially disassemble the engine to find out if an AD applies. Ouch! AN EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETE LOGBOOK ENTRY Detailed log entries (and how they might save you money) continued from page 37... CES SNA F LYE R (39) NOVEM B E R 2017 SmoothPowerLLC.com | 281.728.8732 Electroair's Electronic Ignition System • Smoother engine operation • Better fuel efficiency • Reduces maintenance costs • Lycoming and Continental YES! IT’S CERTIFIED! break or wear out, and the like, can be signs that something untoward happened to the aircraft. Be suspicious of annual inspection en- tries with no repairs noted, especially if there have been few repairs made in the time between annuals. The better and more complete the logbook entries are, the more faith you can have that the work was done conscientiously. See the sidebar on page 38 for what constitutes a proper logbook entry. Along with the airframe records, the completed 337 forms are useful in de- termining whether the aircraft has sig- nificant damage history. For any work that constitutes a major repair or major alteration, a FAA Form 337 must be filled out and signed by the mechanic doing the work and the inspector who approves the aircraft, engine, etc, for return to service. Often, it is the same person when the mechanic doing the work also holds an In- spection Authorization (IA) from the FAA. You may also look in the airframe logs to see whether the aircraft was getting 100-hour inspections. That usually means that the aircraft was used as a trainer and/ or rental aircraft at an FBO. While not a disqualification to most buyers, it is worth noting, particularly if the aircraft is one that might have been used as a primary trainer. Frequent replacement of brakes and tires can be suggestive of use as a trainer, or that an owner that may be hard on the aircraft. Airframe and engine times It is also worth keeping track of the logbook’s recorded times from the ta- chometer or hour meter. It is not uncom- mon when changing units or systems for mistakes to be made in carrying the time forward. With the new meter set to zero, there is an amount that must be added to the time on the hour meter or tachometer to obtain the aircraft total time in service. If an hour meter is being used to track the time in service, then it is important to know what activates the hour meter. An hour meter usually overestimates the time in service unless it is connected to a squat switch so that it is measuring only the time that the aircraft is in the air. That is the legal definition of time-in-service and hence is the most accurate. The hour meter can be triggered by engine oil pres- sure, the master switch or an air switch set to sense a forward speed. Some GPS units have a function to calculate when the aircraft is flying. 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U0452124........ $832.63 1947 and 1948 Cowls Nose Cowl ............................. U0452185........ $832.63 Lower Cowl Skin -L/H .........U0452189-3........ $985.94 Lower Cowl Skin-R/H..........U0452189-5........ $985.94 For 120/140 and 140A FREE CATALOG: Call today to get your free Univair catalog featuring over 16,000 classic aircraft parts and supplies. Foreign orders pay postage. Small Skull Cap Spinner Small Skull Cap Spinner Assembly ........ SM-SPIN-ASY...........$73.23 Bracket .................................. U0450281...........$18.73 Spinner Dome Only ............... U0450279...........$58.35 CES SNA F LYE R (40) NOVEM B E R 2017 AD compliance The AD compliance sheet should be up to date and list which ADs are non-recur- ring, which ADs are recurring, and when any additional inspections or actions may be due. You may have to cross-reference the airframe log to determine the actual status of ADs. Similarly, you may need to confirm that the proper compliance actions were taken or if a recurring AD had its requirements properly terminated by whatever changes were necessary to accomplish that. This step is important, but is one which is hard for a potential owner to accomplish prop- erly. It takes someone who is intimately familiar with the make and model in ques- tion and even good mechanics lacking that familiarity will miss things here. At the very least, a layperson should be able to determine which ADs are recurring and can inquire about the costs involved. Some aircraft have some rather expensive AD compliance requirements which can affect the value of the aircraft. Engine logs Before even beginning the whole log- book review in earnest, I usually take a quick look at the last engine overhaul. The only time I don’t look here first is when the engine has been advertised as having come from a well-known shop or the OEM factory. I have walked away from aircraft just based on the records of the engine over- haul. The engine is usually the biggest financial risk factor in buying a used aircraft. The best situation is a recent overhaul from a reputable repair station or the OEM. Almost as good is a high time engine when the price of the aircraft prop- erly reflects the value. The former is more financially safe, especially if there is some warranty re- maining. The latter engine won’t owe the buyer much. If it develops problems and has to be overhauled, the loss is minimal. FBO overhauls that are low- to mid-time are much more uncertain. (The term “FBO overhaul” is used here to mean any overhaul that is not done by the OEM or a certified repair station. —Ed.) It surprises many that most engine overhauls are considered a minor repair and any A&P can do them. It is these FBO overhauls that are the biggest mystery and biggest risk. The quality of an FBO over- haul can vary greatly. It takes experience to be able to really evaluate the quality of an engine overhaul, but there are a few basics you can look for. Are there yellow tags or 8130-3 forms for subcontracted work on the case, the crank- shaft and other components? Is there a list of parts and a list of assembly tolerances? Was the engine assembled to manufacturer’s new limits? Were new or reconditioned cylinders installed? Ideally, the answer to all of these questions should be “yes.” If the overhaul records don’t specify, you can assume that it was assembled to ser- vice limits. Making TBO is highly uncertain with an FBO overhaul to service limits. I also look to see which of the acces- sories were overhauled at that time. It is worth noting that certain accessories at- tached to the engine may have their main- tenance documented in the engine log- book or the airframe logbook. There seems some confusion with aircraft mechanics in general as to which accessories should be tracked in the engine logbook. In fact, only the accessories necessary to run the engine are considered part of the engine. These include magnetos, carburetor, fuel injec- tion unit and engine-driven fuel pumps. Accessories that are attached to the en- gine, which are part of the airframe and should technically be entered in the air- frame logbook, are the alternator, vacuum pump, hydraulic pump, governor, etc. After assessing the most recent engine INNOVATION The Better Performing Sealed Lead Acid Battery | 909.793.3131 | GILLBATTERIES.COM Upgrade to the Next Generation of Lead-Acid Technology! ✔TSO Authorized ✔DO-160E Tested ✔Sealed, VRLA, Non-Spillable ✔FAA-PMA ✔18 Month/1800 Hour Capacity Check Inspection ✔2 Year Warranty *Based on comparison of competitor internet published numbers on 10/5/2017 for RG24-16, RG24-15M, RG24-11M, RG24-10, CB24-11M and CB24-11 series of batteries as compared to Gill model 7242-14 tested at Gill labs. 7242-14AVAILABLE NOW AT DISTRIBUTORS 7242-14 IS A DIRECT UPGRADE FOR G-240, G-242, AND G-242S GILL BATTERIES. FAA-PMA FOR 65 CESSNA, BEECHCRAFT, PIPER, MOONEY, AND SOCATA MODELS. 41% to 177% Higher Starting Power 3% to 65% Higher Capacity } * * THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AIRCRAFT BATTERY CES SNA F LYE R (41) NOVEM B E R 2017 overhaul, I review the engine logs. The most critical period in the engine logs is that since the last engine overhaul. I go through to look at what accessories have been repaired, whether there have been any other repairs on the engines, such as cylinders, etc. I look for regular oil changes and reasonably consistent com- pression readings. Propeller logs Aside from the airframe and engine maintenance records, the aircraft may have propeller and avionics logbooks. By far the most significant information in the propeller logs documents either the last propeller overhaul or last AD compliance. A number of propellers have recurring ADs that can be quite costly. The prop log is typically where you find compliance in- formation. Sometimes governor overhaul information is in the prop log. As alluded to earlier, you may also find that informa- tion in the engine or airframe logbooks. Avionics logs If an aircraft comes with avionics logs, there’s usually not much useful informa- tion there for a prospective buyer. The only thing of note that I have routinely found in avionics logs is when the owner keeps the biennial pitot-static and tran- sponder checks in this book. However, these are much more commonly found in the airframe logs. Taking the next step After you have looked over the airframe, engine, AD compliance, and any other ancillary work orders, logbooks, etc, you should be in a better position to decide if you want to pursue the airplane further. The next step is to have a professional perform a complete review of the main- tenance records and possibly do a pre- purchase inspection. If the mechanic you would like to use for a pre-purchase inspection in not rea- sonably local, it is simple to photograph the logs. Sequentially photograph the pag- es with a phone or digital camera. It’s easy to assemble them into a PDF or a gallery. Just remember to photograph the cover and then open the book and snap both pages if a standard log or each page if an adlog™ system. Turn the page and click. With standard logbooks, mechanics often write across both open pages. If the pages are photographed separately, reading becomes more difficult. It takes 15-20 minutes to do a set of logs. If the seller has done this, then perhaps your review was of the electronic copies which makes it all easier. It is always fun to see how many more things the professional eye sees in the logs than you did. However, you will probably be surprised at how much you learned about the aircraft by following the tips here. At the very least, a maintenance record review will help you to weed out an aircraft that is not worth spending the money to pursue further. Kristin Winter has been an airport rat for almost four decades. She holds an ATP-SE/ ME rating and is a CFIAIM, AGI, IGI. In addition, Winter is an A&P/IA. She has over 8,000 hours, and currently is serving as Di- rector of Operations for a commuter airline in Southeastern Alaska. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Resources adlog™ aircraft maintenance record keeping system Aerotech Publications, Inc. adlog.com Maintenance records Advisory Circular AC 43-9C faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/ Advisory_Circular/AC43-9C.pdf CES SNA F LYE R (42) NOVEM B E R 2017 TURBO OR NO? Cessna R182 vs. Cessna TR182 The Cessna R182 Skylane RG and TR182 Turbo Skylane RG can haul substantial loads for legs of over five hours. Though the two aircraft are very similar, prospective Skylane RG buyers should consider their intended mission and the advantages and disadvantages of the turbo versus the normally-aspirated model. -By Steve Ells Photo: James Lawrence Photo: Keith Wilson CES SNA F LYE R (44) NOVEM B E R 2017 iston single aircraft production reached its peak in the decade between 1970 and 1980. Cessna’s milestones in this timeframe included the production of its 100,000th single engine airplane in 1975, and the highest one- year production run for any American aviation company in 1977, when over 17,000 Cessnas were pushed out the fac- tory doors. High demand and corresponding high production capacity spurred Cessna to introduce a retractable and turbocharged version of the iconic Cessna 182. Retractable 182 Skylane fundamentals In 1978, Cessna introduced the first retractable-gear 182; the R182 Skylane RG. It had a maximum takeoff weight of 3,100 pounds, a full 150 pounds more than the 1978 fixed-gear (non- retractable) Skylane. Not only did the landing gear go up and down, the retractable Skylane RG was powered by a Lycoming O-540-J3C5D engine, as opposed to previous fixed-gear Skylane models which were powered by a Continental O-470 engine. Approximately a decade earlier, Cessna had broken from a long-standing tra- dition of producing airplanes exclu- sively powered by Continental engines. 1968’s Cessna 172I Skyhawk and 177 Cardinal were powered by a Lycoming O-320-E2D. In 1979, Cessna added a turbocharged version of the retractable-gear Skylane, the TR182 Turbo Skylane RG. The TR182’s engine was changed only slight- ly by the addition of the turbo system. The six-cylinder carbureted Lycoming O-540-L3C5D in the TR (Turbocharged Retractable) is the “same except to make engine suitable for turbocharging” as the -J3C5D in the R182, according to notes in the engine Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS). Whatever that means, the -L version weighs 10 more pounds than the engine in the non-turbo R182. Both the –L3C5D and the –J3C5D engines produce 235 takeoff horsepower at 2,400 rpm. The engines do not have two discrete magnetos. They have two magneto assemblies in one housing. The earlier iterations of the Bendix D-2000 series P Cessna TR182 The Turbo Skylane RG is powered by a 235 hp Lycoming O-540-L3C5D. High demand and corresponding high production capacity spurred Cessna to introduce a retractable and turbocharged version of the iconic Cessna 182. CES SNA F LYE R (45) NOVEM B E R 2017 Photo: Keith Wilson Cessna R182 Off-pavement work is limited by the retractable Skylane’s small tires; barely visible here. Photo: James Lawrence CES SNA F LYE R (46) NOVEM B E R 2017 magnetos introduced in the 160 hp four- cylinder O-320-H2AD engine in the 1977 172N Skyhawk had a few teething problems but the Bendix D6LN-3031 version installed in the R182 and TR182 proved to be reliable. There are a couple of features of the engine on the R182 and TR182 that go against norm. First, the carburetor has a horizontal throat—the inlet air enters the carburetor from the back (aft) end of the engine compartment rather than up from the bottom as in most carbureted Continental and Lycoming engines. The second anomaly is that the TR182 is one of the few aircraft that mates a turbocharger with a carburetor; almost all other turbocharged GA airplanes are equipped with fuel injection. Two-bladed McCauley propellers with an 82-inch diameter or three-bladed McCauley propellers with a 79-inch diameter are both approved for installa- tion on the R182 and TR182. The landing gear Both the R182 and the TR182 share the same wing, the same fuselage and the same tail. They also share the land- ing gear retraction and extension system. This system is the third iteration of Cessna’s landing gear system and it’s a dandy. An electrically-powered reservoir/ pump is located between the aft side of the engine firewall and behind the pilot’s center console. Instead of the combination of multiple switches and pressure-actuated sequenc- ing in previous systems, the system is simple. The pump on the power pack is actuated by a pressure switch; it’s set to maintain pressure at 1,500 psi. When the landing gear handle is pulled aft to clear a detent and moved into the up or down position, fluid under pres- sure flows through a handle-controlled valve to either (1) pull back the main landing gear down-locks before rout- ing fluid to the gear-up side of the main gear and nosegear actuating cylinders; or (2) direct fluid through the valve to the gear-down side of the main and nosegear actuators. Fluid pressure in the actua- tors pushes the gear legs into the down position and then moves the down-lock hooks into position. One switch in the gear system is on the nosegear. It’s called a squat switch. The squat switch closes when the airplane lifts off and the nosegear strut extends; when the nosegear strut is compressed when on the ground, the squat switch is open and power to the pump motor is Photo: CFA Archives CES SNA F LYE R (47) NOVEM B E R 2017 Instruments and radios are organized in standard Cessna fashion. Above: The TR182 promises up to 170 ktas at 16,000 feet msl, but has less useful load than the R182. Left: The R182’s service ceiling is 14,300 feet msl which can be a limiting factor for operations out West. Photo: James Lawrence Photo: James Lawrence CES SNA F LYE R (48) NOVEM B E R 2017 interrupted. Other landing gear switches turn on a gear-up light when all three landing gear are up in the wells, and a gear-down light when all the gear is down and locked. The gear legs are held in the retracted position by fluid pressure. There are no up-locks. Due to normal pressure bleed-down or temperature variations, the pump may come on during flight to “restore” the system pressure to 1,500 psi. The IM says the restoring may happen up to twice an hour dur- ing normal operation. The other significant change in this gear system is the absence of main gear doors of any kind. The main gear leg and wheel/brake assemblies merely retract into the fuselage. One drawback of the R182 and TR182 airplanes is the limitation on tire size. The nosegear tire is a 5.00-5 and the mains are 15 x 6.00-6. No other tires can be installed due to clearance issues in the landing gear wells. These tires work fine on pavement, but don’t have a big enough footprint to work well on soft ground. Bushwhacking isn’t wise with the R182 and TR182. The turbocharger Turbocharger systems convert exhaust gas energy into boost via a turbine wheel and compressor. Exhaust drives the tur- bine wheel and the turbine wheel drives the compressor. The turbo-normalizing system in the TR182 was designed by Cessna— in accordance with Cessna drawing 2250065—and utilized a smallish tur- bocharger and a manually-controlled wastegate controlled by the throttle push-pull control. Although the Cessna manuals call the TR182 a turbocharged airplane, it’s more truthful to call it a turbo- normalized airplane. Turbocharged air- planes “boost” the engine intake pres- sures—sometimes as high as 42 inches of mercury—to extract more power from a given-sized engine. The turbocharger system on the turbo- normalized engine in the TR182 provides just enough “boost” to maintain 31 inches of manifold pressure, or slightly above the maximum available manifold pressure for a normally-aspirated engine at sea level. The amount of boost is controlled by how much of the available exhaust gas energy is directed onto the turbine wheel by a device called a wastegate. The wastegate is a pilot-controlled valve in a portion of the exhaust system tubing called the bypass. The opening and closing of the waste- gate is controlled by the pilot through a linkage mounted on the side of the carburetor. The wastegate is open until the throttle is fully open; after the throt- tle valve on the carburetor is fully open, further movement of the throttle push- pull control in the cabin begins to close the wastegate, which then directs exhaust across the turbine wheel. During climb, the pilot must continue to push the throttle push-pull control forward to maintain the desired mani- fold pressure. One drawback of the R182/ TR182 airplanes is the limi- tation on tire size…bush- whacking isn’t wise with the R182 and TR182. 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Also Cylinders, Mags, Accessories CES SNA F LYE R (51) NOVEM B E R 2017 Common turbocharger-related prob- lems in the TR182 are exhaust leaks and the ongoing need to understand and maintain the throttle/wastegate control assembly. The Lycoming O-540 engines in the R182 and TR182 have only two studs at each exhaust port of each cylinder; the big-bore Continental engines in fixed- gear Skylanes have four. Exhaust leaks develop at the Lycoming’s exhaust ports due to factors such as poor installation, flange-to-port misalignment and port-to- flange erosion. The junction between the cylinder exhaust port and the exhaust flange must be inspected for leakage frequently (every 50 hours) since a developed leak may advance to the point that it’s necessary to remove the leaking cylinder to get the exhaust port refaced. Useful load comparison According to the sample weight and balance problem printed in the 1978 Retractable 182 Information Manual (IM), the empty weight of the R182 was 1,808 pounds with an MTOW of 3,100 pounds. This yielded a no-fuel payload of 1,292 pounds. The R182’s useful load with full fuel (75 gallons) is a respectable 842 pounds. A sample weight problem in the IM of the 1982 TR182 shows an empty weight of 1,850 pounds and MTOW of 3,100 pounds. This yields a no-fuel useful load of 1,250 pounds. Due to the large fuel capacity (88 gallons), the full-fuel useful load for the TR182 drops to 722 pounds. Figures from the 1978 non-retractable “straight-leg” 182Q Skylane IM show a 1,800-pound empty weight and a 2,950- pound MTOW. This yields a zero-fuel useful load of 1,150 pounds. The full fuel for the 1978 straight-leg 182 is 80 gallons. Subtracting the weight of the fuel gives a full-fuel useful load of 670 pounds. These “book” empty weight figures are very low, especially for airplanes that have been in operation for more than 30 years. I know of one TR182 that was a factory demonstrator and as such, was equipped with a radar pod, factory air conditioning and an oxygen system. It had an empty weight of 1,937 pounds. Fuel tank changes 1978 was the last year that Cessna used rubberized bladder-type fuel tanks in the 182 series. In 1979, it went to the integral-type tank. Integral tanks are formed by sealing up portions of the internal structure of the wings. Cessna got the sealing formula right the first time. Its integral tanks rarely, if ever, leak. The switch to the integral tank increased the maximum fuel capac- ity. Bladder tank fuel capacity for early 1978 Cessna 182Q (up to serial number 66590) and 1978 R182 models is 80 gal- lons with 74 usable. With the introduc- tion of the integral tank, the capacity in the 1979 R/TR182 and late 1978 182Q models (serial 66591 and up) increased to 92 gallons with 88 usable. Another important change introduced by Cessna in 1978 was the replacement of the 12-volt electrical system with a 24-volt electrical system. Turbo vs. non-turbo climb rates A turbo-normalizing system makes sea level power (235 hp) available at much higher altitudes than the normally-aspi- rated engine. For example, the 1979 IM says the TR182 will climb to its certified service ceiling of 20,000 feet msl in 37 minutes and still be able to maintain 400 fpm climb rate at that altitude. CES SNA F LYE R (52) NOVEM B E R 2017 Although the Cessna manuals call the TR182 a turbocharged airplane, it’s more truthful to call it a turbo-normalized airplane. Photo: James Lawrence CES SNA F LYE R (53) NOVEM B E R 2017 The same “Time, Fuel and Distance to Climb” table in the 1978 R182 manual ends at 12,000 feet msl when the rate- of-climb is down to 265 fpm. According to the figures in the book, the climb to 12,000 has taken 20 minutes. The service ceiling of the R182 is 14,300 feet msl unless it’s equipped with an optional exhaust gas temperature (EGT) indicator which increases the service ceiling to 18,000 feet. With the widespread introduction of engine moni- tors, it’s probably safe to say that most R182s have a service ceiling of 18,000 feet. There a