Cessna Flyer

ware. We’ve changed up the main menu a bit to make it easier to find the content you are looking for. You can now click directly on the topics that are of interest by going to the Cessna Models menu item; or use the Magazine/Article Archive item to see articles and information sorted by category. As a member, the best way to experience the site is to log in right away, so that all of the members-only content is available to you. Need help navigating the site? Click on FAQs from About Us (the bottom menu) for more information. Our hope is for a faster, easier-to-navigate and more useful site. If you find any errors or have ideas for improvements, please email me at jen@cessnaflyer.org. Phase Two for the website is to enhance the member database to make it easier for you to manage your membership online. Magazine Over the past year we’ve added new writers and are giving you more techni- cal and maintenance-focused content you told us you wanted. We will continue to listen to you to make our already great magazine even better. Please continue to write in with your comments and feedback on Cessna Flyer’s articles and layout. Membership Our membership continues to grow—we have surpassed our nearest competi- tor, and we have plans for a vigorous membership drive later this year. We also have plans for programs that will provide you with additional ben- efits for active participation in the association. Stay tuned. I sincerely appreciate your support through the years and look forward to continuing our mission of helping you get the most out of owning and flying your Cessna in 2017 and beyond. Blue skies, Jennifer Dellenbusch THE VIEW FROM HERE CES SNA F LYE R (08) JAN UAR Y 2 017 LETTERS to the EDITOR Send your letters to editor@cessnaflyer.org “Flying the Cessna 182” by Steve Ells, December 2016 Dear editors, As an owner of a 1971 N model, I really enjoyed the article on 182 tech- niques. I especially enjoyed reading the techniques of Mike Jesch, as I, too, fly heavies for a living. His techniques for takeoff and landing flap settings are identi- cal to mine—coincidental? Or like minds?? My tip [for 182 owners] involves start- ing. We have a P. Ponk conversion, which means it’s carbureted. When I get to the hangar, before any other preflight activi- ties begin, I give the primer two good shots and then lock the primer back in place. I then start the preflight [inspection], which I do in the hangar, excepting for the fuel drain (don’t want fuel/fumes in the hangar). Then I pull the plane out- side for the start. The thinking is that by priming and then performing preflight duties, the fuel has time to disperse fumes throughout the engine. Prior to learning this procedure, it always took several blades before it turned over; since adopting it, I’ve yet to turn two blades before it fires up. Try it, you’ll like it! Ron Cox Athens, Ga. Century 1 autopilot is a “stick”-y subject Hi Kent, Just wanted to report on my experi- ence with the autopilot on my trip to Philadelphia (KOQN) and then on to D.C. (KMTN) [Martin State Airport in Baltimore] from KGGE [Georgetown County Airport, Georgetown, S.C.]. Here is what I have surmised. The work that I did on the servo did pay off. (I greased the gears with white lithium grease.) In general the autopilot func- tioned better. For the first two hours, the autopilot functioned perfectly. The third hour it started to wander (S-turns over the course line) and I shut it off. I am still experiencing the lack of release when I disengage the autopilot. continued on page 10... #1 for Aircraft Parts Support Since 1984 Same-Day Worldwide Shipping We Price Match! Parts avionics EnginEs ProPs Over 5 MilliOn in-StOck PartS! Over 5 MilliOn in-StOck PartS! Search our Parts for Free 24/7 DoDSon.coM cAll uS toDAy At 785-878-8000 CES SNA F LYE R (10) JAN UAR Y 2 017 It takes some brute force to get the gears to release after I turn off the autopilot. I don’t think I have a gyro problem. I think my problem lies within the wing leveler servo. I think once the gears bind up, there is too much force required to keep the plane on course smoothly. If in fact it is the servo, I have no idea how I am going to change it out. The sight hole is about 10 inches from the servo, and there is no other access closer. It is like they built the left wing around the servo. On the way home, I was about two hours into the flight when the autopilot acted up again. Air temp on both trips was in the 45- to 50-degree F range. I plan on taking the servo cover off again and inspecting the gears for wear as best as I can see. Will inform as to my findings. Peter Horn P.S. – The CFA magazine is the best I have read. Hi Peter, Thank you for sharing your experi- ence and temporary solution. It seems like there is a little more elbow grease involved; please keep me in the loop. Steve Ells likes to hear things like this for future Q&As. Your problem might have happened to others, so it’s all about sharing knowledge. I look forward to a happy conclusion. Kent “One Family’s Grand Caravan” by Heather Skumatz, December 2016 Kent, I just wanted to let you know that the December issue showed up in our mailbox on Wednesday and it looks awe- some. Kent really sent in some fantastic pictures, and the article was great. Amy Gesch, Marketing Manager Wipaire, Inc. Hi Amy, Thank you very much. It is Jen, Heather and Marcus who deserve the compliment. They are the true architects behind this article. I just talk a lot! Kent Letters continued from page 08... BRING IT U. S . + 1 . 8 4 4 . 4 4 .T X TAV | INTERNATIONAL + 1 . 3 1 6 . 5 1 7. 8 2 7 0 ©2016 Textron Aviation Inc. All rights reserved. See the new Turbo Stationair HD featuring increased payload at Cessna.com. 1,623 lb Useful Load 1,200 POUND MOOSE CES SNA F LYE R (12) JAN UAR Y 2 017 to 6 pm; cocktails 6 to 7 pm; dinner 7 to 8 pm; awards 8 to 10 pm. For more information, contact Paul Lips, paul. lips@livinglegendsofaviation.org or visit livinglegendsofaviation.org. Mar 2–4 — Lake Buena Vista, FL. WAI’s 28th annual International Women in Avia- tion Conference. 113 scholarships totaling $662,625 from companies, organizations and individuals will be awarded at the con- ference held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. WAI scholarships are offered for students and WAI members of all ages and pursuits, including mechanics, engineers, dispatchers, ag pilots, flight instructors and a range of other occupations. For more information about WAI, call 937-839-4647 or visit wai.org. Apr 4–9 — Lakeland, FL. Lakeland Linder Regional (KLAL). 43rd Annual- Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-in and Expo. Meet aviation enthusiasts from around the globe and enjoy one of the world’s greatest aviation conventions. This six-day event on 2,200 acres celebrates aviation with thousands of airplanes, hundreds of commercial exhibitors and educational forums, seminars and hands- on workshops for virtually every aviation interest. The US Navy Blue Angels are scheduled to perform. For more informa- tion, visit sun-n-fun.org. OTHER EVENTS JANUARY Jan 14 — Williston, FL. Williston Munici- pal (KX60). Williston Flying Club Seminar. Join AOPA’s You Can Fly Ambassador Ja- mie Beckett for a FREE seminar designed to demystify the process of starting and running a successful flying club. You’ll CFA EVENTS Jul 22–23 — Waupaca, WI. Waupaca Municipal (KPCZ). The 13th 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 Jan 20 — Beverly Hills, CA. Van Nuys Airport (KVNY). 14th Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards at the Bev- erly Hilton Hotel. This gala is the most prestigious recognition event in aviation. John Travolta, “The Official Ambassador of Aviation,” is the event host. Har- rison Ford presents the Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award. Red Carpet 5 SEND EVENTS to editor@cessnaflyer.org Other Continental Engine Installation STCs for Cessnas IO-520-D (300 HP) 182H through P IO-550-D A185E and A185F McCauley Propellers for Cessnas 401 80” to 88” 3-blade 180 and 182 (with O-470-50 engines) 185 models (with IO-520-D and IO-550-D engines) 401 80” to 84” 3-blade 207, 207A, T207 and T207A 402 80” to 88” 3-blade 206, U206, U/TU206A-G, and P/TP206A-E mt-propellers for Cessnas 2- and 3-blade propellers available for all our conversions. Hartzell Blended Airfoil 82” or 84” 3-blade 180 and 182 (with stock or O-470-50 engines) FAA/PMA Approved Parts Cessna Model Landing Gear Attachment (Beef-Up) Kit 170, 180, 185, 305 Outboard Gear Box Brackets 170, 180, 185 Inboard Attach Angles 170, 180, 185 Corrosion Resistant Elevator and Rudder Bearings 180, 182, 185, 206 AVIATION P. PONK AVIATION 1212 Moore Road #2 Camano Island WA 98282-8820 Voice: 360-629-4812 • Fax: 360-629-4811 Web Site: www.pponk.com Email: info@pponk.com Specializing in Continental and Cessna Maintenance, Overhauls and Modifications Since 1970. 0-520 Super Eagle Engines AVIATION AVIATION 0-520 Super Eagle Engines 0-520 Super Eagle Engines P. PONK The P. Ponk SUPER EAGLE engine con- version puts additional 35 to 45 horse- power under your cowl for about the same price as a factory rebuilt engine. Your aircraft will takeoff shorter, climb faster, cruise faster and be less expen- sive to operate on a per mile basis. 265 HP & 275 HP carbureted for Cessna 180s and Cessna 182 thru R SHORTER TAKEOFF • INCREASED TBO • INCREASED RATE OF CLIMB LOWER PER MILE OPERATING COST • FASTER CRUISE SPEEDS learn how you can fly more, spend less, and have more fun in the process. 9 to 11 am. Hosted by the Pyper Kub Café. To register, visit https://ww2.eventrebels. com/er/Registration/StepRegInfo.jsp? ActivityID=18894&StepNumber=1. Jan 21 — Hanford, CA. Hanford Munici- pal (KHJO). EAA chapter 1138 Display Day and Breakfast. Vintage aircraft display and sign-offs from 8 am to 12 pm. From 8:30 to 10 am, enjoy one of the best breakfasts around. Nice weather breakfast is outdoors; inclement weather breakfast is in the clubhouse. Cost is $7. Contact Everett Ehda, 559-585-2589 or email eehda@ci.hanford.ca.us. Visit eaa1138.org/displayday.htm. Jan 21 — Mukilteo, WA. Snohomish County Paine Field (KPAE). Air Race En- gines Lecture. Presented by the Historic Flight Foundation (HFF). The heart of every aircraft is its engine. Barry Latter explores technical variables affecting engine output and the risks taken by ex- traordinary people to provide excitement for Depression-era crowds. While the United States remained politically neutral until Pearl Harbor, race engine develop- ment became a legal, parallel channel for advancing military powerplants. Join the Historic Flight Foundation’s lecture series to learn more about this pivotal time in aviation history. 12 to 1 pm. Cost is $15; $10 for HFF members. Contact Vanessa Dunn by emailing visitorservices@ historicflight.org. Visit historicflight.org. FEBRUARY Feb 4 — Buckeye, AZ. Buckeye Mu- nicipal (KBXK). Buckeye Air Fair. A free family fun event that brings 10,000 people to experience and enjoy aviation firsthand. Visitors will have the opportu- nity to see static aviation displays, static military displays and enjoy other activi- ties such as a kids’ zone, vendors and entertainment. 9 am to 3 pm. For more information, contact Miranda Gomez, mgomez@buckeyeaz.gov. Feb 18 — Fort Worth, TX. Fort Worth Alliance Airport (KAFW). Fort Worth Flying Club Seminar. Join AOPA’s You Can Fly Ambassador Pat Brown for a FREE seminar designed to demystify the process of starting and running a suc- cessful flying club. Learn more about the free resources available from AOPA that make starting and operating a flying club easier than ever. Hosted by the 99’s Fort 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 (14) JAN UAR Y 2 017 E-Mail: info@ramaircraft.com | Repair Station: VA1R551K COM Engine Fax: (254) 752-3307 | Parts Fax: (254) 756-0640 R A M A I R C R A F T, L P • SINCE 1976 • Legendary Engines for your Cessna: T206 TSIO-520-M U206 IO-520-F, -L 207/A IO-520-F, -L 210 IO-520-F, -L P210 TSIO-520-P, -AF T210 TSIO-520-R ON EACH RAM ENGINE PURCHASE SAVE To claim this generous offer, call today with code RAM500+Airplane Serial # Offer valid once per airplane. Innovative & Engaging Designs TAKE A SEAT AviationsCreations.com 480-998-1752 Creating aircraft interiors second to none CES SNA F LYE R (16) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Worth Chapter. 1 to 2:30 pm. Contact Pat Brown, Pat.Brown@aopa.org or visit https://ww2.eventrebels.com/er/Registra- tion/StepRegInfo.jsp?ActivityID=18895& StepNumber=1. Feb 18 — Mukilteo, WA. Snohomish County Paine Field (KPAE). Air Racers Lecture. Presented by the Historic Flight Foundation (HFF). What inspired men and woman to fly in these air races— piloting fast and sometimes unproven aircraft—pushing themselves and their planes to the limit? Bill McCutcheon addresses their backgrounds, person- alities and idiosyncrasies. Successful air race pilots enjoyed celebrity status and often prospered financially. Others paid the cost of aviation progress with their lives. 12 to 1 pm. Cost is $15; $10 for HFF members. Contact Vanessa Dunn by emailing visitorservices@historicflight. org. Visit historicflight.org. MARCH Mar 31–Apr 1 — DeFuniak Springs, FL. DeFuniak Springs Municipal (54J). Marvel of Flight. Join us for two days to celebrate General Aviation. Fun for the whole family. Helicopter rides, BBQ cook off, car show, pilot seminars, local vendors, airplane judging and demonstrations. Patty Wagstaff; Tiger Flight Formation Flight Team and Army Aviation Heri- tage Foundation. Come out for sun, fun and camaraderie. Just miles from the sugar white beaches of Walton County. Contact Ryan Adams, ryan@defuniak- springs.net. Visit marvelofflight.com. APRIL Apr 28 - 30 — Ruston, LA. Ruston Municipal (KRSN). Louisiana Tech University Professional Aviation Depart- ment AvFest. AvFest, held each year the last weekend of April, is a chance for all alumni and current students to meet and discuss all aspects of aviation. We have more than 1,900 graduates in the indus- try. This year is a special occasion to com- memorate the 50-year anniversary of the program. All alumni, family and friends are invited for an update on the program, a tour of the facilities, a barbeque at the hangar and an awards banquet on Saturday night. Event is free except for banquet. Contact Bill McNease by email, billmcnease@gmail.com. Send events to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Sell or Buy on Cessna Flyer Forums Updating your panel? Cleaning out your hangar? Your old avionics, headsets or parts may be just the thing your fellow members are looking for! Post your items for sale or items wanted on CessnaFlyer.org/forums and everyone benefits. Members only. No commercial posts or advertising. the Gathering At Wau pa ca 201 7 13th Annual Gathering at Waupaca • July 22-23 Seminars, food, fun & friendship Call 800-397-3920 • Email: kent@aviationgroupltd.com Event hotel: Comfort Suites Foxfire • 715-942-0500  Seminars for 2017 include... “Engine Leaning for Maximum Efficiency and Durability,” presented by Bill Ross, Vice President, Product Support, Superior Engines “Navigating Security TFRs and NORAD Intercepts,” presented by Douglas Dal Soglio, DAFC, NORAD Civil Aviation Education and Training Program And more! CES SNA F LYE R (18) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Thirty years ago, we all used VORs or looked out of the window to navigate, and thought that having a DME was the height of modern flight technology. Thirty years ago, we all used VORs or looked out of the window to navigate, and thought that having a DME was the height of modern flight technology. Now, my antique Cessna 140 has dual AHRS and three GPS units: my watch, my iPhone, and my Stratus. The Stratus shows me weather displays that I did not have on the Boeing 777 when I flew it a few years ago. Today I was watching the news and they were reporting about Domino’s Pizza in New Zealand delivering the first pizza by drone. The drone hovers and a wire lowers the pizza to the hungry customers. In addition to their plans to deliver various things by drone to our homes and businesses, Amazon.com has a new fleet of old 767s that it plans to use to enter the instant cargo business. Elon Musk is deeply involved with sending people perma- nently to Mars and the planets beyond in a quest to ensure humanity’s survival by spreading our species around the Solar System. Solar-powered aircraft are no longer an idle dream. They exist and work quite well. So, very exciting things are happening in our world of aviation— and yet, here I sit in my cold office this month not doing very much. My plane is in its T-hangar with snow blocking the door, which is okay by me since the winds are too high to go flying anyway. Gray skies, cold weather and a nagging long-term head cold have left me pondering all of the futuristic stuff going on out there and wondering why it has all passed me by. I haven’t droned, explored Mars, or built an electric airplane. All I have been doing lately is working, sniffing and waiting for spring. And I suspect that more than a few of you out there are not doing the same things I am not doing. There is a brave new world coming to life out there, and we are huddled under our blankets. We need to get out and embrace the future! We should grab a piece of the interplanetary future of flight that the rest of the world is developing! I have come up with a plan that will not only get me through the next few months without getting cabin fever to the point of shooting my refrigerator, it will make me a with-it member of the futuristic aviation tribe. Kevin’s plan to dominate the future of flying 1. I will start my wintertime renewal by watching every single episode of “Firefly” at least twice. This short-lived television series depicted a universe (or “verse,” as they said it) that has already finished Elon Musk’s program of planetary settlement. Since I “plan to do some misbehaving,” it is a perfect start in my quest to get modern—and it doesn’t involve getting out from under this blanket. 2. AOPA has a wide variety of free-for-the-taking, computer- based courses on just about any aviation subject you care to name. I’m saying free, as in costs you nothing but time. I want to learn more about the modernistic things I’ve been missing and here is a no-cost way to get my gray matter up to speed while my office thermostat continues to eat up every bit of my winter flying fund. Speaking of free education, have you noticed all of the You Tube videos on aviation education subjects that are free for the watching? Have you seen all of the FAA materials that are free for the taking? The days of having to spend thousands of dollars to learn about flying are over. Much like cat videos on the internet, there is almost no end to the no-cost aviation resources for us out there. All we need is the desire to learn and the time to do it. 3. New Agers have been saying for some time that we all live in the universe that we choose for ourselves out of an infinite number of possibilities. Many of these visionaries have been on the Oprah show, so you know they have to be legit. If you focus your attention on a life path or situation you want, you can get it, because the universe is all about making you happy. This theory is most likely a steaming and rancid bucket of moldy prop wash, but it would not hurt for me to test it out this winter. As I huddle under a blanket this winter doing my, ahem, daily meditation, I will focus on being in a universe where I own and fly a Spitfire Mark V. 4. My General Aviation brain bag is in dire need of a futuris- tic update—and possibly a disinfecting steam bath of some sort. I need to get rid of the two-year out-of-date paper charts in my flight kit and buy futuristic “current” charts. I’ll also bring my handheld GPS into the future by getting a database update. Since we are talking about a brave and modern world in which a pizza can magically fall from the sky, I might do away with my flight bag all together. Why, all I need is my GPS wrist- John Ruley LEFT COAST PILOT Kevin Garrison THE HIGH AND THE WRITEY The Future is Mostly Ahead of Us! Kevin Garrison ponders all of the futuristic stuff going on out there and wonders why it has passed him by. Give ice the boot goodrichdeicing.com UTC Aerospace Systems is the manufacturer of Goodrich pneumatic de-ice boots • A leading OEM provider of de-ice systems • Patented FASTboot® adhesive system — turn time in hours • SILVERboot™ premium appearance For information: 800 DE-ICERS (800 334 2377) deicers@utas.utc.com Pneumatic de-ice boots Prop de-icing Complete line of care products CES SNA F LYE R (20) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Of course, when I was a kid, all of us built kites out of newspaper, sticks, glue and string. We built our airplanes in our garages and flew out of grass fields with no transponders, ADS-B or an “interweb” of any kind. It was great, but the past is past—and this winter will be all about getting in the right frame of mind to enjoy the future of flying. Two things are sure in this world: first, the future of aviation will occur—tomorrow; and second, at my airport it is cold, soggy and depressing—today. These are scientific facts, like the principles of fluid dynam- ics. Why disrupt the cosmos? Tomorrow is when I plan to do all of the things I listed to get ready to be modern. Kevin Garrison’s aviation career began at age 15 as a lineboy in Lakeland, Fla. He came up through General Aviation and retired as a 767 captain in 2006. Currently Garrison is a DC-9 simulator instructor and a 767 pilot instructor; his professional writing career has spanned three decades. He lives with the most patient woman on the planet on a horse farm in Kentucky. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. watch and my smartphone in order to navigate the skies of the land of the free! The only problem with thrusting my flight kit into the future by making it disappear is, where do I put the snacks, drinks and toys that I have in it now? Maybe the future will be one in which I lose weight and pay more attention to flying the plane. And that would not be a bad thing. 5. The final futuristic activity I will practice during this dark and dank winter is to stop talking about how great things were in the past. I will practice not saying things like, “we used to have to do arithmetic in our heads or with little wooden sticks called ‘pencils.’” I won’t go on and on about hand-propping airplanes because “we didn’t believe in having that newfangled electricity in our airplanes that you youngsters seem so stuck on.” The only problem with thrusting my flight kit into the future by making it disappear is, where do I put the snacks, drinks and toys that I have in it now? 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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 CES SNA F LYE R (22) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Steve Ells QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Changes in the aircraft engine industry and eliminating lead fouling in a 152 Hi Steve, About 10 years ago I had my IO-520 Continental engine rebuilt by Eagle Engines in Redding, Calif. They did a great job and I have the utmost confidence in both the IO-520 and in Eagle Engines. My Eagle engine ran smooth from the minute I picked up my C-206 until today. I phoned them last month to schedule a second rebuild and was surprised to find that they shut down the engine shop. I read an article in this magazine (“Ameritech Industries: American Propeller and Eagle Engines,” April 2014) about Eagle and it sounded like they were investing in new engine equipment at that time. Do you have any idea why they shut down the engine shop? —Sad Sam Dear Sam, I visited Ameritech Industries a few years back to write the story referred to in your question. I, too, got the idea that the engine shop was excited about the new equipment that was soon to arrive. To me that investment signaled that the company was planning to continue to build engines for the foreseeable future. Per a source at Ameritech, the Eagle Engines portion of the business closed in July 2015. Eagle was a part of Ameritech, which also holds American Propeller. As I understand it, Ameritech decided to concentrate its energy on American Propeller which is very successful. There are still many good field overhaul shops out there, and Continental will take your engine as a core when you buy a new or rebuilt engine. Since you’ve already had your engine rebuilt once, you’ll need to check to see if your engine has a heavy case and a VAR crank- shaft. If it has either of these, it’s time to go factory because the VAR crankshaft can’t be reused after the case is split. Happy flying. Hi Steve, I recently bought a Cessna 152. I wanted a small, well sup- ported airplane for my flying, and after much research and the good fortune of finding a nice one nearby, I took the plunge. This airplane is just right for us. My wife and I are both small in stature so the cabin size is fine. We also don’t have plans to fly long legs—we like to land every two hours, and almost all of our planned trips fit this picture—so the smallish useful load isn’t an issue. However, there is one problem we need help with. We have almost come to expect to experience a bad magneto test during our pre-takeoff runup. One of the locals talked me through the “burn out” leaning process but it hasn’t worked for me, and I think it’s hard on the engine. Our mechanic has shown me how to find a fouled spark plug and how to pull the fouled spark plug and put in a new one. Now I carry a spark plug socket and ratchet and the other tools required to do this anywhere. This temporary solution is better than nothing, but there must be a something better. What else might I do? —152 Tom Dear Tom, The 152 was introduced in 1978 to replace the 150 which was powered by a 100 hp Continental O-200. The first itera- tion engine in the 152—a 110 hp Lycoming O-235-L2C— quickly became notorious for lead fouling spark plugs. Since there was more lead in the Avgas of that era, normal maintenance required that spark plugs be removed and cleaned at every 100 hour inspection or at every annual. To everyone’s surprise, the plugs in the 152 were prone to severe lead fouling in 35 to 50 hours. I remember pulling the bottom plugs out of an early 152 and hearing clinkers of lead fall out on the ground. It was bad. Soon after the beginning of 1979, Cessna issued a flurry of service information aimed at solving lead accumulation and hard-starting problems in the 152. It approved the use of a lead fouling inhibitor (Alcor TCP); it referred to Lycoming Service Letter No. 192B (“Spark Plug Fouling”) and Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 388C (trouble- shooting the O-235 engine); issued service information SE81-39 on leaning procedures; and, in 1980, announced that a new extended electrode spark plug had been developed to combat lead fouling. Service Letter No. 192B recommends adjusting idle speeds and mixtures and recommends increasing engine rpm to 1,000 to 1,200 right after startup. This increases the temperature in the combustion chamber which changes the lead into a vapor- ous state so it flows out with the exhaust gases. The other important paragraph in the letter addresses shut- down procedures. After temps have stabilized at 1,000 to 1,200 VAN BORTEL AIRCRAFT INC® 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! CES SNA F LYE R (24) JAN UAR Y 2 017 In 1983 Cessna issued SE83-20 approving the installation of an O-235-N2C engine in place of the -L2C engine. The -N2C has slightly bigger combustion chambers that helped reduce lead fouling. Cessna service kit SK152-15 provides instructions on how to convert a -L2C engine to -N2C status. All four cylinders must be changed. If you haven’t done so already, install the extended (often called “massive electrode”) plugs. These plugs have a “BY” suf- fix: if your present plug is a UREM38E, the extended electrode replacement is a UREM37BY. Once extended electrode spark plugs are installed, follow the operating suggestions listed above. Happy flying. rpm, the letter instructs operators to increase the rpm to 1,800 for 15 to 20 seconds before retarding the rpm to 1,000 to 1,200 prior to pulling the mixture control to shut down. Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 388C alerts technicians to the fact the O-235 is an engine equipped with solid tappet bodies. (Almost every other GA engine has hydraulic lifter bodies that automatically maintain the proper valve lash clearances.) Solid bodies need to be manually checked and adjusted as necessary every 100 hours. Cessna Service Bulletin SE80-100 announced the intro- duction of extended electrode spark plugs which are more resistant to lead fouling. These plugs are approved for instal- lation in many engines. Photo courtesy Tempest Plus Photo: Steve Ells Dome ................... U0450027-12 ..... $361.74 Rear Plate............... U0450040-1 ..... $329.25 Front Plate (plastic OEM) ... 0450039-1-791 ..... $434.00 For Cessna 150 F, G, H, J, K U0752637K200.........$788.74 Includes four plastic spacer rings (U0752620-3) For Cessna 182 H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R Univair Parts For Your Cessna Horizontal Stabilizer Parts A) Barrel1................U0712500-13 .... $114.27 B) Screw 1................U0712500-11 .... $299.12 C) Adjusting Screw Boot 2 ..................U0712500-18 ...... $56.50 D) Adjusting Cam2 ....... U0712502 ...... $36.93 Elevator Parts E) Hinge Bushing3 ..... MS24462-4 ...... $87.80 1 FAA/PMA for 180, 182-182D, 185 2 FAA/PMA for 180, 185 3 For 180, 185 ALL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD F.O.B., AURORA, CO • PRICE AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE • 11-1-16 2500 Himalaya Road, Aurora, CO 80011-8156 Info Phone ..............................303-375-8882 Fax .............. 800-457-7811 or 303-375-8888 Email .................................. info@univair.com Website ..............................www.univair.com Toll Free Sales: 1-888-433-5433 AIRCRAFT CORPORATION Call or visit our website to request your free catalog (foreign orders pay postage) FAA/PMA SPINNERS AND COMPONENTS STABILIZER/ELEVATOR Available with ivory colored knob only Lever-type Window Latch Assembly • For 120, 140, 140A, 170, 170A, 170B (SN 20267 thru 25372) ..............U0413362-2 .....$321.48 • For 170B (SN 25373 and up), 172, 175, 180, 182 (using scissor-type latch) ...................U0413362-3 .....$321.48 FAA/PMA WINDOW LATCHES Dome* ................... U0550236-8 ..... $426.20 Front Plate**.......... U0550321-4 ..... $213.42 Back Plate** ...... U0550321-010 ..... $327.23 *Dome also approved on 172 G and H **Check parts book for applicability For Cessna 172 I, K, L, M, N, P Dome ................................U0550228-28 ....$602.16 All aluminum dome replaces original plastic dome Front Plate ..........................U0550228-3 ....$495.73 Rear Plate..........................U0550228-26 ....$352.70 For Cessna 172 A-F Spinner Bulkhead... U0550162-3 ..... $340.52 Spinner Dome ........ U0550162-7 ..... $746.93 Spinner Assembly ......U0550162 ..$1,064.32 For Cessna 170B,172 • 1956-59 A B D E C We accept: Side-by-side com- parison of a stand- ard spark plug and a massive electrode spark plug. The lat- ter is more resistant to lead fouling. Tempest’s UREM37BY is approved for installation in many engines. Do you have a Cessna maintenance question? Send it to editor@CessnaFlyer.org 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 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, Calif. with his wife Audrey. Send questions and comments to editor@ cessnaflyer.org. Resources CFA SUPPORTERS Engines Continental Motors continentalmotors.aero Massive electrode spark plugs Tempest Plus tempest.com Additional resources Alcor TCP from Tempest alcorinc.com Ameritech Industries, Inc. ameritech-aviation.com Aviall aviall.com Further reading Lycoming Service Letter No. 192B lycoming.com/content/ service-letter-no-l192b Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 388C lycoming.com/content/ service-bulletin-no-388c Cessna Technical Support and Publications txtav.com/en/service/ technical-support-publications South St. Paul, MN - 651.451.1205 Leesburg, FL - 352.323.4809 www.wipaire.com INNOVATION experience W h e t h e r introducing a bold new product, like our Boss 182, or reinventing a classic, Wipaire has been dedicated to continually bringing our customers the highest quality, best designed products in the field for over 55 years. Wipline floats and Wipaire modifications provide the innovation, quality and reliability you’ll need to accomplish your mission, even if that mission is just to get away from it all. Wipline Floats ∙ Skis ∙ Modifications ∙ Aircraft Sales ∙ Avionics ∙ Interiors ∙ Paint ∙ Maintenance CES SNA F LYE R (26) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Thomas Block FULL CIRCLE When I began narrating audiobooks several years ago, I naturally found myself committing a good deal of my time to aviation subjects. I’ve produced a number of aviation titles into audio, from aviation-themed novels on through various techni- cal and how-to books. When I finally wrap up one of these aviation books, I invariably find myself walking out of the audio booth with more knowledge about that particular aeronautical subject than when I walked in. My most recent example of “in-the-booth training” came courtesy of part three of airline captain Eric Auxier’s series, “There I Wuz.” Auxier provided me with an up-close and personal interview with a very renowned airline pilot: Capt. Richard de Crespigny. What this man has to say about how to handle a really big problem in a really big airplane is packed full of good informa- tion for anyone who finds themselves behind the controls of any size airplane that has developed difficulties. First, let’s meet Capt. de Crespigny. He flies the world’s larg- est passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, for Qantas Airways. On Nov. 4, 2010, on Flight QF32 from Singapore to Sydney, he and his crew suffered what is called a “black swan event”—an event so rare as to be statistically unpredictable, that comes with major consequences. Capt. de Crespigny’s black swan came from a massive engine failure; at least, that was the beginning of the dilemma. To quote the captain: “We were flying from Singapore to Sydney, and seven minutes after takeoff, engine number two (the A380 is the world’s largest passenger airliner, it has two decks and four massive engines) exploded. A380 Lessons A lifetime of learning contained in a story about Capt. Richard de Crespigny and his Qantas Airways crew. “It was the turbine disk itself that exploded. It broke off in three pieces. Two pieces missed the airplane, but one piece hit the airplane with shrapnel, a bit like a cluster bomb or a gre- nade going off at each of those spots. Some 500 impacts on the airplane and on the fuselage were later detected. “It also created major holes in the aircraft, and it cut over 650 wires and damaged 21 out of 22 systems—only the crew oxygen system was unaffected, and that was something we didn’t need at our low altitude.” Okay, so your big jet has lost one-quarter of its engine power and suffered some other difficulties, you say? But, surely, that can’t be as bad as having to feather one of the engines on a light twin, right? Wrong. Here’s why, from the captain’s story: “The failure of the engine was not the critical problem. The problem was the loss of the systems, so we had to assess what we had left of the computerized aircraft and find the best way on how to get it down on the ground. “It was a very difficult time in terms of decision-making, and the process took us two more hours in the air, and later, on the ground, there was another two hours of decision-making to really guarantee the safety of the passengers. Ultimately, we got the passengers off, they all got home, and there were absolutely no injuries for our black swan event. “There are a lot of lessons that came out of all the things that we did, which is really an amalgamation of all the skills learned through osmosis in a flying career. I’ve been flying for almost 40 years now, so you learn things during that career and all the decisions you make are a culmination of the knowledge that you assemble, the experience and training you bring to the event, and the teamwork. “Speaking of teamwork, there were five pilots in the cockpit that day, so we had the culmination of over 150 years of pilot- On Nov. 4, 2010, Qantas flight QF32 from Singapore to Sydney suffered a “black swan event”—an event so rare as to be statistically unpredictable. GET CASH. Trade in the old Ford. You may not realize it, but many older Cessna® singles have Ford® alternators with OEM part numbers. When it’s time to replace yours, why pay for an overhauled relic from the ‘70s? Now through March 31 we’re making that decision a no-brainer. When you buy a new Plane-Power alternator and ship that Ford to us, we’ll reward you with $150 cash — and our compliments for good sense. For program details visit planepower.com/FordCash $150 THRU MAR 31 BACK ©2016 Hartzell Engine Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. Cessna is a registered trademark of Textron Innovations Inc. Ford is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. sive structural failure), the crew took their time to thoroughly understand and evaluate their situation. Faced with so many points of failure and so much erroneous data from the automated systems and checklists, they decided to do what the Apollo 13 crew elected to do during their enormous off-the-charts emergency: stop looking at what had failed and, instead, begin evaluating and cataloging what systems still worked. By shifting their mental thinking, this crew turned a complex A380, with four million parts and with 1,225 checklists and 250,000 sensors into something far more basic and easy to deal with: they turned it into hardly more than a Cessna on steroids, and at that point their decisions became simpler. 3) Always be ready for some—or even ALL—of your “magic” to fail. As airplanes large and small become increasingly auto- mated, pilots have an increasing obligation to really understand the basic nature of what they’re operating and what they would do when those electrons suddenly evaporate into the ether. As Capt. de Crespigny explained, “We’re dealing now with highly computerized systems, and if you don’t make an effort to get to understand the core of these systems, then you might become a victim or you might think the airplane is flying you. “So, if you want to go to a high-tech aircraft that is run by computers, there is a responsibility to understand the underly- ing systems if you want to use them. Because when those sys- tems fail—and they do fail—it’s up to the pilot now to recover an aircraft that is very complex and much more sophisticated.” This is as true in a Cessna as it is in the A380. The bigger airplane might have grander and fancier automation and other “onboard magic,” but to the extent that the pilot is addicted to ing experience. But we all had to put our heads together to get that airliner down on the ground safely.” As I narrated this tale, here are some of the highlights that came out of this black swan event that every pilot needs to appreciate, understand, and put into their own bag of tricks. 1) This enormously automated aircraft was continuing to function just as it was designed, and the highly automated cockpit screens were producing exactly the proper checklists, procedures and parameters that the onboard sensors told it to. But this data was in many instances wrong, because too many wires and sensors were cut and shorted out for the brains of this Airbus to know what the true situation was. Had the crew simply followed the checklists and proposed parameters, they would have undoubtedly crashed. The pilot’s lesson here is to always make sure that what you’re about to do makes good sense and “feels right” for your situation! 2) When you don’t have to rush, don’t rush. And fly the airplane, first and foremost. Once their A380 was stable and it was determined that there was no immediate rush to get on the ground (that is, there was no onboard fire, nor any progres- “Politics change. Economics, technology and companies change. Pilot roles don’t.” LESS DRAG • LESS DRAW • TSO Approved Pulsar NS and SunTail lights • No Power Supply required • PMA and STC approved SunSpot 36 landing and taxi lights • SunSpot HX Series includes Built-in “wig- wag” or “pulse” feature Upper SunBeacon II (Red) Pulsar NSP (sold as a pair) – NAV/ACS/POS www.AeroLEDS.com t 208.850.3294 f 208.246.0552 sales@AeroLEDs.com SunSpot 36LX landing and taxi lights SunTail ACS/POS CES SNA F LYE R (28) JAN UAR Y 2 017 and totally dependent on that automation/magic, is the extent that the pilot has become just another passenger. In a nutshell: use it, but know how to lose it! 4) Some final sage advice from Capt. de Crespigny: “Aviation regulations are written in blood. They protect us from incidents that have taken thousands of lives of our pre- decessors. But that is not enough. “Professional pilots need to commit to a lifetime of learn- ing. Even with thousands of hours logged in numerous air- craft types, we learn something new every time we fly. Politics change. Economics, technology and companies change. Pilot roles don’t. We are the last line of defense. “The best lessons happen unexpectedly. We never know when we will next be challenged and when some tidbit of informa- tion, however small, is going to become useful to resolve an emergency or abnormal situation. “So we read books, study manuals, “armchair” fly and do deliber- ate hard practice in simulators. We study human factors and involve ourselves in safety management systems. With years of study and practice, we hope we are prepared to expect the unexpected. “Failure is not an option. The price for failure in aviation is high. We strive to improve and learn from our own mistakes and the stories of those who flew before us. Every story contains pearls of wisdom and experience. Sometimes pilots’ errors are tragic. Other times we escape with only our egos damaged. The best pilots know a tarnished ego is the cheapest price to pay on the path to resilience.” A special thanks to Capt. Richard de Crespigny and Capt. Eric Auxier for sharing piloting stories that can help us become better at the tasks at hand. For the complete story of this noteworthy Qantas flight, see Richard de Crespigny’s book “QF32,” and any of Capt. Eric Auxier’s aviation books. The titles are available in hard copy at Amazon.com (and, of course, in audiobook versions). 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 per- sonal airplanes of varying types. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. “With years of study and practice, we hope we are prepared to expect the unexpected.” 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 OWNER PRODUCED PARTS: Regulations, interpretations and applications By Kristin Winter CES SNA F LYE R (30) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Now that Alcor is a part of Tempest®, we offer you a complete portfolio of products for your engine monitoring system. Check the accuracy of the critical components for your engine monitoring system. Improve engine performance with our instruments and probes. Probes built with the smallest element tips for the fastest response time using top-grade materials. Products that you can trust to keep your aircraft running at optimal peak performance levels. www.tempestplus.com 800.822.3200 Complete Performance. A&P/IA Kristin Winter explains FAR 21.9 and Advisory Circular No. 23-27 for owners who are looking to keep their aircraft maintenance costs in line. THE FAA keeps an iron grip on the supply of approved replacement parts for Type Certificated aircraft. Replacement parts generally must come from the airframe, engine or propeller manufac- turer, or from an approved source that has been issued Parts Manufacturing Approval, commonly referred to as a PMA. There are some other limited excep- tions for what the FAA refers to as “standard” parts, such as nuts, bolts and other hardware manufactured under an industry standard such as AN (Army- Navy) or MS (Military Standard), or parts manufactured by a repair station. There is one major exception to the FAA’s tight grip, and that is the owner produced part. Owner produced parts are commonly used by the airlines, which often have a large fleet of the same or similar types of aircraft. Like the owner of a General Aviation aircraft, an airline often wants to avoid the high cost of commonly used parts from the original equipment manufactur- er (OEM), so it will reverse engineer and produce batches of parts that are then used in its fleet. An example might be landing gear bearings that wear out frequently. The availability of owner produced parts appears to go back for decades, though the origin is unclear. As it is of biggest benefit to airline operators, there is a major constituency to make sure that owner produced parts remain an available solution for all aircraft owners and operators. FAA standards and definitions The FAA sets out the limitations on replacement parts in FAR 21.9. Paragraph (a)(5) provides that one type of approved part is one that is “[p] roduced by an owner or operator for maintaining or altering that owner or operator’s product.” This simple statement leaves lots of ques- tions unanswered. One common question is: must the owner or operator physically produce the part themselves? Most GA aircraft owners may not be equipped or sufficiently skilled to make a part in their basement. Fortunately, the friendly FAA has provided an interpretation. When the FAA renumbered and revised Part 21 in 2009, it specifically made mention in the Federal Register that the interpretation memorandum issued on Aug. 5, 1993 was still operative. The answer to the first common ques- tion as to whether the owner/operator must physically produce the part is clear- ly no. The FAA memorandum states that “An owner would be considered a pro- ducer of a part if the owner participated in controlling the design, manufacture or quality of the part.” The memorandum goes on to provide five nonexclusive indicia that an owner “participated” in the production of the part (italics added): 1. The person provided the manufac- turer with design or performance data from which to manufacture the part. (This may occur, for instance, where a person provided a part to a manufacturer and asked that the part be duplicated.) 2. The person provided the manu- facturer with materials from which to manufacture the part. 3. The person provided the manufac- turer with fabrication processes or assem- bly methods to be used in the manufac- ture of the part. 4. The person provided the manufac- turer with quality control procedures to be used in the manufacture of the part. 5. The person supervised the manufac- turer of the part. Responsibility of owners, responsibility of mechanics So what does this mean to our aircraft owner faced with the unavailability of a critical part, or who is suffering from cardiac arrest at the cost and time delay of obtaining the part from the original equipment manufacturer? It is important to keep in mind that it is the owner or operator’s obligation to produce a part that is airworthy, meaning that the part conforms to type design and is safe to install in the aircraft. The installing mechanic’s responsibil- ity is only to make a reasonable assess- ment that it is an airworthy part and to install it properly. (It will likely help the mechanic feel comfortable if they are Advisory Circular No. 23-27 addresses another FAA author- ized avenue for parts for vintage aircraft. The AC covers most Cessnas and can provide a route for substituting an industry standard part for an OEM part which may no longer be available in a timely manner or for a reasonable price. Flap tracks are a wear item that may be more economi- cal to have made as an owner-produced part as they are reasonably simple. CES SNA F LYE R (32) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Landing gear bushings are usually simple and often not worth having them made—but when you need an oversized one for a repair, or when the extra design feature of two holes and a channel for grease flow make it a $200 part from the OEM, owner produced may be the best option. Tempest® has the only oil filter on the market with an internal magnet to capture ferrous material. Our filters are also the only filters to incorporate a patent-pending PC housing for containment of the by-pass valve. At Tempest, we even rethink and reengineer the basics. Tempest spark plugs feature our proprietary glass center seal (to prevent resistance value instability), an electroless nickel finish and our high alumina ceramic insulator with “Clean Collar” tip. Tempest challenges the norm so we all achieve our goals. Because those with the guts to aim higher get the glory. www.tempestplus.com 800.822.3200 It’s what we’re made of that sets us apart. No Guts. No Glory. CES SNA F LYE R (33) JAN UAR Y 2 017 provided with a copy of the drawing, the specifications, and/or have been part of the process from the beginning.) Ways an owner can participate Two options for owner participation jump out of the memorandum on first blush. First, the owner can provide the part to an appropriate manufacturer (such as a machine shop) and ask them to duplicate it. The other option is if an owner super- vises the production, which might involve working with the mechanic to fabricate the part. Supervision would not likely require an owner to stand there every moment, but to be reasonably available to provide supervision or answer questions. In practice, owner supervision might be a little difficult given the likely dispar- ity of knowledge between the owner and the mechanic. However, if the owner is willing to certify in the logs that he or she supervised the production of the part, it is unlikely to be challenged. FAR 21.9 put into practice So let’s look at some practical applica- tions. Not long ago, I determined that it was time to replace the flap tracks on my twin. I had spoken with another owner who had the same problem, and we agreed to pool our resources to obtain some owner produced parts. I obtained an exemplar track and sent it to a metallurgical lab for analysis to determine the proper material. The lab charged a bit over $200 for the testing and provided a formal report. The other owner produced a drawing of the part. Armed with material and drawing, we had a couple of ship sets made. The cost was about $75 each, and the sets were created in five working days (turna- round can vary depending on how busy the shop is), compared to a cost of over $300 each from the manufacturer and a wait of unknown duration. We clearly met the first example of conditions that qualified me as partici- pating in controlling the design of the part. (See photo, page 32.) Some considerations One of the most useful options for the aircraft owner is the specific acknowl- edgement by the FAA legal memorandum that an owner may provide the part and ask that it be duplicated. There is one complexity here in that many machine shops can duplicate a part, but are not equipped to determine what material it was made from. That might mean that the owner will need to resort to the metallurgical testing lab as we did with the flap tracks. Consideration must also be given to whether the part had any protective coat- ing which should be duplicated. This could mean having the completed part anodized or cadmium plated. All of this may make it uneconomical to use the owner-produced exception if one is simply trying to avoid purchasing an overpriced bushing from the manufacturer. This is an area where an active type club that maintains a database of parts that have been owner produced—and possibly test results, and even CNC programs—can be most helpful. There I could tell a new OEM bushing from the oversized one was to get out a microm- eter. (See photo, page 33.) Success here will require a mechanic comfortable with the oversized bushing being an acceptable minor repair, so it is important to discuss this with your mechanic before embarking on such a repair. It is not unreasonable for the mechanic to ask the owner to make a logbook entry that they provided a part produced under FAR 21.9(a)(5) and provide the information used for its manufacture. Why not use a commercially available part? Any discussion of owner produced parts seems to raise the question about whether an owner can just go and buy the part which is commercially available. One example of this might be a com- mon bearing. For instance, the Timken 13889 wheel bearing is commonly used in Cleveland wheels that are utilized on many different Cessna products. One can likely get the same item from the local auto parts store or a bearing supply company for $25 to $30—but is that legal? As an owner produced part, the inter- pretation seems to suggest that it is not, though to my knowledge that hasn’t been clearly addressed. If the aircraft owner got out the cali- pers and confirmed that the auto parts bearing was the same size, number of rollers, etc., arguably that would qualify as participating in the quality control of the part. This is another gray area. But there is one more option. For a higher performance plane, it is probably worthwhile to obtain a PMA version of the bearing from McFarlane Aviation. The peace of mind might make it worth the additional cost. Substitute parts under AC 23-27 Advisory Circular (AC) 23-27 provides information on using substitute parts for small, unpressurized aircraft Type Certificated before 1980. That includes most standard Cessna airplanes. Note that the operative deadline is not when the aircraft was produced, but when it was certificated—so even a late model Cessna Skyhawk is going to qualify, as it was Type Certificated before 1980. While a bit confusing in its applica- CES SNA F LYE R (34) JAN UAR Y 2 017 appears to be no requirement that participation in the design requires an owner to reinvent the drawing, material specs, etc. Gray areas remain There are some gray areas still, even with the FAA’s memorandum. Take, for instance, a retractable gear single with a loose bushing where the nosegear pivots. The boss in the mount is worn slightly oversized so that bushing is no longer a press fit. To use a new OEM bushing would require removing the engine, removing the mount and sending the mount out for repair. The cost could easily exceed $5,000. A repair involving an oversized bush- ing might be a cost effective solution, provided your mechanic is comfortable making that repair. As the owner, you send the bushing to the lab and sketch out a drawing with the dimensions that have the bushing .001 inch wider than the factory. With the material specification in hand and the dimensions, you may then have a machine shop fabricate one. I have done this with great success and the only way When the FAA renumbered and revised Part 21 in 2009, it specifically made mention in the Federal Register that the interpretation memorandum issued on Aug. 5, 1993 was still operative. This memorandum provides five nonexclusive indicia that an owner “participated” in the production of the part. Like the owner of a General Aviation aircraft, an airline often wants to avoid the high cost of commonly used parts, so it will reverse engineer and produce batches of parts that are then used in its fleet. With Tempest® PowerFlite® Series engine starters and alternators you get the ultimate combination of starting power, energy efficiency and performance reliability. Our direct-mount starters (in 12V and 24V configurations) reduce current draw by 20% over other brands and their aerospace- quality brushes assure longer life. The proven ball bearing design generates less internal friction/heat, plus the newly designed, field-wound electric motor features optimized magnetics. Our alternator is FAA/PMA approved and a direct replacement for late-model Cessna aircraft (no modification required). Representing a collaborative effort between Tempest and Aerospace Components, our PowerFlite Series proves we’re all BETTER TOGETHER. www.tempestplus.com 800.822.3200 Better Together. Code of Federal Regulations Title 14: Aeronautics and Space PART 21—CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR PRODUCTS AND ARTICLES §21.9 Replacement and modification articles. (a) If a person knows, or should know, that a replacement or modification article is reasonably likely to be installed on a type-certificated product, the person may not produce that article unless it is— (1) Produced under a type certificate; (2) Produced under an FAA production approval; (3) A standard part (such as a nut or bolt) manufactured in compliance with a government or established industry specification; (4) A commercial part as defined in §21.1 of this part; (5) Produced by an owner or operator for maintaining or altering that owner or operator’s product; or (6) Fabricated by an appropriately rated certificate holder with a quality system, and consumed in the repair or alteration of a product or article in accordance with part 43 of this chapter. (b) Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(2) of this section, a person who produces a replacement or modification article for sale may not represent that part as suitable for installation on a type-certificated product. (c) Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(2) of this section, a person may not sell or represent an article as suitable for installation on an aircraft type-certificated under §§21.25(a)(2) or 21.27 unless that article— (1) Was declared surplus by the U.S. Armed Forces, and (2) Was intended for use on that aircraft model by the U.S. Armed Forces. [Doc. No. FAA-2006-25877, Amdt. 21-92, 74 FR 53385, Oct. 16, 2009; Amdt. 21-92A, 75 FR 9095, Mar. 1, 2010] Source: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=14%3A1.0.1.3.9#se14.1.21_19 preciseflight.com/rescueruck63354 Powell Butte Road Bend, OR 97701 1-800-547-2558 Highest Quality, Most Complete and Lightest Weight Rescue Ruck Available to Pilots Meets requirements for Alaskan State law AS 02.25.110 (Emergency Rations and Equipment). Meets Canadian Aviation Regulation 602.61 (Survivor Equipment, Flights Over Land). Meets USFS Solicitation number AG-024B-S-11-9006 (Section C, Exhibit 1, 2, and 3) * * * Our rescue ruck pro model offers food, water, shelter, weather protection, medical, cooking utensils, matches, communication devices, tools and more. Provides everything necessary to keep 2 people safe for up to 7 days, and weighs only 22.5 lbs. ® ® The Perfect Gift For Every Pilot! Expires February 28, 2017 ® PRO MODEL New Year Special CES SNA F LYE R (36) JAN UAR Y 2 017 840 W. Brockton Ave. • Redlands, CA 92374 909-793-3131 www.gillbatteries.com 800-456-0070 • TSO C173a Authorized, DO-160a Tested • 18 Month/1800 Hour Capacity Check Inspection • Best Discharge and Recharge Efficiency in Lead-Acid Chemistry • Industry-Leading 2 Year Warranty • Sealed, VRLA, Non-Spillable • Improved Power Density • Best Shelf Life in Lead-Acid Chemistry 7035-28 7025-20 7243-14 bility, this AC appears to provide an approval for parts substitution if such would be considered a minor repair or minor alteration and to provide the basis for a field approval if a major repair or major alteration is required. Directly applicable to our example is the provision that states that “You may substitute parts where a direct substitute for a part/material can be found under manufacturer part number, military speci- fication, or other recognized standard, such as the SAE.” For most aircraft owners, AC 23-27 can provide a route for substituting an industry standard part for an OEM part which may no longer be available in a timely manner or for a reasonable price. Mil-Spec switches, SAE alternator belts, batteries, etc. can often be used under the guidance of this Advisory Circular with- out resorting to an owner produced part. For those of us who cannot afford a new or nearly new aircraft and who don’t have the luxury of just dropping off our plane at the local OEM service center with the keys and the Visa card, FAR 21.9 and AC 23-27 can be helpful in keeping aircraft mainte- nance cost effective, while still meeting the regulatory requirements. 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 uses her aircraft in furtherance of her aviation legal and consulting practice. Send questions or comments to editor@ cessnaflyer.org. Resources Further reading FAA Memorandum, Aug. 5, 1993 “Definition of ‘Owner Produced Part,’ FAR 21.303(b)(2)” Advisory Circular No. 23-27, May 18, 2009 “Parts and Materials Substitution for Vintage Aircraft” Both documents are available at CessnaFlyer.org/Forums under “Magazine Extras” PMA wheel bearings McFarlane Aviation Products – CFA supporter mcfarlane-aviation.com CES SNA F LYE R (38) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Flight test: Cessna Citation Mustang Designed to compete with other VLJs Story and photos by Keith Wilson PART ONE It may be hard to believe but the very first Cessna Citation—then named the Fan Jet 500—made its first flight way back on Sept. 15, 1969, more than 47 years ago. The aircraft had originally been designed with a pair of turboprop engines but these had been discarded when a new Cessna CEO saw the fuse- lage of the aircraft lying around and sug- gested that it have two jet engines added. It was a major financial gamble for Cessna when they launched the Citation project in 1968, with the first delivery being made in 1971. And the rest of the Citation story, as they say, is history. History and aim of Mustang design The Cessna Citation Mustang (Model 510), was a Very Light Jet (VLJ) designed to compete with the then new breed of VLJs from Piper, Embraer and Eclipse Aviation. The Mustang, in standard configura- tion, has four passenger seats in the aft cabin, a toilet and seating for two in the cockpit. Like most other light jets, the Mustang is approved for single-pilot operation, although in the United States a Type Rating is required. The Model 510 Mustang first flew on April 18, 2005 and the aircraft was awarded its full Type Certificate from the FAA on Sept. 8, 2006. Cessna then received FAA certification to fly into known icing conditions on Nov. 9, 2006. Cessna delivered the first produc- tion Mustang just 14 days later. The Mustang is a low-wing can- tilever monoplane with a swept wing, T-tail and tricycle retractable land- ing gear. One main door is located in the forward left section of the aircraft, with an additional emergency exit on the center right section of the fuselage. The air- frame is primarily of aluminium alloy con- struction, with a three-spar wing. Power is provided by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F turbofan engines, mounted in pods on the aft fuselage. Mustang N733CF N733CF is a 2015 model Cessna 510 Citation Mustang, built with construction number 510-0458 and delivered to owner Carl Ferland toward the end of 2015. The aircraft is managed by Elite Aircraft Services of Raleigh, N.C.; it’s one of almost 40 aircraft currently in their managed aircraft portfolio. I arrange to meet Matt Walsh, CEO of Elite Aircraft Services, at Sanford-Lee County Airport (KTTA). KTTA, also known as Raleigh Executive Jetport, is a large, uncontrolled GA airport with excellent facilities located around 30 miles southwest from the international airport at Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Sanford is home to Elite Aircraft Service’s maintenance and operations facilities. I am fortunate to be a regular visitor to Elite’s excellent facilities at Sanford so, with pleasantries quickly out of the way, Walsh and I are soon walking toward the aircraft parked on the ramp. Walkaround The Citation Mustang preflight check is similar to many of the small bizjets out there, although it does have a num- ber of important differences from your Cessna 172. Under Walsh’s experienced eye, I walk around while systematically removing all of the various red covers located around the aircraft. These include the front and rear engine covers on both sides, all three of the static wicks on each wing, the AOA indicator cover, along with both left and right pitot static sensor covers. Once removed, all the “bras and panties” are safely stowed in the big red bag provided and stored inside the rear baggage area. While at the rear baggage compart- ment, I connect the battery and ensure the large screw-in connection is tight. The battery is always disconnected after the last flight of the day to prevent any battery drainage, especially if a battery start is required before the next flight. While here, I lean across the baggage bay and check that all circuit breakers are in. If there is a problem with any of them, “do not attempt to push the circuit breaker back in; instead, have the prob- lem checked by the engineers,” is Walsh’s comment to me. Today, they are all where they should be. I close the cover. The preflight walkaround proper starts at the left engine, where I open the oil inspection flap and check the oil quantity using the simple-to-read red/green, min/ max gauge. I also take the opportunity to ensure the oil filler cap is secure. Looking to the right of the engine, I check the oil bypass indicator has not been tripped. (If it has, I am once again instructed to call the engineer.) I also look inside the back of the engine and check the fan blades for condition and any signs of debris before carefully secur- ing the inspection panels. I duck under and around the tail, and then move the rudder lock to the “unlock” position. Cessna has designed an interest- ing fail-safe if you should forget to do this. As my time aboard the Mustang increases, I come to realize that using the G1000 system is most intuitive. CES SNA F LYE R (40) JAN UAR Y 2 017 When you are safely secured in the cockpit and then realize—when you first try the pedals—that you have not moved it to “unlock,” merely pull fully back on the yoke and you’ll release the lock; and, of course, spare your blushes. I move onto the right engine where all of the checks carried out on the left side are duly repeated. In addition to those, I check that the air conditioning unit intake is clear. Then I move onto the rear of the wings to check the flaps and kneel down to inspect the undercarriage leg, the tire, hoses and brakes. At this point, you real- ize just how low the Mustang wing is to the ground. Then I move along the back of the wing; checking the flaps, ailerons and three static wicks. Interestingly, you are permitted to fly with just two of them in place. Then around the wingtip, past the funky new digital strobe light and lens, and along the leading edge; checking the de-icing boots on the way. I also undo and check the fuel contents cap before refitting and ensuring it is secure. I con- tinue toward the fuselage, checking the stall strips—it is essential that all eight are in place. Next, I move along the forward fuse- lage, checking the AOA and starboard pitot tube, before opening the front baggage bay. While here, I check the contents of both the oxygen and nitro- gen bottles are at safe levels, before securing the baggage bay with all three latches and the key. Then on to the nose radome, ensur- ing all the static strips are secure before opening the baggage bay on the port side. In here, I check the level and pres- sure of the hydraulic fluid before secur- ing the door. I crouch down to check the nosewheel and gear doors before getting back up and examining the port-side pitot tube and cockpit glass. Now, I move back toward the port wing and repeat all of the checks from the starboard side, before finishing up at the starboard engine. You may recall that I had to recon- nect the battery in the rear baggage bay before starting the preflight walkaround. The clever people at Cessna have ensured that when you connect the battery, both front baggage bay doors must be closed and locked before the software will allow the engine start procedure. A nice safe- ty feature, especially when you consider the implications of a front baggage bay door coming open in flight and enter- ing the intake. Cabin I climb up the neat folding three steps before entering the aircraft fuselage through the main door; the passengers turn right and occupy one of the four luxurious tan, leather seats. Each pair has a foldaway table between them that can be employed once off the ground. The windows are conveniently located and large enough to provide an excel- lent view of the world outside. Later in the week, I was invited to take a trip from Sanford, N.C. to Gatlinburg, Tenn. (home to Dollywood, and the famous country singer Dolly Parton) and can personally testify to the low noise and excellent comfort levels in the cabin. The cabin also features a small emergency lavatory, along with neat storage space for refreshments. Today, I am flying up front and I gain entry onto the flight deck by shuffling between the somewhat-limited space situated between the two front seats. However, once I am installed with my seat correctly adjusted, the position is As the LARGEST Single-Engine Cessna Used Parts Dealer IN THE WORLD, we’ll help you find everything you need ...with only ONE call! AIRFRAME Wings, Cowlings, Interiors, Control Surfaces, Landing Gear, Tail Surfaces, Engine and Flight Instruments AVIONICS King, Narco, ARC, Collins, Nav/Com, Transponder, AME, DME, Autopilot Trays and complete harness included! All units 100% satisfaction guaranteed Wentworth Aircraft Inc. • 6000 Douglas Drive N. • Crystal, MN 55429 CESSNA | PIPER | HOMEBUILTS WENTWORTH AIRCRAFT, INC. Huge Volume | Fresh Stock | 80,000 Sq. Ft. of Indoor Storage | 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee RFQs Online, Fax or Phone Hard-to-find parts aren’t hard to find here! Phone 763-231-8484 Fax 763-231-8482 Email wentacpart@aol.com ENGINES LYCOMING O-235 to IO-540 CONTINENTAL O-200 to IO-520 Complete engines with accessories and complete logs! Also Cylinders, Mags, Accessories CES SNA F LYE R (42) JAN UAR Y 2 017 most comfortable. The view over the panel is good, as is the view out of the left or right-hand windows. All instru- ments are easily seen from either seat and the controls fall comfortably to hand. The panel is dominated by the three large 15-inch screens—two PFDs and an MFD—all powered by Garmin G1000 software. Clearly, the instrumentation is exactly what you would expect from an aircraft of this capability and age. The G1000 installation also includes a keypad located beneath the throttles which makes data entry a much easier process than some competing systems using tiny turn and press knobs. As my time aboard the Mustang increases, I come to realize that using the G1000 sys- tem is most intuitive. Located at the top of the panel in the center is the GFC700 autopilot control panel. Just below this is the small assort- ment of standby instruments containing smaller, conventional (steam-driven) ASI, HSI and altimeter. Below these, and dominating the center of the panel, is the large PFD screen which is currently displaying navigational info in the main area of the screen with two columns of engine and performance indicators in a clear, digital presentation to the left. All very nice. To the left and right of this main screen, with one located in front of each of pilots, is a slightly smaller MFD, com- plete with synthetic vision. This is effec- tively a large HSI which also displays the altimeter and ASI, along with the TCAS display in the bottom left-hand corner. Each yoke features a PTT to the left and an autopilot disconnect to the right, along with a pair of trim controls. Both of these trim controls need actuating to adjust the elevator trim; which can also be manually actuated from the center console on a big wheel. The aileron and rudder trim switches are located just below the keyboard. In the center console are twin throttle levers with a number of preset detents for cutoff, idle, cruise, climb, takeoff; along with “GA” (for “go around”). Everything in between can be used, but as I found out during my flights, the pre- sets work just fine and help to reduce the pilot workload. The electric actuators for the speed brakes are on the left-hand side of the left throttle, and the right-hand side of the right throttle allowing them to be actuated from either seat. To the right of the center console is the three-position flap actuator with detents for up, takeoff and landing positions. Just behind the center console are two cup holders where we place our bottles of cold water for the flight. At this point, Walsh quips, “Yes, the jet is completely free, although the cup holders are $1 million each!” Circuit breaker panels are located to the left of the left seat, and to the right of the right seat. Engine start With the door closed and locked, and having been metaphorically walked around the cockpit by Matt Walsh, it was at last time to fly, with me occupying the right seat. It is at this point that the effec- tiveness and simplicity of the automation fitted to the Citation Mustang comes to the forefront. With the master switch on, I first check for CAS (Crew Alert System) messages; thankfully, there are none. While a ground power unit (GPU) is not essential to start the Mustang, it is highly recommended. We are parked on a hot and humid ramp in North Carolina so, thanks to the connection to the GPU, we are sitting in air-conditioned comfort. In addition, today’s routing can be load- ed into the GPS, and clearances obtained, all before engine start so we are not wasting precious fuel on the ramp. Our flight today is going to be a gen- eral handling trip in the local area, so no flight plan or clearance is required; con- sequently, we can get on with starting. First things first: turn off all nonessential electrical items such as the environmental controls—air conditioning and fans. The Engine Start panel has three options: left, disengage and right. I press “L” and move the throttle out of the “shutoff” detent and into “idle,” then monitor the N1 and ITT gauges to ensure they remain within limit. I wait as the FADEC System does the rest. Once the left engine is safely run- ning at idle, I press “R,” move the throt- tle forward to “idle” and then wait as the FADEC repeats the process. (Yes, starting the engines really is that simple.) I complete the pre-takeoff checks from the checklist and note the crucial speeds for takeoff: VR is 91 knots, V1 is also 91 knots, while VY is 170 knots. These speeds appear on the MFD in the left seat. Taxi The Mustang has nosewheel steering, toe brakes, as well as asymmetric abilities with the engines. Consequently, steer- ing is a matter of choice. The nosewheel steering permits a left turn of 135 degrees but only 128 degrees to the right. (To be honest, I won’t even notice.) Walsh releases the parking brake next to his right knee before I gently add some power to both engines and then retard them once we are moving. Idle power is normally sufficient for steering using the nosewheel, although I am conscious of the toe brakes, if they are required. Progress to the holding point is brisk and once here, I go through the pre-take- off checks displayed on the MFD screen. Once complete, I check the controls for full and free movement, move the flaps to the “Takeoff” position (around 15 degrees) and then taxi onto the runway. We’ll continue next month with part two of this story, wherein Wilson discusses flying, landing, aircraft performance and his final impressions about the Citation Mustang. —Ed. Keith Wilson has been an aerospace journalist since 1982. He specializes in striking air-to-air images and is the lead photographer for Pilot magazine, published in the United Kingdom. Over the years he has undertaken a variety of military assignments and also serves as an aviation consultant. To date, he has photographed almost 2,000 different air- craft air-to-air. Wilson has held a PPL for 35 years and is an LAA-approved pilot who has made a number of “first flights” on homebuilt aircraft. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Cessna Citation Mustang Technical Specifications WEIGHT AND DIMENSIONS: Length: 40 feet, 7 inches Wingspan: 43 feet, 2 inches Height: 13 feet, 5 inches Empty weight: 5,560 pounds Loaded weight: 8,730 pounds Useful load: 3,170 pounds Maximum takeoff weight: 8,645 pounds Powerplant: (2) Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F turbofans; 1,460 pounds thrust each Avionics: Garmin G1000 Crew: one or two pilots Capacity: four to five passengers PERFORMANCE: Maximum speed: Mach 0.63 (483 mph) Cruise speed: 340 knots TAS (390 mph) Stall speed (at gross weight): 88 knots (101 mph) clean Range (at max takeoff weight): 1,167 nm Service ceiling: 41,000 feet Rate of climb: 3,010 fpm Takeoff distance: 3,110 feet Landing distance: 2,380 feet CES SNA F LYE R (44) JAN UAR Y 2 017 AIRMARK OVERHAUL, INC. “When Quality Counts” 6001 N.W. 29th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 Tel: 954-970-3200 Fax: 954-970-3400 Toll Free: 1-800-282-3202 www.airmarkoverhaul.com Email: airmarkoh@aol.com Approved Overhaul, Repair and Exchange Facility for: • ENGINES – Continental and Lycoming Engines • ACCESSORIES – Magnetos, Starters, Alternators, Turbos, Controllers, Wastegates, Relief Valves and Fuel Components • CYLINDERS – Continental and Lycoming Cylinders • HYDRAULICS – Britten Norman Islander Landing Gears • PARTS – Thousands of New and Serviceable Parts in Stock FAA Approved Repair Station JL4R288M • EASA 145.4115 500 Hour Magneto InspectIon & certIfIcatIon servIce wItH easa approval Starting at $390 grassy airstrips visited only by the tail- dragger crowd. Fortunately, New Jersey really is the Garden State, just like it says on the license plates. Once you get a few miles from the I-95 corridor there are abun- dant, small and friendly airports west of NYC and north of, let’s say, Princeton. Even Charles Lindbergh built an airfield on his New Jersey estate. Many of these small airports are set amid rolling farm- land and some of the most idyllic scenery in the country. After visiting a number of these air- ports, I found the hangar facilities fell into three categories. 1. Common hangars One airport offered only a single common hangar that housed about 20 airplanes and helicopters, from Cessna 172s to a Learjet. With so many differ- ent types and sizes, a pilot really needs to rely on the airport staff to pull out “It’s impossible to find a hangar anywhere,” was the refrain every pilot around me sang, but within a month my new plane had a roof over its wings. Was it just luck? No matter how I acquired my hangar, it seems they are in short sup- ply around here. “Here” being northern New Jersey, a modest drive west of New York City, but pilots from around the country seem to sing the same song. There are many airports around here, from Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR), which would be a pre- posterous base for an aircraft unless you own a Fortune 500 company and your aircraft is a multimillion-dollar jet, to his plane, which might not be possible outside of working hours. Or your plane could be waiting for you on the tarmac if you call ahead—and fueled up, too. Most of my friends shuddered at the prospect of serious hangar rash with so many aircraft being moved around. Also, there may be little security. I’d never leave my headsets or portable GPS in that sort of hangar. I doubt if an owner could do much maintenance either, maybe just a simple oil change. You might be allowed to keep a small tool box along a wall, but the airport management would certainly not be responsible for any loss of that either. Common hangars usually have some space available and are often the cheap- est roof over your plane. 2. Shared hangars Another airport had a couple hangars to share, big enough for three or four air- HUNTING F Experiences searching for a hangar By Dennis K. Johnson CES SNA F LYE R (46) JAN UAR Y 2 017 planes, but with no space available. This situation is better than a giant common hangar, as a tenant would get to know the other aircraft and how to move them if needed. There’s still a risk of hangar rash, not just from moving aircraft. I can see even the most careful pilot twanging a wing with a broom handle while cleaning up. Shared hangars are more expensive than a common hangar, but are more secure, with only the aircraft owners having access. It could be a social envi- ronment, too, which is good if the other pilots are responsible and fun people—or a nightmare if your hangar partners are a bunch of slobs. 3. Private hangar This is the way to go if you can afford it, and these are the ones impossible to find. Of course, the owner(s) of a single aircraft have to pay all the rent, but at least they can control the use of their hangar. Private hangars have many advantages: • Security—Keys to the hangar and access to the plane are limited. You can lock up your headsets, flying and mainte- nance gear, including tools. • Storage—Although the FAA is crack- ing down on non-aviation uses of hang- ars, especially at airports that receive federal funds, there’s room to store some stuff. An FAA investigation found hangars that held cars and boats, with nothing related to aviation, and they believe this takes space from people who actually want to house a flyable aircraft. Items stored in a private hangar should have some association to aviation, such as tools, aircraft skis or floats, covers, oil and other aircraft maintenance items. • Workplace—For homebuilders, a hangar may be primarily a construction site. The FAA is not completely on board with the idea of a hangar being used to build a plane, when so many people need space to store flyable aircraft. Using a hangar (sometimes for years) for a plane that doesn’t need the access to runways is a real issue. • Maintenance—I’ve seen workshops of varying complexity in hangars, from a small box of tools to a full machine shop. Having a private hangar allows owners to pull apart their plane and leave the parts spread across the floor, whether for an oil change or an annual inspection. • Social—Hangars can be a simple slab of concrete surrounded by tin to protect your airplane from the worst of nature’s elements, or it can be the ultimate rec- reational space. All pilots know that the coolness of an individual’s personal space is increased exponentially when an aircraft is parked within. (“You’ve got a pool table in your man cave? Bah! I have a P-51.”) Hangars are places where pilots can gather to relax, drink and talk flying. Other cost factors Besides the cost differential of common OR A HOME Photo: CFA The only advantage of a tiedown over a hangar is cost—as little as $50 per month—but you get what you pay for. Usually, that’s just a square of grass (if you’re lucky) or mud, and perhaps a con- crete anchor to tie down your plane. Place some metal grid or industrial rubber matting on your tiedown spot if you don’t want to wear a muddy hole in the ground where you climb in. Most pilots buy a locker to hold a small lad- der, cleaning supplies and oil, and place it alongside their plot. (You’ll want the locker to store your covers while you’re out flying, too.) If you tie down, be prepared to shovel snow or be grounded. Most airports can’t remove snow from grassy tiedown areas, and when the snow melts you still may not be able to taxi over the soft ground. A heavy rainstorm might also keep you mired in mud. For more cash you could get a tie- down on tarmac, which is better than a muddy spot and will usually be plowed after snowstorms. You’ll still have to deal with rain-soaked aircraft covers, bird droppings, frosty wings and muddy feet in your cockpit. You’ll also worry when there’s a forecast for hail in the area, “Unfortunately, there aren’t.” Then, an instructor would say, “Yup, he told me yesterday there was space available,” but when asked again, “Sorry, we’ve got no space.” Is it the pilot or the plane? I kept hear- ing, “We’d love to have your airplane here.” Is he more interested in the air- plane than the pilot? Do the managers want only the coolest aircraft at their field? I suppose anything’s possible. No doubt, if a pilot’s reputation as a troublemaker precedes him, I’d want the manager to claim there’s no room, too. I hope I’m not that guy. No room at the inn When all options fail, you may have to tie down your aircraft outside. If your airplane is worth any amount greater than the average car, it really deserves protection. But, without a roof over your plane you should invest in a full set of wing and fuselage covers, engine plugs and pitot tube covers. Reflective shields will protect the interior from the summer sun, helping to slow the inevitable cracking of plastic and vinyl, and perhaps extending the life of your avionics, too. versus private hangars, I found prices were driven by a few other factors. 1. Location—With proximity to a large city, or a suburban town where big-city big shots live, the greater the price of hangars. No surprise there, especially if half the airport is used by business jets. 2. Amenities and upkeep—Hangars are as scarce as hen’s teeth at those beautiful, almost park-like airports, with neatly cut grass, a restaurant and a thriving community of pilots. Other airports only offer ancient, drafty, tin hangars with rusty doors, potholed runways and muddy taxiways. You get what you pay for. 3. Subsidies—One of the airports I considered was a state property, and the rental rates were the lowest around; your tax dollars at work. But, of course, they had no space available. “Are you one of us?” Does social politics play a role in who gets a hangar? Do taildragger air- port managers scoff at nosewheelers? I wondered, as pilots at a particular airport would say, “Yeah, the manager told me there were spaces available,” but when speaking to that manager, Without a roof over your plane you should invest in a full set of wing and fuselage covers, engine plugs and pitot tube covers. Reflective shields will protect the interior from the summer sun, helping to slow the inevitable cracking of plastic and vinyl. CES SNA F LYE R (48) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Photo: CFA and need to be wary of birds and bugs building nests in any available nook of your plane. As in a common hangar, tied-down aircraft are not very secure. Any theft from a plane that I’ve heard of, usually a headset or GPS, was from a tied- down plane. Tied-down aircraft cost a little more for insurance, too. Avemco, for exam- ple, gives a 10 percent discount on the hull coverage premium if you hangar your aircraft. That’s due to the number of claims from on-the-ground weather incidents, such as hail damage. All in all, hangars are better. Beggars can’t be choosers If you have few options, you’ll have to take the best you can get, as-is. I’m very happy with the airport I found, and feel lucky to have found a hangar there. It’s a beautiful spot, with a friendly group of pilots, a wide variety of aircraft, an EAA chapter and a pretty good restaurant. I think my good fortune was just the luck of timing. It was autumn when I needed my space, so I think some pilots had sold airplanes and moved out during the summer. However, there are a few items that my hangar lacks, which could be worth keeping in mind during your hangar search. 1. No running water, not even a hose faucet anywhere along the row of hang- ars. I can’t hose out the hangar or wash my plane, or even fill a bucket to do some cleaning. 2. My hangar has only one electrical outlet. I need to run a 40-foot extension cord to get power anywhere else in the space. A few more outlets would have been convenient. 3. The hangar has a small lip from the concrete floor to the tarmac. This seems really minor, but it can be a struggle to push my plane over that by myself. I did install a couple metal ramps, but it’s still a pain. 4. If I had my choice, I would have picked a south-facing hangar. Mine is in the shade all winter, and significantly colder than the ones across the taxiway. On a chilly but sunny winter day, those hangars get almost toasty. Finding a hangar for your airplane can be more difficult, with fewer choices, than finding a home for yourself. And there are no realtors to help. If you’re thinking of buying an aircraft, start early to explore the airports in the area where you’d like to fly. Talk to pilots hanging around the airports, look over the facilities and let people know you’re in the market. A guy who knows a guy who’s thinking of moving out of his hangar could put you in the right place at the right time to find the right home for your plane. Dennis K. Johnson is a writer and a New York City-based travel photographer, shooting primarily for Getty Images and select clients. He spends months each year traveling, flies sailplanes when- ever possible and is the owner a newly restored two-seat aircraft. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Finding a hangar for your air- plane can be more difficult, with fewer choices, than find- ing a home for yourself. And there are no realtors to help. CES SNA F LYE R (50) JAN UAR Y 2 017 Sanibel Island, Fla.: Sand, shells and surprises Florida is filled with fun, bright, beachy places—but there is nowhere quite like Sanibel Island on the state’s Gulf Coast. By Heather Skumatz Photos courtesy The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel FortMyersSanibel.com anibel Island might be small, but it packs a lot into its 17 square miles. With 15 miles of beaches teeming with seashells, a rich history involving pirates, and lanais on every dwelling, it’s as “Florida” as Florida gets. Thousands of years ago, Sanibel Island was a single island with neighboring Captiva. It was settled by the Calusa, Native Americans whose territory includ- ed the southwest coast of Florida. The city of Sanibel was established in 1974, a full 10 years after the Sanibel Causeway linked the island to the main- land. Before 1963, travel to Sanibel and Captiva was typically by ferry; most of the commerce on Sanibel is on the east- ern side of the island. Despite the amazing amount of devel- opment, there are no airstrips on Sanibel or Captiva Islands. There are two private fields on nearby Pine Island; in addition, Southwest Florida International (KRSW) in Fort Myers offers all major services, but only 10 percent of the flights are transient GA. So how is a pilot going to get here? I asked someone in the know. Southwestern Florida’s GA scene The “real GA airport in the area,” according to Floridian David Hipschman —who some readers will recall used to write regularly for th