Maintenance photos

[Pearson]

Re: Maintenance photos

Mark,

I have used an impact driver for removing broken studs. I have a die grinder with a 3" cutoff wheel that is perfect for cutting a screw slot in the end. Then, using the screwdriver bit that came with the impact driver, I give it a good whack with a ball peen and it is a done deal. Of course, I always presoak with penetrant.

[Len Petterson]

Re: Maintenance photos

I would remove the cylinder to work on it safely.
Welding the washer and nut is good idea but requiers GOOD welding skills. I would use a tig for it. Automitive brake fluid and time does wounder on rust but I have not used it on aluninium corrosion. Yes cooling and when heating at a spesific point destorts the round ness of the part and helps loosen the part I used the method many times on NON aviation parts.
Do you know it such a thing as a left hand turing drills. Exelent for removal of studs but be 100% shure you are in the center of the stud or the treads are gone. NOT FOR WORKING WITH HAND HELD TOOL, GOOD IN A MACHINE SHOP. With some luck the drilling will remove the stud by relising the pressure and the drill unscrewing it, but not likely if heavely corroded.
Good luck.
Len

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Maintenance photos

You would be AMAZED at what some Spam Can drivers don't know about their planes. When I was a Program/Project managed in NASA's General Aviation Program one of my Work Package leads and I started a side business doing Aircraft Appraisals. We did a Piper Cherokee (which was a pretty good plane) but the potential buyer was a pilot who had NO idea what he was looking at. He had researched the performance, operation, value and equipage (knew every piece of equipment in the panel) but didn't know where the battery was. He needed a lesson on how to do a pre-flight on it since he had never done anything but a Cessna.

There are a LOT of "pilots" out there who don't do (or care about) anything but flying. They will buy a junk heap if there are lots of instruments and a pretty paint job. Luckily, most of them are also smart enough to realize they need GOOD mechanics to keep their planes safe.

Hank

[mohawktipi]

Re: Maintenance photos

Part of the problem rests with the "mechanics" that do aircraft maintenance and inspection. I had an annual done on my L-2. I bought it from a trusted friend with a fresh annual. so I wasn't concerned about airworthyness. This is the first airplane I have owned and this was my first annual.

The AI walked into the hanger, asked if there were any pending ADs. I said no. He walked around the airplane looked in all the inspection openings, did a compression check, scanned the log books and signed off on the annual. When I asked "is that it?" he replied "All done."

The next time I needed an annual I used a different AI. He tested the fabric, took the serial numbers off the engine, airframe, magnetos, carborator and propellor. Looked up each to see if there were any ADs or technical bulletins. Did a compression check, took an oil sample and checked the tire pressure. He checked the bungees and brakes. He looked in all the inpection holes and felt around in each to see if there were any loose cables. He had me take the airplane out on the ramp and do a run up while he observed. After reviewing the log books, he took the time to go over all the things he had seen. He pointed out two small items that needed to be fixed that were not part of the annual.

There was $25.00 difference in the cost of the two annuals but the second was much more thorough. I suspect the first AI used the same diligence in maintenance and repair as he did in the inspection. This suggests lots of border line airplanes tooling around the patch.

[T-Rex]

Re: Maintenance photos

The problem here lies with both the previous mechanics and the owner himself. A LOT of people out there think an annual inspection should cost no more than a few hundred bucks and take no more than a day. And to do anything beyond the basic maintince items is robbery. And why? Because it has been that way for as long as they have known and it hasn't killed them yet. The mechanic who does annuals by pulling up to the plane in his car and asking the owner if everything is ok and then signing the thing off is doing such a disservice to all of aviation it makes me sick to my stomach. If mechanics would inspect aircraft and especially our 60 year old ones properly we would all be able to avoid VERRY costly AD's. I am convinced we would not have our two strut and attach fitting AD's if the t-craft that folded up would have been getting thorough inspections. The planes I work on operate in one of the most abusive environments, floats and skis, and we inspect them accordingly. But there are always those owners who think the annual should be a one day 300 dollar deal. On our well maintained airplanes that we know we can do that but when the the plane has been pencil whipped for many years it just doesn't work that way. Unless this guy actually appreciates what Mark is doing for him he will go back to his pencil whipped annuals for another 10 years and always talk about that mechanic who corn-holed him for a $2000.00 annual. Just my thoughts

[ClipWing_T]

Re: Maintenance photos

To me the blame should be on the AI who signed the deathtrap off . He is
a criminal and needs to lose his license and be held responsible . Yes , There
are many "pilots" who don't know anything about maintenence of an airplane.
But the airplane they fly in is SUPPOSED to be checked out by a competent
mechanic too. We have a whole generation of people who can't even change
a spark plug in a lawnmower let alone do work on their aircraft. One more
reason that the AI's should properly do there jobs too. There have been pencil
whipped annuals since the beginning . Is there a responsiblity to the pilots ?
Of course......but they greater burden lies on the mechanics they trust with
their lives. Get that 140 in shape properly and hand the guy a bill and if he
can't afford it then step away and let one of the sleazy pos AI's sign it off.