CESSNAOWNERMAGAZINE Official Publication of the Cessna Owner Organization Since 1975 October 2022 www.cessnaowner.org www.facebook.com/ CessnaOwnerOrganization Est. 1975 $9.95 US Restored Taildragger Engine Teardown? 180 DIY Skywagon BORESCOPING PROP DAMAGESTRIKE
ALL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD F.O.B., AURORA, COLORADO • PRICE AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE • 07-25-22 FREE SHIPPING on orders over $300. FREE FREIGHT on orders over $3,000. Restrictions apply – see our website for details. Toll Free Sales: 1-888-433-5433 Shop Online: www.univair.com 2500 Himalaya Road • Aurora, Colorado • 80011-8156 Info Phone ....................................................... 303-375-8882 Fax 800-457-7811 or 303-375-8888 Email ........................................................... info@univair.comAIRCRAFT CORPORATION Screw ................................. U0712500-11......... $374.93 Barrel U0712500-13 $143.22 Stabilizer Adjusting Cam ......... U0712502........... $46.29 Stabilizer Trim Screw Parts FAA-PMA Univair Has both FAA-PMA and OEM Parts Dome U0450027-12 $453.42 Front Plate (OEM) ............ 0450039-1-791......... $576.15 Rear Plate U0450040-1 $544.90 • For Cessna 150F, G, H, J, K, A150K 150 Spinner FAA-PMA Dome U0550236-8 $567.37 Front Plate U0550321-4 $423.17 Back Plate U0550321-010 $505.58 172 Spinners FAA-PMA • For 172G, H, I, K, L, M, N, P, Q Dome ................................. U0550228-28......... $754.77 Front Plate U0550228-3 $621.37 Back Plate .......................... U0550228-26......... $442.09 • For 172A, B, C, D, E, F • All aluminum dome approved to replace original “plastic” dome Adjusting Screw Boot ......................................... U0712500-18 .......... $72.97 • For Cessna 180–180K, 182–182D, 185–185E Adjusting Screw Boot FAA-PMA Does Your Cessna Need Parts? Small Skull Cap Spinner Skull Cap Assembly SM-SPIN-ASY $89.33 Bracket .................................... U0450281........... $22.85 Spinner Dome Only U0450279 $76.50 • Spinner assembly may not fit all taper shaft installations FAA-PMA This replacement valve will mount in the same position as the original OEM valve. It uses the same tank selector plate and the same mounting hardware as the original. Sold as a kit. NOTE: Valve positions are LEFT/RIGHT/OFF. There is no position for both tanks. U0411716-500 ............................... $537.53 • Applicability: Cessna 120-140 with Continental C-85-12, C-85-12F, C-90-12F, C-90-14F and Lycoming O-235-C1 engines Fuel Valve Kit FAA-PMA Engine Mount Bushings U22387A $6.18 • Rubber • Used on all A and C series Continental engines • 8 required per installation • Priced and sold individually Continental Engine Mount Bushings FAA-PMA For Cessna 120-140 .................................................. U0451000 ..... $1,427.72 For Cessna 140A U0451111 $1,635.38 Cessna 150-152 Serial Numbers 17001 to 59215 ........................... U0451114-1 ..... $1,206.63 Serial Numbers 59216 to 64532 U0451114-29 $1,150.89 Serial Numbers 64533 to 71128 ......................... U0451114-32 ..... $1,150.89 Serial Numbers 71129 and up* U0451120-1 $1,761.68 Cessna 152 Mount .................................................... L0451003 ..... $2,463.21 * Not suitable for A150 Aerobats Engine Mounts FAA-PMA Dome U0550162-7 $721.29 Rear Plate............................. U0550162-3......... $192.12 Assembly U0550162 $954.98 170B and 172 Spinner FAA-PMA • For 1956–1959 Cessna 170B and early 172 Visit our website to order your free Univair catalog. Foreign orders pay postage. FREE CATALOG
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4 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 8 Featured Plane Off to a Flying Start Austin Levin Takes to the Skies in a 180H Skywagon By Dan Brownell 18 Avionics Digital Autopilots Five Years Later By Bob Hart 22 Sky Talk Prop Strike Damage When Do I Need an Engine Teardown? By Scott “Sky” Smith 26 Introduction to Borescoping Part 1 Using Inspection Photos to Lower Maintenance Costs and Improve Safety By Scott Sellers 30 Kevin Horrell’s 182 Restoration Part 1 Interior and Panel By Rocky Landsverk 40 AWI, Acorn Merger Creates One-Stop Exhaust Shop By Rocky Landsverk 46 Hangar Tip How the Seat Rail AD Inspection Works AD 2011-10-09: Every 100 Hours or 12 Months By Elizabeth Gibbs October 2022 Vol. 48 No. 10CESSNAOWNERMAGAZINE On the cover Photos of Austin and Amanda Levin’s 1970 Cessna 180H Skywagon by Jack Fleetwood (www.JackFleetwood.com). Read more about this plane on page 8. The information presented in CESSNA OWNER Magazine is from many sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to accuracy, originality or completeness. The magazine is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in render ing product endorsements or providing instruction as a substitute for appropriate training by qualified sources. CESSNA OWNER Magazine and JP Media LLC will not assume responsibility for any actions arising from any information published in CESSNA OWNER Magazine. We invite comments and welcome any report of inferior products obtained through our advertising, so corrective action may be taken. MEMBERDEPARTMENTSACTIVITY6 From the Editor 45 Advertiser Index & Website Directory 42 Member Q&A 44 Member Photos 8 3022
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6 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
by Jack Fleetwood (www.JackFleetwood.com)
10 The Official Publication of the Cessna Owner Organization www.CessnaOwner.org MEMBER SERVICES Account & Renewal Inquiries Cessna Owner Organization PO Box 8551 Big Sandy, TX memberservices@cessnaowner.org75755-9766 Technical1-888-692-3776Support tech@cessnaowner.org 715.445.5000 ext. 123 *Provide Member Number Member Forums Visit:(memberwww.cessnaowner.orglog-inrequired) Aviation Director Scott Sherer Organization A&P/IA Erich Rempert Website/Forum/IT Inquiries Information Systems Manager webmaster@cessnaowner.org ADMINISTRATION Cessna Owner Organization N7528 Aanstad Rd. - P.O. Box 5000 Iola, Wisconsin 54945 (715) 445-5000 • Fax: (715) 445-4053 President Diana Jones • dianaj@jpmediallc.comExt.151 Sales Account Executive Steve Cook - Ext. stevec@jpmediallc.com116 Publisher/Editorial Director Rocky rockyl@jpmediallc.comLandsverk Editor Dan editor@cessnaowner.orgBrownell Senior Graphic Designer Bill Kuffel Editorial Board Scott Sherer, Erich Rempert, Bob Hart, Scott “Sky” Smith, Scott Sellers, Elizabeth Gibbs, Joel Turpin Copyright © 2022 Aircraft Owners Group All Rights Reserved We proudly support EAA and AOPA. OWNER CESSNAMAGAZINE A Community to Be Proud Of FROM THE PUBLISHER Dan EditorBrownell
Thanksof!to all those who stopped by our booth at AirVenture to say hello and pick up your T-shirt. It was great to meet you in person. I look forward to seeing you again next year and to meeting even more of you and hearing about your goals and projects.Thesky’s the limit!
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CESSNA OWNER Magazine (ISSN 0745-3523) is the official publication of the Cessna Owner Organization. CESSNA OWNER Magazine is published monthly by the Aircraft Owners Group, P.O. Box 5000, N7528 Aanstad Rd., Iola, WI 54945. Periodicals postage paid at Iola, WI 54945 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CESSNA OWNER Magazine, P.O. Box 8551, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9766. Address all Membership/ Subscription Questions and/or Address Changes to: CESSNA OWNER Magazine, P.O. Box 8551, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9766. Phone: 1-888-692-3776. Email: memberservices@cessnaowner.org Annual Dues: $59.00 per year in the USA. Foreign orders, please add $20 Canada/Mexico, $30 Overseas. Publications Agreement No. 40049720. Eighty percent (80%) of annual dues is designated for your subscription. Vol. 48 • No.
I’m pleased to join the Cessna Owner Organization team and to be a part of the aviation community. It’s a highly professional group of people. In this field, the mar gin for error is small and the credentials and licenses reflect that. The training is demanding and requires discipline and attention to detail. It has to be; lives depend on it. And just like in the military, that builds a strength of character that lasts a lifetime. The habits I learned in boot camp and on active duty are still with me after fourThatdecades.character isn’t limited to the cockpit. It shows up in every part of life. For ex ample, when I was at EAA AirVenture several weeks ago, a friend lost his cellphone. He was understandably distraught. After all, so much of our lives are stored in these digital devices. He probably had little hope of ever seeing it again. What would the chances be of getting back a phone at an event with 600,000-plus attendees? But the next day, he visited Lost and Found, and it was there waiting for him. That reminded another friend of a similar story at AirVenture several years ago. She knew a woman who had lost a purse with several hundred dollars in it, but she got it back with all the cash still there. I also heard that the day after AirVenture was over that the grounds were so clean that it was like no one had been there. What a testament to the integrity of aviators! With all the depressing headlines we hear day after day, wouldn’t life be so much better if all of society conducted itself this way? Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The posi tive interaction in the aviation community is a perk. Let’s be thankful that we’re sur rounded by people who are so diligent and respectful of others. It’s a community to be proud
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“I don’t come from a family of pilots. In fact, I’m the first in the family to be a pilot,” Austin said. “My flying story started when my dad gave me Microsoft Flight Simulator X for my birthday. Over the following year, I spent countless hours on the computer, and the only thing my dad could think of to get me off the computer was to buy me an introductory flight at the local airport. After my discovery flight at 13, I was hooked and, from then on, I worked toward my ratings: solo at 16, private at 17, and commercial at 19.
8 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
A
lthough Austin Levin didn’t grow up in an aviation fam ily, he developed an enthusiasm for flying as a kid and he’s only grown more passionate over the years.
“I always dreamed of owning an airplane,” Austin said. “The freedom of being able to take off whenever you want and go wherever you want is what enticed me into aviation. I really homed in on Skywagon ownership when I started seriously shopping in college. Why wouldn’t I? It cruises at 140 knots and easily handles 1,000-foot or shorter runways. It can do it all!”
Austin took a break from ratings while he earned his engi neering degree and focused on saving for his dream airplane during that time. To keep current and prepared for a Skywag on, he flew a couple of rental, swept-tail 172s that had been By Dan Brownell
Austin Levin Takes to the Skies in a 180H Skywagon
“Later, that same person, Steve Paone, the plane’s mechanic, posted N9037M for sale, and I saw it was barely in the price range I could afford. I was the first to comment on the post and message him saying I’d like to come take a look at it. Amazingly, he held my spot in line, with probably a dozen interested parties behind me.
“The post went up on Friday and I had tickets to be there on Wednesday. I brought my friend, instructor, and also new Skywag on owner Kole Van Treese to accompany me for training on the flight home. We arrived at a farm south of Detroit, where I met the owner, Tom Schramm. He offered us some beers and I got to work looking over logs. “Due to the hurried nature of the transaction, I had Steve Paone do the pre-buy inspection. Generally, it’s not advisable to have the existing mechanic do the pre-buy, but Steve worked in my best in terest and looked over the plane with an emphasis on finding cor rosion — one of my main concerns.
“After a day’s worth of diligence and a call to my fiancée, Aman da, I initiated the wire transfer, and N9037M was about to be mine. The following day as we waited for the wire transfer to complete, Tom told us the history of the plane, how it was owned by his friend, and that he bought it from the estate when he had passed. Later, Kole and I took off in N9037M from the farm and flew home to Colorado with a stop overnight in Kansas City.
Sacrificing for the Dream Austin worked incredibly hard to achieve his goals. “All through college I saved every penny from engineering internships and working as a ramp rat at the local airport. My wife, Amanda, can attest that I was absolutely dedicated to saving money, scrounging away everything toward my dream of owning a Cessna 180.” In his final semester of college, Austin had saved enough for an airplane, so he put his plans in to motion. “The first Skywag on I wanted to buy was owned by a gentleman who had a 1955 Cessna 180 that only flew a few hours a year,” he said. “I had talked to him years before when he offered to sell it to me, but I knew I wasn’t in a position to own it at the time. He graciously offered to hold it for me until I was ready. A couple years later, I was all set to do a pre-buy and come bring it home.
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“Unfortunately, during the annual, the owner found corro sion in the engine and was open and honest about it. He told me he couldn’t in good conscience sell the plane in that condition to someone in my position. It did work out for the best, though. He rebuilt the engine, has done a couple of upgrades, and now flies it more than ever.”
When the deal on the 1955 Cessna 180 fell through, Austin had to begin the hunt from scratch. It was devastating to start
Success at Last In desperation, Austin posted on Facebook in early 2018 asking if there were any early model 180s for sale. “The only nibble I got was from someone asking if I’d consider a late-model 180, to which I said, ‘I probably couldn’t afford a late model.’ At the time late mod el 180s were going for around $30,000 more than early models.
CESSNA OWNER 9 converted to tailwheel. “These conversions tend to get a fairly bad reputation, but I loved flying these taildraggers,” he said. “They flew very nicely and trained me extremely well for getting into a Skywagon. Once I purchased N9037M and graduated, I got the rest of my ratings: instrument, multi-engine land, singleengine seaplane, multi-engine seaplane, CFI and CFII.”
10 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 SKYWAGON REVIEWS June 2021 Issue Reviews by Bill Cox and Skywagon cover plane owner Kerry LaFleur March 2020 Issue Bill Cox: “Lord of the Bushbirds” August 2018 Issue Bill Cox: “The Bush Bird Par Excellence”
CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 11 &SPECIFICATIONSPERFORMANCE1970CESSNA180HSkywagon These are the specs for a 1970 Cessna 180H. Every vintage airplane is now different; do not use these specs to plan a flight. All data taken from the Standard Catalog of Cessna Single-Engine Aircraft (JP Media LLC). Engine: Continental O-470-R Horsepower: 230 Top Speed: 170 mph (148 kts) Cruise Speed: 121 mph (105 kts) (@ Economy Cruise) Fuel Capacity: 65 gal Range: 925 miles (@ Economy Cruise) Gross Weight: 2,800 lbs Empty Weight: 1,545 lbs Avg. Useful Load: 1,255 lbs Takeoff Ground Roll: 625 ft Takeoff Over 50 ft Obstacle: 1,205 ft Landing Ground Roll: 480 ft Landing Over 50 ft Obstacle: 1,365 ft Rate of Climb: 1090 fpm Ceiling: 19,600 ft Doors: 2 Seats: 6 Electrical: 14v Dimensions (approx.) Cabin Width (at shoulder) 40.25 in Length 25 ft, 9 in Height 7 ft, 9 in Wingspan 35 ft, 10 in
Above: Austin and his wife, Amanda, in front of 37M, which won an “Outstanding in Type” award at the 2022 EAA AirVenture.
For the panel, the first step was to get the airplane IFR certi fied again. This required chasing down leaks in the pitot static system and replacing instruments as needed. Over the course of our ownership, the panel was slowly improved from the 1989 IFR setup to a modern IFR panel, while still keeping true to the original 1970s panel look. This included a new Garmin radio stack, panel-mounted Aera 660, and two GI 275s to replace the AI and DG, allowing the vacuum system to be removed.
Bringing a Legacy Plane Up to Date
The airplane had minimal upgrades when Austin bought it. “It was pretty close to factory original, including original paint,” Austin said. It had an engine remanufacture and avionics in 1986, P. Ponk landing gear beef-up, and a one-piece windshield. The plane was overdue for more extensive upgrades, so the sec ond the airplane reached home, the work started. The first thing Austin addressed was the tail. “When we initially purchased the aircraft, the elevator controls had a fair amount of ‘slop.’ At the time, there was a service bulletin for cracks in the tail, so we performed that inspection then. We also added the Cessna Ser vice kit inspection panels, Aeropod tail inspection panels, and Cessna pull handles.
12 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
“Next, we addressed safety items, installing BAS inertia reel harnesses (the airplane didn’t have shoulder harnesses in stalled), upgrading to a 406 ELT, and upgrading to LED lights (but keeping the original light configuration). We also wanted to improve engine operation, so we installed the Reiff Engine Heater, firewall battery STC, and a JPI 730.”
“On that flight home, a few things were noted in the avionics. It didn’t seem like the transponder was working after our first stop, and Comm 1 would periodically do an uncommanded transmis sion — all things of note for the upcoming flying restoration.”
A Six-Month Setback
“The restoration road wasn’t easy, as we encountered a huge setback in 2020,” Austin said. “The tenant in the T-hangar behind ours left their hangar door open overnight during high winds. This caused a part of the interior wall
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Nothing could have been further from the truth. My naive self had no idea what was in store or the hours, money, and aggra vation that would ensue for the following four years of the res toration. That said, I now know the plane inside and out. It has grown with our family and is very much a member of the family.
New Paint for a New Look
Austin learned a lot from his work on restoring N9037M, but it was much more challenging than he expected. “I went into the restoration thinking that a Cessna 180 doesn’t have retract able gear, two engines, or electric flaps. It doesn’t even have an oleo strut, so it will be simple and easy to maintain and restore.
14 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 to blow back on our airplane and the airplane in the hangar adjacent to ours. The wall landed on the left-hand side of the aircraft, the impact sheared the bolts off the main tube connecting the stabilizer, damaged the rudder, the left-hand elevator, and hit a ladder that wedged into the left aileron. We got lucky that the wall didn’t actually hit the wing, due to the ladder that wedged into the aileron. So we only had to replace control surfaces and rebuild the stabilizer. This set us back at least six months as we also suspected gear damage, so we saved up to replace the gear with new spring steel gear from The Landing Gear Works.” They slowly worked on improving the interior in 2021 to 2022, removing the old, dry-rotted plastic and DIY interior panels and installing Selkirk foam insulation. “We completed the Selkirk interior panels over the winter and also removed the old wool headliner and fiberglass insulation. We installed foam insulation in its place but had to fly without a headliner until we could paint the airplane. We also spent time refurbishing some of the original pieces of the airplane, such as the arm rests, rear air vent covers, yoke emblems, etc.”
I don’t think that would be the case had we not done the full restoration. My advice would be to just enjoy the process and not only focus on the end goal.”
Finally, they finished the restoration with new paint. “37M came to us with original paint that had faded considerably over the years. We wanted to keep the original paint scheme and choose a color that closely matched what was available at the time,” Austin said. “It took around four months at Mid west Aircraft Refinishing to get completely stripped and re painted, but the wait was worth it. 37M came back looking factory new, and we topped it off by installing a new Hartzell propeller and new exterior ‘Skywagon’ placards we ordered from Cessna. 37M is one of 181 Cessna 180s that came from the factory with those placards and is only one of two we know of today that still has them.” To mark the end of the four-year restoration process, they decided to enter 37M in the vintage showplane competition at the 2022 EAA AirVenture. “Just being able to share the fin ished restoration with so many people at the show was reward ing, but to top it off, we won “Outstanding in Type — Cessna 180/182/185/210!,” Austin said. While no project is ever truly complete, he feels they’ve made it to the standard ‘maintenance’ phase for the airplane. “Every thing is updated and it’s just a matter of staying on top of it and not letting anything slip.”
A Reflection on Restoration
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16 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
Austin loves the versatility of their Skywagon, which they af fectionately named River. “It can do anything,” he said. “She can be a ‘go places plane.’ We’ve flown across the country to visit family and to attend the Cessna 180/185 conventions. She can also be the trainer. I’ve gotten several certificates in 37M, in cluding my Instrument and CFI. But most often we fly her to local backcountry RAF (Recreational Aviation Foundation) air strips, where we camp with friends and our dog Scooby.”
Parting Words of Wisdom
Austin is grateful for all those who have helped him accomplish his dream. “My wife, of course, has been my biggest advocate. As a private pilot herself, she has supported me through college to achieve my goal of airplane ownership, and then has taken on the restoration of 37M as her own mission as well as mine.
A Nod to All the Support Over the Years
“The Cessna 180/185 can be demanding planes to fly. Experience in smaller taildraggers doesn’t always directly translate into flying a Skywagon, so always get adequate instruction and practice, prac tice, practice. Don’t only practice on nice days, either. Go out when it’s at or just above your personal minimums for winds and practice then because you won’t always have the choice of when and where you may have to land. Of course, if you’re uncomfortable, bring an instructor with you to help. I’m an advocate for keeping skills sharp by always challenging yourself, not just by limiting the challenge because weather can be unpredictable.”
A “Do-Anything” Aircraft
From Austin’s perspective, the Cessna 180/185 is a highly ca pable airplane stock and doesn’t require a lot of modifications to accomplish either backcountry or cross-country missions. “While some STCs may be fun for STOL flying or adding a few knots, none of them are necessary. The plane performs very well in backcountry as is, and it still maintains excellent cross-coun try characteristics. For the mission I have, I personally didn’t see a need to mess with the stock aerodynamics of the plane because I think Cessna did a great job from the factory.”
“My dad deserves mention for seeing the passion in me and then fostering it even though he didn’t have any experience in general aviation. And Ted Dupuis has been an invaluable men tor to me, both as an engineer, pilot, and plane owner. Ted has vast experience flying animal rescue missions as a founder of Cloud Nine Rescue flights, and he has bought and sold four air planes, all twins of progressively more advanced models.”
In retrospect, there are some things Austin would have done differently. “The restoration could have gone more efficiently if I had decided not to keep it a flying restoration and, instead, put the plane down for a year or two to get it fully completed inside and out. But it’s all personal preference for the mission of your plane. The flying restoration part was important to me, as it spread out our costs because, as newlyweds and recent college graduates, we couldn’t afford a full restoration up front. It also allowed me to learn and get familiar with the airplane.”
Austin has some advice for other young 180/185 pilots based on his time behind the yoke of his 180. “Certainly join the Cess na 180/185 type club. It’s a wealth of information on a type that’s been around the world as a working plane. The tails are some thing to keep an eye on, as there are ADs out for them. I would recommend adding Aeropod inspection panels above and be low the tail as soon as practical, since it will make access to the tail far easier and will only serve to help you into the future.
Resources Paint/Headliner - Midwest Aircraft Refinishing, www.midwestaircraftrefinishing.com Avionics - Skycom Avionics, www.skycomavionics.com Maintenance - Johnson Bros. Flying Service Detailing Products - Plane Perfect
Bendix King: AeroCruze 100 (formerly TruTrak) and the AeroCruze 230 TruTrak has been making autopilots for the experimentallight sport market for years, and through the efforts of EAA STC, they received the STC for certified aircraft in 2017. The autopilot was well received by legacy aircraft owners, and much to my surprise and that of the industry, Bendix King announced that it was buying TruTrak in 2019. Frankly, this announcement was not as well received. The first year of transition from TruTrak to Bendix King was not as smooth as would have been desired. It took Bendix King a while to assimilate TruTrak and get the customer service, product knowledge, and supply chain in order.
18 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 by
Author: “If you are in the market for large-format EFIS and need engine management and a mod ern, digital autopilot, the Dynon Skyview system is a great value.” Bob Hart -
Digital Autopilots Five Years Later
www.AvionixHelp.com AVIONICS
Bendix King AeroCruze 100 and 230
The summer of 2017 brought what I described as some of the best news I had heard in my 20-plus years as an avionics consultant on behalf of legacy aircraft owners. That was the announcement by four companies that they were now offering new digital autopilots for the GA market. While I recognized that the Garmin GFC 500 and GFC 600 and the Genesys/S-TEC 3100 were a step up for the more serious IFR crowd, it was the announcement by Trio and TruTrak that an affordable, digital autopilot was now available for the VFR and light IFR pilot. Before this, upgrading a tired legacy autopilot was finan cially out of reach for many. Trio and TruTrak changed that in 2017. That was five years ago, and I thought it might be a good time to revisit these autopilots. While I have my own observa tions and opinions, I decided to reach out to a few avionics shops that I know well for their opinions and experience, and I was surprised to find some strong opinions, both positive and negative. That encouraged me to reach out further to get a broader perspective. When I write, I tend to keep it positive; however, the shops I spoke to — some smaller shops, some high volume — have had some less-than-positive experiences with these autopilots, and I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t include these comments in the article. So, let’s look at each manufacturer in alphabetical order, and I’ll share the feedback I received when I asked shops how they felt about the new digital autopilots introduced in 2017.
While the shops I spoke to were generally OK with installing the AeroCruze 100, I found no enthusiasm for Bendix King, and most shops were no longer Ben dix King dealers. I would suggest that most pilots who have the AeroCruze or TruTrak installed, who made it through the haze, are happy with their AeroCruze 100. It’s a full-featured, digital autopilot designed for the VFR or light IFR market. The AeroCruze 100 is about $5,900 with STC, and I’ve seen installation labor discussions from 20 hours (ridiculous) and up. I would suspect that 40 to 50 hours will be a typical shop labor quote for the AeroCruze 100 with removal of a legacy autopilot.
Garmin: GFC 500 Autopilot
Unlike the Light IFR AeroCruze 100 I mentioned above, the Garmin GFC 500 is “state of the art” in a true IFR autopilot, and all the shops I spoke with agree it’s leading the pack. However (and we don’t really expect this from Garmin), the path has not been without some bumps, and in the case of the GFC 500, that has come in the form of significant servo failures. Every shop I spoke with has had servo failures with the GFC 500. One shop did a GFC 500, three-servo installation (with autotrim) and saw all three servos fail in the first six months. Garmin issued a Mandatory Service Bulletin in February 2022 that resulted in the exchange or repair of their GSA28 servos in the field, and shops report that this is no longer an issue. It was also reported that even with Garmin’s supply-chain issues that are delaying delivery (at the time of this writing) of some of their most popular products, the GFC 500 is avail able, but the G5’s and GI 275’s that are required to drive the autopilot (in lieu of a G3X or G500Xi), not so much. All in all, Garmin’s GFC 500 is the popular choice between the new digital autopilots targeting the true IFR pilot as confirmed by all the shops I spoke with. What stands out for me, versus the Genesys 3100, is the value. At approximately $26,000 in stalled, including autotrim (with a third servo), the GFC 500 upgrades your autopilot and your attitude indicator and HSI. The Genesys 3100 requires you to address these important instruments separately, which is very desirable in true IFR.
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Genesys also introduced its new 3100 Digital Autopilot at Oshkosh 2017, and while the autopilot stands alone, with all new servos and harness, Genesys is also marketing it as an upgrade to the System 55X (and previous models), where you keep your original servos and modify the harness. The same shop that has had issues with the Bendix King AeroCruze 230 (using original servos) is also less than enthusiastic about the 3100 installation when using original servos. He had two in stallations in which the 3100, installed with original servos, were removed and replaced with the Garmin GFC 500. He also noted that he had two clients who were happy with their 3100, but in both of those cases, new servos were installed.
The AeroCruze 230 was also introduced in 2017 by Bendix King, as an upgrade to their KFC 150 (and now the KFC 200). The KFC 150/200 were popular OEM au topilots found in many new aircraft and generally had a good reputation. One weakness, which showed up later, was the vacuum, mechanical KI 256 attitude indicator that provided position sensing for the autopilot. Bendix King introduced an electronic alternative to the KI 256 in 2017 in the form of the KI 300, made for Bendix King by Sandia Aerospace, that has been less than stellar. Unfortunately, the Sandia Aerospace attitude indicator got shot down by an AD, which the company couldn’t control. The concept of the AeroCruze 230 is as a direct replacement for the original KFC 150/200 controller reusing the existing servos and harness to provide a simple, affordable digital upgrade.
Genesys/S-TEC 3100 Autopilot
Garmin GFC 500 autopilot (in the middle of these three instru ments) in a Cessna TU206G owned by Donna Connell.
A few of the shops mentioned the Dynon Autopilot, and their only complaint was that STCs were not coming fast enough. I said it in my previous articles, and I’ll say it again: if you are in the market for large format EFIS (Electronic Flight Information System) and need engine management and a modern, digital autopilot, the Dynon Skyview system is a great value. These shops agree, and they see the quality in the equipment. It was not one of the autopilots introduced in 2017, but I would be remiss if I did not include it here.
Genesys/S-TEC 3100 Autopilot
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Only one of the shops I spoke with has installed an AeroCru ze 230, and it’s not yet performing as advertised. If I have had any concern about the AeroCruze 100 autopilot, it is about the future of Bendix King and the support that might not be there in the future for AeroCruze owners. STC’s for new models of aircraft seem to be moving slow.
Trio Pro Pilot comes in panel mount and 3-inch versions.
Trio Pro Pilot Autopilot
Conclusion Any pilot who will find themselves in IFR condi tions, especially low-time light IFR pilots with their families, who occasionally fly IFR, should have an autopilot.
20 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
Bob Hart purchased his first airplane in 1971 at age 21. He’s owned five others since. As a Senior Avionics Consultant at Eastern Avionics, Bob has personally sold over $20 million in Avionics. Bob now offers avionics advice through many online forums and consults avionics clients through his website www.AvionixHelp.com. He is semi-retired. After living in Colombia, South America, for a few years, he is now back in sunny Florida.
Pilots flying true IFR have the Garmin GFC 500, including solid-state electronic flight instruments and the Genesys/STEC 3100 option. Whether in marketing, overall performance, or value, it appears that the GFC 500 and the Bendix King AeroCruze 100 are leading the pack today.
I expect the Dynon Skyview system with autopilot (and engine management) to be a serious contender as more STCs for their autopilot become available. Frankly, I’m rooting for Trio, and I think in time, its customer support will make the difference.
Both the Trio and TruTrak autopi lots came to market at the same time in 2017, but it appears that Trio was a little slower getting the message out and that TruTrak had the early mar keting advantage. Unlike TruTrak, which manufactured and marketed its autopilot in 2017, Trio uses two entities. Trio manufactures and sup ports the autopilot while the STC Group is responsible for engineering, including the original certified STC and subsequent STC’s, and they also handle sales for Trio. Trio had some issues early with servos that needed a boost in certain airframes, but that was addressed a few yearsNewago.management at the STC Group seems more aggres sive at building new dealerships and is moving forward with adding STCs. One shop I spoke to has chosen to stay away from the Bendix King AeroCruze and recommends the Trio for those pilots looking for an affordable, digital autopilot. This was based on a general concern about Bendix King and what he described as a lack of dealer support. He went out of his way to point out that his support from Trio and the STC Group had a lot to do with that decision. Regarding price, the Trio Pro Pilot and the Bendix King AeroCruze are about the same at about $6,000 for equipment and STC.
I used to say, “at least a basic autopilot,” but that situation has changed. The lega cy aircraft owner upgrading from a tired factory installed, single-axis autopilot with plans to fly light IFR now has the choice of two very sophisticated options in either the Trio Pro Pilot or the Bendix King AeroCruze 100. Oddly, Honeywell, the parent company of Bendix King, in its marketing, refers to the AeroCruze 100 as “basic.” The AeroCruze and Trio Pro Pilot are anything but basic. The legacy S-TEC System 20 “wing leveler” and even the Sys tem 30 with altitude hold could easily be defined as basic by today’s standards.
Editor’s Note: Bob Hart is a regular participant on the Cessna Owner Organization’s forums and is available to answer your avionicsrelated questions. To contact him, visit www. CessnaOwner.org, click the Forums tab, and scroll down to the “Avionics” forum. COO membership is required.
A comparison of features and benefits of the two autopi lots is similar, with the Trio offering a few features not found in AeroCruze like “track offset.” Some pilots prefer to offset their track on busy airways and the Trio can do this. Trio’s “straight and level” button can also be programmed to do a coordinated 180-degree turn, a feature that a VFR pilot might like if they mistakenly enter IFR conditions. In my consulting work with pilots planning an avionics upgrade with Light IFR in mind, I recommend the Trio Pro Pilot for the same reasons.
Until Next Time … Safe and Happy Flying!
More than one dealer mentioned that Genesys had request ed that the aircraft owner fly the plane to Mineral Springs, Texas, in order to get the system working correctly. Unlike the GFC 500, which uses external solid-state position sensors (either the G5 or the GI 275), the Genesys 3100 has an inter nal AHRS and requires no external sensors. It also appears that Genesys is backing away from its popular analog System 20 single-axis autopilot and its System 30 with altitude hold (about $18,000 installed). It appears that the Bendix King AeroCruze 100 and the Pro Pilot from Trio Avionics have had a significant effect on that segment of the market which, simply stated, is legacy aircraft owners flying affordable air planes upgrading their legacy autopilots.
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It’s a little easier with a constant-speed propeller. Buying or owning an aircraft with a constant-speed propeller usually means having the prop overhauled or maintained throughout its life. This means more attention is paid to the constant-speed propeller compared to a fixed-pitch propeller. Additionally, ADs that come out on the propellers have put emphasis on checking their condition.
22 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 by Scott “Sky” Smith SKY TALK
When Do I Need an Engine Teardown?
Years ago, I had a friend who bought an aircraft that had a propeller that was filed below minimums. When the mechanic at the next annual (my friend’s first annual) tried to check a nick, it was below allowable minimums. That meant a new propeller and an unexpected expense! It’s very difficult to determine if you have a propeller that’s within limits when you purchase an aircraft. Few people give it much thought, especially when deal ing with a fixed-pitch prop. I doubt most pre-buy inspections would have found the prop issue.
Recently, I had a call from a customer. In this case, the cus tomer had an issue with a propeller. The customer’s air craft was parked and not moving, and a Cessna aircraft passed by too close. The high wing impacted the top end of the vertical blade on his three-blade propeller. No real visible dam age. The engine wasn’t running, and the other pilot had insur ance to take care of any damage. This seemed like a very simple claim. But it has turned out to be a bit more complicated than we expected. But before I get into that, let’s talk about claims and propellors. If you happen to be the unfortunate person to have a propeller damaged, what can you expect your aviation insurance company to do?
My disclaimer: I’m just sharing my experience. I’m not a me chanic, and I don’t work for the FAA. So, talk to your mechanic and/or the FAA before you do anything.
Should I Submit a Prop Strike Claim?
Let’s start with the minor nicks. Often, a propeller is dam aged by debris or rocks on the runways, causing nicks and scratches. If you fly off grass or gravel, expect them. Don’t worry; many of these small nicks can be removed or filed out by the mechanic. But be careful with this. Through the years I have seen many propellers “repaired,” yet end up being dam aged beyond repair.
Prop Strike Damage
Should you submit an insurance claim for a prop strike? Well, it depends. There are a number of variables that can affect the claims department’s decision. Some of those would be the kind of damage, the severity of the damage, the age and the hours on the propeller, and the propeller and engine factory guidelines.
This photo is a closeup of the photo on page 22. It is from COO Aviation Director Scott Sherer’s plane, which wound up getting a new prop because of this prop ding, presumably from a rock.
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Sudden Stoppage
We’ve all seen pictures of props with “Q-tips,” the bends or curls at the tips that prevent usage. A rule of thumb I have heard is that if the propeller is evenly bent on all blades, there is less chance of crankshaft damage. But, in my thinking, if the prop hit the ground and the engine stopped, I want a mechanic to check it. Call me a coward, but I would expect no less than a dial indicator on the crank flange. Dial indicators will probably be the first thing that a claims department will request. If there’s noth ing out of round, they might just repair or replace the prop, depending on the manufacturer guidelines. The insurance company doesn’t want to send the pilot out with a propeller and engine that might fail and cause a big ger claim, so don’t worry about being at risk because the company is cheap. If the blade damage warrants it, the claims ad juster will request that the engine be torn down and inspected for damage. But it goes further than just the claims adjuster.
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I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Teardown! Many engine manufacturers require that the engine be torn down for any impact to a propeller. I have been told a few different things. One is that if the propeller needs to be removed from the engine to be repaired, the engine needs to be torn down. I have also heard that if the engine wasn’t turning, it doesn’t need to be torn down. What’s the cor rect answer? The engine manufacturer will be the best source.
If your prop has minor nicks and chips, the mechanic will likely try to fix the problem, and the cost will be below the deductible of the policy. If the nick creates enough damage to the blade that it needs to be replaced or needs a new prop, I think I would contact the claims department about filing a claim. This doesn’t mean they’ll do anything, but if the nick is substantial and needs to have the prop replaced, you could have a Typically,claim.this type of damage — es pecially if it’s a big nick — would war rant some concern about the engine and the integrity of the prop. But noth ing really needs to be done unless the FAA or manufacturer guidelines war rant it. Don’t jump the gun and contact claims and try to get a new prop. Re member, most small nicks and repairs won’t pass the deductible in cost, and if you file a claim, you now have a claim history and probably a premium in crease at renewal.
ThisenginesService Bulletin identifies propeller/rotor damage con ditions and gives corrective action recommendations for air craft engines that have had propeller/rotor damage as well as any of the following:
In the case of my customer’s aircraft, his propeller was dinged by another aircraft’s wing. His engine wasn’t running, the other plane didn’t hit it at high speed, and there was no real visible damage.
MODELS AFFECTED: All Lycoming reciprocating aircraft
The complications came from the fact that the insurance company claims department wanted to tear the engine down for the inspec tion, but the mechanic and the owner didn’t think it was necessary in this situation. The claims department noted that the Lycoming service bulletin also included the following:
On a side note, this particular Lycoming engine had been modi fied for an experimental aircraft and did not have the Lycoming data plate installed anymore. It has a custom engine data plate in stead, which opens up another whole set of questions as to what’s required, since it’s no longer a “certified” Lycoming engine.
My take on this situation is to take the side of caution. Even if it isn’t required because it is experimental, wouldn’t you still want it done? What makes the engine different when it comes to precautionary teardown? Just the data plate? If the engine was modified by porting and polishing and whatever else the cus tom company does, is it really a different engine inside? If it still uses the same crankshaft, connecting rods etc., wouldn’t the risk of damage still be there?
SUBJECT: Recommended Action for Sudden Engine Stop page, Propeller/Rotor Strike or Loss of Propeller/Rotor Blade or Tip
• Sudden RPM drop on impact to water, tall grass, or simi lar yielding medium where propeller damage does not usually occur
24 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
• Separation of the propeller/rotor blade from the hub
A good example is the Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 533C, which describes when the Lycoming engine should be torn down for inspections from a prop strike and what they consider a prop strike. Part of the Service Bulletin is below. Service Bulletin No. 533C (Supersedes Service Bulletin No. 533B)
• Sudden stoppage A propeller strike includes: • Any incident, whether or not the engine is operating, where repair of the propeller is necessary
“A propeller strike can occur at taxi speeds and during touchand-go operations with propeller tip ground contact. In addition, propeller strikes also include situations where an aircraft is station ary and a landing gear collapse occurs, causing one or more blades to be bent, or where a hangar door (or other object) hits the propel ler blade. These instances are cases of sudden engine stoppage be cause of potentially severe side loading on the crankshaft propeller flange, front bearing, and seal.”
This thought can be of concern if you have an aircraft need ing repair. You might get your engine disassembled and find that there are a few things that need repair (rings, camshaft, cylinders, etc.), things that will not be covered by insurance because of nor mal wear and tear. This could increase the cost of your repairs, but don’t blame the insurance company. They haven’t been flying your aircraft and putting on hours. That’s your cost of ownership. The unexpected damage from an accident is the insurance company’s responsibility.
Scott “Sky” Smith is a nationally recognized writer and speaker. He is the author of “How to Buy a Single-Engine Airplane,” “How to Buy a Skymaster,” “Ultimate Boat Maintenance Projects” and “How to Build a Hot Tuner,” (published by Motorbooks International). Smith’s background includes: aircraft and avionics sales, boat dealership and fiberglass manufacturer. He is a single and multi-engine pilot with over 30 years’ experience. Smith is also owner of Sky Smith Insurance Agency, a nationally recognized specialty insurance agency, insuring boats, custom vehicles, and aircraft since 1985.
To read the complete 553C service bulletin, see the PDF at cessnaowner.org/oct22
Don’t go into this with the grandiose idea of getting an overhaul for the cost of the prop ... it doesn’t work that way. But I have not had any companies deny the repairs of the damaged parts, or the cost of the teardown or reassembly. Everyone that we have worked with has been very helpful. Disputes started when the insured felt that his aircraft engine, which was 200 hours over TBO, should be replaced. That is not, in my opinion, reasonable to expect from the insurance.
This description of the “prop strike” pretty much includes any kind of impact. The comment of “hangar door or other object,” seems to be inclusive and warrant the engine needs to be torn down for an inspection.
Who Pays for the Teardown?
Most companies will pay for the teardown and repair or replace ment of the damaged part. Remember a small point here. An insur ance policy is only required to return the aircraft to the condition that it was in before the damage occurred. What does that mean in a prop strike? If the crank was damaged, the insurance company does not have to buy you a new crank, especially if the crank was past TBO (Time Between Overhauls) or worn out.
One positive example was the owner of a Cessna 210 that had a nose gear collapse on his aircraft. The engine was at TBO and the propeller damaged. The insurance company paid for the teardown and the reassembly. The owner decided to have the engine over hauled at this time and paid for the additional labor and the addi tional parts. He got a cheaper overhaul and the insurance company covered, indirectly, part of the cost.
• Loss of a propeller or rotor blade tip
Another factor would be any ADs that require replacement of parts. An example would be if you have an aircraft that is affected by the VAR/Airmelt crankshaft controversy. If I’m correct, the AD requires that if you open the case, the crank must be replaced. In the case of the teardown, if the crank is not damaged, you will have to pay for the new style crank. If the crank was damaged, the insur ance company should pay for it. But again, it depends on the AD and the condition of the parts.
• Any incident during engine operation where the propel ler has impact on a solid object. This incident includes propeller strikes against the ground. Although the pro peller can continue to turn, damage to the engine can oc cur, possibly with progression to engine failure
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Using Inspection Photos to Lower Maintenance Costs and Improve Safety
26 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
By Scott Sellers G
• Cylinders, including valve faces, valve seats, valve stems, and cyl inder walls and piston top surface
TCM’s Service Bulletin SB03-3 explains, “The purpose of the bore scope cylinder inspection is to provide a visual method of examining the internal cylinder components and must be used in conjunction with the differential (compression) pressure test.”
Borescoping Cylinders Borescoping permits the mechanic and owner to view the con ditions inside a cylinder. This is a much better way to evaluate how valves are performing than a compression test alone because combustion leaves different-colored heat signatures on steel valves depending on temperature and how the heat is being distributed around the valve.
• Cam and lifter surfaces on some engine models
Also check out the fourth episode of the Beyond the Hundred Dollar Ham burger podcast (cessnaowner.org/scott-sellers-podcast), where my brother Mark and I discuss borescoping with Dave Pasquale of Pasquale Aviation.
iven the value and safety borescope imaging brings to monitoring the health of our aircraft engine cylinders and airframe, we will explore the subject here.
According to the former advisory circular AC 43-204 Visual Inspection of Aircraft (pg. 127), a borescope is a long, tubular, precision optical instru ment, with built-in illumination, designed to allow remote visual inspec tions of internal surfaces or otherwise inaccessible areas. Borescopes allow us to see areas we otherwise have no access to inspect and create a digital history, allowing comparisons to be made as conditions change.
Introduction BORESCOPINGto
Dave is an early adopter, longtime user, and innovator with the borescope, who spoke on the subject at AirVenture this year.
Borescopes allow for viewing of the following key maintenance items:
• For inspection compliance with Cessna doorpost bulkhead AD
PART 1:
What Is a Borescope and Why Is it a Valuable Tool?
Above: Scott Sellers’ borescope and case. Scott has been borescoping his planes for nearly 10 years and has found it to be an invaluable owner maintenance practice.
The2020-18-1borescope images we shot for this article were taken with a Vividia Ablescope VA400. We have used it since 2013 on our air planes, with good results.
This Part 1 article’s objective is to explain how borescoping can help you reduce the cost of maintenance while improving the reliability and safety of operating your airplane. Part 2 of this topic will include instructions on how to perform cylinder inspections with a borescope.
If the heat is being distributed uniformly around an exhaust valve, it will result in a “bullseye” appearance. You will see even concentric rings, which indicate that the heat is being dissipated from the center of the valve to the edges, and then onto the valve seat when the valve closes and makes contact with the seat. When this transfer of heat is interrupted, the heat begins to concentrate in certain sections of the valve edge, and that additional heat changes the color of the top of the valve and may even alter the shape of the valve by warping it. If allowed to progress, this will result in a “burned” valve that will not hold any compression. In the most extreme cases, it can cause pieces of the valve edge to come off, or even for the valve stem to break Becausecatastrophically.valveshavealife cycle, and the end of that life cycle can be expensive or dangerous, borescoping permits an owner to intervene to take a valve out of service or lap it at the right moment. Such timing avoids the financial risk of taking an ac ceptable cylinder out of service too early, or the risk of flying on a cylinder near destruction. Early detection of valve issues changes the way we maintain cylinders and allows us to take corrective action before the valve becomes unairworthy.
FilletValve Face Valve Seat
Uneven heat signatures appearing on valves will occur well before compression drops off, so compressions tests are not nec essarily an accurate measure of cylinder health. Because cylin der compression numbers can vary widely for many reasons, some GA industry experts suggest borescope images are a better measure of cylinder health than compression tests alone.
A lot like oil analysis, which is about identifying trends, a single picture of a valve has limited value. A skilled mechanic will prefer to look at a series of borescope images at various intervals. A borescope report at annual inspection is a best practice for tracking cylinder condition.
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Seat
Dave Pasquale, of Pasquale Aviation, was an early adopter of borescop ing and is now considered a leading expert in the field.
All is not the same for Continental and Lycoming engines when it comes to borescoping. Because Lycoming cams and lifters are on top of the engine above the crankshaft, while TCM engines lo cate the cam and lifters below the crankshaft, access for borescop ing varies by brand and engine model. Cam inspection is possible on sandcast Continental engines and Lycoming engines with the short oil filler/dipstick tube in the top of the engine case. Many Lycoming 540 versions have this oil filler tube. The small oil filler tube needs to be removed for better access.
Borescoping Cams and Lifters
Above: Healthy valves will not be warped, so it will seal tightly To prevent loss of compression. Above: Borescoping is a better way to evaluate how valves are performi ng than a compression test alone because the visual inspection, recorded by photos, reveals colored heat signatures that reveal damage earlier than a compression test. If the heat is being d istributed uni formly around an exhaust valve, it will result in a “bullseye” appearance. Concentric rings will show that the heat is being dissipated from the center of the valve to the edges.
Valve Stem
Scott Sellers has been a Cessna single-engine owner since 1995 (Cardinal, 182P, 182RG) and a pilot since 1975, all thanks to his wife Cindy, who tolerates, supports, and still enjoys flying after all these years. This series involves Sellers updating and upgrading his new-tohim 1978 Cessna 182RG.
Borescoping Takeaways
Knowing the condition of cylinders, cam and lifters can be im portant for price negotiation and confirming the value of an air plane you are looking to purchase. For hands-on owners, borescoping is a worthwhile practice for monitoring engine health to greatly increase safety and reliability. For those who prefer not to participate in your airplane’s mainte nance, request your shop and A&P/IA use a borescope. We will get into the details of cylinder borescoping in Part 2.
Picture quality is crucial for borescoping, as the photos can reveal small but important details. An initial set of borescope images creates a baseline to which subsequent sets can be compared for tell tale changes. This is also why it’s important for the images to be taken the same way each time.
Borescoping is an ideal owner-performed preventative mainte nance item. I’ve successfully used a borescope on cylinders, cam and lifters, and airframe items since 2013. Give yourself some time to learn — about three +/- hours. Once you have some experience, you can share images with your mechanic to improve your air plane’s preventative maintenance.
LobeCamCam Lifter
TIPS FROM THE PODCAST Scott Sellers and his brother Mark periodically record podcasts (cessnaowner.org/scott-sellers-podcast). A recent one featured Dave Pasquale, a leading A&P/IA aviation mechanic and bore scope expert, owner of Pasquale Aviation, and member of Savvy Aviation’s account management team. Here are some tips from that podcast.
Example of what you can learn: Hidden problem with bad lifters. “We had a friend with a Bonanza, whose oil analysis was fine,” Scott Sellers said. “Turned out his lifter faces were all pitted, while everything seemed normal.” That’s a condition that Dave Pasquale said is common and is something that can be caught by a borescope. “I would guess that probably 30 to 40% of the airplanes out there, at least in my area on the East Coast, are flying around with undetected damage to cams and lifters.” As a result of borescoping, Pasquale has “changed quite a few lifters to try to prolong the life of the cam lobes in a lot of airplanes. A lifter is maybe $100 to $130 range. Compared to an engine teardown…” How often do you need to borescope your engine? “For most engines, annual inspection or 100 hours is going to be suffi cient,” Pasquale said. “If you’re running a turbo, they seem to burn valves quicker than normally aspirated engines, so we recommend borescoping every 50 hours. And it’s super-important to do one during a pre-buy.” Can active, DIY, owner-assisted-annual types do their own borescoping? Yes. “As long as you are capable of getting the cowling on and off correctly, and pulling spark plugs and putting spark plugs back in correctly, I think it’s a great idea,” Pasquale said. “Most pictures that I get from people are from owners, and in general, those look better than what I get out of mechanics.”
Continental Quoted at Event in 2014: “If your mechanic isn’t borescoping your engine, you need to get a new mechanic.” Mark Sellers was at AirVenture in 2014 (or so) and, as he typically does, he went to the talk by Continental. He distinctly remembers the speaker saying that quote. Mark then nudged Dave Pasquale into borescoping Mark’s en gine. Pasquale has since developed report templates and become an expert on the practice. “If it has an uneven heat signature on the exhaust valve, you’re going to want to recommend lapping the valve, or depending on how bad it is, recommend cylinder replace ment, or inspect again in 25 hours,” Pasquale said. “These cylinder inspections have completely changed the way that I change or maintain cylinders.”
Year-over-year pictures are great for trend monitoring, but picture quality is crucial. The patterns and trends that develop in the pictures are a great predictor of where your engine is headed, but you need a mechanic who knows how to get good pictures. “You’ll get pictures of half a spark plug, half a valve, or just the head, or just a picture of the cylinder wall,” Pasquale said. “And it’s blurry. And they’re charging the owner $200 to do it.” So, find a mechanic who’s good at this, then keep your photos on your computer.
• Request a cylinder inspection report from your A&P/IA at your next annual inspection
Dave Pasquale recommends 100-hour inspection intervals for normally aspirated engines. Consider 50-hour inspection intervals for turbocharged engines. Any valve or cylinder that has anomalies should be inspected at no more than 25 hours. You Can Do This!
The four-cylinder Lycomings (320 and 360 series) can be difficult to borescope the cam and lifters due to poor access for positioning the scope. The 0-320 on our TriPacer does not allow such access.
Borescoping Is a Key Pre-Purchase Inspection Tool
• How often should you borescope your cylinders?
28 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 With the small oil filler tube removed on the top of our Lycom ing IO-540-K1G5, here is a borescope shot of the cam and lifters:
Your mechanic should provide photos at a minimum. Photos should match a standard set of photos as closely as possible. The goal in the borescope inspection is to take the same set of photos in the same way every time. This will allow the photos to be shared with people who are able to interpret them. This is similar to what is done in the medical industry. For example, an ultrasound tech will take a standard set of images for a specific reason and a doctor will review those images.
• Interpreting borescope images Technicians who are unsure how to interpret borescope im ages should seek assistance from those with experience. Resist the temptation to pull a cylinder after discovering an unknown visual anomaly, as it may be unnecessary.
CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 29 Aircraft, Drones, Collector Cars, Boats, Motorcycles, etc. Contact Scott “Sky” phone:www.skysmith.comSmith515-289-1439ins@skysmith.com BOB www.AvionixHelp.comHART Avionics Advice to Legacy Aircraft Owners that Office:Bob@AvionixHelp.com(941)258-8644 WILL SAVE MONEY!YOU
Horrell’s good friend Scott Marquardt teamed to find and re store this plane. It took Horrell a bit to find just the right plane. Or, as he admits, he had to find the right plane twice. 1: Interior and Panel
30 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
“For instance, when the AOA heads-up machine was being cut into the dash, you’ve got all your avionics and stuff down below there, so I’d crawl up underneath there with a vacuum cleaner and make damn sure that stuff wasn’t falling in the back of my panel somewhere.”
Finally, he found this plane online and went to Pine Mountain, Georgia, to buy it, with Marquardt along to help. “Scott is a CFI and an A&P, and we flew to Atlanta and drove to Pine Mountain,” he said. “We knew it needed a paint job when you saw it up close. We made a deal, and Scott and I flew it home, and the work began.” That was in August of 2020 and this work has been ongoing ever since. Quotes in the photo gallery are from Horrell.
By Rocky Landsverk
Kevin Horrell’s
T
He then flew a 182 that was found by his friend Marquardt, who runs Sparta Aero Services out of KSAR, Sparta Commu nity Airport, in Sparta, Illinois. Horrell flinched and didn’t buy that plane (“I probably should have,” he admitted) but it put him into a 182 mindset.
here are several great reasons to be actively involved in your Cessna’s restoration. Possibly the best reason is that it helps you learn more about your plane than you could possibly know otherwise.
182 Restoration Part
“We did all this in concurrence with the annual inspection, and I helped, and I learned a lot about my plane by doing that,” Horrell said. “I was protective of things that I’m sure those guys would have protected, but not at the lengths that I did.
“I had been out of flying for many years, and when I got back into it back in 2016, I wanted my own plane,” Horrell said. “I had owned an Archer previously and I was looking for an Archer, and I found one in Salt Lake City, Utah, in January 2017. I don’t know why, but I didn’t like it, so I sold it, and bought a 172 in Colorado Springs. It was too slow and it needed avionics upgraded, so I sold that.”
Kevin Horrell experienced that during the restoration of his 1985 Cessna 182R. He has a great mechanic who’s also a great friend, but Horrell said he’s glad he was involved during the process.
So, he made me cowl plugs that I can plug my engine heater into, and he made the plugs that fit in that round hole, so I can use them for either my engine heater, or as regular cowl plugs.”
Above: The seats and carpeting were done by Rob and Kathy Messerly of The Aviation Shop in Marissa, Illinois, which did upholstery work.
CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 31
“They did excellent work. He’s an interior guy, par excellence. We needed the carpet replaced, and the side panels. The front seats had a little bit of fraying in the front, but other than that, their fabric was in excellent condition. So what he did was what he called a ‘waterfall’ — he made those vinyl panels to put in there.” In other words, he left the usable fabric but replaced the frayed spots with that vinyl. “The rear seat was in excellent condition, but he wanted it to match the front seat, so he did the waterfall on the back seat as well. Then he did the carpets, and because I vape, he made those little pockets where the pilot sits.”
Left: “I had bought an Aerotherm engine heater; that’s the thing that hangs on the front of the engine and squirts warm air into the engine, and it came with these sponges, and I thought ‘there’s got to be a better way to do this. If you had a cowl plug that had a hole in it, that would be an excel lent thing,’ so I asked Rob if he could make those.
“I was looking for an organizer, and I found one that was plastic, and I found one that was metal, and the plastic one was reason ably priced, and the metal one was much heavier. So, I called the guy [with the plastic one], there was no email, he was in California. One day he called me back and he said, ‘I had a fire a couple of years ago and it burned up all my seat organizers and I’m not making those anymore and I don’t know why the website is still up. I sold the rights to make these things to a fellow in North Carolina named Steve.’ “So I call Steve Rhode. He flies a 182, and he said, ‘Maybe you’ll motivate me to start making these things.’ A couple weeks went by, and he called me and said he had made a couple, so he shipped them. Now he has them in the Sporty’s catalog.” [Ed. Note: See a similar product from Rare Aviation on page 25.]
32 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 33 WilcoAero-Mach We keep you safe comfortableand Wilco holds the Concorde Battery STC for Cessna Singles, Twins, Conquests and Citations. Also holds the STC to install Whelen lights on Cessna singles built in 1972 and after, up to the restarts (but we have replacement LED lights for them too). We also distribute for Lamar, LP Aero, PM Research, and Rapco. Large inventory for all of the above. Same day shipping in most cases. Landing Gear Inspection Mirror STC approved for all Cessna single engine -Mentionretractable.thisadand purchase for $74.95 Vent Replacement Systems For Model 210 Operators Wemac direction controlled and closable vents. - Mention this Ad and purchase for $1385.00 Aero-Mach Wilco, LLC • 800-767-7593 Sales@wilco.to • Wilcoaircraftparts.com
1. Garmin G5 (pair) 2. Garmin GI-106B CDI 3. JPI 830 engine monitor 4. Garmin 340 5. Garmin 650xi 6. Garmin GNC 255 (nav/comm) 7. L3 ADS-B Transponder 8. Garmin GFC 500 (autopilot) 34 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 1 2 3 7654 8 “The plane had two G5s (EFIS), it had the L3 transponder, and it had the GFC 500 autopilot. I installed JP In struments 830 (engine monitor), and I put an 830 in there instead of a 930 because I like redundancy. If you put a 930 in there, you take out all your legacy instruments. If you lose your alternator or electrical, then you’re done with your engine instruments. So, I wanted to keep my engine Horrellinstruments.”hadthe avionics upgrade done at Sarasota Avionics: • Garmin GTN 650xi (WAAS, GPS, nav/comm, MFD) • Garmin GNC 255 (nav/comm) • Garmin GI-106B (CDI) • Garmin Flight Stream 510 (con nects the 650 to iPad, etc., via a card that is inserted into the 650).
Below Right: “Right in the middle is the SureFly electronic ignition. On Cessna 182s, those cylinders back by the firewall run hotter. I used the advanced timing on it, and when I did, they ran even hotter, so I went back to fixed timing on it, and everything is working fine.”
Below Left: “That’s the fairing on my exhaust pipe. That came from Maple Leaf Aviation in Canada. I thought it would help get a knot or two of speed, but it’s supposed to aid cooling the engine, and that was my primary motive.”
Above and Left: “These are the flap gap seals that were installed. The photo at the left shows two things: 1) It shows the brackets underneath the flap gap seals that needed to be installed, which involved drilling holes and cleaning them up; it was a lot of work. 2) Top left inspection plate with a square black plate in the middle of it is the landing height system that I installed [Microkit Solutions landing height system, reviewed in the July 2021 issue]. It’s hooked into the audio panel, and it starts calling out at 100 feet.”
CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 35
“That’s what the dash looked like with the windshield out. When the windshield is out is a good time to fix the ugly eyebrow and glareshield. As you go through these photos, you can see the new glareshield, and Rob [Messerly] re-covering the dash. Rob re-covered the eyebrow, too; instead of replacing it, he rebuilt it, and it looks brand new. In the finished photo, you can see the Alpha AOA indicator, that’s the heads-up display.”
36 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
Below: “To get your flap settings, some airplanes can transmit that information electronically. My plane cannot do that; I’ll call my airplane an ana log airplane, where something mechanically moves and then transmits that mechanical movement to that little box.
CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 37
“That tells my little AOA computer that I’ve changed my flaps. What moves, mechanically, when the flaps extend, that we can mount that little sensor thing to? So Tom Mathis, my A&P, thought ‘How about under the floor?’ There’s a cable that moves under the floor. So he mounted that sensor down there.”
Above: “That’s one of the boxes for the AOA system from Alpha Systems AOA. The blue and white lines go out to two holes in the AOA probe out on the wing, and that’s how it determines angle of attack, using the variance in the pressure on those two holes, and those two hoses send that to that“Thebox.second picture shows the probe. The third picture shows a box you can add to get three settings; I can get a blue donut with no flaps, with 20 degrees of flaps, and with 40 degrees of flaps, which is really nice.”
38 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 RESOURCES Maple Leaf Aviation (exhaust pipe fairings) aircraftspeedmods.ca Great Lakes Aero Products (windshield) www.glapinc.com Alpha Aviation (shoulder strap seat belts) alphaaviation.com Sarasota Avionics (avionics upgrade) sarasotaavionics.com The Aviation Shop (upholstery) www.facebook.com/TheShopCorp SureFly (electronic ignition) www.surefly.aero Alpha Systems AOA www.alphasystemsaoa.com Sporty’s (Cessna 182/206/210 Organizer) www.sportys.com Left and below: This is a new windshield installation [Great Lakes Aero Products]. The windows in the plane had a green tint, so the new windshield got a green tint. Tom Mathis installed this. “In the final picture, you can see air vents; I installed those,” Kevin said. “It had the old tin can air vents.” You can also see at the far back of this photo the retractable shoulder strap seat belts, from Alpha Aviation.
Or call toll free 866-697-4737 and mention offer code: A18COHA *U.S. rate – Canadian and International memberships are also available Member Benefits include: Plane peace of mind = Join Now Join now by visiting cessnaowner.org/join Enter promo code: A18COHA Oneor tech tip easily pays for your membership! 1-YEAR ONLY $59.00* Aviation Director/FAA Master Pilot Scott Sherer, A&P/IA Consultant Erich Rempert, and a host of fellow Cessna Owners are standing by and ready to assist. Scott Sherer Erich Rempert M onthly CESSNA OWNER magazine Content to help you maintain and upgrade your plane, to keep you in the air. Technical Support FAA Master Pilot and A&P/IA on staff Member-only Forum Advice from A&P/IAs and other owners Member-only webinars Learn from the best in the industry Digital back issues 10+ years, thousands of articles Weekly E-newsletter Important updates and news Free Part and Product search assistance Free member-only Calendar Mailed with the December issue Fly-Ins, Member Dinner at EAA, and more Tell a Friend! Established in 1975 CESSNA OWNER ORGANIZATION
AWI, ACORN MERGER CREATES ONE-STOP EXHAUST SHOP
When you put AWI’s 450-plus PMAs together with Acorn’s 200plus, you wind up with just about any product you’re ever going to need. PMA means “Parts Manufacturer Approval” and it means the FAA has approved the product.
Tom Heid, the Founding Partner of AWI and its sister company AMI, said one perfect example of the merged PMAs benefiting the US customers of AWI is Acorn’s specialty in carburetor air boxes.
By Rocky Landsverk AWI (Aerospace Welding Minneapolis, Inc.) and Acorn Welding of Edmonton, Canada, have merged under the roof of Hartzell Aerospace Welding, creating a one-stop shop for owners of legacy Cessna and Piper planes to source all their exhaust, engine mounts, and air box needs.
“The Hartzell Aviation umbrella brings together an outstanding array of firewall-forward products. The creation of Hartzell Avia tion reinforces the three organizations’ core competencies and their joint pursuit of improving General Aviation,” states a press release.
40 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022
Another example: “Is in the turboprop market, where Acorn has a line of PMA exhaust stacks for the PT6 engine on a variety of dif ferent aircraft models.” With now more than 650 PMAs combined, there are a lot more examples. What should be encouraging and comforting for pilots is that a wealth of knowledge in the area of exhaust and engine mounts has been merged under one roof, so when your A&P needs to work on your plane, their support will be the best in the industry. And the breadth of that knowledge takes even more explaining, because the companies listed above are fur ther supported by Quality Aircraft Accessories (www.qaa.com), Carb airboxes like these are a specialty of Acorn.
“Acorn has a Cessna 172 and 182 carb airbox PMA and they are working on several more models including Piper models,” Heid said. “You can buy the whole brand-new replacement air box, or you can buy the individual components if you want to repair and overhaul your own box. We (AWI) repaired air boxes through our repair station, but we had no PMAs on any of them until now.”
What it means for pilots is that if (well ... when) you need a new exhaust part, your mechanic will likely be dealing with AWI, which has relationships with virtually every mechanic and shop in the US, and now with the merger of Acorn Welding, that also applies to Canada.
A press conference was held at AirVenture 2022 in Osh kosh to announce the rebranding of these companies now operat ing as one unified group.
Aerospace Welding and Acorn are a part of Hartzell Aviation, which is the umbrella holding company for Hartzell Propeller, Hartzell Engine Tech (H.E.T.), and Quality Aircraft Accessories (QAA).
“Based on the make and model of airplane, there can be a vari ety of options for exhaust because of STCs and engine upgrades, even the OEMs have changed part numbers over the years,” Heid said. “So, when a customer calls in, we’re going to go through a se ries of questions with the customer to make sure they are order ing the right parts for their current installations. Our experienced customer service personnel will also give inspection tips on what to look for on a specific exhaust system, areas that tend to wear out the most, and what makes something airworthy or not airworthy.”
AWI was already the world’s largest exhaust and engine mount shop; it crossed that thresh old 10 years ago. AWI is based in Eagan, Min nesota, with 135 employees along with AMI, which supplies OEM parts directly to manu facturers. AWI will be celebrating its 30th an niversary in 2023.
Again, from the press release, “Hartzell Aerospace Welding, es tablished as Aerospace Welding Minneapolis, is a world leader in general aviation aircraft exhaust systems and engine mount repair. Its core competencies include certified welding, precision machin ing, and sheet metal fabrication.”
HartzellRESOURCESAerospaceWelding hartzellaerospacewelding.com AWI awi-ami.com Acorn Welding www.acornwelding.com AMI
“My other advice is also about the baf fling, which is inside the muffler for a reason. It reduces noise and helps disperse the heat throughout the muffler more evenly. It is the first part of the muffler that typically burns out or goes bad. People complain that the baffles always burn out, but they’re there for a reason. There are some mufflers out there that never had baffles from the OEM, so they don’t have to have baffles, but if the muffler originally had baffles inside, then it needs to be in there and intact. “And you should use it as a barometer of the health of your ex haust system. If the baffle starts to burn out or warp, it’s time to also take a look at the whole body of the muffler to make sure it’s sound, because you’ll eventually wind up with a hole or a crack in the body of the muffler, and then you will get carbon monoxide.”
AWI has been featured in numerous articles in Cessna Owner Magazine through the years, most recently in Scott Sellers’ story “How to Inspect Your Cessna’s Exhaust,” which ran in the June 2022 issue. Heid is himself an A&P and pilot, and obvi ously knows a lot about airplane exhaust, so we asked him for his advice in that area.
Seaplanes West brings some unique engine mounts to the merger. www.aerospacemanufacturing.com
What are the few things that he’s had to ex plain to plane owners most often in those de cades of experience?
The first layer of support that a pilot and/or their mechanic is going to get is an expert who can identify what their plane needs, which can be harder to identify than you’d think.
Cessna 180/185 stack from AWI. CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 41 Call Don for all your 0-2A/B and 337 needs 405-503-4686 Cell Phone • 405-722-4079 Phone and Fax Commodore Aerospace Corp 6221 Commodore Lane • Oklahoma City OK 73162 e-mail: nieser.02.337parts@juno.com • www.o2-337parts.com Skymaster 337/0-2 Parts, Equipment, Supplies Call Don for all your 0 2A/B and 337 needs 405 722 4079 Phone & Fax 405-503-4686 Cell Phone Commodore Aerospace Corp. 6221 Commodore Lane Oklahoma City, OK 73162 email: nieser.02.337parts@juno.com www.02337parts.com Largest Inventory ~ Lowest Prices SKYMASTER 337/0-2 Parts LargestLowestInventoryPrices ~ AAI’s “Advantage Service Plan” Means “Service You Can Depend On” • 24/7 Service Assistance • Easy Payment Plans Available • Best Coverage at Best Price • Representing all Major Companies ➢ Over 30 Years of Aviation Insurance Experience ➢ Private Aircraft, Corporate Aircraft, Helicopters, FBO’s, Charter Operators, AG Operators, Airports, Flight Schools and more! Discounts for AOPA Members • EAA Approved Program Toll Free (866) 833-5224 www.IFlyAAI.com • E-mail: jzimmer@IFlyAAI.com which has offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. So, you can also buy products directly from AWI’s sister company, QAA. Further, Acorn owns Seaplanes West, and that brings more STCs like heavy-duty engine mounts for Cessna 180, 182, and 185, and obvi ously a lot of products and support for float op erators. Seaplanes West has an STC for several Cessna engine mounts that Heid said “gives a lot better isolation for vibration and support, espe cially when installing an engine with increased horsepower, or when installing an upgraded three-blade prop.” This is just another example of how the mergers create a one-stop shop.
“First, if you ever have a backfire, you need to have a mechanic look at that muffler as soon as possible,” he said. “A backfire is basically a disruptive explosion inside your muffler. There’s baffling or flame tubes or flame cones inside the mufflers, and that explosion can lit erally shatter those parts. The chunks can be big enough to where they can get lodged in the tailpipe and can’t make it out. It’ll cause you to lose power in the worst situation, which is usually on takeoff.”
That leads to the #1 piece of advice that Heid gives. “Make sure you get some form of a CO2 detector in your air plane,” he said.
Q
Will I have to remove the starter to comply with AD 2022-04-04 on a Cessna 182P with O-470S? —Member Ed Note: AD 2022-04-04 states: “The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. C-125, C145, IO-360, IO-470, IO-550, O-300, O-470, TSIO-360, TSIO-520 series model reciprocat ing engines and certain Continental Motors IO-520 series model reciprocating engines with a certain oil filter adapter installed. This AD was prompted by reports of two accidents that were the result of power loss due to oil starvation. This AD requires replacing the oil filter adapter fiber gasket (fiber gasket) with an oil filter adapter copper gasket (copper gasket).”
Q
AYou may not need to, but it would probably make the task easier if you did. I would try to do it without pull ing the starter. If you can’t get it done because it’s in the way, you’ll have your answer. I think to be safe, you should plan on pulling it and obtain a gasket/O-ring before you start, just in case.
Disclaimer: We provide help to our members with maintenance questions, but since every plane problem is unique and we are unable to visually inspect your plane, we advise you to consult your A&P/IA.
My Cessna 182’s Lycoming O-540J35D has a flat dip stick. It is very difficult to determine the actual oil level. For instance, if the stick reads just under 6 quarts after sitting overnight and I wipe it and recheck, it may read as little as 5 or as much as 7 quarts. When the engine is hot, I realize there is oil on the upper end and the stick will read low. Is there a replacement round oil stick for this engine? My experience with newer C182 engines and the round stick were much more consistent than that flat type. Have you any experience with this problem? Thank you. My real question is how does one interpret the variations when the engine has been sitting for days? Is there a secret to understanding the readings of a stick that will show 5, 6, and 7 quarts during three attempts on one morning? Is this normal?
AI would recommend you always check the oil under the same conditions and in the same manner. If after sitting overnight, you read 6, and after flying (at the fuel farm) you read 5, make a note of that and act accordingly. If it sits a month and now reads 7, make note of that as well. In terms of actually reading the stick, wipe it off and get familiar with the marks and then stick it in and seat it fully, pull it out and check it. The actual level is where the oil covers the stick on both sides. You probably only have one choice of dipsticks, but talk to the Lycoming guys at Oshkosh and see if there’s an alternative. Probably not; this is especially true on twins where the engines do not sit level.
—Member
42 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 MEMBER ACTIVITY - FORUM Q&A
I am putting a new LP Aero windshield in my 170B and looking for advice on suggested seals to buy for the channel. There appears to be several types out there, and from what I hear, it can be challenging to get it right. —Member
Cardinal Flaps Not Responding Correctly
Names in this section are forum usernames. If you have a question that you and/or your A&P can’t answer or if you’re looking for a second opinion, take advantage of your membership. Contact us at tech@cessnaowner.org to get help from our staff or post your question at forums.cessnaowner.org.
Q
—Erich Rempert, A&P/IA Consultant
Q
—Member
What Channel Seals Are Needed for Windshield Replacement?
A
The limit switches are at fault — out of adjustment, dirty, broken, stuck, etc. They are attached to the flap selector handle behind the panel.
—Erich Rempert, A&P/IA Consultant
The aircraft is a 1968 model with a 150-hp engine and a total time of 2,700 hours, 700 hours SMOH. What hap pens is when I put the flaps down to a quarter, they go down and then immediately go back up to 0. Sometimes they go back up slowly. On takeoff, I have noticed that when I get ready to rotate, I find out that the flaps have rotated back to 0. I have had it in the shop three times for the same problem.
Need to Remove Starter to Comply With AD?
Easier-to-Read Oil Dipstick Available for Lycoming O-540J35D?
—Erich Rempert, A&P/IA Consultant
Send Us Your Maintenance Questions
When I replace windshields, I like to follow the instructions in the airplane maintenance manu al. For my R182, that means a specified sealant and new felt strip. I have had to do a replacement on windshields that were installed by another shop where the mechanic saved a dollar by bedding the transparency in RTV. That install method is guaranteed to fail. There is too much relative motion between the windshield and the window frame structure for that to work. The transparency moves due to aero loads and due to differential thermal expansion. The transparency edge has to have room to move, and the sealant has to stay flexible, or the joint will develop leaks. That’s bad, because you probably have some expensive radios right behind the windshield that weren’t designed to endure water spray.
HESSAERO, Jerry LeCroy, A&P/IA
CESSNAOWNER.ORG CESSNA OWNER 43 Gross weight increase for CESSNA S/E aircraft Wing Extension and spar reinforcement is FAA STC approved for all models Cessna 180, 182, 185 and Canadian STC approved for Cessna 170, 172, 175, 205. AIR RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY INC. Telephone: 514-337-7588 www.wingxstol.com info@wingxstol.com 800-433-0814U.S.&Canada Tel. www.preferredairparts.comFAX.330-698-0280330-698-3164 Cessna, Citation, Piper, Eurocopter, Bell, Sikorsky, Socata, Mooney, and many others! New Surplus Aircraft Parts in Stock! The world’s leading supplier of New Surplus and Used aircraft parts for nearly anything that flies! “Everything fits like a dream! The seat stitching and cushion patterns are exquisite. I love the top bar wrap on the front seat -looks great, perfect length, everything! I could not imagine being Happier!” REPAIRSAIRCRAFT WINDOW FAA C.R.S.: #XK3R974L/EASA.145.4359 310-212-7173 • info@awrepairs.com www.aircraftwindowrepairs.com“De-IceStripElectricalandSurfaceRepairServices” [Ed. Note: The member later learned that LP Aero included the seal with its wind shield. Before that resolution, A&P/IA Jer ry LeCroy contributed a helpful answer.] A
What is the biggest ongoing challenge with this aircraft?
T182 California
A few weeks after purchase, at Corona, California. I’m tall, and I fit well in this plane. Photos courtesy of Shirley Hooper.
I love the turbocharging. It makes departures in the moun tainous areas of the West much more doable. The plane is cur rently in Oregon getting an avionics upgrade: Garmin GTN 750, two G5s, new audio panel, Garmin 500 autopilot, and LED screen for the JPI engine monitor.
What is the best reason to fly this aircraft? Best balance of speed, load, and cost.
What are the top three things you like about your plane?
Special Features
1. Freedom. 2. Lack of pressure to return to an FBO.
3. Confidence in the maintenance provided.
What is your advice to somebody who’s considering buying this model, or who recently purchased this model? Get a thorough pre-purchase examination by a good A&P.
Phil 2001HooperCessna
44 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 MEMBER ACTIVITY - MEMBER PHOTOS
Expenses. But you don’t own an airplane unless you have the ability to pay.
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New added, “This is a simple AD, but it often gets brushed over.” Don’t forget to make sure that your seat rails are checked every 100 hours or 12 months, whichever comes first!
Many Cessna owners know about AD 2011-10-09, which requires inspection of the seat rails and seat components every 100 hours or 12 months and is applicable to most single-engine and some multi-engine Cessnas. But getting the details right is crucial. Paul New explored the topic in his May 2022 webinar. The inspection must be completed and signed off by a licensed IA. According to New, “It’s a very simple inspection to do, but it does take an hour to do if you do it correctly.” McFarlane has created a tool to help with the inspection. “This is a very cool little tool for McFarlane,” New said. The tool runs about $45 on mcfarlaneaviation.com and is handy to have, even if you’re not an IA. “It’s a wonderful, easy Go/No-Go tool.” Owners can use calipers, but New recommends using the tool. “We find that this little tool just makes it go really quick,” he continued. “The objective here is to look into the hole in the seat rail and make sure that the hole is a nice, sharp, clean hole.”
Every 100 Hours or 12 Months
By Elizabeth Gibbs
rienced a seat coming out of the latching pin and slid ing backwards on you, I can tell you it’s a very exciting experience. Not in a good way. Just to make that clear.”
46 CESSNA OWNER OCTOBER 2022 HANGAR TIP
And while some cracks are OK, others are definitely not. If you happen to be using your seat rails as cargo tiedowns, no cracks are allowed because of the additional stress.
PAUL NEW WEBINAR PAULA&P/IANEW OWNER OF TENNESSEE AIRCRAFT SERVICES CO-HOST OF AOPA’S ASK THE A&P cessnaowner.org/paul-new Lubrication,CorrosionMasterClass,andMore
Elizabeth Gibbs (writer) and Lyle Jansma (photographer) are private pilots and coowners of a Cessna 172. When they’re not flying above the beautiful Pacific Northwest, they are working hard designing instrument panels for other Cessna owners. To learn more about upgrading your instrument panel, visit sixpackaero.com
How the Seat Rail AD Inspection Works
McFarlane’s seat rail gauge makes it easy to verify whether or not the seat rail holes are sharp and clean. The tool is designed to eliminate subjective interpretation using an objective pass or fail criteria.
AD 2011-10-09:
While you’re inspecting the holes in the seat rails, you’re also looking for cracks. However, “Not all cracks are bad,” New said. “You can have cracks across the holes in the top of the seat rail. That’s allowable, but you can’t have two in a row. One inch is the minimum.“Part of this is because the seat rail is an integral part of the structure of the belly of the airplane. You can’t drill the seat rails off and fly around without the seat rails. They are a part of that structure. And that’s why if you have cer tain cracks, it’s not only about the seats not latching in place, but it’s about keeping the structure together of the floor of the airplane.”
Why is it so important? “The locking pin that keeps the seat from moving one way or another needs a good sharp edge to go against the hole in the bottom,” New explained. If it’s all round ed, that contributes to the pin sliding out. If you’ve never expe
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