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General Aviation News

Tips to ground an aircraft while refueling

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Lately, I have received a number of questions concerning grounding or bonding an aircraft during the refueling process.

The reason for using a bonding strap during refueling is that when an electrically, non-conductive fluid like Jet A or 100LL is transferred, these liquids build up static electricity that can arc and cause a fire if not dissipated.

This is like how your body can build up static electricity when you walk across a carpeted floor and then arc when you touch a grounded item. [Read more…]

LSA registrations remain consistent

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My associate in Europe, Jan Fridrich of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) Europe, has been the source for a database search for many years as I seek to report light-sport aircraft (LSA) market share statistics in the USA.

He scours the FAA registration information and laboriously assembles the numbers. As he and I work to produce accurate info, Jan often makes contact with selected companies when questions arise, as they often do.

I also reach out to producers in our effort to make the best possible use of the registration data to create our rankings.

Jan has been one of his country’s representatives in the Czech Republic’s official work with the Chinese to help that nation build its lighter aviation infrastructure. He’s made many trips to China in the last two years.

Along with frequent travel in his job for LAMA, time is short for him to find the hours it takes to review the FAA’s data. For 2015 data, he completed the effort as I headed to SUN ‘n FUN and then to AERO in Germany, so finally, here is our report with hearty thanks to Jan for doing this tedious work. [Read more…]

Top 5 Reasons to Get Airborne

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I’ve never really understood why it’s true, but people seem to like lists for some reason. They’re forever buying magazines and clicking on hot links that will take them to The Top 3 Retirement Destinations in America, or The Top 5 Cars For 2016, or The Top 10 Reasons You Should Shop at Ralph’s.

It’s enough to drive a man to distraction.

I’m a team player, though. I can be flexible when the situation calls for it. So here I go, getting all flexible, playing ball, and basically giving in to the appetite of the crowd. So here, I offer you my Top 5 Reasons to Get Airborne. Go ahead and see how my list stacks up against yours. [Read more…]

Is this converted engine reliable?

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Q: We recently bored a Lycoming 290-D2 engine to accept 320 cylinders (low compression) with 8.5:1 pistons. The engine has all new bearings and valves, and everything has been magnafluxed, balanced, etc. We retained a very good 290 D2 crankshaft.

From experience, would you say it could make a reliable engine?

Gilles St Pierre, AVIATION BSL (Canada)

A: Gilles, I’m probably not going to win any friends with my response, but my main concern here is safety, which should be the top priority of all of us in this business.

Honestly, I have never before heard of anyone making an engine conversion as you described.

Being retired and not having access to all of the technical information that would be required to research a project like this, I’m going to have to decline to answer.

My personal opinion, just off the top of my head, is that it sounds like you are “trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.”

Please don’t misunderstand me, it may be a doable project, but like I said, I’ve never heard of it being done and just thinking about it leaves me a little bit nervous.

The thing that causes me the most concern is how you take a cylinder with a 4-inch, 7/8-inch bore and bore it out to a 5-inch and 1/8-inch bore…and that’s only the beginning of several complicated questions that come to mind.

Please accept my apologies for backing away from this one, but it’s just way out of my league.

Thank you Dee

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It should go without saying that aviation means a little (or a lot) more in Alaska. But it’s so much fun to talk about. My wife, Deb, and I just returned from Anchorage and the 19th annual Great Alaska Aviation Gathering.

Once again, the FedEx Maintenence Hangar at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport was packed to the rafters — so to speak — with people, planes and exhibitors.

For the last 20 years, the Alaska Airmen’s Association has had a well-connected and energetic executive director. Dee Hanson has been the day-to-day manager smartly carrying out the wishes of the airmen’s board for the association’s more than 2,000 members.

Dee Hanson (Photo courtesy Alaska Airmen's Association)

Dee Hanson (Photo courtesy Alaska Airmen’s Association)

While Dee is officially retiring as executive director on May 31 to have more time for her 6-year-old daughter, farming and flying, she’s not leaving completely. She is committed to see the  new airmen’s headquarters — on the Lake Hood shoreline — through to completion.

To be certain, the Alaska Airmen’s Association is more than one person. Dee would be the first to say that. But some cast an outsized shadow. That’s Dee.

Thank you Dee.

United we stand, divided we … you know the rest

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The difference between a mob and a group is subtle, but it’s there

Often the distinction rests on the organization of the gathering and the leadership that officiates over it.

Even with the best of intentions, a peaceful, seemingly docile group of people can be stirred into near hysterics with little more than a rumor that allows idle thoughts to wander enough that fear takes root. [Read more…]

The assistant principal

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Most people have what it takes to become a pilot — some don’t

Several people in my southern hometown’s high school were interested in learning to fly.

Either the local Civil Air Patrol’s composite squadron — my chosen path for primary training — or the Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC) provided relatively inexpensive and organized ways for interested teenagers and faculty to get hands-on experience with aviation.

Some who took advantage of those programs went on to have productive aviation careers. Some didn’t. [Read more…]

Can I use these cylinders?

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Q: I have several wide deck cylinders (for a Lycoming) 360 but the deck is a little bit thinner than normal and the deck looks like it is milled or radiused around the attach nuts area on the deck.

I’m not sure where I got them from, but are they early style wide deck? Can I mix with other thicker wide deck cylinders?

Are Lycoming pistons marked for weight class anywhere and maximum gram difference between? Could you recommend any SL or SI regarding this?

Jahn Mueller, via email

[Read more…]

A farewell to Bob Lock

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Bob Lock was a good ol’ boy, in the best sense of the word.

You may have known him. If not, you almost certainly know someone who did.

Aviation is a tight-knit, fairly small community of individuals who somehow manage to cross paths with one another somewhere or other as they walk along the road of life. For me, Bob was one of those connections. [Read more…]