Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: I’ve seen this in Lycoming literature — “Keep in mind that all turbocharged Lycoming engines must be broken-in on ashless dispersant oil only” — but why is it true? My engine overhaul shop, Central Cylinder in Omaha, Neb., insists, in writing, […]
Opinion
GAMA and NBAA welcome tax agreement
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced support for the comprise tax agreement working its way through Congress after the aviation groups participated in a telephone conference with the White House. GAMA’s President and CEO Pete Bunce said, “We support this agreement because it contains […]
Is ethanol on the run?
The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Ethanol on the Run”, a […]
A puzzling problem
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Just read Ask Paul’s post (A puzzling compression problem) and it reminded me of an problem I found several years ago. I had a Lycoming IO-360 180 hp in a Pitts that began to use some oil. It increased gradually from a quart in 15 or 20 hours to 10, then […]
For the good of the order
Jamie Beckett is a CFI and A&P mechanic who stepped into the political arena in an effort to promote and protect GA at his local airport. Patrick Henry, a man who knew a thing or two about standing up when the chips were down, famously spoke the words, “United we stand, divided we fall.” He […]
Wasting tax dollars on ethanol
The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist. You know that your political agenda is in trouble when the Tea Party movement agrees […]
On the threshold of powered flight
Dennis Parks is Curator Emeritus of Seattle’s Museum of Flight. During the closing years of the 19th century, there were important events that brought the development of aircraft to the edge of powered flight. It was a period of great expectations, full of such developments as the gasoline engine, the automobile, electric lights and the […]
1-800-DON’T-FLY
Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin won the contract to privatize flight service and ensure its ultimate demise. They might as well send the jobs to India, because at least then the customer service component would not be so surly.
Is 172 with H2AD engine a good buy?
Paul McBride, an expert on engines, retired after almost 40 years with Lycoming. Q: Hi, I am a Mexican looking for my first plane. I found a 1980 Cessna 172 with an H2AD engine that has just 100 hours since overhaul. The serial number ends in 76T; I had read about 76A. Is it OK? […]