If you are breaking in a new or rebuilt engine on mineral oil during the coldest part of the year, you should change your pre-heating criteria to account for the differences in viscosity.
Opinion
Can I bypass the oil cooler on my aircraft engine in colder temperatures?
Question for our engines expert: I have an RV-6 with a Lycoming O-360 and in winter, even with the louvres of the oil cooler closed, my oil temperature may only reach about 150°-160°. Can I install a shut-off valve to prevent oil flow through the cooler in cold weather, or does oil need to flow through it to keep oil pressure from getting too high?
Is this work or playtime?
For someone whose labors are often indistinguishable from what most folks would consider playtime, the desire to lay low, to do nothing, to disconnect from the workaday world may seem like a petty complaint. And maybe it is. This conundrum is complicated by the fact that I truly love what I do. Every bit of it. A truth that is evident in the existence of this column itself.
Giant Antonov AN-225 destroyed in Ukraine
The one and only An-225 has become a casualty of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Remembering Bill Larkins
Friends will gather March 20, 2022, to remember aviation photographer and historian Bill Larkins.
Questions From the Cockpit: Who needs to be enlightened?
There are a lot of stumbling blocks in the way of accurately turning on Pilot Controlled Lighting, so it may be time for a refresher on lighting up the night.
Don’t miss the best show in town
The lessons waiting to be learned just inside the SUN ‘n FUN gates may be exactly what your town or city needs to revitalize general aviation, boost your local economy, and push your school system’s educational potential up to the next level.
The shared challenges of the left and right seat
The CFI’s role is to teach. To demonstrate. To evaluate the performance of the individuals they work with. But that role also requires the CFI to encourage, support, congratulate, and celebrate each client’s successes, small though they may be.
To delegate or not to delegate
Delegation is great. Until it isn’t.