Wellington, Kansas, just south of Wichita, calls itself the Wheat Capital of the World, but there are pilots and aircraft owners around the world who know it as the home of Air Plains Services, which is marking 40 years as a leader in creating extreme performance upgrades for thousands of Cessna piston aircraft around the globe. “I […]
Engines
How reliable is my magneto?
Q: I just read an article about the reliability of the mag in my TR182 and would like to know if there are any recent SBs or ADs on it. Royal Adderson A: Any information regarding the Bendix Dual Magneto should be available at any FAA approved repair station where you have you aircraft and engine […]
A mysterious engine at Reno
I had my suspicions about this, but I sought outside counsel from a good friend who has attended Reno for many years. Considered the best spark plug analyst, he shares his tremendous knowledge with the race teams.
Should different CHTs be a concern?
Q: I have a Mattituck TMX O-360 in my Glastar. During a longer climb phase, my CHTs differ up to 100°F between Cylinder No. 1 and No. 4. Leveling off and reducing to cruise power (65%) at top of climb, CHTs stabilize all within max 30°F. What could be the reason for this difference (airstream entering […]
StandardAero partners with Hampton Aviation
StandardAero and Hampton Aviation recently signed a three-year Authorized Service Center agreement for PT6A engine services that will provide King Air owners the advantage of one-stop shop services for engine and airframe services. Under the agreement, StandardAero and Hampton will collaborate on PT6A engine removal and installations, line maintenance, hot section inspections, engine overhauls, heavy maintenance and engine […]
Pratt & Whitney Canada enhances maintenance program
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has enhanced its Eagle Service Plan (ESP) maintenance program tailored to PT6A customers. The ESPplan is a pay-per-hour engine coverage program that ensures a planned and preventative approach to maintenance, according to company officials. Being launched are ESPecially for Your PT6 engine, which provides the first 400 hours of coverage for free to […]
Grease: Not the movie, the slippery stuff
When I was a boy growing up on a farm, we had one pail of grease and it was used to lubricate everything on the farm. But aviation is different: There is a wide variety of greases and they have different properties for each application. The unique part of greases is that they are not […]
EPS freezes design on diesel engine
NEW RICHMOND, Wis. — After years of development, EPS has “frozen” the design for the Graflight 8 diesel that is being taken through the FAA’s engine certification process. Company officials note they have reached the conformity stage, which requires the development of an engine assembled with parts that conform to precise drawing and quality standards. The […]
Blackhawk launches new engine upgrade program for King Air 350
WACO, Texas — Blackhawk Modifications is developing a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) that will allow the installation and operation of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67A engine to replace the existing PT6A-60A engines on the King Air 350 model. The Blackhawk program, called the XP67A Engine+ Upgrade, is currently installed on Blackhawk’s King Air 350 that will be […]