This episode Mike, Paul, and Colleen tell a flight school owner not to throw away a perfectly good engine. Plus, the origins of the annual inspection, safety wire, and poor engine monitor guidance. Email [email protected] for a chance to get on the show.

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Full notes below:

Mike has a Cessna 150 with a bunch of advanced avionics, including a Garmin GI275 as primary engine instrumentation. The oil temperature setting frustrates him because it’s flashing cautionary at 200 degrees and warning at 210 degrees. The POH says the max is 240 degrees. Paul said the engine monitor should match the original gauge, so if there wasn’t a cautionary range on the original there shouldn’t be one on the electronic instrument.

David is challenging the maintenance norms. He’s wondering how the FAA originally came up with the idea and time frame of the annual inspection. Mike thinks it’s arbitrary because some things should go less than a year, and some can go much longer. Firewall forward and wheels and brakes should probably be less than a year, but things like cable tensions could go less. The phased inspections that turbines go through is more logical, he thinks.

The airplane in Albert’s flight school is difficult to start, and his mechanics can’t figure out why. They’ve looked at spark plugs, adjusted the fuel, fuel servo, magnetos, and more. They recommended replacing the engine next. Don’t do that, the hosts say. Mike asks for the starting procedure. In Albert’s write up he mentioned having to wait some time prior to trying to start again. Mike said the only way that would happen is if the engine is continuously flooded during starts. Paul said if there’s leakage in the flow divider, the engine can become overprimed because its as if it is being continually primed. Colleen said it’s not a bad idea to check the ignition harness and other electrical components. And Paul said to also look at the P-leads.

Slavic is learning to fly helicopters and he was surprised to find that none of the oil filters were safety wired, and he wants to know if it’s safe. The hosts are shocked. However, a safety bulletin from Robinson says that it’s not required.