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Syllabus, Day Two
Where to Go at TBO
Perhaps the most significant maintenance decision you'll ever need to make
as an aircraft owner is what to
do when your engine gets to TBO. We'll talk about what the TBO figures published by the engine manufacturer really
mean (and what
they don't), how to determine when it's time to overhaul, whether it's
better to overhaul "on condition" or at a specified number of hours, and the pros and cons of custom field overhauls versus factory-rebuilt
engines. For owners who opt for a field overhaul, we'll discuss how to
choose and work with an overhaul shop. We'll look at engine warranties and how to deal with warranty
issues if something goes wrong.
 Navigating the Jug Jungle
Cylinder replacement is a major expense item, and today's owner is faced
with a bewildering array of choices. We'll discuss when it is and is
not appropriate to "pull a jug" (it's astonishing how often this is
done needlessly) and when a full-blown "top overhaul" is indicated.
We'll talk about when it makes sense to use reconditioned or
"continued-time" cylinders versus new ones, and review the various
new-cylinder options (factory, Superior Millennium, ECi Titan, etc.) We'll
discuss when it makes sense to change cylinders on high-time engines vs. doing a
major overhaul. We'll also review how best to break in one or more newly
installed cylinders.
The Art and Science of Troubleshooting
We'll review the two key phases in the resolution of aircraft problems: troubleshooting and
repair. In medicine, these two phases are called diagnosis and treatment --
and the person best equipped to diagnose a medical problem is not always the
person best equipped to treat it. Likewise, the A&P is often not the
person best equipped to troubleshoot a problem with an aircraft; frequently, that
person is the owner. This is particularly true of problems that occur only
in-flight and ones that are intermittent. If the mechanic can't reproduce
the problem in his maintenance hangar, it's usually difficult or impossible
for him to troubleshoot it -- and then his only recourse is to resort to the
"shotgun" approach, which is inefficient and often quite hard on
the owner's wallet. We'll examine an organized methodology for troubleshooting aimed at aircraft owners who aren't
A&Ps. The emphasis will be on how to gather data about the nature
of the problem, to enumerate possible causes, and to rule out
causes systematically until there are only one or two possibilities left. Even in cases
where the problem is too complicated for an owner to troubleshoot
definitively, this approach will help you assemble the data that your A&P needs to formulate an enlightened diagnosis. This segment is
packed with real-world examples of airplane problems and the steps
required to diagnose what's wrong.
LUNCH BREAK
Troubleshooting Powerplant Problems
We'll review the most common problems encountered with piston
aircraft engines, including missing, rough running, high oil and cylinder head
temperatures, and hard starting. We'll go over a logical and systematic method of
isolating powerplant faults, reducing the need for unnecessary labor and parts
replacement. This segment also includes a detailed discussion of modern
electronic probe-per-cylinder engine instrumentation and how to use it to help identify powerplant problems.
Troubleshooting Electrical Problems
We'll cover the most common problems encountered with aircraft
electrical systems, with emphasis on alternators, regulators, batteries, and
other charging system components. We'll offer a logical and systematic method of
isolating electrical system faults, reducing the need for unnecessary labor and
parts replacement. Many otherwise-excellent A&P mechanics
are weak in troubleshooting electrical problems, so it's particularly important
for owners to verify that such problems have been diagnosed correctly before
approving repair labor or parts replacement.
Savvy Owner's Checklist
After reviewing what we've covered throughout the weekend, we discuss
possible next steps along the path to savvy ownership: building your maintenance
library, learning more about your aircraft systems, starting to do your own oil
changes, scheduling an owner-assisted annual, etc.
Final Q&A Session
In this final segment, Mike will answer any remaining
questions, and you'll have a chance to chat with him informally about any
additional subjects of interest to the group.
See what other owners have said about this
seminar...
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Rapid City SD (Aug 23-24)
95%
Santa Maria CA (Oct 11-12)
80%
For a modest fixed annual fee,
you can now have
your aircraft
maintenance professionally
managed
by
Savvy Aircraft
Maintenance
Management, Inc.
AMT of the Year!
The FAA has honored Mike as its
"National Aviation Maintenance
Technician of the Year" for 2008.
Mike will receivethe award from the
FAA Administrator at EAA AirVenture.
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