Mead Aircraft Services - This week I have the opportunity to combine two of my favorite things; go where I've never been before and do a pre-purchase inspection. I went to Lelystad, Netherlands to make my first purchase on Meridian. It was a whirlwind trip, as usual, so I didn't get a chance to see it while I was there, but I did enjoy seeing the airport elsewhere. What always strikes me is that no matter how different the weather, architecture, cars etc. are in a foreign country, the airport is the same wherever you go. over there. That was certainly the case on this trip, when I had the chance to hang out at Lelystad Airport where the general manager of Aero Services Marien van Schie made me feel welcome. Aero Service is the local Piper Service Center and several PA46s are based there. Their projects also included the P-51 Mustang and the Stearman biplane.
Lylestad airport is considered the busiest GA airport in the Netherlands. As you can see, it was hopping when I was there, with lots of pilot training and rotor wings going on. Another local attraction in Lelystad is the Aviodrome aviation museum, which features the first KLM 747 on display. I was told that the plane had actually been taken to the ship. Unfortunately, the museum recently closed due to bankruptcy. Hopefully they can sort out their finances and reopen soon.
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I would also like to send a shout out to Hotel Apollo, Lelystad, which is clean and comfortable. They also have a great breakfast that I haven't seen since I stayed at an airport hotel in Nantes, France a few years ago. Breakfast is plentiful and varied. And when I thought I wouldn't come in the morning, they packed me a lunch box to take to the airport. Why can't American hotels do this right?
Vintage Trapper Keeper Top Gun Fighter Jet Notebook Binder Mead
I also want to say how wonderful it is to be in a nice, clean, cheap place and a fast train. I can take the train to the main airport in Amsterdam and straight to Lelystad and I can do that several times a day if I want to. I'm not a regular traveler, but the process was easy for me to understand.
I hope I have a chance to visit Holland again when I have more time to see around. But I had to cut this trip short so I could do it next time. After a day at home, I headed to the Northeast and Malibu to take one daughter to school after Spring Break and visit the other. pole First, Sebastien asked for a picture of the suction screen on the Lycoming engine. (Malibu owners: note that the Continental engine does not have raw fuel oil, so it only applies to the Mirage and Matrix.)
I have several oil spills lying around. The silver metal ball at the bottom of the picture has a screen inside. For reference, the ball is on the left (pilot) side of the engine. Example: Before you remove this screen, make sure the oil has been drained first. Even after the oil has run out, you can expect some oil residue on the outside and blade. To avoid problems, use a piece of cardboard to absorb the remaining oil in the drain bucket. Otherwise, the oil will spill directly into your nostrils.
Sebastien's second question is about putting the PA46 on grass or gravel. I will say up front that I would never do this to my Malibu and I do not recommend it. Others will disagree. The reason I don't recommend it is because I have received so many calls from people who have done it and ended up with their plane on the nose. I also received a call from an owner who did this routine without a problem, but only gave a nose in one day. But sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words…..
An Aviation Innovation Visits Chautauqua County To Recharge
Happy New Year everyone! One of my resolutions for 2013 is to remember to have a blog.
My pre-purchase inspection was the same. All aircraft have the same treatment whether 1 year or 1 day has passed since its last annual inspection. I have learned over the years that recent years are no guarantee that everything is going well.
An example of the Mirage I saw recently. One hour of flight has passed since the annual inspection. The flight test went well, and everything was fine. But back on land I quickly noticed that the nasal passages and stomach were now covered with a thin layer of oil. Sometimes I see this in high fire times, so it's not a sign of a serious problem. So I went to check installation logs. Everything is fine there. In this case, it may be tempting to move on. After all, the oil was changed 1 hour ago and is well pressed. But I went ahead and threw in new oil, a prerequisite to inspecting the suction screen, an essential step in any Mirage inspection and in all Mirage oil changes, for that matter. The suction cups were filled with regular carbon chips and a few pieces of so-called "bearing pick out", fragments of any rod or main bearing material. . Carriers are easy to identify because the pieces of paper are large, very soft and can be folded. This type of material usually does not appear in oil samples because the particles are heavy and do not stay in the oil. Therefore, more pieces of paper are captured by the suction screen. In fact, the suction screen captures many things. I have found oil control ring parts and springs, oil seal rivets, half rings, gear teeth, and various crankshaft parts.
Long story short, the engine broke down, and the main drive proved to be bad. In addition, the lifter body and camshaft lobes are damaged.
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So I guess this post is an explanation of why I check all airplanes the same way, regardless of maintenance history AND a plea to Mirage owners to have their suction screens checked at every oil change.
But you don't believe me on this? Reference Lycoming SB 480E oil change required. And for fun, read this too, oil test oil test 489A; SA 56-500 shipping survey; and study SA 59-800 to take communication skills.
In 1974 my father moved the family to Lyons, Kansas to start a new FBO and take over the management of the national airport. One day, while we were helping a retired airport manager clean his office, I noticed him throwing a small package into the trash. Being a noisy teenager, I pulled the package from the can. There is a logbook from the D17 Staggerwing, the Holy Grail of general aviation. I was happy, I was told I could take care of it!
Digging up the logs revealed that the new boat was built in 1945 for Goodyear Tire and Rubber. Naturally, their flag is painted yellow. As I continued reading, I learned that it eventually ended up in the hands of a local farmer. I became more and more interested in the plane until finally my father offered a cash reward if I could find the owner and convince him to sell it. It wasn't hard to find it, but I was worried about going to it. The story in town is that others tried to talk to the old man but were met with gunfire. (Such things actually happen in Kansas.)
Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing At Lake Mead Beach
In 1977 I finally got up to go see Staggerwing. I heard that the plane met a sad fate after the farmer bought it. For example, my father explained that he had seen the owner of the boat spray paint the road in Hutchinson Township. After that, it continued to deteriorate until the fabric was so worn that the owner left the Staggerwing in his field, put it in an open shed and removed the 4 wings. 1960s.
Since the old man didn't want to talk to me, I, a normal 17-year-old, decided the obvious next step was to go out into the field. I found the church open and that's where Staggerwing lived. It sat there with the skin destroyed, the wings removed, and the rotors rusted. It hurts to see barnacles laying eggs on the rear fuselage.
Unfortunately, neither my father nor anyone else was able to buy the plane and live on it.
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