Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner, master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us -- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we might never have considered before, or something that didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for the practical test.

Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you through the Aero-News Network.

Aero-Tips 12.23.06

Yesterday we reviewed Section 7 of a General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)-standard Pilots Operating Handbook (POH).  On the heels of this section in the POH is Section 8: Handling, Servicing and Maintenance.

What type of engine oils are approved for my airplane? How often should I grease the flap tracks? What's the best way to clean the windshield? What kind of light bulb goes in the instrument panel post lights? At what total time should I replace the instrument air system's filter? These are the questions you'll find answered in the Handling, Servicing and Maintenance section of the POH.

EXAMPLE: Nose gear shimmy damper fluid level check (Beech Bonanza F33A/F33C POH for serial numbers CE-674 and after, and CJ-129 and after):

The check the fluid level in the shimmy damper insert a wire approximately 1/32-inch in diameter through the hole in the disc at the aft end of the piston rod, until it touches the bottom of the hole in the floating position. Mark the wire, remove it, and measure the depth of the insertion. When the shimmy damper is full, insertion depth is 2 3/16 inches; when empty, 3 1/16 inches.

The GAMA-format POH also contains a table of recommended component servicing and overhaul/replacement intervals (usually in terms of airframe time) in Section 8. Thumb through this table next time you're near the airplane, and compare its recommendations to the airframe logbooks.

Want to know all the little things needed to keep an airplane in good shape? Need to keep on eye on maintenance schedules yourself, to know when it's time to take it to a mechanic? Want to keep overall costs down by maintaining the airplane, instead of waiting for something to break and suffering inconvenience and cost? Get to know Section 8 of your POH.

Aero-tip of the day: Regularly review the POH for each airplane you fly.

FMI: Aero-Tips