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.") It's part of what makes aviation
so exciting for all of us... just when you think you've seen it
all, along comes a scenario you've never imagined.
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, and as
representatives of the flying community. 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.
It is our unabashed goal that "Aero-Tips" will help our readers
become better, safer pilots -- as well as introducing our
ground-bound readers to the concepts and principles that keep those
strange aluminum-and-composite contraptions in the air... and allow
them to soar magnificently through it.
Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you
through the Aero-News Network. Suggestions for future Aero-Tips are
always welcome, as are additions or discussion of each day's tips.
Remember... when it comes to being good pilots, we're all in this
together.
Aero-Tips 02.13.06
Electricity has a language of its own. To understand more about
what's going on with your airplane's electrical system, let's
simplify the operation of an airplane's electrical system by
comparing it to something we might better visualize -- the motion
of water.
Please note: This visualization is not technically
correct—but it does a superb job of helping pilots comprehend
what's going on with the electrical system to accurately monitor it
and troubleshoot problems. Engineers, mechanics and purists, please
forgive this teaching tool.
- Direct Current A "DC" system is one
where the electricity flows in the same direction all the time.
Think of DC power as water flowing through a pipe.
- Battery The battery is like a water
tank. If the tank is full there is potential to operating the DC
system. If the "water tank" is empty the electrical system can't be
started; if the "tank" is less than full turning on the electrical
system could completely drain the battery.
- Master Switch Think of the battery
Master Switch as a spigot on the battery "water tank." Use the
master switch to turn on and off the DC electrical system.
- Electrical Buss A buss is like a water
pipe containing several individual spigots. Turn on the master
switch and power is available to the buss. An airplane may have
more than one distribution buss. Turn on individual "spigots," or
switches on a buss, and equipment gets power to run.
- Ground Electricity will flow from its
source through any direct connection to the ground. In our
illustration, battery "water" flows through busses through any open
equipment "spigot" to puddle on the ground. In the case of an
airplane, "ground" is the airframe itself (or a wire mesh in
composite aircraft).
Aero-tip of the day: It may be helpful to
visualize electricity as the flow of water to better understand its
function. We'll continue this discussion in tomorrow's
Aero-Tips.