Ever since my name has appeared in the FAA database as an aircraft owner, I've been receiving letters and cards from various new aircraft manufacturers asking me to take a test flight. So far, I've received one from Cirrus, Lanceair, and Beechcraft. Has anyone else had this happen to them? Is...

WIth 4 hours on the fresh top overhaul I decided it was time to balance the prop as we removed the weights when sending the props out for new studs... I was delayed a bit at my monthly meeting down in Grand Blanc and got back to the airport at a quarter to one... The Kid was chomping at the bit......

Hi all, With the recent topics on Annuals hitting the group, I figured I'd relate my own, indulge myself in a short rant, and ask a question of you. Just got the call from our A&P today and our 172 w/180HP Avcon Conversion came through the annual in pretty good shape. Unfortunately, we did...

Hi all When a Twin Comanche flies 165 knots burns less than 15 gallons have 2 engines ( :-) ) is relatively cheap to overhaul (OI-320) is this the "ultimate" twin? I am considering an airplane that flies in the

My autopilot has started fighting with me, and I'm afraid it's going to win. It's a 3-axis KAP140 in a Skyhawk SP. What it's doing is ... well, it just starts turning. After about an hour, it goes into a turn, unannounced. There doesn't seem to be anything instigating it. It's usually to the...

http://www.whiteindustries.com/ White Industries lists engines with flange runout. What does flange runout tell about the engine? It seems some prop strike engines have a larger flange runout reading than others, and the larger the flange runout, the lower the price. Why? Thanks.

Just an update on the ongoing saga...When we left Fat Albert he was leaking oil somewhere on the port (that's the left side of the boat when facing the pointy end, for you non sailors) engine acessory case... I had gone through several iterations of: clean the oil off, tighten everything I could...

We get a ton of "love bugs" down here in my part of the world. I don't know the scientific name for these things, but they sure do make a mess of anything in their flight path. A co-worker of mine said that Bounce dryer sheets will help you clean the bugs. I figured, nothing to lose, if it's...

Howdy! I think the Helio Courier is just about the best back country airplane I've ever heard of but there are so few of them and the company seems to be taking it's sweet time getting them back into production. Is there anything out there that even compares to the Courier's specs and...

Hi all, I had a close call last week while flying traffic. I am now looking at portable traffic warning systems. I looked through the back articles of Aviation COnsumer and could only find a review on one. the Sure Check.... What else is available and anyone have any experience with...

Hi, I am looking for a handheld all purpose GPS unit that can be used for aviation, hiking, auto, etc. I want it to be capable of downloading maps (charts, street maps, topos, etc), and be relatively inexpensive and lightweight. Is there such a unit? Any advice from our learned group would be...

Went out to the airport this morning about 1:00 am to top off my tanks, there was an aircraft on the runway it looked like super cub or something with big tires practicing either high-speed taxiing on the runway or simulated engine outs and bouncing? I turned on my scanner to find out what he was...

As I mentioned in a couple of other threads in RAP recently, the trim jackscrew is very worn in our '74 Archer. The wear seems to be nearly half of the thread depth. In other words, you can move the screw laterally inside the drum about half of the height of a thread. It can be rocked angularly...

The other day, I was flying and noticed that my ammeter guage was reading 0 (it had been reading fine for a long portion of the flight.) Also, I had been running a lap-top from the cigar lighter plug for the first time ever. I turned-off virtually all electric devices and continued to my...

Is there any way to tell if my plane is currently painted in Imron? One paint shop I'm considering won't touch it if it is. The log entry doesn't say. The previous owner had put some clear packing tape over the wing root vents for winter flying, and when I peeled the stuff off it took paint with...

The Rogue's Gallery -- a website created exclusively for Rec.Aviation participants to show off their planes -- continues to grow! We've now got 67 pilots and 80 aircraft on display, from 28 U.S. states, and two countries! See them at www.Alexisparkinn.com/rec_aviation.htm New additions in...

OK, I have a controversial question. How does one find a good A&P mechanic. I just bought a Piper Turbo Arrow III recently and I want to find a mechanic in my area (Central Wisconsin) that I can trust and is competent. I am interested in hearing about how folks find the good A&Ps out there,...

Anyone going to Duluth (MN) this weekend for the Air Show? http://www.duluthairshow.com/index2.htm Blue Angles are scheduled to be there. Hopefully we'll get up there on Sunday morning. Weather looks iffy. -- Montblack

I found the SCAT tube between the muffler shroud and the defrost vent in the glareshield has some cracks (you can only see them if you flex the tube a certain way, which is why they've been missed). Does this present a carbon monoxide danger? It's not the heat exchanger that's cracked, only the...

I've been flying Boeings for the past 35 years and been "out of the market". What are CFI's/CFII's getting these days?