Post-Annual Flight

Couldn't you have done the same and saved some $? I think the shoulder
harnesses were $125 each for the reweb and repairs.

Yep. But the OEM reels are a bad design, with sharp gears that shred the
edges of the belt. The new version supposedly doesn't do that.

The new design also has a more stout connection to the seat belts (which
come along with the deal). Sadly, I just put all new seat belts in a
couple of years ago, so I'll have two nearly new front seat belts on Ebay
shortly...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:52:51 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

In any case, it's odd that you'd feel 'rescued' by allegations about
me personally (after all, I'm anonymous too), as opposed to rebuttals
of the detailed arguments I've presented.

I meant to your rescue. ;^)

On Feb 23, 7:46*am, B A R R Y
wrote:
I meant to your rescue. *;^)

Oh, ok.

On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:12:37 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:


Waiting until the annual inspection to fix niggling little problems (like a
non-functioning fuel gauge) saves significant money. These are the kinds of
choices that aircraft owners make every day.

Waiting until the annual to fix a problematic shoulder harness which
still passes inspection is different from waiting until annual to fix
something that by the letter of regulation makes the aircraft
unairworthy until fixed. Things that make the aircraft unairworthy
can't legally be pushed out to the annual, regardless of whether it
would be cheaper to wait, unless you don't want to fly until the next
annual is completed.

On Feb 23, 12:01*am, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
Couldn't you have done the same and saved some $? *I think the shoulder
harnesses were $125 each for the reweb and repairs.

Yep. *But the OEM reels are a bad design, with sharp gears that shred the
edges of the belt. *The new version supposedly doesn't do that.

The new design also has a more stout connection to the seat belts (which
come along with the deal). * Sadly, I just put all new seat belts in a
couple of years ago, so I'll have two nearly new front seat belts on Ebay
shortly...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I don't know why seatbelts (new replacements) for cars aren't accepted
by the FAA as acceptable replaements in small 2-4 seat aircrafts. One
would think that the DOT testing of thoses belts ar just as tough as
the FAA's. Lambourghinis and Ferraris could reach 175mph before they
were fitted with airbags.

Wil

Waiting until the annual to fix a problematic shoulder harness which
still passes inspection is different from waiting until annual to fix
something that by the letter of regulation makes the aircraft
unairworthy until fixed.

You're correct, of course -- but I'd argue that in the event of a crash,
those inertial reels are a helluva lot more important than having all four
gas gauges working.

Unless, of course, the crash was caused by running out of fuel due to a
non-working fuel gauge -- a scenario that only an imbecile could make
happen. Sadly, we see crazy stuff like that happen every day.

Which really brings us to the crux of the issue, no? Regulations must be
written to take into account the imbeciles. Thus, we end up with Catch-22
regulations that make our aircraft unairworthy when one (of four)
never-to-be-trusted-anyway fuel gauges fail, but we can legally fly when our
safety restraints wouldn't do diddly squat in a crash, but have technically
passed inspection.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
I disagree there. That area isn't opened up for an annual anyways so
anything done to fix a fuel gauge is extra. Should be the same amount
whether that's all you do or as part of an annual. Or is that another
design flaw of the Piper that the inside of the fuel tanks have to be
inspected at the annual?

Dunno where you get your maintenance done, but the mere act of already
having the plane in the shop at the start of a job saves significant
money. Best estimate: Somewhere between 0.5 and 1.0 hours of labor.




I don't see how if parts of that area haven't already been opened up.

John Smith wrote in
:

In article V2Nvj.45695$9j6.39714@attbi_s22,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

Considering that many of us are now
flying bonafide antique aircraft (Atlas is now 34 years old), these
types of choices are necessary for people of ordinary means to keep
them in the air.

Its not an antique. its a classic.


It's a cherokee


Bertie

We decided to move the annual inspection for Atlas -- our '74 Cherokee
Pathfinder -- into February, since there has been little use for an
airplane this winter. As a result of the weather and the annual (bless
me Father, for I have sinned...) it had been 20 days since our last flight.


Jay,

Great story. We were weathered in for 5 weeks+.

I must be nuts, but I wiggled my annual to be in July on purpose. I
spend May and June fixing the various bits that are on the list so that,
when the annual comes, there is nothing to do but the inspection. I
don't even change oil at annual any more. I never have to worry about
ice/snow/fog/icing/etc. to actually GET to the annual. The Garmin 396
has made popcorn summer T'storms a lot less of an issue. Yeah, its
muthuh hot in the hangar, but I still prefer working in the heat over
frozen solid fingers any day.

Tires, seals, hoses, hardware, baffles, etc.? I would rather do them
before the annual at a leisurely pace under supervision in the Spring
(or letting the wrenches do the work outright) than do them in "hurry
up" mode at annual. It gives me time to shop for weird airframe bits
that may not be readily available. Truthfully, I usually shop for parts
during the winter when I REALLY have some time on my hands.

I had to laugh about your tail cone adventure. My instrument panel
overlay was the same way. Look at it funny and a piece flaked off. The
new one (all $300 worth - YIKES!) is doing just fine, thanks. Did you
check with the paint shop for a price on the tail cone halves? Send a
picture of the assembled tail cone paintwork if you get a chance. You
have me curious.

Last annual we noticed the exhaust stack under the carb heat shroud
(shroud replaced already) was beginning to deform... again. That pipe
was replaced with new about 500 hours ago. Why is it that the original
lasted for 2400 hours and 30 years while the new replacement lasts only
a fraction of that?????

The 74 is starting to show some of the usual Cherokee aging pains, even
though we have not quite hit 3000 hours. The metal cowling cracks around
the latches, deteriorating fiberglass, etc. I am thankful the wing walk
metal is still rock solid. Most of the PA-28s I see have washboards for
wing walks.

Still looking for a source of new engine baffles. Repairing them might
put me in the same situation as your tail cone, so I would like new
stuff. The Piper prices would make Beechcraft blush and I doubt that
they REALLY have any of the stuff in stock anywhere. Maybe I'll have the
exhaust rebuild guys have a go at "overhauling" them. They did a GREAT
job with the carb heat shroud.

$1800 sounds WAY cheap for all that work, even though you did the grunt
work. Sounds like you have a great wrench. Take care of him/her, will ya?

Good Luck,
Mike

Ray Andraka wrote:


It should tell you if the tank is empty. The fuel gauge is required to
read correctly for an empty tank.

Actually, the FAR makes no statement of accuracy for fuel gauges.
The misunderstanding that people interpret as the "must be correct
at empty" is merely a statement that the Empty mark is supposed
to be the end of USABLE fuel rather than bone dry.