So there I was...

On my way to visit relatives for X-mas. Flying from Northwest Indiana to
Savannah, GA in a Cherokee 180. Itching to put my recently earned IFR
ticket to work. Climbed out of my home field on Christmas Eve after the
risk of freezing fog had thawed. Up through a light cloud level at 2500 for
my first fuel stop at KLEX. Solid layer 2000 thick and an ILS down to 900'
and 5 miles - magic! Stop to fill the plane's tanks and empty mine.
Cleared through the layer and over the mountains. The cloud layer slipped
away behind me and nothing but clear sky and the mountains ahead. ATC
cleared to climb to 9000 for terrain and radar coverage.

Passing through 7500. Southeast bound past the London VOR. A whiff of oil
smell in the cockpit that passed as quickly as it came. Then, the suction
needle drops from it's usual 5.0 to nothing at all. What a revolting
development! Being in VFR conditions, a diversion to KTRI for help.

Mechanic confirmed that the vac pump had given up the ghost. Seized tighter
than dicks hat band. By now it was getting toward dark so continuing on
with a replacement didn't seem very attractive. Got it fixed the next day,
but freezing conditions and nasty winds kept us holed up in a motel room in
Kingsport, TN for Christmas. Nothing like Doritos and Snausages for
Christmas dinner while I explained to my wife how it's not the destination
but the trip that counts.

She said that I should enjoy my new vacuum pump for Christmas!!!

Mike

Now you have a good reason to get that Sporty's electric AI.
Be glad you were in VFR when it happened.



"mbremer216" wrote in message
. ..
| On my way to visit relatives for X-mas. Flying from
Northwest Indiana to
| Savannah, GA in a Cherokee 180. Itching to put my
recently earned IFR
| ticket to work. Climbed out of my home field on Christmas
Eve after the
| risk of freezing fog had thawed. Up through a light cloud
level at 2500 for
| my first fuel stop at KLEX. Solid layer 2000 thick and an
ILS down to 900'
| and 5 miles - magic! Stop to fill the plane's tanks and
empty mine.
| Cleared through the layer and over the mountains. The
cloud layer slipped
| away behind me and nothing but clear sky and the mountains
ahead. ATC
| cleared to climb to 9000 for terrain and radar coverage.
|
| Passing through 7500. Southeast bound past the London
VOR. A whiff of oil
| smell in the cockpit that passed as quickly as it came.
Then, the suction
| needle drops from it's usual 5.0 to nothing at all. What
a revolting
| development! Being in VFR conditions, a diversion to KTRI
for help.
|
| Mechanic confirmed that the vac pump had given up the
ghost. Seized tighter
| than dicks hat band. By now it was getting toward dark so
continuing on
| with a replacement didn't seem very attractive. Got it
fixed the next day,
| but freezing conditions and nasty winds kept us holed up
in a motel room in
| Kingsport, TN for Christmas. Nothing like Doritos and
Snausages for
| Christmas dinner while I explained to my wife how it's not
the destination
| but the trip that counts.
|
| She said that I should enjoy my new vacuum pump for
Christmas!!!
|
| Mike
|
|

"mbremer216" wrote in message
. ..
Passing through 7500. Southeast bound past the London VOR. A whiff of
oil smell in the cockpit that passed as quickly as it came. Then, the
suction needle drops from it's usual 5.0 to nothing at all.

Interesting that you got a sniff of oil to portend the failure, I'll have to
file that one away. The pumps are referred to
as "dry" and "wet" can I ask which one you had? I imagine the bearings are
sealed and oiled even in the dry pump?

Our club airplanes have backup electric suction, however the 172s don't have
annunciator lights for the vacuum and I am
self conscious about the practical time to diagnose a failure before
adjusting my scan or activating the backup. I would
second Mr. Macklin's comment about the electric AI. I believe that would
be a more important safety net than
some of the other expensive accoutrements I have invested in over the years.
I have heard 400 hrs cited as the MTBF of
the pumps and we replace them out of superstition on a regular calendar
schedule.

The only failure I've ever experienced was on-top and the layer was thin
enough that we could see the city lights below so the descent on turn and
bank and airspeed was a non-event. I'm not sure I'd do as well in bumpy IMC
if
it wasn't preceeded by an instructor sticking a sink stopper over the AI.

As a side note, I've experimented with taking a photorealistic image of the
AI and cementing it to the temporary instrument
cover and for me it was quite distracting to have to scan past even an
artificial canted horizon.

Good show Mike and thanks for posting.

Todd

On 12/28/06 05:58, Todd W. Deckard wrote:
"mbremer216" wrote in message
. ..
Passing through 7500. Southeast bound past the London VOR. A whiff of
oil smell in the cockpit that passed as quickly as it came. Then, the
suction needle drops from it's usual 5.0 to nothing at all.

Interesting that you got a sniff of oil to portend the failure, I'll have to
file that one away. The pumps are referred to
as "dry" and "wet" can I ask which one you had? I imagine the bearings are
sealed and oiled even in the dry pump?

Our club airplanes have backup electric suction, however the 172s don't have
annunciator lights for the vacuum and I am
self conscious about the practical time to diagnose a failure before
adjusting my scan or activating the backup. I would
second Mr. Macklin's comment about the electric AI. I believe that would
be a more important safety net than
some of the other expensive accoutrements I have invested in over the years.
I have heard 400 hrs cited as the MTBF of
the pumps and we replace them out of superstition on a regular calendar
schedule.

The only failure I've ever experienced was on-top and the layer was thin
enough that we could see the city lights below so the descent on turn and
bank and airspeed was a non-event. I'm not sure I'd do as well in bumpy IMC
if
it wasn't preceeded by an instructor sticking a sink stopper over the AI.

As a side note, I've experimented with taking a photorealistic image of the
AI and cementing it to the temporary instrument
cover and for me it was quite distracting to have to scan past even an
artificial canted horizon.

So buy some instrument covers, and keep them in your flight bag. If the
AI fails, cover it.

Best Regards,

--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

As a side note, I've experimented with taking a photorealistic image of the
AI and cementing it to the temporary instrument
cover and for me it was quite distracting to have to scan past even an
artificial canted horizon.

Interesting. I have flown MSFS set to fail systems at random, and found
that I could easily overlook the AI. The one that kept catching my eye
was the DG. Maybe it's because I do not use the AI as a primary
instrument at all - I tend to rely on altitude, DG, and T&B as my main
trio. My best approaches (both sim and hood) have been with failed
instruments.

Go figure.

Jose
--
He who laughs, lasts.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

I will second the need to have instrument covers. Post-it
notes will work or you can get the vinyl covers that stick
by static. As a CFI, I carried them in my shirt pocket all
the time, but I used them several times on other flights
when instruments failed.


http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/1022


"Todd W. Deckard" wrote in message
ink.net...
|
| "mbremer216" wrote in message
| . ..
| Passing through 7500. Southeast bound past the London
VOR. A whiff of
| oil smell in the cockpit that passed as quickly as it
came. Then, the
| suction needle drops from it's usual 5.0 to nothing at
all.
|
| Interesting that you got a sniff of oil to portend the
failure, I'll have to
| file that one away. The pumps are referred to
| as "dry" and "wet" can I ask which one you had? I
imagine the bearings are
| sealed and oiled even in the dry pump?
|
| Our club airplanes have backup electric suction, however
the 172s don't have
| annunciator lights for the vacuum and I am
| self conscious about the practical time to diagnose a
failure before
| adjusting my scan or activating the backup. I would
| second Mr. Macklin's comment about the electric AI. I
believe that would
| be a more important safety net than
| some of the other expensive accoutrements I have invested
in over the years.
| I have heard 400 hrs cited as the MTBF of
| the pumps and we replace them out of superstition on a
regular calendar
| schedule.
|
| The only failure I've ever experienced was on-top and the
layer was thin
| enough that we could see the city lights below so the
descent on turn and
| bank and airspeed was a non-event. I'm not sure I'd do as
well in bumpy IMC
| if
| it wasn't preceeded by an instructor sticking a sink
stopper over the AI.
|
| As a side note, I've experimented with taking a
photorealistic image of the
| AI and cementing it to the temporary instrument
| cover and for me it was quite distracting to have to scan
past even an
| artificial canted horizon.
|
| Good show Mike and thanks for posting.
|
| Todd
|
|
|

Jose wrote in
news
Interesting. I have flown MSFS set to fail systems at random, and
found that I could easily overlook the AI. The one that kept catching
my eye was the DG. Maybe it's because I do not use the AI as a
primary instrument at all - I tend to rely on altitude, DG, and T&B as
my main trio. My best approaches (both sim and hood) have been with
failed instruments.

Kinda have to agree with you Jose. In my instrument training, I never
missed the AI when instruments "failed".

What I did miss the most was the stupid header bug! That naturally was
covered up with the DG, which meant I really had to be on top of my game to
remembering headings rather then "set the bug and forget it".

For level flight, I rely on the VSI. I figure, if it doesn't show me
descending and climbing, then I am "relatively level" and use the turn
coordinator to verify bank information. For heading, I now use my GPS
ground track rather then my backup compass.

Allen

On 12/28/06 14:29, A Lieberma wrote:
Jose wrote in
news
Interesting. I have flown MSFS set to fail systems at random, and
found that I could easily overlook the AI. The one that kept catching
my eye was the DG. Maybe it's because I do not use the AI as a
primary instrument at all - I tend to rely on altitude, DG, and T&B as
my main trio. My best approaches (both sim and hood) have been with
failed instruments.

Kinda have to agree with you Jose. In my instrument training, I never
missed the AI when instruments "failed".

What I did miss the most was the stupid header bug! That naturally was
covered up with the DG, which meant I really had to be on top of my game to
remembering headings rather then "set the bug and forget it".

That's what you missed about the DG? Not that you had to use the Wet
Compass?!? ;-)

Ugggh - I hate that stupid wet compass ;-\


For level flight, I rely on the VSI. I figure, if it doesn't show me
descending and climbing, then I am "relatively level" and use the turn
coordinator to verify bank information. For heading, I now use my GPS
ground track rather then my backup compass.

Allen



--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

On 12/28/06 12:55, Bonehenge wrote:
On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 12:33:27 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
wrote:

I will second the need to have instrument covers. Post-it
notes will work or you can get the vinyl covers that stick
by static. As a CFI, I carried them in my shirt pocket all
the time, but I used them several times on other flights
when instruments failed.

I'm not a CFI, but carry a pair of them in my bag for just such an
occasion.

Wow, you carry CFI's around with you? I'll bet they come in real
handy ;-)


My CFII kept dropping them down the side of the glareshield. G

Heh, I would just tell the CFII that if he drops the stickies, he
can't fail any of my instruments ;-)

.... probably wouldn't get away with it though ;-\



--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

Mark Hansen wrote in
:

That's what you missed about the DG? Not that you had to use the Wet
Compass?!? ;-)

Ugggh - I hate that stupid wet compass ;-\

I have the vertical card type Mark which pretty much replicates the DG

While the lag happened, I got to inadvertantly cheat since it's mounted
high up on my windscreen.

Of course, I couldn't be obvious that I could see below my hood while cross
checking my headings :-)

All my instructors and my DE did let me use the GPS ground track as a cross
check during partial panels as I used the NAV page of the GPS rather then
the map.

Allen