Golf Hotel Whiskey

Golf Hotel Whiskey: for pilots and aviation enthusiasts

Maintenance

Introducing NeverWet: Nanotechnology to keep your plane dry

EAA has recently mentioned NeverWet – a product based on nanotechnology that might one day be your aircraft’s only answer for how to repel water, prevent icing and stop corrosion. Not only that, NeverWet could even make your aircraft self-cleaning. Just take a look at this short demonstration video about the new technology:

NeverWet is the result of three years of work by a dozen scientists working for Ross Nanotechnology, a division of Ross Technology Corporation in Pennsylvania. Ross Technology sells steel products and they were looking for a way to reduce corrosion on these products. When the company could not find a suitable coating, a Nanotechnology division was formed.

Specifically, the product developed is a silicon-based coating that conceivably has endless consumer and industrial applications – include applications for general aviation. 

So how does NeverWet work? Under normal circumstances, hydrophilic surfaces (e.g. metal) have a high surface energy and a low contact angle – meaning water will spread across it without forming droplets. A perfectly superhydrophobic surface will force the water to bead into a sphere with a 180-degree contact angle while a newly waxed car and Teflon will have contact angles of 90 degrees and 95 degrees respectively. However and according to its developers, NeverWet has a contact angle ranging from 160 degrees to 175 degrees.

In other words, NeverWet forms an air barrier between water and corrosion. Moreover and if its applied inside a pipe or tube, the liquid inside will move faster as its rubbing against air rather than the side of the pipe or tube.

NeverWet will be available next year and its developers are planning both a spray and a paint. Hence and for general aviation, just imagine the possibilities (if the product works as its developers claim it does): No more worry about ice forming on the wings, less drag or corrosion from water and easier cleaning of bugs or dirt.

Proper aircraft tire maintenance

Proper aircraft tire maintenance is critical for the safety of any type of aircraft. Hence, a recent article in General Aviation News is well worth reading as Goodyear Aviation’s Rob Robson gave a few important tips regarding proper aircraft tire maintenance.

The article began by noting that Rob has seen numerous aircraft tire maintenance procedures as well as inspected hundreds of worn tires. Hence, he has seen the effects of improper tire maintenance and thus had the following advice to give:

Proper Inflation Pressure. According to Roy, incorrect tire inflation can lead to severe problems as over inflation can cause uneven tread wear, reduced traction and additional wheel stress while under inflation creates faster tread wear and greatly increases the amount of stress and heating in a tire – which can also cause tire failure.

Carefully Inspect Aircraft Tires. Roy also noted that tires can loose up to 5% of their pressure a day. Hence, they need to be checked on a regular basis and especially before each flight. Moreover, an aircraft tire that’s found to be more than 10% underinflated should be removed from service.

In addition to checking an aircraft tire’s pressure, tires also need to be closely inspected prior to a flight for any possible damage. And if a tire should appear to be damaged, it should quickly be removed from service.

Keep Aircraft Tires Clean. Finally, Roy mentioned that aircraft tires and hangar floors need to be kept clean. In other words, insure that no harmful chemicals are used or spilled on the tires and be sure that hangar floors are kept clean of debris that could also damage them. 

For more information about proper aircraft tire maintenance procedures, be sure to check out GoodyearAviation.com.

Flight Special II

What aircraft maintenance issues can a pilot handle by themselves?

A pilot who is actively involved in the maintenance of his or her own aircraft will gain a much better working knowledge of their aircraft’s systems and components. Moreover, such pilots will also have improved communication with their mechanics and an overall better margin of safety. However, there are some aircraft maintenance issues that a pilot can handle by themselves and others that should be handled or must be supervised by an experienced mechanic.

Hence, an article (“Maintaining Your Way to Greater Safety”) in the March/April issue of FAA Safety Briefing about preventive maintenance is well worth reading as it also explores what tasks a pilot can and cannot do on his or her own. For USA based pilots, the FAA has a list (see Title 14 CFR part 43 Appendix A paragraph c – List of allowable preventive maintenance tasks) of 31 maintenance items that a pilot can perform without supervision and some examples mentioned in the article include:

    • Removal, installation, and repair of landing gear tires.
    • Replacing and servicing batteries.
    • Cleaning fuel and oil strainers or filter elements.
    • Replacing any cowling not requiring removal of the propeller or disconnection of flight controls.

Of course and even if you are not a USA based pilot, the FAA regulations are well worth looking up because according to the article, an experienced mechanic will have knowledge and inside tips that might not be explained in the aircraft manual and could trip up a novice pilot mechanic. After all, owning an aircraft is like owning and maintaining a car – only significantly more complicated.

The decision making process behind an airplane maintenance decision

Brian, the blogger behind Brian’s Flying Blog, recently had to make an extra outlay to have the Elevator Trim Actuator fixed on his Cessna 182. And while the problem itself was not particularly serious, it would eventually need attention and it would cost him something like US$1,500 to repair – not exactly a small maintenance outlay. Thus, it was important for Brian to have a clear and well thought out decision making process in order to make the best decision possible.

Hence, this is what he said he did:

    1. Start with A&P
    2. Read Service Manual and Parts Manual
    3. Check with Cessna Pilots Association or Mike Busch from Savvy Owner Seminars
    4. Check with A&P again
    5. Try to find parts (new or used etc.) or documentation myself
    6. Discuss and work with A&P to finish the repair (help where possible)

Brian goes into further detail in his post about each of the steps he took and he concludes that in the end, he saved quite a bit of money with the decision he made and he ended up coming up with what he thought was the best solution to the problem. Brian also mentions that while it did take a bit of time to reach a final decision, he now has a better understanding of both his plane and what it costs to maintain it – something that every plane owner needs to have.