Recent content by camorton

The sticky goo is tape adhesive. When they install (or replace) the bladder, it's standard procedure to tape over all of the seams and rivet heads in the bay so they don't poke or abrade the bladder and shorten it's life. When the bladder starts to leak, the fuel dissolves the tape adhesive...

The Cessna window seal I bought from this company (aircraftdoorseals.com) was stick-on foam weather stripping identical to what you would find at the big box store. Only difference is they charge $60/roll. Needless to say I sent it back. Kind of odd the site does not show a close-up or...

King of the Golden Hour! Next time try it airborne!

The 275 has a built-in VFR GPS. You just have to connect an antenna. It won't log that position and altitude with the engine data? C.

Self-balancing? Uh, no. Self-unbalancing? Sure. You can line up the red dot with the valve stem of the tube and hope for the best with a new tire. Kinda works most of the time. I found a go-kart wheel balancer on eBay that works well for a static balance for very little $$$. If you're trying...

To be clear, the reason the insurance for a retractable will always be 2x (usually more) than an equivalent fixed gear model is because of the possibility of a gear-up (and all the associated repairs). Very little of the premium is due to your lack of experience in type. C.

Yeah, I actually witnessed this activity at KSZP about two months ago. It seemed so crazy at the time, I thought I must have misunderstood what was going on. Glad to hear the FAA stepped in before someone got hurt. C.

There is a lot of stuff here: http://www.aeroelectric.com/Installation_Data/

I'd never say a generator is better than an alternator. All else being equal, I'd go for the alternator, too. But that's not the case here. The OP is looking to trouble-shoot an existing system that has worked well previously. If he can find the actual fault, the solution is probably a .50...

Owner takes 60 year-old airplane to the shop with charging issues. A&P replaces generator, then the regulator, then the battery in succession - still intermittent problems! Owner drops $2K plus another $1K in labor to install alternator conversion kit (which BTW happens to come with all new...

I would advise exactly the opposite. The generator system is stone-simple, reliable and a heck of a lot cheaper to fix than dropping $2K on an alternator kit. I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly what is wrong, but I do know this: 1. Don't replace the expensive parts (generator, regulator)...

I don't usually go for personalized plates or N numbers, but back when I learned to fly at Van Nuys airport there what a guy with a plate that read 'FLY2VNY'. I thought that was cool. C.

Magman is thinking of the earlier 182s that did have clamps on all six risers. It's a problem area as leakage at the junctions is common. It's tempting to over-tighten the bolts to reduce leaks but that just results in a cracked clamp ($$$). The stacks distort over time with heat cycles and...

I say go for it. I've installed the GPS175 (and I'm an ME not an EE!). Really only a handful of wires. Read the docs, all you need to know is in there. C.

You haven't heard about the new 'Learner Pilot Certificate'?