Flying with inop alternator
- Thread starter Ed Haywood
- Start date
Ed Haywood
En-Route
Yes I did, got home yesterday. 5 nights in a hotel and $250 to ship alternator and regulator via next day air, only to have it arrive 2 days later due to snowstorm at the shipping location. Fun with airplanes!
OTOH I got to know the awesome folks at the FBO at KMEB, and had pretty much a continuous airshow for 3 days from the Golden Knights and US Army Special Operations Command, both of whom practice jumping there. Definitely want to be on the radio in that pattern.
MauleSkinner
Touchdown! Greaser!
Good to hear it’s done with, anyway. Hope the rest of the trip was enjoyable!
Ryan F.
Cleared for Takeoff
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- Dec 23, 2016
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Ryan Ferguson 1974
Time to spare... go by air!
WannFly
Final Approach
Glad to hear Ed. one of my concerns going to a Podunk airport is this.. getting stuck. having said that I find myself in more podunk airports than not most of the times
AKBill
En-Route
Good to here you got home. So what failed in the alternator and or regulator?
MauleSkinner
Touchdown! Greaser!
Obviously carrying a spare alternator and/or most anything else that can fail isn’t a reasonable answer, but I learned early on to carry a spare tire and tube for my tailwheel. I also told my mechanic that he could use it as his parts stock if somebody needed one, so I got it replaced just about every year.
I’ve also been bailed out a couple of times with oddball stuff at smaller airports...Stuff that I don’t think you’d find laying around in hangars at bigger airports.
Last edited:
Ed Haywood
En-Route
In the category of "I learned about flying from that", it is helpful to have a standing relationship with a good A&P/IA who knows you and your plane. If you get into a bind, you can call and get advice, talk through troubleshooting, and perhaps make adequate repairs to get home or to a repair station. "Under supervision" could include phone, text, photos, video, or even Facetime. If doctors can do telemedicine, mechanics can do tele-maintenance! I'm also going to start carrying a basic tool kit with a 1/4" socket set, screwdrivers, multimeter, work light, cotter pins, and wire terminals.
Ed Haywood
En-Route
One or the other. Wound up replacing both. Regulator was not a drop-in replacement, so wound up doing a little creative engineering to get it home.
FYI: Not quite, so best to keep that part on the q.t. Especially if your buddy the ASI is poking around.
For a very basic tool kit add a roll of .032" safety wire, wire cutters, duckbill pliers, Ford wrench, 8" crescent wrench, 8" vise grip, rags, small roll of Mylar tape, and a cheap multi-tool. Have put togather a few different type fly-away kits for my customers over the years. But having just the basics can go a long way when you have nothing.
AKBill
En-Route
What regulator? I installed a Zeftronics regulator maybe 5 years ago and is has preformed great
Ed Haywood
En-Route
Plane Power R1224