New Type in Logbook Foiled

Lance F

Lance F

En-Route
PoA Supporter
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
2,907
Location
GA
Display Name
Display name:
Lance F
I went to St. Pete, FL last night to do a right seat guy gig in a Pilatus. Simple trip, but I'd never flown one before and was looking forward to it.
Got in the plane ready to go with the PIC and 5 pax, and she wouldn't start.

After some attempts at troubleshooting, the mission was scrubbed. I flew home Delta.

Bummer for me. I hope there is a next time.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0883.JPG
    IMG_0883.JPG
    2 MB · Views: 65
Man, that sucks. And here I thought you were going to post a picture of an iPad with Logbook Pro installed, covered in Reynolds Wrap.
 
PC-12, a single engine King Air! One sweet ride.
 
Push the starter button and we could hear the fuel pumps kick in. And that was that. No rotation, no further noises. Nobody was happy. And this is clearly a very well maintained airplane, owned by a very successful company.
 
Good volts/amps but no rotation. Hear the igniters?
Always thought they should come with a pull-cord option.
Breakers all in? Does it have an aft Jbox ('inaccessible' breakers)
Are you guessing a relay?
 
Lance F said:
Push the starter button and we could hear the fuel pumps kick in. And that was that. No rotation, no further noises. Nobody was happy. And this is clearly a very well maintained airplane, owned by a very successful company.
Click to expand...
Starter/generator?
 
Everskyward said:
Starter/generator?
Click to expand...

Oh, could be that too :)

Just doing some idle thinking aloud....I don't know if turbine engines make a difference in how they start depending on if you have an un-shrouded hi-bypass fan or not, but on the unshrouded hi-bypass fan types the amount of juice the battery has can be more important than just getting the light on in the cabin. Without a GPU each battery start can be pretty taxing on the battery.
 
Well we were on a GPU. Amps didn't rise a bit after pushing Start. We pulled up the floorboards to look for popped CBs. I'll find out once they discover what broke. Let you know.
 
We had a starter go bad on one of our PC12s a few weeks ago. It was a bummer because parts are sometimes are to scrounge up as most come from a warehouse in Colorado. It sure is a fun ride though. I flew a part 91 trip a few weeks ago out to OSH and then up to BHB, BOS, and back home. Fuel burn up in the mid 20's is actually pretty good for the speed you get. We were showing about 350#/hr at FL250 enroute to BHB.
 
Lance F said:
Well we were on a GPU. Amps didn't rise a bit after pushing Start. We pulled up the floorboards to look for popped CBs. I'll find out once they discover what broke. Let you know.
Click to expand...

Oh my, a lack of noise, in this case, sounds like it could be expensive :(.

Do you know... outta my own curiosity -- does that bird use a seperate engine driven A/C generator for anti-icing components (prop/windshield/ect...)

Bob
 
You try hand propping it?:D

I haven't flown that one, but I recognize it as one that our company has done some pilot services for. Hope you get a chance to fly it, they are great airplanes.
 
Yup I've got some time in one. The owner always does an APU start. He treats that ship well.
 
bob_albertson said:
Oh my, a lack of noise, in this case, sounds like it could be expensive :(.

Do you know... outta my own curiosity -- does that bird use a seperate engine driven A/C generator for anti-icing components (prop/windshield/ect...)

Bob
Click to expand...

Last year when I flew a few trips to Haiti, I always said there was no sweeter sound than hearing that PT6 spool up after hitting the button. Not a place I wanted to get stuck at.

The older ones (first ten years or so) have a 300 amp starter/generator and a 115 secondary generator which is an alternator with a rectifier that provides 28 volt DC. If Gen 1 fails, you lose right windshield heat and Angle of Attack probe heat. All other deice/anti-ice should work, but the book says to exit icing conditons which I think is prudent.

The newer ones, the "Next Gens" with the Honeywell glass cockpits have dual 300 amp generators, only one being a starter.
 
just because it wouldn't start does not get you out of the obligatory:

You suck!

Your friend,

Tony
 
I sat in the left seat of one on the day of my PP oral...parked on the ramp.
 
Dave Theisen said:
Last year when I flew a few trips to Haiti, I always said there was no sweeter sound than hearing that PT6 spool up after hitting the button. Not a place I wanted to get stuck at.

The older ones (first ten years or so) have a 300 amp starter/generator and a 115 secondary generator which is an alternator with a rectifier that provides 28 volt DC. If Gen 1 fails, you lose right windshield heat and Angle of Attack probe heat. All other deice/anti-ice should work, but the book says to exit icing conditons which I think is prudent.

The newer ones, the "Next Gens" with the Honeywell glass cockpits have dual 300 amp generators, only one being a starter.
Click to expand...

Ok cool I was wondering about their anti-ice equipment because of that accident that occured a couple years back with the one that had a bunch of kids in it. I wonder why they went with a DC system? At least with an A/C system you can lose one phase and still have anti-icing capability.

The Next Gen sounds like a more beefy anti-ice system --- does the PC-12 have any de-ice equipment operated by a gen?

Bob
 
Hope you get to fly it Lance. There's one I can lease on the field here, but after running the numbers, it just doesn't make sense for me.

Best,

Dave
 
bob_albertson said:
Ok cool I was wondering about their anti-ice equipment because of that accident that occured a couple years back with the one that had a bunch of kids in it. I wonder why they went with a DC system? At least with an A/C system you can lose one phase and still have anti-icing capability.

The Next Gen sounds like a more beefy anti-ice system --- does the PC-12 have any de-ice equipment operated by a gen?

Bob
Click to expand...

The deice systems are the same in both airplanes, only your ability to power them in a failure is better in the newer airplanes you have a stronger, true generator as a #2. The only things that run on AC power are some of the avionics, everything else is DC.

The NTSB recently released its findings on the Montana crash. They attributed it to the fact that the pilot had failed to use Prist in the fuel in freezing conditions causing the left fuel tank supply line to ice up. The pilot waited too long to divert and by the time he approached for landing, the airplane's maximum fuel imbalance had greatly been exceeded. This weight imbalance was too much to overcome as he manuevered for landing and the airplane rolled over on him.

Very sad, indeed.
 
Still haven't heard the diagnosis.
This plane has the "old" electrical system. In the picture you can see the smaller 115 amp alternator with the belt drive. Inside of that in the big anodized can is the 300amp starter/generator.
If the big one fails, you have to start shedding stuff you would really like to have. It's an all electric airplane (gear, flaps, etc) and 115 amps isn't enough.
The NG's are a big improvement in this area.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0885.JPG
    IMG_0885.JPG
    1.7 MB · Views: 10
tonycondon said:
just because it wouldn't start does not get you out of the obligatory:

You suck!

Your friend,

Tony
Click to expand...

Well I still did get paid for the day, so I guess I do :D
 
Lance F said:
Still haven't heard the diagnosis.
If the big one fails, you have to start shedding stuff you would really like to have. It's an all electric airplane (gear, flaps, etc) and 115 amps isn't enough.
The NG's are a big improvement in this area.
Click to expand...

True, and some things are automatically shed for you, so be aware of what they are. The big thing is the landing gear extension.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top