What do you hate about your plane?

Irish_Armada

Irish_Armada

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Oct 8, 2011
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Irish Armada
Lotta talk about what we all really like or even love about our planes on here, but there has to be some stuff we hate. Be candid and specific, so none of this "nothing, it's a perfect plane and also for sale!" or "I hate that it's expensive to maintain." I'll start the negativity off: I hate that our 1968 Piper Cherokee only has one door and practically no leg room for the back seat passengers.
 
I hate that some other schmuck owns it.
 
I have an RV10 so this is tough... :D

I hate the fact that my tunnel is so hot. The tunnel that runs from the firewall back to the rear seats gets hot. It has to do with the way the heater duct penetrates the firewall. There are some alternative methods but it seems that all RV10 tunnels are hot - some less than others.

Otherwise it's pretty tough, it's a really nice design & kit, and pretty easy to turn out a very sweet airplane.
 
I hate that preflight for my cherokee six I end up with like a quart of of sumped fuel form the collater.
 
Too small, too slow, not pressurized. We have 421 expectations but a travel air budget. Flying a C90 this last year isn't going to help any with the families travel air dissatisfaction when we go back to that.
 
I really like my 185, I'd say the only thing I don't like is climbing the floats and struts to refuel it.
 
James331 said:
I really like my 185, I'd say the only thing I don't like is climbing the floats and struts to refuel it.
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I was thinking along similar lines. Only thing I dislike about the Waco is having to fuel it and it isn't the kind of thing you'd leave to a line guy to do.
 
I hate that it needs paint, interior, radios, and a better autopilot, and that one or maybe two of those items will exceed its current hull value.

I hate that I'm actually thinking of selling off the IO-550 engine from it to someone else, putting a 520 back in, then gearing it up for the insurance check, with which I could buy a hundred better examples with all of the doodads. (This post prevents my ever doing that, now that it is on the record :) )

Then I hate that it is not pressurized.
 
I can't say anything bad about my V35A with a 550 and a SS prop.
 
My 0-300 powered 172 is just too slow and does not climb well. I am happy to own a plane but I always have that bigger better faster look.
 
I don't really hate anything about my plane but I sure wish I could have a Garmin GTN650 in my radio stack. The rest of my stack is new and nice. I only have 35 hours on my freshly overhauled engine and a new interior. All I have left on the restoration is a fresh paint job.
 
Considering purchase and operating costs, nothing.

I would like more speed, another door, and the ability to carry 4 adults with more than 3 hours of fuel onboard..... and some bags.
 
MickYoumans said:
I don't really hate anything about my plane but I sure wish I could have a Garmin GTN650 in my radio stack. The rest of my stack is new and nice. I only have 35 hours on my freshly overhauled engine and a new interior. All I have left on the restoration is a fresh paint job.
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Sounds suhweet! Do you have any other GPS in the panel?
 
I hate the engine starting procedure. I really wish these engines started just like cars, boats, motorcycles, jet skis, etc. No priming, no hot start concerns, no accidental flooding, no crank, crank, crank, crank... then Bang!

I hate preflighting on my knees. The older I get, the more I hate this part.

I hate my Garmin 430, but it is what it is. I can't afford an upgrade and I do like what it can do. I just hate, hate, hate the user interface.

I hate the fact that my plane is governed by certification rules and I can't just make simple modifications, or improvements as I see fit as well as be able to use better and cheaper experimental products.

I hate that it is just about as old as I am and just like me, seems to have problems more frequently than I would like.

I hate worrying about whether or not my Lycoming is going to produce metal on the next filter cut, or a crack in the case at any given examination.

Other than that, life is good!:D As you can see, most of my beefs are with the general antiquity of my plane and it's tech.
 
Dav8or said:
I hate the engine starting procedure. I really wish these engines started just like cars, boats, motorcycles, jet skis, etc. No priming, no hot start concerns, no accidental flooding, no crank, crank, crank, crank... then Bang!

I hate preflighting on my knees. The older I get, the more I hate this part.

I hate my Garmin 430, but it is what it is. I can't afford an upgrade and I do like what it can do. I just hate, hate, hate the user interface.

I hate the fact that my plane is governed by certification rules and I can't just make simple modifications, or improvements as I see fit as well as be able to use better and cheaper experimental products.

I hate that it is just about as old as I am and just like me, seems to have problems more frequently than I would like.

I hate worrying about whether or not my Lycoming is going to produce metal on the next filter cut, or a crack in the case at any given examination.

Other than that, life is good!:D As you can see, most of my beefs are with the general antiquity of my plane and it's tech.
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Most robust hate post yet.
 
Although the PT6 has a good track record, I still hate that there's only one engine driven fuel pump for the one engine... Just about everything else has at least one backup, and often two or three; Seems like it would be pretty easy to have a secondary that's set at a lower pressure. In normal operation the primary high-pressure is overriding and sending the fuel, but if it fails, there's still fuel being sent to keep the flame.
 
Irish_Armada said:
Most robust hate post yet.
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Well, you asked for it! ;) Actually, hate is really too strong of a word for most of my gripes. Annoyances is really closer to the truth.

Of my list, I have only sworn in anger at the engine starting (or lack there of) and my Garmin 430, so those have genuinely caused me to hate.
 
That I didnt buy it sooner .
 
1) The lack of a pilot's door. The co-pilot only door is annoying
2) That I only have 8.5:1 compression when 10:1 would improve efficiency
3) IO-520s instead of IO-550s (I really want 10:1 550s)
4) I wish it had the hunchback cabin that the later 310Qs and Rs had. Not only fit more cages, but especially be nice now that we'll be using the back seat area more with the twins on the way
5) Want the extra rear window on either side that the 320s have (see #4 regarding twins and using the rear seats more)
6) Would like electronic ignition instead of magnetos
7) Would like to be able to use 93 from the gas station instead of 100LL (but this would reverse my request on #2/3)
8) I'd like autofeather
9) Go faster. :D
10) Burn less fuel

But really, the 310 is an excellent airplane.
 
Dav8or said:
Of my list, I have only sworn in anger at the engine starting (or lack there of) and my Garmin 430, so those have genuinely caused me to hate.
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I'm not sure what you dislike so much about the 430 - it really is a pretty good unit. Is there anything specific you have issues with on it?

Hot starting an injected Lycoming (or cold starting) is also pretty simple once you learn the right technique. Sometimes, a weak ignition system can also be a contributor.
 
Thinking about it, on the skywagon, one thing I can say I hate right now is the cheap (but not so cheap) door plastic veneer elbow rest for my left arm. And while we're at it, no elbow rest for the right arm either, but it's not a 747.

Ah! I really hate that thing. :incazzato:

I velcro'd a piece of carpet to it, but it's still skinny and hard. It rubs your elbow more than it supports it. I need another solution because I love the rest of the plane and feel lucky to fly her. :)
 
Bill Watson said:
I have an RV10 so this is tough... :D

I hate the fact that my tunnel is so hot. The tunnel that runs from the firewall back to the rear seats gets hot. It has to do with the way the heater duct penetrates the firewall. There are some alternative methods but it seems that all RV10 tunnels are hot - some less than others.

Otherwise it's pretty tough, it's a really nice design & kit, and pretty easy to turn out a very sweet airplane.
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"Hot tunnel" is very cureable. The easiest way it to take the heat muff off in the summer. PM me for other tips. :D
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I'm not sure what you dislike so much about the 430 - it really is a pretty good unit. Is there anything specific you have issues with on it?
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:yeahthat: Go shoot some approaches with an 89B; You'll cherish the 430 after a day of RNAVs with the King...
 
I hate piston engines and all the cr*p that comes with them.
 
txflyer said:
Thinking about it, on the skywagon, one thing I can say I hate right now is the cheap (but not so cheap) door plastic veneer elbow rest for my left arm. And while we're at it, no elbow rest for the right arm either, but it's not a 747.

Ah! I really hate that thing. :incazzato:

I velcro'd a piece of carpet to it, but it's still skinny and hard. It rubs your elbow more than it supports it. I need another solution because I love the rest of the plane and feel lucky to fly her. :)
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Dude, any good hot rod interior shop will do nice door panels with arm rests. Building a central arm rest wouldn't be too difficult to fabricate either.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Although the PT6 has a good track record, I still hate that there's only one engine driven fuel pump for the one engine... Just about everything else has at least one backup, and often two or three; Seems like it would be pretty easy to have a secondary that's set at a lower pressure. In normal operation the primary high-pressure is overriding and sending the fuel, but if it fails, there's still fuel being sent to keep the flame.
Click to expand...

Don't they have an electric pump for that?
 
I hate that to own/operate a true 4 adult person plus luggage aircraft, capable of mild weather, reasonably fast, with creature comforts like A/C and heat that works, will cost at least $30K per year to operate and a couple of hundred thousand to buy. New pilots face some deep water.
 
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