Maintenance and Technical Problems

 

50hrs inspection in SULS

Did 50hrs and 100hrs. inspections by myself (authorised), had all tools and spares on board. Lost vacuum driven HSI on departure in Totegegie and with it the autopilot. Tried but could not fix the bearings in Tahiti. One similar HSI was  removed from the P210 of a fellow pilot in Germany and expressed to Brisbane where I changed the units. It was difficult to work behind the instrument panel of the P210 and on it's old vacuum hoses in tropical temperatures. 28 hours of flying over pacific waters mostly in IMC without autopilot were more than enough.  
  

HSI change

 

Heart-missing-a-beat-magneto

Lost right magneto (Slick, not Bendix) on runup in Colombo. Was able to fix and retime it on the apron. Tower wanted incident report. Told them that I would clean the spark plugs and saved us several days of paperwork. Removed cowling before and after each flight for inspection of powerplant and systems. Noticed flipped alternator belt in Paphos, known rare problem on 520s. Christmas gift for the plane was a new belt. Deice-pump failed during the last flight while over Macedonia, one hour later the prop deicing was gone. Climbed higher where it was too cold for icing. There, the vacuum driven AI and with it the autopilot failed again. It was -35°C and moderate IMC. High speed landing on snow without flaps in EDFE. Awful flight. 


Alternator belt

After completion of the RTW flight major inspection and maintenance were done. Right brake hose leaked and the cabin door lever broke. Oil analysis was normal, but 10 hours later the engine began losing power gradually. Take-off distances and rate of climb increased slightly. This was more than summer temperatures or engine age could explain. Flew the plane back to Aerodata, leak tests and boroscopic inspection of all cylinders were normal. Decided to change oil and found metal contamination originating from the lifter of exhaust valve of cylinder #5 (front right in a Continental). The power plant had to be rebuild by RAM. This took 3 months. Each oil analysis after RAM's repair remained critical, showing advanced warnings! This RAM power plant never made it to full airworthiness again because of metal contamination from the oil cooler. Why an overhauled oil cooler was used and not a new one - I will never understand. 

Finally, the engine was changed. The factory new TCM TSIO520 performs without problems and all oil samples are in the green. RAM, based in Waco, and their European dealer ATEC, remain a very interesting team. I would fly around the world with their products again at anytime. Probably in a 310.

Lifter and cam of cylinder #5

Aviation has something in common with evolution or life of a soldier. Long, uneventful, boring periods are interrupted by short moments of  extreme horror.

I was very lucky.