The better part of valor

[TheSoccerMom]

I'll try it the next time I call them!! 

"Uh, Boise ground...  I wanna fly around..."   Oh boyyyyyy.....

[Turbomallard]

I was talking to a friend who flies RJs. They were going into an airport in Michigan and were still at 11,000 ft 15 miles out from where they were supposed to land. The controller came on and told her to descend to 3,000 for the approach and slow to approach speed. My friend replied "Okay... I can do ONE of the two things you just asked me to do. Please tell me which one you want."

I'd have paid money to hear that one!

 

TM

[tundra_flier]

Glad to hear you made it back down safely.  I had a similar situation a few years back, right after I purchased tundra Toy.  Had an odd subtle vibration shortly after takeoff.  and immediatly turned back to the airport.  Turned out to be the center main bearing was starting to slip in it's race...ie failure was immenent.

However, your loss of EGT/CHT temp was probably a glitch in the instrument as a crack there wouldn't have caused a loss of combustion.  Divine intervention? 

Now to really scew with you...it dawned on me after my incient, that if I'd done the stupid thing and flown it till failure, my insurance would have paid for the new engine, and any other damage resulting.   But since I did the prudent thing, I had to pay for it all out of pocket!  Is it me, or is that just wrong?  you'd think there'd be some bonus for saving them from buying me a new plane. 

Phil

[Turbomallard]

Now to really scew with you...it dawned on me after my incient, that if I'd done the stupid thing and flown it till failure, my insurance would have paid for the new engine, and any other damage resulting.   But since I did the prudent thing, I had to pay for it all out of pocket!  Is it me, or is that just wrong?  you'd think there'd be some bonus for saving them from buying me a new plane. 

Phil

Ha! That's an interesting point! Maybe I'll have them put 'er back together and go blasting around the local area with the power firewalled until it blows! If I stay right over the airport from where I could make an emergency landing... hmmmm....

I was telling somebody that I had strongly considered having the overhaul done back in December/January, when the weather was bad, so the plane would be available all summer. I said that had I done that, I'd be hanging out in Colorado right now. My friend brought up an interesting point: The block probably wasn't cracked at that point, and if there had been no immediate signs, they would have overhauled the engine and the crack would have occurred anyway, requiring that a new block be purchased and work close to the overhaul level be done AGAIN. If the overhaul shop claimed it wasn't their fault because it was a preexisting problem, I could have been out one [CENSORED]ing bunch of money. 

TM

[airtac]

BWAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAA------------------Soccermom, you are too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheSoccerMom]

You know how it goes, when I can't find my pills.....     

[tundra_flier]

I was telling somebody that I had strongly considered having the overhaul done back in December/January, when the weather was bad, so the plane would be available all summer. I said that had I done that, I'd be hanging out in Colorado right now. My friend brought up an interesting point: The block probably wasn't cracked at that point, and if there had been no immediate signs, they would have overhauled the engine and the crack would have occurred anyway, requiring that a new block be purchased and work close to the overhaul level be done AGAIN. If the overhaul shop claimed it wasn't their fault because it was a preexisting problem, I could have been out one [CENSORED]ing bunch of money. 

The case was cracked?!  From the photo it looked like the base of the cylinder was all that was cracked.   And the cylinders and pistons are usually replaced during a major overhaul.

Phil

[spacer]

Glad to hear you made it back ok, Mallard.  You actually listened to that little voice in the back of your head that says airplanes don't change readings like this unless there's a reason.  Sorry to hear this was an expensive reason, but at least you made TBO on your engine.

Now I know it is frustrating, but it isn't that long a drive from CLS to ICT!  Heck, I once drove from Colorado Springs to Newton KS in about 8 hours flat.  Granted, I was trying to run away from a real nasty winter storm that was descending out of the Rocky Mountains but it can be done!

Heh. Reminds me of the time I lost my turbo on Ike, just before reaching the top. Ended up sitting through the snowstorm I was trying to avoid, and someone else got the take on my load when they took it over. Pocketbook got real light, real quick.

[Turbomallard]

The case was cracked?!  From the photo it looked like the base of the cylinder was all that was cracked.  And the cylinders and pistons are usually replaced during a major overhaul.

Phil

Hard to see, but yep, it's the block that's cracked, at the base of the cylinder (just like its owner). Got some good numbers for a factory overhauled engine, and a new prop (it's been 20 years since the prop was overhauled and the shop had doubts on it's going around a third time... and Hartzell is giving a good deal right now... not much more than an overhaul and a new hub (which has to be replaced or removed and shipped off for inspection every year thanks to a nice AD)). So. I'm going to empty out the piggy bank.  And get the Garmin 430 upgraded before the price on that goes up next month! Overall, all of the above, although it'll hit the wallet hard for the short term, is an excellent long term investment and will be cheaper in the long run. The timeline makes it doubtful that I'll get in a vacation before next May, though! Ratz.

TM