C-182Q N96934 at West Valley Flying Club

Avionics Status

2009-11-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report that after several months out of service, the autopilot in 96934 has been repaired and is fully operational. I appreciate the patience of all the regular flyers who have waited for this repair.

I also have an update on the DME. Over the past several years, the DME has been periodically erratic. I have observed this myself and have had observations from other members. I have asked three different avionics shops to investigate. None can reproduce an issue on the bench. While in for the autopilot repair, I talked to the shop technician about some steps which might help narrow down the issue. I am asking anyone who observes problems with the DME to record as much of the following information as possible and pass it along to me.

1) Had the DME been working at some point in the flight before malfunctioning?
2) What were the unit settings when it malfunctioned? (frequency, source {internal, VOR1, VOR2}
3) If using internal frequency selection, what were the VOR frequency settings?
4) What was the failure mode? (what was displayed?)
5) Was there an understable ID received on the DME audio monitor?
6) What steps were taken to return the unit to operation? power cycle? change of Remote between 1/2? change between internal and external?

I know that is a lot of information, but the more complete the data, the better the chance of isolating and fixing the problem.

Thank you all for your help. Fly safe.

Updates are in the works

2008-11-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

I apologize for falling behind on this blog. I've been distracted, apparently for longer than I realized. I'm in the process now of trying to get some fresh information here. I'm also working to address some suggestions I have received that should help CFIs and general members get familiar with the plane's unique configuration and reap the full benefit of its features when they train or fly.

Have a nice flight.

96934 is now WAAS capable

2007-07-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks, so here is an update on the plane. The upgraded Garmin 530W was installed at the end of June. There was one minor hiccup, the COM 2 antenna connection was lost during installation. That has been restored. Everything is working now.

I flew the GPS Z RWY 30 at KHAF twice. There was a thin layer but most of the approach was in VMC. After the second missed approach, I let the plane fly the published miss and a lap of the hold using the GPSS on the STEC 30. This is the way to fly, it's hands-off all the way around the oval.

Along with the WAAS upgrade, a few other improvements were done at the same time. An avionics cooling fan was installed. This will increase the reliability and longevity of the equipment in the plane. Also, since the 530W required an antenna upgrade, I had the old GPS antenna wired to a panel jack for a handheld. The plane is now eminently handheld friendly. If you have a Garmin 396/496, it is possible to interface to power, antenna, data (routes download automagically from the 530W) and audio. You get XM audio entertainment for crew and passengers.

With everything shipshape, I'm taking the plane on a 17-day trip. The heart of the trip is my Route 66 flight that you can read about in my other blog. Follow along from day to day as I post pictures and stories. The plane will be back on the West Valley flight line on 8/5.

For readers who are West Valley members, you may know that as of 7/1 I am the owner representative to the Board of Directors. I appreciate the support of members who voted for me and look forward to serving you in the coming year.

Annual complete, flying without Garmin 530

2007-06-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

The annual was completed on 6/14 and I brought the plane back to PAO. I am happy to say that it went much more smoothly this year. There were no significant issues at all.

If things had gone according to plan, the upgraded GNS530 would have been waiting at Sterling. Unfortunately, there was some mix-up between Sterling and Garmin and the shipment was delayed. If all goes well, it will be back by early next week. That means that I will try and schedule the upgrade to take place late next week.

Until then, the plane is available for use. There is a flag in CASSi noting that there is no Garmin 530, which means the only Nav/Com is the #2. With one nav radio and a DME, the plane is okay for limited IFR, but is definitely good for VFR flights. Several members have flown it since it came back without any issues.

As a reminder, the plane is blocked out for my summer travel from 7/16 to 8/5. Another member will be taking 934 on vacation from 8/6 to 8/19.

N96934 in annual

2007-06-07T21:34:00.001-07:00

I apologize to regular renters for not keeping this page up to date. It's a busy time for Skylane 934. The plane left the flight line on 5/30. It went initially to Sterling Avionics at CCR, where the pre-check for the Garmin 530W was done and the unit was removed for shipment to Garmin.

On Saturday the 2nd, I ferried the plane to SMX where it is undergoing its annual. The good news is that the annual looks pretty clean this year. When it gets back, it will return to CCR for the installation of the 530W and a few related updates. I hope to see the plane back in full service by 6/25 if all goes well.

For anyone trying to do advance planning, the plane will be on vacation from 7/16 to 8/3. 934 and I will be flying down to Santa Monica and then traveling the old Route 66 to Chicago.

Aluminum Overcast: B-17 Flight Experience

2007-05-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Last week I treated myself to a once-in-lifetime-experience. I rode in Aluminum Overcast, a restored B-17G that is operated by EAA, the Experimental Aircraft Association. We took off from Hayward Executive Airport on a 30 minute flight up past Oakland, over Alcatraz and back across the bay. It was a great day for the flight--we spent a few minutes flying just above a thin marine layer, which offered a surreal experience. We also had enough broken cloud cover to see many of the sights below. The need to stay out of clouds and avoid other traffic meant we got to do a lot of turning, which was part of the fun.

I took along my trusty Canon PowerShot A95. Check out the QuickTime movie I created.

You can also see some of the pictures in my Picassa Web Album.

Aluminum Overcast

Enjoy.

Not a Cessna

2007-04-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

I've got a new flyer in my backyard. It has a useful load of about two grams and a relatively low cruise speed, but it has great handling characteristics. On top of that, it can make copies of itself and is good for the environment.

This is my first attempt to create and publish a video. I hope you enjoy it.

Instrument Panel Lighting

2007-04-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

To address recent confusion by renters, here is a short explanation of the panel lighting in the plane.

To my knowledge there has been no problem with the lighting in 96934. There was a squawk written in error several weeks back which I have been trying to clear up with maintenance.

When the avionics in 934 were upgraded by a previous owner, the traditional post lighting on each instrument was replaced with UltraVision glareshield lighting from Aero Enhancements. This lighting is an excellent alternative to the original lighting, but some members have been confused about the operation. The lighting is operated with a toggle switch below the transponder. There is also a dimmer control to the left of the switch. The switch has a normal on position as well as an emergency back up where it operates off of a 12v battery.

In addition to the glareshield lighting, some of the instruments do have their own internal lights, which are operated by the familiar panel rheostats below the primary instruments. There is also a maplight on the pilot side yoke which is on when he Nav lights are on. It has a rheostat control integral with the light.

Links to Avionics Manuals

2007-01-31T20:42:00.000-08:00

96934 has some cool avionics, but it can be tricky to figure out how all these devices work. To help, here are links to resources that I have found available online.

Garmin GNS 530:
non-WAAS manuals
WAAS manuals (530W) -- get ready!!
pre-WAAS and WAAS simulators
Training video

Pilot's Guide for JPI EDM 700

POH for STEC 30 Autopilot
POH for STEC GPSS Converter

POH for Ryan TCAD 9900B

Pilot Guide for PS Engineering 7000B

Bendix King:
KT-76A Transponder
KN-64 DME
KX-155A NAV/COM
KCS-55A HSI

Discuss MX Issues Here

2007-01-31T20:26:00.000-08:00

I am creating this evergreen post as a way to facilitate discussion of maintenance and equipment topics. There will always be a link to the post from the navigation panel of the blog, so it won't get lost in the mists of time. Please direct any questions or information to a comment on this post.

I hope the blog can be a place to get real-time information that helps avoid last-minute surprises and other inconveniences. However, it will only be as good as the content provided by members.

Return to Service with Fully Working Autopilot

2007-01-31T20:21:00.000-08:00

N96934 is returned to full service. The TC/autopilot and the pitch computer are both installed and operational. There should be no open squawks at this time.

For those making longer-term plans, I only know of a few planned events. Sometime in the next two to three months, the plane will go back to CCR for the WAAS upgrade of the 530. It will go in for its annual for about two weeks at the very end of May into the early part of June. And I will be flying Route 66 with a possible visit to Oshkosh in the second half of July.

As always, I encourage renters to check here for up to date information on the plane. I also encourage comments to the blog as a way to report issues of interest to others. So far, the usually vocal club membership hasn't taken advantage of this invitation.

Autopilot Will Be Installed Tomorow!

2007-01-30T20:30:00.000-08:00

I finally have good news on this topic. After calling STEC directly, I found out they had shipped the autopilot back to Sterling on the19th of January. It seemed to arrive unnoticed until I called them yesterday afternoon. Sure enough, it was there. I dropped the plane off this afternoon, and it should be ready for pick-up tomorrow. It will be back in service Thursday morning, hopefully without having to disrupt a single scheduled flight.

Autopilot Update

2007-01-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

I've had numerous requests for information on the autopilot. I've been trying to get status information from both the shop and from STEC. So far, I don't have any information. I will keep everyone advised of any new information.

N96934 available for VFR flight only

2007-01-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

The plane is available in CASSi. It has no turn coordinator/inclinometer, so it is only legal for VFR flight. The turn coordinator autopilot should be back in a couple of weeks if all goes well.

Autopilot One More Time

2007-01-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

If I were superstitious, I would never share good news about anything.

After further investigation, it turns out that the main autopilot unit in the turn coordinator has a problem as well. It tracks HDG, but not NAV. Frank has pulled that unit and it has gone back to STEC along with the pitch computer. Based on past experience, it will be a few weeks before the repaired parts are back.

The plane can be returned to service for VFR flight only while we wait for the parts. It should be back at the club in the next few days. Right now, it is scheduled out to MX through 1/10, to minimize scheduling inconvenience to members. If it is back sooner, it will be put on line.

Autopilot Update and Other News

2007-01-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 2007! Let's all have a safe and fun year of flying. Last year was a tough one for 96934, with a lot of expensive maintenance and limited availability. I'm hoping that this year things will be different.

The main squawk on the aircraft has been with the STEC 30 autopilot. The plane is at Sterling Avionics in Concord and Frank called me yesterday to report that he believes he found the problem which has caused the multiple failures of the last year. There appears to be an intermittent short in the coiled control cable from the engage/disengage switch on the yoke where it passes through the panel and connects to the wiring. The short causes a fuse to blow on the pitch computer assembly. That assembly is being sent back to STEC for repair. Frank is going to attempt to isolate and repair the short this week. The result will be the plane going back into service with one-axis of the autopilot serviceable. When the pitch computer returns, it should be a quick job to reinstall.

WAAS Update for Garmin 530

Garmin has received certification for the GNS 530W, which is WAAS enabled. The upgrades to existing units will start in late January. They may run for a few months. Some time in the period, 934 will be out of service for a week or two while the upgrade is implemented. For information about WAAS and some of the non-WAAS improvements Garmin is implementing at the same time, visit this site where manuals are available.

Condition Reports

There have been a few items noted in the aircraft keybook.

The fuel sump drain on the right wing has a slow flowrate. The club has replaced the drainvalve, it doesn't seem to make much difference. According to Phil Kirkham at Coastal Valley Aviation, it is probably just due to the onfiguration of tank sealant in the area of the drain. It should not affect operation. It is important to make sure that you give enough time to draw an adequate fuel sample from that wing.

It was also noted that the left drain failed to shut completely after draining. Drawing an additional sample cleared the problem. I suspect that some debris prevented the draing from closing all the way, until it was flushed out by additional flow.

Another item noted was that the pilot-side door does not close and seal perfectly. Unfortunately, this condition has been with the plane since I first met it. It is the result of either the accident in 1987 or one of the bent-firewall incidents the plane has experienced. Although the door will not ever close completely and evenly, it is important to make sure it is properly closed. A smooth, firm closing action from inside or out will make sure that takes place. The upper portion of the door should close almost flush, the bottom will protrude slightly.

Please do not put weight on the doors when exiting or entering the aircraft. Grip the doorframe or seat only. Also, please do not ever use the armrest to close the door from the inside. Use the pull handle or if the window is open grip the base of the window frame.

Engine Analyzer Data Available

The JPI EDM-700 records EGTs, CHTs, OAT, oil temp, and fuel flow during the flight. Reviewing the data, especially in conjunction with GPS data if you have it, is a great tool for improving your engine management technique. I download the data on a regular basis and I am happy to send the data to anyone who wishes to receive it for their flight. The viewing software is available for free at EZTrends download.

Receive N96934 Update Emails

I want to keep renters informed about the plane and any maintenance activity. However, I do not want to monopolize the WFVC member forum for this purpose. If you want to receive a short email to inform you have aircraft status information, please send your email address to me at john@felleman.com.

Thank you as always for your interest in 96934 and for the considerate use you all exercise.

Round trip to SMO and a status update

2006-12-15T20:35:00.000-08:00

I flew round trip to Santa Monica today. It was a good opportunity to make sure all the IFR equipment was in good order. My arrival at SMO on the GPS-A was through a thin layer of clouds that broke out right at minimums. I posted a few pictures from the return trip at Picasa Web.

PAO SMO

The renter before me entered a condition report that the HSI was "not matching the magnetic compass." The first thing I checked was that the gyro in the HSI was slaved to the magnetic flux compass. It was not. I found it in the "free" position. It is actually working fine.

Please feel free to contact me or your favorite CFI if you have questions about systems operations.

Booked and Flown

2006-12-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the WVFC members who are already scheduling time in 96934. I was up yesterday and verified that the EGT is working properly. The only significant issue is that the autopilot has been placarded INOP and the breaker tiewrapped to prevent inadvertent power-on.

I think that as I write this the plane is up flying with a member other than me for the first time in about seven months. I'm looking forward to hearing from members on their experience.

Life Story of a Skylane: Chapter Three

2006-12-08T15:47:00.000-08:00

[Beginning][Previous Chapter]
In 1987, my son turned one year old. I was living in Newton, MA (slogan: The Garden City). This will be more interesting in a few minutes.

For details of what happened to 96934 between 12/31/1987 and 6/1/1993, I relied on the aircraft logbook, the ownership records at the FAA and information received from two individuals. It is a pretty sketchy picture.

The plane had routine maintenance performed on 12/1/1987. A tire and a light bulb were replaced, and some controls were lubed. The logbook notes that the TTAF (total time on airframe) was 799 hours. The next logbook entry is from 6/1/1993. At that time, there were 844 hours on the tach. It seems likely that many of those hours were logged by the pilot who flew the plane from sunny Santa Ana, CA (slogan: Downtown Orange County) to a snowbank in Davenport, IA (slogan: Crash Your Plane Here; actually, Iowa's Front Porch!) by way of the East Coast. By that time, my son was almost seven and I was selling the house in Newton, on my way to Antwerp, Belgium (slogan: 't Stad is van iedereen; English: the City is for everyone) for two years.

There are three entries with the 6/1/1993 date: one for a paint job, one for a new engine, and one containing the ever-so-benign text, "Replaced firewall - see 337 this date; installed customer supplied wings; rerigged all controls & test flown - OPS CK OK."

During that 5 1/2 years, the plane changed hands multiple times. As I mentioned in the last post, the owner sold it to the insurance company after the accident. They appear to have sold it to Midwest Air Center in Mandan, ND (slogan: Where the West Begins) in June of 1989. I have no information about Midwest Air Center, but they appear to still exist today. Whether the plane was ever dragged, carried, or otherwise transported to Mandan is a question mark, but common sense says it didn't get there. Six months later, in December, the plane was sold to El Paso Aircraft in El Paso, TX (slogan: The Land of the Sun). If you care enough to investigate on the internet, you will discover that El Paso didn't have an outstanding reputation. This is the first warning sign (unless you consider the total wreck of the plane in a remote airport) that there was trouble in store. In July, 1991, the plane was sold again to Lock Haven Aircraft Sales. Their business address was a post office box in Wilmingon, DE (slogan: A Place to be Someone). Given the inconvenience of storing planes in post office boxes, it is no surprise that this enterprise actually ran out of Lock Haven, PA (no slogan found). From what I have learned, it was started by one of the partners in El Paso Aircraft. So even though the plane changed owners, it sort of stayed with the same owner. I still have no reason to believe that the plane had left Iowa by this time. My guess is that after doing whatever airplane traders do for nearly two years, Lock Haven finally got around to having the plane put back together. This was done by Larkin Floyd of Tri-State Airmotive in Berryville, Arkansas (slogan: Where History Meets Progress). On my maps, Arkansas is nowhere near Iowa, North Dakota, Texas or Pennsylvania. I'm thinking Larkin got the work based on price.

I had the opportunity to speak with Larkin in June of 2006, as I started learning about the plane I had bought and how different it was from the plane I had thought I bought. He is still running Tri-State, but it has apparently scaled way back from what it once was. Larkin told me that at that time he had a large staff. Now he is a one-man operation. I got some independent confirmation when I found this record of a big equipment auction where he was scaling back his business in July of 2002.

In any case, Larkin was kind enough to go up into his old records for information about the work he had done on the plane. I was specifically looking for any documentation explaining the brief note, "customer-supplied wings." The need for that documentation will be revealed when we get to 2006. He didn't have any official paperwork, such as yellow tags (tags indicating repairs done by an FAA authorized repair station--these are a very good thing to have) for the wings, but he did have some work orders that jogged his memory. He recalls having trouble getting the customer to pay for the work that was being done, which led to a stop-and-go nature on the project. According to him, he drove out to Colorado (slogan: Centennial State) to pick up these wings from a wing rebuilder named Coleman. He claims that Coleman was a real craftsman who had since passed away. $40,000 I no longer have and the expert opinion of some very qualified A & Ps make me think that he wasn't quite the craftsman Larkin claimed. Craftsman or not, Larkin bolted on the wings, repaired the firewall (first thing to break when a 182 has a rough landing), replaced the engine, and gave it a nice coat of paint.

With that chapter of its history over (or at least hidden), 96934 was sold to a private party in Brookline, MA (traditional name: Muddy River Hamlet ) on 7/20/1993. There is definitely kismet in play. Brookline is the next town over from Newton, and the plane arrived there four days before I left Newton on a migration that would take me two years later to Washington State, where the plane was first in service. Peeking ahead, that journey ends for plane and pilot in 1999, when we finally both arrive in California. That story will be revealed in another chapter.

Footnote to Chapter Two

2006-12-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

I was actually able to get in touch with the owner of 934 at the time of the crash. He bought the plane to lease back to a flying school. One of the club members took the plane on an east coast trip in December of 1987 and was on his way home when he pronged it in Davenport. If the pilot had only 23 hours in type, I think it must have almost all been on that one trip. I've got quite a bit more in type, including a fair amount of training and also more instrument hours. I would not fly in the middle of night, middle of winter in stormy weather to an airport I had never flown to or from. It sounds like a case of get-there-itis.

After the crash, the plane was actually purchased by the insurance company, who owned it until 1989, although that is not reflected in the FAA records. Chapter 3 will tell the story of the plane's return to service, including the easter egg that has cost me $40,000 to address.

Life Story of a Skylane: Chapter Two

2006-12-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

In Chapter One, I covered a little bit of the model history and the first owner of N96934. In this brief chapter, I will cover the next two owners, concluding with the most traumatic moment in the life of the plane.

In January of 1982, the plane was sold to two brothers in Washington State. Through some internet research, it appears that they were in the fruit-growing business, at least that's what they were doing in 1998. I have tried to find contact information, so that I can document any memories they have of the plane, but I haven't had any luck so far. I do know that the brothers both had private pilot licenses during the time they owned the plane and that their medicals were last issued in the mid-80s, so they seem to have gotten out of flying around that time. They sold the plane 10/13/1987.

The trauma will occur before 1987 draws to a close.

The next owners were two individuals in Corona Del Mar, CA. FAA records show that one of them holds a Commercial ASEL (Airplane Single Engine Land) rating along with a CFI rating. From other records, it appears that the plane was owned on behalf of a flight training academy in Southern California. The academy is still operating today and the purchaser of 934 is listed as one of their instructors. On 12/31/1987, at 0615 local time, the plane crashed on landing at Davenport Municipal Field in Davenport, IA. The flight had departed Lima, OH, 301 nm away. That means the flight must have been initiated at around 0330. Departing in the middle of the night in the heart of a midwestern winter in a 182 seems like a bold untertaking. Perhaps it was too bold for the pilot.

The publicly available records don't say whether the pilot was the owner or another individual. Since the plane was operated by a flight school, there is no reason to believe it was the owner. And there is no way to figure out why someone was flying a Cessna in the pre-dawn hours of New Year's Eve in the middle of the corn belt, although the purpose of the flight was recorded as personal. A few things are noteworthy.

The flight had been cleared for a localizer approach to runway 15, but the pilot cancelled IFR when he was in the clear below 3000 feet. He was 31 years of age and had a total of 395 hours flight time, including 23 in type and 73 total instrument time. He reportedly attempted to land, then aborted and tried to go around. Before he could take off he clipped a snowbank and the plane veered off the runway.

The NTSB said that the primary probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain control on takeoff. There were no fatalities or serious injuries, but the damage to the plane was officially recorded as substantial.

At the time of the accident, the plane had about 40 hours with the flight school owner. Their were 887 total hours on the plane. It wouldn't fly again for 5 1/2 years.

Home at Last

2006-12-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

My recovery mission was a success. The weather Friday was perfect. Clear skies everywhere, light winds, smooth air and moderate temperatures. I met my friend Brad at the airport and we departed at around 9:00. Brad was working on instrument approaches, so he was under the hood the whole time. We headed for SNS where we flew the GPS 13 followed by the VOR 13. After that, we picked up a clearance for SMX and headed south.

On arrival at SMX, we flew the ILS. I got my first glimpse of 934 on downwind for landing. We were on the ground a little after 11:00 and admiring the plane moments later. Brad had a quick meeting with Phil at Coastal Valley about having work done on his plane, then he took off for home.

It was time to check the work and pay both Coastal Valley and the paint shop. The paint job lived up to expectations, so I walked over to Artcraft and gave them their balance payment. A bit later, I realized there were one or two things not done quite to spec. When I went back over, Teresa, the owner, was very responsive. She offered to take care of the loose ends any time that I had the plane back in SMX with Phil.

The work on the plane was top notch, as expected. In addition to the repair, I had Phil move the OAT sensor for the JPI from the fuselage to the wing. On the fuselage, it was reading a few degrees high. I discovered this last winter when flying into a cloud at what I thought was 36F. Oops. He also relocated the oil temp probe for the JPI from the outlet of the oil cooler, where it reads too low, to the preferred location before the cooler. A quick look at oil temp records from a JPI download shows that oil temps are reading more normally now. This is important, because if the oil temp doesn't get high enough when the engine runs, it won't evaporate water vapor from the crankcase, which promotes corrosion.

He also installed flap gap seals, a minor speed mod which was well-timed since the flaps were off and the wings were being painted.

The last major item on Phil's list was reinstalling the repaired pitch computer for the STEC autopilot. That was completed, but he didn't have time to check it in his flight test. More on that in a moment.

After a very thorough preflight, I fueled the plane and headed for the runup. I gave the plane a good runup since the engine had been sitting for months, except for Phil's short test flight. The autopilot passed a ground prefligh. All systems were go. Takeoff roll and climbout were great. Others have said that the flap gap seals enhance climb performance. I don't have objective data, but the plane did climb eagerly. I have noticed the same on all subsequent flights. Whether that is a real improvement or just the result of all my recent Citabria experience, I don't know.

On initial climb to cruise, the #2 CHT quickly popped through the 400F mark. Despite a bunch of work by Phil, that cylinder still wants to run hot. I guess it will be a sort of long term project for now. Otherwise, everything ran nicely and the plane felt nice and tight.

When I tried the autopilot, it failed selftest. This is the exact same problem that required sending the pitch computer back to STEC. It seems like it was able to run for the length of time a preflight required, but after that it failed. I don't know if they failed to fix the problem or if something is causing it to reoccur.

Other than that, the flight was uneventful, just as it should always be. The plane is already back in CASSi. At my request, it is blocked out until later this week, so that I can be sure everything is ready for safe and satisfying use. Feel free to wander by L-28 if you are in the area.

First Peek

2006-11-30T20:08:00.000-08:00

The plane is ready. Phil sent me these sneak peek pictures today. Check them out on my Picasa web album.

96934 New Paint

I am meeting my friend Brad at the airport tomorrow at 9:00. We will fly down in his 182, also recently painted. Brad needs some IFR approaches, so we will do a couple at SNS and then one more at SMX. N96934 should be on its tiedown at PAO by sunset.

Houston, We Have Paint

2006-11-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

I have yet to see it or even a picture, but Phil at Coastal Valley walked over to the paint shop this morning and it was basically done. The paint crew was working on the final details. Phil expects to have the plane back in his shop this afternoon. He will be running up the engine, changing the oil and giving all the major systems a thorough checkout since the plane has been resting for months.

If all goes well, it will be flight-tested tomorrow morning and I will make the pickup on Thursday or Friday.

So Close I Can Almost Smell the New Paint!

2006-11-21T08:15:00.000-08:00

If it weren't still covered with masking paper and tape, the plane could fly. Everything is balanced and reattached or reinstalled. I'm sooo hoping the trim is finished today. Then comes a test flight and any necessary adjustments to the rigging.

Aside from the test flight, Phil has agreed to install the repaired pitch computer for the STEC 30, which will save a trip to an avionics shop. I'm hoping he can also install an avionics cooling fan, a valuable item which should have been added when the panel was upgraded years ago. When I ask about having it done, the standard reply is, "Isn't there one already?"

While doing the other work, Phil has installed flap gap seals. They should add a few kts of TAS at cruise.

When the plane returns to the club, there may be a short delay before putting it online. I want to make sure the new paint cures well before it flies into rain which could damage the finish.

Life Story of a Skylane: Chapter One

2006-11-17T15:52:00.000-08:00

N96934 is a 1979 Cessna C-182Q, better known as a Skylane. Thanks to the record-keeping system of the FAA, its history is available to the general public. In this post, I will share the early history of the plane.

For information on the model, I credit John Frank of the Cessna Pilots Association. His Cessna 182 Skylane Buyers Guide is a treasure trove of information. The 182 was introduced in 1956. It was based on the 180, a very similar plane first flown in 1952. The 180 was a tailwheel plane, on the 182, Cessna created a nosewheel version. Over the years, Cessna made various changes, but the basic configuration, engine and appearance haven't changed. The 182 has been in continuous production except for a period between 1986 and the late 1990s when Cessna suspended all their single-engine piston production.

The 1979 C-182Q had a manufacturer's suggested price of about $40,000, so I assume that's about what Yakima Executive Aircraft paid for the plane on 6/11/1979. I guess it's an auspicious date, being my parents 25th anniversary and just a few days after I would have graduated from college if I hadn't been on the 4.5 year plan. If Yakima Executive Aircraft still exists, there is no evidence available on the internet. My guess is that they operated some kind of local charter or leasing service.

Yakima Executive sold the plane in January of 1982.

Another Weekly Update

2006-11-17T11:15:00.000-08:00

There's been great progress this week, but the plane isn't quite ready. The latest prediction is that I will pick it up on Tuesday. I'm hoping to have pictures very soon. The control surfaces have been rebalanced, and the flaps are already installed. Interior components which had been removed for the repair are back in place. The remaining work is to install the rest of the control surfaces, complete a flight test and get the rigging right. While the plane is in the shop, I am getting a few final tasks completed, such as trying to address the high CHTs on cylinder #2.

2006-11-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

We are limping toward the finish line. The base paint is completed, the stripes are being done now. On Monday, the plane will go back to Coastal Valley for final assembly and flight test.

I'm aiming for a retrieval late next week. My C182 currency has lapsed, so I am getting re-checked out on Tuesday. When I don't think about the money I've spent or the time the plane has been grounded, I feel pretty excited about the plane that is coming back on line. Mechanically and electronically, it will be on par with recent model years (not counting the G1000 version). The exterior will look pretty nice. And Garmin just announced that the WAAS upgrade for the 530 has been approved and will be available in January.

I hope to have some pictures at the beginning of the week, I will post them when I get them.

2006-10-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

Update on N96934

The plane is in the paint shop getting naked. After stripping, the shop found a bit more body filler had been used than expected during the last paint job. Removing the extra is slowing things down just a little, but I am still hoping to be back on line at the end of October or early November.

Here's a picture of the work in progress

Regards,
John

Welcome from the Owner

2006-10-09T20:54:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I'm John Felleman, the owner of N96934. Skylane 934 is a 1979 Cessna 182Q Skylane. The plane is part of the member-owned fleet at West Valley Flying Club in Palo Alto, CA. If you are a West Valley member you probably know that or at least understand what it means.

I intend to use this blog as a public forum for members interested in flying the plane. I will post updates on the maintenance status of the plane and information that will help members to have the best flying experience for themselves and the plane. My belief is that we all want to manage the aircraft in a way that maximizes safety, economy and the overall health of the machine.

In this first post, I want to share a little information about the plane and my plans for inviting and managing comments. I look forward to your feedback.

About the plane:
96934 is equipped with great avionics which make it a very attractive choice as an instrument training or medium-distance cross-country machine. I won't try and list every instrument, but here are some highlights:
Garmin GNS 530
HSI
Glide slope on second CDI
DME
Ryan TCAD traffic alert
STEC 30 with altitude hold

I have owned the plane since July, 2005. Among the improvements I have made:
Added terrain alert to GNS 530
Added wiring for aux audio on intercom
Added harness for a Garmin 396 (contact me if you plan to use your 396 with the plane--I can provide information on the necessary cable)

Regular renters know that the plane has had limited availability during 2006 and has been MIA since May. After various preventitive and minor maintenance during the first part of the year, I got the big surprise during annual in May. It's a long story that ends with a decision to replace the wings on the plane. The work is being done by an outstanding shop in Santa Maria and is nearing completion. One of the last bits will be a brand new paint job which will give the plane looks to match its pedigree. When that work is done, the plane will return to the Bay Area. There is a final short task to be done by Bay Avionics in OAK and the plane should be back on line in better than new condition.

I'm hoping to find some ways to thank loyal members who return to flying the plane and to encourage others to become regular renters as well. 934 is a great plane that wants to fly.

My policy on comments:
The goal of this blog is to provide the most accurate and open exchange of information possible to allow renters the best possible experience and to learn what is going well and what needs attention with the aircraft.

I am looking forward to comments which help me to learn about your experience with the plane and which help other renters to know the status of the plane so that they are not caught by surprise over issues. To achieve that objective, I will only remove comments which are malicious or have inappropriate content. If I think there are statements which are in error or out of date in a comment, I will point that out but generally leave the original post.

All of this is an experiment. I will make changes as necessary to make this blog as useful as it can be. It will only be as good as you all make it, so please contribute. Thank you very much.

Regards,
John Felleman