the official publication for bonanza, baron

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION FOR BONANZA, BARON & TRAVEL AIR OPERATORS
decades
are uniquely
to provide ABS members a little
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The ASS Program is one of the most comprehensive
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ABS INSURANCE PROGRAM
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PubIiShed by American Bonanza SocIety. Organized January 1967
FEBRUARY
Volume 04
ON THE
8251
8287 BEECHCRAFT PARTS
& AVAILABILITY
COVER
BEECHCRAFT
OF THE MONTH
By Bill Carter
Jeff Moir's Travel Air pictured
8288 A SOAKING AT KITTY HAWK
in the snowy terrain of Jackson
Hole, Wyoming. Photo by Uso Moir.
By John M . Miller
8289
FEATURES
GUEST EDITORIAL
8271
8272
By Richard Etherillgton
FRIENDS WITH A
TRAVEL AIR
By George Wilhelmsen
8280 IMPROVED DATALINK
CAPABILITY
8284 WHY I LIKED MY
TRAVEL AIR
By Jay Ledvina
By David Kahil
8282
MY 28Y
TRAVEL AIR STORY
8283 ABS NOMINATING
COMMITIEE REPORT
8288 THE TRAVEL AIR AS A
TRAINING MACHINE
8253
SERVICE CLINIC SCHEDULE
8270
FORUM
PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS
8271
BPPP SCHEDULE
hy Jack HaJ/illg.~
8275
ASS MEDICAL NEWS
by Neil Poban: alld ArJ,:y Foulk
I~ proptr1~
CURRENTS
by Lew Gage
8288
REGIONAL NEWS
1~38-?960) is published II1cmhly br lht Americ:ll1
thf \lli.... ibl Mld--C<IIIlmml Airport. 1922 Mldf.dd Ro.!. \Io~ICIuta.
ABS MAGAZINE (ISSN
Bcnan>.l Soe~~· at
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Display, Advertising
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of Ihe Socitly
and shall rIO! bt n lurn",. Anicles subnun«l ... ah PIClUrts rtcflYC pubhcaUOIl pre ference.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Nancy Johnson. ADS Executive Director
ART DIRECfOR : Jim Simpson
8285
8287 CALENDAR
by Jim Hughes
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Tel: 316-945-1700 Fax: 316-945-1710
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WebSite: http://www.bonanza.org
INSURANCE
by ./ohn Allen. Fa/colI llI.mmnce
8277 AVIONICS
8287A AD SECTION
EDITOR: Beny Rowley
8284
by Charles Davidson. M .D.
TECH TIPS/TECH NOTES
Cop,' and pholograph s ~u h mill cd for pu hliallion IJeromf
PILOT REPORTS
By Craig Bailey
By 1. Hamilton Wright
8250
BONANZA/BARON
MUSEUM
8273 THE LAST GLITCH
By S"ell Larsoll
8249
NEW PARTIAL PANEL
TECHNIQUES
By ROil Zasad:inski
TRAVEL AIR
PRELIMINARY DESIGN
8285
FIRST FLIGHT
By Char/es Davidson , MD.
By Randy Groom,
PresidellllGM Beecheratt
8283
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Lantana. Florida (KLNA)
MAR. 11-14
Spring. Texas (KDWH: Houston area) Beaver Air Services & Equip .. Inc.
APR. 22-25
Paducah. Kentucky (KPAH)
PRESIDENT
JOHN D. HASTINGS. M.D. (At-Large) '2005
1432 S. Newport Ave. Tulsa. OK 74120-5601
phone 918-747-7517. lax: 918-742-7947
e-mail <hastings20@msn.com>
VICE PRESIDENT
CRAIG R. BAILEY (Area 4)
2004
2518 Colony Ave .. lindenhursl. lL 60046
phone: 847-64&<1866. fax: 847-646-7768
EHTloil <cboiley@kroft.com>
TREASURER
JACK THREADGILL. (Area 5)
'2005
1602 Brook Hollow Drive. Bryan. TX 77B02
phone: 979-779-7 155. fax: 979-775-7432
e-mail <fhreodgl®tco.neb
SECRETARY
JAMES E. SOK. (Area 1)
2004
9 Spruce Dr.. PO Box 1895. Lakeville. CT 06039
phone 232484-6696. fax: 860-435-6114
e-mail <jsok@gsrh.org>
STEVEN W. OXMAN (Area 2)
2004
3B5 Westbury Dr.. Riva. MD 21140
phone: 410-950-3080. fax: 410-950-6956
e-mail <sw049@hotmail.com>
CHARLES S. DAVIDSON. M.D. (Area 3) 2006
1605 Wood Duck Ln .. Kill Devil Hills. NC 27948
phone: 252441-569B. fax: 252441-5853
e-moil <chorles_davidson@chorter.neb
BtLL STOVALL (Area 6)
2006
32675 Woodside Dr.. Evergreen. CO 80439
phone: 30J.lll 0-1350. fax: 303.070-3385
e-mail <billstovall@highstream.neb
JON LUY (Area 7)
2005
205 Amador Road. Sutter Creek. CA 95685
phone: 209-267-0167. fax: 209-267-0247
~m a il <jdebonair@hotmail,com>
ARTHUR W. BROCK (Area 8)
2006
2831 Cott Rd" Rancho PolosVerdes. CA 90275
phone 310-548-ll507. fax: 310-548-3767
e-mail <brockart@aol.com>
• Second and final term
APRil
MARCH 1
, Member experiences:The Irue costs at
owning Barons vs. Bonanzas
, Maintaining Ihe Beech electric propeller
Windward Aviation
FEB. 19-22
Term expires
SUBMISSION
DEADLINE
Midwest Aviation Services. Inc.
B.J. McClanahan. MD
1967-1971
Frank G. Ross
1971-1973
Russell W. Rink
1973-1975
Hypolite T. Landry. Jr.
1975-1976
Colvin B. Early. MD. PhD
1976-1977
Copt.Jesse f. Adams. USN(R) 1977-1978
David P. Borton
1978-1979
Alden C. Barrios
1979-1980
Fred A. Driscoll, Jr.
1980-1981
E.M.Anderson, Jr.
1981-1983
Donald l. Monday
1983-1984
Harry G. Hadler
1984-1985
John E. Pooon
1985-1986
Charles R. Gibbs
19B6-1987
Joseph McClain. III
19B7-1988
lee larson
1988-1989
William H. Bush
1989-1990
Roy l. Leadabrond
1990-1991
James C. Cassell. III
1991-1992
Warren E. Hoffner
1992-1993
John H. Kilbourne
1993-1994
Barrie Hiern
1994-1996
Ron Vickrey
1996-1997
Willis Hawkins
1997-199B
William C. Corter
199B-1999
Tilden O. Richards
1999-2000
Jon Roodteldt
2000-2001
Harold Bast
2001·2002
Jock Threadgill
2002·2003
MAY
APRil 1
, "Airplane in the Barn"-Restoring a vinlage
Bonanza from 'hangar queen' 10 ' ramp
rocker
, The insurance induslry and train ing
requirements tor Beech airplanes
JUNE
MAY 1
, Speed mods
, Shiny and clean- Maintaining the interior
and exterior
JULY
JUNE 1
, ABS Convention 2004: Going to Orlanda
, Pump it up-P-Barans. Dukes and Ihe
fabled Beech lightning
AUGUST
JULY 1
, E-series engines-Tips tor ftying and
maintaining a classic
, Bonanza and Boron traclional ownership
programs
SEPTEMBER
AUGUST 1
, Engine overhauls
, USing the ABS website. CD· Rom and headquarters library
OCTOBER
SEPT. 1
, litelang learning-A recurrent training
regimen
, Engine mods
NOVEMBER
OCT. 1
, Airworthiness Directives round-up
, Thanksgiving special- Maximum grass
weighl increases
DECEMBER
NOV. 1
, Siale of the Induslry: BeechIRoythean
Aircraft Company. Teledyne Conlinenlal
Molars propelfer and fuel provider commit·
ment to continued produclion and support
of our airplanes
, Winler gelowoys- fomily Irips for Ihe
Beech sel
ABS Board matters
I am writing this message before the January meeting of
the ABS board to infonm the membership of imponant items
that will be discussed.
Vice President Craig Bailey will be giving an update on
Technical Initiative projects that came out of last summer 's
Sam James Technical Summ it. Groups fonmed at the summit
have continued working in their respective areas.
The summit led to suggestions for an ambitious number of
goals, and Craig will be making recommendations for prioritization of both shon- and long-tenn goals, from which action
items are being selected.
Checklist on website
One suggestion arising from the summit was development
of a good prepurchase checklist to gu ide those buying
Bonanza and Baron aircraft. Arky Foulk did a fine job drafting
the extensive checklist, then worked with I ei l Pobanz and
Tom Turner to finalize this excellent tool.
The product has now been completed. I invite all members to visit the ABS website <www.bonanza.org>, enter the
members-only section and click on "Prepurchase Survey
Checklist" in the Table of Contents list.
I have looked at the checklist and am very happy with this
quality product. It is only the beginning of the fruit that will be
borne from the technical summit. I am pleased to see this
addition to the website. Craig Bailey has worked hard to
shepherd advancement of summit goals, and he deserves a
hand from us all .
As you know, Tom Turner is
now in fu ll swing in his role of
Manager of Technical Services. I
have been in touch with Tom and he
is enthusiastically working on his
projects. As mentioned in an earl ier
column, Tom has broad experience
in the educational aspects of aviation, and he will be busy
working with both the Technical and Educat ion Committees to
prioritize, integrate and coordinate these ambitious efforts.
Welcome Ron Gros
For years we have been fortunate to have two stalwans on
daily telephone duty-Technical Consultants Neil Pobanz and
Arky Foulk. They have been steadfast in their effon to provide
technical support to all of us in ABS. As might be expected,
the volume of calls- and for Neil, e-mail messageshas increased significantly as our membership and advisory
needs have grown. So Neil and Arky"s workload has gotten
extremely heavy, taxing them to the limit at times.
I am happy to report that Neil and Arky will now have
some help. Many of you know Ron Gros from his representation of Raytheon at ABS conventions and Service Clinics. Ron
retired last year after 35 years with Beech!Raytheon, where he
was involved with the piston line the entire time. His last
position was as Manager, Technical Support-Piston Aircraft.
Ron will spell Neil and Arky two days a week, giving
them each a much-needed day away from ABS duty. In the
future, we also expect Ron to fill in for Bob Olson as a Service
Clinic inspector. We welcome Ron to the technical support
team and look forward to his advice and expertise.
Advancing education in ABS
As chainnan of the newly formed Education Committee, I
plan to present some exciting ideas at the upcoming board
meeting. We will discuss the concept of a broad coordinated
educational initiative with multiple anns including the BPPP
program; si mu lator trai ning; access to Bonanza/Baronspecific instruction fo r owners of newly purchased aircraft; a
Bonanza!Baron-specific syllabus for new owners and flight
instructors with limited Bonanza/Baron experience; and
educational tracks at the annual convention
quality "lifelong learning" experience.
10
provide for a
leadership conference
Last. we are spending some extra time at this board
meeting with a fac ilitated discussion of the best methods for
ensuring effective leadership and strategic planning from an
ever-changing volunteer board. We hope to all learn from this
experience. The primary goal of the board is to always act in
the best interest of the ABS member, and we hope to become
better at it.
So our work will be cut out for us. I know we will make
good use of our time. Unt il next month .
- Jack
At the upcoming board meeting, we will discuss the concept of a broad
coordinated educational initiative to provide ABS members with a quality
"lifelong learning " experience.
ABS February 2004
<www.bonanza .org>
Page 8250
Jeff Moir, Newhall, California
FLYING THE
TURBO TRAVEL AIR
~
became involved with the turbo
Travel Air in 1984, when I bought it
as a fixer-upper after it had been
belly- landed at Mammoth Lakes
Airport and parked next to my C35. I
have been an A&P mechanic and something of a Beech special ist ever since
gettjng started in aviation. so the repairs
and modifications of the airplane over
the years were fairl y routine. Its equipment was standard for the time, and
hasn't changed much since: dual KX
170Bs. Narco DME 190, Narco DGO10 HSI, Century I autopilot, transponder
and audio panel.
Previously installed was the Rayjay
turbo kit and Scott built-in oxygen system. The interior is configured for five
seats, although the fifth is pretty tight
for an adu lt, and I don't normally carry
it installed. Aside from the new paint
and interior, the only noteworthy items
I' ve installed are a Baron nose cone, an
Apollo GPS and the Shadin fuel totalizer with GPS interface.
This combination has proven to be
invaluable in that the fuel totalizer gives
very accurate fuel-burn statistics for
each engine individually and together. I
Jell MOir
wiffl Nt25E
have only single-probe EGTs on each
engine, so with a little experience, leaning is a very quick and very accurate
process. With the Shadin receiving time
and distance info from the GPS, any
question of whether the destination can
be made with appropriate fuel reserves
is quickly answered by selecting the
appropriate function on the instrument.
Flying the aircraft is no big deal.
Cruise speeds are on a par with the
Bonanza fleet, and [ nann ally flight plan
for 160 knots and 10 gph per engine
running at 23/23. J have no doubt these
engines could be run leaner, but with
single-probe EGTs and turbos, I feel it 's
bener to err toward the conservative side.
The manual waste gates on the turbos are manipulated via indi vidual
vernier controls mounted on the fuel
pedestal. The length of the trip, the wind
direction and weather factors determine to
what extent [ will use the turbos, although
I'll always use them on climb-out.
Taking off at altitude airports or at
those with a high DA is where this system really shines. Without turbos, the
Travel Air is severely challenged under
those conditions, as the ITSB accident
files will show. With turbos, however
it's a very pleasant experience.
Normally, in runup, with a DA of
3,000 feet or more, [ will set the mixtures fu ll rich, individually set the throttles to full open and slowly roll the
waste gate closed on one engine to attain
a manifold pressure of 26.5". I will
leave that setting, idle that engine and
do the other engine and turbo.
On takeoff, the preset turbos go to
26.5" and then to about 28.5" when the
ram air starts to take effect. I've found
the turbos will maintain 23" up to
15,000 feet at which time the waste
gates are fully closed and the manifold
pressure begins to taper off.
Unfortunately, there is nothing in the
night manual supplement that tells what
kind of performance [ should expect.
The system is sensitive to leakage
in the intake system, as the air box has a
clapper valve that shuts when boost
pressure overcomes ram intake pressure.
This area, as well as the waste gates,
should be suspect in the event there is
any large difference in the boost capability between the two engines.
Turbo or not, the Travel Air is not a
spectacular performer on takeoff, and
each takeoff should be undertaken with
good awareness of accelerate-stop distances, obstacle clearance takeoff numbers. gross weight-and a plan to put the
plane down somewhere in the event an
engine barfs in the worst possible place.
Expecting the remaining good
engine to take you anywhere other than
the scene of the accident could prove
fatal in the event an engine goes away
50 feet in the air at gross weight with the
Vxse airspeed of 77 knots. Better to just
plan to land it straight ahead somewhere, and if in your spare time you can
get the gear up, feather the prop, do
everything else right and save the day,
so much the better.
The loss of an engine at altitude is
fairly benign, and it flies quite well on
one with a normally aspirated single
engine service ceiling of 7.500 feet. T
have not explored to find what the single engine service ceiling is with the turbos, nor is there any data in the STC
material. but I would expect it to be
somewhere around 13.000 feet.
As with the Barons, rudder authority in the single-engine mode is very
good. So good in fact, that the FAA
issued a notice for Barons and Travel
Airs that, during the course of a multiengine checkride, the applicant will not
be required to perform the VMC maneuver, i.e. with the critical (left) engine
inoperative and the operating engine
developing full power, raise the nose
until rudder authority is lost, then
recover. At altitude, Travel Airs and
Barons wi ll stall before they run out of
rudder authority. When that happens in
the configuration I just described, they
tend to enter a spin and in some cases go
inverted rather abruptly-hence the
FAA giving us a freebie on that one.
N125E EQUIPMENT LIST
Dual KX 170B
KY 76 transponder
Norco 00010 HSI
Norco DME 190
Norco audio ponel
Apollo GX55
ing is necessary. On landing, if you keep
it trimmed, ies the same pussycat you
know and love from Bonanza flying, and
equally predictable. Considerably lighter
than the Barons but, carrying the Baron
brakes, stopping is effortless.
Care and feeding
Care and feeding of the airplane is
not much worse than a Bonanza-the
Travel Air is basically a Bonanza with
two engines. The ISO-hp Lycoming is
perhaps the most durable engine ever put
in an aircraft and. if treated right, will
almost always go TBO without a cylinder
change. (Try that with a Continental.)
The packaging of the Lycoming
motors on the airframe leaves a bit to be
desired. It 's a difficult engine to uncowl
and work on, and with the turbos is a real
nightmare of mounts. lines and hoses.
On the bright side, it 's been my
Handling and response
The handling and response is just
what you'd expect from a Beech product: light , crisp and rock-solid. The
weight and mass play into the equation.
with roll rates a bit more sluggish than a
Bonanza. As with the Barons, when you
get a rate of descent going it takes a bit of
power to fix it, particularly if you're fond
of cuning the power funher out on final.
I recommend carrying some power
over the fence unless a short field land__ ABS EebrUOI'I2OO4_ _ _
_
Cenlury I autopilot
PS Engineering
intercom
Shod in fuel flow
Davtron M800 clock
Sco« oxygen system
_
Royjoy turbos
Spin-on oil filters
Cleveland wheels &
brakes
Beryl sloped
windshield
Beryl vented side
window
Baron nose cone
late-style overhead
vent system
300 and 1,000 hours respectively, but
there is a Top Prop mod available when
this becomes a nuisance.
I've been a mechanic for a long
time, and the key to keeping maintenance expense to a minimum is keeping
an airplane hangared. Our beloved
airplanes could literally last forever if
we could keep them in an oiled sock, but
hangaring is the next best thing ...
AND the wife likes the Travel Air.
As we all know. that's kind of important. She likes the idea of two engines
and, although the cabin size is comparable to our old Bonanza, she likes the
weight and the way it handles turbulence
by comparison.
This is probably the last airplane I
will ever own, and T plan on keeping it
until I turn in my med ical or someone
makes a King Air available to me that
just needs to be flown from time to time.
good fortune to never endure much
I'm sure when (hat day comes. however.
unscheduled maintenance. The turbos
just keep motoring on. with recurring
ADs calling for a 2oo-hour inspection of
the diffuser sc roll and a fluid line
change every five years. The older
Hartzell props require inspection of the
blade clamps and blade shanks every
the moon will be blue, the national
budget will be balanced and we'll be
Sharing the sky with flying pigs.
_<:cwww.bononza.org> _
Jeff Mo;r is Q 5,()()()'hou( helicopter pilot for the Los
Angeles Fire Deporlmenl wilh Commercial MEl SEt
HELl: CFI SEL. HELl: A&P/IA. He has been an ABS
member for more than 20 years.
_.
age 8252
Oil problem
Dennis Valade
Chesterton, Indiana
Q:I made the remark to my mechanic that my engine uses about In to 3/4
of a quart in 50 hours, if I use only II
quarts of oil. At 25 hours, where I normally change my oil, it doesn't use any
or very little at best. If I fi ll it with 12
quarts it will go thru a quart in 25 hours.
My engine has about 225 hours
since rebuild and appears to be running
just fine. The mechanic said the engine
should burn a quart in 12 hours and that
I might be doing damage to my engine.
What kind of damage and should I be
concerned?
A: I agree with your mechanic. I prefer it to use a quart in IO ta 15 hours.
The oil level isn't a factor because that
oil is going out the breather when you
have it full to 12, so it confuses what
your consumption rate is. Lack of some
consumption means there is not much
upper lube in the cylinder. There's not
much you can do about that. Just monitor for any changes.
Single yoke overhaul
Greer Craig
EI Paso, Texas
Q:
Can you suggest a good shop to
overhauVrefurbish the (single) yoke on
my 1970 V35B?
A:
Air Mech (580-431-2333) does
rework.
Hydraulic lock
Ronold Car/son
Ventura, California
Q: I am concerned about a possible
hydraulic lock while starting my Baron
IO-470L. I cranked the cold engine several revolutions and the prop came to a
sudden stop after releasing the starter. (I
think after release!) The next attempt
produced a kickback of about one revo-
lution. It started fine the next try and has
run well since.
I have never seen this engine kick
back on startup before. I used my normal technique, priming sparingly before
engaging the starter. It is possible I
released the starter early (shower of
sparks S200 Bendix mags) and brought
the advanced points into play that could
cause the kickback.
I don't believe it is possible that
excessive fuel was introduced into the
cyl inder. But can enough oil leak into
the lower canted cylinders to produce a
hydraulic lock? Should I be concerned?
I can say you should carefully look at
POH data on an E into those strips. It can
be done most of the time, but there will be
days when you'll be right on the edge.
The difference in weight from a B to C, D
and E does affect field length needed.
After-market air conditioner
A.J. Murray
Washington. D.C.
Q: I have a 1995 B36TC that I have
decided to sell. A potential buyer wants
air conditioning. Where can I find an
after-market provider to add that to my
Bonanza?
A: Nonnally, we don't see enough oil A: Keith Products (972-407- 1234).
to hydraulic lock the I0-470L. Both the
kickback and the stopped prop could be
related to the mag firing before top dead
center. Check the P leads to the primary
points that should be grounded out in
the start pos ition . You can check it with
the battery off but may want to disconnect the starter lead for safety.
Wing bolts/seating
Stephen Reynolds
Edinburg, Texas
Q: How important is it to have the
Cleveland brakes
wing bolt inspection and what is the
expected cost? Also, is it feasible to
convert my aircraft seating to club configuration and to extend the aft cargo
area like later model aircraft?
Forrest Word
Son Antonio, Texas
A: The wing bolts can cost $1,600 -
Q:
$2,000 to change. If they've never been
changed, it might be a good idea, We
believe Beech's five yearS/IS years is
excessive, but they should not be left
forever or if corroded. Corrosion is
what we worry about. I believe the bolts
are about $800,
As for your other question, I would
not try to convert the seating and extend
the baggage area. Later serial numbers
had the necessary structure under the
floor. but I don't believe your early A36
does,
My '77 B55 was totaled in a
hangar collapse. I am lOOking at a
replacement, possibly an E55. I have
run across "heavy-duty Cleveland
brakes" on some models. I assume these
have three pistons rather than two and a
different rotor. Just how much more
effecti ve are the HD brakes and do they
have any pitfalls? I regularly fly into
short, unimproved strips 3,000 feet @
2000 MSL.
Also. my TC2019 had larger
exhaust pipes than later models with
even higher displacement engines. Why
the smaller diameter? oise. perfonn-
Alber! (Vinnie) Rano
ance, what?
Worcester; Massachusetts
A:
Heavy-duty brakes are very effective but must be used carefully. I don't
know for sure, but believe noise may be
the answer on the diameter of exhaust
pipes.
Wing bolt tubs
Q:
I decided to change my wing
bolts because I was not comfortable
with the ones that were installed since I
did not have a complete history or logs
for my airplane, Let me explain:
I now live in the Philippines and I
found a 1962 P35 Bonanza thai was
hangared, but it looked liked people had
been living in the airplane and it had not
been flown for 10 years.
I totally rebuilt the airplane including new engine, new radios\lVionics,
reworked\new instrument s, new interi-
or, new windows. new paint, new fuel
cells, tip tanks, etc. I have had the airplane for four years, but I have always
wanted to change the wing bolts. They
arrived a week before I left for the US
for my home leave. I asked my mechanic to change them while I was away so I
could fly when I got back.
When I retumed, I discovered the
front tubs where the bolts insert were
badly corroded. Apparently, we all
missed the corrosion during the past
three annuals since the paint was pretty
thick in that area and we never stripped
the paint in the past. Is there a limit of
corrosion allowed or do they need to be
changed with any signs of corrosion? If
I need to change them, where can I purchase them?
A: Beech tech support will probably
want an impression (dentist type) of the
fittings to determine if they can be
smoothed out or need replacement
(3 16-676-3140, option 4 then I) or your
area rep is in Australia (61-89-277 24(0). They have sent a tool in the past
to refinish the fitting.
RH elevator repair
Bill Reynolds
Lake Mary, Florida
Q:
I spoke with you about repairs on
the RH elevator on an A36. The certified repair station was able to get inside
the tail and inspect for any slfuctural
incidents. Thankfully, there was not any
effect-none whatsoever. All damage
occurred on the RH elevator.
I want to restore the unit to the
absolute best status, preserving the
val ue and eliminating any doubt in anyone 's mind that the repairs were per
manufactured repairs and parts.
(Hopefully, I will never sell !) The certified shop suggested replacing the RH
elevator with a new unit vs.
resk in/re pair. Would you agree? If so,
who has a PIN 33-6 10000-610 Elevator
Assy, RH/Complete, Usable code 2? I
checked the Raytheon on-line parts
website - $7,099'
skin thickness tested on my Bonanza?
A:
John Whimpee at Mobile and
Fairhope, Alabama (251 -433-0831 ), or
Kalamazoo Aircraft , Kalamazoo,
Michigan (6 16-38 1-0790).
Texas rigging expert
MaHhew Reedy
Son Antonio, Texas
A: I believe if the repair (reskin) is Q: This is a follow-up to the excelwell-documented, it won't significantly
hurt resale. And it should be significantly cheaper. I doubt anyone is stocking
the part. You can try Select (800-3 18(010), Avstat (888-287-8283) or Arrell
(805-604-0439).
Ruddervator fairleads
Errol Roberts
Gold Beach, Oregon
Q:
lent art icle in March 2003 by George
Wilhelm sen on aircraft rigging. My
E33C used to fly straight and true until
about a year ago. After a flight to another field, I noticed it turning very strongly to the left. I have the answers to
George's checklist of six items, and am
now looking for a rigging expert somewhere near me in Texas. Can you recommend a shop for me?
A:
Are there any inexpensive
sources for ruddervator fairleads? Any
STCs thai allow replacement by a more
durable product?
Hammoch Aviation in Ennis,
Texas (972-875-4279) or Beaver Air
(38 1-376-6664) in Houston.
A: The reason they break is the lack
Starter rebuild
of a flat washer underneath them that
keeps them from being tightened down
on a rivet head. I don't believe it's
shown in the parts book, but it's necessary. I know of no other source.
Q:
Hinge reinforcement
brackets
Thilo Eckardt
Paris, France
Q:
We have a crack in the rudder
spar in our B36TC. Do you know where
I can purchase the Spacecraft Machine
Products STC SA4899 M and
SA5870NM hinge reinforcement brackets
that can be installed lAW AD 93-24-03?
A:
It's now General Forming Corp
(3 10-326-0624).
Skin thickness test
James Curtis
Cookeville, Tennessee
Q:
Can you suggest a facility near
middle Tennessee where I can have the
Michael EllJoH
Seattle, Washington
I need a referral for someone to
rebuild the starter in my E225 .
A: Wayne Toman (3 16-946-070 I or
800-926-070 I).
New key switch
Donlel Doss
Roanoke. Virginia
Q:
My mechanic says I need a new
key switch for my M35. Where can I
purchase it?
A: I would do a field approval installation of a new TCM ignition switch,
which would make the subpanel switch
the only master switch. This is similar
10 the later airplanes and reduces spikes
to the avionics. Otherwise. you may be
faced with going to salvage yards such
as White Industries (800-82 1-7733) or
Dodson (800-255-0034).
pump
Repair of Elgin clock
Missing Vx/Vy
Dry
Burl Corle
Burnsville, North Corolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Dol/os, Texas
Q:
Q:
Q: Do you have a contact for some-
I recently sold my 1979 V35B
and the new owner says there are no
Vx(Vy speeds in POH . Can you help
with these numbers?
A:
VX is the 50-foot speed in the
block under takeoff distance in the performance section. Vy is the speed in the
climb performance page.
Prebuy mechanic
Bob Thorne
Park City, Utah
Q:
I am interested in buying a K35
in Cape Girardeau, Missouri (CGI),
about 115 miles south of St. Louis. I
would like the name of a mechanic for
a prebuy inspection. Could you give me
the name and number of a mechanic to
do this?
A:
Midwest Aviation in Paducah,
Kentucky, IS a good shop (270-7448686).
Tim GarreN
Bob Stewart
I want to replace a model
212CW dry pump. Is there any reason
not to replace this pump? Would it be
better to put in a wet pump instead? The
plane has a backup system in place. The
horizon gauge seems to be lagging.
Could this be the pump or instrument?
one to repair the eight-day Elgin clock
from my 1952 C35? I had a local repair
shop look at it and they said it needs a
new mainspring and they did not have a
source for parts.
A:
942-8668) or Jacobs (3 16-267-7406).
It could be the pump or instrument or filters. Easiest is to replace
your pump wilh a Rapco similar model
number. The wet pump would need a
field approval from the FAA .
Sacramento Sky Ranch has wet pumps.
A: Try Air Capital Instruments (3 16Nose gear indicator
Dennis Campbell
Lynnwood, Washington
Q:
Transcal alt. encoder
What is a good source for a
replacement nose gear indicator for the
P35? Beech seems a bit expensive.
Larry Bush
Ft. Walton Beach. Florida
A: You could try salvage yards. White
Q: I am trying to locate a Transcal
(800-82 1-7733), Dodson (800-2550034), Crossroads (972-239-0263),
Select Air Parts (800-3 18-00 10), Avstat
(888-287-8283) and Arrell (805-6040439) sometimes have new surplus parts.
D 120P altitude encoder for a '77 A36.
Can you offer any suggestions?
A:
American Avionics (800-5 153550) for S585.
Nose wheel shimmy
Texas mechanic
Upgrade of North Star Loran
Anthony
Over/and Park, Kansas
Dan Ger/ey
Pismo Beach, Cafifornio
Q:
Q: Where can I have my North Star
~ Tony"AJotto
I am relocating to College
Station, Texas. Can you recommend a
mechanic either in College Station or
Bryan, Texas, or nearby? I have an
annual due on my ai rcraft after I move.
A:
Gary Hammock at Hammock
Aviation in Ennis, Texas (972-875-427).
Standby vacuum & alt
Danny Miller
Guffporl, Mississippi
Q: How can I get a standby vacuum
and alternator on my plane without
hanging anything on the firewall or
cowling?
A: Tempest now makes dual vacuum
pumps for one drive pad. Aero
Accessories (336-449-5054) and B&C
(3 16-283-8000) make a stand by alternator that is good and is used on the
new 36s.
Page 8255
Loran-M- I upgraded? I am just not
ready to give it up.
A: Radio Ranch (815-622-9000) can
still get them.
Clock repair
John F. Durbin
Hilton Head Island , South Carolina
Q: The clock assembly on my yoke
will no longer wind. 1 suspect the main
spring has become disconnected from
the barrel or is broken. The clock is a
Mathey-Tissot Type 2, 17-jewel movement built in April 1969. I would like to
find a clock repairer who can repair it
rather than replace it with an electric
clock built in Taiwan. Do you know of
someone who can help me?
Aaron Appel
Edgewood, New Mexico
Q:
How can I isolate a nose wheel
sh immy/vibration problem? Could an
out-of-bal ance wheel be the cause?
A:
It could, but more than likely the
Shimmy dampener real ly isn't full or the
nose wheel is loose. Check those things
first. Most people don't get the center
shaft full of fluid.
275 electric prop repair
Steve Alderman
Boulder, Colorado
Q: Who works on the 215 electric
prop these days? I called Maxwell but
they have quit. Thunderbird wanted me
to send it. One prop shop here in
Colorado said my 89-inch blades were
1/ 10 inch undersize at the tips. I have
flown those blades for 10 years-and
he said he couldn't touch it! Any help?
A: I believe Air Capital Instruments A:
(3 16-942-8668) can help
<www.bonanza .org>
Aero Propeller (909-765-3 178)
and Ottosen Propeller (602-275-85 14)
should be OK sources.
ASS Fe b rua ry 2004
BDS exhaust silencers
Robert Lefton
Plano. Texas
Q:
When I purchased my 1986 A36
about a year ago, it had previously been
modified with Beryl D'Shannon
exhaust silencers. I have now been
informed they are falling apan from the
inside. What is your experience with
these si lencers? Should I repair them or
replace with the standard exhaust system? Can you recommend someone in
the Dallas area to do this work?
A:
r don't know that anyone can do
repairs on D'S hannon silencers.
Aerospace Welding (800-597-43 15)
and Dawley (262-763-3113) can possibly make up new stacks.
E225 operating info
William Lynch
Clyde. New York
Q: My aircraft has been upgraded to
an E225 engine. The POH shows E 185
and associated operat ing information.
What is the best procedure for obtaining operating information on an E225.
Purchase a POH for a later model? Is
there a source for the engine only?
A: The later airplane POH is the best
way. One problem is that even though
the type cenificate shows eligibiliry of
the engine, without an STC giving new
limits or a POH supplement for new
limits, the legal limits remain those that
are in your original POH or, for example, 185 hp for takeoff. The later POH
would be reference-only fo r cruise setting and endurance. Your legal POH
stays the one for a '5 1 C35 .
10-520 engines on 58P
Robert Braunstein
Seafffe, Washington
Q:
I'm considering the purchase of
a 1977 5SP with turbocharged 10-520s.
My friend tells me these engines will
need to be topped long before reaching
TBO. What is the general experience
with this engine model? If well-maintained, is this airplane a money pit?
ABS February 2004
A:
58Ps are life-limited to 10,000
hours. In addition, between the complex engines and systems, it can be
expensive to maintain. Just things like
the prop de-ice can easily cost $2,000
over two years. Pressurization can add
up and turbochargers cost at least about
a third more than non-turbo. But if you
need it, then it may be wonh it.
OKC engine overhauler
Dan Meester
Longmont. Colorado
Q: Can you recommend an engine
overhauler in the OKC-Tulsa area for
an 10-470? Also, can you recommend
an lA for a prebuy inspection?
A:
Power Master (800-395-9857)
and Monty Barrett (918-835- 1089) are
good-both in Tulsa. Tulsair has been
good, but annuals only, I believe.
Hammock in Ennis. Texas, does prebuys (972-875-4279).
Seat belt grommets
Dan McConnell
Duluth, Georglo
Q: I have been unable to locate seat
belt grommets for the shoulder harness
post on the lap buckle. The only suggestion has been to use heat shrink as a
substitute. Can you suggest any suppl iers I can contact?
A:
J would use standard O-rings of
the appropriate size.
Rebuilding Bonanza steps
William Canovon
Santo Rosa, California
Q:
At AirVenture 2003, I met a man
who had an ad on the bulletin board in
your tent for rebuilding Bonanza steps.
I have since lost the little scrap paper
with his name and number. I remember
he was from Oklahoma. Do you have
this person 's contact numbers or any
others doing this work?
A:
That would be Kevin O'Halioran
(580-832-3803).
<www.bonanza .org>
Southeast US paint shop
Richard S. Moore
Daytona Beach. Florida
Q:
I am planning to have my 1975
B55 painted. Could you recommend a
shop in the Southeast US or elsewhere
that will do a first-class job?
A:
Ask Gary Seibert at Island
Aviation, Fernadina Beach, Florida
(904-26 1-3730) for a recommendation
or call Byerly Aviation (309-6976300).
Cargo web strap
Ken Hutchinson
Son Diego. California
Q:
I need a new cargo web strap for
the rear cargo compartment behind the
rear seats. Do you know where I can
obtain a new one or do you know of
anyone who makes them? The metal
brackets are OK but I need the nylon
webbing.
A:
Many of the seat belt rewebbers
can do it . Try Safety Ltd. (630-5849366) or Beltmaster (541-488-1555).
Door locks
R. Michael Reid
Springfield, Missouri
Q:
Aviation Research will not have
door locks until sometime later this
year. Have you found a web address or
phone number for Medco?
A:
Can't find Medco. Plane Lock
(6 14-879-411 I) or <www.Protectaplane
.com> may be of help.
Fuel selector valve sticking
Thomas Northup
Manhattan Beach, California
Q:
My fuel selector valve is sticking but only occasionally, and when
turning from right tank back to left
tank. AD 53-0 I has been complied with
some time ago. Can this be lubricated?
A:
Yes, fuel lube works. It's available from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty
(877-477-7823). Sure wonh looking at.
Cruise Aire in Ramona (760-789-8020)
is a good shop to look at it.
Page 8256
Cause of lost fuel
Todd Roffes
Flagstaff. Arizona
Q:
I am currently losing 8-10 gals of
fuel from RH fuel tank through the fuel
vent during night if T have topped off
the tank prior to takeoff. Additionally,
once I have landed, the tank continues
to vent heavily, like a faucet, until T
remove the fuel cap. It also appears that
the bladder has contracted when I open
the cap, but releasing the pressure stops
all fuel nowing from the vent and the
bladder returns to normal. Advise as to
the cause of this fuel venting and corrective action required.
and the vent should provide positive
pressure in the tank. Also, make sure
your cap seals are good, both outer and
the shaft.
A: If the scarf on the vent is correct
Neil Pobanz.. ABS technical consultant. is a retired
U. $. Army civilian pilot and maintenance manager.
Neil has been an A&P and L4 for 45 years.
(example shown in shop manual), I
would then suspect the one-way checkvalve at the outer end of the tanle It
really sounds like neither is correct. The
check-valve should stop outward now,
TECH
PREPURCHASE CHECKLIST: This new checklist is now
available from ABS headquarters (3 16-945-1700) and, as
President Hastings notes in his column, on the ABS website.
It will allow you to do a history review of an airplane through
logs, NTSB files and FAA files.
Even though a knowledgeable mechanic can repair our
airplanes using components from salvage yards, we question
the compatibility of some parts being used from model
matches that may not be correct.
PRESSURE CARB MODELS: If you have verified your mag
switch is functioning by turning off at idle and back on, then
shut down with the mixture control and, after the engine stops,
return it to full rich for storage. This prevents the diaphragms
from taking a set.
B95A FUEL INJECTION CONVERSION: The ABS
Technical Library has documentation to convert the B95A's
unsupported Simmonds Fuel injection system to the Bendix
type, for which parts are more commonly available. Contact
ABS HQ (3 16-945-1 700) or <bonanza8@bonanza.org> if you
want copies of the paperwork with which to pursue your own
FAA approval.
58P WET WING OUTBOARD FUEL CELL: Beech tech support guided us to a shop manual procedure to add access holes.
Two shops that do wet wing are NAAS, Scott or Mike (2 10805-0049) and Texas Wings Aerospace (8 17 -625-8512).
BOOT REPAIR: We have had good reports on de-icer boot
repair by folks in Oklahoma City <www. BootsEdge.com>.
Glen My' Foulk wtJose business is Delta SITuI. has
been an ABS assistant technical consultant since
1986.
NOTES
TCM FUEL I JECTION MANIFOLD DISTRIBUTOR
VALVE ORAl S: For some time our ABS tech staff has felt
that drain hoses added to the vent on the valve were not supposed to be there. If you are old enough, you remember when
there wasn't even a fitting in the vent port, you could tell when
the diaphragm had a puncture as you started getting fuel
stains. Somebody felt that was a hazard and started putting the
drain line on. ow you don't know when the diaphragm is
leak ing, creating an additional hazard.
We are aware of some being tee'd into the induction
manifold drain where the sni ffer valve can stick and apply a
vacuum to the distributor valve. Also we have had the drain
line melt closed and prevent it from venting, which inhibits
operation.
We have asked Beech to look into this problem . We'd like
to hear of any difficulties either way. It should be a neutral
pressure similar to upper deck pressure.
CONTROL SURFACE RESKlN: It helps to go to a vendor
who does a lot of them and has jigs. We have heard of people
who purchased new skins, but ended up with twisted controls.
We are still hearing of mud daubers and wasp nests in the controls. It would be enough to adversely affect balance.
ALTERNATOR REPAIR: We have reports that B&S and
Kell y are no longer in alternator repair in Wichita. Those that
still do are Aircraft Systems (8 15-399-0225), EMT (800-8514392), Aircraft Accessories of Oklahoma (800-255-9924) and
Wayne Toman (3 16-946-0701 ).
-@-
ABS welc o mes t he following m e mbers
to the growi ng list of ABS Life Me mbers.
Major Todd Canterbury of Las Vegas. Nevada
Jon Luy of Sutter Creek. California
Page 8257
<www.bonanza .org>
ABS Febru ary 2004
GUEST
EDITORIAL
BY RANDY GROOM
PRESIDENT /G.M" BEECHCRAFT DIVISION. WICHITA. KANSAS
M
any American Bonanza
ruggedness that translates into safety and
Society members a!tended
security. The most stable single-engine
the Bonanza "homecoming"
piston aircraft around. And as the longest
at the Raytheon Aircraft
continually produced aircraft in the world,
facility in 2002 during the company 's 70th
it holds a special place in aviation history.
anniversary. Nearly 300 Bonanzas returned
I understand I'm preaching to the
to their place of binh, and their owners
choir. The American Bonanza Society is
were treated to factory tours and a dinner
pan of the Bonanza's keel. The ABS
with Bob Horowitz, who was then presiMagazine is a great technical resource for
dent of the Beechcraft Division.
Bonanza owners. Along with knowledgeI'm experiencing a similar homecomable columnists, passionate owners offer
ing as the new president and general mantheir Bonanza stories, sharing information,
ager of the Beechcraft Division upon Bob's
giving suppon and an occasional criticism.
retirement. I am a former Beechcrafter - in
All in all, a very healthy exchange that
fact, I worked here in the 1980s when Olive
gives life to a product line 55 years old.
Ann Beech was still at
So what's in store for
the company. It was in Borh rhe Bonanza and rhe Baron the Beechcraft pi ston
that era that I gained a are crirical to 0111' long-rerm line of Bonanzas and
tremendous respect for plans ... We plan to continllollsly Barons? Both aircraft
the Beechcraft cu lture
are critical to our longof quality, pride and improve them as we'l'e done ternl plans. They reprecommitment to the cus- over rhe years.
sent pilots' entry into
tomer. Most recently I
the Beechcraft line, and
if owners want to move up, they have the
was senior vice president at Piedmont
King Air and Premier I. So we plan to
Hawthorne Aviation, where I spent the last
continually improve these two products as
17 years in sales, maintenance and chaner
we've done over the years. You'll be hearareas. I am also the proud owner of an A36.
ing more as we finaLize our plans.
Everyone has a Bonanza "love affair"
I want to let you know that our compastory. Mine began in childhood, flying in
ny is refocused on the original values
my father's Bonanzas. He owned a G35,
espoused by our founders. The quality of
followed by an N35, and both were pan of
our aircraft rolling off the production line is
our lifestyle. We traveled everywhere, and
excellent. Our Customer Service Division
as a young boy I had the opponunity to
has made significant improvements in
experience general aviation firsthand.
capability and responsiveness. And our
These lessons have stayed with me forever.
dedicated employees are understandably
Today I fly an A36 (N6755X) for both
proud of what they are accompLishing. My
business and pleasure. othing puts a grin
experience as a Beechcraft owner, operator
on my face faster than climbing into my
and sales leader will help me funher guide
Bonanza. Our family thinks nothing of
our
corporate strategy to be one that is
hopping in our Bonanza and going to the
totally focused on meeting Bonanza and
Bahamas, or around the patch on a beautiful
Baron owners' needs.
Sunday afternoon. I also have had the good
I would appreciate hearing from you
fonune of flying all of the Beech prodhow we at the Beechcraft Division can
ucts ... the Baron 58 and all of the King Airs.
better serve our loyal American Bonanza
I have delivered two Bonanzas to Brazil,
Society customers.
flying over the Caribbean and Amazon.
The Bonanza has an enduring appeale·mail <Rgroom. beechcraft@rac.raY.com>
unbeatable flight characteristics, and a
ABS February 2004
<www.bonanza .org>
Page 8258
HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE THE MEMORIES Of SOME KEY PLAYERS IN THE CREATION
OF OUR EARLY BEECHCRAFT MODELS. HERE, 50 YEARS LATER. IS A STORY ABOUT THE TRAVEL
AIR. WHICH WAS INITIALLY TO BE NAMED THE BADGER. THE NAME WAS CHANGED AT THE
REQ!)EST OF THE MILITARY BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A POTENTIAL MIX UP WITH THE
MILITARY NAME OF A RUSSIAN BOMBER. -EDITOR
BY RICHARD ETHERINGTON, WICHITA, KANSAS
N JUNE I, 1952, r was one of four graduates at the
University of Kansas with degrees in aeronautical
engineering. I was married on June 5 and reported
for work at Beech Aircraft Company on June 10, where I had
no idea what an engineer would do.
Like all new employees, I was assigned to the DCN
(drawing change notice) incorporation group. The DCN was
a small notice anached to a production drawing that corrected an error or design deficiency. New engineers were assigned
to revise the original drawings as shown on the DC .
After about a month, J was reassigned to the power plant
group to do actual design work. I was at a loss to know what I
was supposed to do as I had little if any class work on power
plant design. I must have learned fairly quickly, as by 1954. I
was assigned to the preliminary design group as the power
plant designer.
At that time. Beech was producing the Model 18, a twinengine multi-passenger airplane used by businesses as a
corporate aircraft: the V-tail Bonanza, a newly developed
(post-war) four-place personal aircraft; and the Twin Bonanza.
The Twin Bonanza was developed by splitting the fourplace Bonanza down the middle and inserting a flat section
that would accommodate two additional people to make a sixplace aircraft-three in front and three in back. Beech was 'also
producing the T-34, a military version of the Bonanza. The
T-34 had a modified fuselage with two-place tandem seating.
canopy access and a conventional tail assembly.
and the target for the new twin was expected to be 3,800
to 4,()()() pounds.
T
HE WING AREA WAS INCREASED by tip extensions.
The added span would help improve the single-engine
climb with one engine stopped. The study produced rough
drawings of how the changes were to be made, perfonnance
estimates, tooling costs and production cost estimates for putting the changes into production. The results of the study were
presented to Beech management, as the aircraft appeared to be
competitive with the known competition.
After much discussion, Jack Gaty, vice president of operations and the VP to whom engineering reported, announced
that he was taking a three-week vacation and that he wanted a
prototype of the twin produced for evaluation. He wanted the
aircraft flying in six weeks. He did give us penn iss ion to use
any assemblies from current production that we needed by just
AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION , JACK GATY, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS AND THE VP
TO WHOM ENGINEERING REPORTED, ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS TAKING A THREEWEEK VACATION AND THAT HE WANTED A PROTOTYPE OF THE TWIN PRODUCED FOR
EVALUATION. HE WANTED THE AI RCRAFT FLYING IN SIX WEEKS.
There was linle competition for the Bonanza. The North
American Navion was slower and had a rather difficult canopy
type entry. The Model 18 was in a class by itself and the Twin
Bonanza was compet ing with a cabin twin by Aero
Commander, which had a more conventional cabin arrangement and was slightly faster.
Cessna was starting production of their twin (the Model
310) and Piper was already producing a four-place light twin
called the Apache. The Apache, considered to be slow and
cumbersome, was selling well as it was considerably cheaper
than the Twin Bonanza and the Aero Commander. The Cessna
310 was faster than the Apache at considerable increase in
cost.
Since this appeared to be a new market area, Beech was
interested in putting a new airplane in it. The preliminary
design group was tasked to propose a four-place twin that used
the basic cabin size of the Model 35.
The PD design group consisted of Leroy Clay, the project
leader; Roy Hodges, the wing structure designer and me for
the power plant design. The primary tasks consisted of:
I. Redesigning the nose of the Bonanza to eliminate the
engine installation.
2. Designing the nacelle and engine installation on the wing.
3. Beefin g up the wing for the weight of the nacelles.
4. Adding wing area to keep the stall speed down, as the
added weight of the two engines would require the gross
weight of the basic Bonanza to increase. The gross
weight of the Bonanza at that time was 2,900 pounds
ABS February 2004
going out on the production line and telling the appropriate
person to deliver the selected hardware to experimental.
The Bonanza was being produced at Plant 2. We immediately descended on John Allen, the factory manager of Plant 2,
to select a fuse lage and wing to be used in the project. We prevailed on John to install the spar beef-ups in the wing before
delivering it to experimental. The drawings that had been
made for the engine installation and the nacelle were all done
in one-quarter scale, as that was the size of the engine drawing
supplied for the study by Lycoming, the engine manufacturer.
It was necessary to add details to the drawings and release
them immediately. The shop then blew up these drawings to
full scale so they could make the parts. Since there was not
time to have real lofts made for the nose and the nacelles, we
lofted the contours in preliminary design at one-quarter scale
and these were also blown lip to full size for the shop.
eedless to say, the lines on the sketches were not very
accurate since they now were four times the size they were on
the drawings and the experimental shop had to guess a lot in
building the parts. We spent a lot of time in the experimental
shop hand-waving changes and explaining the crude drawings
to the shop.
Electrical and engine controls were installed by verbal
description, with the engineers standing by to resolve problems. There was no thrott le quadrant. Mounted on the sub
panel were two sets of Bonanza-type thronle and propeller
controls. No mixture controls were provided.
The empennage was the easiest task , as we had selected
the horizontal and venical tail of the T-34 for the twin. It was
<www.bononza .org>
Page 8260
a simple matter to pick these up complete from the production
line. The control cables were resized to go directly to the rudder and elevator rather than to the V-tail mixer of the Bonanza.
, AJHEN THE ENGINES WERE INSTALLED, we discovVV ered that the prototype engine drawing supplied by
Lycoming was in error. The spark plugs installed in the top of
the cylinder heads were of an old style and were one inch
shoner than the ones planned for the production engines. Since
the lofts had been based on the engine drawings, the nacelle
doors would not close over the spark plugs. Simply put, the
prototype engine had shon spark plugs; the production engine
had long spark plugs. To resolve this problem. they cut a slot
in the nacelle doors to accommodate the longer plugs, which
added a bump. Not pretty, but it solved the problem.
Upon Mr. Gaty's retum, he was taken to experimental to
see the aircraft. He really did not expect to see what had
already been accomplished. The aircraft was sitting on its
wheels with the new nose installed, the nacelle structure
installed on the wing and the tail assembly in place. Two
weeks later, the aircraft was moved to the paint shop. Then the
flight, so he had to land to get it restaned. A propeller unfeathering accumulator was added to solve that problem.
For some reason, during the assembly of the aircraft, it
was decided that siphon relief valves were not required in the
fuel tank vent lines. But one night after the aircraft had been
parked in the hangar, the right-hand fuel tank emptied 30 gallons of lOO-octane gasoline onto the hangar floor. The next
morning, the fire marshal was waiting for the experimental
shop foreman to explain the error of the design. Siphon vents
were added immediately.
The prototype was considered a success and the aircraft
approved for product ion design. A new design team was
formed to do the production design and cenification. The first
flight of the production airplane was in August of 1956 and
deliveries began in June of 1957.
Except for the Musketeer, this was the most intensive program that I was involved with during my career as a Beech
engineer. I worked for Beech through June of 1967. Much of
that time was spent in the preliminary design group where I
worked on many proposals. I contributed to the design of
power plant installations on the later versions of the Bonanza,
THE PROTOTYPE WAS CONSIDERED A SUCCESS AND THE AIRCRAFT APPROVED FOR
PRODUCTION DESIGN. A NEW DESIGN TEAM WAS FORMED TO DO THE PRODUCTION
DESIGN AND CERTIFICATION . THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE PRODUCTION AIRPLANE WAS
IN AUGUST OF 1956 AND DELIVERIES BEGAN IN JUNE OF 1957.
interior was installed and its first flight occurred, all within the
prescribed six weeks!
Flight testing was fairly successful; proving out the performance was as expected. A few changes were required as the
result of the flight program. One major modification was to
change the cooling system for the engines from an "augmenter" system to that of the more conventional cowl flap.
The Twin Bonanza had used the augmenter system of cooling
quite effectively.
This system consisted of a long rube that the exhaust pipe
dumped into at the firewall. The exhaust gases then pumped
cooling air through the engine and actually added thrust out
the back of the augmenter. Unfortunately, it also significantly
increased the amount of noise.
The system worked well on the new twin, but tests
showed an increase in cabin noise of about 6 db with the augmenter over a conventional cow l flap. The augmenter had produced a gain of about six miles an hour in cruise speed, but
that gain was not thought to be worth the considerable amount
of added noise.
Two other minor changes were necessary. During the
flight demonstration for the plant employees, Steve Tuttle, the
experimental test pilot, did a single-engine demonstration
shutting down one engine. But the engine would not restart in
Page 8261
the turbine engines for the Queen Air and led the design team
that proposed the Musketeer. J worked in the Missi le division
in their preliminary design and was project engineer on the
SAM-D missi le proposal.
I left Beech and fin ished my career at Learjet, where J led
their preliminary design group for about 27 years. J also served
as project engineer on the Lear Model 35, director of technical
engineering and director of program management.
My flying experience started while I was in college. I
worked summers as an apprentice mechanic at Fairfax Airport
in Kansas City, Kansas. I earned my pilots license in 1950 and
purchased a Luscombe 8A that I flew until J graduated from
college. I was checked out in the Beech transportation pool in
the Bonanza, Musketeer and Baron.
For about 15 years after I left
Beech. I didn't fly because I couldn't afford it at the time. Then I
purchased a Cherokee 140. In 1988,
I donated the Cherokee to my kids
and purchased a 1972 Bonanza
(V35B) that I have been flying ever
since. I now have more than 1600
night hours with over 800 of them
in the Bonanza.
-@-
<www.bonanza.org>
ABS February 2004
,
REPRINTED FROM THE DECEMBER 1957 BEECHCRAFTER
,
New Travel Air Business Plane Makes Formal Debut
AIII('rir[l'~ lIeweSI fou r-plate, twill-engille bU li in cbs plane-the
Brrl:llcrafl Travel Air for 1958-wui:> fOflllally imfoci ured durillf! Beech
!\jn' rar, \ tlrlllllHI Inrcrnalional Sulrs \Iecfin,!!_ DCbigncd 10 fill n prier gap
Iwtwcrn the popular biu gle -c ngi nr Ilccchcraft Bonanza fi nd thr bi\:-place
Ikeehl'filft T\\ ill -Bonanza . •he Ilew
rrul!!C o( mort' Ihun IAOO mib all
Tnwcl .\if (\lode! 93l) i~ the fourth
112 gallons of (Ut~1. hlllctional IIlnil1nddilioll to Ihr rompan~ '., h'TOwinp;
lenan('('
<lnd iJl'''prdion (acililie~ .
commerciullinf'.
affording ea:.y lIc('r~ to engine and
Powered h~ IWO 180 hp Lycoming
a('ce~.:.Ori es. landiut! geM and other
0-360- \ 1 \ t·ll2'Ulf'~. dll' Tra"f'1 \ir
umall.. Llons. also ('oIllTibutf' to ib 10\\
ha!! u high :-I)('(:d of :208 mpll and 11
operating eo:>l.
crlli s ill ~ ~ pecd of :200 mph. The powSllpcr-sou' ldp roo~ng, ('xlltlu~I illUcrplfuu '!{'Iccted for the Tffi'd \il' h lh
rnrl'':; and a 5pctilll e..\.halhl "y.,tcm.
die hiJ!h ~1 hON'PO\\'{,f raling of any
rouplrd \\;1.h ~ hoc k -(tb-.o rbin~ dynafOIU"-r\linJcr aircraf, CII!!i lll.' ('!Irrent(oc;11 cngine IIlOUllb which ('Ill ,·ibmly pl'o(III('('d ill tlw l nitcd SHlIf'".
tion 10 a bare miuimulIl. 1113kc' the
The TraHI \ir'" !!f{h' wei!!hl o(
Tmn·1
,\ir tlu.' tiIUClf"1 twin-enginf"
poullcl... alld d~an :H'f04'l;-uamairplanc on the marke1. In-fiighl
ic dC'"i1!11 prO\ ide cXC'Cpliollal ni~IH
cahi ll noi;,e len'l i~ uCl'unlh Ir ..;:, than
:itllhilit y under fill open.lling' C'Omlilhm in au automohi lc travcling I.lI 60
lion.,. \\,ith a 1I~{,(1I1 load o( l.-rlO
milr.5 an how'.
pOllnd~. it mil dimb <II the mlr o(
Ollt.,l[lndi"~ .,ingl<'-tllgiuf per1..'330 ({'rt p('r minute. Full~' loaded,
fonnanrc gi"c~ the Travel \ir tlllC_Xits &t'n'i('C' ceiJjll~ i:. 19.:300 feet.
rellcd dependa.hiHty. Opf'r1lting on
Charal"tcli/cd b~ economy of operollh OIiC of if5 1"0 (,Ilcines. the \lodc:l
noon, Ih(' \lodd C)5 ha.:. a nO'hll0l'
93 ·1.:1111 climb lit the ~mc of 225 (eel
pCI' minute and fully io.'ltlt'd i( can
f"<l... ily mainlain Oip:ht l.Iitil"rlb fu
high :.I':' 8.000 ((,(,I.
Tlw Tnl\'cI Air'.. ,11In.h lric\Tle
lantiiog gear incurponuc, a·l'>\\'in·iing
"t('('ruble nO"(' whr('1 equipped \\ith
..himmy dalul>Cllfr. Beedll'fl1(1 nir-oil
ioDllt.:, on all wheel:. facilitate ::-1ll00UI
blXiiJlg and cnable Ihe plant to withMaJId ,hocb crented b~ ItUldi"~ \\;I.h
a wnit al de5-Celll {'Omponent of o,·cr
600 feel per mUlUlf.
E\'fI'Y lllajor stfll(,lUral part and
cOlnl-'oll(,llt o( tht 1938 Trmt'l \ir hn:.
AN OUTSTANDING feature of all
IX'Cll {c'-tcd 10 I'Itll'll!..'l.h~ at if'tbt 39
Beechcrafts, Travel Air's advanced
prl'cC'llt aho\(' (:,\ \ 1'l''1uiff'IllCnb ..
design provides unexcelled vislbility.
making the .\lodf'l Q.) Ihe I'lO'-l rugc.(Tf'{1
-t.ooo
bu .. ill(,~:> airplane UI its tla~ s. IL
rmbodi('" dt-;:,ign criteria, COII!:.Ollctioll
and ('(),npOllfllt.:, o( U1C sel'\'itt-prO\ c<1
Hceriwmfl BoUaJ1Zll. Twin-Bonanzu.
~lodf'l 18 and T-34 militarv Il·aincl'.
Di!ttinrliH ,t~ling and lux-uno,,:.
inu·rior lIppoinuncllb rene<'1 lk't.'cheraf,' . . lime-honored tradition o(
combining flUlctional Lcaul~ and
NmIon \\ ilh ~ upcrior p('rformanC'f':
and dfjdenc), in the dC!tign o( top
quality (ollunercial aircraft. productb.
Other mojor fea tu res of the Srechcraft Tr(nel Air for 1958 include:
(I) Feather-touch IDght colltroboUbuu lding hanclling qualities pro,idr I\\'in -engine opcration with
~ingl c- ('ngin(' Ci6C,
(:2) ""0
lar~e
OOmpal'llllcllt.:,-1l
toud 0(29.5 cubir (CCt (Jf b torn~(' ,~rCIJ
allo\\ in~ ample room (01' [til mdio
e<Juirn~ent 1111e1 bagtzage.
(3) IClc('l,icnll~'·openlled
co.'1nops·
no othcr "light twin" airplllJ1(' offcrb
uli. . ('xd u~h·t (catun:' for quick. jl1'.I3111.
(ollwl O\'('r ,ita! engine tclll(X'nttures.
ACCESSIBILITY of engine instaUation
permits easy. \fJCIlk<x"OUnd maintenance.
(1) Ex<~I1<", ,hO>1 field capab'lity·
fill'" looded. dlC Tro\(;1Mean ' clear
brru~llld" in a lakro(( dbtrul(,(, o( ouly
&;0 feet.
Firsl nown iu .\ ugU:>l 19.56 aJld
CAA~cenj~('ated ill June 19.57. dIe
new &'eChrrafi Tra,'cI Air is now ill
(ull-scale produclion. Lnitial unib
were delivered 10 members of
Beccllcrn ft':, worldwide di ~ t/'ibUlor­
dealer orgnni7AlIion at lhe mnrlu"ion
o( Ul(' anllual 531('.:; nl('('ling.
TRAVel AIR PQWERPLANTS, two 180 hp Lycomings, hove the highest horsepower
rating of any four-cylinder aircraft engine currentty produced in the United States.
The new plane also Is the qUietest twin-engine model on the business market.
BEECHCRAFT TRAVEL AIR. America's newest four-place, twin-englne executive plane now in lull-scale production, offers a new concept i
5J -
t.
."CH.CIAFTE
fully from overhead Bakersfield to my
home base in Van Nuys, California.
Flying is aU about managing risks and
in my opinion. the Travel Air, properly
flown. is a very safe airplane.
POINTS TO PONDER
FRIENDS WITH
A TRAVEL AIR
BY SVEN LARSON. NORTHRIDGE. CALIFORNIA
onsider this scenario:
Responding to a classified ad in the Los
Angeles Times (of all
things), you buy an airplane from a IOtal st ranger who
becomes yo ur friend. After four years of
ownership and nearly 500 Ilying hours,
he is now one of your best friends. How
many airplanes can bring you that kind
of satisfaction? The Beechcraft Travel
Air is certainly one of the few that will.
I purchased my 1961 Travel Air
(TD-488), a B95A, from Dave Kahn in
December of 1990. This was my first
plunge into sole ownership, having
come from several hundred hours of
flying a B55 that I shared financially
with my dad. My reasons for choosing
a Travel Air were simple: I wanted the
same comfort. handling and quality of
the Baron and needed a second motor
to keep my wife comfortable with
flying the family. I thought the Travel
Air 's operating economy made sense
for a first-timer, since my flying is for
pleasure and I couldn 't use the airplane
with Uncle Sam's participation.
The Travel Air is a lot of fun to fly
with the traditional, outstanding handling qualities that Beech is so wellknown for. It is somewhat lighter on the
Page 8263
controls than the Baron, particularly the
ailerons, and is a very easy airplane to
make squeaky landings with. Fuel consumption runs about 18- 19 gph, truing
out at 158 knots (full throttle, 2400 rpm
at 10,000 feet).
One thing that always puzzled me
about this particular Travel Air is that I
could never get the cruise speeds to
match "the book"-it was always about
seven knots shy. I could not find a
nything wrong with the airplane, so I
concluded the POH was just a bit
optimistic! I think Beech pushed real
hard to reach the advertised, magic 200mph cruise speed figure (75 percent
power at 7,500 feet).
In retrospect, what I appreciated
most about the Travef Air was its quiet
cabin compared to the Baron. With its
lower cruise speed and outboard
exhaust stacks, it has quite comfortable
interior sound levels for a generalaviation airplane.
Some criticize the Travel Air for
"anemic single-engine climb," and it is
certainly true that the Baron is more
capable on one engine if one mill gives
you the "silent treatment" after takeoff.
However, the day I experienced an
engine problem, I had no trouble maintaining 7,500 feet and flying unevent<www.bonanza.org>
There are a few things to watch for
if you're considering a Travel Air. First,
the Hartzell steel hub propellers are
subject to the five-year recurring AD,
which is costly but can be elim inated
with new Hartzell props. Like pre-I 974
Barons, it has electric cowl flap
motors that will cause some financial
pain when they stop working. Also,
the 1961 /62 B95A models, first of
the fuel-injected Travel Airs, used
Simmonds fuel-injection systems,
which have little support today. There
are one or two companies in the country
that can overhaul Simmonds components, but at a cost much more expensive than the D95A's widely-supported
Bendix injection. I probably would not
have bought my 95A from Dave Kahn
had he nOl conve rted it to Bendix
injection.
When in the pilot seat of my 95A, I
felt a bit snug against the sidewaU---ood
since the interior dimensions are the same
as the Baron. The reason is that on older
Beechcrafts the seat tracks were placed
further outboard, and there is no inset in
the sidewall above the armrest. I am a
6·foot, J70-pounder and you'd be surprised what a difference those subtle
changes make. The later Model D95As
have the more comfortable configuration.
Overall, I found the maintenance
cost of the Travel Air to be much the
same as the Baron. With so much
commonality in design, that is to be
expected. The landing gear, flaps,
lanitrol heater. fuel and flight control
systems are all more or less the same.
Parts support is excellent with the
exception of the Simmonds injection
and the cowl flap actuators.
Cowling removal is one task that is
much more time-consuming on the
Travel Air-it is a real chore. Plus the
cowl ing nose bugs are made of fiberABS February 2004
gla s and don't hold up as well as the
aluminum used on the Baron.
The only recurring maintenance
problem I had was cracking of the
generator brackets. The 40-amp generators are quite heavy and the case-mounted bracket (a Lycoming part) was not up
to the task. However, the Lycoming 10360s are quite a bit less expensive to run
than the Baron's Continentals, and
you'll have significant ly lower hourly
operating reserves for engine overhaul.
TBO is 2,000 hours, 500 hours more
than an 10-470-equipped Baron and 300
hour more than an 10-520 model.
If I were looking for a Travel Air
today, I would seek out a D95A or one of
the few E95As Beech built. I would look
for one with the optional 50-amp alternalors and the large cargo door, items I
really missed coming from the B55. if
you can find one with these options
(TD-638 and after), you wi ll also benefit from the improved cabin vent system,
which is much quieter than the previous
design. I would stay away from the
Rayjay turbocharged Travel Airs
because support is questionable and
engine maintenance will be much higher. If you need a turbocharged airplane,
the Travel Air is probably not your best
choice in a twin.
The Travel Air fleet is much smaller than the Barons so prospective buyers
must be patient. There are just not many
for sale at any given time, and many are
high-time ships that were used as multiengine trainers. Low-time, well-maintained Travel Airs take time to find.
Why did this happy Travel Air
owner sell out after about four years? A
Colemill-converted Baron that I was
very familiar with came up for sale in
the local area. It had a most impressive
pedigree and an unmistakable, one-of-akind original paint job in orange, lavender and a little bit of white. Want
displaced need-and I decided I just had
to have the more exhilarating performance of the Baron. [ bought the Baron and
have been flying it ever since. The Travel
Air found a new home with a local P@Sician who owns it to this day.
ABS February 2004
WHY I LIKED
MY TRAVEL AIR
BY DAVID KAHN, WEST HILLS. CALIFORNIA
y father and I were partners in an H35 and then a 55 for many years.
When my dad stopped flying, I couldn't afford to buy him out so we sold
the Baron. I still owned a Pitts SIS that I had built.
By 1985 I needed more seats for my wife and two kids, so I sold the Pitts and
was looking for a Bonanza or Debonair. I soon found out that for same year. same
equ ipment and same hours, a Travel Air was S I0,000 cheaper than a Bonanza25,000 for a nice 95 and $35,000 for a similar Bonanza.
Since I already had several hundred hours of multi time and really preferred the
twin, the decision was a no-brainer. I wasn't afraid of the maintenance costs because I
do most of my own work anyway. I had a lot of experience with the 180-hp Lycoming
(the same as I had in my Pitts), and consider it one of the best engines ever built.
I spoke with Rod Rodriguez, the lead salesman at Beechcraft West, Van Nuys,
and he told me that the Travel Air was his favorite Beechcraft ever. He warned me
not to buy one with Simmonds fuel injection (a 1961 or 1962 B95A). As luck
would have it, the one I liked best was CF-UOC, a Canadian 1961 B95A (TD-488)
with only 1200 hours and a new radio stack. This plane was sold new at Beechwest
VNY, but did have Simmonds fuel injection.
It was a great airplane-about as fast as a Bonanza (185 mph TAS at 18 to 20
gallons per hour); climbing maybe a little better than a Bonanza; quiet, very stable
and a good instrument platform.
The mechanical fuel pump failed about nine months after the purchase of the
plane. 0 one serviced or rebuilt Simmonds parts at that time. Rod was right! I
changed the plane over to Bendix fuel-injection , a very major job-and expensive
too. But it worked well.
My state of mind when flying that plane was that if I lose one engine on takeoff and it is hot or I am heavy, I would treat it like [ was in a Bonanza: Close the
throttle on bOlh engines. keep the plane going straight ahead, and pick the best spot
I could find. But if I lost an engine at altitude, then I'd have a lot more time and a
lot of options. Fortunately, those Lycomings never let me down, so I never had to
make that decision.
I flew the Travel Air from Van Nuys to Sitka, Alaska, and back. It had lots of
range. I think [ had one leg that was nonstop from Ketchikan to Olympia,
Washington, that I made in five hours and 15 minutes ... and I still had good fuel
reserves.
As a side note: There were several Rayjay turbocharged Travel Airs on the
market when I was shopping. They were the same price as the naturally aspirated
planes. However, everyone of them just had major work done and a lot of money
spent on the turbo system . I felt the trouble would not stop when I took over ownerShip. Additionally, a turbocharged Travel Air al 12,000 feet is about the same
peed as a Baron, and uses the same amount of fuel to go those speeds. So why not
get a Baron if that is what you are looking for?
I enjoyed the Travel Air. It did exactly what it was supposed to do, and did it
very well. But as my family grew up, we outgrew the B95A and needed a plane
that could haul more weight. Tn December 1990, I sold the Travel Air to Sven
Larson and bought my C55. Sven and I have remained close friends and Beech
fanati cs.
<www.bonanza.or9>
Page 8264
BY J. HAMILTON WRIGHT. DAPHNE. ALABAMA
purchased 9526Y TD-500, a
95A Travel Air, from a dealer in
Atlanta in 1970 for the princely
sum of $24,000! It had been
used for executive transport by
pharmaceutical giant Phizer in South
America, and had two HF radios with
trailing antenna and dual ADFs.
Because of the corporate ownership, it
was in good shape mechanically.
In the 32 years I've owned 26Y,
I' ve put about 5,000 hours on it, and it's
never had anything approaching an
emergency ... knock on wood. It went
through Hurricane Frederick in the
hangar in Fairhope, Alabama, where
Continental now does their engine
I
Page 8265
installations. The storm reduced this
hangar's height by 70 percent.
Fortunately (at least for my plane), 26Y
was parked between two Learjets that
stopped the roof beams. After that, 26Y
got a paint job and a Baron nose cone.
Travel Airs are great airplanes.
They have the same cabin as a 55 and
you can overhaul both engines for the
price of one Big Bore Continental. I get
an honest 165 kts on 20 gph. Overall
maintenance is about the same as a 35
and you get to watch two fans.
My Travel Air was one of about 75
that Beech manufactured with Simmonds
fuel injection. For 20 years or so, they
were pretty satisfactory. Then it became
<www.bonanza.org>
J Hamilton Wright
difficult to get them overhauled and
Simmonds just seemed to go out of
business.
About that time, [ found an article
in the ABS Magazine (what would I do
without it?) about a member on the
West Coast who had converted to
Bendix. He sold me all his paperwork
for $350. It was the best buy I ever
made. Like so much on airplanes, nothing is simple. After the conversion
(about $8,000 /engine), I found out how
much better this engine ran on the
Bendix injector system.
The 10-3670 Lycomings are not only
quiet, but they are "bullet-proof." On my
most recent engine change, I used new
Lycoming camshafts and Millennium
cylinder assemblies. My engine/prop
balance man said his computer tape was
the smoothest he's ever seen.
I'm semi-retired now and don 't use
the plane as much, but it's not for sale.
Check with my execulOr!
--@ABS February 2004
THE TRAVEL AIRAS A
TRAINING MACHINE
BY J,M, HIRSCH, HOUSTON, TEXAS
eech introduced ils Model
95 Travel Air in 1958 wilh
Ihe fuselage of Ihe Ihencurrent 135, While on the
drawing boards, it was
called Ihe Badger, But since there was
also a Soviel bomber known as a
Badger, Ihe name was changed to
Travel Air, which was Ihe name of
Waller Beech's first aircraft company.
have 10 move Ihe prop conlrol forward
see the prop come out of feather and
Ihe engine begin 10 lurn from Ihe wind.
Reslarl Ihen consists of moving
Ihe mixture control forward until Ihe
engine lights (referencing Ihe exhausl
gas lemperature gauge for confirmation) and begins 10 produce Ihrusl.
ENG INES
The airplane's gross weighl (4,000
pounds) single-engine performance al
6,000 MSL is only 50 feel per minute.
At sea level/gross weight, Ihe plane will
climb at jusl over 200 feet per minute.
However, al a training weighl of 3,000
pounds (pilol, instruclor. fuel in main
tanks only), Ihe 6,000 MSL singleengine rate of climb is 420 feel per
minule and sea level mle is 600 feel per
minute.
Wilh Ihis kind of perfornlance, Ihe
plane is a superb trai ning machinevery good single-engine performance
and un feathering accumulators mean
the inslructor's worry lisl can be
focu sed on aerodynamic performance
and leaching.
Beech used Continental engines in
ils Bonanza line, but Ihe Travel Air has
IWO 180-hp carbureled Lycoming 360
cu. in. engines wilh a TBO of 2,000
hours. Laler models have fuel- injected
Lycoming engines. Afler-markel add itions include Ihe Rayjay lurbocharging
system wilh manually operaled waSle
gates. These eng ines are often
equipped with propeller feathering
accumulalors 10 permil in-flighl
unfeathering and reslarling wilhout
need of Ihe Slarler.
As a Iraining machine, Ihe
Lycoming engines are very robust. Our
flying club flew N667Q wilh carbureted engines and carb lemperalure
gauges. It also had unfealhering accumulalors. In Ihree years we taughl 24
mulliengine ratings in Ihal plane and
bolh engines went 400 hours beyond
TBO withoul removing a cylinder.
Upon overhaul, Ihe engines were bolh
clean and capable of more action-a
lestament to Ihe effeci of frequent flying on engine longevity.
The accumulalors are very helpful.
Once shul down and fealhered , we on ly
10
SINGLE-ENG INE
PER.FOR.MANCE
HAN DLI NG
With bOlh mOlors running, Ihe
Travel Air is a 360-hp Bonanza-very
quick in cruise wilh exceUent shorl-field
performance. With one engine only, ii 's a
ISO-hp Bonanza-sti II a good performing airplane. Cruise speeds of 120 mph
are easily obtainable.
Sialis are Bonanza-like, and wilh
both mOlors at 20 inches MP. the stall
TRAVEL AIR WASTE GATES
The mosl interesling Travel Air I flew was a Royjoy-equipped Model
95 With corbureled engines It hod 10 engine conlrols: throttle, prop,
mlxlure, corb heat and turbocharger wosle gate for each engine lots 10
mess wlth and a solisfyingly high flddle·foclor was required
ABS February 2004
speed--<1ue to the enhanced airflow over
the wing-is lowered about 10 knols.
Systems are also Bonanza-like. Gear,
flaps and Ihe massive dual yoke all feel
familiar. The Travel Air is a joy 10 fly.
The fue l syslem is differenl from
Bonanzas of Ihe era. The Lycoming
engines require use of Ihe fuel pumps
for bolh lakeoff and landing. The carburetor requires separate knobs for the
carb heal controls. If the Travel Air has
carb temp gauges, the use of carb heal
becomes simpler: Keep Ihe lemps Oul of
the yellow wilh enough carb heal 10
raise the lemps into Ihe green. If no
gauges, add carb heat when Ihe MP is
below 15 inches or so, or whenever you
think you need il. Take off and land on
Ihe 25-gallon main tanks; during cruise
in level flighl, you may switch 10 auxiliary tanks.
CR.OSS FEED
During single·engine operations.
there can develop a need to cross feed
fuel from Ihe wing lanks on the inoperative engine side to the operating
engine. In the Travel Air, as well as on
early model Barons, Ihis requires Ihe
fuel seleClor on Ihe operaling engine to
point 10 "cross feed" while Ihe fuel
selector on the inoperative engine poinls
to either "main" or "auxiliary." If the
inopemlive engine fuel selector is poinled 10 eilher "off" or "cross feed; ' no fuel
flows 10 Ihe operating engine. Later
models of the Travel Air had inlerlocks
buill inlo the fuel seleclors thai prohi biled cross feed-Io-off or double cross feed.
There is a trap buill inlo Ihe
system, in Ihal the instruclions for
securing an engine after shuldown
include "Fuel selector-DFF." If one
Iries to select "cross feed" on the
operating engine, the selector will nol
go. II wants Ihe inoperative engine fuel
selector on "main" or '"aux." Owners
Wosle gales were left open dUring climb unlll a wlde·open Ihro"le
gove 25 inches MP, Then. as climb progressed, Ihe wosle gales were
lurned in 10 mOlnloln 25 IOches 01 full thro"le Upon descenl, wosle
gales were lurned oullo mOinlolO 25 Inches unlil fully open.lhen Ihrol·
lie reduced as descent conllnued
<www.bonanza.org>
Page 8266
sometimes force the fuel selector to cross feed, which damages
the interlock and thus defeats its purpose; then the operating
engine would quit as well, since it had no fuel supply.
The Travel Air is an excellent introduction to twin-engine
flight and an excellent transition step to the Baron series.
Control fee l is very similar and single-engine operation is
essentially the same. Beech raised the gross weight of its twins to
deliver the same single-engine performance in all models. This was
most apparent when Beech went from B55 to C55 and increased
engine size from 470 cu. in. to 520 cu. in. Gross weight went up just
enough to give the same single-engine performance numbers.
The Travel Air remained in production from its Model 95 introduction in 1958
through the E95 introduced in 1968. It was
still actually in production at the same time
as the Baron, which was introduced as a
Model 95-55 in 1960.
AB5 member Jack HirsdJ. a Gold Seal Mumengine
Instrument Instructor, is president of the Beechcroft Pilof
Proffciency Program. Inc.
Beechcpa't
PARTS & AVAILABILITY
P
arts and cost ore two issues we struggle with in
an effort to keep our valuable airplanes in tiptop
condition. The ABS MasterCard can be an open
door to the best prices for many items from Raytheon!
Raytheon is offering ABS credit card holders many
items (tires, batteries, oil filters and other common items)
at a price only the Raytheon FBOs can receive.
Conditions are chang ing so fast at Raytheon we are
really shorting ourselves if we do not call Raytheon parts to
check on price.The key is the ABS MasterCard, a part number and the phone.
Call and get to know a customer service representative. The relationship will provide information and value.
CSR Angie sure helped me with all the parts I needed when
overhauling the engines on my Baron last year.
During a trip to Wichita with ABS Technical Consultant
Neil Pobanz, we were given the opportunity to meet Drew
McEwen, Vice President·Sales and Customer Support
Operations; David Row!, Manager of Piston Technical
Support; Christi Tannahill, Director Sales/Customer Support;
and other parts and support personnel.
This meeting was an effort supporting the ABS Sam
James Technical Initiative, working to ensure parts avail·
ability and price competitiveness. We found the customer
support group, led by Drew, is interested in our issues of
parts price and availability. They were already working in
areas to help-like putti ng parts on eBay and providing
deeper discounts to ABS members using the credit card.
They are considering setting up a special ABS Customer
Service desk and dedicated ABS representative at RAPID.
Your ABS parts price and availability team will be work·
ing with Drew and his team to more specifically identify
parts, prices and methods to provide value to the ABS memo
ber. We will keep you posted on our progress and provide
more specific information in the next ABS Magazine.
As the Nike ad states: Just Do It" -Just sign up for the
ABS MasterCard (316·945·1700) and when you need a
part, contact Raytheon parts (l·BB8· 727 ·4344) or
<http://www. raytheonaircraft.com/service_support/buy
_parts.htm>. You will be pleasantly surprised at the price
and service.
If you already have a card, use it and receive great
value. Some items have a larger discount than others, but
the trend is positive for the ABS member. And if we continue to work with Raytheon, they will continue to work for us.
As chairperson of the Parts Price and Availability
team-whose members include Arky FOUlk, Bob Siegfried
and Jon Luy, helped by Tom Turner, Croig Bailey and Neil
Pobanz-communication of the benefits for ABS members is
my priority.
You'll be hearing more about the special ABSIRAPID
discount relationship in future issues.
-Bill Carter. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parts Price and Availability Team Leader
ABS Sam James Technicallnifiafive
Just sign up for the ABS MasterCard (316-945-1700) and
when you need a part, contact Raytheon ports (1-888-727-4344)
or <hnp:/lwww.roytheonoircroft.com/service_supportlbuLPorts.hlm>.
You will be pleasantly surprised at the price and service.
Pa ge 8267
<www.bonanza .org>
ABS February 2004
A soaking at Kitty Hawk
§l
JOHN M. MILLER, POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK
taken a much longer rail to get airborne.
In addition, the wanmer and damper air
conspired to reduce engine power,
propeller thrust and wing lift.
It was truly sad that all of the careful
planning resulted in such an unavoidable
failure. At least a large number of people
did see the beautiful duplicate try to fly
and heard its engine run, and I heard no
complaints. Of course, the planned huge
"tlyover" of military and civilian aircraft
also had to be cancelled. Even at that, a
few individual aircraft did fly past under
the low ceiling.
There were many, many people
~ from all over the world present, and I
~
~ met a lot of them as they bought my
\<
~ book. There were two Bonanza pilots,
~ Keith Duce and Robert Kerr, members of
iD the Australian Bonanza Society, who had
~ come all the way, via airline for the
was planning to fly my Bonanza
(N 19 Wild Cowboy) to Kitty
Hawk (as I had done for the last
two years) on my 98th birthday,
December 15, but got an urgent request
from ABS Director Dr. Charles
Davidson to arrive earlier so I could
autograph copies of my Flying Stories
book at the First Flight event.
I arranged to get away on
December 13 and flew to the Manteo
Airport, near Kitty Hawk. The weather
was good, so I flew down the Hudson
River at 1,500 feet through the "channel" alongside Manhattan Island, past
the site of the destroyed Twin Towers,
then proceeded on the YFR flight plan
to Manteo in 2:37 flying time.
On the evening of the 15th there
was a big buffet-style banquet AND
they had a yard-square birthday cake for
me! Of course, the banquet was not for
me; I was just another guest. But they
asked me to say a few words to the very
enthusiastic audience. They had never
seen such an old, bold pilot. Such aren 't
supposed to exist.
As I' m sure you know, the very day
of the planned commemorative flight by
the duplicate Wright Flyer turned out to
!
ABS February 2004
be an all-day rain that ruined the
program . It was a disappointment for
everyone there, and they got soaked.
My shoes were squishing and it later
took an hour for me to dry them with a
hair blower, just enough to wear them.
At least we did see the Flyer run down
the rail, but it was impossible to get it
into the air.
At the time of the original flight, a
century ago, the Wrights had a wind of
about 23 mph and cold dry air, so they
could get off on the short rail. This time,
with almost calm wind, it would have
event, and I got well acquainted with
them. They told me there are actually 10
Bonanzas on their airport base, including
their own and others at different fie lds.
After it was all over, I flew on
down to St. Petersburg, a 4:37 hop,
where I visited one of my granddaughters and her 7-month-old daughter, my
tenth great-grandchild, over the holidays. After that, I visited two ABS
members at Sebring and Ocala.
I then flew back to Poughkeepsie
on January I in 7:20 flying time.
However, it was not quite that simple.
As I approached the New York Bay and
asked for a clearance to pass through the
John (far right) visits With astronauts Doniel Barry and Neil Armstrong. Armstrong, of course, was the first man
on Ihe moon ond Barry (lor left) wos part of Ihe 5T5·96 Discovery (1 999)-lhe firsl shuHle mission 10 dock
with the International Space Slollon.
<www.bononza.org>
Page 8268
Hudson River corridor at 1500 feel
alongside of Manhallan Island , my
comm radios went dead. As I circled,
unsuccessfully trying 10 locale Ihe trouble, Ihe dusk lurned 10 darkness. I decided 10 waste no more lime or fuel. bUlla
simply fly a wide radius palh 10 Ihe weSI
of Ihe New York Cily area in severe
clear weather 10 Poughkeepsie.
I squawked ident on Ihe Iransponder 10 attracl allenlion and Ihen changed
ilIa 7600 10 indicale no radio. When I
lurned on Ihe instrument panel lighls,
Ihey lasled aboul five minUles and Ihen
went dead also. The IWO eleclronic
FIRST FLIGHT
BY CHARLES DAVIDSON, M.D.
KILL DEVIL HILLS. NORTH CAROLINA
panel lighl brighlness controls, which
had been expensively overhauled, had
failed. So [ resorted 10 a flashl ight. That
was no greal problem, due 10 Ihe clear
weather and a working aulopi 101 Ihal
look over while I found my flashlight.
The lOwer al Poughkeepsie recognized
Ihe 7600 squawk signal and I had no
Irouble landing al my home base,
DUlchess County Airport, on ils brighlIy lighled ru nway.
I had been away from home for 20
days and had flown a lotal of 21 hours.
When [ awoke the neXI morning, Ihere
was snow on Ihe ground, which [ had
it, pronto.
[ ju I wish I could have slayed
down in Ihal balmy Florida wealher
longer, bUI there was work to be done al
home, including Ihis account, and many
lellers to answer.
John welcomes comments. Write him a/ 20 I
Kingwood Pork. Poughkeepsie. NY 1260 1. To pur·
chase John's book Flying Stories, visit the ABS
Company Store at <WW'N.bonaza.org>.
A FEW JOHN MILLER QUIPS:
, 'Well. I don'l drink whiskey and my nome's nol Charlie: when
asked why he calls his Bonanza ' 19 Wild Cowboy.'
, ' I'm nol cold!' he responds. while slanding in line ouldoors in a
sport cool and loafers under an umbrella during a pouring rain in 35degree wealher while everyone around him was crying because of
being wet, cold and inconvenienced.
, ' Well, at leasll gal in my maming walk! ' on leaving Cenlennial
Park after Ihe 10:35 a.m. re·crealion of Ihe Wright's firsl flighl was
cancelled. John had walked over a mile inlo the park, stood in the
rain for an hour and was facing the same distance back to the car.
Again, all the young sprouts around him were whining and
moaning about Ihe wind, Ihe cold and Ihe walk. Perhaps an optimistiC outlook on all things has somelhing to do with becoming a
mong those celebraling Ihe
lOOlh anniversary of Ihe firSI
powered flighl was Ihe dean of avialars, John M. Miller, who piloled his
V-Iail into Dare Counly Regional
Airport in Manleo, orth Carolina,
on Salurday, January 13. Joining us in
Ihe celebralion, both for Ihe Wrighls
and John, were Rob and Gail Kerr
nonagenarian pilot?
and Keilh Duce of Ihe Auslralian
Bonanza Sociely who cenainly won Ihe prize for Ihose coming Ihe funhest.
Besides celebraling hi s 981h birthday on Monday,
December 15, il was also Ihe 80lh anniversary of John's firsl
A
missed on my arrival by only a few
hours. Lucked out again!
One bad thing aboullhe lOur was a
gain of 10 pounds in my weighl- 100
many panies and reSlauranl meals, ' way
off my usual careful diet. I' ll gel rid of
John shored some lIying
stories with the crowd.
solo al age 18 in 1923. This coincided wilh a VIPreceplion in
honor of mililary aviation al Ihe Cenlennial Park in the shadow of Kill Devil Hill.
A surprise birthday recogn ition was arranged wilh John
being introduced by aClor Andy Griffith, who now lives on the
Ouler Banks. After hi s introduclion, John
displayed his usual ability 10 speak exlemporaneously, and IOld Ihe crowd how he
went 10 Quanlico as a Marine aviator in Ihe
early '30s. A huge cake was provided and
John spent Ihe rest of Ihe evening surrounded by ABS members, admirals, astronaul
~ Neil Anllslrong and other VlIPs.
~
John never SlapS working for ABS. For
~ three days al the welcome pavilion al Manteo
'" Airpon, he charmed all comers as he aulOiD graphed copies of his book, Flyillg Stories.
~ ABS Director Charlie Davidson was largely responsible tot
arronging John 5 birthday cetebration at First Flight. -Editor
An enormous cake was provided 10 help celebrole John's birthday.
Actor Andy Griffilh. who now lives on the Outer Bonks. introduces John at the party.
Page 8269
<www.bonanza .o rg>
You can p urchase Flying Stories
online at www. bonanza,org
ABS February 2004
Woodland Aviation kudos
[n the October issue (page 8060 in
Tech Tips), it was suggested that
Woodland Aviation may be more
expensive than other shops. Their current rate is $90 per hour and there
probably are places with a lower rale.
However, [ go to them when I need
prompt, reliable serv ice and always
come away satisfied.
[n ovember [ decided it was time
to get my nose wheel steering repaired.
Parts were moving around a lot up
there and I couldn't tell how best to fix
them. [ called Woodland at 9 a.m. on
Friday and they said they were shorthanded that day but to bring it in
anyway.
I landed there at 10:30 and they
wem right to work. They soon had an
estimate, confirmed the needed parts
were in stock and promi sed to have it
done by 3 o'clock.
At 2:45 everything was complete,
the shimmy dampener had been serviced and the logbooks were done. They
then filled the tanks at $2.20 per gallon
discounted rate and offered a free
wash. They also have a free airport car
if you want to go into town for lunch.
Yes, there are shops with lower
hourly rates, but Woodland has always
been exceptionally knowledgeable and
efficient. Having all the drawings and
parts available at the site is a major
benefit. [n fact, one day I must have
spent over an hour getting the correct
seals for my brake master cylinder
with a lot of help from their staff. My
total expenditure was less than SIO!
-Wayne Mikel
Placerville, California
V-Tails over Texas Capitol
A formation flight of Bonanzas
over the Texas State Capitol on
December 17 to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of powered flight was
flown by lead pilot Mike Babler, #2
Wayne Collins, #3 Mike Parrish, # 4
Keith Rutherford, #5 Jim Averell and
Iy over the Capitol. The picture tells
the story of the rewards of developing
the skills of fomJalion flying.
Babler, Collins, Parrish and
Rutherford hold FFI lead cards. Both
Averett and Koonce have military
formation experience and plan to
obtain their FF[ wingman cards at the
Grayson County Formation Clinic
May 26-29. (See <www.b20sh.org>
for more info.)
-Wayne Collins
Mineola, Texas
"Seeing Less of Nancy"
#6 Jeff Koonce. (For those with sharp
eyes, Jeff Koonce in the Debonair
joined our group after our name and
logo had already been selected.)
Thanks to Bonanza pi lot Gary
Biba for recording this day.
The night was planned by Stu
McCurdy, head of Formation Flying
Inc, and lead pilot for a fli ght of 12 RV
series aircraft. Our Texas V-Tails
group was invited to participate.
The briefing and traffic control in
Austin Airspace wa well-planned and
executed. After forming, the group
departed San Marcos. Texas, for the
shorr flight to Austin at 2,000 feet.
They flew up Congress Avenue direct-
The challenge for us to make
pledges to the ABS/ASF Endowment
Fund for each pound lost by our executive director is a great idea! (ABS
Magaoine, October, 2003, page 8097.)
I would like to join the challenge at S5
per pound, plus increase the odds by
matching it with the same amount for
my own weight loss, which is long
overdue.
[ extend the challenge to other
"bulky" members, because every
pound lost is healthier living and
increased payload. (In other words,
shed the belly tank! ) And of course.
this is a truly unique way to raise
money for ABS projects to benefit our
Beech airplanes and ourselves as
pilots.
The campaign is also a great way
to make the commitment to attend the
2004 ABS convention, when the final
weight-loss tally wi ll be revealedboth in how Nancy looks and in how
much the campaign has raised.
See you in Orlando-and thanks
to Nancy for the incentive.
-Uoyd Richards
Timmins, Ontario. Canada
EDITOR 'S NOTE : AI press lime.
pledges were m $280 per poulld alld
Nancy had losl 27 poullds. To pO/'licipme. send your per-poulld pledge 10
bOllanoa I@bollanoa.org or call il ill 10
ABS al 316-945-1 700.
New partial panel
techniques
BY RON ZASADZINSKI
FORT COLLINS. COLORADO
f you have a GPS , new partial-panel
techniques are available for turning
to headings. Historically. the two core
techniques for partial-panel turns have
been timed turns and compass turns.
These are still critical skills, as they work
even with a complete electrical failure.
While a complete electrical failure is
rare, a failure of your HSI or hending
indicator is a possibility. [n this case, your
GPS moving map can be a most effective
tool for maintaining heading.
Important note: Your GPS is not
likely to be of help if you have lost control of the aircraft. Use your primary
instruments to recover from an unusual
attitude.
Once straight-and-Ievel flight has
been regained, your GPS can be used
for maintaining heading, and turning to
new headings. There are several ways
to do this.
If you have a Garmin 530, a CNX80 or any moving map that has a 120degree arc or HSI-type display, use that
screen. (Fig. I.) The top of the display
is similar to a heading indicator. Note:
This indicates your ground track to the
nearest degree, not magnetic heading.
If you are flying an airway or an
approach, ground track is more helpful
anyway, and making the ground track
I
match the approach course will prevent
you from drifting off course.
When making turns, rolling out on
the desired heading requires practice.
GPS ground-track information lags
behind your actual ground track by a
few seconds. Make your turns standard
rate and experiment to figure out how
earl y to begin your rollout. The necessary lead varies from one GPS to
another. For example, the new CNX-80
updates its position calculation five
times per second, and thus has less lag
than the Garmin 430/530 units which
update once per second.
Even if your GPS doesn't have a
graphic heading display, you can still
use this technique by watching the text
readout of the ground track, usually
labeled TRK. Figuring out which way
to turn isn't visual - you 'll have to
think about it. I use the mantra "Lower
numbers are to the left " ro help keep
things sorted out. So this technique can
be used with any GPS , including textonly and VFR units.
If you do have a moving map,
another important skill to master is
holding your ground track steady by
watching the course line. The course
line is shown in magenta on color units.
First operate the map in "track up"
mode (strongly recommended at all
times) rather than "north up." When
you are flying on the parallel course
line, or parallel ro it, it will appear
perfectly straight up and down. (Fig I.)
If you are drifting off course, it will be
BPPP 2004 SCHEDULE
Bonanza s/ Barons/Travel Airs ot all
locations. Subject to c hange. Cockpit
C ompanion course a vailable everywhere.
CALL THE BPPP REGISTRATION OFFICE
to make arrangeme nts: 970-377-18 77 or
fax 9 70-3 77-151 2.
Figure 2
displayed at an angle and show some
'·jaggies." (Fig 2.) Thi s technique
works best with the scale zoomed in to
5 nm . This is so powerful that with
practice you can fly an entire approach
using the map as your primary instrument reference-just follo w the
magenta line and keep it straight up and
down when you are close to the course.
ABS member Ron Zasadzinski instructs with the
Beechcroft Pilof Proficiency Program as both a
ground and flight instructor and is the secretory of
the BPPP Board at Directors. He lives in Fort Collins.
Colorado, where he works as a flight instructor and
a computer consultant. He has more than 6,500
hours of flight time in general-aviation aircraft. Visit
his website 01 <WWW.ffyron.cofTl>.
DATE
LOCATION
AIRPORT
March 5-7
San Antonio. Texas
SAT
March 19-21
Greensboro. North Carolina
GSO
April 16-18
Fresno. Ca lifornia
FAT
May 14-16
Columbus. Oh io
CMH
June 11-13
Spokane, Washington
SFF
~u are inviteato aIJroundlireaking (jeremoJlgfor tlie
q]onr;;nza/ q]aron 9r(useum
on efaturriay, fJl{pri(3, 2004.
at tlie liome q/tlie Q/taggerwil'lg anaqJeecli 18 9iCuseums
in C@utlalioma, C@ennessee
Sponsored by the American Bonanza Society, Midwest Bonanza Society, Northeast Bonanza Group,
Pacific Bonanza Society, Rocky Mountain Bonanza Societ y, Southeastern Bonanza Society, Southwest
Bonanza Society, World Beechcraft Society, Bonanzas-2-0shkosh and Twin Bonanza Association .
GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY WILL FOLLOW TWO DAYS OF PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES,APRIL I & 2.
THURSDAY, APRIL I - Arrive at Tullahoma [THA) to pick up registration packets [$35) at the Staggerwing Museum.
Hospitality time at 6 p.m. will be followed by a " Fresh Seafood Extravaganza Dinneen [$30 per person)
FRIDAY,APRIL 2 - A full day of tours: jack Daniels Distillery; Worth, Inc. Aluminum Bat Factory; Arnold Air Force Base
Experimentation & Diagnostic Center, including their wind tunnel; then back to the Staggerwing Museum
for a look inside the Beech Starship donated by Raytheon last Octobee
After hospitality time at the museum, dinner at the Western Sizzlin's restaurant. [Separate checks)
SATURDAY, APRIL 3 - A little flying to nearby airports will end at Winchester, Tennessee, for a pancake breakfast
sponsored by EAA Chapter #699 to join pilots from all over the area for their regu lar meeting.
Back at Tullahoma, a short inaugural meeting to select th e
Bonanza I Baron Museul11 Foundation Board of Trustees and
Officers before the official groundbreaking ceremony. (Bring your own
shovel so you can take part in the actual digging.)
AFTER LUNCH, two two-hour seminars: "How to get the most out of your Garmin
530 / 430;' Christian Cherniak, Certified GPS instructor; and "Proper Engine Power
Management;' George Braly of GAM I.
EVENING ACTIVITIES: Hospitality time, hangar party dinner with homemade ice cream. [$25 per person).
REGISTRATION CHARGE covers cost of rental vans, admission to museums, hospitality times
and other miscellaneous expenses [$35 per person).
HOTEL RESERVATIONS must be made by March I to secure the Bonanza 1Baron Museum meeting rates.
Executive Inn, Tullahoma - 931-455-4501
$36
- 25 rooms blocked
Hampton Inn, Tullahoma ' - 931-461-5222
- $79 b'fast included - 40 rooms blocked
jameson Inn, Tullahoma - 931-455-7891
- $60 b'fast included - 40 rooms blocked
RENTAL CARS - Reserve by calling Russell Barnett Auto Sales [ask for jim Lindsey) at 931-455-6066.
Full details at <staggerwing.com> or by contacting Harold Bost.
TO REGISTER, CALL, FAX OR E-MAIL HAROLD BOST FOR AN EVENT REGISTRATION FORM.
tel: 770-719-0638, fax: 770-719-9826 or e-mail <hbostmail@aol.com>
The last
left tank, with the left tank level indicator staying high, no matter how much
fuel I burned from the tank.
unit was not correct, since the float
should be exactly where I expected it to
be on the bottom of the tank.
A few changes later to the mirror's
flexible joint allowed us to get a look at
Looking inside
what was going on. We really couldn 't
the fuel tanks
anything folded in the fuel cell that
see
After a long afternoon Ilight to try
was jamming up the float , but it was
out some new avionics equ ipment for
still
hanging at the top of the tank,
Prirme
Pi/or
magazi
ne,
I
arrived
back
solving the fuel
exactly
as you wouldn't have expected
at
the
airpolt
with
around
15
gallons
of
indicotop issue ond
it
to
be,
what with gravity still in play.
gas in each wing. Rather than fill the
othepfuelconcepns
Thinking
that the float was a little
tanks, I decided to take a look at what I
BY GEORGE WILHELMSEN
sticky, we tried to unstick it. With a litcould see, since I knew that electrically,
MORRIS, ILLINOIS
tle effort, the mechanic was able to get
the system was correct. To that end, I
the fuel float loose from the unidentified
pulled both main tank fuel caps and
ome of you may recall my reportinterference inside the fuel tank. He
looked inside.
ing in the July 200 1 and July 2002
then cycled it up and down several
On the right tank, I could see the
issues of ABS Magazine on the
times trying to get it to stay unstuck, but
Iloat sitting on the bottom of the empty
troubleshooting of my fuel transmitters.
every
time he took the float to the "full"
portion of the fuel tank, as I would have
Thi s article is an addendum of salts that
up
position,
it would hang up again.
expected it to be. It was hinged slightly
closes out one final glitch I found with
Since
he
fe
lt
a little resistance at the
inboard of the fuel cap centerline. and I
the system. The bottom line is that I
"full up" position, we left it there and
could see the lever arm reaching up to
missed a step in my troubleshooting
got out the inspection mirror again.
the transmitter.
efforts. That's the only answer that
When we started , the inspection
When I opened the fuel cap on the
makes any sense in this latest case of the
mirror
looked like a lot of inspection
left fuel tank, I looked in the same
errant fuel indicator.
mirrors
I have seen-well-used and dirty.
place, toward the fu selage, but the float
Don't misunderstand me: I do care
After a good cleaning, we were able to
for the left tank was nowhere in sight. I
if a fuel indicator stays high. While I
see that the float ann was in fact hanging
decided to leave the fuel tanks at their
manage my fuel with a fuel computer
up on the rivet that extends from the
current low levels, and get the shop
anyway, it's always nice to know which
inboard face of the rheostat. There is a
involved to solve this problem .
tank is more full. As things stood, it was
small dogleg in the float arm that takes
always the left tank since, in spite of
it directly in front of the rheostat, and
The s.noking gun
checking everything electrical, the tank
that dogleg was hanging on the bronzeAt first blush, it appeared that
indication wouldn 't generally come off
colored
rivet. It looked like we were
might have found a smoking gun. The
of around 3/4 full.
going
to
have to go through the process
fue l transmitter float s have to be orientSince I didn 't have a mysterious
of pulling the fuel transmitter cover (a
ed in a mirror image to one another to
source of avgas feeding the left tank,
bunch of screws and time) and then the
work properly. The lack of a float on the
there had to be something going on with
transmitter
itself (several screws and a
bottom of the left tank under the fuel
the transmitters. We developed a
new
gasket,
ka-ching!) to adjust the arm,
fi ller indicated that it was hung up
detailed troubleshooting plan to find the
since we didn't have the right remote
inside the fuel cell. 1 wasn 't sure if it
problem . In the course of the work, all
tools to grab and adjust the dogleg.
was stuck on a wrinkle or on the transthe electrical connections between the
Needless to say, the job was about
mitter itself.
indicator in the cockpit and the associatto
expand
from a 15 minute repair to a
Since I didn't have a boroscope or
ed fuel transmitters were checked.
four-hour expensive job, so I proposed
mirror to check it, I called the FBO and
Yes, we checked the wiring to both
an alternative: I asked the mechanic to
arranged for some quality time with the
transmitters in each wing, as well as
unstick the float, and then use his hand
mechanic who had spent so many hours
how they were grounded, and to see
to
push the float inboard toward the
and so much of my hard-earned money
whether the wires had chafed through.
fuselage
to correct the float arnl dogleg
working on it previously.
We even pulled the transmitters and
position. The mechanic was happy to
On his arrival with an inspection
stroke-tested them. to assure they had
try it, and after unsticking the float,
mirror and a bright flashlight, we quickthe right resistance. Everything looked
gently applied pressure to it. After this
ly surveyed both the right outboard fue l
good, and when we filled the tanks,
effort,
the float would no longer stick on
sending unit and then the left unit. The
everything worked- for a while. Then
the rheostat.
A&P quickly confirmed that the left
it was back to the bad actor thing on the
glitch
S
Page 8273
<www.bonanza .org>
ABS February 2004
A quick fl ip of the master switch
showed the problem was solved, as the
fuel level in the left tank now indicated
around 1/4, instead of the 3/4 it had previously. The IOtal length of time it took
to do the work was aro und 15 minutes,
with the mechanic able to insert his
hand into the tank to reach the fl oat. If
your mechanic is a bit more burly, you
may have to go 10 the more expensive
route of removing the transmitter.
For the lessons learned, the troubleshooting plan needs to be revised to
include stroke-testing the fuel sending
units to see if there is any binding. This
should also be incorporated into the fuel
cell replacement instructions, since all
my problems started when they were
re placed. That is one of the things that
probably made me the most fru strated,
since before that replacement, the fuel
level indicators on both wings were fai rly accurate. In my experience, thi s
seems to be more the exception than the
rule, but it made it even more important
for me to get back to the condition I
started with .
Another problem
Just a few weeks earl ier, I was back
from a long flight from Vicksburg,
Mississippi, when I noticed that I had
fuel leaking out of my less-than-twoyear-old Eagle Fuel Cells quick drains. I
fi gured I had some junk caught in the 0ring, but after sum ping the drains for
debris didn 't show anything, I decided
to have the shop remove both drains for
inspection and repairs.
The new drains have a fl at plate
that keeps the upward force on the quick
drain on the bottom of the wing, instead
of fl exing the fuel cell and potentially
causing it to crack or to crack the associated nipple. Some pilots claim this
subjects the nipple to more forces from
being in contact with the airframe. But
from what I' ve seen, the new quick
drain is an improvement that will
extend, not reduce, fue l cell life.
It was fort unate that I had purchased the upgraded quick drains,
which allowed for the drain cartridge to
ABS February 2004
As you con see from thIS end view, this Mil 6000
spec hose thaI was in continuous contact with
ovgos wasn't up fa the challenge.
Acloseup of a dissected fuel line shows severe dis·
tress of the line. It was only a moffer of time before
this line either foiled by leaking in flight. or worse
yel. by starting to drop particles into the fuel system.
be removed from the bottom of the wing.
When it was removed, the mechanic was
surprised to see that the O-ring was
severely distressed- in fact, it was riddled with cracks! A call to Eagle Fuel
Cells resulted in their shi pping new 0 rings that were rated for continuous contact with fuel at no charge.
It appears that the original O-rings
provided were for hydraulic serv ice and
not intended for long-term contact with
fuel. In my recent experience, this represents an adverse trend in the aviation
industry. which is why I am mentioning
it here. To assure that this did n't get lost,
the shop filed a Service Di fficulty
Report , and I also called the ABS technical representatives to make sure they
were aware of the issue.
It is troubling that I have also
recently encountered fue l ho es that
were designed for intennittent service
that were in continuous contact. While
in that condition, those hoses have
failed, resulting in dangerous fuel leaks.
There are some lessons that can be
learned from this, to arrest this adverse
trend. For mechanics, when installing
O-rings or hoses, carefully read the fine
print in the mil spec standards to assure
you are putting in the right parts-either
<www. bononzo .org >
those rated for continuous immersion
(Le. resistant) or those rated for periodic contact.
For aircraft owners, if you are
replacing hoses or rebuilding components that are in contact with fuel, mention that you know there is a difference
in fuel-rated hose materials and ask that
the mechanic go over the details,
incl uding a rev iew of the materials
selected and the mil specs, to assure that
fuel lines rated for continuous contact
are used. There is no doubt that this will
take more time, but considering that we
are dealing with lOO-octane avgas. a
little more time would seem to be a reasonable investment.
The cost of avgas notwithstanding,
an errant spark could have turned this
hose problem from an unfortunate seep
into a tOlal loss of the aircraft!
A8S member George Wilhelmsen is the Bolonce of
Plant Supervisor 01 Exefon's Lo50/fe County
Generating Station. He is a Commercia/lnstrumentroted pilof, is the avionics editor tor Private Pilot and
Custom Planes and is a contributing editor for iPiiof
and Avionics News.
Page 8274
MEMORY CAPACITY
T
he recent flood of advanced avionics products on the market is
remarkable. These little computers
when linked to GPS satellites and
displayed on screens as large as early
televisions have revolutioni zed the way
we will fl y in this new century. They put
all the data before you- traffic, headings, frequenci es, next frequencies. You
may not even need a pencil. I, for one,
appreciate the help.
As we age, keeping all that infor-
We cannot remember the name of the
person who was introduced to us 30
minutes ago (a really common malady
at ABS meetings). Short-term and
remote memory are usually not affected
by age.
We are often concemed about not
being able to recall a name of a fam iliar
person or book or aircraft. Thi s is frustrating but usually not abnormal. [t is
usually not a reflection of pathology in
the brain itself. And if you keep trying.
malion in your cortex becomes more
taxing. Twenty-five years ago my flight
instructor drummed into my 30-year-old
brain the need to write everything down
and have it available in a logical format.
It 's even more important as we get
older, because our memory capacity
does change as we age.
There is a saying, "It 's OK if you
forget where you put the car keys, just
so you don't forget what you do with
them." As we age, aUf brain gradually
loses a few brain cells. It also decreases
the manufacture of the chemicals used
in memory processing. This is normal.
We have three types of memory:
short renTI , recent and remOIC.
Short-term is remembering the frequency the controller just issued you.
Recent is remembering where you
parked your car at the airport this
morning before you left.
Remote is remembering how anxious
you were when the instructor got out
of the airplane 30 years ago and told
you to take it up solo.
As we age, our brain does not store
memory as effectively. Recent memory
is most affected by these aging changes.
Exercise your mind. Do
things that require memorization. Crossword puzzles, word games and
association exercises all
help this process. Just like
the body, the mind thrives
on exercise.
the name will eventually come to you.
Piloting requires all three
When fl ying, especially on instrument flight plans or in high traffic areas,
we are req uired 10 use all a Uf memory
banks. Shorl-Ierm for new frequencies,
head ings and clearances; recent for
weather stats we received before departure, winds and what time your motherin-law expects you to be at Podunk
Airport (and heaven help you if you're
late); and remOle in recalling the proper
power settings for approach that you
learned in the BPPP course six years ago.
I disc ussed fl ying and normal
memory changes with a BPPP instructor
several years ago. He was in his sixties
and flying a Baron and a King Air for a
company when not instructing. He said
he found it imperative to write down
freq uencies and clearances and, if
necessary, to ask the controller to speak
slowly and clearly. This pilot was a
former naval aviator and one of the best
instructors [ have ever met. He understood his normal limitations and worked
with them. Checklists are a must. No
one can consistently recall every item,
especially if distracted.
When I changed to the Beech brand
eight years ago, I moved from brand M.
The gear handle was in the "wrong"
place in reference to my 1500 hours of
fl ying Mooneys. The instructors
drummed into me the mantra of: (A) not
touching the gear handle till clear of the
active, and (B) saying out loud, "flaps,
flaps, flaps" as I put my hand on the flat
flap handle before mov ing it. That was a
case of LIn/earning a remote memory.
Alt itude can affect one's memory.
The effects of hypoxia are subtle and
THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMilY PRACTICE GIVES THIS LIST OF CONCERNS FOR ABNORMAL MEMORY FUNCTION:
Forgefting Ihings much more often Ihon you used to.
Forgefting how 10 do Ihings you've done many times before.
Trouble learning new Ihings.
Repeating phrases or stories in the some conversation.
Trouble making decisions or handling money.
Not being able to keep trock of whal happens each day.
sneaky. It is really important to write
down freqs and clearances when flying
high without oxygen. If you ever get an
opportunity to experience the mental
effects of altitude in an altitude
chamber, take it. It is surprising how it
deteriorates function.
Pilot s sometimes question what
constitutes abnormal memory function.
They worry if they might have early
Alzheimer's or a dementia.
Exercise your mind. Do things that
require memori zation. Crossword
puzzles, word games and assoc iation
exercises all help this process. Just like
the body, the mind thrives on exercise.
QUESTtONS OF THE
BYPASS OPERATION
Q.
I had a bypass operation on the aneries to my legs about
three years ago and I would like to stan flying again. What do
I need to do to move the special issuance process along O
A.
You are correct that you will need a special issuance.
You need to gather all your records regarding your surgery as
well as a letter from your vascular surgeon or physician that is
now following you for the vascu lar condition.
The FAA will be interested in risk factors for atheroschlerotic disease. These include cholesterol levels, smoking,
diabetes and coronary heart disease. If you smoke. definitely
make an effort to SLOp. You wi ll need a recent exercise stre ss
test (to check for blockages in the aneries feeding the heart)
and ultrasound tests to determine that the arteries to the legs
have not re-formed blockages.
RUPTURED DISC
Q.
I am 31 years old and I had an operation for a ruptured
disc in my back three months ago. I grounded myself before
the operation becau,e I was having some weakness in my right
fool. Since the operation. my strength has returned and I am
driving without difficulty. My neurosurgeon has put no restrictions on ;my activity inCluding flying. Is this a problem for my
next FAA physical?
A. This should not be a problem. If your strength is back to
normal and your neurosurgeon has documented no restrictions, your AME should be able to certify you. You should take
the letter from your surgeon to your AME when you go for
your next physical.
DIABETES
Q. I have been a diet-controlled diabetic for several years.
Now my doctor wants to ,tart me on an oral medication. Do I
have to SlOp flying? What criteria do I have to meet for continued flying with this medIcation"
A.
Charles S. Davidson. M.D. holds board certification
in family medicine and emergency medicine. He
has been an aviation medical examiner since 1978
and serves as a senior AME. He holds a private pilot
license with multi-engine and instrument roting. He is
an oc/We pilof using general aviation for business
and pleasure for 23 yeo15. He is an ASS board memo
ber and ffies a 80nanaza A36. He is a member of
AOPA and EM .
MONTH
There are two types of diabetes. Insulin-dependelll
diabetes requires the use of insu lin in injection form to
regulate the blood glucose levels in the body. Insulin-resiSTaIll
diabetes (more common and the incidence in the American
population is growing) can sometimes be controlled with diet,
weight loss and exercise. However, when these measures do
not control the blood glucose levels, the next step is the use of
oral (pill) med ication. You seem to be at that point in treatment
of this condition.
The FAA has three protocols for the treatment of diabetes:
Diet-controlled (no medication), oral medication and insulindependent. In each case, a blood test called the HgbA IC is
important to their decision making.
Your physician has probably decided that the HgbA IC is
too high even with diet and weight loss. The pills he will
prescribe wi ll hopefully enable your body to use glucose more
effectively. As thi s occurs, the HgbAlc should decrease.
When starting your new medication. you should not
exercise your airman privileges for 60 days. This is a precaution in case you have any side effects from the medication that
would affect your ability to act as pilot in command. There is
the chance that your blood glucose level could drop too low,
causing symptoms of confusion, fatigue or drowsi ness.
Discuss this with your doctor.
ear the end of 60 days, you should get another Hbg A IC
and a full report from your doctor. This should include other
blood tests, cholesterols, urine tests for glucose and should
address any other conditions such as high blood pressure or
risk factors for coronary heart disease. He should also
comment on any signs of disease or abnormalities in the eye
examination, the kidney function and nerves and sensation. as
diabetes can affect these systems.
Contact your AME beforehand and inform him that you
are in the process of starting this new medication and acquiring this information. The process of certification by special
issuance will best be addressed if your AME is informed and
working with you earl y on.
Estimating avionics jobs
he new month finds me still a penguin (a flightless bird).
However, the good news is, I'm entering my third month
in the wonderful world of avionics retailing! I' m still
learning a lot every day in the incredibly complicated field of
estimating the cost of avionics jobs in every type of airplane-from ullralights to experimentals to antiques to GA
singles and twins to light, medium and heavy jets.
Loren and Susan Friedle, the owners of CE Avionics in
Sanford, Florida. have been more than supportive and patient.
They don 't expect me to make us all weallhy. but they do
appreciate it when my job estimates don 't end up costing
them money.
Want to hear complicated? Try this: A potential customer
taxies up in his pressurized P-Baron. His want list is simple.
He has a full BendixIKing panel, consisting (from the top) of
a King KMA-24 audio panel with marker beacon. Two KX165 Navcoms (one with glideslope), a KL -90B GPS, all
feeding a KI-525A HSI , a KR-87 ADF, a KN-64 DME, a KT76C transponder and a King KFC-250 autopilot. He also has
a KWX-56 radar and a Goodrich 1000A Stormscope. A very
nicely equipped P-Baron , as one would expect in this class of
airplane.
P-customer is shopping for a Garmin 430 all-everything
navcom/GPS and a six-place stereo intercom. Simple, eh?
Well, stand by for what happens next.
First, we go out to P-customer's airplane and do some
preliminary measurements and calculations. The airplane is
clean as a pin and the avionics were all obviously factoryinstalled. 0 problems so far.
We take pictures with our digital camera of the entire
instrument panel for later reference. The customer indicates
he is willing to part with his #1 KX-165 navcom, but he wants
to retain everything else and doesn't want anything in the
stack moved around.
First uh-oh! The Garmin 430 is six-tenths of an inch
taller than the space left by removing the #1 KX-165! There
is no space left in the radio stack. Something has to be
moved! There is, however, two inches of space available
above the KWX-56 radar.
Candidates for relocation: The KT-76 transponder or the
autopilot control panel. P-customer decides it's OK to move
the transponder if we need to. (Good choice. How many times
during a night does he change his transponder code?)
While we're out measuring, picturing, and making notes,
P-customer has been sitting in our waiting area reading avionics brochures. Now he wants to know about possibly converting his transponder from a Mode-C to a Mode-S, or better yet,
installing a Mode-S, such a a Garmin GTX-330, or a
T
Bendix/King KT-73, and keeping the existing KT-76C aboard
as a #2 transponder? (Another good choice. Mr. Customer
didn 't get to ownership of a P-Baron by being less than smart.
A back-up transponder in an airplane that nies at alii tudes up
to 25,000 feet is really a good idea.)
However. that brings up another uh-oh. Where in his
panel do we find the real estate to put a second transponder?
Since transponders are only 1.3 to 1.6 inches high, we immediately respond that we can make it fit "somewhere."
While we're wrestling with this one, Mr. Customer is in
our waiting area. exploring-via our literature rack and our
demo displays-the wonderful world of multi-function-displays (MFDs). He has discovered that he can replace his radar
display with the Gamlin (ex-UPS) MX-20 or the BendixIKing
KMD-850 system or the Avidyne EX500!
On one screen, he can display a moving map, driven by
his exi ting KL -90B GPS (thereby saving the cost of the
Garmin 430); his radar dara, NEXRAD weather, in both
graphics and text (if he opts for the data receiver): stormscope
rellIrns: traffic (if he opts for the Garmin GTX 330 or
Bendix/King KT 73 Mode S transponder); or even EGPWS
(Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System).
Oooh, the possibilities ...
By now our P-Customer's head is swimming. I figure he
has not absorbed all the possibilities J have given him , but J
hope he has at least a hint of the possibi lities. Nevertheless, I
suggest he consider replacing his BendixIKing KMA-24
audio panel with one by PS Engineering that includes a sixplace intercom, but also includes XM satellite music! That did
it! Now he is agitated and excited.
That brings up one of the things I never before considered in all my years of working in avionics marketing for all
the various manufacturers. When I was displaying at-and
you were attending-the various tradeshows and conventions, such as ABS. EAAAirVenture, Sun 'N Fun and AOPA,
you shopped at each display and booth for equipment you
might be interested in for your Bonanza or Baron. However.
nobody ever tied it all together for you! Why on earth would
you want to replace a KMA-24 audio panel in an allBendix/King stack with a PS Engineering 6000/7000 one?
To put it another way: Let's say our mythical P-Baron
customer "shopped" at the Garmin display at the ABS
Convention. He got a good demonstration of the Garmin
430/530 system, was impressed and decides he wants one. At
another booth, he saw a six-place intercom, tried it and decided he wants to share music and conversation with all his passengers. He goes to our shop and states his needs-a Garmin
430 and a six-place intercom. He knows the retail list price of
the equipment. He expects to get a reasonable and imple
One of the serious problems in the aviation industry has been is, and always will
be the airplane owner who retrieves his $50,000 Merce?es ~rom the ~hOP where
he has paid $80 an hour to have his car serviced and dnves It to the Q/rport where
he becomes livid at the mechanic or avionics shop who dares to charge hIm $65
an hour to work on his $200,000 Bonanza!
estimate for what-to him- is a simple and reasonable job.
The six-tenths of an inch difference between the radio
coming out and the Garmin 430 going in is only the beginning. What about mating the Garmin 430 to the KI-525A?
The two are not "plug-and-play" as they say in the computer
industry. He already has a GPS (Bendix/King KLN-90B)
aboard, and therefore has a Nav/GPS selector and annunciator installed. However, now he 's going to have two GPSs and
two navs, instead of two navs and one GPS. Does this create
a problem? Maybe, maybe not. But there has to be materials
and labor expended to do it, and then drawings to be
produced to show how we did it.
That brings up labor, materials and engineering support.
Labor is expensive, and I'm still not comfortable with estimating the number of hours it takes to do a particular job. I
don't know any avionics shops whose labor rate is under $50
(US) an hour. Ours is 565 for installations. I also don't know
any high-end automobile repair shops whose rate is lower
than ours.
One of the serious problems in the aviation industry has
been , is, and always will be the airplane owner who retrieves
his $50,000 Mercedes from the shop where he has paid 580
an hour to have his car serviced and drives it to the airport
where he becomes livid at the mechanic or avionics shop who
dares to charge him $65 an hour to work on his $200,000
Bonanza!
More about labor
In the aforementioned Mercedes dealership, there is 110
federall y-mandated employee drug-screening program
required, although most dealerships have one to satisfy their
liability insurance carrier. Automobile Mechanic Certifications are controlled by the automotive industry themselves with only industry oversight.
In avionics and maintenance shops, there is an FAA
drug-screening program required. At airports where there is
an airline, shop employees must pass a background investigation to get a badge that even lets them on the premises.
Convicted felons need not apply.
Finally, there has to be an FAA Repair Station License
hanging on the wall, which is tightly controlled by the local
FAA Flight Standards Office and an Aircraft & Powerplants
(A&P) license in the pocket of someone in the shop. Is it any
wonder why my instructions regarding labor are "Try not to
lose money on labor costs''? No mention is made of making
money and most avionics shops make very little on labor.
On to materials
Most avionics are shipped from the factory with an
installation kit that usually contains a tray and some pins
from which the shop can build a wiring harness. The antenna
mayor may not be included. This leaves wire, connectors,
screws, tiewraps, circuit breakers and miscellaneous items for
the shop to furni sh. Some wire, such as that between a stormscope and its antenna, costs over $9 a foot! Plain old BNC
connectors (AMP, aviation, nO! from Radio Shack) cost nearly $10 each. Circuit breakers (new, the old ones lose their
amp ratings over time) can cost up to 550 apiece!
High-speed antennas start at about $500 each! Various
"Smart Boxes" such as a splitter for two navs runs about
Sloo, up to switch boxes and sophisticated relays that can
cost thousands!
On to engineering support
This is where aiIplane owners often think they are getting ripped off. First, let 's look in on our old customer P-customer. Remember when I said he has a "P" Baron?
Remember when I said he wou ld now have two GPSs? In
most installations, that means two GPS alllennas. He already
has one, but the "P" on his airplane stands for pressurized.
That means we somehow have to go through the pressure
vessel to install the second GPS antenna.
That, according to the principal FAA inspector for our
repair station license, means the antenna installation must be
inspected and signed off by an FAA DER (Designated
Engineering Representati ve).
To get a DER sign-off, engineering drawings and materials specifications must be generated and approved by the
DER. His fee for inspecting, reviewing and approving the
installation is at least 5500 or higher, depending on the complexity of the work.
Documentation
Engineering and documentation is one area where I see
other "low-ball" shops ripping you, the customers off. You
may never know it's happened, or worse, you will find out
years later and it will cost you money. To complete Mr.
P-cuslOmer 's jOb, he should expect to receive:
( I)Complete and accurate logbook entries, detailing everything that was added and everything that was removed
to/from his airplane, including serial numbers of all equipment. Ours are printed on a computer and pasted into the
airframe logbook with the signature of the final inspector
overseeing the work. (A piece of "rogue" avion ics ei ther
installed or removed from the airplane and not documented
could seriously affect the value of the airplane at sales
time !)
(2)Copies of all FAA Form 337s documenting "Major
Alterations" to the airplane.
(3)Drawings and wiring diagrams showing how the installation was done. (If this is not included, the next avionics
shop that installs. removes or repairs equipment in your airplane could spend a whole day at your expense trying to
figure out how your avionics installation was wired before
they can start on the next job.)
I realize that few of you are troubled by the examples I've
used concerning pressurized aircraft. However, the rest of my
stories should alert you that in avionics, "Nothing is as simple
as it seems." Perhaps that one statement will help prevent your
onset of a coronary at the price you are quoted when you visit
your avionics shop for "a simple installation."
That's all my advice for this month. I've estimated myself
out of time and space.
See ya next month.
Jim Hughes is the chief pilol, corporate aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University. flying 0 Citation II. He also heads Marketing and Professional Services,
a consulting firm specializing in flight test Dnd avionics integration. His ratings
include both an ATP and on A&P mechanics license. with a long list of type ralings from Boeings to Sikorsky helicopters. He has more than 21 .000 hours,
including over 3,000 hours in Bonanzas, Barons. Dukes Dnd King Airs.
The more expensive and sophisticated the airplane. the
harder the job gets. In the newer "glass cockpit" jets, practically everything "talks to" everything else.
You've
Got
Mail!
E-mail, that is, and it may be from
the American Bonanza Society.
You probably updated your address for the upcoming ABS Direcrory,
and if you did, that's it. You are current.
If you have not updated your current e-mail address with ABS,
now is the time to do it-and it has never been easier.
HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Go to the ABS website at <www.bonanza.org> .
Click on Members Only at the top.
Fill in your last name and ABS number.
Click Renew Your Membership or Update Your Proftle .
(This is a great opportuniry for you to verify all information in the sys tem).
5. In the box labeled E-Mail Address, enter yours.
6. Click on Submit Your Form to Us.
That is it!
In the fumre, e-mail is going 10
play a larger role in communicating
with membefli of ABS. Bur if you
don't have e-mail yet, don't worryall of our other media will still be
available.
Page 8279
Being e-mail literate can be a
valuable 1001, however, and it is
becoming more important as a 1001
for organizations like ABS 10 help
keep membefli informed and 10 keep
dues from rising as the COSt of paper,
<www. bonanza .org>
pnntlng and conventional mailing
escalates.
If you want 10 receive e-mail,
but don't know where 10 start, we can
help. Stand by! Help is on the way.
ABS February 2004
JAY LEDVINA
MECHANICSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA
For the February 2002 issue, I wrote an
article discussing an effective means of
achie\'ing an inexpensil'e daralink in the
cockpit IIsing a Clobolstar satellite
phone system. Since that time, a nllmber
of software/CPS \'endors hal'e begun
selling similar systems using proprietary access poillls and/or software to
provide lI'earher in the cockpit of general aviation aircraft. In fact, noll' there
are a number of satellite capabilities
including XM. ORBCOMM, Clobolstar
and ground-based links using Air Cell
cellular phone technology.
f you are one of the more
technologically progressive
members who have already
been using Globalstar, there
is now an excellent ahernative for GPS/flight planning/COCkpit weather available using
your current system. Teletype. a company out of BoslOn. has been providing
GPS software fo r some time for groundbased vehicles and boating enthusiasts.
They have also provided an adapted version of that software for aviation.
However, now with the addition of
weather radar overlays and more aviation-capable software, Teletype has
entered the market with a package that
competes very well with Avidyne,
Airuaror and Any-whereMap.
Hardware issues
If you have a pocket PC handheld
computer (iPAQ) and GPS receiver, for
ABS February 2004
$200 you can purchase software from
Teletype that gives you flight planning,
moving map and weather radar and
relief overlays. Funher, it can be used
out of the cockpit for navigation in your
car or boat. It even accepts topographic
maps and aerial photos from
TerraServer by Microsoft. If you don't
have any pan of the hardware required,
Teletype offers several bundled packages at competitive pricing.
The computer memory required to
effectively run this software is quite
high. I slOred most of the data necessary
for the eastern half of the country in
active memory and. including the
program itself, I used just over seven
megabytes (mb) of space. (The rest of
the country and less-used data rest on a
storage card.) For some of the newer
hardware with 64 mb of storage, seven
megabytes would pose no problem. For
my older iPAQ with just 32 mb, management of memory is required.
With the data loaded for all
ai rways, intersections and airpon information on the nonheastern third of the
country, when the Teletype software is
running, my PDA uses another to mb as
it loads various maps into the program,
for a tOial of about 17 mb. The advantage of the way this program works,
however, is that if you load all of the
necessary data for the emire region, the
software is not required to retrieve any
funher information from slOrage during
your trip.
One of the keys for Teletype GPS is
the flexibility and suppon of many, if
not most, GPS receivers. I am using a
Garmin eTrex because it has great
capability on its own as a ponable unit.
It is a great little GPS for hiking or, with
its one mb of intemal memory, you can
If
ou
have
a
PC
load 50 waypoints (the rocks, channel
markers and fishing spots on your
favorite lake). Other supponed receivers
include compact flash cards, PCMCIA
cards and now Bluetooth units.
Getting started
As with most software used in the
pocket PC environment. your desktop
computer becomes the source to download data and files to your PDA.
However, unlike some flight-planning
software, the Teletype program in your
PDA is just as capable for night planning as that in your desktop. So. while
in the COCkpit or in your hotel, you can
plan, edit and create new trips on the fly.
You will still lind that it is more convenient 10 do a 101 of your planning on the
desktop because of the size of the display.
The software comes from the
company either as a download from
their website (teletype.com) or on CDs.
Currently, they are running a special
deal that incl udes six months of
software update, six months weather
subscription, a checklist program, E6B
software and a we ight and balance
program, all for $195.
Whether using the CD or website, it
can load simultaneously to your desktop
and PDA. Then from the desktop, you
can deternline which maps you wish to
transfer to your PDA. I recommend putting most of the maps from your region of
the country in the active memory and the
rest on your PDA's storage card.
The newest version of the software
release, due out shonly, combines all of
the aviation maps and data into a single
huge file instead of regional files. While
that makes the program work a bit more
simply and efficiently. it can create
issues for PDAs with limited memory.
handheld
com uter
and
GPS
:he Telet
e software can
ive
ou
fl1 ht
lannln, maVIn
rna
and weather radar
and relIef overlays.
urther, It can be used
recelverl
out of the cockpIt for naVIgatIon In your car
or boat·
t even accepts topographIc maps and
aerIal
hatos from TerraServer b
Microsoft·
<www.bonanza.org>
Page 8280
Running the program is fairly intuitive. A small amount of time experimenting will make you proficient
enough to hit the ai rways without hours
in the manual, which is very limited
anyway. Frankly, the software probably
has much more capability than you may
ever need, so many of its features may
remain untapped.
Moving map
All Victor airways and fixes in the
US are held in two files. Loading those,
airpen data for your proposed flight, and
even a relief map still doesn 't slow down
the moving-map presentation. You can
touch the item on the screen and an information box will appear with data on the
fix, obstacle, special use area or airpon.
Airport data includes runway
information, lLS data, fuel, navaids,
lighting and communication frequencies. It is also possible to do searches of
the loaded data for airpons. VORs and
fixes for flight planning, editing or for
"go to" in the event of being cleared
direct or diverting to another airpon.
I fmd the inclusion of city and town
information clutters the screen, so I
have removed the map ("Places') that
includes this information. Again, the
software is very flexible in map/data
management.
One of the advantages of including
relief information (displayed as typical
green to yellow to red to brown color
gradation) is that you can set an alarm
for average terrain clearance. If you
descend below a selected altitude AGL,
you will be given a warning.
Remember. there is no guarantee
made like that of radar altimeters, but it
does give an additional safeguard when
transiting unfamiliar territory. As with all
moving-map presentations, back up your
decisions with paper govemment chartS.
The moving-map presentation can
be set in several modes, including an
ERS and an HSI compass rose, with
scales of your choice from nationwide for
the entire screen width to a scale screen
width of about 200 feet. Your flightplanned route appears as a teal-colored
Page 8281
line from fix to fix , and your ground track
will be recorded as a black trace.
The flight-plarmed route can be edited en route in the same fashion it was
planned either in tlle PDA or on your
desktop. Included on the screen representation of your flight-plan route is heading
and distance between waypeints.
The Air Nav igation data block
includes altitude, speed, track, bearing,
cross-track error, time en route and time
and distance to go 10 the next waypoint.
Uni ts can be set in nautical or statute
miles or kilometers. Because of the
software's various intended uses,
navigation screens can be chosen for
marine or streets as well.
Radar overlays
One of the biggest improvements in
moving-map/datalink systems is the
capability of providing weather information directly on the map presentation.
This provides the pilot with situational
awareness in making decisions on
continuing a flight or changing routing.
Teletype GPS now includes the ability
to download ational Weather Service
NEXRAD radar images directly into the
software as a geocoded map. Therefore.
your fI ight path and all other data are
still available with the radar image
underneath the normal data in the same
fashion as relief-map data.
You can sct up in the program
whether you want to download only the
NEXRAD image nearest your position
or all NEXRAD sites in the current
view. The software will automatically
go to your datalink communication
connection (Globalstar in my case) and
download the images you selected from
Teletype's Internet site.
An advantage of this process is the
reduced time to download compared to
getting the same information over a
datal ink to the Intemet from normal
vendors like National Weather Service,
Flightbrief. Weather Channel or AOPA.
This reduced time is due to the fact
that only a minimum amount of information is being transmitted: tile radar
returns and state outlines. Most com<www.bonanza.org>
mercially avai lable data, and even
WS, includes a huge amount of extraneous information, even advertisements
and pop-ups, surrounding the image you
really want.
A word of caution
This new capability we have in the
general-av iation cockpit is not designed
to provide the kind of weather avoidance
used for "picking your way through"
thunderstorms sometimes done by larger
aircraft with on-board radar.
One reason for caution is that the
ground-based NEXRAD system processes radar images fairly slowly. It is not
uncommon for a WSR-88D radar image
from NWS to be at least six minutes old
when in Precipitation Mode and 10 minutes when in Clear Air Mode. In areas
including building or active thunderstorms, a lot can happen in six minutes.
Radar capability in the cockpit
should be used for large-scale routing
changes to miss all weather and got
no-go decisions. Talking to the weatherinterpretation experts at Flight Watch
should also back up radar. That said,
certainly the ability to visualize weather
radar information relative to your
current position makes those decisions
much easier and more accurate than
relying on ly on the verbal picture painted by a single person in a flight service
facility with no windows.
Changes on the horizon
By the time you read this, two new
generations of Teletype mapping oftware will likely to have been released,
including an IFR version. This type of
improvement is included in the software
purchase price under an upgrade agreement for six months. I have tested the
newest software (122003) under a trial
arrangement. It operates in essentially
the same manner as the previous version
with a couple of exceptions.
First, all aviation map data for the
USA is held in one 25mb file. The software only retrieves from memory what
it needs. As you move across the country on a trip, the software will retrieve
ABS February 2004
".
and release data, as necessary. This
means you need 10 have the ability to
store the 25-mb map file either in active
memory (possible with a 64-mb PDA)
or a Compact Flash memory card/memory stick that will remain accessible
during the flight.
The flight planning capability in
the new software is improved in that it
can use Victor airway routing. Teletype
also fixed a glitch in the flight-planning
process that would choose an airpon
over its accompanying VOR station
when they were separated. even if you
made a selection under the VOR/fi x
data entry point.
Finally, they made some items on
the Air Navigation data block more
clearly defined.
Cost
A real competitive edge for Teletype
GPS. beyond its unusual fl exibility and
capability. is cost. The software itself is
priced at 195 and at the time I am
writing this, includes E6B, weight and
balance and checklist programs.
Six months of weather subscription
is also provided under a download agreement. Ongoing, the weather subscription
runs just $40 per year. Most other
vendors have subscription prices ranging
in the $100 to 600 range, with significantly higher stanup costs.
Summar
I
Technology continues to accelemte at
an amazing mte. As pilots, it would be
easy for us to miss the opponunity to have
access to some great tools in the cockpit
while waiting for the next development.
One of the best ways to justify
almost immediate obsolescence is with
low cost, updates and multiple uses. At
least, that's what works best in explaining to many spouses. Teletype GPS has
brought these tools to the generalaviation community, not for thousands
of dollars or even many hundreds-but
for under $200!
Technology races on
Radar, moving map, fli ght planning, terrain clearance information,
airpon and navaid data- all at your
finger tips. It's hard to imagine what
capability we will have in another three
or four months!
-.@-
.................................................................................................................................
Pilot
re arts
BY CRAIG BAILEY. LINDENHURST. ILLINOIS
hen was the last time you called an FSS or En
Route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS) on 122.0
MHz and provided them with a complete PlREP?
If you are like most pilots, the answer probably
is, "It has been some time since my last PfREP:'
If you look at computerized weather for PlREPs or call
the FSS for a weather briefing, often the pilot repons are
sparse, especially along our proposed route and altitude.
When we get a weather briefing, the FSS specialist
freq uently will request that we make a pilot repon during our
trip. They are required to make that request when forecasted
ceilings are below 5,000 feet, visibi lity is at or below 5 miles,
thunderstonns. light icing, turbulence of moderate degree or
greater and wind shear is forecast.
I am sure each of us has planned a trip and, after getting a
weather briefing and filing our flight plan . we still have that
little bit of doubt about the trip. What can I really expect on the
trip as far as turbulence, cloud tops, icing conditions. etc.?
Pilot repons can provide an excellent source of infonnation on
current conditions.
ABS February 2004
We do need to view pilot repons carefully. What is the
time of the repon? Weather does change and we should not
rely on a PIREP that is more than three hours old.
Next. look at the type of equipment that reponed the
weather. If you are looking at icing conditions experienced by
a Boeing, it may be significantly different than what our
Bonanza or Baron will experience in the same weather due to
weight, speeds and climb rates.
Weather is one of the leading causes of pilot-related
serious accidents for Bonanzas. Barons and the comparison
aircraft group, causing approximately 25 percent of those
accidents. If all of us made more frequent pilot repons, perhaps we could help reduce these numbers.
AOPA has an on- line weather-spotter class at
<www.aopa.org/asf/skyspotter>. The program reviews cloud
types, turbulence, etc. and takes about 20 minutes to complete. I found it was fun and a good review.
In addition 10 reporting weather factors, many of you have
GPS units that aUow you to determine wind direction and
velocity. A typical pilot report might look like this:
ua/ov enw/tm 18001 f180/tp be35 / sk
clear/w x 10sm/ta
20/wv
18040 / tb
neg/ic neg Irm north boundThe decoded pilot report says: The pilot reported over
Kenosha, Wisconsin, at noon at 8.000 feet in a Beech 35. no
clouds, visibility was 10 miles, winds were from 180 at 40, no
turbulence, no ice, the pilot was nonhbound. (Life is good.)
Making pilot reports can be fun and you will be helping
your fellow pilots by giving them the current weather conditions. Make it a point on your next fli ght to make a PI REP.
<www.bononzo.org>
-.@-
Page 8282
z
o
s:
Nominees for ABS Board
James Sok, ABS Secretary:
As Chairman of the ABS Nominat ing Committee,
which also includes Bill Caner and Mike Hoeffler, I am
pleased to provide the following candid3les for nomination
to the ABS Board of Directors.
The vacancies to be fi lled are due to tenn expirations in
September 2004. Direcrors serve three~year terms and may
be fe-elected for one additional three-year term.
AREA I - Second Term - James E. Sok, Lakeville,
Connecticut. Representing Connecticut, Delaware, Marne,
z
(i)
o
o
s:
s:
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York.
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vennont.
AREA 2 - First Term - George Girton, Valparaiso,
Indiana. Representing Indiana. Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland,
Michigan, Washington, D.C .. West Virgin ia. Canada and all
foreign countries except Mexico.
AREA 4 - Second Term - Craig R. Bailey, Lindenhurst.
Illinois. Representing Illinois, Iowa. Missouri. Minnesota
and Wi scon sin.
In addition to the above nominees, names of olher eligible members may be submined by general membership
petition in accordance with Anicle U(7) of the ABS Bylaws.
Respectjii/ly sllblllilled.
Jack Threadgill, Chairmall
JAMES E. SOK, AREA I nominee,
describes his interest in av iat ion as a
lifelong one. Beginning with flyable
model airplanes as a child, Jim progressed to a commercial pilol's
.....
.....
m
license. an instrumcill rating and
more than 1,200 flight hours. He has
been a pilot since 1970 and an aircraft owner for the last 15 years. He
used to own an A36 but is now the proud owner of an F33A.
Jim has been a member of ABS since owning his first
Bonanza. an F33A. Since joining the Society, he has enthusiastically participaled in ASS act ivities, includ ing annual conventions, service clinics, BPPP and the ABS tent at Oshkosh.
:::c
management and an MBA. He served for 12 years as president
and CEO of a hospital that was pan of an in tegrated health system. Later he was an executi ve with a nalional architec tural!
engineering finn which speciali zed in hospital and medical
m
m
."
o
:::u
I
Jim has a degree in pharmacy, a masters in health carc
building design and construction. He is an executive vice pres-
ident, operations, of an integrated health care system in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Jim is a director of a number of corporate and community
service boards. He and his wife Debra li ve in Lakev ille,
Connecticut.
GEORGE GIRTO , AREA 2
nominee. describes his early auachment to av iation as "hanging on the
fence at a small rural airport attempting to bum rides with the local
heroes (pilots}."
Propelled by his persistent
desire to learn to fly, George earned
his private certificate in 1973. Since
then, he has acquired an instrument rating ( 1985); a commercial
pilot cenificate (1986); and a multiengine rating (1996). He has
logged more than 3,000 hours and has been an ABS member
since the mid . 80s.
George reports that his wife Bonnie is an enthusiastic supporter and participant in his passion for flying. ow the proud
owner of his fifth airplane, a P-Baron. George uses it in the pursuit of their famil y-owned fundraising business. "Even if it's for
business, it's always a pleasure," he says.
The business is conveniently located on the Porter County
Airport where his aircraft is hangared. As a member of the
Midwest, Nonh East and Southeast regional groups, George
and Bonnie can see old friends and make new friends almost
anywhere they fly. Their two daughters are also involved with
the day-to-day operations of the business.
"II 's a good life," George says. "I am exc ited and honored
to be considered for the ABS board and I will help in any way
I can."
... ... .........
. ... -
......... .
CRA IG R. BAILEY, AREA 4
nominee, has been a pilot since
1972 and currently holds a multiengine ATP certificate. He is a Gold
Seal flight instructor for airplanes.
instruments and multiengine, holds
both advanced and instrument
ground instructor certificates, and is
an FAA Aviation Safety Counselor.
He has been affi liated with the BPPP since 1990.
Craig is based in Chicago. where he serves as (he benefit
manager for Kraft Foods. He is also an active flight instruc(Qr,
providing about 200 hours of dual instruction annually, almost
exclusively in Beech products.
Craig owns an S35 and previously owned a C35 as well as
an H35. He has logged almost 8.000 hours with nearl y 2800 of
them in Beech products. He also is a past pres ident of the
Midwest Bonanza Society.
Craig's formal education includes a BS in Industrial
Admi nistration and an MBA in Labor Relation s. He and his
wi fe Connie reside in Lindenhurst, Illinois.
Aviation insurance
industry urges caution
M
The followin g tips are presented at many safety
seminars and are certainly worth reviewing:
Be fami liar with your aircraft. If you are renting or borrowing an aircraft, do not wait until the day of the flight
to read or refresh yourself on the pilot handbook and
logs. Make sure all instruments are working properly.
ost av iation safety experts and insurance claims
adj usters agree that the hurry to get home puts
pilots and their passengers at a higher risk during
the winter months. It seems that many accidents occur on a
Use as many weather-forecasting sources as possible. Get
Sunday after a beautiful Friday. Many times it is on those
a weather briefing that includes regional conditions in addiSundays that pilots will be involved in an accident while
tion to your specific route. Know where the front s are.
trying to fl y back home in bad weather.
Have a Plan B and the will to use it. It is beller to get
Invest igators find that all severe accidents are disturbthere late than not get there at all.
ing, but none more so than during the months of winter and
early spring which often involve fami lies on holiday or
Listen to all weather information during your flight. Ask
spring break from school. These accidents seem to be the
Flight Watch for reports from pilots who have been
fault of poor judgment brought on by the condition referred
where you are fl ying. If there are no reports, that might
to as "get-home-itis.'· This condition All severe accidents are dis- be a big hint that the weather there is
comes on those of us who might be
not good.
away from home and feel the urgent turbing, but none more so
• Be conservative; do not fly extremeneed to return.
than those during holidays ly long legs between airports because
When thi s cond ition affects a
your aircraft has the range. Final
pilot 's decision 10 press on into poor involving poor judgment
approach is the worst place to be overweather conditions, a deadly game of brought on by "get-homely tired.
Russian roulette may occur. In most sit- itis: This condition comes
• If you are the passenger, do not be
uations a pilot's beller judgment indion
those
of
us
who
are
afraid to challenge the pilot who wants
cates waiting a day or even just a few
hours to avoid poor weather. But a few away from home and feel to pre son. Don't let someone make a
bad decision that gets you killed.
will take a chance to get home a lillie
the urgent need to return.
early, and end up making a fatal mistake.
• File a fli ght plan and update your
Many accident investigators coming 10 a crash scene
position with Flight Watch throughout the flight.
find that the weather is clear and the sun is shining the day
If you should fl y into heavy weather, do not hesitate to do
after the accident. If only these unfortunate pilots had
a
180 and get out of the situation quickly. There is no diswaited, they could be around to enjoy the good weather. It is
in turning back and finding a safe place to wait out
grace
for this reason that federal officials, pilots groups and the
the weather.
aviation insurance industry are making every effort 10 both
educate and remind pilots to think twice before fl ying into
Before GPS came along, most pilots would tum around
bad weather. Safety advocates hope this will help to continwhen they could not see their checkpoints along the rOllte.
ue the downward trend in accidents for general aviation
Many pilots will now press on during the flight until they
get into trouble. The GPS is a great tool, but it will not tell the
during 2004.
Although each accident is different, the common thread
pilot which way is up and this has led to some fatal accidents.
that runs through most is the limited amount of instrument
It is reasonable to bel ieve that most pilots do not die in
training and experience of the pilot. For some, it is only
an aircraft accident the fi rst time they make a fooli sh deciwhen pi lots are placed in a life or death situation that they
sion. Most pilots have made the same mistake more than
once and gotten away with it because they were just plain
become truly aware that the proficient use of the cockpit
lucky. These pilots may be betting their life or the lives of
instruments is the only way to survive the flight.
their passengers that they can pull it off one more time. At
Studies show the survi val time for noninstrument-rated
some point in their future , they may run out of airspeed, altipilots who find themselves in instrument conditions is under
tude, ideas and luck-all at the same time.
three minutes. It is not much longer for pilots who are not
instrument-proficient or find that their instruments have
Falcon Insurance is the agency for the official ABS insurance program. John
Allen
may be reached al 1-8IJO.259-4ABS (4227). Falcon 'S websile is
malfunctioned.
~. folconinsuronce. com>.
engine hot starts
don' t fly fuel-injected engines anymore. but for a number
of years I flew C206!2 10/31 0 airplanes and had a good
method for gelling the hot engine started with only about
two or three seconds of cranking the engine most of the time.
The carbureted "E" engine needs a slightly different
approach than a multi -port fuel injection system when making hot starts. The "E" system with the PS 5C carb is really a
single-point fuel injection system-an early example of thrOltie body fuel injection such as used on some late model autos.
The PS 5C will begin spraying fuel when fuel pressure is
supplied by the wobble pump or an aux electric pump; that is,
unless the mixture control is in the cutoff or full-aft position.
I
Try this test
As a test to demonstrate this, pressurize the fuel system
with the throttle open about one-fourth inch. as it would be
for starting, and observe the fuel draining from the drain tube
that protrudes from the lower right cowl skin.
This drain rube is extremely critical to the safety of the
fuel system. It all aches to the carb air -inlet elbow and drains
excess primer fue l overboard. The short section of quarterinch rubber hose that connects the aluminum tube to the carb
air-inlet elbow gets hard with age and, as the engine moves in
the engine mounts, will slip off the nipple welded into the airinlet elbow. If that happens, raw fuel wi ll spill onto the top of
the nose wheel well structure and- if the engine backfires during start-the fuel will ignite inside the cowl. Not a good thing.
Anyhow, back to observing the fuel running out the
drain tube after pressurizing the fuel system. This large
amount of fuel (several tablespoons in three or four seconds)
is enough to flood a hot engine, and no amount of cranking
wi ll result in an engine start under a flooded condition.
Once flooded, the best method to un-flood the beast and
complete the start is to pull the mixture to fu ll cutoff, open
the throttle about 25 percent, crank the engine until it fires
(usually within three or four seconds) and then swap mixture
and throllie positions while simultaneously pumping the
wobble pump. Pickpockets and sleight-of-hand artists are
better at this procedure than most of us average folks. So the
best thing to do is not flood the engine in the first place!
The best procedure I've found-and which works great
for all my flying buddies-is: ( I) turn the mag switch to both;
(2) turn on the fuel selector to fullest main tank; (3) open throttle one-fourth inch: (4) check mixture full rich; (5) turn on
master/generator switches; (6) engage starter; (7) only when
engine fires (which should be the first cylinder), apply fuel
pressure with the wobble pump (not until it fires); (8) observe
fuel pressure after stopping wobble-pump operation.
The reason fuel pressure should not be .applied before
the engine starts is due to the hot carburetor "percolating"
enough fuel into the induction system to load it up to a combustible mixture. If any additional fuel is added via pumping
before the engine starts the result will be a flooded engine. This
method of start seems to work great for several hours after
shutdown, depending somewhat on outside air temperature.
If an engine-driven fuel pump is heat-soaked, erratic fuel
pressure may result for the first several minutes of engine operation. This can occur with avgas or auto fuel. The fuel pressure
may be erratic and as low as five psi and the engine will still
run satisfactorily. As long as the trend is toward increasing fuel
pressure, the vapor-lock condition is being cleared up by the
relatively cool fuel being fed through the pump.
The two main things to remember are: Don't supply any
fuel pressure until the engine fires and be sure the fuel is
turned on. There is nothing that will prompt one to make
unflattering comments about one's own mental capacity than
to have the engine fire up and wobble pump like hell with no
resultant fuel pressure because the fuel selector is off! I
know. I've done it.
One more thing: Even though I have an electric boost
pump installed, I do not use it for any starting procedure. r do
test it on a regular basis after engine start, however, so when
the TF 1900 dri ve pin goes south, I won't have to wobblepump to a landing.
-ABS member Lewis C. Gage has ATP mulfiengine fand with Boeing
l071720!747IAirbu5-310 ratings. Commercial single engine land: flight
instructor MEl/SEL airplanes and instruments; ground instructor advanced and
instrument; flight navigator: flight engineer; mechanic-airplane and engine:
and FAA parts manufacturing authorization. Flight time: IS.ODO-plus hours. Lew
may be contacted at 2255 Sunrise Dr.. Rena, NV 89509. Phane/Fax: 775·8267184. E-mail: sunrisereno@maifstalion.com
..............................................................................................................................
HOT START UNDER PRESSURE
One time. after landing in Houston for
the ABS Convention several years ago, Itaxied
over to the lineup of Bonanzas at the tiedown
area to get fuel. Ialways like to fuel as soon as
possible offer landing. I tell the fuel truck
operator. "I'll open 'em up: you fill'em up and
I'll close 'em up: Nobody gets offended and I
know exactly what I've got.
Well, offer fueling, which took about 30 weather had been 20 degrees cooler, I would
minutes from shutdown. I was ready to start still have felt the heat of the moment.
up and taxi across the field to a hangar I'd
Well, I did all the steps one thtough
arranged for. About 20 people I know were eight. The engine turned over about one revostanding around watching. Engine and every- lution and started. I wobbled like mad for
thing real hot: outside air temp about 90 about a second or two, then looked up and
degrees and a big audience. Sam James was outside to see Sam grinning like hell. I gave
by the left wing tip. along with a bunch of him a victory thumbs-up and taxied off into
other familiar faces. Talk about pressure! If the the sunset.
REGIONAL NEWS
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Pacific Bonanza Society
PBS offers two great events in
March. The first is a flight with the Baja
Bush Pilots to Mulege, Mexico, for a weekend of whale watching March 4 -7. This
event sold out shortly after bei ng
announced, but there are always lastminute cancellations. Call Stephen Blythe
(949 951-4857) to be put on a waiting list.
On March 26 we wi ll land at the
North Las Vegas airport for a weekend
exploring the natural wonders of Death
Valley and all Las Vegas has to offer.
PBS negotiated a reduced room rate
with the Boardwalk Hotel & Casino ($ 125
plus tax per night) located right in the middle of the action-between the Bellagio and
Monte Carlo and across from Paris,
Aladdin and MGM Grand. It 's the best
location in Vegas with exciting views of the
glitz and glamour on the Strip.
A cocktail hour and banquet on
Friday wi ll allow us to renew acquaintances and review the schedule for
Saturday when we fly to Death Valley's
Furnace Creek Ranch. After lunch there, we
depart for a long guided tour of lower
Dealh Valley. Golfers can opt to play the
lowest golf course in the world (2 14 feet
below sea level) and horseback riding is
also available.
Upon our return to the airport late
Saturday afternoon, we will return to the
Boardwalk Hotel. The evening is yours to
enjoy. Make your reservations now for the
shows you want to see.
View a complete itinerary and sign
up for this event at the PBS website
<www.pac ificbonanza.org>. Book your
accommodations at the Boardwalk along
with your meal at the Furnace Creek
Ranch by contacting our PBS travel agent
(909-553-5475) or <ADELEON@HOTMAl L.COM>. Reservations must be
made through this travel agent to take
advantage of the PBS reduced room rate.
Don ' t delay ... make your reservations
right away. --DGI'id LiSleI'
For those that didn't attend the Freeport Bahamas Experience (4-7 Dec
2003), you missed a chance for a quiet, relaxing weekend. With snow falling
over most of the East Coast and cool to down right cold temps moving into the
deep South, some 20 members and guests were enjoying the pools ide delivery
of Bahama Momma drinks, sunshine, and a post card view to write home about.
Even the unusual tropical storm south of Jamaica knew better than to intrude on
our gathering. We welcomed four members from the onheast Bonanza Group as
they just barely escaped the winter storm to join our getaway.
As they do every year, Harvey and Denise Kreigsman did a superb job at
finding just the right resort with more amenities than we could ever explore over
the weekend.
The pool seemed to be the big draw as waml temperatures and sun melted
away any thoughts of snow. The large Bazaar, just across the street from the
reson, held an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. For those not going to the
casino or on a moonlight walk on the beach, there were several hours each night
of live entertainment presented in the amphitheater. With the whole area decorated with Christmas lights and ornaments, it was just like home, but we were
wearing short-sleeved shins and shortS.
Saturday night came too quickly, but then the huge seafood buffet took our
minds off of having to go home. The food bar covered the entire length of the
restaurant and had four different food areas. The close-out to the fly-in was our
drawing for the exciting selection of prizes.
Sunday dawned with mostly blue sky and some clouds topping out at 7,000
feet. With flight plans filed , we took off for the mainland. For those more accustomed to Florida temps in the 80s, the 60s that greeted us at Ft. Pierce was a
shock. However, for those of us who were headed in a more nonherly direction,
60 degrees was the warmest we would see fo r the next several months.
Many members are already looking ahead to our next Caribbean trip, in
December. -Jay Wilson
---@-
ASS Fe b ruary 2004
<www.bononzo.org>
The SEBS group in December-in the Bahamas!
Southeast Bonanza Society
Page 8286
~l:<~.
ORLANDO
soc,,,
EllUl IOIANU
SEPTEM BER 8-12
......__======2.
(OJtY(IT10.
F-cBRUARY
22-25 - ABS Service Clinic. Poducoh, Kentucky
(KPAH). Midwest Aviation Services. Contact: ABS HQ
316-945-1700, or visit <www.bonanza.org>.
13-15 - North East Bonanza Society Winter-tude
Fty-in. Ottawa, Ontario.Contact: Dennis Pharoah
613-825-4405.
MAY
19-22 - ASS Service Clinic. Lontano, Florida (KLNA)
Windward A~ation. Contact: ABS HQ 316-945-1700,
or sign up at <W\WI.bonanza.org>.
7-9 - Midwest Bonanza Society Fty-in. Rough
River, Kentucky. For reservations, call 1-800-3251713. Contact Carol Olson 727-391-9156.
MARCH
8 - Regional B20sh Formation Practice
Session . New Bedford, Massachusetts (EWB).
For details, visit <www.b20sh.org>.
4-7 - Pacific Bonanza Society Fly-in. Mulege.
Mexico. Wailing list. EI GollitO/Hatel Serenidad
(airstrip). Contact: Stephen Blythe 949-951-4B57; email <spb@blytheco.com>.
14-16 - North East Bonanza Society Fly-in.
Farmington, Pennsylvania. Nemacolin Woods.
Contact: Steven Oxman 410-956-3080.
5-7 - BPPP Ctinic. San Antonia, Texas (SAT).
Contact: BPPP registration oHice 970-377-1877 or
fax 970-377-1512.
14-16 - BPPP Clinic. Columbus, Ohio (CMH).
Contact: BPPP registration office 970-377-1877
or fax 970-377-1512.
11-14 - ABS Service Clinic. Spring. Texas (KDWH;
Houston area) Beaver Air Services. Contact: ABS
HQ 316-945-1700, or sign up at <www.bonanza.org>.
14-16 - Southwest Bonanza Society Fly-in .
Fredericksburg, Texas. Hosts; Randy Taylor, Man Reedy &
Roy Lewis. The Hangar Hotel. Admiral Nimitz Museum.
Contact; Randy Taylor 830-625-6155; or Man Reedy
210-354-2100.
13 - North East Bonanza SOCiety. Millville, New
Jersey. Contact: Victor Plumbo 856-825-0305.
15-31 - Pacific Bonanza SOCiety Air Safari.
Sonta Fe to the Caribbean. Sonia Fe. New Mexico
(KSAF). Conloct: Bill Zander 626-335-4490; e-mail
<wzonder@odelphio.nel>, Or visit <www.pacificbonanza,org>.
19-21 - BPPP Clinic. Greensboro, North Carolina
(GSa). Contact: BPPP registration oHice 970377-1877 or fax 970-377-1512.
20 -Southwest Bonanza Society Fly-In. Lancaster,
Texas. Air Salvage 01 Dallas. Lucky Louque. Canlacl:
James Sliles at 918-640·7817 or Gene Keyt at 817·5783163.
22-23 - Bonanza Formation Mini Clinic. Grayson
County Airport. Sherman, Texas. For details visit
<www.b20sh.org>.
26-28 - Pacitic Bonanza Society Fly-in. Death
Valley/Las Vegas, Nevada. North Las Vegas
(KVGT). Contact: Roger Murray 775-746-1566. Or
visit <WWW.pacificbonanzo,org>.
26-29 - Bonanza Formation Clinic. Grayson
County Airport. Sherman, Texas. For details, visit
<www.b20sh.org>.
.JUNE
APRIL
11-13 - 8PPP Clinic _ Spokane, Washington
(SFF). Contact: BPPP registration office
970-377-1877 or fax 970-377-1512.
1-4 - Bonanza!Baron Museum Groundbreaking.Tuliahoma, Tennessee (THA). Multi'regionol Fly·in
with SWBS, NEBG, PBS, SEBS, RMBS & MWBS. Hasl; Harold
Bast at 770-719-0638, or ~sn <WW>'I.stoggerwing.COm>.
SW8S:James Stiles 918-640-7817
SE8S: Troy Branning 305-378-8669. Or visrt
<www.sebs.org>.
11-13- North East Bonanza Society Fly-in . B&B
Weekend. Bar Harbor, Maine. Contact: Phil
Divirgilio 207-288-4970.
18-20 - Southwest Bonanza SOCiety Fty-in .
Rockport, Texas & Aransas Co. Hosl: Gene Johnson.
Aransas Wildlife Refuge. Morilime Museum, AircroH
Corrier. Contact: Gene Johnson 361-790·0141 ; Jerry
Dunn 361·463-9688; or James Sliles 918·640-7817.
13-19 - North East Bonanza Society Fly-in. Sun
'n Fun & River Ranch . Contact: John Mendes
802-253-8030.
13-19 - Sun 'n Fun
24-27 - Southeast Bonanza Society Fly-in . Kitty
Hawk, North Carolina (MQI). Contact Troy
Branning 305-378-8669. Visit <www.sebs.org>.
16-18 - BPPP Clinic. Fresno, Calilornia (FAT).
Contact: BPPP registration office 970-377-1877
or fax 970-377-1512.
.................................. .................. . ..................
....
24-27 - Pacific Bonanza Society Fly-in. Jackson
Hole. Wycming (KJAC). Grand Telon & Yellowstone
Porks. Conlocl: Slephen Blythe 949-951-4857;
e-mail <spb@blytheco.com>. Or visit <www
.pacificbononzo.org>.
25-27- Rocky Mountain Bonanza Society Fly-in.
Fort Coliins, Colorado (3V5). Contact: Scott or
Nancy Gale <s_gale@msn.com>970-224-5457. Or
visit <www.rmbss.org>.
25-7 - Bonanza Formation Flying Mini Clinic.
Redmond, Oregon. Qualify for B20sh. Full info.,
study materials, and registration form at
<http;/Iwww.b20sh.org/RDM_clinic.htm> or contact Art Brock at <brockart@aol.com>.
.JULY
18- North East Bonanza Society Fly-in. Flying
Circus. Bealeton, Virginia. Warrington-Fauquier
Airport. Contact: Rich Campbell 610-678-0942.
23-25- Pacific Bonanza Society Fly-in. Glacier
Nolionol Pork. Kalispell, Montano (KFCA). Contocl:
Dean and linda Eldridge 360-659-6641 ; e-mail
<Iinandean@juno.com>. Or visit <WWW.pocificbo-
nooza.org>.
27-Aug . 2 - AirVenture. Oshkosh , Wisconsin .
AUGUST
14 - North East Bonanza Society Fly-in .
Battlefield Tours. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Contact: Mike McNamara 856-768-6730.
5-B - Southeast Bonanza Society Fly-in. Boston,
Massachusetts (LWM). Contact Richard Beede
978-475-7343 or Troy Branning 305-378-8669. Or
visit <www.sebs.org>.
13-15 - Rocky Mountain Bonanza Society Fly-in .
Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful Inn.
Contact: Steve or Judy Walenz <jwalenz@aol
.com> 402-393-2844. Or viSIT <www.mnbss.org>.
SEPTEMBER
5-19 - Pacific Bonanza Society Fly-In. HisloricAir
Sofari. From Coeur d'Alene. Idaho 10 East Coosl
including Kitty Hawk and bock 10 Monlerey,
Colifornia. Rendezvous point is Coeur D'Alene.
Idaho (KCOE). Contact; Slephen Walker 425-867·
9443; <swalker@sonasearch.com>. Or visit
<www.pocificbononza.org>.
8-12 - ABS Annual Convention & Meeling.
Orlando, Florida.
.." ........................................................................................................................................... .
For funher detail and more events, visit the calendar on the ABS website <www,bonanza.org>.
To odvertise In thBABS Magazine. contacl John Shoemaker 011-800.773-7798, ext. 3317.
To place a classified ad, use the online form ot <www.bonanzQ.org>.click on Marietploce. Or call 1-316-945-1700.
True Flow
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True Flow 500 is a new concept in fuel flow computers.
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True Flow Features:
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True Flow 500 communicates with the GPS using well known serial
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First fuel flow computer fully installed in the
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861
16.0:
53'
56.41
9.
29.21
0150
521
819~
Response Code 35
IIII IIIIIIIII IIIIIII
I IIIII II IIIIIII I IIIIIII II IIIII IIIII III III
I
IIII IIII
A FEW REASONS WHY OUR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE
VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU:
TREE TOPS, SHORT FIELD TAI{EOFFS, AND THE ROCKIES.
IIIIII IIIIII II IIIII III IIIIIII IIIIIII I IIIIIIIII IIIIII IIII IIII IIIIIII IIII
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