Recent content by SoCalPlaneDoc

From the day I first flew my -3, the radio (then a Narco Mk12D) had an annoying sound of static when receiving. Never a total loss of comm but annoying nevertheless. I had the avionics shop check and all they could say is the radio was fine so thinking it might be the antenna I installed a...

Post annual engine run.. I just like to hear the engine... :) https://youtu.be/r70O6wQvuas IO-470.

So I took my -3 to a local shop to install a new avionics stack... long-standing place at my field. They did the Garmin/Aspen upgrade on my Skylane a few years ago and there's been zero problems so I let them take a crack at the Cruisemaster.. never again. Nickel and dimed me several times...

I know most people right now are hating the ADS-B deadline coming up but... My son made an ADS-B receiver using a Raspberry Pi and a home made antenna.. I put the antenna up on a 30' pole at my home, the Pi transmits the data using a wireless Ethernet signal to my home router.. He set it up...

Had to take a year off - got canned after 32 years with the same company by a 30 year old newbie PhD manager so he could replace me with 2 of his new-grad buddies and save money... found out recently they closed the whole department due to non-performance.. Karma can be brutal :) Thought a...

So I was looking at a derelict Viking awhile back, noticing similarities and differences between it and my Cruisemaster 260 and one thing caught my eye.... On the MLG scissors/"nutcracker", one part has a peg jutting out that contacts the main gear tube when the gear is at full extension.. I'm...

But 88 bux for a nutcracker bolt??? $28 each for a wiper seal?? $80 each for taxi springs? I mean, I know you cant get them at Home Depot but sheesh.... Oh well, I'll never have to buy another one :)

FAAST Blast — Week of Oct 12 – 18, 2014 Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update AD Affects 847 Alexandria Aviation LLC (Bellanca)Airplanes On October 7, 2014, the FAA issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that affects certain models of Alexandria Aircraft LLC (type certificate...

Had my family and old friends out to the hanger for some BBQ. Drove the tug out to shake out the bugs.... perfect weather. (well, it's southern California so, you know....)

I'm kind of surprised this hasn't come up with this group yet, it's a topic blowing up with several type clubs and with folks at my base... Policy on the Non-aeronautical Use of Airport Hangars If you're based at a private airport that's never taken government grants for infrastructure...

Probably not interesting to taildragger folks I overhauled the nose gear retract cylinder.. easy. But after reinstalling I noticed the *extension* behavior changed slightly (retract seems the same). Before: mains down first, then nose would lock.. maybe 2 seconds later. Now: nose down...

that's right.. AOPA has been advocating this for a couple of years.. now Congress is involved. http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2013/December/11/new-bill-would-expand-drivers-license-medical.aspx?CMP=ADV:1 I love the AOPA but on this, I think they're nuts. The dirty little secret...

I've added a bunch of new stuff to my panel - time to do the paperwork. Don't have reliable weight-and-balance data in the plane records to start with so I'm going to have to weigh the plane. According to the TCs for all the post-war low wing Bellancas, the leveling means reads: Lugs at...

not *exactly* a Bellanca topic but it's from an 0-470 so since the -2's have them... Wrist pin I pulled from #1: the back story: 1700 hr engine (ya, it's over TBO, don't go there, it's OK). Otherwise healthy - 2 months ago owner noticed unusual oil on belly - I checked compression - #1 way...

argh... 2" and 2 1/2" doesn't fit either... WAY too tight.