1. Check your hoses to make certain that they are not collapsed or kinked.
2. Replace the system filter(s). A dirty or clogged filter will cause the pump to work significantly harder than normal and could cause premature failure.
3. Make sure that you have the correct pump installed on your aircraft.
4. Make sure that no oil contamination is entering the pump.

Whenever fuel is poured, pumped or moved from one container to another, a static charge is generated. The same principle is in effect when you walk across a carpet in the winter and get a shock from a doorknob. The charge level and the distance that can be jumped or arced depends on several factors—pump rate, temperature, humidity and containers. 

Static electricity is the reason why a ground wire is always connected to commercial airliners and transport trucks whenever fuel is being transferred. When you transfer fuel into your car or light aircraft, the hose has a built-in ground wire that acts as an electrical path to dissipate any static charge. As an added precaution, there is usually an excessively rich air/fuel ratio in the fill pipe which will not burn. There are two primary areas where a pilot should exercise caution when transferring fuel. 

First is draining an aircraft tank. For example, if you’re draining a wing tank, you should always connect a jumper cable from the plane to the fuel container.  This will dissipate the charge and eliminate the chance of a spark jumping from plane to container, causing a fire. Remember, when you’re draining fuel, there can be enough air circulation so that the air/fuel ratio is in the burnable range.

The second area of concern is the filling process. Many FBOs use a ground wire when filling an aircraft.  But in some cases, fuel is transferred from a drum or can into an aircraft. Here, a jumper wire is a good safety precaution to ensure that the charge is dissipated. If you use a metal funnel with metal cans, make sure that the can, funnel and plane are always touching during transfer. 

With metal containers, the electrical charge is dissipated to the conductive container where it can be discharged by a ground wire or contact. In plastic containers, there is no good electrically-conductive path to dissipate the charge. Although some people put metal strips into the plastic container, I would recommend the use of metal containers with a good jumper wire. It's the safer way to go.

Flap Roller Kits contain all of the rollers needed to complete one aircraft. Flap Roller Upgrade Kits include all of the components, forward wear washers (P/N MCS1450-3S10-032), aft service kit (P/N MCSK100), and hardware needed to replace the flap rollers and hardware associated with the rollers, along with Cessna SEB95-3 Rev. 1 for instructions to inspect flap support arms for wear.

PROP GUARD is not certified for use on certificated wooden propellers. It can sometimes be used on non-certified aircraft applications. Some varnish used on wooden propellers is not compatible with the PROP GUARD adhesive and the bond will fail. PROP GUARD has been successfully used with many varnishes. We recommend testing by placing a small sample of PROP GUARD on a surface with the same varnish before installing on a propeller.

Yes. This can be very difficult on some aircraft, but it is recommended. The reason for changing oil when the engine is hot is to avoid the settling of dirt and water in a cold engine. When the engine is fully warmed, then drained, a higher percentage of contaminants are drained away with the old oil. When the engine is drained cold, more of these contaminants remain in the oil in the bottom of the pan, which results in more contaminants mixing with the new oil.

THIS CAN BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION. The starter contactors in many older aircraft may become welded shut after years of use. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. A starter contactor that is welded shut could cause the propeller to rotate when the master switch is energized, regardless of the position of the start button or switch. Replace the starter contactor. Your starter may have been damaged by this as well and may also need to be overhauled or replaced.

In most cases, the multigrade oil will run cooler. For a hot-running engine, like turbocharged, high performance or aerobatic aircraft engines, this is good, but for a cool-running engine it can be a disadvantage. If the engine runs too cool, it can't boil off excess moisture and unburned fuel, so there can be a tendency to form acid buildup. For cooler-running engines, pilots should use a winterizing kit, or check with their mechanics on how to keep oil temperature up.

The trim wheels on the Cessna 180, early 182 and 185 aircraft have a spring loaded trim wheel stop catch assembly that engages with a molded in ratchet on one side of the trim wheel. This system is designed to prevent unwanted trim wheel movement caused by air pressure on the horizontal stabilizer. If these stop catch assemblies are worn out, the trim wheel is free to rotate. McFarlane has replacement stop catch assemblies.

We make the following cleaning and sanitizing recommendations to be completed between flights:

Recommended Cleaning Process

1. Put on clean disposable gloves prior to cleaning and disinfection.

2. Pull controls back to the fully retracted position to expose the full length of the control shafts.

3. Apply isopropyl alcohol to a clean microfiber towel. Do not spray any solution directly on the controls or any other surfaces or components in the aircraft.

    !!! WARNING: DO NOT USE BLEACH WIPES ON ANY MCFARLANE CONTROL !!!

4. Gently and thoroughly wipe down every control knob surface and control shaft.

5. Let cleaning solution dry on these surfaces (contact time).

6. Use a clean and dry microfiber cloth to wipe away any solution residue left on knob and control shaft surface.

7. Remove all gloves, towels, and cleaning supplies from the work area in the aircraft.

Please contact McFarlane Sales directly at 866-920-2741 or 785-594-2741 or sales@mcfarlaneaviation.com if you have any additional questions regarding the disinfection of our controls.

The SunSpot 36LX landing and taxi lights and SunSpot 46LX can be installed with just a log book entry if you can install the light in an existing mount and use the existing wires, switches, and circuit breakers.

The SunSpot 36HX landing and taxi lights and SunSpot 46HX can be installed with the pulse function enabled in any model listed on the AML under STC, or in other aircraft models with a 337 that uses the AML STC as a basis for approval.

Follow the guidance of the aircraft or propeller manufacture. When no guidance is available, conversion coating such as Alodine followed by a light coat of corrosion preventing primer followed by the finish coat has proven effective. Before you start, be sure the metal is clean and use a silicone removing compound such as Naphtha or a commercial wax and silicone remover with multiple clean paper towels to assure all traces of silicones have been removed. Most solvents will not remove silicone compounds.

First, if you’re “breaking in” your engine on mineral oil during the winter, always take extra precautions to ensure that the engine is properly preheated prior to flight.  For example, if your service bulletins recommend preheating the engine whenever the temperature is below 20°F, you may want to increase that to 30-35°F when using straight mineral oil. 

Another concern is that mineral oil is more prone to oil cooler plugging at low temperatures.  This is especially critical on aircraft used for high altitude flight where temperatures are even lower.  If an aircraft is going to be broken in during the winter or at high altitudes, you should consider using a winterization kit.  The kit will reduce airflow through the oil cooler and reduce the chance of oil cooler freeze-up.  (However, be sure to remove the winterization kit when it’s no longer needed.) 

During winter break-in and high altitude flight, pilots should also be especially observant of their oil temperature and pressure.  If the oil pressure or oil temperature moves significantly up or down in flight, you may be experiencing oil cooler plugging or bypassing.  If this occurs, you should take appropriate action.

There are several ways of repairing worn cowl surfaces. Epoxy fill is sometimes used for minor wear, or flush or double flush riveted aluminum doubler plates can be formed and installed over the damage. McFarlane has a high temperature (400deg F) sandable two part epoxy with an aluminum filler that works well for filling minor cowl skin defects; please see P/N 20 GLUE KIT. Consult with your A&P mechanic for the best repair solution for your aircraft.

The fittings are covered with a special cadmium plating with a phosphate coating. The coating provides the best possible corrosion protection for use with magnesium brake castings in a wet environment. The white deposits are phosphate crystals that form from a phosphate sealing process which helps prevent corrosion when installed in magnesium alloy. The white deposits are not corrosion and will not harm the installation. If needed to reduce tightness during installation, the crystals can be softened using plain hot water and a tooth brush. Use the required thread sealants as specified by the appropriate aircraft service manuals.

McFarlane recommends the Bi-Flex laser scored Cowl Saver baffle seal material for aircraft that have fairly straight baffling and cowl lines. There is no strip baffling material that works well for sealing a curved cowling. You can cut wedges out in the strip and stretch the outer edges or overlap it, but the best fit for a curved baffling is to cut a curved piece out of a flat sheet. Many customers order both the Bi-Flex roll and a flat sheet to give the best and easiest installation possible. You will then have enough material to do several airplanes.

Please also read Customized Flexibility for Optimal Cooling.

The FS1-14 internal, non-adjustable regulator is set at 13.6+/- .2 volts. This alternator would be used as a back-up to an AL12-EI60 main alternator kit and would come online automatically if system voltage drops below 13.6 volts as in a failure of the main alternator.

The FS1-14B internal, non-adjustable regulator is set at 14.2+/- .2 volts and can be used as a stand-alone alternator system for aircraft wanting the lightest weight and using minimum equipment.

Because both alternators are driven from a slower accessory pad drive, these alternators will not produce output to support load until they reach approximately 2000 engine rpm. Perfect for a back-up system should the main alternator be lost in flight but limited as a stand-alone system as any installed equipment would be running off the battery during taxi and landing configurations.

The coupling provides a shear point, protecting the engine from damage should the alternator fail. However, it is imperative that the coupling be installed properly and inspected every 500 hours or any time that the alternator is removed from the aircraft. This critical component has been the subject of several Service Bulletins (SBs) and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins (SAIBs) because an out-of-tolerance or improperly installed coupling can lead to catastrophic engine failure. The lack of specialized tools to perform these tasks has made compliance difficult for many shops, increasing the risk that these critical inspections are not being performed in the field. In addition, alternator coupling slippage is a frequent cause of low alternator output. Without the tools to properly inspect the coupling, these failures are often misdiagnosed as a failure of the alternator, resulting in wasted time and money for both shops and owners.

Oil analyses can help you discover engine problems before they turn into major failures. But the analysis information gained is only as good as the sampling procedure. Also, a single test is not enough to reveal trends and significant changes and can only tell you if there is already a serious problem like a scuffed piston. Take oil samples properly. For best results, take the sample about midway through the draining of hot oil from your sump. 

A sample pulled off at the beginning or end of the oil change may appear dirtier than it really is. Sample the oil the same way every time. An improperly taken sample can lead to some seriously inaccurate conclusions about engine malfunctions. Rely on a series of consistent tests over time. You’re looking for significant changes or trends over time, not absolute values.

People want to label the results of a single test as good or bad, but the system doesn’t usually work that way. Say you’re buying a used aircraft. Don’t rely on just one very good result of just one report – it could have come from a 5- or 10-hour sample. Relatively constant numbers from the last six oil changes are a far better indicator that the engine is in good condition. Your record of regular oil changes and analyses is also helpful when selling an aircraft. 

Be consistent. If you change your oil at 50 hours, and then at 25 hours the next time, the first sample may show twice the wear metals. (Expect higher wear metals during break-in or following some maintenance procedures such as a cylinder replacement.) Finally, always remember that oil analysis should be part of a good maintenance programme, not a replacement for one.

We can only speak for Tempest overhauled pumps as we have no control over the quality of other overhaul shops. Before Tempest®/Aero Accessories, LLC offered an overhauled pump, they spent more than a year in research and testing to determine what was required to produce a quality overhauled pump that would last as long as a new pump producing the vacuum or pressure required for aircraft application. In 1984 Tempest®/Aero Accessories, LLC had its overhaul process specification approved by the FAA and began offering quality overhauled vacuum pumps to general aviation. Tempest takes great pride in their state of the art overhaul facility, and produce the best overhauled pump on the market today. Over the years they have acquired FAA-PMA’s for all component parts of the Dry Air Pumps, and have supplied replacement parts to all overhaulers worldwide.

Placing a permanent reference mark at 180°F on the green band of your oil gauge is a good way to get accurate readings.  To do this, simply place your sending unit and an accurate, referenced thermometer in a steel container filled with oil, and slowly heat it to 180°F with a hot plate. You may not be able to hold 180°F constant, so first mark your gauge with a pencil as the oil temperature passes 180°F. Then let the oil cool back to 180°F. Repeat the process to ensure accuracy. 

And be extra careful with the hot oil. In a naturally aspirated aircraft engine, a cruise oil temperature significantly below 170°-180°F will not ensure that the moisture in the oil is boiled off, especially during short flights. As oil goes through the engine, the highest instantaneous temperature will be about 50°F higher than the oil sump temperature. 

So, if you have an oil temperature of only 150°-160°F, the oil will not get above the 212°F necessary to boil off the water that can accumulate from condensation. The result is increased moisture and acid buildup in the crankcase, which will probably lead to rust and corrosion. 

Knowing this is especially critical if your aircraft is not flown regularly and sits in a humid climate for weeks at a time. If your oil runs well below the 180°F mark, have your mechanic check your oil cooler system and vernatherm. Also, ask about a winterization kit. 

Conversely, the concern with the typical turbocharged piston engine is excessive heat. In many of these engines, instantaneous oil temperature can increase 70°F or more at its hottest point versus sump temperature.  These high temperatures can cause deposit buildup and increased wear due to improperly cooled components or low oil viscosity. (All oils, especially single grade oils, thin out as the temperature