My plane broke. (Update)

"Flyboy is FAA certified insane" (flyboy396)
03/11/2016 at 10:07 • Filed to: How many sparkplugs?

I’m stuck at Flagler County Airfield. AMA.

(Representation of my not-so-trusty steed)

Engine bay if this cessna. 360 cubic inches of bleh

Update: no. 3 cylinder’s 2 spark plugs were both coated in lead. Somebody wasn’t using her hard enough.

DISCUSSION (34)

Ash78, voting early and often > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:09

I wish I had access to personal email — I have so many vintage pictures of 1970s and 80s Flagler County airfield, it's hilarious. Including many of me as a baby/kid. It used to be TOTALLY in the middle of nowhere, now it's just "sort of" in the middle of nowhere.

functionoverfashion > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:11

So... what broke? Did it break while you were airborne?

Arrivederci > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:11

Well, at least you’re only 2-3 miles from the beach!

Leadbull > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:12

You should call Bob the Builder... I hear he can fix it.

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Ash78, voting early and often
03/11/2016 at 10:12

Like RCR says, small airports have a feeling of nostalgia that will never go away.

Jayhawk Jake > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:12

Seeing as you’re posting this, it means you’re alive, so I guess our plane did its job.

Thunder > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:13

Courtesy car? The beach doesn’t to look too far away.

What’s up with your bird?

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Jayhawk Jake
03/11/2016 at 10:14

Our plane? Who do you work for? O_O

Gone > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:16

Cessna’s are not supposed to go backwards. You broke the rules (and your plane)!

Also, needs an LS1 swap.

MonkeePuzzle > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:17

maybe, and take this with a grain of salt because I’m not a pilot, but MAYBE you should stop flying it backwards? :P

what broke?

what kind of snacks are in the vending machine?

how’s the people watching going?

do you wear aviator sunglasses?

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Thunder
03/11/2016 at 10:17

Engine roughness. I’m not sure if we’re going to be here a while or not.

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > functionoverfashion
03/11/2016 at 10:18

I believe it is some bad spark plugs, or possibly a clogged fuel filter.

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > MonkeePuzzle
03/11/2016 at 10:20

I think there were some corroded spark plugs.

I don’t see a vending machine and the restaurant is currently closed.

There are like three people here.

Only when I’m not wearing my real glasses

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Arrivederci
03/11/2016 at 10:21

I’m not sure if we are allowed to use the curtosy car, otherwise I would.

. . > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:23

Sounds like you weren’t hooning it hard enough. :D

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > . .
03/11/2016 at 10:29

Its funny. These airframes get beat within an inch of their lives, but the engines are extremely well maintained. I was very surprised by this.

Ash78, voting early and often > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:36

I'm guessing Cessna, since his screen name implies Kansas. I sleuthed my ass of on that!

Future next gen S2000 owner > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:42

Can’t hurt to ask.

Thunder > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 10:48

Well, that can be exciting.

I’ve had gear issues (with my dad... and my girlfriend, now wife), and other minor stuff... but when the windmill up front gets unhappy, so does the pilot.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 11:11

You go to riddle? Small world. I graduated there in 2012

Chris Clarke > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 11:16

Do they have a tower at Flagler these days?

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
03/11/2016 at 11:30

Cool. Engineer, mechanic, pilot or other?

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Chris Clarke
03/11/2016 at 11:34

Yea. Really nice people.

Chasaboo > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 11:39

Curious to know, do aircraft engines have tighter tolerances than automotive engines? Or do they go in the other direction, looser?

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 11:42

ME robotics. I’m a phi delt though, so I know plenty of pilots.

Are you up to six figures of debt yet? That seemed to be the average for pilots

Jayhawk Jake > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 11:46

Cessna

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 11:59

*cough*

Have you considered, you know, leaning the mixture a bit? You should be able to lean it way out while on the ground and burn that shit off. Just run it hot for a bit, check the mags, and run it a bit more until the drop between mags 1 & 2 are within spec and on you’re on your way. This is a common problem, especially with rentals, doubly so if it’s fairly level terrain and low altitude flying. People don’t see the point in leaning the mixture since “they’re not paying for the gas so who cares” except that it fouls the engine and leaning the mixture has nothing to do with fuel economy. Thank whoever flew the plane last.

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Jayhawk Jake
03/11/2016 at 12:59

Very cool. Would they need pilots for any reason? ( he says as he assumes the begging position)

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
03/11/2016 at 13:00

Almost there. Could have bought like three of my dream cars by now

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief
03/11/2016 at 13:01

Oh yea trust me I would have rathered burn the stuff off in flight (as we were almost above Flagler.) But flight supervisor back at DAB said to land immediately.

Chris Clarke > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
03/11/2016 at 13:04

I graduated there in 2002. God I'm old.

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Chasaboo
03/11/2016 at 13:10

Honestly I don’t know. Aircraft engines are built to run at almost max power for very long periods of time, and are built for redundancy. This is a 5.9L flat four that only makes 180hp. It has two valves, and two spark plugs per cylinder. Mechanically fuel injected. Nothing here runs on electricity.

It is taken apart and put back together constantly. And aircraft have very strict maintainence protocols. I would assume the tolerances are kinda low because of how often it it checked.

Jayhawk Jake > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
03/11/2016 at 13:21

They employ pilots, yes.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
05/11/2016 at 04:04

You have a newer one. All the 172s we have are carbureted. That's what you get for only flying older planes.