Vic Syracuse
Vic is a fixed-wing and helicopter commercial pilot, CFII with ASMEL/ASES ratings, an A&P/IA, DAR, and EAA technical advisor and flight counselor. Passionately involved in aviation for over 40 years, he has built 11 aircraft and logged over 10,000 hours in 72 different kinds of aircraft. Vic volunteers as a Young Eagle pilot, has his own sport aviation business called Base Leg Aviation, and has written two books on aircraft prebuy and condition inspections.
Another Alternator Gotcha
Well, it seems to be the season for alternator problems, as just this week I had to diagnose another interesting one. As with any...
No Brake Fluid
Perhaps brake lines in the cockpit should be part of the preflight? This aircraft was moments away from having no left brake due to...
A New Sojourn
My aviation dream has not been much different than for thousands of other aviation lovers. Kid loves airplanes. Kid builds model airplanes. Kid flies...
No Backshell and No Screw
I hate seeing D-sub connectors not supported or fastened correctly, as the wires will eventually break. In this case, two broken wires on the...
Deformed Gascolator O-Ring
Some gascolators have internal O-rings that should be checked for deformation regularly. This was caught on an inspection, but the gascolator had blue telltale...
Overheating and Intermittent Electrical Problems
I find that overheating and intermittent electrical gremlins are some of the toughest problems to fix. Often, the data you are given to work...
The Repairman Certificate
Those of us who have built or are building Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft know that one of the rewards besides the airworthiness certificate is another document...
Plastic Tubing No-No
The symptom was a static system that leaked like a sieve when tested. Further investigation discovered this AN fitting being used with plastic tubing.
AN...
Broken Control Cable
Here’s a throttle control cable that has separated from the housing. It is very likely that on a stiff throttle, the cable might bend...
In Case You Missed It
The Dawn Patrol
Built in to any aircraft construction project is time for head scratching and trying to recall why you just walked from one end of the shop to the other. These are some of the most valuable moments.
Rendesvouz with Destiny
Dick Starks and The Dawn Patrol attend the biennial Rendezvous on hallowed ground: the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
What You Should Know About Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers come in many shapes and sizes. Wikipedia lists some 42 different types of...