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.
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...
Alternator Woes
I had the opportunity to address a couple of alternator problems this past week, and the irony is that they were on two of...
Cracked Landing Gear Weldment
Landing gear sockets should be checked regularly for those who fly off of grass and certainly after a hard landing. Using a bright light...
In Case You Missed It
Homemade Open-End Wrench
Anyone who knows me is familiar with my love of homemade tools. It comes...
Around the Patch
Eventually even the best company founders want to retire, and Dick VanGrunsven of Vans Aircraft is no exception. Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses the succession plan and why the future continues to look bright for this Pacific Northwest luminary.
Cutting Aluminum on the Table Saw
The first time I watched someone cut a one-inch thick slab of 7075...