In the yard
So there I was hanging out in the prison yard planning to brake my Arrow out. Or standing around the hangers bs’ing other doing the same, everyone is getting their planes out of a dying airport.
Here in the Midwest we are enjoying a first taste of fall and the looming white death coming our way. My neighbor from an adjoining cell block, I mean hangar across the taxi way, noticed I set my prop at 9 and 3. This is something I was taught when I was very young, back before the Earth had a fever, I set the prop at 9 and 3 to lessen the possibility of wings and props breeding making mutant airfoil of some sort, my father said it was far to scary to speak of. He said for your own safety 9 an 3 never 6 and 12. So to keep the time space continuum from collapsing I keep my prop at 9 and 3.
Now the guy form the other cell block said 9 and 3 can allow water to get in and pool on the lower side of the spinner. Then as the days get shorter and our bank accounts are fully depleted and the temperature freezes 151 Rum solid, as we try to escape in our planes once the engine starts it will shake the entire airframe violently upon the first cylinder firing off till the engine is wrenched from the mounts or we turn it off.
My friend who just after telling me this had to report back to his hangar, his head guard was doing a count using a most insidious invention called FaceTime. It allows the guards to make sure you are where you say you are and he had to prove he was playing with his 150. Once she was pacified he came back and explained the ice broke his spinner out the bottom and the back. He also chipped a tooth while he was asking Marry, Mother of God exactly what she meant by turn the key. Lucky for him the head guard from his cell block was there to make sure things went smoothly, she explained in a way even a pilot understands.
If this is a problem we need propeller condoms to keep our propellers safe from what happens when water gets in our spinners and can’t get off then it gets cold. Can you imagine going to the FBO to get propeller condoms being a guy such as myself 6’6” 240lbs and asking for a condom for a 2 blade then a teenager buys a condom for a 4 blade.
Large, medium and caucasian was bad but now takeoff cleanse will be issued to more than 2 blades per engine and if you have only 2 blades call back in 30 minutes for further delay.
Yes, my arrest reports sometimes had creative writing used. Yes, I have enjoyed several severe head injuries. Yes, after being in law enforcement I was the lead midnight dispatch scum at the really big fractional airline.
So is 9 and 3 bad in winter? I have missed so much working with jets.
Here in the Midwest we are enjoying a first taste of fall and the looming white death coming our way. My neighbor from an adjoining cell block, I mean hangar across the taxi way, noticed I set my prop at 9 and 3. This is something I was taught when I was very young, back before the Earth had a fever, I set the prop at 9 and 3 to lessen the possibility of wings and props breeding making mutant airfoil of some sort, my father said it was far to scary to speak of. He said for your own safety 9 an 3 never 6 and 12. So to keep the time space continuum from collapsing I keep my prop at 9 and 3.
Now the guy form the other cell block said 9 and 3 can allow water to get in and pool on the lower side of the spinner. Then as the days get shorter and our bank accounts are fully depleted and the temperature freezes 151 Rum solid, as we try to escape in our planes once the engine starts it will shake the entire airframe violently upon the first cylinder firing off till the engine is wrenched from the mounts or we turn it off.
My friend who just after telling me this had to report back to his hangar, his head guard was doing a count using a most insidious invention called FaceTime. It allows the guards to make sure you are where you say you are and he had to prove he was playing with his 150. Once she was pacified he came back and explained the ice broke his spinner out the bottom and the back. He also chipped a tooth while he was asking Marry, Mother of God exactly what she meant by turn the key. Lucky for him the head guard from his cell block was there to make sure things went smoothly, she explained in a way even a pilot understands.
If this is a problem we need propeller condoms to keep our propellers safe from what happens when water gets in our spinners and can’t get off then it gets cold. Can you imagine going to the FBO to get propeller condoms being a guy such as myself 6’6” 240lbs and asking for a condom for a 2 blade then a teenager buys a condom for a 4 blade.
Large, medium and caucasian was bad but now takeoff cleanse will be issued to more than 2 blades per engine and if you have only 2 blades call back in 30 minutes for further delay.
Yes, my arrest reports sometimes had creative writing used. Yes, I have enjoyed several severe head injuries. Yes, after being in law enforcement I was the lead midnight dispatch scum at the really big fractional airline.
So is 9 and 3 bad in winter? I have missed so much working with jets.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
Comments
My plane is a Warrior with a fixed pitch prop., and years ago was parked on the ramp through a few Chicago winters. The Arrow spinner is different due to being bolted over a constant speed prop., but the size and shape are similar.
I suppose it's possible that my engine vibrated violently, tore itself off the mounts and departed the aircraft, but I never noticed. I'll look during my next pre-flight. If the engine is missing, I hope the mag check catches it.
Bottom line: I fly in the winter, but I've never had the spinner retain water and/or freeze up. Nowadays my bird lives a better life parked in a hangar, but I never ask if she's retaining water. I know better.
Jim "Doc Griff" Griffin
PA28 - 161
Chicago area
The annual says my prop needs dressed but I think that is going to be the cheaper thing that must be done. I did not realize I had sent my prop out naked so I must apologize for my oversight.
We must stop ice attacking unsuspecting spinners.
Advice on mags, there are now electronic ignition out there. I think the mags may tell you what you want to hear so check that the engine is still attached before takeoff, don’t trust a mag who fears for its job.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
I installed an Electroair electronic ignition two years ago. A+ and my engine is now just like my car engine; starts and runs perfectly hot or cold. Surefly makes them, too, and less expensively. Some of our members have that one and give it high remarks, too. Good luck!
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
I knew it would be high but I was a little unprepared for the number. It is under $30,000 but if there is tax it will go over. I am not hiding the number, I just expect it to change a lot.
In the early 1970’s I think, my plane was abused in Mexico and dropped a main while being taxied. My guess is the wing was removed for repair. I am told 1 wing has wrong hardware my guess is that is the wing fixed in Mexico. I think that is my big expense along with a transponder and ADSB. The tanks are being removed per an AD and hydraulic hoses leaking on the gear. A wrong bolt on the gear for holding a spring. Three new tires and tubes.
Getting LED Nav and strobe lights and a white LED rear strobe/Nav. Going to hold off on the wing tip extensions and landing lights, just can’t swing that on an unproven 50 year old plane. Get it safe and legal then do improvements. Next year or sooner I will likely get displeased with a mag and sell a kidney to get EFI, something my 1976 Jeep came with from the factory. The Jeep box works underwater, I have proven that several times. My Jeep has a difficult life but has driven less than 1000 miles on the road in the past 15 years, it has done 20,000 miles on the trail and pulling hay and grain wagons on the farm but no roads for it. Trailer Queen, I hope that is not how the Arrow comes home.
I also have to have all 3 gear shocks rebuilt. I am going to ask for a little lower nitrogen pressure so I can grease landings.
The cost breaks down to $10,000 in parts and $20,000 in labor.
I have a new engine and prop, really ugly seats but some great 1972 carpet, a radio direction finder right out of Hogan’s Hero’s and an ac compressor that can be used as ballast on an ocean liner.
My friend with a medical who flew it, he said it flys nice, wanted to go fast and did nothing he was not expecting. We did a gear down ferry so gear speed was a concern and it went to 135 and accelerating without any trouble.
Here is the thing that I was not expecting, 3-4 weeks. I expected it would be out in time for its next annual. So I was told the first of December, I will not be surprised if my Christmas stocking is stuffed with my plane and will be upset if by Easter I don’t have it home.
My wife saw me looking at turbo IO-360’s she knows I was to slap “I put the Mental in ExperiMental” on the plane.
I think my future son in law wants a Carbon Cub tail dragger that we can hang the 1,000HP supercharged V8 we have. I think we will need gear off an AN-2 and tail feathers from a DC3 to pull it off. I think it will work.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
We pilots work very hard to give our airplanes the quality life that they deserve!
You're not alone in your endeavor, we all go through it. And the key is to keep the plane a long time to amortize that initial maintenance expense. You will love your plane and slowly forget about the expense. Alzheimers will help you forget, lol. Bourbon will, too.
Good luck and may you forget the $$$ quickly!
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
My dad had an Arrow and it started me down the road of aviation, so I got a degree in aviation weather guessing. Maybe my daughter will become an aviation lawyer and handle farms on the side, I know of one farm and one horse operation that will be handled at no cost
My daughter plans to handle farm land litigation to protect farmers and she want to represent The Ohio Quarter Horse Association so an Arrow will be fine in Ohio 9 months of the year. Who knows they may have FIKI for it by then.
I expect the farm kid will get his A&P and I see a runway on the farm and likely a KitFox in his future. I suspect the women will hold up the keys to the KitFox and tell us not to return till after dark.
I am priming the pump so to speak. They have already been thinking about spots for a runway. They measured it out we can do 9,000 feet but it parallels a 300,000Kv power line it would be within a 1/4 mile.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.