Ask the A&Ps: Recent Episodes
AOPA
Experts Mike Busch, Paul New, and Colleen Sterling answer your toughest aviation maintenance questions. Submit questions to podcasts@aopa.org. New episodes are released the first and fifteenth of every month.
Live from EAA Airventure 2023, check out our second in-person show. The questions come fast, and everything from proper leaning to oil leaks is covered. Can Oshkosh-goers stump Mike, Paul, and Colleen?
Full notes below: The first question has Colleen in stitches. Can you widen the gap on your spark plugs to get more horsepower from an engine? Short answer? No! Don’t do it, the hosts agree. Even Colleen, who races airplanes at Reno, says she’s never heard of doing this. Richard has a 182 and says the book will allow for high rpm and low manifold pressure, or low rpm and high manifold pressure for a given percent power setting. He wants to know which is better for the engine. The hosts say that rpm puts strain on the engine, so they would choose high manifold pressure and low rpm. The idea of “oversquare” is a relic and not at all true, they say. Julie has a 1979 Grumman Tiger and she wants the hosts to address owner-produced parts. Owner-produced parts must be made to the original spec from the manufacturer, which can be hard to track down. But, assuming the owner can find the spec, he or she must be involved in the manufacturing process. Ultimately it’s up to the mechanic to decide whether or not to install the part, and therefore take on all the liability. Bottom line is work with the mechanic early to get his or her blessing. Vedant asks how many more hours he can operate the 2,900-hour engine in his Bonanza. His engine has good compressions and only burns a quart every 20 hours. Colleen said conditioning monitoring is all about catching early indications of problems. Mike said there are only two compelling reasons to overhaul an engine. One is that you have solid evidence that there is something wrong in the bottom end that can’t be rectified without splitting the case. The other reason is that you can’t sleep at night. Terry has a 182 with an O-470 and can’t keep cylinder 1 below 400 degrees, even at altitude. That’s the right rear cylinder with a vertical baffle right behind it. He checked that. When it’s one cylinder Colleen said it’s usually airflow. Paul suggested a GAMI lean test and an induction leak test as well, just to be sure. Rex has a 182 and wonders about flying in the smoke that’s been prevalent around the country this year. The consensus is that smoke won’t hurt the engine, but changing the oil and induction air filter more often are good ideas. Tim wants to know about leaning his Mooney M20C. He wonders whether he should lean until it’s pretty smooth or really smooth. Mike said you have to accept a small amount of additional roughness if you want to run really lean. David has a 1979 172N and he’s wondering if he can use Camguard with his Lycoming 0-320-H2AD. Mike said he should use the AD-compliant additive just to remain legal. Greg asks for downsides to using variable-timed electronic ignitions in a carbureted engines. Paul said the risk is if they advance too far you can get into detonation. He recommends checking the cylinder head temperatures to make sure they aren’t too high. Advanced timing will show high CHTs and low EGTs, and retarded timing is the opposite. Jack has a Piper J-3 Cub with a Continental C-85 with only 40 hours. After flying he finds oil all over the belly but no obvious leaks. Paul said if the breather line is cut at the wrong angle it can actually cause a vacuum and draw oil out of the case. Mike said to borescope the cylinders with the intake valve open. It should be dry. If it’s wet you know where the oil is coming from. Mike asks about rpm on the ground and lead scavenging. The hosts say to lean as far as you can, regardless of rpm. Mike said not leaning on the ground is the biggest cause of valve sticking. Paul mentioned that Cessna now recommends leaning while at 1800 during the run-up and he said you can use that setting for ground leaning.
How to start an airplane, whether or not to wash an airplane for an annual, flying through smoke, and high TITs are all on tap for this grab bag of an episode, as Mike, Paul, and Colleen take your toughest questions. Write to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to be on the show.
Tony owns a turbo Twin Comanche with 300 hours on the engines. He burns about 14 gallons per hour on takeoff, but he thinks he should be burning 16 gallons per hour. As a result, he gets high cylinder head temperatures quickly, and needs to reduce power. He also sees power surging on the ground when his engines are hot, but not cold. Paul thinks the fuel servos and engine-driven fuel pumps are both in question. Colleen recommends pulling one servo and sending it out, just to see if it makes a difference. Paul suggests maybe a different shop to see if he gets different results. He’s had many experiences where there’s a problem with a component that overhauling doesn’t fix, despite the overhaul facility saying there’s no issue.
Andy questions whether shops follow the regulation that requires an aircraft to be cleaned during an annual inspection. Apparently his shop said they will wipe off big globs of dirt, but don’t do a full cleaning. Paul said they definitely wash the airplane, but often it’s after the inspection is complete so they can see the various oil and grease patterns. The wash is complete, but basic. Really dirty airplanes are written up as a discrepancy so the owner can take care of it later.
Matt has a 210 and he’s worried about exceeding the turbine inlet temperature. They try to fly it below redline, but they exceed it easily and quickly on takeoff. They are hoping to more aggressively lean and take advantage of low CHTs. Mike said not to worry about going over the TIT redline for short periods. Redline on the turbocharger is meant to protect the turbine wheel because the blades can creep from centripetal force when they get too hot. But flying lean of peak is possible because TIT is often exceeded only briefly during the transition, and not when settled. He also suggested that unusual TIT numbers can be a result of improper mag timing.
Nathan is a flight instructor and wants to clear up the madness around starting carbureted small engines. He sees people use the primer, pump the throttle, and do all sort of other unusual things. He wants to know the right way to do it. Mike said that using the throttle, or using the accelerator pump, puts the fuel in the wrong place. He also thinks that if it’s possible, prime while you crank the engine for best efficiency. Paul said if the primer isn’t helping to start the engine, it’s quite possible the primer isn’t working. He finds a lot of the old primers are clogged, which leads to other techniques.
Erik has a question about how smoke impacts piston engines. With wildfires being more and more prevalent, whether or not to fly during wildfire season is a growing concern. Colleen said she sees increased dirt in her oil analysis, her air filter gets dirty, and the leading edges of her airplane get dirtier. But the hosts agree that it's generally not a concern, especially for brief periods.
In two separate but similar incidents, owners want to know whether their cracked spark plug insulators caused pre-ignition or if detonation ruined their plugs. Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle those questions, and many more. Email podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to get on the show. Full notes below: Mitch has a Mooney that developed a strong engine vibration a few minutes into a flight. He quickly discovered the problem as the cylinder head temperature was climbing, and he went full rich and reduced power. A subsequent borescope inspection discovered no anomalies, so he’s wondering what happened. Many people online said it was a clogged fuel injector, but Mitch suspects pre-ignition. So do Mike, Paul, and Colleen. They hone in on a cracked spark plug nose insulator. Mitch is also concerned about which came first. Did the broken insulator cause the problem, or did detonation break the plug? Thanks to good photos and data, the hosts are convinced there wasn’t a serious detonation event, and it was isolated to a plug problem. Brian wants Mike, Paul, and Colleen to comment on the validity of an unusual procedure. He has a friend that “burps” the engine after every flight, and he swears it keeps his oil much cleaner. It works like this: after every flight the friend will open the oil filler cap and turn the prop backward. Every time he does it a bunch of gasses escape. It’s a legit thing to try, say Paul and Mike. Colleen is shocked because it seems an odd thing to do, but getting a lot of the moisture out—which is the majority of what is coming out—can only be good for the engine. Les has a Lance, and on a recent humanitarian flight with a plane full of passengers his engine started shaking badly. With no good option to set down, he reduced power and nursed it back to the airport. No borescope necessary here, the evidence was obvious—total piston destruction. Again the hosts suspect a cracked insulator, and again they think it was probably the spark plug’s fault, and not something that originated with detonation. Mike doesn’t seem classic detonation symptoms on the cylinder. Les isn’t convinced since his mechanic didn’t find a cracked insulator, something Mike doesn’t buy. Even extremely small cracks can cause problems, and with such a violent event, it likely would have been cracked in the process. Richard has a new carb temp gauge and he is looking for advice on how to use it. Specifically he’s found that in some phases of flight he has to have carb heat on at least partially to keep the carb temp high enough to stay out of the icing danger zone. But he’s also heard that it’s bad to operate this way. The hosts agree that doing so could be bad, but with the gauge in place he shouldn’t worry. It gives him the information he needs to operate safely. Jay discovered a broken oil control ring after just a few hundred hours on a cylinder, and he’s wondering if his operating procedure caused it. Jay flies a Taylorcraft and it has a new carb that enables leaning, whereas previously it was always flown full rich. Not to worry, say the hosts. Excessive leaning wouldn’t have caused the problem, and he should feel safe to continue leaning.
Adam flies a Piper Warrior owned by his friend. On a recent flight he experienced some morning sickness that he was able to resolve. On a subsequent flight the owner had morning sickness as well. The owner is considering a top overhaul. Mike said he has two options, and a top overhaul isn’t one of them. The first is to do a wobble test and the second is to skip the test and go straight to reaming the valve guides. Paul recommends doing only one at a time. He said not to fly it again until the procedure is completed. They’re worried that flying it after the morning sickness could have caused damaged, so a borescope inspection is in order as well. AOPA r
Kevin flies a Cessna 172XP that he suspects is the slowest one of its kind. It flies about 15 knots slower than book speed, and he’s seeking a remedy. Paul suggests first checking the rigging, specifically to make sure the flaps are completely retracting. If the flap rollers touch the end of the slots before the switch turns off, it will hurt the motor. But if there’s a gap after the motor has stopped, they aren’t full up. Totally ignore the fairing that’s riveted to the cabin, he said. He would also check the lifters to ensure complete motion. Mike suggests that is the airplane climbs at book values, he has a drag problem, but if it climbs worse than book, it’s a power problem.
Greg is hoping to overcome the supply chain issues by purchasing a “lifetime” oil filter. Being able to open the filter is the best thing you can do to know how the engine is wearing, Paul thinks. Mike thinks the filter inspection, while possible with a reusable filter, would be a messy, complicated job.
Ken said he heard an adage that you should check your EGTs at 1,000 feet, and then lean in the climb to match those numbers, and he’s wondering about its validity. The hosts all completely agree, and it’s generally how they fly as well.
Patrick flies a Cessna 170 and he’s wondering why his cylinders have a different CHT limit. Mike thinks the difference is probably due to the fact that CHTs are measured in a different position in his engine than others and the O-300 has a different cylinder design. After a cylinder swap he’s also wondering why break-in procedures sometimes call for changing power settings. Mike said he’s never seen a justification for this practice. He has broken in his engines by running them as hard as he could, keeping in mind cylinder temperature limits.
Miko maintains his own airplanes and is looking for approved data. He’s struggling to find reasonably priced maintenance manuals. Clearly the manufacturer is the first place to go. Paul uses ATP for his airworthiness directive research. Typically they sell subscriptions, which are quite expensive though. He said you might be able to get a shop to give you their old paper manual because most have transitioned to digital. Colleen also uses McCurtain, which they don’t think exists any longer. Essco is still around and sells digital versions of scanned manuals.
Engines are the focus this month as Mike, Paul, and Colleen talk about valve failures, valve springs, burned valves, and more. And of course we had to have a leaning question. Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to be on the show. Full notes below: Marius owns a Cessna 172XP that routinely has a rough mag check on run-up. His mechanic is recommending fine-wire spark plugs after finding oil on the plugs. He has since bought them, which set him back more than $1,500. Colleen recently purchased some as well, and thinks they definitely work better. Nigel wants to get deeper into condition monitoring on his turbonormalized Bonanza, specifically with the turbo system. Mike said that the turbo controllers almost never fail. Waste gates are fairly problematic. Eventually they’ll start to stick, which you can tell by an inability to properly hold manifold pressure. The turbocharger itself is inspected at each annual. The shaft is checked as part of the inspection, and there should be a little wiggle in the radial direction, but none in the axial direction. Also look for blade scrape and cracks in the flange. Paul also recommends checking turbo system oil inlet and outlet check valves. Michael had a rough-running engine when he reduced power. They pulled the exhaust valve and found the keeper groove of the valve was much smaller than it should have been, and he’s trying to figure out what caused the problem. He’s now finding that the third cylinder is also behaving the same way. Mike thinks it almost looks like it’s been ground down. He suspects an installation problem. The hosts recommend pulling the valve covers and springs to check the rest of the cylinders. Viatcheslav is wondering about rotator spring failures and how they cause exhaust valve hot spots. He owns two airplanes, one with a Continental O-300 and one with a Continental E-225, neither of which have rotator springs. He's curious how and if his valves rotate without it. The hosts break the news that he does, in fact, own two of the few engines without them. He can continue to watch for hot spots on borescope inspections, and also occasionally lap the valves as a preventative measure. Reid is concerned about a burned valve on his 172. He leans aggressively, but doesn’t have an engine monitor, and wondered if his leaning led to the burned valve. His only source of information is the stock EGT gauge. Mike did some research on the Alcor gauge. Most of the Alcor gauges aren’t calibrated, and many don’t have temperature references. Some have an adjustable pointer that the pilot can set. Others have a calibration screw. On those, the manual tells you to lean to peak EGT at an altitude where you can get 65 percent power at wide open throttle, and then set the needle to match. Mike thinks the changes Reid is seeing could just be changes in the mechanism of the gauge. It’s not meant to measure absolute EGT. Furthermore, leaning doesn't burn valves. That's most often caused by a bad set.
Making new parts, protecting parts, replacing parts, and identifying bad parts is the theme of this month's episode. Plus, a spirited discussion on fuel selectors. Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to be on the show.
Full details below:
Greg is building an RV-10, and he’s wondering if he should prime all the skins while he builds to ensure there’s good protection inside and out. Mike, Paul, and Colleen disagree on what to do. Paul thinks he should skip the priming and instead spray Boeshield or AV-8 because you can spray it on after the airplane is built. It’s a one-time application. Mike thinks if Cessnas have lasted for decades without being primed, Greg should be ok as well. And Colleen is on the fence. Bottom line: there’s no right answer, just the right answer for each builder. Russ is trying to help a friend. His 182R lower door hinge is cracked and the mechanic isn’t any help. Russ owns a machine shop and thinks he can manufacture the part. Mike says that it is important not to create a part that is better than the original. He must create an equal part. Something better would require additional approvals. Paul says it’s important to get the mechanic involved early because he will assume the greatest liability, and must be comfortable installing the owner-produced part. And many mechanics aren’t comfortable installing something without a part number. All agree that the hardest part of making the part will be figuring out exactly what the original material is and how it was made. Frank wants to use a synthetic oil in his 182 because he’s had such good results in his car. Mike makes the point that there’s no full synthetic oil on the market. He suggests 15w50, a semi-synthetic, but only because Frank is able to regularly run mogas. Those who only run with 100LL shouldn’t use a semi-synthetic, Mike said. Ryan is part of a flying club and they have a Cherokee 140 with an intermittent landing light. He was able to get the light to work regularly by applying a bit of heat to the circuit breaker, which makes him think the breaker is bad. The hosts recommended buying his own breaker and asking the mechanic to replace it. It’s a relatively easy fix. They recommend going to a pull breaker instead. Ernest said his mechanic hears a knock, but the hosts all agree that the video clearly sounds like lifter clatter. Mike say to look left, look right, make sure no one is around and pour in some Marvel Mystery Oil, which can reduce lifter clatter. When the lifter doesn’t fully lift there is play in the valve train, which makes the noise. Cleaning the lifter is an option, but it is a lot of work. Paul thinks it’s possible it only happens at lower oil pressures. With normal oil temperatures he should have 80 psi oil pressure at cruise, and not something lower, like 65. Alex sparked a spirited discussion on pilot technique. He’s wondering about how to test fuel flow on the ground. Some airplanes call for changing tanks on the ground, others don’t. Colleen thinks it’s ill-advised to switch tanks during the run-up. Paul said the fuel bowl on many carbureted engines contain about 30 seconds of fuel at cruise power. He said you’ll never run the engine long enough on the second tank to properly test it. This led to a long discussion about Cessna’s fuel selector design. Mike said he never moved the fuel selector off of Both in his 182, and furthermore he doesn’t understand why Cessna even made it. While the Cardinal will drain from the selected tank, the 182 doesn’t work the same way. If you burn off the right tank, for example, the fuel will be replaced with fuel from the left tank, and not air. Paul said he would stay on Both if he could. They then debate whether to use the fuel pump when switching tanks, and for many reasons Paul recommends sticking to the POH.
Because it's impossible to make it through an episode without discussing leaning, Mike, Paul, and Colleen hit it from two sides this month. A debate about inoperative equipment, and why mechanics reach for the pressurization cart first. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to get on the show.
Full notes below: Jay flies a Lycoming IO-540 on an experimental with one cylinder that peaks long before the others. He’s tried everything, including switching injectors. Mike suggests checking the valve lift to make sure the action is as good as the other cylinders. Paul suggests an in-flight manifold leak test to show things that can’t be duplicated on the ground. It works like this: Climb to 5,000 or 6,000 feet where the full power setting is the same as ambient pressure, stay at full rich on the mixture and let the EGTs stabilize. Then lower the manifold pressure by 7 or 8 inches and watch what happens to the EGTs. If one goes up while the others go down, or vice versa, it shows a leak in the induction system. Gary is a CFI who wonders about strain on a constant-speed propeller during power-off landing practice. With the engine at idle the hosts think it’s fine to pull the propeller back during gliding. Since his first question was so quick, Mike, Paul, and Colleen decided to give him another, and here Gary wonders if leaning to peak EGT is acceptable to the engine. We know leaning to 50 degrees rich is detrimental to engines, and we know lean of peak is safe if done properly, but little is said about running at peak. Given his comfortable CHTs, Mike said running at peak EGT is totally fine. And Paul said he ran at peak EGT for years in his Piper Twin Comanche with no issues. Eric wonders what triggers an overhaul and asks what happens once you go past TBO. Close condition monitoring is essential, says Mike. The two biggest tools are an oil filter inspection for the bottom end, and borescope for the top end. Oil analysis is also helpful, but Mike said the filter inspection is more important. Paul suggests making sure owners speak to their mechanic first to ensure they’ll sign off the airplane if the engine is past TBO. Although there doesn’t appear to be any legal basis to do so, some mechanics refuse to sign off an annual if the engine is past TBO. Scott wondered about inoperative equipment and how to decide if it’s ok to fly. Mike points to FAR 91.213D. Because it’s in Part 91 it applies to everyone, regardless of aircraft. It includes a logic flow that details how to deal with inoperative equipment. In order to fly with inop equipment it must not have been required for aircraft certification, in Part 91.205, on the aircraft’s mandatory equipment list, or be a hazard to fly without it. Toby has a Cessna 414 and has struggled with pressurization over the years, and he asks if his troubleshooting flow works well. He’s a little frustrated because most mechanics first hook up the pressurization cart, even though in his experience the test usually doesn’t show much. Mike said the cart is used to test the outflow side of the pressurization system because it bypasses the inflow system. Twin Cessnas have a very convoluted inflow side, where tons of things can go wrong. One reason to go straight to the cart is because troubleshooting the inflow side requires digging, Paul said. Troubleshooting mindset also matters. A slow-evolving problem is different than a sudden issue, for example.
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen take questions from owners with round engines, fabric, fire-breathing aerobats, and more. Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to get on the show. Full notes below.... Bruce has an a Continental O-300 and recently replaced all six cylinders. Number four is still running hot, and number six used to run hot. He played with the baffling to reduce the temps on number six, but number four is still around 400 degrees in cruise. He also added a splitter on the top to direct more air. He has checked the induction. By changing the baffling to help cool number six, Mike thinks he has made the problem worse for number four. The plate at the front is there to prevent number six from hogging all the cooling air, he says. When this happens Mike naturally looks at the inter-cylinder baffles, which are easy to mis-position. The first troubleshooting step is to shine a light from below and check if you can see it from above. If so, air can escape and cooling efficiency drops. Derek is looking to buy a Maule that’s been sitting in a hangar and he’s wondering how to check the condition of the Ceconite fabric. The Ceconite manual has inspection procedures. Colleen said it’s not the fabric you’re necessarily testing, but the dope. If the dope can block UV light then the fabric is presumably fine. If you push against the fabric and it’s pliable and flexible, that’s good. You can find the manual online https://www.conaircraft.com/_files/ugd/d66f5e_9653c858211f4636b7d4fcbb4787e540.pdf Oscar is wondering if safety wire isn’t meant to hold a torque, why don’t we use the same size for everything? Mike said there are three common sizes of safety wire, but almost everything is .032. Paul mentions that turnbuckles are an important exception. AC43.1B Change 1 https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_43.13-1B_w-chg1.pdf describes how to safety wire turnbuckles. An interesting and detailed discussion of turnbuckles that has nothing to do with safety wire follows… Scott has an N3 with a Wright engine and he’s wondering about leaning. The manual for the engine says not to lean, and he asks whether it would be better to leave it full rich or lean a bit. Mike calls for a vote and says that while in cruise he would lean it to the onset of roughness, and enrichen it only enough to smooth out the engine again. Colleen said she loves leaning and would lean as well. Surprisingly, it’s unanimous and Paul said he would lean as well. Bob has an Extra with a Lycoming IO-580 engine. He has noticed that his old Extra, with the same engine and virtually the same airframe, ran much cooler. He said he can barely lean at all now because of temperature limitations. Number five is the hottest, but only by a little. Paul wonders about his leaning technique, which is to lean slowly to find peak. The guidance is to pull much more quickly. The hosts also focus on a cabin heat shroud that’s in the cowling but not hooked up to the cabin. Bob thinks it partially blocks the exit airflow, which is a critical part of the cowling cooling system.
Introducing our first live show from EAA Airventure 2022! Join along as Mike, Paul, and Colleen handle questions on the spot from the audience at the AOPA Program Pavilion.
Is shock cooling myth or reality? Can you run lean of peak with a carbureted engine? These questions and many more come at Mike, Paul, and Colleen in this month's episode. Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
Full notes below: Jerry has an RV-4 with a new battery but the original alternator. When he starts the engine and then turns on the alternator, he sees a big amperage spike. He tested turning on his alternator before starting, and sees the same spike. That piece of information is critical because according to the hosts it means it must be an instrument indication. Without the engine operating and the alternator not turning, it can’t possibly be producing current. Ken has a Mooney M20 and thinks the inside of the tail section is messy and ugly. He’s looking for a way to clean it out. A vacuum won’t work because the flakes are sticky. Paul suggests that because it’s sticky someone has sprayed a corrosion inhibitor and only hand scrubbing will get it completely clean. Once it’s clean, he suggests spraying in a thin coating of Cor-Ban (https://zipchem.com) or Ardrox AV8. Dave flies a 1946 Cessna 140 and a Hatz biplane with a carbureted engine. He wants to know how to fly lean of peak. Mike says that Lycoming engines are pretty symmetrical out of the factory, which means they are often ok to run lean of peak from the factory. Continentals are less so. The rear cylinders tend to run leaner and front cylinders tend to run richer. By reducing the droplet size you can better dial it in. Do this by using a little bit of carb heat to better atomize the fuel. The other method is to back the throttle off a little bit to make the airflow through the carb more turbulent. Without instruments to help, the technique is to lean aggressively until the engine stumbles and then enrichen only until the engine runs smoothly again. Steve is wondering about unleaded fuels in development. He wants to know if the hosts would hesitate to use any of these new fuels in their airplanes. And also if their operating procedures will change as a result. Mike, Paul, and Colleen say they would have no hesitation running one of the fuels once it’s approved. They also don’t expect any operating changes. Guest Mike wonders why the hosts don’t ever talk about leaning in a descent. Host Mike stresses that although power changes should happen somewhat slowly, it's not as slow as he used to think. Lycoming recommends limiting cooling to no more than 60 degrees per minute, and Mike has an alarm set on his engine monitor for 30 degrees per minute. The only time it ever goes off if he’s doing an “extreme slam dunk.” Colleen makes the point that aerobatic pilots often oscillate between full idle power. Hannah flies a Super Decathlon and wants to make sure she takes care of it while doing aerobatics. Colleen says to keep it under 6Gs and a close eye on the engine mounts because they are the flexible attach point between the engine and the airframe. Although Hannah was originally asking about general tips, the hosts find out that she has experienced a governor failure that spewed out almost all her oil. Mike asks about rpm overspeed and Hannah said she noticed that used to happen before the governor failed. She’s also seen a drop in oil pressure in the dive. If her inverted system isn’t working well it would starve the governor of oil.
Oil all over the nose, cylinders that are too clean, and bush propeller repairs. Mike, Paul, and Colleen handle it all this month. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to be on the show.
Adam wonders what to do after a prop overhaul left him with a huge puddle of oil and some shaken nerves. His plan is to remove the newly overhauled prop and send it to the manufacturer. Paul questions whether it was an install error because a seal between the shaft and the prop seal can be broken during the install process. Mike agrees and thinks the manufacturer won’t find anything wrong.
Mike has a Cessna 150 with a 150 horsepower upgrade. He said the seller recommended not running it on Autogas because Lycoming never approved it. Mike says check Lycoming service bulletin 1070AB. It lists which fuels are approved for which engines. Paul correctly makes the point that the whole point of the STC is that it enables you to do things that the manufacturer wouldn’t necessarily have allowed. Mike said so long as there isn’t an operating limitation for specific fuels, you don’t even need the STC. Buying the STC gives you a flight manual supplement and placards.
Lyle has concerns about his oil analysis and how it relates to the way he operates his Cessna 182. After an engine reman his chrome levels were going up, but are now coming down. His mechanic was concerned he was flying too lean because everything on the borescope looked too good. The hosts describe the ideal leaning procedure as this: Don’t look at any gauges. Lean it until it starts running a little rough, and enrichen it only until it smooths out, and no more. He also has high silicon levels, which Mike attributes to a carb heat door that isn’t sealing fully. Lyle further wonders about his exhaust gas temperatures, which Paul and Colleen remind him are irrelevant. EGTs are only useful for looking at trends, according to Colleen. Mike said it’s not a measure of stress on the engine—only a measure of how much energy is being thrown out the exhaust.
Dewayne has an exhaust leak in his Tripacer. The two pieces of exhaust come together with a clamp, and a test shows it to be blowing more than bubbling. Paul said you can generally ignore leaks that only bubble, by blowing leaks need to be fixed. He recommends an expander and working very slowly to try and get the two pieces to better match. You can only push it about a thousandth of a inch, Paul said.
Rowan asks how to know when a knick or dent in a propeller becomes unsafe to fly. We all check our props before we depart, but few of us have a guide to know whether prop damage is normal or unsafe. Paul said a good rule of thumb is that if you run your fingernail along it and it catches you need to address it. But if it just runs along roughly, but doesn’t catch, it’s ok to continue. But, that’s not an owner-approved repair. Mike said the problem is that they create a stress point. A sharp point at its apex is more worrisome than a rounded dent. Advisory Circular 43-13 Chapter 8 Section 4 gives details for mechanics on how to deal with knicks, and it’s actually a pretty generous standard.
Chris can’t fly as much he’d like, and he wants to know if he should risk a ground run if the airplane has been sitting but he doesn’t have time to fly. Water being a byproduct of combustion, a short flight can be more detrimental to a flight than letting it sit. If the moisture doesn’t boil off it only adds more moisture to the engine. Mike said where Chris lives on the Gulf Coast, he would buy a dehydrator. There’s no hard and fast rule on how long is too long to go between flights, but the hosts say once every few weeks is fine, and try to keep it to less than a month.
From the seemingly benign--what tire ply to use--to the extreme--hitting 500 degrees on a cylinder--Mike, Paul, and Colleen face it all this month. And we mean all, like Ron's 172 that produces a loud bang exactly two minutes after shutting down. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
Full notes below: Larry has a turbonormalized Beechcraft Bonanza. When it came time to replace his tires he decided to go to with 8 ply, but he later researched and found the type certificate specified 6 ply. The Goodyear spec sheet seemed to indicate he would be over the weight limit on 6 ply. Paul said the older lighter Cessna 210s were 6 ply, but were upped to 8 ply later on. He suggests it’s ok to go up in ply if the dimensions are the same. Colleen also admitted she went from 4 to 6 ply on her Cardinal at the last tire change. Mike says if Larry is in violation by using a higher play, then he is as well. He mentioned a recent tire supply problem that prompted him to go up in ply.
Randy bought an engine without logbooks that was intended for a Cirrus SR20 in Guatemala City. He’s wondering if he can put it in a Cessna 175 or Skymaster. Colleen brings up the lack of AD compliance data. Some ADs are for internal engine parts that can only be verified with paperwork or by opening up the engine. Ultimately Paul said it’s up to the mechanic who has to hang the engine and whether he or she is comfortable with its AD compliance status. Mike said from a safety standpoint he would want to pull the lifters and look at the camshaft. And he would pre-lubricate everything, including the cam while the lifters are out. If it’s not making metal within 100 hours, you’ve dodged a bullet.
Tom is wondering how to tell if his engine with a constant speed propeller is producing full power. At sea level he has 29 inches of manifold pressure with an ambient pressure of around 30 inches. All the hosts agree that this sounds about right, given that you’ll lose some pressure through the intake and other areas.
Jeff has a Cessna Cardinal with a recently installed electronic engine monitor. He saw on climb-out near El Paso that the cylinder head temperature on the third cylinder topped out around 500 degrees. Now he’s wondering what to do. Compressions are excellent and the oil analysis is good. He also fixed the baffles, which fixed the problem. Mike suggests borescoping the piston. Failure points would be corner melting or the pockmarked appearance of detonation. If the piston looks ok, you’re probably fine, he says.
Ron has a 172 that has an unusual problem. Every time the fuel level is below half, and two minutes after engine shut-down, there’s a loud bang. It sounds like someone hit the top of the wing with a bat, he said. Paul thinks it’s possible the tank is being overpressurized, and the reason it takes two minutes is because the weep hole is so small that it takes that long for the tank to equalize. He suggests quickly depressurizing after landing by taking off a fuel cap and seeing if air rushes by. If the tank vent tube is in the wrong position it can cause the overpressurization.
Robert has a Cherokee 140 that is burning about a quart of oil per hour. Mike said oil consumption is always a cylinder problem, but not always a problem with all cylinders. Borescoping the cylinders may help identify oil pooled in one particular cylinder. Oil consumption comes from three sources--crankcase compression, which will show as oil out the breather tube. Burning oil will show as soot on the airplane. Or there could be a leak. Paul suggests a ring wash to further identify the problem cylinder, and potentially solve the issue. A detailed explanation is available at bit.ly/solventflush
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle questions about inexpensively improving aircraft paint, cylinders that are too cool, low compression readings, and a magic floatplane that burns less fuel with its floats fitted. Plus, the ultimate stumper, an airplane that can't turn left. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org Full notes below: Eric has a Pitts with an unusual problem. When he turns left the engine starts to sputter, and when he turns right the rpm increases. They initially suspected the flop tube in the header tank. Although it looked to be in good shape they replaced it anyway. They also overhauled the wobble pump, and carefully inspected all the fuel lines. There were no obvious problems. Colleen reached out to Pitts experts. They suggested making sure the fuel divider was properly bled. Eric is pretty sure it’s not vapor lock. “It has to be the flop tube,” Mike and Colleen say. Another theory Eric and his mechanics came up with is the fuel controller. They sent it for service, and the shop found that the throttle body mounting hole had a little rounding from vibration damage. They thought that maybe turning opened it to allow in more air, leaning the mixture. Once he gets it back, Eric is planning to do a test flight.
Doug is looking at his paint job, and while he knows that paint is an important protector, he’s trying to avoid a costly and invasive full repaint. Paul said you can absolutely go in and touch it up yourself. You can use a touch-up brush, sprayer, or anything you like. Colleen said that the vast majority of the work is in prep, and that the paint color will never match because the original paint will have faded. “Be careful and measured,” she said. Mike said to make sure the aluminum is clean and corrosion-free prior to applying the paint. Paul suggests Scotch Brite and Alumiprep (https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/alumiprep.php) and Alodine (https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/alodine1201.php) to make the primer stick. Get an automotive paint person to help blend the colors, he said. And Mike says to make sure you don’t sand through the thin layer of Alclad.
Andy wonders if his IO-540 is running too cool. His cylinder head temperatures only top out at 310 degrees, which he's reading on an Electronics International engine monitor. Mike said EI makes two probes for their engine monitors, and the P-100 always reads low because there’s an air gap at the cylinder head probe that makes it artificially low. The only downside of running too cool is potential lead scavenging. Mike said to pull the spark plug and use a borescope to look at the exhaust valve stem. If there isn’t deposit build-up, then there’s nothing to worry about. But lots of lead means you have to somehow increase the temperature.
Tom is worried about his compression readings. His O-320-D2G had a cylinder of 38/80 only 18 hours after overhaul. Two more cylinders are reading a little low now at 100 hours. He thinks all of them are leaking a bit, and have gotten slightly worse. He expects them to get to the low 60s, and he’s worried that when he wants to sell, buyers will baulk at the numbers. So he’s wondering if he should just replace the cylinders now so he never has to worry about it. The hosts all agree he is overanalyzing and should monitor as normal, keep flying, and work on the cylinders only when it’s required.
Jeff has a Cessna 180 floatplane and a new fuel flow meter has him thinking. He’s wondering if the performance charts are based on tach time or clock time. Paul assumes that because the tach was the only instrument they had when they certified the airplane, it has to be tach based. “They had clocks when that airplane was built,” Colleen says. She and Mike are sure it’s clock time. Jeff also wonders why his float supplement shows fuel flow lower than the original handbook. With a difference of only .2 gallons per hour, Mike says they are effectively the same number, and not to worry about it.
You may think an annual inspection includes a verification of the accuracy of your fuel gauges, but you'd be wrong. Nor does the IA check the accuracy of your tach or any other number of instruments. This information comes to a pilot undergoing a first annual. Mike, Paul, and Colleen also tackle oil loss and temperature issues, why we stop our engines with the mixture, and the difference between a major and minor alteration. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to be on the show.
Full notes below: Chuck flies a 1941 Interstate Cadet with a Continental 85-8F engine. He had a prop strike four years ago, was inspected and got some new rings, gaskets, and a few other parts. He’s noticed he goes through a quart every four or five hours, compared to 15 hours prior to the overhaul. Mike suggests there may have been a problem when honing the cylinders, and Colleen suggests borescoping to see what the honing looks like now. Paul said a normal honing crosshatch is about 30 degrees, but that on a teardown they use a ball hone that doesn’t make a regular pattern. If it’s at all shiny it means they’re glazed. But ultimately they all agree it doesn’t matter and that it’s an acceptable amount of oil loss.
Tom is a new mechanic who is looking for advice. A friend asked him to install a new stall warning horn to augment the stall warning light in his Cherokee. Paul suggests looking at a newer version of the airplane with a horn and a light, and submitting that information as approved data to the FAA. FAR 1.1 defines a major versus minor alteration. Advisory Circular 43-2B is acceptable methods for aircraft alterations, which Collen calls the bible of alterations. Mike makes the point that it’s a mechanic’s decision as to whether an alteration is major or minor. A major requires someone else’s signature, such as a field approval or FAA sign-off, while minor is only the mechanic’s signature.
Jay flies a Mooney with M20F with an IO-360 with a JPI engine monitor. The oil temp probe is located near the first cylinder. On climb it hits 230F and trips the over-temp alarm. In cruise it stabilizes at 195F. The analog probe shows 30 degrees cooler. The hosts aren’t at all surprised that the probes are different. Colleen mentioned that when she changed engine monitors they moved the probe and her oil temps have gone down. Mike said our goal is to usually measure the oil temp at the coolest location.
Peter has a Cardinal and is going through his first annual. He is wondering where the accountability is for previous mechanic oversights. His IA has found things like airworthiness directives that haven’t been complied with, a bucking bar left in the airplane, and so on. Mike makes the point that there is a difference between airworthiness discrepancies and things that are more discretional in nature. And all three hosts caution that each annual and pre-buy inspection are unique, and that it’s impossible to snag every discrepancy.
Walter asks why we don’t just turn off the key when stopping a traditional piston airplane engine. The hosts agree that it is solely a safety consideration, and meant to get gas out of the system. That way an ungrounded mag can’t refire the engine and create a safety issue with the propeller.
Rolf has a TB-20 with an IO-540 engine that’s never been overhauled and is trouble-free. Last year he noticed on the engine monitor traces that the number 1 and number 2 EGTs were very low at low fuel flow. His shop measured the dry tappet clearance and found the intake valves were well in excess of the limit. They were able to bring them within limits, but the EGTs are still bottoming out. Mike makes the point that the valve clearance limit is only to ensure that the amount of play in the system so that the hydraulic lifter can “take it up.” The hosts agree his engine is in fine shape, and not a safety issue. They do recommend he prepare for an overhaul in the future based on the symptoms.
The daily scrum, the daily meeting, the daily stand up…it goes by many names, but the purpose is the same. It’s a short team-centered meeting to share important information at the right time to the right team members in service of the sprint goal.
In this first iteration of a series of Scrum fundamentals, Brent is joined by Justin Crisostomo and Sunny Sangha to share their experiences on running this event well, some pitfalls to watch out for, as well as their favorite tips for an effective daily meeting.
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen talk fluids. Danny has an oil leak, Steve has a fuel leak, and Jeff is puzzled by guidance on which oil to use. Plus, a question from a maintenance newbie, looking ahead to overhaul, seeing double on batteries, and a pesky propeller governor problem. Submit your question to podcast@aopa.org for a chance to be on the show. Full notes below: Dash has a T-34 and is wondering about the implications of having two 12-volt batteries in series, rather than one 24-volt battery. Paul says one battery is simpler and less costly to maintain, but two 12-volt batteries in series can generally push out more current. You can treat them as one 24-volt batteries and use the applicable trickle charger, Mike says. To do this you would take a 24-volt charger and treat them like one battery, Colleen says. Take the cables and hook up the positive from one battery and the negative from the other battery. They all cautioned to make sure not to hook anything to the short, stout cable connecting the two batteries. Dash also says a mechanic at his airport told him not to continuously charge the battery because it will reduce capacity, but the hosts say that’s bad advice and that a trickle charger can be on the batteries all the time.
Danny has a continuously oily windshield on his Bonanza, which he thinks might be coming from the top of the case. The engine has 2,200 hours and looks great on the borescope, and he’s hoping an overhaul won't be necessary. Paul said he definitely wouldn’t pull an engine for this. He goes straight to the crankshaft seal as the offender. Mike thinks the o-ring that seals the prop to the flange is another good culprit to check. Mike said oil coming from the top of the case would go on the back baffles and other spots inside the baffles, not on the windshield.
Chris has an O-540 on a Cherokee 6, and although the engine is still running strong, he’s planning ahead and wondering if a rebuilt or overhauled engine is better. Mike said this is the worst time he’s ever seen to do anything to an engine. Colleen said she thinks people are risk averse and she’s always overhauled engines and has been very happy. Mike said the only reason to go rebuilt is if you know you have to replace a major component or if you want to minimize downtime.
Mahesh is looking for resources to become better acquainted with managing the maintenance on his Cirrus. The hosts recommend the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association seminars, owner-assisted annuals, and Mike’s books https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KHDPPWG?binding=kindle_edition&qid=1643661371&sr=8-4&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn
Sebastien and Tim have a Murphy Super Rebel with a governor problem. The propeller wanders 35 rpm up and down, and they’re wondering if it’s a problem and how to fix it. Colleen suggests checking the integrity of the rod end to the bell crank.
Jeff has a Lancair and wants to switch oils, but Continental Service Information Letter 19-04 that says operators shouldn’t change oil until the engine is overhauled. The hosts all agree that this was a misguided document, and that switching oils will have no determinantal impact to the operation of the engine.
Steve’s Piper Lance is weeping fuel and he is wondering how critical the problem is. His A&P said he could take the tanks out to have them resealed, but all agree that this isn’t necessary. Paul said the Piper maintenance manual and FAA maintenance advisory circular have a good chart to show the various fuel leaks and what to do about them. If it’s not leaking bad enough to pull the tanks he said it’s probably not worth doing anything.
When you start working with a new team and you need to evaluate them, it may be difficult to determine on the surface if they’re high- or low-performing. Both types of teams may shortcut steps, but for different reasons. Joining Brent are Friends of the Pod, Justin and Charis, as they share their experience working with high-performing teams and new teams.
Season Four starts with a super-sized conversation between Brent, Michael, and Teresa about whether Agile is a methodology or a mindset.
Mysterious metal in the filter, reporting an owner to the FAA, when to change ELT batteries, and the elusive perfect hot start. This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen handle some of the toughest questions in aircraft ownership. Submit yours to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to be on the show. Full episode notes: Brian asks how one is to know when the ELT battery runs for more than an hour or has reached 50 percent of its life. FAR 91.207 requires replacement on these conditions. Short answer: you don’t. The hosts point out that the batteries can’t be load tested and there’s no outside monitor to know how long they may have been active. So, if in doubt, replace them. Ryland wants to know if he can install a non-certified engine monitor in his certified airplane. Mike breaks down the decision tree that leads to an answer with an extreme example—installing a refrigerator in your airplane. You must show it meets the same certification requirements the aircraft had to meet. As Mike said, you have to jump through the same hoops that the manufacturer would have had to do had it decided to install one at the factory. First you must decide if it’s a major or minor alteration. A major requires approved data, which means getting an FAA field approval. If it’s a minor alteration the technician must make the determination that it meets all the applicable certification standards. Most difficult of which is that it doesn’t interfere with other systems in the airplane. Most mechanics won’t take it upon themselves to do that, he says. Colleen said she has gone through the field approval process and it’s quite difficult. Richard wonders if he’s damaging his engine by keeping the rpm below 800 on initial startup. He flies a Cessna Skylane with a Continental O-470. The hosts agree that Richard is overthinking this a bit and there’s no risk of damage at operating at such a low rpm. Mike said he would use roughness as the lower limit. Justin asks about his responsibility to report an unsafe aircraft to the FAA. After an alarming pre-buy inspection of an airplane he decided not to buy, he’s concerned another potential buyer may be at risk. Mike, Paul, and Colleen have strong feelings about this issue. Paul said a pre-buy isn’t an annual inspection, and it’s the owner’s responsibility to ensure airworthiness. This is the only person you should report the findings to, he said. As a follow-up Justin mentions an airplane he was asked to ferry that had a hole in the bottom of the wing. Mike explained the four entities responsible for airworthiness--the factory when the airplane is built, the owner, a mechanic one day a year at the annual, and most critically, the pilot in command. Tim asks aviation’s most difficult simple question—how do you consistently hot start a big bore fuel-injected engine? As a CFI his normal advice to clients is to use the technique that works best for you in your airplane. In his Cirrus Paul goes throttle and mixture forward, fuel pump on until the fuel pressure stabilizes, then everything back, throttle cracked, and mixture slowly increased while cranking the starter. He uses this for hot or cold starts. Mike suggests priming and cranking simultaneously. Paul mentions a technique of running the boost pump on high for at least 45 seconds while the mixture and throttle are at idle cut off, and then performing a normal start. This circulates cold fuel in from the tank. Jared is the maintenance officer of a flying club with a Cessna 172M. They’ve been finding metal in the oil filter that doesn’t look like that from normal sources. Lycoming couldn’t find it, and neither could the shop that did the overhaul 600 hours prior. The overhaul shop did warranty work, including replacing the crankshaft. It didn’t work. Jared had sent in photos and Mike didn’t think they looked like crankshaft issues. Paul thinks the oil pump is a strong suspect. But overall the hosts are stumped, and Jared promised to come back later with an update.
In the Season Three finale, join Danielle, Patrick, and Scott in their conversation about metrics.
In the first of a two part remix, Danielle, Patrick, and Scott revisit the use of metrics on an agile team.
Ever wonder what you're looking for when you preflight a Cessna with those small oil doors? So did our caller this month. Mike, Paul, and Colleen also field questions about a burned valve, winterizing for cold-weather ops, how to do an in-flight magneto check, and whether you'd really run out of fuel before oil with a leak in the gauge line. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
In the second part of this series, Brent, Justin, and Michael discuss more about how Agile isn’t what you call it.
In the follow-up to the last iteration and previous iterations on team culture, Brent and Kathleen talk about how Diversity and Inclusion impact Agile teams.
In a special episode (#100), Brent talks to Kathleen Marzahl, ISBN Senior Vice President of Enablement Operations with SAP about her journey.
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen dive into questions about valve failures, tracking engine times, aging engine accessories, and worrying cylinder head temperatures. Plus, a question that could only come from an instructor.
Join Brent, Justin, and Michael in the first episode of two about how Agile isn’t what you call it.
In this iteration, Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa discuss change management in Agile organizations.
In this iteration, Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa discuss leadership and organizational change.
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle everything from radio gremlins to the big questions of aviation, such as an overall maintenance philosophy and the reliability of our aircraft.
Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org for a chance to get on the show.
And please take our survey to tell us how we're doing. You can find it at https://aopa.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZSqTKSpaOTVjdI?Referral=APS
In the last of our group on Agile Leadership myths, Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa discuss the myth of how teams being diverse is enough.
In the next part of our series on Leadership, Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa talk about biases.
In the next iteration in our Leadership myth series, Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa discuss the myth of how hierarchy doesn’t matter in an Agile organization.
It’s the next iteration of our Leadership series – and Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa discuss delegation.
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle questions big and small. A pilot wonders why aircraft engines are so expensive, a young student knows there must be a better way to clean an airplane, and owners tackle concerns over increasing compressions, throttle lag, and avionics.
Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
And please tell all of us at AOPA how we're doing on podcasts. Take a short survey: https://aopa.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZSqTKSpaOTVjdI?Referral=APs
Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa continue their conversation in the Leadership series – this conversation covers the topic of authority.
Join Amy, Brent, Jesse, Robin, and Teresa in this super-sized conversation that kicks off our leadership series.
Great conversation and we have a longer-than-usual iteration as we wrap up the journey series.
Broken rocker arms, metal shards in the valve cover, and oil in the cylinder, oh my. This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen focus on listener engine problems, give some guidance on mods for an experimental builder, and bust an oversquare myth. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
In this first in a series of journey episodes, Brent and Lisa talk about how it’s important to iterate in stages.
Brent and Sunny discuss whether or not you time box spikes, but adhering to principles and values is really the focus in the second part of Sunny’s journey.
In the first episode of Sunny’s journey, we discuss the benefits of having a good team to support a transformation.
A savvy owner wonders how to trust her airplane with no logbooks, a Cessna pilot is curious if he's getting all the power he paid for, and Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle an unruly governor. Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
In the final episode on Jim, Michael, and Ryan’s journey we discuss the benefits of awkward silence (among other things).
The first part of Jim, Michael, and Ryan’s journey to agility as part of our ongoing series.
In the next pair of Journey conversations, we talk to friends of the pod Ronnie and Shelkim about their path to agility.
This episode Mike, Paul, and Colleen debate shock cooling, help an owner set his stall warning tab, debunk unapproved equipment myths, give an owner advice on breaking in new cylinders, and more. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
Catch the second part of Brent’s conversation with Mike and Justin as they talk about their path.
Brent talks to Justin and Mike about their Agile journey, part of a new series inspired by Episodes 75 and 76.
This month owners look to settle arguments with their mechanics over tire wear and avionics glitches, one pilot tries to determine myth from reality on keeping fuel tanks topped off, a pilot learns his oil pressure problem isn't a problem, and Mike, Paul, and Colleen describe why detonation is a self-correcting event. Submit your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
Join Alex, Jim, and Shelkim as they revisit the myth that Agile has no deadlines as part of our remix series.
Brent, Sunny, and Wen-Ling finish their two-part conversation about the path of a new Scrum Master. The conclusion discusses how a new Scrum Master deals with merging two teams into one.
Brent, Sunny, and Wen-Ling start a two-part conversation about the path of a new Scrum Master. The first part focuses on how working with a Coach can help a new Scrum Master.
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen cover the basics of oil analysis, corrosion proofing, fuel selector play, how to pick an overhaul shop, and prop people. Send questions to podcasts@aopa.org.
Join Alex, Jim, and Shelkim as they revisit the myth that Agile takes too much time as part of our remix series.
Danielle, Lisa, and Teresa are joined in this episode by Brent in the first remix of a remix conversation about teams and culture.
Join Alex, Ronnie, and Ryan as they conclude a remix conversation about the most recent update to the Scrum Guide
Join Alex, Ronnie, and Ryan in a remix conversation talking about the most recent update to the Scrum Guide
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen tackle a number of questions about oil. Where it should be, where it shouldn't be, and why it isn't where you last added it. Plus, a jet pilot is grounded by tires.
In the fifth episodes on Agile and DevOps, Jesse and Teresa talk about what is psychological safety and why there is a need for it.
In the fourth episode in the series, Jesse and Teresa talk about the gaps between Agile and DevOps.
In the third of our series, Jesse and Teresa discuss where overlaps occur between Agile and DevOps.
In the second of our series on Agile and DevOps, Jesse and Teresa dive more into where each come from.
Join Patrick and Ronnie in our first “remix”, where we get a different viewpoint on a previous iteration. The first remix is on the first episode from season one – “Estimation and Refinement”.
This month Mike, Paul, and Colleen delve into must versus should. Must you open all those inspection ports, is the prop and governor overhaul mandatory, and should one owner retorque his cylinder after a re-installation mistake? Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
In the series finale – Brent, Danielle, Ronnie, and Scott wrap up their conversation on working with introverts and extroverts.
In the second of the series on working with Introverts and Extroverts, Brent, Danielle, Ronnie, and Scott talk about tools in working with the “Verts”.
Brent, Danielle, Ronnie, and Scott talk about working with Introverts and Extroverts in the first of a three-part series.
At the start of season three, joining Brent are Jesse and Teresa on the first of six episodes talking about Agile and DevOps. This first conversation is an overview of the two and how they work together.
In this special edition (and final episode of Season 2), we combine the last two episodes for one long conversation between Brent, Justin, Mark, and Patrick.
Brent, Justin, Mark, and Patrick have part two of their conversation on the logistics of a sprint backlog
This month Mike, Colleen, and Paul revisit sticky valves, diagnose shimmy dampers, give a bit of career advice, and talk about what right looks right on throttle response. Plus, silly pilot tricks with animals! Send your questions to podcasts@aopa.org
Brent, Justin, Mark, and Patrick start a conversation on the logistics of a sprint backlog
Join Brent, Patrick, Ronnie with friends of the pod Alex, Jim, Justin, Ryan, Shelkim, Sunny, Teresa, and Veit as we cover discuss episodes 26 through 55 with an eye toward iterations in 2021. As this is a retrospective, it is a special edition and longer than normal.
Mike, Paul, and Colleen talk about why lean of peak if beneficial. Also, the hosts tackle questions on sticky valves, how to properly break in an engine, oil consumption, and more.
Brent, Mark, and Patrick conclude a three-part conversation about the recent update to the Scrum Guide by talking about Monopoly among other things.
Brent, Mark, and Patrick continue a conversation about the recent update to the Scrum Guide
Brent, Mark, and Patrick start a conversation about the recent update to the Scrum Guide
Brent, Lisa, Mark, Patrick, and Veit finish their series on COP’s talking about what success in a COP looks like.
Snake oil, cranky turbochargers, oil issues, camshaft rust, and more in this month's episode. Plus, a new owner tries to stump Mike, Paul, and Colleen on propeller rpm checks.
Brent, Lisa, Mark, Patrick, and Veit continue talking about COP’s with a focus on the logistics of running them.
Corroded control cables, the right oil for engine break in, pesky fouled plugs, and just how far can you push back on your annual. Paul, Mike, and Colleen handle all these topics and more in this month's episode.
Brent, Dale, and Jim finish their three-part conversation on Agile, Waterfall, and Infrastructure talking about Behaviors and Approaches.
Brent, Dale, and Jim continue their conversation about Agile, Waterfall, and Infrastructure focusing this time on words that matter between Agile and Waterfall.
Checking an airplane for aerobatics, engine failures due to oil starvation, mysterious airplane vibrations, and why replacing cylinders could be a bad idea. Mike, Paul, and Colleen handle these topics and more in this month's episode.
Brent, Dale, and Jim start a series on Agile, Waterfall, and Infrastructure – this iteration is on how they coexist.
Brent, Mark, Patrick, and Ronnie finish their conversation about the ACI Competency Framework (https://www.agilecoachinginstitute.com/agile-coaching-resources/)
New from AOPA, it's a podcast featuring you, the pilot and aircraft owner. Experts Mike Busch, Paul New, and Colleen Sterling answer your aviation maintenance questions. Subscribe today to catch all the episodes.
Brent, Mark, Patrick, and Ronnie extend the last iteration with a conversation about the ACI Competency Framework (https://www.agilecoachinginstitute.com/agile-coaching-resources/)
Brent, Mark, Patrick, and Ryan discuss the interactions between resources and managers.
Brent, Patrick, and Sunny discuss the next myth in the series, “Agile has no deadlines”
Brent, Patrick, and Sunny discuss the next myth in the series; “Agile takes too much time”
Brent, Mark, Patrick, and Sunny revisit episodes 10-12 with an eye toward newly made distributed teams.
Brent, Patrick, and Ronnie discuss the next myth in our series of Agile Myths: “There are no rules for Agile”
Brent, Justin, Marcos, and Mark discuss our next Agile myth: “Agile is just for software”
Brent, Patrick, and Ronnie start a series on Agile myths with a discussion on how Agile is “faster”