Pete Schoeninger
by Pete Schoeninger
Dear Pete:
I own a fixed-gear aircraft with wheel pants and live in the Snowbelt. Do you recommend that I remove the wheel pants during the winter? It is such a hassle.
Fixed-Gear Aircraft Owner
Lansing, Michigan
Dear Fixed-Gear Aircraft Owner:
Yes, it is always a good idea to remove wheel pants during the winter.
What can happen is if you take off from a slushy runway, the slush inside the wheel pant can freeze to the tire. Then, when you land, the tire will not turn and could burst from the friction. This is not a common occurrence, but I have seen it happen.
I don’t know why, but wheel pants on Cirrus aircraft do not seem to be a problem, as every Cirrus I have ever seen has had their wheel pants on year around.
Pete Schoeninger
Dear Pete:
I own a Cessna 182 Skylane and expect I will need a overhaul in the not-too-distant future. What are my options?
Dear Skylane Owner:
If you have a field overhaul done, you pay for labor and actual parts needed. Typically the second overhaul will need more parts than the first, but not always the case. That is true with piston, or turbine engines. It is especially true with piston engines if you did not replace cylinders at first overhaul, then usually they will need to be replaced at second overhaul at a cost of at least $1,000 per cylinder.
Owners have a choice between buying a factory remanufactured engine, rebuilding their existing engine, or overhauling their existing engine.
Q: A friend said I had to go to the FSDO office and get some paperwork for my airplane before I could loan it to a friend who flies skydivers. Is that true?
A: Not always. If you look in your pilot operating handbook (POH), a few airplanes have information and give permission on being used as a parachute platform. But most don’t, so if you don’t find proper info in the POH, make a trip to your local FSDO, and call ahead to make sure someone will be there who can help you.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Email your questions to Pete.Harriet@Gmail.com.
