Airplane Owner Maintenance - By Dean Showalter

March 25, 2016 The Monster of Complacency can:  Terrify us with surprise when something happens unexpectedly.   Cause us to overlook a potentially dangerous situation.   Sometimes, it can be deadly. Do you know what a “Rumble Strip” is?  If not, listen to today’s episode to find out. Whether you are a pilot, mechanic, or […]

March 18, 2016 What an experience!  The ABS Maintenance Academy in Houston, Texas last weekend far exceeded my expectations! It was certainly among the very top airplane training experiences I’ve ever been a part of. Although I’ve worked on Bonanzas and Barons for many years, and have had various opportunities for specific training, I found […]

March 4, 2016 What is the highest recommended TBO number of operating hours for Continental or Lycoming engines… and which model is it? TBO times… are they a requirement or not?  Listen to today’s episode to find out. When discussing “Hot Topics” like this, just remember, have a lively discussion, but also be kind to […]

February 26, 2016 This is going to be an abnormal podcast episode this week… thanks for bearing with me. Since I am not able to produce a full length show this week, I thought I would do two brief things. First, I tell about the American Bonanza Society, Maintenance Academy that I am planning to […]

  February 19, 2016 For an airplane owner, magneto checks are one of the most important items to be done during the preflight runup. But what is the best way to interpret a rough mag?  Are you maximizing the information that is being presented to you on your instrument panel? In today’s episode, I will […]

So… what is a “Gotcha?” In the context of today’s podcast, it is a significant issue, an important issue, or a potentially dangerous issue, that you may not find out about, unless you take action to repair, or resolve, a lesser, or more routine, issue. Where did I get this term “Gotcha?”  From my previous […]

February 5, 2016 Servicing landing gear shock struts… can you do it as an airplane owner? Absolutely!  Just take a look at the list of items in Part 43, Appendix A. However, MAKE SURE you are familiar with the procedure before you launch into on your own. Why?  Because servicing landing gear shock struts can be […]

January 30, 2016 Ever thought about changing the oil and filter on your airplane?  If not, this might be a good time to think about it. As an owner, you can do an oil change on your airplane, and sign off the work in your maintenance records… just take a look at the Federal Aviation […]

January 22, 2016 The condition of your charging system is a very important part of your airplane. Today, we cover charging system components, possible issues and problems, as well as what you, as an airplane owner, can do to keep things functioning properly. In this episode, I share some actual stories about airplanes that had […]

January 15, 2016 Aircraft Maintenance Records… Today, I talk about 7 tips for organizing your airplane’s paperwork and maintenance records.  Generate a concise, but complete, AD compliance record. Compute all applicable times for aircraft, engine(s), and prop(s). Organize maintenance records (logbooks) and separate the current ones from the old ones. Locate and organize all 337 […]

The teeth on the small gear in this landing gear motor were stripped off, requiring a very careful manual gear extension.  Listen to the podcast and see how it all turned out! The gear motor attaches to the gearbox / drive assembly, which is an amazingly simple, but critical part of the landing gear system […]

Podcast Episode 007 January 1, 2016 Do you own a Piper Cherokee, or some other Piper model?  Are you considering buying one?  If your answer is yes, then you might want to listen to this episode! One item that tends to be overlooked on Piper airplanes, is Service Bulletin 1006.  It is an inspection to […]

December 25, 2015 Merry Christmas everyone! Today we talk about how to CHECK the magneto timing on your airplane engine. This is NOT about how to adjust the timing, but simply how to CHECK it.   In order to check magneto to engine timing, you will need: A timing indicator.  (A popular one is called a […]

Airplane Owner Maintenance Podcast Episode 005 Valuable and Specific Maintenance Training Specific aviation maintenance training is often extremely focused and highly beneficial. Some specific training I’ve had the opportunity to participate in: 1997:  Pratt & Whitney PT-6 engine school in Montreal, Québec, Canada 2003:  American Bonanza Society (ABS) service clinic in Poughkeepsie, New York 2004:  King […]

10 Tips for a Safe and Successful Compression Test  Run the engine. Check the mag switch for proper grounding. Be sure your compression testing equipment is calibrated. Use a helper! The person holding the prop is in charge. Special Announcement:  Learn how to produce a podcast!  Take Cliff Ravenscraft’s course, Podcasting A to Z, and get a […]