approach - Flightline Aviation
Transcription
approach - Flightline Aviation
PROPELLE R IN THIS ISSUE: Ohio State Troopers The Skycatcher Piston Engine Information, Updates and More 2012 1 ST Q U A R T E R DIRECT approach in THIS Issue: WELCOME FROM CESSNA Jodi S. Noah Senior Vice President Cessna Single Engine / Propeller Products technical INFO 1 MESSAGE FROM JODI S. NOAH 5 in every ISSUE 2 As the leader of the Propeller Aircraft business unit, I would like to introduce to you the management team for Cessna’s propeller side: MANDATORY BULLETINSELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS 14 CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: OHIO STATE TROOPERS 16 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: 16 GILL 7000 SERIES REPLACEMENT BATTERY TRIM TAB OVERHAUL REQUIREMENT THE SKYCATCHER THE DIRECT APPROACH FOR PROPELLER IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE CESSNA CUSTOMER SERVICE ORGANIZATION. COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOMED. 20 ASK THE EXPERTS PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO MITZIE HALL 316-517-4237 [email protected] EDITOR: TOM RONNAU 316-517-1167 [email protected] WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU, OUR CESSNA CUSTOMERS Last summer, Cessna welcomed our new CEO, Scott Ernest. A few short weeks later, we went through a pretty significant restructuring of our organization and most importantly, our decision making processes. Cessna has historically managed through the use of a functional structure, with organizations structured around disciplines: manufacturing, engineering, customer service, marketing, finance, human resources, etc. In this structure, decision making typically happened at the top, sometimes resulting in Cessna being somewhat slow to react both to customer issues as well as new opportunities. In the new organization structure, we have created business units and put business leaders over each of our products. These business leaders have full responsibility for the financial performance of their respective products. Don’t mistake this for a finance position. The business leaders determine the future plans/enhancements for their product (i.e, engineering spending), they set the production schedule, they establish and manage customer program reviews, they determine manufacturing volumes and ensure the product is designed for manufacturability and reliability. They have the big picture view and are responsible for making all the day to day decisions regarding their products to increase Cessna’s velocity. Brad White – McCauley Propeller Systems Tracy Leopold – Skycatcher Jeff Umscheid – Single Engine High Wings, 172/182/206 Terry Shriner – Corvalis Lannie O’Bannion – Caravan What does all this mean to you, Cessna’s customers? I can personally attest to the changes that are going on at Cessna that, in the long run, should be significant for our customers. The propeller side of our business is getting the attention at Cessna that it deserves. We have resources dedicated to improving our products, R&D dollars set aside for product development, a propeller-specific marketing strategy and a sales team that is ready to sell some airplanes. Our team is focused on understanding what our customers want from us and then delivering on it. We are ready to bring some excitement back into the propeller business. This excitement will start the last week of March as we have our team located around the world at the Sun ‘n Fun, ABACE and FIDAE air shows to bring some new offerings to our customers. Wherever you are in the world, we invite you to come see us and participate in this excitement. If you can’t be there in person, you can follow us on facebook and twitter. I hope you enjoy this issue of the Direct Approach Propeller. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the near future. In the mean time, happy flying! Jodi page 1 www.cessna.com CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT Ohio State Troopers - USE CESSNAS TO PATROL HIGHWAYS “We don’t need a low wing that we can’t see past. We have a long history with Cessna. It’s a proven product, and it works well for the mission we do,” says Boggs, who is a commercial pilot with instrument ratings for single engine and rotorcraft. If you’re tailgating, making illegal lane changes, putting pedal to metal and generally being a menace to yourself and others on the roads of Ohio, you should know that the law could be watching over you and that you’ll never see them coming. And that’s exactly the point of the work done by the 15 pilots of the Ohio State Patrol’s Aviation Unit based at Ohio State University Airport in Columbus. A major part of their mission, like that of their fellow troopers on the ground, is traffic enforcement, and they use a fleet of 11 Cessna 182s, two Cessna 172s, a Grand Caravan and two helicopters to carry it out. “The Cessnas are our enforcement aircraft, our Crown Vics in the sky,” says Staff Lt. Randy Boggs, the section’s commander, one of its pilots and an 18-year veteran of the unit. “It’s gratifying to know that what we’re doing here supports the troopers on the ground. You know that what we’re doing saves people’s lives. The more we’re out there the more we’re reducing the fatality rate.” TEAMING UP FOR SAFETY On a typical day, five or six of the unit’s Cessna propeller Cessna 182 operated by Ohio State Patrol aircraft are aloft, working with troopers in cars below. On busy holidays like Labor Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day – when roads jam and become more dangerous – the goal is to get all 13 patrol aircraft up. “We consider ourselves a force multiplier,” Boggs says. “We can be very productive when we have support on the ground.” Stopwatches in hand, the pilots measure how long a motorist takes to travel between marked quarter-mile-long sections. Usually drivers are singled out because they are too close to the next vehicle or are going much faster than surrounding traffic. The pilots, who all patrolled on the ground before taking to the sky, quickly calculate the speed and notify a ground unit. From a couple thousand feet up, car models aren’t discernible. So a Chevy Suburban becomes “black SUV,” a BMW becomes “silver car.” The trooper will pull over the offender’s vehicle, and the pilot of the “Crown Vic in the sky” will confirm that the vehicle is the right one and make sure the stop proceeds safely before resuming patrol. It involves an element of surprise, of course, but the goal is safer roads not speed traps, Boggs says. “We don’t nitpick. We tend to focus on the more aggressive violations, the higher speeds and the following too close that typically lead to accidents.” PERFECT FOR BEING ON PATROL In addition to the time-tested reliability of the Cessna 182 and 172 aircraft, the planes have a key feature particularly suited for law officers watching from above: their high-wing design. Other than radios for law enforcement communications, the patrolling Cessnas carry no special equipment except LoJack detection units aboard two aircraft. The detectors allow tracking of stolen vehicles and other equipment carrying the anti-theft transmitters. “We tell them where to go, then the ground officers can zero in on it,” Boggs says. 2 To qualify for the unit, a state trooper must have a pilot’s license with an instrument rating. Some became interested in joining the unit after serving elsewhere with the patrol. Others knew before joining the patrol that they wanted to eventually move to the Aviation Section. Boggs is one of the latter; he comes from a family of pilots and earned his pilot’s license at OSU Airport while in college. No matter their level of experience when joining, pilots go through extensive training “We are a leader in the nation when it comes to traffic enforcement,” Boggs says. “We have had a lot of other agencies come in and say, ‘How do you do it?’ ” MISSIONS THAT ARE SPECIAL Eighty percent of the unit’s work involves traffic enforcement, but that’s not its only mission. While routinely patrolling and traveling to and from their assigned areas across the state, pilots in the 13 Cessnas – 11 stationed in Columbus, two in northern Ohio – watch for marijuana. Cessna has been a part of the Aviation Section for decades... ...and its fleet now consists entirely of planes built after Cessna resumed single-engine production in the mid-1990s. Most of its maintenance is done at its hangar at OSU Airport by state employees who also service aircraft for two other departments. Back in 1996, the FAA recognized the section for PLE A S E S E E N E X T PAG E page 156,000 hours of safe fixed-wing operations – and the unit hasn’t had an accident in the thousands and thousands of hours since. page 3 that involves one or two weeks with a flight instructor, two or three months flying with a training officer and checks at various stages. With the size of the Aviation Section and its approach, visitors come from across the country to check it out. “Growers will go into a corn field and clean out a spot to plant some plants,” Boggs says. “Those P L E A SE SE E N E X T PAG E Several Models Affected patterns they create stick out like a sore thumb. We call them holes in the corn. It looks very geometric.” The pilot notifies local law enforcement and then guides officers to the “holes.” The unit’s 2006 Grand Caravan was bought to give it a highflying surveillance platform. The plane’s special camera provides pictures – which can stream to the ground – from up to 7,000 to 8,000 feet. The Caravan has been used for more extensive marijuana investigations, such as in southern Ohio where old mining areas are used for large-scale growing. In another case, “We helped our vehicle theft unit work a theft ring in northern Ohio where they were stealing Corvettes left and right.” As a law enforcement tool, Boggs says, the Caravan is ideal for any time “we don’t want them to know we’re up there.” Transporting commanders, photographers, crime lab staff and other patrol staff to crime scenes and other locations is another service of the unit provides, particularly with its two Eurocopter AStars. All of its aircraft, fixed and rotor wing, assist other law enforcement agencies when needed, to locate fleeing suspects, to document crime scenes and to take aerial photos – basically anything they can do to help. The Aviation Section also searches for missing persons and those in critical need of assistance, when the call goes out for help. Boggs recalls when one of its helicopters helped locate a young child who had wandered into a cornfield. In another instance, a badly injured and bleeding driver walked away from his wrecked car. A pilot spotted him on a golf course a couple hundred yards away. “It’s gratifying to realize that what you did today probably saved somebody’s life. The troopers on the ground have that same feeling. You want to make a difference.” Staff Lt. Randy Boggs page 4 Cessna Issues Mandatory Bulletins ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS Cessna published Service Bulletins SEB12-27-01 and MEB12-27-01 to address an issue which was reported through the Cessna Condition Reporting system. A Cessna 182S experienced interference with its elevator control system (in the neutral position). The airplane subsequently landed without incident. Upon investigation, a technician found the attach screw for the control column glide had come loose, jammed under the glide, and interfered with control of the elevator. Cessna’s investigation of other airplanes having similar designs, revealed control column glide screws with varying degrees of security. To eliminate the possibility of these screws loosening in-service, and thereby preventing a reoccurrence of the elevator control interference, all affected airplanes will be required to replace the screws and install safety wire at the next scheduled inspection. PDF copies of these bulletins are available behind the Customer Access link at: https://support.cessna.com/ custsupt/csupport/newlogin.jsp. page 5 SHAKE OFF THE SHIMMIES – WITH LORD DAMPERS. Takeoffs and landings – they’re all smooth sailing for Cessnas equipped with LORD Shimmy Dampers. LORD brings a new technical approach to fighting shimmies. The result is dampers that are leak free, service free – and best of all, shimmy free. For more information or to order, please call your Cessna Authorized Service Facility. To locate the one nearest you, call 866-777-6150 or 316-261-8063 (international). Part # Application SE1051-2 Approved replacement for Cessna #0442512-1 and Cessna #0542119-1 150G-M, A150K-M, 152, A152, F150G-H, F150J-M, FA150K-L, FRA150L-M,172 (46433+) 172Q, 172R, 172S, P172D, R172K, F172D-P, FR172E-K,175-175C (55896-57119), 182B-182D (51557-53598) SE1051-3 Approved replacement for Cessna #0442512-2 and Cessna #0542119-2 150,150A-F SE1068-5 Approved replacement for Cessna #0743624-1 182K-N,182P-T, T182T SE1069-3 Approved replacement for Cessna #0743624-2 206H, P206B-E, T206H, TU206B-G, U206B-G, 207, 207A, T207, T207A, 210G-H, 210J-N SE1070-7 Approved replacement for Lord #SE-1070-4 & -6 208, 208A, 208B SE1076-1 Approved alternate for Beech #35-825145, 35-825145-2, 35-825145-6 58P, 58TC, 35-33, 35-A33, 35-C33A, E33C, F33, F33A, F33C, G33, H35, J35, K35, M35, N35, P35, S35, V35, V35A-B, 36, A36, A36TC, B36TC, 95-55, 95-A55, 95-B55, 95-C55, 95-C55A, G58, D55, D55A, E55, 58, 35, A-G35 SE1088-1 Approved alternate for Cessna #1743020-3 177, 177A, 177B SE1 1090-1 Approved alternate for Cessna #0842410-2 310, 310B-D, 310F-L, 310N, 310P-R, T310P-R, 320, 320A –F, 335, 340, 340A, 401, 401A-B, 402, 402A-C, 404, 406, 411, 411A, 414, 414A, 421, 421A-C, 425, 441 Click here for a quote. page 6 McCAULEY CREATES A COMPOSITE PROP The first composite propeller product manufactured by McCauley Propeller Systems is the Model 1L100 fixed pitch propeller, and is built in Columbus, Georgia, at McCauley’s manufacturing and assembly facility. The all-composite two-blade fixed-pitch propeller is designed for the O-200D Continental engine powering the Cessna 162 Skycatcher. The propeller is a single piece composite design with unidirectional carbon fibers running from tip to tip. The outer surface incorporates layers of fiberglass cloth which allows for reparability. A durable nickel leading edge guard is bonded to the blades and the assembly is finished with a coat of polyurethane paint. The design yields an incredibly strong and durable propeller that is 5-foot-6-inches in length and weighs just 9.5 pounds, 13.5 pounds less than the comparable aluminum propeller. Preflight and maintenance for the composite prop is similar to its’ metal cousins Before each flight, the leading edge guards and blades should be inspected for any damage. If nicks, gouges, or scrapes are present in the painted areas, reference the MPC28 Owner/Operator CD provided with the propeller for disposition. Propeller mounting bolts should be checked for proper torque annually or every 100 hours of operation. McCauley SB137AE defines the overhaul frequency as 72 calendar months or 2,000 hours, whichever comes first. The 1L100 is covered by the McCauley standard three (3) year warranty. Information on this and other McCauley products can be found at www.mccauley.textron.com. The McCauley Product Support group also provides technical support for all McCauley products, and can be reached at productsupport@mccauley. textron.com or 800-621-7767. page 7 www.cessna.com product spotlight Skycatcher: thrifty enough for training, ‘pilot’ enough for veteran flyers Watson, whose planes are used for flight training and recreational rental alike, said they succeeded, “It’s a pilot’s airplane. It’s got a stick control. The visibility is just great; the entire door is a window and the strut is not blocking your view. It’s very powerful for the weight.” The Cessna 162 is hitting its marks: an economical aircraft that lets beginners get into aviation but has performance that makes pilots new and experienced alike want to fly the Skycatcher. Glenn Watson works in network engineering for Dell Computer in Round Rock, Texas, and grew up around aviation. His dad was a commercial pilot and Watson himself earned his singleengine private pilot’s license about a decade ago and shares ownership in a Cessna 172 based at Georgetown Municipal Airport. Computers provide Watson a living, but aviation tugs at him. He started an aviation photography business, Mach Point One Aviation Media, to fuel that interest and he keeps looking to make a career out of aircraft. The economical Skycatcher provided an attractive avenue driven by cold, hard business facts. “It was strictly a numbers thing. It was direct operating cost,” Watson said of choosing 162s – he now owns three –leasing them to central Texas flight schools. “I wanted to buy them and put them into service.” Although he crunched the numbers to choose a Skycatcher, the planes fueled Watson’s flying passion once he took the controls. All photos courtesy of Glenn Watson/Mach Point One Aviation Media. Glenn Watson’s Skycatcher fleet, shot from his Cessna 172. His aviation photo business, Mach Point One Aviation Media, is named from the speed of the Skycatcher. EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST Cessna designers and engineers set out to design just such a competitive and “awesome” aircraft after the creation of the lightsport aircraft category in 2005. Glenn Watson, at the Fredericksburg Hangar Dance; first stop after delivery of third Skycatcher. “It’s an awesome airplane and people who fly it agree,” he said. “I have a pretty good rental following at Georgetown. It’s new and competes well against older planes that don’t have a glass panel.” They had tough parameters to work within when the Skycatcher program launched in 2006: less than 1,320 lbs. gross weight, two passengers, single engine, fixed propeller, fixed landing gear and a top airspeed of 120 knots. The trick was to squeeze in maximum performance and features along with an entry-level price, while crafting an aircraft proud to carry the Cessna name. Because it is factory built, the 162 is an SLSA (special light-sport aircraft), meaning it can be used for rentals and training. Powered by a 100-hp Continental O-200D engine that provides good climbing power, the Skycatcher comes with Garmin G300 glass panel avionics that have a single electronic split-screen primary flight display and a multifunction display. The G300 is a real selling point, Watson said. “The glass cockpit is huge,” said Tracy Leopold, Cessna Skycatcher business leader. “When you fly the Skycatcher, it has weather and it has runways. It has everything a business jet would have in this little package. It’s as high tech as anything out there.” ties doubled to two years and 2,000 hours. A McCauley composite propeller was added. The multifunction display and intercom became standard equipment. “Our customers said those were the features they wanted,” Leopold said. DURABLE, WELL-TESTED AND READY TO TRAIN With more than two years of deliveries complete, the Skycatcher is reaching milestones. “We’ve gone through our first 10,000-hour test cycle and haven’t found anything significant,” Leopold said. The fatigue test article has completed the equivalent of one life time and will continue well beyond the expect usage in the field. The fatigue article helps Cessna provide a robust product to market. Early in the design process, Cessna chose to test beyond the requirements. It put the Skycatcher through extra flight and structural testing. “The airframe is tested to Part 23 standards, including the main and nose landing gear. It can stand up to the rigors of flight training,” Leopold said. Skycatcher used a full floating structural test article which was loaded similar to a jet under development at Cessna. Cessna performed main landing gear and nose landing gear drop tests to ensure a robust design. During the flight test program Skycatcher completed over 400 flights while addressing compliance test conditions. In addition to the Cessna manufacturing legacy, pilots-tobe can take advantage of the company’s well-established P L E A SE SE E N E X T PAG E It is built in China by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a plane maker for nearly six decades, then disassembled and shipped to Kansas. After arriving at Cessna’s Independence facility, it is reassembled. As production ramped up, Cessna fine-tuned the plane’s standard equipment package for 2012 models. The engine, airframe and avionics warran- Glenn Watson’s first Skycatcher on the way home from delivery in Wichita. P L E A S E S E E N E X T PAG E page 8 page 9 www.cessna.com Glenn Watson’s three Skycatchers lined up for a formation photo shoot in Waco, TX. Watson leases the 162 to flight training centers in central Texas with his company, Mach Point One Aviation. training online and at Cessna Pilot Centers. “You can use the online curriculum on the go.” Leopold said, adding that the system allows instructors to individualize training. “We have the curriculum that goes along with either the sport or the private license. It allows the instructor to know exactly where the student is in the training and they can tailor the training around the student. It is proven that if you start and finish at a Cessna Pilot Center it takes less time.” THRIFTY ON SEVERAL LEVELS The Skycatcher requires just a sport pilot’s license and that license requires fewer hours of flight training. That, of course, means training and aircraft rental can cost less. Leopold said Cessna put time-tested components – the Continental engine, for example – into the Skycatcher in an effort to keep ongoing costs down for pilots and trainers. “The cost of maintenance goes directly to the bottom line, whether for a flight school or individual owner. The engine is tried and true. We tried to go with known entities,” she said. All of Watson’s Skycatchers are used for flight training. Two of the three are at Cessna Pilot Centers: at Aurora Aviation at McGregor Airport near Waco and at Stinson Flight Training Center near San Antonio, where the aircraft is supporting an aviation program at Texas Lutheran College. A student pilot can save thousands training with a Skycatcher, Leopold said. “There’s usually a $25 to $30 an hour difference,” Watson said of training and rental. “And the airplane is cheaper to operate, too.” “The Skycatcher offers opportunity for the flight school. They can put people in this airplane and make money,” Leopold said. The Skycatcher offered Watson a reasonable entrance into the business and he hopes his leaseback fleet will keep growing. He’s found that acceptance of the Skycatcher happens, like it did for him, when pilots give it a chance. “Sometimes they’ll say, ‘I’m way too much of a pilot for that.’ As soon as you get them into the airplane, that all goes away.” Leopold sees the Skycatcher’s economy and flight characteristics satisfying multiple audiences. “It’s robust enough for a flight school but also for the entry-level owner. It’s a great weekend aircraft for pancake fly-ins, for air shows, for the $100 hamburger – maybe, with the Skycatcher, that’s just a $50 hamburger.” SKYCATCHER BY THE NUMBERS Price $149,900 Single-pilot certifiedYes Maximum cruise speed 118 ktas (219 km/h) Certified ceiling 14,625 ft (4,458 m) Takeoff distance 1,138 ft (347 m) Landing distance 1,369 ft (418 m) Rate of climb at sea level 880 fpm (268.2 mpm) Range440 nm Weight1,324 lb (599 kg) Usable fuel capacity 24 gal Typically equipped empty weight 843 lb (378 kg) Useful Load 481 lb (218.1 kg) Exterior height 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) Length 22 ft 1 in (6.73 m) Wingspan 30 ft (9.14 m) Cabin: Height 47 in (1.19 m) Width43.6 in (1.11 m) Length 7 ft 7 in (2.32 m) Baggage capacity 22 cubic ft (0.6 cubic m) Get information or online quotes PL E A S E S E E N E X T PAG E A COMPARISON OF PILOT CERTIFICATES* Requirements & Privileges SportPrivate FAA Medical Certificate No (U.S. Driver’s License and Self-Certification) Yes Unlimited (May Require Type Rating) Aircraft Size Limitations 1,320 lb. (Max. Gross Weight Two Seats Max.) Fly Aircraft with Retractable Gear NoYes Carry More than One Passenger NoYes 20 Hours40 Hours FAA Minimum Flight Training Time* 33 Hours60 Hours Avg. Real-World Flight Training Time* Fly in Class B, C, or D Airspace With Additional Flight Instruction Only Yes Night FlyingNoYes Fly Outside U.S. AirspaceNoYes Fly w/ Less than 3 Miles Visibility No Yes (In Uncontrolled Airspace) Sightseeing FlightsNoYes It’s easy to get Cessna Authorized Service Center information now Need additional information or a quote? Let us know what it is, and we’ll immediately go to work and quickly contact you. It’s your connection to the quickest and best service in the business. (Benefitting Charity or Community) Click here now. *Under Part 61 page 10 page 11 www.cessna.com CESSNA “SkyKat” WELL WORTH THE WAIT! By Helen R. Taylor NOTE: The following article was written by a new Skycatcher owner. When asked if she would be interested in sharing her experience with Cessna and flying the new 162, she responded with enthusiasm that only someone that has taken the opportunity to learn to fly can appreciate. Please read, enjoy and share with others, Helen Taylor’s story about her “SkyKat.” It was a little over three years ago when our Cessna 172 was destroyed. We quickly decided to acquire the new Cessna 162 “Skycatcher” as a replacement. Patiently we waited while Cessna finalized the design, completed engine selection, determined exterior colors, modified the seat and had Garmin develop the avionics. With only six months left to reinvest the insurance proceeds, or pay the recaptured capital gains tax, we were informed a Skycatcher was finally available to us by Eric Neeb, of Propel Aircraft Sales in Colorado, and we were invited to take delivery. Eric did a great job on behalf of Cessna, and the transaction went smoothly. It was well worth the wait, as Cessna has done a terrific job on this aircraft. 12 page Most importantly, this is one fun and happy airplane to fly! Around our hangar, we call this Model 162 the “SkyKat” to reflect the appealing new look and quick response characteristics. Our SkyKat leaps off the runway, and claws toward the sky at an unbelievably fast rate of climb of over 600 fpm at our higher altitude (880 fpm at sea level). She is nimble and quick to respond to commands from the stick, which is easy to adjust to from the 172 yoke. In fact, it’s more relaxing to use this stick, as my arm rests comfortably on the door support. It slides sideto-side and forward-to-back in a controlled manner, and is attached to the front panel. There’s no tripping over this stick as you get in or out of the aircraft, unlike some of the other Light Sport Aircraft we had been encouraged to consider, in the event Cessna was unable to deliver in our limited time-frame. Cessna has really done an outstanding job on this LSA. The curved lines on the cowling portray the sleek performance visually. Cessna chose the seasoned Continental O-200-D engine that delivers 100 BHP — just the right amount of power. This solid engine enables our SkyKat to cruise at over 100 kts, which is comparable to what our 172 could do at our altitude. The final color scheme was more conservative, with a solid white base with black and grey electrified stripes, which is more appealing to us. Cessna’s Skycatcher reassembly center, installed the optional burgundy accent stripes for a little panache. We ended up changing the registration number, since our new airplane was delivered with a fourdigit one that we all stumbled over every time we talked to the tower, and we matched it to the burgundy for some added spice to the color scheme. It was fun decorating this airplane — a first for me! Keep in mind that this is not a down-sized 172 in any way, nor is it an up-size from the classic 152. This is a wonderful new aircraft from Cessna, with lots of interior side-to-side space for two people to sit very comfortably. To me, flying the SkyKat is like driving a nimble sports car. It’s the light touch that keeps me smiling and enjoying the flight all the way. my eyes moving outside to watch for traffic. Wait until you see the avionics — they are simply amazing. We chose the MFD (multi-function display) in addition to the standard PFD (primary flight display) available on the Garmin G300 avionics. With two beautiful screens to monitor during flight, and a toggle stick that simplifies and speeds up the on-screen selection process, the big challenge for me was to stop looking at the screens and keep Did I mention the incredible view and ease of access to the interior? With the struts behind the door, there’s no more banging into the strut since it’s now completely out of the way, and the door swings up under the wing. Thanks Cessna — what a great idea. Since the nose of the SkyKat dips slightly down during flight, panoramic visibility is wide open and incredible! PL E A S E S E E N E X T PAG E 13 page The castering nose landing gear takes a little getting used to, but once the adjustment is made it’s like a comfortable pair of shoes. The seats don’t adjust, which felt a bit awkward at first, but the rudder pedals do, and once adjusted, it was fine. The G300 has an electronic weight and balance performed during pre-flight to verify proper loads. If the aircraft is beyond maximum load, the weight and balance envelope diagram turns red and adjustments must be made prior to take off. This is another fabulous safety feature of the G300. This is our third Cessna airplane and we are very proud to be a member of the Cessna family. Thanks again Cessna, for taking the time to design this aircraft so incredibly well, and for taking such great care of us as your customer. We purchased this aircraft for our local flight school, Leading Edge Aviation. They’ve been great to work with, and students really like the SkyKat, especially the avionics. One student in particular had just about given up on learning to fly and just couldn’t get the “feel” of it. When he was given a lesson in the SkyKat, he became excited again and was determined to finish his private license. He said he could “fly this airplane.” The Cessna 162 is the right airplane for the flight school environment, and we’re excited for the future and are ready for spring flying weather to arrive. Improved Battery Gill LT Replacement Battery Available Cessna Gifts Nothing Says Style Like a Gift From the Cessna Gift Shop see the numerous items available at the online Cessna store www.cessnagiftshop.com Clothing, aircraft models, pilot and cabin supplies, hats, sunglasses, watches, luggage, coffee mugs, golf bags and many other items perfect for the Cessna enthusiast in your life – yourself included – are available at the shop. Here’s a closer look at a few of our offerings. Cessna Service Parts and Programs is offering a new improved Gill 7000 Series battery to replace the Gill G-6381ES sealed lead-acid battery, which is being phased out. Gill’s new 7638-44 LT Battery The newest LT is TSO-authorized and FAA PMA-approved for installation in the Cessna Caravans. The newly available battery has an improved shelf life of 24 months of inspection-free storage, when stored at room temperatures between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, it comes with 24-month warranty from date of installation. And, at 85 pounds, it is three pounds lighter than its predecessor battery. and once the engine has started the battery recovers to full charge twice as fast,” says Teledyne Battery Products Sales Manager, Tom Jones. Teledyne Battery Products, in Redlands California, is the manufacturer of Gill aircraft batteries. The Gill line of lead acid batteries is widely recognized as a premier power source for general aviation. The company has developed a number of premium aviation batteries for many general aviation aircraft. Dependable, Durable and Reliable “Examples of comments we hear from current users of this battery is that the starts are faster, the engine spools up a lot quicker, they are not seeing hot starts, 14 page For more information or to order, please call your Cessna Authorized Service Facility. To locate the one nearest you, call 866-777-6150 or 316-261-8063 (international). CUSTOMIZE IT! In addition to clothing and other goods already carrying Cessna logos and model-specific artwork – from the Skycatcher to the Citation X – many other items can be customized with the logo of your choice. A Cessna Gift Shop 316-517-GIFT (4438) www.cessnagiftshop.com B A. Nike hats: Bearing the stylish swoosh, these two-toned lightweight golf hats come in a variety of colors. B. Kanata Alpaca Home Throw: Like many of the store’s wares, this cozy blanket is great at home, in the car or in your high-flying Cessna. C C. “Legend of Cessna”: Telling the nearly century-long tale of Cessna Aircraft, this beautiful coffee table book is loaded with photos and vivid stories. This third edition features a foreword by actor and aviation enthusiast Harrison Ford. D. BrightLine Pilot Bag: Standing on its own, this bag has 25 pockets and is tall enough for charts and a 13 inch laptop. E. Fairway & Greene Pureformance 1/4 Zip Fleece: Made of pima cotton a fastwicking and drying materialit’s perfect alone or layered. D E 15 page TRIM TAB OVERHAUL REQUIREMENT Not Specifically Defined in Every Cessna Maintenance Manual Boot WinCaravan an Annual! PREMIER PARTNER PROGRAM The intent of the requirement is to assure that a serviceable and well maintained actuator is installed on the airplane. Cessna configured early maintenance manuals in a General Aviation Manufactures Association (GAMA) format, and later adopted the Airline Transport Association (ATA) format. Section 2: Ground Handling, Servicing, Lubrication and Inspection - is where the inspection/overhaul requirement will be located in the GAMA manuals. In ATA manuals, it is in Chapter 5, Time Limits/Maintenance Checks. The overhaul requirement of 1,000 hours or three years, whichever comes first, is the most common across the model line, although some early manuals contain an inspection and lubrication requirement at a 100 hour or annual interval and no overhaul requirement. The overhaul of a trim tab actuator is not specifically defined in every Cessna maintenance manual. Cessna considers this requirement to be met when the trim tab actuator is disassembled, cleaned, inspected, worn components replaced, reassembled with fresh lubrication, and then tested. If a trim tab actuator has been determined to be beyond economical repair or the servicing facility does not have the capability to overhaul the actuator, it can be replaced to meet the three year or 1000 hour overhaul requirement. The actual overhaul task information is found Section 9 of the GAMA manuals, and Chapter 27 of the ATA formatted manuals, when it is incorporated. Skycatcher MANEUVERING SPEED EXPLAINED Va AND Vo ARE DIFFERENT Va is Design Maneuvering Speed. This is the speed chosen by the designer to which control surfaces and control surface structural attachments are sized. Hence, the remarks: Do not make full or abrupt control surface movements above this speed in the 162 POH section 2 limitations. This speed does not protect the airframe from over stressing. Vo is Maximum Operating Maneuvering Speed. This is the speed at which the airplane will stall longitudinally, prior to reaching the maximum structural load factor protecting the airframe from overstress. This speed varies with the weight of the airplane and is higher at higher operating weights, since the stall will occur at a greater speed and the controls will be less effective at the increased weight. Keep in mind that when the airplane stalls, lift loads are no longer present and the airframe is, for all practical purposes, unloaded. This is the speed at which the airplane should be flown through turbulent air. The requirement to provide Va is a ASTM limitation requiring a placard. It appears on the 162 because the ASTM standards committee adopted the Va as the requirement. Cessna includes Vo in the limitations section of the POH, along with the placard affixed to the instrument panel, to provide the information necessary for the safe operation of the airplane. page 16 Tell Us About Your Cessna Experience 2011 Grand Prize Annual Winner: Cessna is excited to offer our customers the Premier Partner Program again this year. A few changes have been included to allow seamless participation, reducing the time it takes to just five simple questions: • • • • • Anton T. Skoro, customer of Troutdale Aircraft Services, Inc., near Portland, Oregon. Were you satisfied? Will you use us again? Would you recommend us? Comments? May we contact you? Everyone is a winner through improved service, a free oil change or annual inspection. Each quarter Cessna will award one lucky participant an oil change at no cost when they bring their airplane back to their Cessna Authorized Service Facility. (Your aircraft does not have to be a Cessna.) Caravan The annual inspection winner will be drawn in January, 2013. Look for the winners and their pictures in each quarterly Direct Approach Propeller. Have your answers ready and visit www.cessnasurvey.com today. VHF Com Antenna Reliability Enhancement G1000 208/208B Caravan operators have reported poor reliability of the CI268-60 VHF/COM Antenna through the Cessna condition reporting system. Cessna’s investigation resulted in an enhancement to the antenna beginning with antenna serial 372480. In addition, the warranty for antenna serial numbers below 372480 has been extended to six years from the manufacture date for the remaining units in the field. This is a part only warranty and does not cover labor or shipping costs. If an antenna in the affected serial range fails outside of the airframe warranty, please file a claim for review through a Cessna Authorized Service Facility. To locate the one nearest you, call 866-777-6150 or 316-261-8063 (international). 17 page www.cessna.com CESSNA AND LYCOMING WANT YOU TO GET MORE OF A GOOD THING. The Lycoming Extended Warranty Program for Cessna - one of the best warranties in aviation. Now available in one, two, or three year extensions, the program offers the same coverage – including full parts and labor – as the original Lycoming engine warranty. (The only coverage exception is for accessories.) The Lycoming extension is available to all Cessna aircraft now covered by the original two-year warranty. For more information or to order,please call your Cessna Authorized Service Facility, or 866-777-6150 or 316-261-8063 (international). Application 172R/S IO-360-L2A 182T IO-540-AB1A5 T182T TIO-540-AK1A 206H IO-540-AC1A5 T206H TIO-540-AJ1A ** Pricing subject to change SCAN WITH YOUR SMART PHONE Part Number Retail Price** Part Number Retail Price** Part Number Retail Price** Part Number Retail Price** Part Number Retail Price** 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year LXW172-1 $1,237.00 LXW182-1 $1,379.00 LXW182T-1 $2,053.00 LXW206-1 $1,788.00 LXW206T-1 $2,557.00 LXW172-2 $2,622.00 LXW182-2 $2,924.00 LXW182T-2 $4,352.00 LXW206-2 $3,790.00 LXW206T-2 $5,420.00 LXW172-3 $4,215.00 LXW182-3 $4,701.00 LXW182T-3 $6,996.00 LXW206-3 $6,092.00 LXW206T-3 $8,713.00 Skycatcher Mandatory Bulletin Publishes Secondary Door Latch Cessna has completed an extensive study of the ergonomics involved with operation of the 162 cabin doors. The initial results of this study, Mandatory Service Bulletin SB11-52-01 Cabin door secondary latch installation, provide an added margin of latch integrity to assure the door latch is properly engaged on the latch striker. The secondary latch will not travel the full 90 degrees to the lower stop if the forward latch is not properly engaged. Use of this modification requires a second action on the part of the pilot when assuring the doors are closed and latched prior to takeoff. This step is very important and has been included in Revision 4 of the Pilots Operating Handbook (POH) as well as Revision 4 of the abbreviated check list. A pdf copy is available at https://support.cessna.com/docs/custsupt/cessnasupport/documents/162PHUS.pdf. Please make sure you have the Skycatcher 19 Cessna has determined that the difficulty experienced with the operation of the door latch has its origin in the top hinged door design, the flexibility of the latch, and the door structure. The secondary latch will assure that the primary latch is properly engaged, and maintain the closed condition of the door, should the primary latch be opened inadvertently in-flight. Cessna will cover the costs involved with repair of those doors which have opened during operation of the airplane. Please contact a Cessna authorized service facility for details, or: cessnasupport.com for a copy of SB11-52-01 and a link to the Cessna YouTube channel, where a video on door operation is available. LATCHED OPEN Anti-Collision Lights For Cessna’s Skycatcher, Whelen® Engineering Company makes the LED position/anti-collision/tail light assemblies at each wing tip. These are comprised of light emitting diode arrays: three emitters are used for the position light, and three are used for the tail light. The anti-collision light is designed with 26 LED’s, and flash at a rate of approximately 45 cycles per minute. The intensity of the light and the flash rate of the anti-collision array prevent inspection for failed elements, so Built-In-Test (BIT) circuitry is employed to assure proper operation. page latest version of the POH and that the doors are properly closed. Close, Latch and Lean should be part of everyone’s before takeoff check. This BIT circuitry measures the power used during the on cycle, and will automatically shut off the strobe function after 9 or 10 flashes if a failure is detected. This same functionality will turn off the strobes if the system is operated with low voltage, less than 11.3 volts, on the buss. Most operators will not notice this issue once the engine is started since the alternator will be supporting the buss voltage and charging the battery. It is possible, however, for the engine throttle to be reduced to a low idle condition and the voltage to drop below the spec on a cold day. If this occurs, cycling the strobe switch to OFF and then back to ON with the engine above idle RPM will reset the BIT circuitry, and return the anti-collision function of the position lights. www.cessna.com ask THE EXPERTS ANSWERS EXPERTS FROM THE CESSNA SUPPORT TEAM SHARE ADVICE AND SHED LIGHT Question: Flap Track Wear What are the wear limits for the wing flap tracks on most Cessna Single Engine aircraft? Answer The maximum inside vertical slot wear is 0.6035 inch. The track side wear must not exceed 10% of the total width of the track. Most of the flap tracks on Cessna Single Engine aircraft measure 0.250 inch wide from the factory, which means the side wear on the track must not exceed 0.025 inch in depth. FLAP TRACK ASSEMBLY (REFERENCE) FLAP TRACK ASSEMBLY (REFERENCE) MAXIMUM 0.6035 INCH SLOT WEAR - APPLIES TO BOTH SLOTS MINIMUM THICKNESS 0.225 INCH DUE TO WEAR ON SIDE OF TRACK REAR SPAR VIEW LOOKING AT SIDE OF FLAP TRACK VIEW LOOKING DOWN ON FLAP TRACK How To submit comments and ask THE EXPERTS THE DIRECT APPROACH IS EMAILED QUARTERLY BY THE CESSNA CUSTOMER SERVICE ORGANIZATION. ASK THE EXPERTS AT: [email protected] And put Ask An Expert in the subject line Cessna hopes to make this a regular feature of this newsletter, but needs help to make it worthy. So if a question has been nagging or you just thought of something that others might be interested in, please Ask An Expert. Cessna experts will do their best to answer all submissions. If the responses do not appear here, an answer will be sent by email. THANKS for taking time to read our publication! We appreciate your readership and will do our best to continue to present you with the latest piston related news, products & happenings throughout the year. page 20