piperflyer.

org

After ADS-B
Compliance:
What’s Next for
Your Panel?
p. 30

April 2020 / Volume 17 / Issue 04

RICK GARCIA AND HIS

1977 PIPER PA-34-200T
SENECA II TURBO p. 36

Destination:
The Speed of Flight 2020 Copperstate Fly-in
Annual Rituals
p. 20
and Buckeye Air Fair
p. 44
2 • Piper Flyer |April
March 2020
2020
VISIT US AT BOOTH: HANGAR B, BOOTHS 1-9 FOR SHOW SPECIALS AND PROMOTIONS!

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 3

 April 2020

What’s inside / VOLUME 17 / ISSUE 04

CONTENTS
8

The View from Here
by Jennifer Dellenbusch

8 Letters

10 Events

14 The High and the Writey

By Kevin Garrison

16 Questions & Answers

by Steve Ells

22 20 The Speed of Flight

by Tom Machum

22 Renovating an Interior: Part

36
Nine—Seat Slings and Seat Foam
by Dennis Wolter

30 After ADS-B Compliance:

What’s Next for Your Panel?
by Dale Smith

36 Owner Profile: Rick Garcia and

his 1977 Piper PA-34-200T
Seneca II Turbo
by Dale Smith

30 44 Destination: 2020 Copperstate

Fly-in and Buckeye Air Fair
by Rob Huntington

54 Press Releases

58 Aviation Safety Alerts

68 Advertiser Index

70 Back When: Vintage Piper

Advertising and Marketing

44
Cover: Rick Garcia’s 1977 Piper PA-34-
200T Seneca II Turbo. Photo courtesy of
Gulf Coast Avionics.

4 • Piper Flyer April 2020

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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 5
Parts
avionics
EnginEs
ProPs
#1 for Aircraft Parts Support
Since 1984 The Official Magazine of
Same-Day Worldwide
Shipping
Over 5 MilliOn The Piper Flyer Association

We Price Match! in-StOck PartS! PRESIDENT

Jennifer Dellenbusch
Search our Parts jen@aviationgroupltd.com
for Free 24/7
VICE PRESIDENT / DIRECTOR OF SALES
DoDSon.coM cAll uS toDAy At 785-878-8000 Kent Dellenbusch
kent@aviationgroupltd.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Mike Kline

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Pierre Kotze

ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Scott Kinney

EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Diana Hart

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Mike Berry
Steven Ells
Kevin Garrison
Michael Leighton
Tom Machum
John Ruley
Jacqueline Shipe
Dale Smith
Kristin Winter
Dennis Wolter

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Paul Bowen
James Lawrence
Keith Wilson

PIPER FLYER ASSOCIATION

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Upland, CA 91786

Call or Text: 626.844.0125

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Piper Flyer is the official publication of the Piper Flyer Association.
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correspondence should be addressed to 1042 Mountain Ave.
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The information presented in Piper Flyer is from many sources

for this reason there can be no warranty or responsibility by
the publisher as to accuracy, originality, or completeness. The
magazine is sold with the understanding that the publisher is
not engaged in rendering product endorsements or providing
instruction as a substitute for appropriate training by qualified
sources. Piper Flyer and Aviation Group Limited will not assume
responsibility for any actions arising from any information
published in Piper Flyer. We invite comments and welcome any
report of inferior products obtained through our advertising, so
corrective action may be taken.

6 • Piper Flyer | April 2020

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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 7
 The View from Here Letters to the Editor
Jennifer Dellenbusch
Send your letters to
editor@piperflyer.org

COVID-19
Part Locating Praise
Hi Kent, 
Thanks for the parts locating
assistance. I was able to save over $800
“Panic is highly contagious, especially on that fuel selector valve for my Piper.
Paid for the cost of membership 20
in situations when nothing is known times over!

and everything is in flux.”

—Ken Hill

Stephen King
“The Early Cubs:
the J-2 and J-3”
March 2020
Please excuse this detour from strictly aviation-related themes. I’m by Jennifer Dellenbusch
writing this on March 9, 2020. The coronavirus known as COVID-19
is active with over 100,000 cases reported in 100 countries, including Dear Editor
the U.S. The news is filled with dire predictions, rampant specula- I thought I knew a lot about the Cub,
tion, and occasional good information. but I never knew, before reading this
Several large events, including Aero Friedrichsafen, have been article, that they made one with a radial
canceled and additional restrictions on travel and large gatherings are engine. I enjoy learning something new.
under consideration. Thanks for the great magazine.
But not all the news is discouraging. Dr. Tedros Adhanom —Jim Masters
Ghebreyesus, direct-general of the World Health Organization made
these points today:
“Of the four countries with the most cases, China is bringing its
epidemic under control and there is now a decline in new cases being
reported from the Republic of Korea… Both these countries demon-
strate that it’s never too late to turn back the tide on this virus.”
I certainly hope that we can gain a better understanding of this
disease and can return to a more normal status before more lives and
livelihoods are lost.
This is not to make light of a disease that has killed thousands
and will likely kill more, but panic doesn’t help. What we need now
is perspective, common sense, and a willingness to accept that the
future is unknowable.
In the words of long-time friend and some-time PFA contributor
David Hipschman; “Wash your hands and invest for the long term.”

Wishing you blue skies, health, and peace of mind,

8 • Piper Flyer April 2020

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 9
FLYER EVENTS
PFA EVENTS
July 18-19
Waupaca, Wisconsin
16th Annual Gathering at
Waupaca
PFA’s annual pre-OSH
event with fun, food, and
friendship takes place at the
Waupaca Municipal Airport
(KPCZ) and Par 4 Resort.
Early registration is avail-
able at only $129 if regis-
tered by May 1 and $150
thereafter. Event registration
includes all meals, semi-
nars, fabulous door prizes,
and bus transportation
(except night bus). Hotel
and AirVenture admission
fees are not included.
10 • Piper Flyer April 2020
(Mention “Aviation Group/
Cessna” for special rates at
the event hotel, Par 4 Resort
Waupaca, 715-942-0500,
or book at choicehotels.
com/reservations/groups/
IY73I3.) Free admission
for kids ages 8 and under;
half price for ages 9 to 16.
Register at: thegatheringat-
waupaca.SimpleTix.com or
by calling 626-844-0125.
FEATURED
EVENTS
May 2–3
Anchorage, Alaska
2020 Great Alaska Aviation
Gathering
Alaska’s premier, must-
see aviation event with
hundreds of exhibitors and
thousands of attendees at
the FedEx hangar at the Ted
Stevens International Airport
(PANC). The Alaska Air-
men Association has been
“Protecting, Preserving and
Promoting General Aviation
since 1951.” Free admission
and parking. For more infor-
mation, visit greatalaskaavi-
ationgathering.org.
May 8
Washington D.C.
75th Arsenal of Democracy
Flyover
As part of the 75th
World War II Victory
Commemoration Flyover,
April 2020
approximately 100 World
War II aircraft will take
to the sky in 20 histori-
cally sequenced warbird
formations. The aircraft
begin their flights from the
Culpeper Regional Airport
(KCJR) and Manassas
Regional Airport (KHEF)
approximately 40 minutes
before the Flyover begins
at 12:10 p.m. For more in-
formation, visit ww2flyover.
org/about-the-flyover.
May 8-10
17th Annual Valdez Fly-in
and Airshow
Valdez, Alaska
This three-day event at
Valdez Pioneer Field Airport
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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 11

FLYER EVENTS
(PAVD) includes the popular
STOL competition in various
classes of planes, along with
a flour bombing competition,
a poker run, aerobatics, sky
divers, static displays, events
for kids, and more. Each
year over 2,000 spectators
attend, and as many as
400 airplanes have made
the flight to Valdez. Visit
valdezflyin.com for more
information.
May 29–30
San Marcos, Texas
AOPA 2020 Fly-in/Go
Wheels Up! Texas
Go Wheels Up! Texas is a
high-energy, family-friendly
celebration of aviation, mu-
sic, automobiles, and Texas.
The event features the
Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association (AOPA) fly-in
at the San Marcos Regional
Airport (KHYI). Attendees
12 • Piper Flyer April 2020
will enjoy regular AOPA fly-in
programming, along with an
airshow, concert series, and
car show. The 2020 event
will bring in up to 700 aircraft
and thousands of additional
spectators. For information,
visit aopa.org.
June 19–20
Casper, Wyoming
AOPA 2020 Fly-in
The 2020 Aircraft Own-
ers and Pilots Association
(AOPA) fly-in at the Casper/
Natrona County Internation-
al Airport (KCPR) will have
something for everyone.
The amazing two-day event
will give attendees the
chance to experience AOPA
events, including a Friday
night Flightline Cookout,
STOL invitational, drone
show, seminars, exhibits,
and more. For information,
visit aopa.org.
June 20
Grand Junction, Colorado
Unique Aircraft Fly-in
The Rocky Mountain
Wing of the Commemora-
tive Air Force is sponsoring
the Unique Aircraft Fly-in at
the Grand Junction Regional
Airport (KGJT). Showcas-
ing all unique aircraft, from
warbirds to homebuilts, the
event includes demonstra-
tions of science, technolo-
gy, engineering, and math
principles used in aviation
science. Free admission for
children. For more infor-
mation, contact dbeede@
cbcwest.com or call 970-
250-9500.
June 23–26
Grand Forks, North Dakota
44th Annual Air Race
Classic
The Air Race Classic is
the epicenter of women’s air
racing, with pilots ranging
from 17 to 90 years old.
The race route changes
each year with approxi-
mately 2,400 statute miles
in length and eight or nine
timing points. Hosted by the
University of North Dako-
ta, the route will begin at
Grand Forks International
Airport (KGFK) and end in
Terre Haute, Indiana. Racers
will experience changes in
terrain, weather, winds, and
airspace as they fly more
than 2,500 miles over four
days. For more information,
visit airraceclassic.org.
July 8–12
Long Beach, California
Ninety-Nines International
Conference 2020
The annual conference
of the Ninety-Nines In-
ternational Organization
Continued on Page 66
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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 13
The High and The Writey / Kevin Garrison
If You Can Fly It, You Can Buy It
A tongue-in-cheek guide to the aircraft purchasing process.
M
any aviation enthusiasts, per-
haps even you, have purchased
an aircraft. It all began when the
very first homebuilders, Orville and Wilbur
Wright, put their very successful aircraft up
for sale. They sold it to the United States mil-
itary 111 years ago and its main selling point
was its blinding 40 mph airspeed.
The Wright Flyer was sold for $30,000,
which, adjusted for inflation, comes to
around $50 billion in today’s money. My
math may be off a little, but it was an expen-
sive piece of military hardware; even more so
when you factor in all the piano wire, spare
engines, dope, mustache wax, fabric fresh-
ener, bamboo airframe parts, and the flight
training package they added on.
The Wrights sold their second Flyer for
considerably less money, but it was import-
ant because the advertisement offering it
for sale was in the very first issue of Trade-
A-Plane. As a matter of fact, it was the only
advertisement in that TAP, meaning that the
publication, albeit yellow, was only a single
page of 4 square inches. Here is the ad:
Single Engine Aircraft For Sale—Wright
Flyer 2.
Airframe: 10 hours total time
Engine: 5 hours since factory reman
Avionics: Yell very loud—”follow that horse
trail”
$1,500 or best offer
No catapult kickers please—only serious
buyers.
The brothers sold their airplane with
very little trouble and faded into history and
were never heard from again. Trade-A-Plane
expanded its publication when they realized
that a 2-inch by 2-inch piece of paper was too
small and light to ever stay on the top of the
toilets in FBO restrooms.
What kind of airplane do you want
to buy?
It is important to decide exactly what
14 • Piper Flyer April 2020
airplane you want to purchase before you
hit the trail to various aircraft sales lots, auc-
tions, swap meets, and Craigslist shopping
mall parking lot meetups. Otherwise, you
could head to the airplane store for a gallon
of milk, a loaf of bread, and some jerky and
end up buying a Gulfstream V. Trust me, you
don’t want to have to answer any “What is
this jet doing here?” questions from your
significant other.
There are two kinds of airplanes that you
can buy: the one you want and the one you
can afford. They are vastly different, at least
in my experience. I love my little taildragger,
but if I had unlimited money when I first
started my airplane search, I wouldn’t have
kicked a P-51 out of my hangar, if you catch
my sexist drift.
Here, courtesy of my computer’s “bullet”
function, is a list of things to consider when
picking your airplane:
• High wing or low wing? Are you a climber
or a squatter when you are around air-
planes?
• What color scheme? Sure, purple paisley
looks great now, but will it look good in 10
years?
• What is the barf factor? If you plan on car-
rying passengers of the “urping” persua-
sion, an easily sponge-able, Scotchgarded
interior might be in order.
• Taildragger or nosewheel? Some people
put a lot of stock in where that third land-
ing gear wheel is located.
New or used?
The question of whether to buy a shiny
and largely odor-free new airplane or a slightly
more odiferous, but much cheaper used
airplane has a very simple answer.
There is only one person in the country
who can afford to buy a new airplane and that
person is Elon Musk. Unfortunately, he is not
interested in buying a very expensive airplane
right now because he is busy with a homebuilt
Mars Rocket project. It is because of his lack
of interest that absolutely no new airplanes
have been built or sold in the past year. Any
news stories or advertisements you see to the
contrary are not to be trusted!
I have checked our member list and no-
ticed that none of you are Elon Musk, so let’s
just “get real” and talk about your upcoming
used airplane purchase.
You should start by accepting the fact
that you are going to lose money, both when
you buy and later when you sell your air-
plane. The only person to ever make money
on an airplane was Elon Musk and he used
the money to start his aforementioned Mars
Rocket project.
People losing money on aircraft purchas-
es is the American way and incidentally, was
how we funded all of our air forces in World
War II, the Apollo space program, and several
short-lived TV sitcoms.
The pre-purchase inspection
At some point, you will have to inspect
the airplane you plan to buy. You want to
make a good impression on the person
selling the thing, whether they are a flashy
airplane sales maven or a poorly dressed
“non-Elon” like you. Everybody knows that
you should kick the tires and spit on the
cowling, but not many people know these
important steps:
•A  sking, “So, it has two wings, right?”
• I nquiring about the “P-factor” and then
laughing.
•A  sking how many kilos they think their
plane can carry.
• I f you buy today, can they cash the check
next month?
A lot of people in the aviation business
swear that you need a pre-buy inspection
done by a reputable shop before you even
think of purchasing any airplane. I am not
so sure. I never got a pre-buy on my airplane
when I bought it and it only cost me $10,000
THE HIGH AND THE WRITEY

in subsequent mandatory maintenance.
If you do decide to go to the expense of
getting a pre-buy inspection, make sure to
have it done by a professional who won’t
skimp on these two necessary pre-buy is-
sues: the termite inspection and the plumb-
ing inspection. A lot of people miss those.
Once the pre-buy is complete, you can
move on to the “finding the money” phase
of your odyssey. For this, you can go to your
trusty bank and endure their loathing looks
and high interest rates or you can ask Elon.
He can hook you up.
At the airplane closing, be sure to bring
your money, your lawyer, and some sort of
sidearm. It is here that you can redeem any
internet discount offers, manufacturer’s
coupons, frequent flyer miles, or rebates
that might be in force.
Buying from a dealer
I think it was the rock group Steppen-
wolf that once said, and I am paraphrasing
here, “Gosh Darn the Dealer Man!”
Right on, Steppenwolf, right on. Dealing
with dealers can get you a deal, but it may
turn out to be more than you can deal with.
The disadvantage to working with a
dealer is that when you buy from them you
are financing their expensive office, plaid
jackets, phone bill, breath fresheners, and all
of the advertising expense they go to in order
to entice Elon to buy a new airplane.
The advantage of working with a dealer
is all the extras they can offer. Here are
some of the guarantees you can get from a
for-real airplane dealer:
•P ine-tree-shaped air freshener to hang
from your magnetic compass
• A magnetic compass
• Landing gear tire “roundness” guarantee
• Four gallons of prop wash at no charge
• Undercoating
• Overcoating
• Termite protection
•C ourtesy airplane dealer promotional
sticker on your tail
• 1/18th of a tank of free Avgas or Jet-A
Let’s say you have gotten through the
process of buying your very first airplane
without serving jail time or losing your
retirement fund. Congratulations, Bienvenu,
Hola and Jehoshaphat! You and your new
(used) airplane are part of the big old world
that we like to call “General Aviation.”
You have joined the pantheon of aircraft
owners dating all the way back to when
Icarus got a great deal on some low-time wax
wings. Now, all you have to do is insure it,
hangar it, and probably pay some sort of state
sales tax on it and you will be ready to fly…
next month when you finally have enough
money to buy some fuel.
(Seriously, though—get the pre-buy inspec-
tion! Call us if you need a recommendation
626-844-0125. —Ed.)
Kevin Garrison’s aviation career began at
age 15 as a lineboy in Lakeland, Florida. He
came up through General Aviation, retired
as a 767 captain in 2006 and retired from
instructing airline pilots in 2017. Garrison’s
professional writing career has spanned
three decades. Send questions or com-
ments to editor@piperflyer.org.

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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 15
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS / Steve Ells
Troubleshooting Arrow and Saratoga
gear issues
Q
Hi Steve,
The “Gear in Transit” light in my Piper PA-28R-180
Cherokee Arrow comes on during cruise flight, and I have
to recycle the gear switch to make it go off. This is an occasional
issue. Sometimes five flight hours pass without it happening and
sometimes, it occurs twice on a lunch run. Is there an order of
system components to check to troubleshoot?
—Newell
A
Hi Newell,
Your “Gear in Transit” light is turned on when the der out of the system, there are no leaks in the other cylinders, or
electric motor that spins the hydraulic pump in the land-
ing gear power-pack system is energized, which causes the pump
to put out pressure.
The pump automatically switches on when the hydraulic
I am getting an intermittent
“Gear Unsafe” warning when in
the retracted position…
pressure at the pressure switch goes below a set point. I believe
the setpoint to turn on the pump is 1,000 psi (+/-100 psi) in your
airplane.
The hydraulic pressure is designed to maintain 1,400 psi
during flight with the gear up. When the pressure drops below
1,000 psi, like in your case, it means there’s a leak in the landing
gear hydraulic system.
The most likely place for a leak to occur is in one of the land-
ing gear hydraulic cylinders. Each cylinder is a tube. Hydraulic
pressure moves each landing gear (left main, right main, or nose)
either up or down.
Pressure on one side of a piston in the cylinder moves the gear
leg up; pressure on the other side of the piston moves the gear
leg down. The part that separates the two sides hydraulically is a
single O-ring in a groove in the piston.
When the O-ring is tired, or the cylinder bore is worn, hydrau-
lic pressure can leak from the “up” or “down” side of the piston
to the other side. When this happens, the pressure in the system
16 • Piper Flyer April 2020
drops below the trigger pressure at the pressure switch, causing
the switch to close, turning on the motor, which spins the pump,
and increases pressure until it reaches the pressure switch open-
ing pressure.
To determine which gear actuating cylinder is leaking, you
can put a “T” fitting in the up-line out of the up-manifold cylinder
and attach a pressure gauge to the new leg of the “T.” Then, select
one of the cylinders, disconnect and cap the “up” and “down” fluid
lines from that cylinder.
If the pressure seen on the gauge does not drop with the cylin-
elsewhere in the system. If it leaks, disconnect the “T” and recon-
nect the disconnected cylinder. Disconnect and cap the “up” and
“down” lines to one of the other cylinders, and retest. You should
find that the system pressure is solid when the leaking cylinder is
disconnected from the system.
When you find a cylinder that leaks, remove the cyl-
inder, disassemble it, clean it up, measure in the inner
bore of the cylinder to determine if there’s wear (com-
pare the measurement at the middle of the cylinder to
the measurement at the ends of the cylinder). If there’s
no wear or negligible wear, then replace the O-ring and
reinstall the cylinder. After reconnecting the repaired
cylinder, run the gear up and down a dozen times on jacks. This
should solve the cycling problem.
Happy flying,
—Steve
Q
Hi Steve,
I fly a Piper PA-32R-301 Saratoga. Do you have a photo
or diagram of which is the gear-down, and which is the
gear-up switch?
I am getting an intermittent “Gear Unsafe” warning when in
the retracted position and want to rule out obvious loose connec-
tions.
—Paul
A
Hi Paul,
Unlike the PA-28R-180 landing gear system addressed
above, your PA-32R has gear-up limit switches. The follow-
ing sentence is from the service manual:
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trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. 428412
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 17
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
“When the gear begins to retract and the down lock hook disen-
gages, the down limit switch actuates to the ‘normally closed ‘(NC)
position and is in series with the (NC) circuit of the up limit switch
allowing the gear unsafe light to come on. The gear unsafe light will
remain on until the gear is up, and all up limit switches are actuated
to their ‘normally open’ (NO) position.”
In other words, there are no “Gear Up” lights; the indication that
all three gear are up is an extinguished “Gear Unsafe” light.
But there are gear-up switches. If you’re getting a “Gear
Unsafe” light when flying, it can be caused by one or more of the
gear-up switches not being “made,” or as you say, a loose termi-
nal at the switch.
It can also be caused by the gear not being rigged correctly, so it
is not going all the way up to “make” the switch.
The wiring diagram I have does not show the location of the
up switches; nor does the service manual. But I know they are up
in each wheel well. Find a small switch with wires running to the
wheel well, and that’s it.
Happy flying,
—Steve
18 • Piper Flyer April 2020
Update…
Q
Hi Steve,
I’ll have to have a closer look. I can see the one on the nose
wheel; it’s the main gear where I can only remember seeing
one microswitch.
I wonder if I can ground test it by closing each one in turn?
My fear is that the hydraulic pump keeps running if it thinks the
gear is down. It is hard for me to figure out from the wiring diagram
just how the pumps, pressure regulator, and the switches determine
when to stop the pump.
—Paul
A
Hi Paul,
You’re right; the diagram can be confusing.
I’m going to describe the circuit that controls the motor:
1. The wire from “Landing Gear Control and Warning Circuit
Protector” 5-amp circuit breaker goes to the No. 12 terminal.
2. Power then goes from the No. 12 terminal to the squat
switch.
3. When the weight is off the left main landing gear, the squat
switch moves to fly position allowing power through the
switch to one side of the pressure switch.
a. If the pressure is between 1,500 and 1,800 psi, the switch is
open and no power flows.
b. If the pressure is lower than 1,500 psi, the pressure switch
closes, and power flows through it to the “slow” air pressure
switch.
4. If the airspeed is high enough, the “slow” switch toggles a
switch allowing current to flow to the gear-up solenoid that,
when closed, supplies power to the gear-up winding in the
bi-directional landing gear pump electric motor.
5. Power then flows through the solenoid to the gear motor,
causing the pump to turn, which increases the system hy-
draulic pressure.
6. The gear motor circuit is completed through the actuator
handle “up” contact then to ground.
I suggest you and your mechanic check to see if all the gear,
especially the mains, are rigged to get fully “up.” The procedure is in
the manual.
Let me know what you find.
Happy flying,
Steve
IMPORTANT: This article describes work that may need to be performed/super-
vised by a certificated aviation maintenance technician. Know your FAR/AIM and
check with your mechanic before starting any work.
Steve Ells has been an A&P/IA for 45 years and is a commercial pilot with
instrument and multi-engine ratings. He’s a former tech rep and editor for
Cessna Pilots Association and served as associate editor for AOPA Pilot until
2008. Ells is the owner of Ells Aviation (EllsAviation.com) and the proud owner
of a 1960 Piper Comanche. He lives in Templeton, California. Send questions
and comments to editor@piperflyer.org.
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 19
THE SPEED OF FLIGHT / Tom Machum
Annual Rituals
Helping your mechanic at annual time can mean more than just
turning wrenches.
W
e have a saying in the big-airplane business that goes
something like, “You can’t go flying until the weight of
the paperwork approaches the weight of the airplane.”
Thankfully, General Aviation is not quite that laborious.
Since entering the world of airplane ownership, I have become
an active participant in the maintenance of our airplane. There
are things that can be done by an aircraft owner; some under the
tutelage of your A&P (AME in Canada), and some on your own.
FAR Part 43 outlines the rules in the U.S. and CAR Standard 625
applies in Canada. It’s all pretty common-sense stuff, but is worth
visiting regardless.
Personally, I find that helping our mechanic is a lot of fun and
quite informative. I learn more about the airplane, and with that
knowledge, I can later more effectively participate with trouble-
I find that helping our
mechanic is a lot of fun and
quite informative. … I can…
more effectively participate
(with troubleshooting...)
shooting through my newfound expertise.
Of course, turning wrenches isn’t for everyone. One of the
greatest things a person can achieve in life is a sense of self-aware-
ness that includes knowing one’s limitations. Knowing whether
you’re mechanically inclined (or not!) is worthy knowledge to
have. Notwithstanding one’s ability or inability, there are still
things one can do.
Two major tasks that I help with are sourcing parts and
researching ADs, Service Bulletins, and other items that must be
a part of maintenance. Most often, I read these at the time of the
annual inspection.
Parts searching involves starting with the part number and
then going to many of the supplier sites that stock the items.
Sometimes, I have to break down and make a phone call to part
manufacturers to see if there is a new part number that super-
sedes the one I want. So far, I haven’t been stumped, but I’ve come
close. Also, don’t forget the resources here at Piper Flyer Associ-
20 • Piper Flyer April 2020
ation (PFA). They can come to the rescue too! (Using PFA’s parts
locating assistance can save you the time and trouble of making
all those phone calls. We also have sources that may not be readily
available to the public. —Ed.)
While both the FAA and Transport Canada offer alerting
services for ADs, it is still wise to do some homework to ensure all
is in order. For our Piper, that involves a visit to Piper’s technical
website, the FAA’s website, and Transport Canada’s AD site. (See
resources for website details. —Ed.)
Starting with the Piper site, it’s quite straightforward as you
select your airplane model from a drop-down list, and then all
applicable Service Letters, SBs, and Vendor Service Publications
appear in a menu. I print them and put them in a binder. It is
important to note, however, that this list is not specific to a par-
ticular airplane in the fleet; but rather, all of a type. That makes it
necessary to research your specific airplane, using your airplane’s
serial number, build date, or whether you have a specific piece of
equipment installed.
In our case, being of the Canuck variety, the next stop is at
Transport Canada’s AD advanced search site. The search there
allows the user to type in a specific Canadian registration,
which prompts all applicable ADs to populate. Again, just like
at the Piper site, it is necessary to ensure the AD applies to a
specific airplane. You will need to dig deeper with your air-
plane’s serial number, build date, and installed equipment.
A final stop is the FAA’s site. The search tool is a little different,
in that you enter the equipment manufacturer and then refine the
search by adding a specific type. For example, enter PA-31-350 to
see information for Piper Navajo Chieftains. Repeat the process
for the engine, propeller, accessory, and avionics manufacturers.
Again, it is important to ensure that the material applies to your
specific application.
For our Dakota, I’d estimate the process takes a couple of
hours. It’s worth it, as it saves our mechanic some time, and
therefore saves us some money. Arguably, more comprehensive
shops likely provide all of this as a service; however, in our
case, our guy comes by and takes care of things in our hangar.
So, he appreciates the help.
Usually, a few weeks before we get down to business, he and
I have a conversation to start this process, I order the parts
and print the applicable documents. Inevitably, there are a few
follow-up calls along the way to ensure we’re on the same page.
It’s a collaborative process, in our case.
THE SPEED OF FLIGHT
Check out the links below in Resources
for further clarifying information. In the
meantime, fly safe, and often!
Tom Machum is a 767-300 captain with
just over 20,000 hours in his logbook. He
lives with his wife, Jennifer and his two
daughters, Emily and Bridget, in Moncton,
New Brunswick, Canada, where he is also
a partner in a Piper Dakota. When Ma-
chum isn’t flying or writing about flying,
he reads, tinkers in the workshop, rides
his bicycle, volunteers with local organi-
zations, and teaches a business class at
a nearby university. Send questions or
comments to editor@piperflyer.org.
RESOURCES
Parts Suppliers – PFA SUPPORTERS
Aircraft Spruce and Specialty
aircraftspruce.com
Knots2u
knots2u.net
Aviation Interior
Reupholstery Experts
Carpet Kits
Floor Mats
Seat Covers
Glare Shield Vinyl
Foam Kits
and more...
Modern Upholstery
Made in the USA - We ship Worldwide
3814 Prosperity Rd | Duluth, MN 55811 | 218-728-1614 | www.scs-interiors.com | info@scs-interiors.com
McFarlane Aviation
mcfarlaneaviation.com
Piper Flyer Association Parts Locating
Assistance:
https://www.piperflyer.org/members/
parts-locating.html (requires
member login)
Parts Number Cross-Referencing
Aeroval
aeroval.com/ref
Maintenance Documents
Piper (Service Bulletin and Service
Letter search)
piper.com/technical-publications
Piper (Maintenance and Parts Manual
revision status)
piper.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/
Customer_Service_Info.pdf
Piper (Technical publications notifica-
tions service)
piper.com/technical-publications-notifi-
cations/
STYLE - COMFORT - SECURITY
AD Compliance Information
Federal Aviation Administration (FAR
Part 43)
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx-
?node=pt14.1.43
Federal Aviation Administration (AD
search, AD services)
faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthi-
ness_directives/
rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_
Library/rgAD.nsf/MainFrame?Open-
FrameSet
Federal Aviation Administration (AD
notification service)
faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthi-
ness_directives/
Transport Canada (CAR Standard 625)
tc.gc.ca/en/transport-canada/corpo-
rate/acts-regulations/regulations/sor-
96-433/standard-625.html
Transport Canada (AD advanced
search)
wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/caw-
is-swimn/AD_as.aspx
100
95
75
25
Custom Designs 5
0
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 21
 CERVICAL SUPPORT

LATERAL SUPPORT
(FOUR PLACES)

LUMBAR SUPPORT

THIGH SUPPORT

Marked image of a taller seat

showing the four important
ergonomic seat features.

22 • Piper Flyer April 2020

 RENOVATING AN INTERIOR PART NINE
Seat Slings
and Seat Foam
Interior restoration expert DENNIS WOLTER discusses the importance of ergonomically
correct seats, and describes how to build them from the seat frames on up.
Picking up from Ergonomics
I think the two elements a pilot relates
last month; there to most in an airplane are its instrument
your seat frames panel and its interior components. First,
the instrument panel obviously gives
are—all fixed us very important information about
up, painted, and location, aircraft condition, etc., and we
all know pilots are proud of their fancy
sitting on the avionics!
workbench. So, Second is the interior, the environ-
ment in which we experience the flight.
what’s next? In this The interior component most important
installment, we to how we relate to that environment
is the seat in which we sit. Ergonomic
will outline how design is a big factor.
we re-structure Before we start to build the new slings
and foam on your seat, I would like to
and re-foam your digress for a moment to tell you how I
seats (and next ended up in the aircraft renovation busi-
ness. I think you will better understand
month, sew your our approach to interior renovation and
upholstery). seat design.
Despite my limited piloting skills, I
Fitting a customer convinced a seasoned and rather trusting
in his seat in a FAA examiner (with the help of a 75 hp
cabin mock-up at Ercoupe) to issue me a private certificate
our office. in 1962. At the time, I was working for
an avionics shop at Cincinnati, Ohio’s
Lunken Municipal Airport (KLUK), run by
a benevolent character named Joe Babis.
Joe was also a part-time Cessna
salesman. On occasion, he would send me
south to Louisville, Kentucky, to ferry a
new Cessna back to his hangar.
In 1964, I began my studies in the in-
dustrial design department at the Univer-
sity of Cincinnati. The industrial design
program at the University of Cincinnati is
deeply invested in both engineering and
human factors studies in an effort to en-
hance the relationship between humans
and the stuff we use in our everyday lives.
What these studies showed me as a
newly minted private pilot was that there
existed a great divide between what I was
learning in school and the new airplanes
I was occasionally flying. The instrumen-
tation layout, noise level, ventilation, and
seat comfort weren’t much better than
the Ercoupe designed by a forward-think-
ing gentleman back in the late 1930s.
Five years later and out of school, I
took a job at the University of Cincinnati
Medical College, working in the bio-
medical communication department.
Of the many things we were involved in,
producing medical training films was the
most interesting.
One project that really resonated
with me as a pilot in love with airplanes
was a study being conducted using X-ray
technology to observe people perform-
ing everyday tasks (i.e., standing, sitting,
reaching, bending, etc.).
Of great interest were images of
people sitting on various types of seats.
The side view X-rays clearly showed how
the spine, pelvis, and femur responded to
various seating situations.
Staring me right in the face was the
reason that even new airplane seats
were so uncomfortable! When I start-
ed Air Mod in 1973, I knew I had to
include in the renovation process, a seat
designed to correctly support a person’s
skeletal structure as they sat in that
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 23

Two-layer seat base foam with
tapered 1-inch thick thigh support
bonded in place.
confined space for extended periods.
When one sits in a poorly designed
seat (think card table chair or wooden
church pew), your brain subconsciously
tells your muscles how to hold your skele-
tal structure in a comfortable position. Af-
ter 20 or more minutes, your muscles get
tired, and without thinking about it, you
shift your seating position to something
more comfortable.
Twenty minutes later, muscle group
No. 2 is tired, and you shift to a third
position, and so on. Pretty soon, all your
muscles are tired, and you’re more than
ready to get out of that seat.
This discomfort is also a safety issue.
Fatigue is often a contributing factor
in why pilots crash airplanes. Avoiding
fatigue-related incidents is the reason
professional pilots must adhere to strict
duty time limitations.
As private pilots, we have no require-
ments to limit our time in the pilot seat.
For this reason, I believe anything that
can be done to reduce fatigue when ren-
ovating an aircraft’s interior is important
from a safety enhancement standpoint.
Better ventilation, reduced noise
levels, ergonomically correct seats, state-
of-the-art instrument lighting, logical
instrument panel design, and electrical
system control layout can all add up to
a fatigue-reducing flight environment
that can have a positive effect on General
Aviation safety.
So, how does all this intangible stuff
apply to your inspected, repaired, and
painted seat frames? It’s not very com-
plicated. What follows here is all about
how to shape the slings and foam in your
24 • Piper Flyer April 2020
Seatback with 1-inch base
foam and cervical upper back
support bonded in place.
Canvas seat sling with reinforcement
webbing.
renovated aircraft seats to correctly and
comfortably support the human body.
The first issue to address when prepar-
ing a seat for upholstery is to install a
new seat sling. In an effort to develop a
light and strong method to attach the seat
foam cushion to the frame; the industry
has employed a method of bonding a
tightly stretched, coated canvas material
to the seat frame.
In time, the canvas material stretch-
es, the bonding adhesive lets go, and the
sling sags. It’s not uncommon to find a
loose sling in a 40-year-old airplane that
has sagged 2 inches or more. That, along
with degraded foam, is definitely not
comfortable.
Seat slings
Here’s how to build a comfortable and
durable seat that is up to the job of cor-
rectly supporting the weight of a person.
In 1973, we developed a simple,
durable, non-sagging, two-part sling
system at Air Mod that has withstood
the test of time. First, we tightly stretch
two lengths of seat belt webbing, bonded
Correctly tapered headrest
on a short seatback,
contoured to create a
cervical upper back support.
and clamped in place to the seat base
frame using contact cement and hog
rings (available at automotive upholstery
supply companies).
We then stretch and bond a drum-
tight, heavy Dacron canvas sling over the
tightly secured seat belt webbing. The
seatback gets only the drum-tight canvas
sling. There is no need for webbing on the
seatback as that area does not support the
major portion of an occupant’s weight.
Having followed up with customers
over the years, we know this seat sling
system has served us well. We’re just now
beginning to receive seats for repair or
reupholstery that we originally renovated
in the 1970s and are happy to find that the
seat slings are still as good as new.
Fire retardant materials
No discussion of interior renovation
would be complete without discussing
the importance of using flame retardant
materials to enhance safety. In the un-
likely event of an in-flight cabin fire, these
self-extinguishing materials prohibit the
spread of fire, giving you more time to get
the airplane on the ground.
Flame retardant materials are avail-
able at many local upholstery supply
stores. When choosing vinyl, fabric,
leather, foam, insulation, etc., check the
specification charts usually located on
the back of the sample cards. Often listed
with various flame specifications for that
material will be FAR 25.853a. (FAR 25.853a
spells out the flammability requirements for
aircraft seat cushions. —Ed.)
Using these approved materials will
make your new interior a major part of
 Seat base with thigh and lateral
supports bonded in place.
Seatback with lower
back lumbar and lateral
supports bonded in place.
the fire suppression system rather than
a fire support system. If you plan to
have your interior done professionally,
verify that the interior shop uses FAR
25.853a-approved materials.
Seat foam
Over the years, the aviation industry
has experimented with many different
types of foam. Today there are two com-
mon types used in our General Aviation
airplanes. The most common one is
flame-retardant urethane foam. These
foams are light, durable, available in mul-
tiple densities, and meet FAR 25.853a.
The second foam type in light aircraft
use is thermal elastic memory foam, such
as that marketed under the name Temper
Foam. This foam is sensitive to tempera-
ture and will mold to any shape when
pressure and body heat are applied.
This temperature-sensitive foam is a
great product when the seat cushion must
accommodate the weight and contour of
numerous people. The downside of this
foam is that it is heavier, more expensive,
and less durable than urethane foam. For
owner-flown airplanes where a seat struc-
ture can be built to suit a specific person,
I believe urethane foam is the best choice.
Before diving into the seat foaming
process, I think we should touch on the
best methods for a do-it-yourselfer to
cut and glue this foam. A sharp electric
kitchen knife will do a pretty good job of
cutting the foam shapes needed to build
your new seat cushions. Expect the kitch-
en knife to cut slowly, but it will do the
job. Practice first!
Now, let’s talk about gluing foam. Do
Cutting a teardrop-shaped lateral
support.
not attempt to apply contact cement to
foam with a brush. The use of a brush
will result in the application of too much
glue, the outcome of which is a poor
bond. At Air Mod, we use a brushable
and sprayable contact adhesive sold un-
der the name MC5 (which we buy from
Miami Corporation).
This product can be applied with an
inexpensive siphon type spray paint gun.
It won’t clog the nozzle when left in the
gun for weeks. Use spray glue to bond
together different layers of seat foam.
Foam density (resistance to compres-
sion) is identified by a numbering system.
We typically use three densities to build
our seats; 70 is firm, 40 is moderately
firm, and 20 is quite soft.
Building up seat foam
Seat base and back
Let’s start by building the base foam
for the seat bottom. Using a spray gun,
apply a light, even coat of glue to both
the top surface of the seat sling and the
bottom surface of a 1-inch thick piece
of 70-density foam, cut to overhang the
Top view of the built-up seat base.
outer edge of the seat frame by 1 inch.
Follow this with a 1-inch layer of
40-density foam cut to the same size as
the 70-density base foam. This combina-
tion creates a durable and comfortable
foundation on which to add the sculpting
foams that will create the finished shape
of the seat.
Next, it’s time to bond an oversized
1-inch layer of 40-density foam to the
seatback. The seatback doesn’t have to
support much body weight, so it does not
require foam as thick as on the seat base.
We build the seatback foam to achieve
comfort but not so thick as to encroach
upon the legroom between the seat and
the rudder pedals.
With foam on the base and back, we
assemble the seat and install it in the
airplane to determine where to add some
of the foam shapes that will create the
ergonomic support necessary for comfort
and durability.
Support contours
With all the following ergonomically
shaped seat components, the process is
based on doing what works for you. We
fit all our customers to their seats using
these techniques.
If working on a club airplane, or one
flown by two pilots, we typically build the
seat foam to dimensions known as “stan-
dard measure of man.” Using those specs
results in a seat that would be comfort-
able for 90% of our American population.
There are three major support con-
tours to build into the new seat: one,
a proper lumbar support for the lower
back; two, a proper cervical support for
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 25
where your back and neck transition;
and three, a correct thigh support on the
seat base to hold your legs in a comfort-
able position.
Lumbar support
The first item on this list is to create
a lower back lumbar support, as shown
in the accompanying sketch. Start by
bonding together two 1-inch pieces of
40-density foam and use the electric knife
to create the lumbar support following
the dimensions on the sketch below. Cut
slowly, and don’t forget to practice on a
scrap piece of foam first.
Now, it’s time to sit in the seat and
temporarily place the lumbar shape
behind your lower back. Locate this piece
Sketch of lumbar support foam.
26 • Piper Flyer April 2020
vertically, lowering or raising it slightly,
until the apex of the lumbar foam corre-
sponds to the most inward point of your
lower back. Once comfortably located,
think about how it feels against your back.
If necessary, try adding a 1/2-inch
thick piece of foam, or removing 1/2 inch
from the apex of the lumbar support piece
until you achieve the most comfortable
thickness for your lower back. Sometimes,
it is good from the start; otherwise, a little
trial and error does the job. Most people
seem comfortable with a 1 1/2-inch lum-
bar support.
Cervical support
Now, we address the upper part of
your back by creating a foam contour
piece we call a cervical support. On taller
seatbacks, we create this by cutting a ta-
per into the edge of a 1-inch thick piece
of 40-density foam and bonding it to the
top of the seat so that the taper ends
right where your cervical spine transi-
tions to your thoracic spine. Creating
this transition piece results in a con-
cave shape near the top of the seatback
and contributes to the seat vertically
supporting your entire back. If you have
a lower seatback and a headrest, contour
the headrest foam so that it is 1 inch
wider at the top than at the bottom,
where it tapers to the same thickness as
the top of the seatback.
Thigh support
It’s now time to create some thigh
support. Again, it’s pretty much a repeat
of the cervical/thorax idea, only dimen-
sionally a bit bigger.
We start with a 1-inch piece of 40-den-
sity foam, cut to the width of the seat,
leaving it long enough to wrap over the
front edge of the seat and go back about
a third of the dimension of the seat base.
You’ll need your electric knife to taper the
forward and aft edges. Cut to fit what is
comfortable for you.
A sharp edge at the front of a seat
base can create a circulation problem for
your legs, and wrapping this foam piece
forward prevents that; besides, this curve
looks better. The purpose of this support
is to lightly touch the back of your thigh
while you’re sitting in a comfortable
cruise position with your feet on the floor.
Lateral support
We’re almost finished! One last detail
that creates the feeling of sitting in a seat
rather than just on it is the addition of
some subtle lateral support in both the
back and base. For this detail, start with
two pieces of 70-density foam glued to-
gether to create a 4-inch-wide by 2-inch-
thick block of foam long enough to make
four teardrop-shaped foam pieces.
Using the electric knife, cut tear-
drop-shaped pieces of foam that are
subsequently glued to the lower part of
the outer edges of the seatback and the
forward part of the outer edges of the
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 27
seat base. These teardrop shapes create a
spanwise contour that gives the occupant
the comforting sensation of being held in
the seat. This contour also helps give the
seat an aesthetically appealing contour.
Trimming and finishing
With the seat foam overhanging the
edges of the frames and contour shapes
applied, it’s time to trim the edges of the
foam. Begin by using the seat frame to
locate a centerline fore to aft on the base
and up the back.
Then, with the frame as your guide,
run the cutting knife smoothly along the
sides to evenly trim all layers of the foam
to the desired contour of the new seat.
With one side trimmed, use your center-
line to plot guide marks for the other side.
The result is a symmetrical seat cushion
ready for upholstery.
This level of work takes expertise, as
well as quite a bit of time, and is definitely
not for everyone. Some of you may want
28 • Piper Flyer April 2020
to turn this part of your project over to a RESOURCES
professional shop.
Others may want to take part in the PFA Supporters
upgrade process without committing to Seat Foam Suppliers
all the fine detail work. Purchasing a kit Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co.
aircraftspruce.com
from Airtex, complete with the necessary
foam and pre-sewn finish upholstery, Other Resources
would be a good option. And for those of Seat Upholstery Kits
you ambitious enough to foam and sew Airtex
your own seats, stay tuned. Next month, airtexinteriors.com
we will start the actual sewing process.
Until then, fly safe! Foam Adhesive Suppliers
Miami Corporation/MC5
miamicorp.com
Industrial designer and aviation enthu-
siast Dennis Wolter is well known for Further Reading
giving countless seminars and contrib- FAR 25.853-1
uting his expertise about all phases of faa.gov/regulations_policies/adviso-
aircraft renovation in various publica- ry_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.
tions. Wolter founded Air Mod in 1973 information/documentid/22673
in order to offer private aircraft owners
the same professional, high-quality
work then only offered to corporate jet
operators. Send questions or comments
to editor@piperflyer.org.
 VISIT US AT
BOOTH D41-42

A 400-HOUR TBO EXTENSION IS REAL VALUE

Lycoming holds itself to its own standard – the Lycoming Standard.

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© 2020 Avco Corporation
 After ADS-B
Compliance:
What’s Next
for Your
Panel?
An avionics upgrade
can add utility, enjoy-
ment, and sometimes
value to your aircraft.
DALE SMITH inter-
viewed several avion-
ics experts to discov-
er how to research
the best upgrade for
your situation.
30 • Piper Flyer April 2020
Although the Jan. 1,
2020, ADS-B instal- There’s no doubt that for the best part of
the last decade, the FAA’s looming ADS-B
lation mandate dead- compliance mandate has been one of the
truly polarizing factors in business and
line has come and General Aviation.
gone, owners still On the downside, I’m sure we’d all be
amazed by the number of owners of per-
have plenty of op- fectly good airplanes opting to sell or just
ground their aircraft instead of paying the
portunities to make price of ADS-B compliance. That’s just sad.
On the plus side, for many owners,
their aircraft better ADS-B is looked at as just the next step in
than the day it left making their aircraft safer and more capa-
ble. And some decided to use their ADS-B
the factory. compliance installation as an excuse to
complete other upgrades while their panel
is apart.
 “What we’re seeing is owners using
ADS-B to help justify other installations,”
explained Dewey Conroy, vice president
and chief operating officer of Pacific Coast
Avionics. “Five years ago, if an airplane was
in the shop for other avionics work, and
we discussed installing ADS-B, they would
go ahead and do it. Now, it’s the other way
around. People come in for the mandate
but are deciding to go ahead and do other
panel work while the airplane is down.”
Look closely at the new avionics
equipment that has been introduced over
the past five or so years, and you begin to
see that owners who put off their upgrades
may well be in the best position to get the
biggest bang for their avionics bucks.
“Many of the owners who have put
off their [ADS-B] equipage until now are
finding more options that will better fit
their needs,” Conroy said. “Over the past
few years, several new products have come
into the market, and that is generating
significant interest among owners of all
types of aircraft.
“For example, there are several new,
and lower-cost, autopilot and glass-panel
solutions available today,” he said. “They
are enabling owners of legacy aircraft, even
smaller piston singles, to upgrade with
greater capabilities and at much lower
costs than we were able to offer just two
years ago.”
When it comes to swapping out your
steam gauges for glass, you have plenty
of options ranging from the simple, yet
very capable drop-in units from Aspen,
up through the larger units from PFA sup-
porters Garmin and Dynon. Units are also
available from BendixKing and Avidyne.
Conroy said that current pricing for
these glass-panel upgrade solutions ranges
from around $10,000 for the Aspen EFD
to more than $30,000 for the Garmin G600
TXi touch screen.
Also, keep in mind that you still have to
factor in installation costs. And, if you’ve
ever done any type of avionics installation
work before, you already know that even
the best-planned installation quote needs
a goodly buffer to cover any surprises that
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 31

pop up once the panel is popped off.
“You have unforeseen expenses with
every installation. Once the panel is off,
there will be legacy wiring issues, hardware
problems, or antenna issues to deal with,”
Conroy said. “All of these are add-ons to
the final cost. Unfortunately, because every
airplane is different, there’s no way to know
any of it until we get into the project.”
Mixing and matching avionics
manufacturers
Before you get your heart set on a
shiny new panel full of touch-screen glass,
Conroy cautioned that you look at your
avionics package as a whole. The unfortu-
nate fact is that not all glass plays well with
other avionics.
“The new Garmin 500/600 TXi touch-
screen displays are very popular, but
32 • Piper Flyer April 2020
you need to have at least a Garmin GNS
430W or 530W to provide inputs,” Con-
roy explained. “So, if you don’t have the
WAAS-enabled Garmin GNS in your panel,
then you have to go with Aspen, Bendix-
King, or Dynon, depending on the type of
aircraft you own. They can work with most
legacy com/nav/GPS units.”
If you have legacy com/nav radios and
really want the new Garmin TXi, you can
pick up used Garmin GNS 430/530 units
at attractive prices, but keep in mind that
probably sooner than later, these older,
used units will become harder to repair.
So, it may well serve you a lot better, in the
long run, to wait until you can replace your
old radios with new Garmin touch-screen
series navigators.
No matter which avionics you have in
your panel, it won’t be long before your
avionics shop has trouble getting replace-
ment parts to keep them going.
“The glass cockpit technology over the
past 10 years has expanded very quickly—
probably quicker than most bench shops
would have thought. But, that’s not the
only reason legacy avionics and instru-
ments are becoming unsupportable,”
explained Joe Braddock, executive vice
president of Southeast Aerospace. “The
manufacturers who have new, more af-
fordable, integrated display systems need
to sell them, so why would they want to
continue to sell piece-parts for 30-year-
old units?
“I know that some shops have turned
to cannibalizing units to harvest parts
from one unit to fix another. My problem
with that practice is not only the traceabil-
ity aspect but how do you warranty a com-
ponent ‘repaired’ with used service parts?”
he said. “The ROI in relation to supplying
legacy parts reaches a point when you just
have to say it’s not worth it anymore.
“There will always be owners loyal
to certain older technology, but aviation
companies cannot keep their doors open
supporting those few people. We have
to look toward the future and see where
everything is going, or we will be left with
nothing,” Braddock said. “The new avionics
available aren’t perfect, but they sure have
a lot of bells and whistles that make flying
better and easier for most of us.”
Autopilots:
A single pilot’s best friend
If you’re doing lots of IFR or cross-coun-
try VFR flying, another great upgrade op-
tion is a new-generation autopilot. There
are a lot of excellent options available from
Avidyne, BendixKing/TruTrak, Garmin,
Genesys Aerosystems, Trio, and probably
more by the time you read this because
autopilots are hot commodities these days.
But, as with any planned avionics up-
grade, check with your installation shop to
make sure that the autopilot you want will
truly work with the GPS and/or navigation
radios you currently have or are looking to
add. Again, some avionics just don’t play
well with others.
With regard to a budget, avionics shops
contacted for this article said to plan on
paying anywhere from $5,000 for a basic
wing-leveler, to more than $30,000 for a
new digital, do-it-all autopilot. The prices
don’t include installation and any new ser-
vos or wiring you might need to include.
Sure, it’s not inexpensive, but the signif-
icant leap you’ll take in added safety and
capabilities will make the investment well
worthwhile.
Making dollars and sense out of
an avionics upgrade
If you’ve been keeping tabs on all the
upgrades we’ve covered, you’ll see that you
can easily push the cost of a panel full of
new avionics up to where it’ll take a sizable
second mortgage to cover it all.
And speaking of value, while the
thought of adding a new touch-screen
display or GPS navigator into your
avionics suite may seem like the logical,
cost-effective solution for you—and it
may well be—from a financial rather
than a functional standpoint, it may not
be your best course of action.
“Mixing avionics can actually bring the
value of the panel down a notch or two,”
Conroy said. “You see that a lot in older
airplanes. That can hurt the value, so it’s
much better to do a correct and well-
thought-out solution up front.”
“Also, if you’re thinking of selling your
airplane in a year or so, plan the panel so
it works for other pilots. A good, logical,
standard configuration is very import-
ant,” he said. “That may be difficult if
you’re mixing old and new avionics. A
non-standardized layout will just scare
other pilots away.”
OK, so you’ve decided on a great
layout, have the equipment all picked
out, and are ready to pull the trigger on a
$60,000 panel upgrade. But, a little voice
in the back of your head keeps asking, “Is
this a wise move?”
The answer is that it depends on the
current state of your airplane and how
long you intend to keep it.
If you’re planning on flying it for a long
time, then go ahead and equip it to your
heart’s content. Any upgrade that makes
you want to fly more is worth the money.
On the other hand, if you’re thinking of
selling in the next year or two, then you
might want to talk to an accredited aircraft
appraiser before you sign up for any avion-
ics work. Why?
“They’re a source for independent, im-
partial, and objective information on how
your particular airplane stacks up in the
current market,” said Pat Duggins, certified
aircraft appraiser and owner of Pat Dug-
gins Consulting Services Inc. “The Aircraft
Bluebook and VREF give you prices for
average airplanes of that type. There are no
average airplanes. From the condition of
the interior to who overhauled the engine,
every airplane is unique and so is its value.
“If you’re thinking of resale value,
avionics upgrades need to be treated like
any business decision. Do the benefits
outweigh the expense? An avionics shop
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 33
or aircraft owner can benefit from the specific market informa-
tion that an appraiser uses to form an opinion of an aircraft’s
pre- and post-upgrade value. This information can give you a
good idea about how much value one type of avionics will add
versus another type.
“Avionics technology changes very quickly, so you don’t know
what next year will bring as far as ROI goes,” Duggins said. “What’s
RESOURCES
hot today are touchscreen displays and synthetic vision—and Trio Avionics
ADS-B, of course. We don’t see anything on the horizon that will PFA SUPPORTERS trioavionics.com
replace these technologies, so their value will stay high.” Dynon
As for what equipment to install, Duggins said that right now dynonavionics.com FURTHER READING
anything with the Garmin name on it is a good choice, but again, Automatic Dependent
if you’re looking to fly the airplane for a while and you like Aspen Garmin Surveillance-Broadcast
or Dynon avionics, then that’s what you should install. Chances garmin.com (ADS-B)
are by the time you fly the airplane for several years, the avionics faa.gov/nextgen/programs/
hardware won’t have a lot of value left in it anyway. Genesys Aerosystems adsb
genesys-aerosystems.com
DALE SMITH has been an aviation journalist for 30 years. ADS-B Compliance
When he’s not writing aviation articles, Smith does commis- RESOURCES: OTHER faa.gov/nextgen/equipadsb/
sion aircraft illustrations specializing in seaplanes and flying Aspen Avionics
boats. Smith has been a certificated pilot since 1974 and has aspenavionics.com
flown 35 different types of General Aviation, business, and
World War II vintage aircraft. Send questions or comments to BendixKing/TruTrak
editor@piperflyer.org. bendixking.com

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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 35
 OWNER PROFILE:

RICK GARCIA AND HIS

1977 PIPER PA-34-200T
Courtesy of Gulf Coast Avionics

36 • Piper Flyer April 2020

SENECA II TURBO
When he decided to buy his first airplane, Rick Garcia was going strictly
by the numbers. But when he first saw Seneca N2284M, everything just
added up to this one being the perfect airplane for his needs.

BY DALE SMITH

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 37

 Garcia’s Piper Seneca II flying
over Florida’s Lakeland Linder
International Airport (KLAL).
W
hen you talk to your typical
pilot or aircraft owner, they
all say that they’ve wanted to
fly “for as long as they can re-
member.” Well, Rick Garcia is
not your typical pilot, aircraft
owner, or entrepreneur. Not
by a long shot.
As he was growing up in Miami,
Garcia didn’t give aviation any particular
thought at all. That is, not until he had
the opportunity to enroll in the legend-
ary George T. Baker Aviation School,
South Florida’s original aviation high
school. Only then did he take any real
interest in airplanes.
“I started attending George T. Baker
in the ninth grade, and that was my first
exposure to aviation of any kind,” Garcia
said. “I took regular morning classes at
South Miami Senior High, and then went
to Baker each afternoon.”
38 • Piper Flyer April 2020
Through those years, Garcia got
firsthand experience in every aspect of
aircraft inspection and maintenance.
He learned that he didn’t like getting his
hands all dirty and greasy, so a career as
an A&P technician was eliminated. But
he also learned that he did like working
around aviation electronics.
“Right after graduation, I joined the
U.S. Air Force and trained to work on
avionics aboard the F-4s and F-16s at
MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa,” he
said. “After I finished my tour, I went to
work for a small avionics shop in Tampa. I
stayed there until I left to start Gulf Coast
Avionics in 1984.”
Off we go into the
wild blue yonder…
Along with introducing him to aircraft
electronics, Garcia’s time at George T.
Baker also got him interested in learning
how to fly. So, once he got settled into his
routine at MacDill, he found the time and
money to start taking flying lessons at
a flight school located at nearby Van-
denberg Airport (now Tampa Executive
Airport, KVDF).
“The Air Force didn’t pay a lot, so I had
to save up for each lesson,” he said. “But
we all have goals we want to achieve in
life, and I really wanted to learn how to
fly. It took a while, but I earned my Private
Pilot certificate.”
After he received his Private, Garcia
went on to add his Instrument and
Multi-Engine ratings over the next few
years.
As President and Chief Everything
at the rapidly growing avionics sales, in-
stallation, and repair facility, Garcia got
to spend a lot more time around General
Aviation aircraft and pilots. The more
he learned about the benefits of aircraft

Courtesy of Gulf Coast Avionics
ownership, the more he wanted to buy
an airplane.
“Between the demands of a young
family and a business, I didn’t have a lot
of extra time. I would rent Cessnas and
Pipers on weekends for trips to the Keys,
but scheduling was often an issue,” he
said. “Also, we wanted to take trips to the
Bahamas, so I really needed a twin. I don’t
like the idea of flying a single over that
much water.”
Two kids and a twin
One of the benefits of running one of
the largest avionics shops in the South-
east is you get to see just about every
type of GA aircraft in the fleet and talk to
their owner/operators. There’s no better
way to get the real scoop on the good,
bad, and ugly of each model than talking
to the people who fly them every day.
After a lot of looking and talking,
“…WE WANTED TO TAKE TRIPS TO THE BAHAMAS, SO
I REALLY NEEDED A TWIN. I DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF
FLYING A SINGLE OVER THAT MUCH WATER.”
Garcia’s search for the ideal family-friend-
ly light twin settled squarely on Piper’s
easy-to-love Seneca. Having seen what’s
inside a lot of aircraft, from a fit and
finish standpoint, he had become a fan of
Piper’s airplanes. So, their entry-level twin
seemed the perfect fit for his needs.
“From what I learned, if you’re looking
for a light twin, the Seneca is a perfect
choice. It checked all the boxes for me,” he
said. “It’s straightforward, easy to fly, easy
to maintain, and it has the large Piper
side doors.”
“Kids have the habit of growing up
fast, and the two side doors made loading
all their stuff easy,” Garcia said. “Plus, the
Seneca II has the club-style seating, which
is great for overall passenger comfort.”
While family comfort was a huge
benefit, Garcia said that the “easy-to-fly”
part was even higher on his “must-have”
list since he was a relatively low-time
multi-engine pilot when the Seneca
search started. In fact, until his pre-buy
flight, he’d never even flown a Seneca.
“Right after I bought the twin, I went
to SimCom’s Vero Beach facility. They have
a great Seneca training course,” he said.
“Not all light twins fly the same, and with
safety being paramount for me, SimCom
training was a must.”
Garcia’s lucky N-number
Like many aircraft shoppers, Gar-
cia started his search in the pages of
Trade-A-Plane, where he found all kinds
of Senecas. He did decide that based on
age, price, and typical equipage, a PA-34-
200T Seneca II Turbo best fit his needs
and owner/operator budget.
“I actually looked at a couple of
other Seneca IIs, but for one reason
or another, neither of them interested
me,” he explained. “Then I came across
2284 Mike, and it hit home. I know it’s
strange, but the N-number did it for me.
My birthday is December 22nd, and if
you add eight and four, you get 12. Plus,
the letter ‘M’ is big in my family. My
mother’s, father’s, and daughter’s names
all begin with M.”
“Put it all together, and this just had
to be our airplane,” Garcia said. “It’s been
very lucky for the 16 years I’ve owned it.
It’s been about as flawless an airplane as
you could want.”
Numerology aside, November 2284
Mike had a lot more going for it than its
“lucky” N-number.
“It was a 1977 Seneca II with 5,600
hours total time on the airframe. It also
had low-time engines, and new paint and
interior,” he said. “In fact, the red and
goldish beige of the paint scheme is pretty
close to Gulf Coast Avionics’ company
colors. That was a nice coincidence.”
Garcia said that although the aircraft
was based in Minnesota, the owner was
happy to fly it down to Florida’s Lakeland
Linder International Airport (KLAL), Gulf
Coast Avionics’ home base, so Garcia
could fly it and have the pre-buy inspec-
tion done—if the deal got that far. It did.
“The Seneca was everything I could
hope for. The price was right, and the
owner is a super nice guy. We hit it
off right away,” Garcia said. “He took
great care of the Seneca but wanted to
move up to a Baron. He and I are still
friends today.”
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 39

An earlier iteration of the
Seneca’s panel.
GCA’s avionics showpiece
While the Seneca’s mechanicals were
in A1 condition, its legacy panel was
another matter altogether. It still had the
original King avionics it sported when
it left Vero Beach nearly 27 years earlier.
While that situation may have turned
many prospective buyers off, it was exact-
ly the setup Garcia wanted.
“No matter what avionics it had, I
was going to take it all out and start over
anyway,” Garcia said. “The Gulf Coast
40 • Piper Flyer April 2020
Avionics ‘company’ airplane could not be
seen with anything but a full-on custom
Gulf Coast Avionics panel. This just saved
me from having to pay for newer avionics,
only to have to take them out.”
As Garcia explains it, 2284 Mike’s
panel transformation started in 2004
and hasn’t stopped since. Being Garmin’s
largest and longest-standing dealer, Gulf
Coast Avionics’ Seneca wants for nothing
in the “coolest and newest avionics”
department.
Courtesy of Gulf Coast Avionics
To keep pace with the avionics times,
the Seneca had undergone a few panel
upgrades over the years. A couple of years
ago, avionics technology had changed so
much that Garcia decided it was time to
take it all out and start fresh.
That full-panel makeover included the
installation of dual Garmin G500 PFD/
MFDs, dual GTN 750 touch-screen GPS/
COM/NAVs, Garmin GDL 69A Satellite
Weather Datalink, L3 WX500 Stormscope,
JPI EDM-960 Digital Engine Analyzer,
Courtesy of Gulf Coast Avionics
The panel transformation
for Garcia’s Seneca II began
in 2004 and continues to
this day.
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Rick Garcia uses his Seneca to

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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 41

“THE SENECA IS EVERYTHING I HAD HOPED FOR OR COULD WANT IN A LIGHT
TWIN,” HE SAID. “I REALLY CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING THAT HAS SURPRISED OR
DISAPPOINTED ME IN ALL THE YEARS I’VE OWNED IT.”
Genesys Aerosystems/S-TEC 55X autopi-
lot, and a whole lot more.
“Just this past winter, we also installed
a Garmin Flight Stream 210 wireless
connectivity system, dual Garmin ADS-B
transponders, and a pair of USB power
ports,” Garcia said. “I’d have to say it’s the
best-equipped 1977 Seneca II in the fleet.”
But that’s 2284 Mike’s panel today. As
fast as the avionics industry is advancing,
there’s no end in sight to what Garmin
and the other avionics OEMs will bring
to market. And, for Gulf Coast Avionics’
customers, that’s a good thing.
“We use the Seneca as our aircraft
‘showroom,’” he said. “Customers are
welcome to get in to see the wide variety
of avionics upgrades we can do. It’s way
overkill for an airplane like the Seneca II,
but that’s fine. Customers can see what
can be done to an older panel.”
Of course, the panel isn’t the only part
of 2284 Mike that gets any love. Garcia
said that he recently had both engines
overhauled and that the aircraft is under
the regular care of Lakeland Linder Air-
port-based Aeromech Inc.
“The Seneca is living up to its reputa-
tion of being easy to fly and easy to main-
tain,” he said. “In all the years I’ve owned
it, there really haven’t been any surprise
repairs or replacement items. It’s just an
honest, reliable, solid airplane.”
The Seneca II,
Garcia’s No. 1 light twin
It’s obvious that after owing November
2284 Mike for 16 years, Garcia is pretty
darn happy with his decision. No relation-
ship lasts that long if it’s not right.
“The Seneca is everything I had hoped
for or could want in a light twin,” he said.
“I really can’t think of anything that has
surprised or disappointed me in all the
years I’ve owned it.”
“The only thing I don’t like about
having the Seneca sitting right outside of
my office door is I just don’t have enough
opportunities to fly it,” Garcia added.
“Right now, I’m averaging 50 to 60 hours a
year, which is less than I’d like.”
He said that while most of his flights
are family getaways to Northeast Georgia
or the Bahamas, the Seneca’s large cabin
has also been put to very good use for
various humanitarian causes.
“We flew medical supplies and mate-

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So, one just has to ask the question: If
you were going to buy another airplane,
what would it be?
“That’s easy. If money were no object,
it would be a brand-new Seneca V,”
Garcia said. “Besides the price tag, the
only drawback is that there’s no room, or
need, to do any upgrades to the standard
G1000 avionics suite.”

Dale Smith has been an aviation jour-

nalist for 30 years. When he’s not writing
aviation articles, Smith does commission
aircraft illustrations specializing in sea-
planes and flying boats. Smith has been
a certificated pilot since 1974 and has
flown 35 different types of General Avia-
tion, business, and World War II vintage
aircraft. Send questions or comments to
editor@piperflyer.org.

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April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 43

A record crowd enjoyed three days of fun and
educational activities at this event, while the
general public was introduced to General Aviation.

44 • Piper Flyer April 2020

 DESTINATION

By Rob Huntington

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 45

 The 2020 Copperstate Fly-in
and Buckeye Air Fair was held at
the Buckeye Municipal Airport
(KBXK) in Buckeye, Arizona.
nder clear, sunny Arizona
skies the 2020 Copperstate
Fly-in and Buckeye Air Fair
was held February 7-9 at
Buckeye Municipal Airport (KBXK). Over
36,000 visitors came to see and participate
in some of aviation’s most exciting and
fun activities, products and educational
forums. Over 600 aircraft flew in to join
more than 100 RVs camping at the three-
day event.
Copperstate (a non-profit organiza-
tion/fly-in operating continuously since
1973) joined forces in 2019 with the Buck-
eye Air Fair in this flourishing city just west
46 • Piper Flyer April 2020
of the Phoenix metropolis.
Highlights of the 2020 show included a
daily air show, experimental, vintage, and
military aircraft, action-packed demon-
strations, exhibitions from Arizona’s
SciTech Institute, and so much more. By
merging their respective successful events,
the City of Buckeye and Copperstate have
developed a very synergistic partnership
that benefits aviation and the general
public as well.
Increased attendance (over 20% growth
each year for 2019 and 2020) has allowed
Copperstate and its 200-plus generous
volunteers to donate more than $20,000 in
 DESTINATION

PFA members Terry and Karen

Hocking stopped by to say
hello to Kent as he worked the
booth at Copperstate.

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sales@aeroleds.com www.AeroLEDs.com DESIGNED & MADE IN USA

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 47

 AT APPROVED TURBO COMPONENTS, INC
WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A BOX WITH A PART
NUMBER ON IT. WE PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL
CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH EVERY
OVERHAUL OR EXCHANGE!

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CALL US... WE'RE HERE TO HELP!
TURBOCHARGERS - WASTEGATES - CONTROLLERS & PRV'S
OVERHAUL OR EXCHANGE The Copperstate Awards Program
www.approvedturbo.com enables owners and craftsman
to be acknowledged for their
workmanship and ingenuity. Mike
Graves (above in red) won for Best
Piper, presented by Marty Kirkhuff.
Attendees get the chance to view
displayed aircraft in person (below).

48 • Piper Flyer April 2020

…the Fly-in and Air Fair hosted
many educational seminars,
hands-on workshops, speakers
and interactive forums, and
youth activities.

Copperstate offers plenty of educational opportunities with

expert forums and workshops.

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 49

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the form of scholarships and aid to young
aviation students, allowing them to further
their aviation careers. Furthermore, the
Fly-in and Air Fair hosted many educa-
tional seminars, hands-on workshops,
speakers and interactive forums, and
youth activities. Admission to Copperstate
FREE Shipping on Most is free, ensuring everyone has access to
these wonderful resources.
Orders Over $500 Copperstate’s board of directors are not
TOLL FREE ORDERS content with the status quo, however, as
1-800-447-3408 plans are being made to host demonstra-
tions of STOL drags and championship air
WWW.CHIEFAIRCRAFT.COM
50 • Piper Flyer April 2020
racing in conjunction with the Reno Air
Racing Association during the 2021 event.
Sponsorships, vendor spaces, event
ticket sales, and donations are all ways
Copperstate raises money to foster
curiosity and help build a solid founda-
tion in educating youth on aviation and
aviation careers. For more information
and to find out how you can partici-
pate with Copperstate in 2021, contact
Steve Thompson, director of business
development, Copperstate Fly-In Inc,
DoBusiness@Copperstate.org
…plans are being made to host
demonstrations of STOL drags
and championship air racing
during the 2021 event.

The 2020 Copperstate Fly-in and Buckeye Air Fair was a

great opportunity to view a wide array of General Aviation
planes, including the Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer (facing page and
above), homebuilts, antiques, military, and classic aircraft.

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 51

52 • Piper Flyer April 2020
 Engineered
to Make Life
Easier.
The patent-pending
“non-sticking” SPIN EZ™ aircraft
engine oil filters by Tempest® are
designed to come off easy. Heat,
time and pressure can extrude
oil, grease, DC4® compound
or similar liquid lubricants
from between a filter’s rubber
seal and the filter mount pad
- leaving the filter seemingly
“bonded” to the engine’s mount
pad - and making it nearly
impossible to remove. Tempest’s
proprietary SPIN EZ adhered
solid seal lubricant stays where
it’s supposed to - between
the seal and the mount pad’s
surface. SPIN EZ solid lubricant
won’t extrude or squirt out from
under the seal. It prevents the
bond forming environment that
makes legacy filters stick.
Tempest SPIN EZ oil filters - the
filter that comes off without a
fight!
The only thing stuck now is our
competition.

Rob Huntington is the webmaster for the Copperstate Fly-in team. Having attended
more than 20 Copperstate events over the years, Huntington is excited to work along- www.tempestplus.com
side all the people who make Copperstate such a huge success. Huntington is now
800.822.3200
part-owner of an experimental aircraft building/modification center, XPro Aviation in
Mesa, Arizona. Send questions or comments to editor@piperflyer.org.

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 53

PRESS RELEASES
*Compiled from press releases
SUPERIOR AIR PARTS’ RESPONSE TO THE RECENT NPRM
ISSUED BY THE FAA REGARDING CERTAIN CRANKSHAFTS IN
LYCOMING 360 STYLE RECIPROCATING ENGINES
Superior Air Parts is totally committed to the safety of its customers and is working
closely with the FAA to determine the root cause and best course of action
COPPELL, Texas, Feb. 25, 2020—Representatives of Superior Air
Parts, Inc., announced that the company is aware of the FAA’s
recent notice of proposed rulemaking (NRPM) concerning a pro-
posed AD for Superior Air Parts (SAP) model O-360, IO-360 recip-
rocating engines, and certain Lycoming Engines model AEIO-360,
IO-360, and O-360-series reciprocating engines.
“Unfortunately, we were only informed of the proposed rule
two weeks ago. Since then, we have been in contact with the FAA
regarding their findings to fully understand the issue and identify
the most likely cause of the failures,” stated Scott Hayes, VP of sales
and marketing, Superior Air Parts, Inc. “Our engineering team is
currently reviewing all of the available information, and once we
have determined the actual cause, we can work with the FAA to
determine the most logical course of action.”
Hayes said that the FAA estimates the AD would affect 115
crankshaft assemblies installed in U.S. registered certified aircraft.
“All I can say for certain is that it is still just too early to form
any type of conclusion about what caused these three crank-
TAILWIND ADDS AEROSPACE WELDING MINNEAPOLIS, INC. AND
AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING INC. TO PORTFOLIO
PIQUA, Ohio, Jan. 6, 2020—Tailwind Technologies has acquired
Aerospace Welding Minneapolis, Inc. and Aerospace Manufacturing,
Inc. (AMI), both headed by President Tom Heid, who will continue in that
capacity for Tailwind. Tailwind Technologies is the parent company of
Hartzell Propeller, Inc. and Hartzell Engine Technologies LLC.
“President Tom Heid founded AWI-AMI in Eagan, Minnesota, more
than 20 years ago. The operation is well run and will fit nicely into our
growth portfolio,” said James (Jim) W. Brown III, president of Tailwind.
“AWI-AMI will keep their location, company names, leadership team, and
skilled employees going forward.”
54 • Piper Flyer April 2020
April 2020
shafts to fail the way they did,” stated Bill Ross, VP of product
support, Superior Air Parts, Inc. “We want every one of our
customers to know that we put safety ahead of everything and
will do everything in our power to find the root cause as soon
as possible.”
Hayes said that the affected crankshafts were all produced
by a specific Superior Air Parts vendor between 2012 and 2014,
with the following parts numbers: (P/N) SL36500-A20 or P/N
SL36500-A31, with serial numbers 82976-01; 82976-02; SP12-0003
through AP12-0089, inclusive; SP13-0034 through SP13-0150,
inclusive; or SP14-0151 through SP14-0202, inclusive.
The crankshaft assemblies were installed as original equipment
on new Superior Air Parts Model O-360 and IO-360 engines, and as
replacement parts under Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) on
certain Lycoming Model AEIO-360, IO-360, and O-360 engines.
For more information, please contact Scott Hayes, VP sales and
marketing at 972-215-6992, or Bill Ross, VP product support at
214-395-9183. The company website is superiorairparts.com.
AWI’s core competencies are welding, bending, and fabricating sheet
metal and tubing. The company specializes in the manufacture, repair,
and overhaul of piston aircraft exhaust and engine mounts, primarily as
an aftermarket focused business.
AMI specializes in make to print machining and welding with a focus
on bending and welding tube assemblies for jet engines and airframes,
as well as metal details for AWI’s exhaust and engine mount business.
AMI is also a supplier to Hartzell Engine Technologies, providing welded
sheet metal and tubes for the cabin heater product line.
“Under Tailwind Technologies, we are positioned to be a real winner
in the aviation/aerospace market,” said AWI-AMI President Tom Heid.
“Our whole team is looking forward to applying Tailwind’s expertise in
enterprise resource planning, operational optimization, and rigorous
metrics to further improve business performance with a future focus on
intellectual property-based products.”
For more information, visit awi-ami.com, aerospacemanufacturing.
com, and tailwindtechnologiesinc.com.
GARMIN EXPANDS
APPROVAL FOR THE GFC
500 AUTOPILOT GFC 500 AP controller

OLATHE, Kan., Feb. 18, 2020—Garmin
recently announced it has received FAA
STC for the GFC 500 autopilot in additional
models of the Piper PA-28, PA-32, and select
models of the Cessna 177 Cardinal. Intend-
ed for piston single-engine aircraft, the GFC
500 delivers superior in-flight characteris-
tics, self-monitoring capabilities, and mini-
mal maintenance needs when compared to
older generation autopilot systems.
Specific aircraft models now approved
for the GFC 500 autopilot include:
• Piper PA-28
- Models: 235
• Piper PA-32
- Models: 301, 301T, 301FT, 301XTC
• Cessna 177
- Models: 177B, 177RG, F177RG
The GFC 500 autopilot uniquely in-
tegrates with the G5 electronic flight
instrument, or a combination of both the
G5 and either a G3X Touch or G500 TXi
flight display, to provide pilots with an
economical and modern autopilot solution.
The autopilot mode controller contains
large dedicated keys and knobs, a control
wheel that allows for easy adjustments to
aircraft pitch, airspeed and vertical speed,
and a level button that returns the aircraft
to straight-and-level flight.
As a standard feature, pilots receive
Garmin ESP with the GFC 500 autopilot,
which works to assist the pilot in maintain-
ing the aircraft in a stable flight condition.
ESP functions independently of the auto-
pilot and works in the background to help
pilots avoid inadvertent flight attitudes or
bank angles and provide airspeed pro-
tection while the pilot is hand-flying the
aircraft.
In addition to traditional autopilot
capabilities such as altitude hold, vertical
speed, and heading modes, the GFC 500
also includes:
• Premium functions and advanced
capabilities such as altitude pre-select and
indicated airspeed hold mode.
• Pilots can fly fully coupled descent
VNAV profiles throughout the enroute
and terminal phases of flight with a GTN
750/650 navigator.
• Pilots can select, couple, and fly various
instrument approaches, including GPS, ILS,
VOR, LOC, and back course approaches.
• Built-in GPS roll steering capabili-
ty eliminates the need for external roll
steering converters, allowing for smoother
navigation tracking when installed with a
compatible navigator.
• Level Mode, which automatically en-
gages the autopilot to restore the aircraft to
straight and level flight.
• Underspeed protection helps prevent
the pilot from stalling the aircraft.
• Overspeed protection helps prevent
the pilot from exceeding aircraft maximum
speed (VNE).
• Pilots can fly coupled ‘go-arounds’
during missed approach sequencing. A
remotely-installed go-around button com-
mands the Flight Director to display the
appropriate pitch attitude required for the
missed approach procedure and activates a
loaded missed approach when paired with
a GTN 650/750 navigator.
• An optional pitch-trim servo adds auto-
matic trim and manual electric trim.
For customers who already have a G5
electronic flight instrument, the GFC 500
starts at a suggested retail price of $6,995
(installation not included) for a 2-axis
autopilot. The GFC 500 can be purchased
with the G5 electronic flight instrument for
a suggested retail price of less than $10,000,
not including installation. To view the
most current aircraft STC list, to view cer-
tifications that are expected to begin in the
next 12 months, or to express interest in a
specific aircraft make/model, visit garmin.
com/GFC500 or garmin.com/GFC600.

PIPER AIRCRAFT ANNOUNCES 27% GROWTH IN 2019

VERO BEACH, Feb. 24, 2020—Piper Aircraft, Inc. recently announced a 27%
increase in aircraft deliveries for 2019. Continued growth was driven by a 70%
year-over-year (YOY) increase of Piper Archer single-engine primary trainer air-
craft and an 8% increase of multi-engine Piper Seminole trainers. The production
of Piper’s flagship M600, shifted to the new M600 SLS provisioned with the
HALO Safety System, and Garmin Autoland in the second half of the year. This
planned change resulted in a slight decline in delivery numbers as the company
continues with final certification for the HALO system. Both the SETP M500
and pressurized M350 also saw positive volume growth in 2019. International
deliveries of Piper products showed continued growth of 5% over 2018 with 29%
of Piper products being shipped to countries outside of North America.
In addition to Piper’s sales success, the company continued to invest in its
production capabilities with the expansion of Piper’s additive manufacturing pro-
gram, which includes the 3D printing of nearly 400 parts. The company continued
with capital investments in new equipment and facilities totaling more than $10
million during 2019. The continued rise in demand for Piper products has result-
ed in order backlog orders touching 2027. The increased volumes also bodes
well for the Vero Beach community with a 10% increase in the local workforce.
“We continue to focus on product development and production efficien-
cies which help position Piper Aircraft to continue a stable and sustainable
financial growth trend,” said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott. “As we
look toward 2020, we are excited about the upcoming certification of the new,
valued-priced Pilot 100 which offers optimal economics for all operators, as well
as the continued demand from both existing and new customers for the Archer
TX and the Seminole.”
For more information, visit piper.com.

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 55

 PRESS RELEASES

GARMIN BRINGS FLIGHT

DECK TECHNOLOGY AND
TOOLS TO THE GARMIN
PILOT APP
Major upgrade adds option to
load instrument procedures,
customized holds, and more
OLATHE, Kan., Feb. 18, 2020—Garmin International,
Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd., recently announced the
addition of new features within the Garmin Pilot app
that incorporate professional IFR navigation tools
found within Garmin avionics. Pilots can experience
a near-seamless transition between Garmin avionics
and the Garmin Pilot app when performing common
functions, such as loading and activating instrument
approach procedures, departures, and arrivals within
the Americas. Additional features such as a visual
procedure selector, custom holding patterns, and
more, give pilots convenient access to advanced
tools all within a mobile app.
“Leveraging technologies found within Garmin
avionics and flight decks, we’re excited to bring this
game-changing update to Garmin Pilot customers,”
said Carl Wolf, vice president of aviation sales and
marketing. “This upgrade gives pilots the ability to
load complex routes and procedures into the app
just as they would within a Garmin-integrated flight
deck, offering added convenience, time savings,
and confidence when transitioning between multiple

MAIN
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Professional IFR navigation tools
Within the latest Garmin Pilot upgrade, pilots
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SYSTEMS, INC. arrivals, and instrument approach procedures.
Published holds that are included as part of the
missed approach are also added to the flight
We Will Help You Troubleshoot Your System! plan. When pilots activate a procedure with
published altitude constraints, those altitudes are
(Teaching Subject At FAA Endorsed Events) automatically incorporated into a flight plan within
the app. Pilots can also choose to manually add
altitude constraints into a flight plan. Additionally,
• TURBOCHARGERS • PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES approach procedures with radius-to-fix (RF) legs can
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• CONTROLLERS • WE BUY CORES AT OPERATIONAL SPEEDS ON OUR Pilot, pilots can more easily input and adhere to
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Pilots can now more easily visualize departures,
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56 • Piper Flyer April 2020

 Procedure Selector

Customized holding procedures

Pilots now have the flexibility to easily build
customized holding patterns. These holds may be
created over an existing fix or over a user-defined
waypoint and then inserted into a flight plan. When
creating a hold, pilots can easily input an inbound
or outbound course, select left or right turns, and
specify leg length in time or distance. Unpublished
holds or those assigned by air traffic control are
easily created and displayed within Garmin Pilot
to simplify the process of visualizing and flying a
holding pattern.

Worldwide route data packages

Route data packages within Garmin Pilot
help to ensure pilots have downloaded all of
the data required for a flight plan. Once a flight
plan is entered, pilots can review the data that is
downloaded to their mobile device. If information is
missing for a particular flight, Garmin Pilot displays
an option to download additional data. Route data
packages are also available worldwide to help
ensure pilots have all of the data they need prior to
every flight. Databases that are included within the
worldwide route data packages include navigation
data, instrument approach procedures, SafeTaxi,
terrain, obstacles, and more.
The newest release of Garmin Pilot on Apple
mobile devices is available immediately. For new
customers, Garmin Pilot is available in the Apple
App Store as a free download for the first 30
days. After the 30-day trial period, customers may
purchase an annual subscription of Garmin Pilot
starting at $79.99. Garmin Pilot is supported by
Garmin’s award-winning aviation support team,
which provides 24/7 worldwide technical and
warranty support. Visit garmin.com/aviation for
additional information.

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 57

ASA
AIRCRAFT SAFETY ALERTS
5173
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
Vol. 85, No. 19
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains notices to the public of the
proposed issuance of rules and regulations.
The purpose of these notices is to give
interested persons an opportunity to
participate in the rule making prior to the
adoption of the final rules.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2018–1077; Product
Identifier 2018–NE–40–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Superior Air
Parts, Inc. (SAP) Engines and Lycoming
Engines Reciprocating Engines With a
Certain SAP Crankshaft Assembly
AGENCY:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
DOT.
ACTION:
Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
SUMMARY:
The FAA proposes to adopt a new
airworthiness directive (AD) for all
SAP Model IO–360-series and O–360-
series reciprocating engines and certain
Lycoming Engines (Lycoming) Model
AEIO–360-, IO–360-, and O–360-series
reciprocating engines with a certain SAP
crankshaft assembly installed. This SAP
crankshaft assembly is installed as original
equipment on the affected SAP engines
and as a replacement part under parts
manufacturer approval (PMA) on the
affected Lycoming engines. This proposed
AD was prompted by three crankshaft
assembly failures that resulted in the
58 • Piper Flyer April 2020
loss of engine power and immediate or
emergency landings. This proposed AD
would require the removal from service of
all affected crankshaft assemblies. The FAA
is proposing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.
DATES:
The FAA must receive comments on this
proposed AD by March 16, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
You may send comments, using the
procedures found in 14 CFR 11.43 and
11.45, by any of the following methods:
•F
 ederal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: 202–493–2251.
• Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation,
Docket Operations, M–30, West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
•H
 and Delivery: Deliver to Mail address
above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the
internet at https:// www.regulations.
gov by searching for and locating Docket
No. FAA–2018– 1077; or in person at
Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. The AD docket contains
this NPRM, the regulatory evaluation,
any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket
Operations is listed above. Comments will
be available in the AD docket shortly after
receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT:
Justin Carter, Aerospace Engineer, Fort
Worth ACO Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood
Parkway, Fort Worth, TX, 76177; phone:
817–222–5146; fax: 817– 222–5245; email:
justin.carter@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written
relevant data, views, or arguments about
this proposal. Send your comments to
an address listed under the ADDRESSES
section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA–2018–
1077; Product Identifier 2018–NE–40–AD’’
at the beginning of your comments.
The FAA specifically invites comments
on the overall regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of
this NPRM. The FAA will consider all
comments received by the closing date
and may amend this NPRM because of
those comments.
Except for Confidential Business
Information as described in the following
paragraph, and other information as
described in 14 CFR 11.35, the FAA will
post all comments received, without
change, to https:// www.regulations.gov,
including any personal information you
provide. The FAA will also post a report
summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.
Confidential Business Information
Confidential Business Information (CBI)
is commercial or financial information
that is both customarily and actually
treated as private by its owner. Under
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
(5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive
to this NPRM contain commercial or
financial information that is customarily
treated as private, that you actually
treat as private, and that is relevant or
responsive to this NPRM, it is important
that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page
of your submission containing CBI as
‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such marked
submissions as confidential under the
FOIA, and they will not be placed in the
public docket of this NPRM. Submissions
containing CBI should be sent to Justin
Carter, Aerospace Engineer, Fort Worth
ACO Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood
Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177. Any
commentary that the FAA receives which
is not specifically designated as CBI will
be placed in the public docket for this
rulemaking.
Discussion
The FAA learned of three SAP crankshaft
assembly failures that took place on March
6, 2017, August 3, 2017, and October 31,
2018, that resulted in the loss of engine
power and immediate or emergency
landings. Since the FAA received these
reports, the FAA determined that the
crankshaft assembly failures resulted
from the manufacturing process at SAP’s
crankshaft vendor during 2012 and 2014.
The crankshaft assembly is a non-life-
limited part, which should not fail (crack
or separate) through fatigue. Rather, the
crankshaft assembly is inspected during
overhaul and may be replaced, on-
condition, due to wear beyond limits of the
cam lobes and bearing surfaces.
The FAA’s analysis of the process
used to manufacture the failed
assemblies identified that gaseous
nitrocarburization resulted in excessive
residual white layer forming on the
assemblies. This white layer is brittle and
can lead to spalling or fatigue cracking
of the crankshaft assembly as a result
of the normal mechanical loads during
engine operation. The FAA’s analysis
concluded that all three SAP crankshaft
assembly failures were the result of this
fatigue cracking. This condition, if not
addressed, could result 5174 commerce by prescribing regulations for
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 19 /
Wednesday, January 29, 2020 / Proposed
Rules in failure of the engine, in-flight
shutdown, and loss of the airplane.
These SAP crankshaft assemblies are
installed as original equipment on
SAP Model IO–360-series and O–360-
series reciprocating engines and as a
replacement part under PMA on certain
Lycoming Model AEIO–360-, IO–360-, and
O–360-series reciprocating engines.
The FAA considered alternatives that
may be less burdensome than removing
the crankshaft assembly from service,
including not taking AD action and
requiring periodic inspections of the
crankshaft assembly. However, these
options are not acceptable because
taking no action does not correct
this known unsafe condition and
the crankshaft assembly cannot be
inspected without destroying it. The FAA
concluded that there is no acceptable
safety alternative to the replacement of
the crankshaft assembly.
FAA’s Determination
The FAA is proposing this AD because it
evaluated all the relevant information
and determined the unsafe condition
described previously is likely to exist or
develop in other products of the same
type design.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require the
removal from service of all affected
crankshaft assemblies.
Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code
specifies the FAA’s authority to issue
rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section
106, describes the authority of the FAA
Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation
Programs, describes in more detail the
scope of the Agency’s authority.
The FAA is issuing this rulemaking
under the authority described in Subtitle
VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701:
‘‘General requirements.’’ Under that
section, Congress charges the FAA with
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air
practices, methods, and procedures the
Administrator finds necessary for safety
in air commerce. This regulation is within
the scope of that authority because it
addresses an unsafe condition that is likely
to exist or develop on products identified
in this rulemaking action.
This AD is issued in accordance with
authority delegated by the Executive
Director, Aircraft Certification Service,
as authorized by FAA Order 8000.51C.
In accordance with that order, issuance
of ADs is normally a function of the
Compliance and Airworthiness Division,
but during this transition period, the
Executive Director has delegated the
authority to issue ADs applicable to
engines, propellers, and associated
appliances to the Manager, Engine and
Propeller Standards Branch, Policy and
Innovation Division.
Regulatory Flexibility Determination
The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980
(Pub. L. 96–354, codified as amended
at 5 U.S.C. 601–612) (RFA) establishes
‘‘as a principle of regulatory issuance
that agencies shall endeavor, consistent
with the objectives of the rule and of
applicable statutes, to fit regulatory
and informational requirements to the
scale of the businesses, organizations,
and governmental jurisdictions subject
to regulation. To achieve this principle,
agencies are required to solicit and
consider flexible regulatory proposals
and to explain the rationale for their
actions to assure that such proposals
are given serious consideration.’’ Public
Law 96–354, 2(b), Sept. 19, 1980. The
RFA covers a wide-range of small
entities, including small businesses,
not-for-profit organizations, and small
governmental jurisdictions. Agencies
must perform a review to determine
whether a rule will have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities. If the agency
determines that it will, the agency must
prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis
as described in the RFA. This portion
of the preamble serves as the Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA).
Compliance cost of this proposed AD
comes from the cost to remove and
replace a crankshaft assembly. The
FAA estimates that this proposed
AD would affect 115 crankshaft
assemblies installed on airplanes
of U.S. registry. This cost estimate
does not include 77 SAP crankshafts
installed on experimental engines since
these engines are not included in the
applicability of this AD.
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 59

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Aircraft
State of the Art Restraint System
• 2- and 3-Point Configuration
$2,580 • Installed by Local A&P Mechanic
www.AmSafe.com • System covers Pilot & Co-Pilot Seat
60 • Piper Flyer April 2020
AIRCRAFT SAFETY ALERTS
Compliance cost per crankshaft assembly is
identified below.
Labor cost = 61 hours per crankshaft assembly
replacement × $85 Hourly Wage = $5,185.
Equipment costs per crankshaft assembly
replacement = $9,636 (Source: Average of the
two manufacturers).
$5,185 labor per crankshaft assembly + $9,636
equipment costs per crankshaft assembly
replacement = $14,821 compliance cost per
engine.
The total costs to U.S. operators is $1,704,415,
or $119,309 in annualized costs. There are no
additional costs after removing and replacing
the crankshaft assembly.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Under Section 603(b) and (c) of the RFA, the
initial analysis must address the following six
areas:
(1) Description of reasons the agency is
considering the action;
(2) Statement of the legal basis and objectives
for the proposed rule;
(3) Description of the record keeping and
other compliance requirements of the
proposed rule;
(4) All federal rules that may duplicate,
overlap, or conflict with the proposed rule;
(5) Description and an estimated number of
small entities to which the proposed rule will
apply; and
(6) Describe alternatives considered.
Reasons the Agency Is Considering the
Action
This proposed AD was prompted by three
crankshaft assembly failures that resulted in
the loss of engine power and immediate or
emergency landings. The FAA is proposing
this AD to prevent failure of the crankshaft
assembly by requiring the removal of all
affected crankshaft assemblies from service.
Failure of a crankshaft assembly, if not
addressed, could result in failure of the engine,
in-flight shutdown, and loss of the airplane.
 

Legal Basis and Objectives for the

Proposed Rule
The FAA’s legal basis for this proposed AD
is discussed in detail under the ‘‘Authority
for this Rulemaking’’ section.
Description and an Estimated Number
of Small Entities to Which the Proposed
Rule Would Apply
This proposed AD would apply to all
SAP Model IO–360-series and O–360-
series reciprocating engines and certain
Lycoming Model AEIO–360-, IO–360-, and
O–360-series reciprocating engines with a
certain SAP crankshaft assembly installed.
This SAP crankshaft assembly is installed
as original equipment on the affected SAP
engines and as a replacement part under
PMA on the affected Lycoming engines.
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affects a substantial number of small
entities. The FAA uses the Small
Business Administration (SBA) criteria
for determining whether an affected
entity is small. For aircraft/ engine
manufacturers, aviation operators, and
any business using an aircraft, the SBA
criterion is 1,500 or fewer employees. The
FAA estimates that this proposed AD
would affect 115 crankshaft assemblies
installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. The
FAA does not have any information or
data on whether these entities are small
businesses according to the definition
established by the SBA. The FAA requests
comment and data that would allow us
to more accurately assess the number
of employees and sales revenues of the
affected entities.

Record-Keeping and Other Compliance

Requirements of the Proposed Rule
There are no record-keeping costs
associated with this proposed rule.

Duplicative, Overlapping, or Conflicting

Federal Rules
There are no relevant Federal rules that
may duplicate, overlap, or conflict with
this proposed rule.

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 61

 PJ2
AIRCRAFT SAFETY ALERTS

Alternatives to the Proposed AD

B.A.S. Inc. As part of the IRFA, the FAA is required to
P.O. Box 190 consider regulatory alternatives that may
COM RADIO Eatonville, WA 98328

ATTENTION pIpER
be less burdensome. The FAA considered
the following alternatives:
Backup radio with pA-28, -32 & -34 OWNERS
built-in headset jacks
RESTRAINT WITHOUT Do nothing: This option is not acceptable
because the risk of additional failures of
RESTRICTION these crankshaft assemblies constitutes a
A four-point inertia reel shoulder harness / lap
belt system that is FAA-STC and PMA approved.
known unsafe condition.

Periodic inspections: This option is not

• Standard GA possible as the crankshaft assembly
headset jacks
cannot be inspected without destroying it.
• Oversized screen
• Large keypad There is no direct safety alternative to the
• Last frequency replacement of the crankshaft assembly.
button
The replacement addresses a safety issue
• 20 scannable
memory channels aimed at preventing the failure of the
crankshaft assembly.
#1812A $199.00 Visit our website for a complete listing of
available aircraft models and pricing for
Therefore, this proposed rulemaking may
Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft & Luscombe.
have a significant economic impact on a
www.basinc-aeromod.com substantial number of small entities. The
Toll Free 1-888-255-6566 (Pacific Time) FAA invites public comments regarding
SPORTYS.COM (360) 832-6566 • Fax (360) 832-6466 this determination.

Regulatory Findings
The FAA determined that this proposed
Cessna Flyer Classified_PJ2.indd 1 SUPER CAPACITY 1/3/20 10:23 AM
Gill LT 12V Sealed VRLA Aircraft battery*
AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order
13132. This proposed AD would not have
Get Maximum Reserve Capacity to Handle a substantial direct effect on the States,
on the relationship between the national
Increased Aviation Electronics. government and the States, or on the
7025-24 7035-34 distribution of power and responsibilities
Available Now, Available Now,
at Distributors at Distributors among the various levels of government.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify

this proposed regulation:

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’

under Executive Order 12866, and

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in

Alaska.
FAA-PMA Approved FAA-PMA Approved
For Over 162 For Over 242 List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Aircraft Models Aircraft Models • Air transportation
• Aircraft
• Aviation safety
• Incorporation by reference
• Safety
Celebrating 100 Years of Battery Innovation
* For approved appliicatio
ons; See Gillbattteries.com
m forr a full list of airccraft mod
dels serviceed by th
his battery
The Proposed Amendment
| 909.793.3131 | GILLBATTERIES.COM Accordingly, under the authority delegated

62 • Piper Flyer April 2020

Document Info: Cessna / Piper Flyer / January 2020
Prepared by: Visual Media Group - Wichita, KS
Contact: Graphic Designer / Joe Landeher / 316.734.3026
to me by the Administrator, the FAA
proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as
follows:

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS
DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39
continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

§ 39.13 [Amended]
2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the
following new airworthiness directive
(AD):

Superior Air Parts, Inc.: Docket No. FAA–

2018–1077; Product Identifier
2018–NE– 40–AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

The FAA must receive comments by March
16, 2020.

(b) Affected Ads

None.

(c) Applicability
This AD applies to the reciprocating
engine models identified in paragraphs
(c)(1) and (2) of this AD with a Superior
Air Parts, Inc. (SAP) crankshaft assembly,
part number (P/N) SL36500–A20 or
P/N SL36500–A31, with serial numbers
82976–01; 82976–02; SP12– 0003 through
SP12–0089, inclusive; SP13– 0034 through
SP13–0150, inclusive; or SP14– 0151
through SP14–0202, inclusive; installed.

(1) With SAP crankshaft assembly, P/N

SL36500–A20, installed:

(i) SAP Model IO–360-series and O–360-

series reciprocating engines.

(ii) Lycoming Engines (Lycoming) Model

Performance Promised;
IO–360–B2F, IO–360–L2A, O–360,
O–360– A2A, O–360–A2D, O–360–A2E,

Performance Delivered!
O–360–A2F, O–360–A2G, O–360–B2A,
O–360–C2A, O– 360–C2C, O–360–C2D,
O–360–C2E, O–360– D2A, and O–360–
D2B reciprocating engines. • Smoother engine operation • Increases power
(2) With SAP crankshaft assembly, P/N
• Better fuel efficiency • Reduces maintenance costs
SL36500–A31, installed:
Factory Support: 248-674-3433
(i) SAP Model IO–360-series and O–360- electroair.net | Sales 281-728-8732
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 63
 AIRCRAFT SAFETY ALERTS

series reciprocating engines.

(ii) Lycoming Model AEIO–360–H1A,
IO– 360–B1A, IO–360–B1B, IO–360–B1D,
ALPHAAVIATION.com IO– 360–B1E, IO–360–B1F, IO–360–M1A,
O–360, O–360–A1A, O–360–A1C, O–360–
SHOULDER HARNESS & LAP BELT
Add New or Replace Your Older Restraints A1D, O– 360–A2A, O–360–C1A, O–360–
Replacements from $439. (1 seat) C1G, O–360– C1C, O–360–C1E, and
STC Kits from $999. (2 front seats) - FAA/PMA O–360–C1F reciprocating engines.
2-point Lap Belts $119.00 (1 seat)AmSafe®
tso-c114 & tso-c22g
Note 1 to paragraph (c) of this AD:
L ARGEST S ELECTION of S TOCK R ESTRAINTS This SAP crankshaft assembly may be
installed as a replacement part under
thousands sold worldwide since 1995 parts manufacturer approval on the
Low Wing Line $359 - $399 affected Lycoming engines.
Tailweight / Post $269 - $349
· Purpose Built Cylinder (d) Subject
· Machined Lifting Surface -
Concave Top for Jack Point
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)
· Clears Gear Doors Code 8520, Reciprocating Engine Power
· Tilt’n’Go Wheels Section.
· Double Acting Pump - Moves
on the Up & Down Strokes
· 1-1/4” Oversized Ram (e) Unsafe Condition
· Heavy Gauge Industrial Tubing This AD was prompted by three
· Heavy Gauge Steel Base crankshaft assembly failures that
· Laser Cut & Robotic Welded resulted in the loss of engine power
· Powder Painted
and immediate or emergency landings.
· Easy Assembly
· Ships FedEx or UPS Ground
The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent
failure of the crankshaft assembly. The
100’s In Stock for Quick Shipment unsafe condition, if not addressed, could
result in failure of the engine, in-flight
shutdown, and loss of the airplane.

Join us on the
( f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the
compliance times specified, unless
Piper Flyer forums! already done.

(g) Required Action

Within 25 engine operating hours after
the effective date of this AD, remove the
Log in and participate.
crankshaft assembly from service.
Share your knowledge.
Get recommendations. (h) Special Flight Permit
A one-time special flight permit may be
Meet your fellow Piper Flyer members. issued to fly the aircraft to a maintenance
facility to perform the actions of this
Recent posts: AD with the following limitations: No
• Gear Up and Down Microswitch Location passengers, visual flight rules (VFR) day
conditions only, and avoid areas of known
• Oil Quick Drain for Arrow
turbulence.
• Arrow, In Transit Gear Light PA28R-180
• New Aztec Buyer (i) Alternative Methods of Compliance
• Leaking Propeller Hub HC-C2YK-1BF (AMOCs)
• 1945 J3 Cub for Sale (1) The Manager, Fort Worth ACO
Branch, FAA, has the authority to
approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested
Piperflyer.org/forum
using the procedures found in 14 CFR
39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19,

64 • Piper Flyer April 2020

send your request to your principal
inspector or local Flight Standards
District Office, as appropriate. If sending
information directly to the manager of
the certification office, send it to the
attention of the person identified in
paragraph (j) of this AD.

(2) Before using any approved AMOC,

notify your appropriate principal
inspector, or lacking a principal inspector,
the manager of the local flight standards
district office/ certificate holding district
office.

( j) Related Information
For more information about this AD,
contact Justin Carter, Aerospace Engineer,
Fort Worth ACO Branch, FAA, 10101
Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX, 76177;
phone: 817–222–5146; fax: 817–222–5245;
email: justin.carter@faa.gov.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on

January 23, 2020.

Karen M. Grant,

Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller

Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification
Service.

[FR Doc. 2020–01414 Filed 1–28–20; 8:45

am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

Find More
Aircraft
Safety Alerts
online
Go to Aviation Alerts under
the Knowledge Base tab at
piperflyer.org
(239) 405-6117
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 65
 FLYER EVENTS
Continued from Page 12

of Women Pilots will be held at the

historic Queen Mary. Featuring semi-
nars, speakers, education, mentoring,
and networking, the event will honor the
history of women in aviation. For more
information, visit ninety-nines.org.

July 20–26
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
From humble beginnings more
than 60 years ago, EAA AirVenture has
evolved from a small gathering of air-
craft and aviators into a grand, weeklong
event known as The World’s Greatest
Aviation Celebration at the Wittman
Regional Airport (KOSH). For more infor-
mation, visit eaa.org/airventure.

Sept. 11–12
Rochester, New York
AOPA 2020 Fly-in
The 2020 Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association (AOPA) fly-in at the Greater
Rochester International Airport (KROC)
will have something for everyone. The
action-packed event will feature two
When buying from one of our days of popular AOPA programming,
such as Flightline Cookout, STOL
advertisers, tell them you saw their invitational, drone show, seminars, and
exhibits, plus the chance to fly over
ad in Piper Flyer magazine. Niagara Falls. For more information, visit
aopa.org.

OTHER EVENTS
April 11
Watsonville, California
Monthly EAA Chapter 119 Meeting
Located at Watsonville Municipal
Airport (KWVI), the meeting takes place
from 10:30 a.m. to noon, with doors

Aero Design AircrAft services opening at 10 a.m. Planned speakers

the restorAtion experts
www.AeroDesignconcepts.com
You Don’t hAve to buY A new plAne to flY one
mAintenAnce | interiors | refinishing
cAll the restorAtion experts
413-568-7300
112 Airport roAD, bArnes Airport, westfielD, mA 01085
will be posted on their website. Doors
close when the hangar flying ends or
the fog clears to go flying. For more
information, contact Tom Hail at 831-
531-8440.
April 11
Logan, Utah
Logan Cache Airport Breakfast Fly-in
Hosted by LeadingEdge Aviation,
the social event will include pancakes,

66 • Piper Flyer April 2020

 When buying
eggs, sausage, fruit, coffee, and more.
from one of our
Attendees meet at the Logan-Cache advertisers, tell
Airport (KLGU) from 8 to 10 a.m. Due
to the number of aircraft arriving and them you saw
departing, please use standard traffic
pattern, no straight in approaches. their ad in Piper
Discounted fuel. For more information,
contact Scott Weaver at 435-752-5955. Flyer magazine.
April 11
Conroe, Texas
EAA Chapter 302 Monthly Meeting
Chapter meeting takes place on the
second Saturday of each month in the
Galaxy FBO at Conroe North Houston
Regional Airport (KCXO) from 10 to
11 a.m. As many as 80 people attend
regularly. Newcomers are welcome.

April 11
Fresno, California
EAA Chapter 376 Young Eagles Rally
Monthly chapter meeting takes
places at the Sierra Sky Park Airport
(E79) from 8 to 11 a.m. The event is in-
tended to inspire kids from 8-17 years
old to foster an interest in aviation.
Kids get the opportunity to fly with a
Piper made it seat cylinder
pilot on a 20-minute flight around the MANDATORY... “av-lok”
Fresno/Madera area in a small aircraft.
At least one parent must attend to fill
AirWard made it
direct replacement
out the permission form. For more EASY! for piper cylinder
information, contact 559-824-5246 or
visit 376.eaachapter.org. at a substantial discount
off of factory list price
April 11
Hood River, Oregon
Second Saturday at WAAAM Air and
Auto Museum
Monthly event takes place on the Mandatory Service Bulletin 1006
Wing/Fuel Tank Corrosion Inspection
second Saturday of each month at the
required every seven years
Western Antique Aeroplane and Au- FAA/PMA Approved Part
tomobile Museum (WAAAM). Ride in Mandatory Service Bulletin 1244B Applicable to
antique cars, watch the antique planes PA-28, PA-32 & PA-34 Models
Aft Wing Attach Fitting Inspection
take off and land, and more. Located required every seven years and/or 2,000 hours
25 Years of aviation Passion
at the Ken Jernstedt Airfield (4S2) on Seating Solutions | Cabin Upgrades
1600 Air Museum Road between 10 Storage Upgrades | Component Repair
a.m. to 2 p.m. with lunch served be-
For All PA-28s and PA-32s Stretchers | Exterior Solutions
~ HUNDREDS of kits sold since 1997 ~
tween 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Free parking
available. Call 541-308-1600 for more
information or visit waaamuseum.org. See and order kits at
airward.com
Send your event listings to
editor@piperflyer.org 1.800.524.3264 Call Chuck at (660) 885-8317
MC • VISA • AMEX • DISC • PayPal or e-mail chuck@avfab.com

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 67

ADVERTISER INDEX
Advertise with Piper Flyer Call Kent Dellenbusch 626.844.0125

Acorn Welding Ltd. acornwelding.com 65 Great Lakes Aero Products glapinc.com 48

AeroDesign aerodesignconcepts.com 66 Hartzell Propeller hartzellprop.com 43
AeroLEDs aeroleds.com 47 IceShield iceshield.com 02
Aerox aerox.com 65 Icom America Inc. icomamerica.com/A16 17
Air Mod airmod.com 12 Insight Instrument Corp. insightavionics.com 71, 72
Aircraft Door Seals aircraftdoorseals.com 61 J.P. Instruments Inc. jpinstruments.com 09
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty aircraftspruce.com 03 Knots 2U knots2u.com 57
Airmark Overhaul Inc. airmarkoverhaul.com 34 Lycoming Engines lycoming.com 29
AirWard airward.com 67 Main Turbo Systems mainturbo.com 56
Alpha Aviation alphaaviation.com 64 McFarlane Aviation mcfarlane-aviation.com/pf 61
AmSafe amsafe.com 60 Micro AeroDynamics microaero.com 60
Approved Turbo Components approvedturbo.com 48 MH Oxygen Systems mhoxygen.com 56
AVBLEND avblend.com 66 Omaha Airplane Supply omahaairplanesupply.com 41
Aviation Creations aviationscreations.com 41 Parker Hannifin Corp. parker.com 06
Aviation Fabricators avfab.com 67 Preferred Airparts preferredairparts.com 51
B.A.S. Inc. basinc-aeromod.com 62 SCS Interiors scs-interiors.com 21
Bruce’s Custom Covers aircraftcovers.com 10 Sporty’s sportys.com 62
C J Aviation Inc. cjaviation.com 19 Stene Aviation steneaviation.com 67
Chief Aircraft chiefaircraft.com 50 Sterling Aviation Tech. Inc. sterlingaviationtech.com 43
CiES ciescorp.com 63 Superior Air Parts superiorairparts.com 07
Continental Aerospace Tech. continentalmotors.aero 35 Teledyne Battery Products gillbatteries.com 62
David Clark Company davidclark.com 11 Tempest Aero Group tempestaero.com 13, 53
Desser desser.com 27 TKM Avionics tkmavionics.com 57
Dodson International dodson.com 06 Vantage Plane Plastics planeplastics.com 33
Eagle Fuel Cells eaglefuelcells.com 49 Wentworth Aircraft wentworthaircraft.com 15
Electroair electroair.net 63 Wilco Inc. wilcoaircraftparts.com 64
Floats & Fuel Cells ffcfuelcells.com 42 Wipaire Inc. wipaire.com 05
Fuelcraft fuelcraft.aero 28

Advertise with us and

reach your target market.
Call Kent Dellenbusch
(626) 844-0125.

68 • Piper Flyer April 2020

DIRECTORY
Mailing and contact Information for Piper Flyer Association
Piper Flyer Association
1042 Mountain Ave. Ste. B #337
Upland, CA 91786
626-844-0125

Benefits Piper Flyer Association

Piper Flyer magazine
Email editor@piperflyer.org with questions,
comments, or concerns about the content of
the magazine.
Email kent@aviationgroupltd.com for damaged
or missing issues.
Website – piperflyer.org
Email jen@piperflyer.org for concerns regarding
the website or with problems logging in.
PiperFlyer.org contains an archive of our
magazine articles, a listing of Service Bulletins,
Airworthiness Directives, and safety alerts, a
product directory called the Piper Yellow Pages,
plus an events calendar, knowledge base, our
library of member photographs and videos—and
our forums (see next item).
Online Forums
piperflyer.org/forum
Our online forum, located
within the association
website, is a great source
for question-and-answer
interaction and an excellent
way to converse with other
members, the PFA staff, and
Piper Flyer’s contributing
editor, longtime A&P/IA,
Steve Ells.
member event
Email kent@aviationgroupltd.com
Register: thegatheringatwaupaca.simpletix.com/
Piper Flyer and Cessna Flyer Association
members fly in to beautiful Waupaca (KPCZ) for
a Saturday night cocktail reception, full slate of
informative seminars on Sunday and Sunday
evening banquet at the Waupaca Ale House, and
then enjoy the air-conditioned motor coach to
AirVenture on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
with an optional night bus on Wednesday to
accommodate viewing the night airshow .
Fabulous raffle prizes at our Sunday drawing!
Parts Locating, Technical
Support & Vendor Discounts
Email kent@aviationgroupltd.com
We have contacts everywhere in the industry and
we’ll assist in finding you that part or getting an
answer to your question. That’s what we’re here for.
Many vendors offer discounts to members. Call
or email Kent for more
information or ask our
vendors when contacting
them directly. Remember
to tell them you are a Piper
Flyer Association member.

April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 69

 BACK WHEN
Vintage Piper Advertising
and Marketing

Stabilator
From a time when the Piper
stabilator was new and men
wore suits to go flying.

70 • Piper Flyer April 2020

Instrument Corporation
April 2020 | Piper Flyer • 71
72 • Piper Flyer April 2020