A healthy lifespan…we crave it for the people and even possessions that we love…and it is an absolute necessity when it comes to aircraft cylinders. The safety of everyone onboard depends on it, as does your aircraft. So, how do you know the lifespan of your aircraft cylinders is reaching its end, how can you safely extend the life of your aircraft cylinders and what are the guidelines you need to follow?
Regular Aircraft Cylinder Maintenance Can Enhance Flight Safety and Prevent Costly Repairs
One of the greatest threats to flight safety is failing to stay on top of regular, preventive aircraft maintenance. Proper aircraft maintenance, including timely aircraft cylinder overhauls performed by a qualified experienced aircraft cylinder specialist, is a cornerstone of flight safety. Effectively working properly executed aircraft cylinder overhauls into your flight safety plan can safeguard your aircraft from inefficient engine performance and engine unreliability, which can lead to excessive damage and downtime. An effective aircraft preventive maintenance program facilitated by a trusted professional, as opposed to reactively repairing an aircraft, can help you catch potential issues before they become a problem or possibly even cause a flight to fail. Ultimately, it helps to uncover potential aircraft engine issues before they cause inconveniences (or worse), costly repairs and parts, as well as ensure that your aircraft operates optimally – facilitating optimal safety.
What to Watch for When It Comes to Aircraft Cylinders
- Cracks – Aircraft cylinder cracks, at best, will result in low compression and, at worst, could result in catastrophic engine failure. No matter the extent, an aircraft cylinder crack is serious enough to warrant grounding until that aircraft cylinder can be repaired.
- Faulty Cylinder Valves – Operating in extreme conditions can result in the wear of the valve, valve seat, spring or lifter. Faulty cylinder valves can reduce your compression and, ultimately, the power of your aircraft. Plus, when a valve actually breaks apart, the broken pieces of metal that result can bang around your cylinder and into the piston, wreaking serious havoc.
- Head and Barrel Separation – Very different metals with very different heat tolerances, such as an aluminum head which screws onto a steel barrel, can obviously become problematic when it comes to wear. And when the required fit becomes less than precise, you could be greatly increasing the potential of a forced landing.
Adhering to FAA Requirements
One of the most important places we should focus when it comes to regular maintenance and aircraft safety is aircraft cylinders – the hottest part of the engine. An aircraft cylinder operating at higher than normal temperatures or with leaky exhaust ports can greatly increase the probability of cracks and other damage, very likely leading to some serious engine issues. In the interest of the longevity of our aircraft engines and safety, we need to keep our cylinders cool, our oil clean and regularly conduct aircraft cylinder inspections and cylinder overhauls as necessary. In fact, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness directives specifically call for increased inspection frequency of aircraft cylinders.
The longevity of an aircraft cylinder will depend upon the type of cylinder, its use and whether or not sufficient and proper attention and maintenance took place throughout the lifespan of that aircraft cylinder. To ensure that aircraft cylinder overhauls are performed in a timely manner, you need to keep a keen eye on usage with professional mechanical inspections which occur at regular, frequent intervals, such as every 100 hours of flight time. Adherence to FAA Airworthiness Directives and accurate record-keeping, including any and all aircraft preventive maintenance measures taken and the dates they were completed should be meticulously recorded within your aircraft log. These steps allow for FAA safety approval and compliance, as well as the assurance that your aircraft preventive maintenance is occurring in a continual, fluid manner, helping to ensure your safety and the safety of all those onboard your aircraft.
Meeting Manufacturer Specifications
What is the best course of action to extend the life expectancy of your aircraft cylinders? The typical recommended time between aircraft cylinder overhaul periods vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Aircraft owners should refer to manufacturer specifications. When your aircraft cylinders no longer meet the manufacturer recommended criteria, a top overhaul – where all of your aircraft cylinders need to be replaced at once – may be the best course of action. However, a trusted professional can help you determine just how far you need to go when it comes to your aircraft cylinder repair and the best timing to meet your needs.
The Right Mechanic for Your Aircraft Cylinder Overhaul
When it comes to safety and keeping your aircraft operating at peak performance, you need an aircraft maintenance team that you can trust to get the job done right. Preventive maintenance, including aircraft cylinder overhauls, should be performed by a qualified, experienced and skilled aircraft maintenance mechanic, such as the aircraft technicians at Moore Performance Products.
Moore Performance Products, proud to have served the aviation industry for over 30 years, specializes in aircraft cylinder overhauls and repairs. Providing a variety of overhaul services nationwide and overseas for the aircraft and aerospace industries, Moore Performance Products is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified repair station and FAA-certified in welding. Moore Performance Products is also family owned and operated, which translates into an unsurpassed commitment to high quality products, service and customer satisfaction.
Moore Performance Products is conveniently located at 123 W. Park Avenue, Building 1 in Edgewater Florida and can be reached by phone by calling 386-409-7501 or 888-409-7555 anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
