Sometimes you just need to scream!!!

[Flyer_PE]

^ I'm gonna call my mechanic today. He's pretty good about signing off my electrical repairs. I pulled the part out of the plane yesterday and it really is just two transistors mounted on a heat sink. They're not even soldered down. It's a strait-up bolt-in replacement.

 

[MA_PE]

So where does Cessna get off charging $586 for it? Is it just because they can? That's pretty dang sad.

Does the new one come with a new heat sink? That might (and I emphasize "might") account for the outrageous price, if they have to custom machine a heat sink for the part. I'm assuming you're reusing the old one.

Will Cessna offer "reapir" services?

Just curious.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

So where does Cessna get off charging $586 for it?

Anything associated with aircraft is ridiculously expensive. You can thank the lawyers for that.

 

[Flyer_PE]

^Bingo! The other thing is that it's a part for a 30 year old aircraft and there just isn't enough traffic in the parts to cause the price to drop. I did find one on eBay for under $400.00 with no airworthiness tag. If I replace both of the transistors on this thing, I think I'm going to be out about $3.00 including tax. Not a hard decision.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^Don't you have some big airframe inspection soon? Just imagine those dollar bills growing wings and flying away....

 

[MA_PE]

So I guess you're buying the "airworthiness" tag from Cessna. Then I assume if the plane malfunctions and they trace it to that part, then whomever can go after Cessna for damages. I you do your own repairs how does one get an "airworthiness" tag?

These bureaucracies never cease to amaze me.

 

[Flyer_PE]

^Don't you have some big airframe inspection soon? Just imagine those dollar bills growing wings and flying away....

The annual was last month. Not too bad. Did some "over and above" work and still walked away for under $2500.00. The worst one I had was $6000.00 but that was driven mostly by engine work.

So I guess you're buying the "airworthiness" tag from Cessna. Then I assume if the plane malfunctions and they trace it to that part, then whomever can go after Cessna for damages. I you do your own repairs how does one get an "airworthiness" tag?
These bureaucracies never cease to amaze me.

No tag needed if you repair a part that was already installed in the aircraft. The assumption is that if it is already installed, it'd good for use in a certificated aircraft.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

2500? You did get off cheap!

 

[Flyer_PE]

I usually have a pretty good idea how it's going to go within the first 15 minutes of starting the inspection. The first thing they do is a compression check on the engine. The expensive year, three of the four cylinders had to come off for work. For whatever reason, Aeroshell 15W-50 oil is death to a Lycoming IO-360 in a Cardinal. The same engine in a Piper Arrow will run fine for years using the same oil.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Is airflow to the oil cooler more restrictive in the Cardinal? Air cooled engines are primarily cooled by the engine oil, so that may be a factor.

 

[Flyer_PE]

I think that's probably it. Oil cooling is an issue for both the Cardinal and most Mooneys. The thing that gets me is that the Mooney running the same engine seems to be fine with Aeroshell in spite of having a more sensitive cooling system. I put a bigger oil cooler in mine after the cylinder replacement fiasco. Keeps the temps below 200F in just about any weather now.

 

[Santiagj]

If high importance is selected for every email you send... its pretty obvious.... THAT ITS NOT IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FLBuff PE]

I also hate it when people set the 'Notify me when this email is read' box as standard for every email. After about 2 emails, I decline to inform you that I have read your email.

 

[csb]

We sent one of our jets to Wichita and Cessna sent it back with silicon plugging a hole where a part was supposed to be.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Plane made it back OK, so i guess you don't really need the part.

Think of it as the gov saving money.

 

[Flyer_PE]

Gotta love those guys in Wichita. There's an airworthiness directive out there for parts they may have supplied with a sticker covering up a pretty important vent. One of the nice things about flying a 32 year old plane: most of the parts were manufactured prior to most of these dumb things happening.

 

[csb]

Plane made it back OK, so i guess you don't really need the part.
Think of it as the gov saving money.

It's a fuel saving measure...made the plane lighter...

 

[gymrat1279 PE]

I also hate it when people set the 'Notify me when this email is read' box as standard for every email. After about 2 emails, I decline to inform you that I have read your email.

Me too. Depending what mood I'm in I either inform or don't inform.

 

[Flyer_PE]

It's a fuel saving measure...made the plane lighter...

and if it wasn't noticed either during the pre-flight or enroute, how important can it be?

 

[frazil]

I also hate it when people set the 'Notify me when this email is read' box as standard for every email. After about 2 emails, I decline to inform you that I have read your email.

YOu can do that?? I thought as soon as you opened it they were notified. Why would anyone want to get a notification after every single email they out anyway?