The two most common questions that I still get are: 1. What oil should I use in my aircraft engine? And 2. Are different brands and grades of oils compatible? Please share: Continue Reading →
A Q&A with Lycoming’s top man
Posted on April 28th, 2013 by Ben Visser
After Oshkosh, I sent an email to Michael Kraft, Lycoming’s senior vice president and general manager. Due to this busy travel schedule, he was just able to get his answers to me. To honor his request, I agreed to run... Continue Reading →
How to prevent cam and lifter wear
Posted on March 20th, 2013 by Ben Visser
Reader Dave Fletcher recently sent an email concerning the failure of the camshaft in his Lycoming IO-360 engine. He was concerned about pre-oilers, Ney Nozzles, CamGuard and other oil additives. This is a subject that both engines expert Paul McBride... Continue Reading →
A reality check on the future of 100LL
Posted on February 20th, 2013 by Ben Visser
The future of avgas has been a hot topic for almost 20 years. I recently reviewed some of my past columns and found that I was not too far off in some of my past predictions, but I thought I... Continue Reading →
To lean or not to lean, that is the question
Posted on February 7th, 2013 by Ben Visser
I’ve recently received several emails regarding whether to operate lean of peak (LOP) or to stay on the rich side. Let’s start with a short review of the chemistry and physics of combustion. Continue Reading →
Blue skies ahead for Cessna’s diesel 182
Posted on December 30th, 2012 by Ben Visser
One of the interesting technical stories from this summer’s AirVenture in Oshkosh was that Cessna has completed certification and introduced into the market a diesel cycle 182 aircraft, known as the Turbo Skylane JT-A. Continue Reading →
More tips on breaking in your engine
Posted on December 2nd, 2012 by Ben Visser
In the past few months, my friend Paul McBride has written several very interesting and informative articles on “breaking in” an aircraft engine, including “How to break-in your engine”. I recommend that you read them when or if you have... Continue Reading →
Why does 100LL cost so much?
Posted on October 14th, 2012 by Ben Visser
Recently, we received a number of emails concerning the cost of 100LL at various locations, as well as the cost of 100LL vs. Jet A. Obviously, there is still a lot of confusion about this, so I thought I would... Continue Reading →
Technically speaking…
Posted on September 24th, 2012 by Ben Visser
The quest to find some answers at Oshkosh In my last post, I had the gall to be less than positive about things at the Oshkosh airshow. I was surprised at the positive feedback about similar experiences. However, our publisher,... Continue Reading →
Oshkosh changes bring a bit of sadness
Posted on August 14th, 2012 by Ben Visser
One of the highlights of my summers is a trip to Oshkosh, Wis., for the annual AirVenture show. The best parts of the show are seeing what is new and catching up with old friends. Since I have been going... Continue Reading →
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