Reader Edward Zeigler has some questions about pre-oilers. “”We see statements like “”70% of engine wear happens on start up.? So will a $3,000 pre-oiler pay for itself, and is it worth carrying around the extra weight of the system?... Continue Reading →

I recently got a letter from Verl Thompson, who is restoring a 1960s Piper TriPacer. He points out that one of the weak points of this aircraft is the jack screw in the tail that controls the elevator trim. The... Continue Reading →

“”Your article on grounding the airplane prior to fueling was informative on why we ground the plane,”" wrote Ken Kellogg after he read my June 9 column, “”Grounded: What’s the proper way to ground during refueling?”" Continue Reading →

The number one question about ethanol should be “”does it take more energy to produce than we get out of it?”" Continue Reading →

A few issues back I discussed possible fuel handling problems with a proposed ethanol aviation fuel. In this column I would like to discuss energy content. Continue Reading →

Why is it important to ground an aircraft during refueling? What’s the proper way to ground an aircraft during refueling? These are just some of the many questions I’ve received about the process, so I thought I’d tackle them in... Continue Reading →

There is an old joke that the definition of mixed emotions is watching your mother-in-law go over a cliff in your new Corvette. It is in this state of mind that I recently read Dr. Dennis Helder’s “”Investigation of Ethanol... Continue Reading →

Kip Pratt, director at Berkeley County Airport (50J) at Moncks Corner, S.C., recently wrote to let me know that my article, “”Stay safe while fueling your plane”" in the March 24 issue, would be posted around the airport “”in hopes... Continue Reading →

Part of the concern over the use of auto gas in aircraft is procedures used to handle the fuel. Continue Reading →

Patrick Puckett asks: “”Since E-85 is rated at 105 octane, can we use it in engines that require 100LL?”" Continue Reading →