Scott Wasmer is an associate professor of aviation technology at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He recently posted this to the Alaska Aviation Exchange on Facebook:
When you get your mag back from a 500 hour you probably have a pile of parts that were replaced as a mandatory replacement. You cannot use these parts anymore, but I can.
I teach Aircraft Electrical Machinery at UA — we have a lot of Slick and Bendix mags the students tear down, inspect and put together and run. Many of these mags have miscellaneous broken parts. Your old parts, although not airworthy are “school-worthy.”
I can offer nothing but thanks and appreciation that you helped our program. A cup of coffee, too. Or even a six pack of your favorite beverage if you want. Thanks in advance.
Have you changed your alternator to a plane power? A mostly working alternator/regulator would be an awesome donation, also. Worth a 12 pack of adult beverage, two coffees, a hamburger from Kriner’s, etc…
A brilliant idea. No doubt many of us have collected random parts in the hopes of returning them to airworthy status. Now, they could be something even better: “School-worthy.”
Well done, Scott. I hope this inspires a few readers to look through their inventory and reach out to Scott or to teachers at schools that may be closer to their homes to share old parts with new aviation students.
I probably have several parts that I could send as well. I will pay the shipping. Just tell me where to send them.
Great job bringing this post to light Ben! There are new connections made and so much positive energy created by donating old parts to these programs.
I can tell you from first-hand experience that this works.
For several months, I had a part-time gig teaching CFIs at a local (and well regarded) flight school how to teach their students. Biggest problem is that most of them are young, and they’ve never owned a vehicle with a carburetor or breaker points. They understand the concepts, but not clearly.
(They wanted me to go full time, but I had to decline, I’m not retired.)
I had one very good student who was explaining to me how a magneto works. It became clear that she really didn’t know and was just getting in deeper and deeper. I stopped her (remember, these were private CFI sessions only, I would NEVER embarrass anyone in front of their students) and told her I’d bring in a red tagged magneto for her to take apart.
I did, and she did. It absolutely made her day because now she really understood it.
By all means bring out your dead, unairworthy but schoolworthy components and let them contribute to the knowledge base of our aviation community instead of just having them around collecting dust and spider webs in your hangar.
Heck, you can even claim a tax deduction for the donations (maybe) – what a deal!
Best Regards to all.
Might contact the folks at Roswell, NM airport for contact information on the field maintenance facility and a dismantler. All turbine though.
Does this apply for old avionics too?
I’m sure every aviation maintenance training school echoes the comments of Scott. As the administrator of a part 147 school in Michigan, we love it when aircraft owners or local shops share their unairworthy, but school-worthy parts with us. By sharing the no longer good for you, but still good for training parts with schools, you are helping train and equip the people who could someday be maintaining your aircraft, or the aircraft your family rides in. Thanks for sharing!
Hello Ben- great article- i did a total avionics upgrade on my skylane in 2018 with an entirely new panel- i sold what few parts were needed by others and i am left with three boxes of parts I would enjoy sending to the school- no charge and i will pay to ship them- i dont participate in facebook so if you could send the school my e-mail i am sure we can get this done in short order