Aux. Fuel Pump Question

[MTpilot]

Read Icculus!

"I'm sorry but I think thats just a bad attitude right there! I've always make it a point to respect every person's airplane that I fly. Just because I don't own it, and this is "training" doesnt mean I should just use and abuse the aircraft, and run up the ole repair bill for the owner.

Owning an airplane isn't cheap, and just cause you have no invested interest in the aircraft doesn't mean you shouldn't respect the owners investment, and the fact that he gave YOU the right to fly/rent it in the first place.

Simple things like leaning the mixture at altitude, not flipping the fuel pump off and on every 30 seconds, or turning off any non-essential lights on a cross country, may all be small things, but in the end they can really add up.

Airplanes aren't like cars, where if something breaks you just go down and get a $20 replacement part for them. Always fly an airplane like it's your own!"

Yeah, I mean if you really want to save money, just put the gear down and pull the breaker, you'll never wear that pump out now, better yet lets only run it on one mag so we don't wear out the other one, just leave that transponder and all those lights off too, hey how about we just bury the thing ten feet in the ground, that way we won't ever have to spend money on it again.

 

[Lead Sled]

FWIW, I'd run the checklists "as published". What does it really matter if it causes a bit more wear and tear on the pumps and switches - isn't that what your maintenance budget is for? If things break earlier you just have to fix or replace them earlier.

What is important is that you get in the habit of doing certain things at certain times; then doing them; and finally, making sure that you've done it. Develop a flow then use the checklist to veryify that everything has been taken care of. It adds an element of redundancy into your operation. This has been SOP for years in jets. If it's important to do it with in a crew situation, how important is it in a single-pilot operation?

'Sled

 

[User546]

Yeah, I mean if you really want to save money, just put the gear down and pull the breaker, you'll never wear that pump out now, better yet lets only run it on one mag so we don't wear out the other one, just leave that transponder and all those lights off too, hey how about we just bury the thing ten feet in the ground, that way we won't ever have to spend money on it again.

** shaking head **

I think you missed my whole point there buddy!

 

[MTpilot]

I know I'm being sarcastic, but really how cheap can you be?

 

[BYUFlyr]

Yeah, I mean if you really want to save money, just put the gear down and pull the breaker, you'll never wear that pump out now, better yet lets only run it on one mag so we don't wear out the other one, just leave that transponder and all those lights off too, hey how about we just bury the thing ten feet in the ground, that way we won't ever have to spend money on it again.

Ok, I think you took the extreme on that one. I think the point is that we think before we flip switches and pull handles; technically, leaving the gear down in the pattern is not incorrect because the POH recommends to leave it down. Is it practical for flight training? Probably not, but you can't say it's wrong (because the POH says so).

It's not about being cheap... it's about practicing good oprational practices. Saving a few bucks on an airplane in a training fleet may not be significant to the instructor or even the owner, but saving a few bucks on a 121 operation and multiplying it by a hundred aircraft and a thousand flights will definately not go unnoticed.

By the way, I would have my student retract the gear in the pattern, but I can't fault another instructor for not doing it if the POH for the specific aircraft states such.

 

[EatSleepFly]

Personally, when I did my multi training in the PA44, we just left fuel pumps on in the pattern. I don't really agree with that, so when I started instructing, I taught students to retract gear, pumps off, etc. in the pattern...just as if you were taking off on a XC. So what if you have to reconfigure for landing again in a minute or two? The point is the procedures, not saving money. I fly a Caravan. It has a single taxi/recog. light switch that controls a light in each wing. The POH recommends to just use that for enhancing visibility, as those bulbs are less likely to burn out than the landing lights, which are controlled by individual switches on each side of the taxi light switch. Personally, the taxi light switch comes on when I'm cleared for the approach. When I hear "cleared to land," the landing lights come on, I don't care if it's clear and a million and I don't care about friggen maintenance costs. After a 14 hour duty day, and 7.5 hours of flying in all sorts of crap, it's a memory aid so I don't do something stupid like land without a clearance. It irks me when operators pressure pilots to do things differently to save money. Some things I can understand, but some places seem to be overly anal and pushy about it and I'm glad I don't work for one of them. [/rant]

 

[Flylo]

As an A&P that knows the results of putting the gear up in the pattern while doing touch and goes....HOT BRAKES!!!
If you do not leave them down in the breeze to cool down, the brakes will heat up and blow the plugs out (if installed) or melt the rubber on the rims.
Not a pretty picture...aircraft landing with melting rubber slinging all over the place......tell that to your instructor!

.

Does just landing an airplane heat up the brakes? Or, is this only true in heavy aircraft?

When I'm doing T&G's I don't actually apply the brakes.

I may wear the rubber off the tires but it ain't from overheating the brakes.

.

 

[Gatorman]

Hot Brakes

.

Does just landing an airplane heat up the brakes? Or, is this only true in heavy aircraft?

When I'm doing T&G's I don't actually apply the brakes.

I may wear the rubber off the tires but it ain't from overheating the brakes.

.

Yes, landing an aircraft will heat up the brakes just by the rotation of the wheel assembly. If you are not using the brakes during the T&G's, I do not see it as big of a problem though.

I am not trying to be Mr. Smartypants about this, but have you ever checked for hot brakes? You should try it sometime, then you will know. But be very careful not to touch the brakes themselves or you will be leaving some skin behind. (been there - done that)

 

[PC12Cowboy]

just follow procedures...if it says turn the pump off...turn it off...until its time for GUMPS.....and Beechcraft is now recommending to NOT turn on the fuel pump for landing unless lower than 1/4 tank and heavy manuvering...due to a fatal accident because a pilot followed his memory routine while having trouble....it flooded the engine and he didnt make it...and its not the only time

 

[USMCmech]

I would always leave the aux pump on in the pattern if it's a Lycoming, Contentials are a different story. The reason for turning off the pump on a Lyc is to reduce wear and tear on the pump. In my opinion, the risk of an engine failure at low altitude overrides the need to take care of the aux pump.

Always leave the cowl flaps open in the pattern!!! The tremondus heat created durring TO takes a while to disapate, and closing the cowl flaps reduces airflow through the cowling by about 50%.

Cowl flaps should only be closed when CHTs drop well into the green, not when some checklist says to.

Checklists and the POH are not written in stone, they are written by humans and do contain mistakes and flawed logic. As a pilot it is up to you to decide when it it prudent to diveate from the checklist or POH.