Disconnecting Hobbs Meter

[Bus Driver]

Is this not deception at best, theft at worst (not to mention a flagrant FAR violation)? Call me High Horse; either one poses a threat to your pilot certificate.

Specifically, what FAR would that be.

 

[CLR2LAN]

Last I checked 100 hours went off the tach. Nothing I need to worry about anyways, no flight school/fbo leases it. What far would be violated if the hobbs wasn't working?

As much as I'd love to discuss whether or now you disagree with the topic of this post, i'd much perfer to keep it techincal. I dont tell you what you can and cannot do to your plane.

 

[erj-145mech]

Specifically, what FAR would that be.

Lets start with FAR 43, Appendix A, none of this comes under preventitive maintenance, 43.9, 43.13. Let throw in 43.2 for kicks also.

 

[GravityHater]

43.3 and 43.7; (I bet he is not an 'authorized person' if he is asking this question, in this manner.)
43.5 and 43.9 (either no log entry of this illegal alteration or....),
43.12 (...a false entry will be made, as someone will have to lie about acceptable/approved data for the alteration),
43.13 (I seriously doubt there is an STC, or any approved/acceptable data for a behind-the-panel switch for a Hobbs),
43.7 (he cannot approve for return to service after alteration, as I'd guess he is neither: The Administrator; the manufacturer*; a holder of a 121/135 certificate; or any of the others; and its not a LSP or PP doing preventive maintenance in AppA).


"cutting either of the two (assuming two) wires to the meter and installing an inline switch behind the panel."

Let's face it, this is being done surrepetitiously to the benefit of the culprit and at the cost of some other person; either a renter or the next owner.
I am waiting for a good explanation of why this would both be legal and will not harm, or take away from another airplane owner. If one is provided I will get off my high horse and apologize.

*unless it is an experimental airplane.

 

[GravityHater]

As much as I'd love to discuss whether or now you disagree with the topic of this post, i'd much perfer to keep it techincal. I dont tell you what you can and cannot do to your plane.

Well some of us are sorry if you are not hearing what you like, but this may not be the place to get information on how to break the law. Maybe some similar lowlife will pm you with the electrical and mechanical details on how it is done but some of us do not feel so obliged.
Tell us you have a moral and legal reason to do this and I bet you will have helpful people spilliing all over you with splicing and rivetting advice!
Right now all I can think is, John Doe is going to buy your airplane in 2008 and his mechanic will say, "lookee here John, its going to cost you xxx$ to undo some selfish a33's work - not to mention this airframe has god knows how many hours on it" OR some other owner is going to say "Guess we'll have to stop renting this airplane, it has cost us more to operate than we took in from rental sales".

 

[Metro752]

popcorn goes pop pop

 

[Way2Broke]

popcorn goes pop pop

Doggy gos woof woof. Cow gos moo moo.

This is proof that when you ask a stupid question you get a stupid answer. If you don't want the hobbs remove it. It is not required anyways. This must be flame bait.

 

[Bus Driver]

Ah, it's a good excuse to dig into the FAR's a little.
43.2 does not apply,
Unless you consider adding a switch altering the basic design of the electrical system,
appendix a does not apply. If you do then a 337 is required.
If the person doing the work is authorized under 43.7 and the work was done in compliance with 43.13 what’s the problem?

 

[clickclickboom]

Well some of us are sorry if you are not hearing what you like, but this may not be the place to get information on how to break the law. Maybe some similar lowlife will pm you with the electrical and mechanical details on how it is done but some of us do not feel so obliged.
Tell us you have a moral and legal reason to do this and I bet you will have helpful people spilliing all over you with splicing and rivetting advice!
Right now all I can think is, John Doe is going to buy your airplane in 2008 and his mechanic will say, "lookee here John, its going to cost you xxx$ to undo some selfish a33's work - not to mention this airframe has god knows how many hours on it" OR some other owner is going to say "Guess we'll have to stop renting this airplane, it has cost us more to operate than we took in from rental sales".

My Point Exactly.. I could see it now: Some Loser plays the hobbs game sells plane advertising 1000smoh.. Some guy puts his kid in there and the engine comes apart everybody dies. Ntsb and Faa do a little investigation and find out said idiot flew the airplane 5 times a week for the last 10 years even though the books only show 100 hrs.. You can fill in the blanks from here

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Doggy gos woof woof. Cow gos moo moo.

This is proof that when you ask a stupid question you get a stupid answer. If you don't want the hobbs remove it. It is not required anyways. This must be flame bait.

Just padding your logbook has got to be easier than screwing with the hobbs. :laugh:

 

[erj-145mech]

Ah, it's a good excuse to dig into the FAR's a little.
43.2 does not apply,
Unless you consider adding a switch altering the basic design of the electrical system,
appendix a does not apply. If you do then a 337 is required.
If the person doing the work is authorized under 43.7 and the work was done in compliance with 43.13 what’s the problem?

If the person were authorized and properly trained to do the work, why would he ask the hows and wheres?

Also, if the maintenance is not properly done and documented, then the airworhiness certificate is void. Read the small writing in the big block.

 

[STAL6]

The aircraft I work on have the hobbs meter wired to the WOW switch, so when they are up on jacks with power on I pull the C/B.

 

[Mr Wu]

Sounds like someones tach (required by FAR) isn't working.

 

[Way2Broke]

Where does it say a tach is required?

 

[Metro752]

TOMATO

Tach on my airplane today inOperative!

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Where does it say a tach is required?

Here:

91.205 Powered civil aircraft with standard category U.S. airworthiness certificates: Instrument and equipment requirements.

(b) Visual-flight rules (day). For VFR flight during the day, the following instruments and equipment are required:
(4) Tachometer for each engine.

 

[CLR2LAN]

Here:

Since when did a tachometer have to measure hours? I thougth tachometers measured RPM

anyways - back to the hobbs meter

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Since when did a tachometer have to measure hours? I thougth tachometers measured RPM

anyways - back to the hobbs meter

....ahhhhh......someone stated that a tachometer isn't required by the FAR's, so I provided the reg. - and YES, it does measure RPM.

 

[Gatorman]

Legitimate - your kidding right? I was looking for serious information on this subject matter.

ps, this is a late 1960's model cessna

Although I think most of the posters here are not actually mechanics, but did sleep at the Holiday Inn Express last night, The question is still posed....

For what legitimate reason would you disable the Hobbs meter?

It was installed in the aircraft for a reason, to record aircraft time in service. Stall6 is right that there are quite a few aircraft the have them on a WOW circuit, but I do not think that it would apply to a late 1960's model Cessna. (I could be wrong here - correcrt me if I am)

CLR2LAN - when you posted your question it threw up so many flags that even the armchair mechanics jumped up out of their seats. There is no reason why you should disable the Hobbs unless you are making an upgrade that will take the place of it.
To disable a Hobbs on an aircraft would be the same as if you disconnected the odometer on your car. Dishonest and illegal.


But If you do have a good reason, please, by all means tell us. We are dieing to know.

 

[skydivinguy]

forget it gatorman, he aint telling!

BTW, CLR2LAN, I am an A&P and have been for the last 24 years.

You're (apparently) a crook.