First Vac Pump Failure

[Vladimir Lenin]

I don't remember flying with two operational VOR's, an AI that didn't just spin (yes, spin on its axis) and a working DG and a TC...but, hey, it's only 65 bux an hour after a $1000 deposit

Plus, you should practice your compass turns and stay on yer toes anyway, right?

 

[Timebuilder]

Vac pump and the TC? Wow.

I had an AI take a dump right after rotation once. Like yourself, it was a severe clear day.

Needless to say, this instrument lesson became a "partial panel" lesson for my student.

 

[A Squared]

>>>>>Kudos to the awesome Chicago approach controller who sent me straight across the downtown area at 1900' into MDW to help me out.

I'm scratching my head wondering why you would need help, or even want help. So there you were in great VFR weather in an airplane without gyro instruments.....and you needed help to do what? I guess I'm missing something, a good portion of my time is in airplanes with no vacuum system or gyros and they seemed to fly just fine.

 

[dmspilot00]

I was wondering the same thing myself, but I figured I would leave it to someone else to ask. Thanks for clearing that up. Were you on an IFR flight plan? Flying without the DG would be rather annoying, I would think.

Anyway, how old is this plane? If you don't know you can look up the N# on the FAA database. Just curious.

The 172 I got checked out in after I got my private was a 1974 model, with original interior (but luckily not original avionics). Some of the comments I received from passengers (friends) I flew in it include: "this plane looks like it's gonna fall apart;" and one girl, after seeing the outside and saying, "its so cute!" said, "this plane needs to be retired!!" when I opened the door.

 

[bigD]

I've found that the actual age has less to do with the quality of the plane than the people responsible for maintaining it. One of the planes I'm most comfortable taking into low IFR is a '72 172.

For me, I've had more problems with the R models than anything else. Two alternator failures, an aux fuel pump failure, one vacuum pump failure in hard IMC at night (the plane was a month old), and just about everything in that god-forsaken avionics stack has failed at least once. I dunno if it's just been bad luck or what, but those friggin R models just don't like me. Of course, the passengers just love 'em.

 

[A Squared]

anyway, it's a good practical lesson. Vacuum pumps can and do fail. In about 1800 hours of flying airplanes equipped with vacuum pumps, I've had 5 failures. When you consider that about half of that time and four of the failures were in twins, my experience is in the ballpark of the conventional wisdom that dry vacumm pumps last about 500 hours. Be ready for it

 

[Hawker rider]

yeah yeah yeah

I currently fly a 1963 Learjet 23 converted to a 24, WITH some of the original instruments in it, I guess it's all just what you're used to. Most of the time not a big deal either.

M

 

[bunnyfufu]

God was watching over me and my passenger yesterday...

huh? by giving you a vacuum failure? you chose to fly in that weather.. and anyway, it's not like you were actually in any danger :\

 

[Timebuilder]

Now see what you did? You mention God and Bunny will certainly have something to say about it!

Thank Hillary that the NEA is still doing it's job of instilling political correctness in our young people today!!

and just about everything in that god-forsaken avionics stack has failed at least once.

Oh, no! That's TWO mentions of God. We'll never get past this thread!

Seriously, BigD, the new production Cessnas had a major problem with the new King stacks. I'm told they were built in Mexico (like the newer Zenith TV's) and suffered from a cold solder joint problem. Most all of those radios have been replaced from what I have seen.

I like the idea of a wet vacuum pump, but I like the idea of an electric AI, too.

 

[TurboS7]

I had wet-vacs on our 206's and also dry vacs, the wet outlived the dry 10 to 1 hours of operation.