HAI/ZAC NOBLE
FLY SAFE By Zac Noble
Protecting the Heart of Your Aircraft
Routine inspections and familiarity with your helicopter can spot engine problems before they lead to big-ticket repairs.
E
NGINES ARE THE HEART OF ANY POWERED aircraft. As with human hearts, they require reg- ular checkups and some attention from the user
to maintain their health. Like many of you, I’ve read countless articles by field
experts, engine manufacturers, and makers of compo- nents, lubricants, and additives, searching for the magic formula to make my aircraft engines last longer. But, in reality, the secret to longer engine life comes down to some basic TLC.
Conduct Routine Inspections As with most mechanical devices, much of an engine’s durability depends on how you use and maintain the machine. Following a thorough inspection routine is a key aspect of maintenance that can identify a problem before it leads to a big-ticket repair or replacement. Engine inspections typically involve several steps. On a piston engine, a compression check is required at
annual inspection or as detailed in the OEM’s mainte- nance manual. A differential compression check will reveal the health of your pistons, rings, valves, and cylin- der walls. These checks often yield different results between inspections, with numbers that may go up or down from cylinder to cylinder. Don’t focus so much on the findings of a particular check; what’s important are the long-term trends you uncover between inspections. Logically, a differential compression check should be
followed by a borescope inspection, to validate what the compression numbers showed. If your compression numbers are high, your borescope will probably show a good-looking cylinder, piston, rings, and valves. Here’s where the borescope is especially handy, though: it will help you identify an imminent problem, especially when a valve is burning. That valve could be sealing fine now, but a borescope inspection will show you whether the valve is burning and, hence, whether it
A couple of years ago, I was planning some long-range flights, but my confidence in the engine wasn’t high, so I removed it for overhaul. What I found still bothers me today.
66 ROTOR JUNE 2021
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