In the interest of safety I figure I should post this. I discovered it yesterday during a Prebuy inspection on an RV-10 that had been flying for 8 years and 300 hours. The rubber shipping cap had been left installed on the fitting at the injection spider on top of the engine. This fitting is typically connected to a round dial fuel flow gauge, such as in older Bonanzas and Cessnas. Pressure at this point varies in relation to fuel flow, and can be anywhere from 1.5 PSI to over 35 psi! If not plugged or capped properly, a high pressure fuel stream will be the result, possibly causing a fire in the engine compartment. The builder mentioned that the plans never said to remove it. Perhaps others should check their installations? I told the builder I wanted his Guardian Angel!
(For those of you who are used to the newer electronic fuel flow sensors and wondering how this would work, basically the round dial gauge is nothing but a pressure gauge that has a faceplate on it calibrated to read fuel flow.)
https://photos.smugmug.com/My-New-Gallery/i-Kk5Gmxp/0/9fffd49e/X3/CyKNn9nvR+edp4TKhZUQug-X3.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/My-New-Gallery/i-gHRBvKF/0/602c2c28/X3/htLC0pPnTdyCCABcfQ%L7Q-X3.jpg
On another note, I am still finding way too many RV's WITHOUT the Operating Limitations, especially on RV's owned by non-builders. So, for those of you who may have purchased your airplane, please understand that the Operating Limitations, which should be on FAA letterhead, need to be in the aircraft AT ALL TIMES. The Airworthiness Certificate is invalid without them.
For those of you who are selling your airplanes to non-builders, please remember to have this discussion with them.
Many of them show me a POH when I ask about the Operating Limitations.
(For those of you who are used to the newer electronic fuel flow sensors and wondering how this would work, basically the round dial gauge is nothing but a pressure gauge that has a faceplate on it calibrated to read fuel flow.)
https://photos.smugmug.com/My-New-Gallery/i-Kk5Gmxp/0/9fffd49e/X3/CyKNn9nvR+edp4TKhZUQug-X3.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/My-New-Gallery/i-gHRBvKF/0/602c2c28/X3/htLC0pPnTdyCCABcfQ%L7Q-X3.jpg
On another note, I am still finding way too many RV's WITHOUT the Operating Limitations, especially on RV's owned by non-builders. So, for those of you who may have purchased your airplane, please understand that the Operating Limitations, which should be on FAA letterhead, need to be in the aircraft AT ALL TIMES. The Airworthiness Certificate is invalid without them.
For those of you who are selling your airplanes to non-builders, please remember to have this discussion with them.
Many of them show me a POH when I ask about the Operating Limitations.
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