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Oil Analysis Trend with Aerobatics?

avrojockey

Well Known Member
Patron
This is not an actual situation but curious more than anything...

Given oil analysis is looking at PPM levels of wear, would one expect a change in metal levels if your flying changed? Let's say from cross-country flying, with long periods of no or limited power changes, to aerobatics and formation flying, with additional loading and more power changes.

I know oil analysis is all about trends - would you see a trend change?
 
Almost certainly. The forces that the components in the engine see increase with aerobatic maneuvers. The more extreme the maneuvers, the higher the odds of increasing wear.

A little more thought. I'm sure the relationship between aerobatic leads and wear is not linear. Mild acro may not cause much if any greater wear. But there's a point where oil films can't sustain the loads, or bending and twisting cause bearing damage. And there's heat. Heavy acro requires a lot of cooling.
 
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