Staying safe can be such a drag ...

[N4843W]

Heading to Johnson City TN and decided to go into Elizabethton 0A9 which has great AirNav write-ups instead of KTRI which is "indifferent at best" service. (I have been there 6 or 8 times.) Just over half-way there into the 2:40 flight, nearing the Ohio River ... there goes the vacuum. That make 4 pumps dead in about 4 years. Insane. No more SigmaTek, period. No way, no how. Oh, they will offer to replace it again, but hell with that. Anyway, the XM was painting a lot of crap, low ceilings, rain and scattered cells across Eastern KY & TN and Western WV and VA. Normally it was doable, but up against the mountains (0A9 is VERY tight) that is something you just don't do on your electric stand-by. So asked Indy Center for the 180 and came home, tail between my legs, to live another day. Missed a great dinner, an important board meeting tomorrow and another meeting with an old client. Now I have to buy a commercial ticket to Philly next week instead of flying myself. Grin & bear it.

43W is meticulously maintained but I have had a lot of these tests in the past year. Too many. Have replaced hydraulic pump, battery, alternator, and now another VAC pump. Oh ... I know there is plenty more that could go wrong but that is too much in about 9 months. Sigh.

 

[sfaret]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

I find most of problems in life come in spurts.
At 35 years old things start to go bad.
As far a s sigma tech. Can it. I've had good luck with Rapco. I change Vac pumps 800 hrs regardless. Now with the Aspen, that rule may change.

 

[ksandrew]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Scott,

Do you talk to your Commander??? When I took my instrument check ride back in 1976 the examiner commented on how much I talked to the airplane. Sometimes just a "slow down girl" to a "Get your A$$ in gear"

It does make a difference. And they never talk back to you.

Raised in the cattle business I was used to talking to cows, just a calming voice. It does not matter what you say, it is the tone of your voice that matters.

When was the last time, after a long trip that you just said "Thank You" to her?

Commanders have feelings.

A bucket of clean water and some fresh hay works wonders.

Life is a barrel of fun.

 

[janderson]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Scott! be sure and look up Roger Colby, N4800W when you're there in Johnson City. ..just incase he doesn't frequent the board.

Judi

 

[N4843W]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Right, Ken ... last Sunday evening I gave her a very loving genuine soap and water bath ... not the dry stuff. Spent a looooooong time caressing her. Then a nice super-glide finish over the Rejex that was done just two week prior. I do a LOT of sweet-talkin' but women are women, no matter weather wife, daughter or airplane. Love them mightilly but on a regular basis, no matter what the breed or vintage, that will bite you on your fanny (and not in a nice way) just to let you know who's in charge.

 

[iflysan]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Scott,

Your posts are the most interesting ones I've ever seen on vacuum system failures. I believe I am in Sven's camp on the Rapco replacement.

I take it that this was the SigmaTek "piston pump" that failed? Was this number two or three replacement that failed?

Better Luck on the next one - Regards, Clark

 

[alim]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Sven - what is Aspen ?

I am at ~600 hrs on my Vacuum pump and looking to replace at annual in a few months.
Currently have a Sigmatek (have had good luck with it but that may have just been luck).

-m.

 

[Alex]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Sven - what is Aspen ?

http://www.aspenavionics.com/

 

[sfaret]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Aspen:

 

[RogerC]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Thanks for the plug, Judi! I'm based at KTRI and have an open invitation to anyone passing through! I'm always good for a meal or a place to stay!

General FYI - the FBO at KTRI is going through a MAJOR shake up with the airport authority for their "mediocre" handling of GA. The airport authority would like to have a more positive (and less expensive) reception to GA. They have given the FBO until June 25th to present a positive plan or they will loose their lease. A portion of the plan calls for strong capital investment by the FBO to encourage GA into KTRI. They are talking about improved facilities, less expensive fuel and a much more positive staff.

 

[N4843W]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

This all started when I replaced a perfectly good traditional vane pump with the Aero-Advantage Dual-rotor pump with backup. Remember that one? That was supposed to be THE solution. But something funny was happening harmonically and they began to fail lilke made on the 300hp IO-540's such as in the Saratoga. I don't think there was ever a failure in the 260hp variant, but the FAA pulled them all -- probably makes sense I suppose. The company filed bankruptcy and vanished. But THEN ... Sigma-Tek came along with the be-all/end-all Piston Pump. This was really REALLY the final solution, with 2000 hour replacement guarantee. I had been reading about Richard collins' continual pump failures, so I decided to go with this. First one lasted about 50 hours and then I installed the electric back-up. Second one failed at about 100 hours and failed just before having to fly a low IFR approach with my daughter on board. Glad I had the backup. Just used the heading bug on my S-tec to fly the approach.

S-Tec did replace and pay the machanic. Swell. But I refused another piston pump. So they sent me one of their traditional ones. Have not looked up the hours, but less than 200 on this one.

Frustrating.

 

[N4843W]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Oh ... I forgot to post this. I snapped this picture of a cuious cloud formation just before departing KYIP yesterday. I think it was a clue. Next time I will pay attention.

 

[Dave]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Sven,

My first time seeing your new panel with the Aspen in it. Did you keep your VSI, or take it out of the panel completely?

After flying down here with HSI's I'm thinking that will be the way to go for the future. I would probably look to the Aspen as opposed to the traidtional HSI (Sandel). I think you said you went through one or two of them. Too much money if the Aspen does the trick.

 

[pjdavis67]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

I'm guessing the issues with the Aero-Advantage and the Sigma-Tek Piston pump are unique to the IO-540 engines.

I've had the Sigma-Tek Piston pump in my "lowly" IO-360 for nearly 500 hours and it has been working quite well. I would recommend this pump for those without the IO-540.

 

[Dave]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

I've never seen that cloud type before

Cumulofunguous???

 

[rpadula]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Scott,

Glad you stayed safe. I happened to be dicking around on Flightaware yesterday (got a bookmark of all AC11 in flight) and saw your long U-turn.

 

[VGIAMPA]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

Oh ... I forgot to post this. I snapped this picture of a cuious cloud formation just before departing KYIP yesterday. I think it was a clue. Next time I will pay attention.

Scott,

Copyright that photo and sell it to one of the companies that produce framed inspirational posters (or produce them yourself). Just think of the possibilities of the quote that would accompany it

And you should make enough to keep you supplied with a variety of vacuum pumps for some time.

 

[rpadula]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

I'm guessing the issues with the Aero-Advantage and the Sigma-Tek Piston pump are unique to the IO-540 engines.

Paul,

They had though so at first, but then started seeing failures on IO-360 installations as well. Alan had put one on 94J, and thanks to the AD, I had to remove it in my first year of ownership.

I did keep the two vacuum failure warning lights installed as a souvenir.

 

[rcastillo]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

hi, good to know I am not the only weird one here, I am always kind with her, caressing her and I never, ever, leave the hangar without kissing her on the tip of the spinner. It doesn't matter who is with me.

 

[wab003]

Re: Staying safe can be such a drag ...

...adds a little twist to "spit" polished. ;-)