Look out for theses ground equipments engines

I heard about it but never saw one before this week. (picture)
Turbomeca had made engines to be installed runway swipper.
Theses engines did not have engines logs, because they was prohibited to be installed on aircraft and still are.
Some unscrupulous people tried, and did based on the lack of knowledge of the buyers, installing on aircraft.
You have some other ways to find out, but I will keep that to myself to prevent a cover-up of a not airworthy
engine.
963G-86-A2 is a ground equipment engine and tried to make it as a fake 963F3 engine.

Main gear uplock actuator

Main gear uplock actuator have to be cleaned time to time.
When they are lubricated do not be a grease gun stroke happy.
One or two strokes are required.
If you do more you will have main gear indication problem because the old dried grease will be pushed on the contact switches.


Before

During

Old grease will be removed

After

Check the wings attachment points and tip tank hoses safety wire

Still doing a little bit more than the annual inspection issued in the maintenance program of a fouga,
I discovered that for over 12 years the fouga was flying with the main wing attachment bolts not secured, and tip tanks fuel and pressure hoses not safetied.

Why a borescope inspection is needed

I was performing a annual inspection on a fouga with real high time close to TBO for the engines, and doing the borescope inspection, that is what I found on one engine on the outer combustion chamber.

plus other cracks (8 at least) totaly out off limits.
I called the owner to come and check.
Verdict, engine replaced.

Fouga Tip Tanks spigots inspection

On every fouga when I perform a annual inspection since 1993 I do a dye check on the Tip Tanks spigots and I replace the rubber seals for the tip tanks pressurisation.
I have a friend who was performing a annual inspection on a Fouga that flew around 40 hours since the last annual inspection, and found cracks on one spigot.
I just remind you that it is not allowed to perform aerobatic maneuvers until the tip tanks will be empty.
For the safety of the flights, it should be mandatory to do a dye penetrant check on theses spigots at every annual inspection and written in the aircraft logs.
This is a safety item, if the tip tank coming off in flight, it could have disastrous consequences.

Lors d'une visite annuelle sur un Fouga, j'ai trouvé des criques sur une fusée de bidon, cette fusée avait été contrôlée il y a une quarantaine d'heures(sans crique).

Ci joint 2 photos de la fusée avec ses criques mises en évidence par le révélateur.
Attention ces criques pouvaient provoquer la perte du bidon en vol avec toutes les conséquances.
Je te suggère de faire contrôler par ressuage les dites fusées et de prévenir les propriétaires des Fouga.
Bien cordialement.
Christian

A other 1800 NM trip KCNO-KRPD

So a Friday we was ready for repositioning that fouga from Chino in California to Rice Lake airport in WI
IFR flight plan and we was on the way.

First KDXZ St Georges UT where we had a minor problem with the main hydraulic accumulator

KDXZ to KGJT  Grand Junction where we lost the front horizon

.After KGJT to Cheyenne we was diverted due to the bad weather to KHDN  Yampa valley airport and KRIW Rivertown where we spent the night

Next Morning KRAP Rapid city regional airport with Mont Rushmore under the right engine inlet

Next KATY ( like my wife US short name ) Watertown regional Airport

Last Leg KATY-KRPD Rice lake airport.
When we arrived at Watertown airport I went to file the IFR flight plan and check the weather for our destination airport: 4000ft overcast . Not a problem.
We had to wait over 2 hours to have somebody showing for refuelling the aircraft ( gone fishing ) plus a other 1/2 hours before to be ready for take off.
I did not took a other look for the weather at this time: Big Mistake...
After we took off FL210.

At 10 minutes from arrival the control gave us the last weather: 400ft overcast.
We requested an other confirmation about the ceiling because from 4000 to 400ft it is a big change.
Yes it was 400ft overcast.
We started the descent to be vectored on the ILS and I had my Garmin 196, Ipad with AHRS and synthetic vision plus regular IFR instruments with GS on the aircraft.
At 5000ft the front pilot did not saw any needdle moving on the HSI.
We ask the control to help us for a other localiser interception. Controlers are very helpfull.
So the owner was flying the aircraft when I was looking the GPS and Ipad.
I saw that we was intercepting the center of the runway on the Ipad and GPS but the owner called for dead needle on his HSI. Go around.
So we ask again a other interception and downwind we was going low in fuel.
Last and what could been the last interception of the localiser, the owner saw the needle of the localiser moving but erratic.
He plannned to guide up on the localiser but no glideslope.
We made the descent to the minimum allowed by the FAA and finaly we saw the runway and landed safe.
Almost a CAT 3 approach. Thanks Mike.

The camera have some distorsion but this is a 400ft overcast and in WI they have tall trees

Where is the leak ?

Now it is happening more often , you start to have hydraulic leaks but you cannot find where they are.
Check under the rear window called the turtle.
A good chance that the synchro box for the speed brakes and or the flaps are leaking.