I notice the article “Top Five Engine Myths” (March 2007) has not generated any controversy. Please let me provide a remedy. I am a retired performance engineer for Pratt & Whitney, having worked on experimental jet engines. After a second career as an A&P/IA with a flight school and Part 135 charter operation, Im now retired again. Im also an Instrument-rated Commercial pilot. I question the accuracy of engine monitors used on piston engines today, and would urge some caution in accepting numbers we see in the cockpit. At P&W, we 288
Calibrating Myths
I notice the article "Top Five Engine Myths" (March 2007) has not generated any controversy. Please let me provide a remedy. I am a retired performance engineer for Pratt & Whitney, having worked on experimental jet engines. After a second career as an A&P/IA with a flight school and Part 135 charter operation, Im now retired again. Im also an Instrument-rated Commercial pilot.
Key Takeaways:
- There is debate about the accuracy and calibration of piston engine monitors, with a retired engineer questioning their precision, while the publication argues they offer sufficient comparative data for effective engine management.
- The effectiveness of short idle cooldowns for turbochargers is questioned, with experts suggesting that heat soak after shutdown is a greater concern for oil coking than initial oil temperature.
- A former FAA employee expresses concern that agency actions, like privatizing flight service stations, are part of a deliberate effort to curtail or eliminate general aviation.
- The "position and hold" clearance is exclusively for controlled airports and issued by air traffic control; its use at non-towered fields is considered illegal and dangerous.
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