FLYING contributer Les Abend says he's always enthusiastic about an airplane sojourn but knows that using our Piper Arrow as a station wagon with wings can be an organizational packing challenge for my wife. [Courtesy: Les Abend]
Key Takeaways:
The pilot experienced two separate in-flight alternator failures during a month-long cross-country trip, each requiring an emergency declaration and diversion.
The first incident, occurring over the Great Smoky Mountains, was attributed to a tripped circuit breaker and a broken alternator terminal connector.
The second, more critical failure happened 17 hours later in IMC weather, caused by faulty alternator bearings that necessitated a replacement.
These events underscore the importance of prompt emergency declarations, pre-planning diversion airports, and maintaining high situational awareness, especially in single-engine general aviation.
So, there I was… (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) A very small annunciation in the upper left-hand corner of the Aspen PFD caught my eye. The percentage of internal battery power remaining was being displayed and the value was slowly decreasing.
Whaaat? Why? What’s wrong with the Aspen?
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Les Abend is a retired, 34-year veteran of American Airlines, attempting to readjust his passion for flying airplanes in the lower flight levels—without the assistance of a copilot.
