BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 01:07

Wow, Mark! You really are the Iceman. Great job, and I'm glad it turned out well.

:clap:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 09:21

First of all Mark, VERY nice job handling for most what could have been overload. I'd like to think I would handle that situation well but I'm certain I would be quite stressed.

Question for you...

As part of my runup on every flight, I cycle both alternators on & off during engine runup. Is this your SOP as well?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 09:24

Mark,

Good work.

Questions re: your alternator belts ...

1. When were they last replaced? Approx date? Approx TT since replacement?
2. PMA'd belts?
3. Or; are you using the acceptable alternatives as defined in the Vintage Aircraft Maint AC?
4. Any very recent mx activity inside the nacelles?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 09:46

Username Protected wrote:

Had I stayed below the deck aligned with the runway I would have gone into the black hole that they call Gitche Gumme (aka Lake Superior). Certain death IMO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wreck_ ... Fitzgerald

[youtube]http://youtu.be/K6DUFPNILvM[/youtube]

For some odd reason one of my favorite songs as a young kid.

Oh and great job handling Mark!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 10:10

Mark that is nuts.... Great job managing a very high stress situation. I've never heard of a double alt failure account of both belts breaking nearly at the same time. Just goes to show us all that Murphy lives. It's an eye opener for sure...

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 10:14

Username Protected wrote:

My guess would be that they broke in quick succession because of the additional load on the 2nd alternator.

Possible, or #1 broke some time before #2 and wasn't noticed.

It is always interesting how systems are not as independent as we think they are.

Quote:

And had the gear not come down, I might just land gear up on purpose rather than magnifying an already very high workload.

My first thought is not that way. I have two functional motors and 800 ft ceilings. I can get the gear cranked down. Also, I have only minutes to go and the battery should be able to handle this.

If I had been OEI, maybe I look at the gear up option more seriously. Once you put gear down, there is no go around.

A gear up landing has its risks, mainly loss of directional control or fuel fire.

Add in an engine failure, GPS failure, and 200 ft ceilings, now you have a normal sim session. :-)

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 10:47

Belts had 100 hours on them. Continental PMA.

Funny thing is my passenger says "what does that red low voltage thingy mean?"...uhhh..hmmmm...time to land!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 11:10

Username Protected wrote:

Belts had 100 hours on them. Continental PMA.

Funny thing is my passenger says "what does that red low voltage thingy mean?"...uhhh..hmmmm...time to land!

Yes, that's exactly what that means, especially under those circumstances.
Well done!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 12:16

Thanks Mark. I feel better about having the guys wrestle the new prop BACK off my plane after I noticed an ugly nick in the old belt . . .

Trouble now is that Gordon Lightfoot is going to start playing whenever I look at alternator belts!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 12:55

Username Protected wrote:

Belts had 100 hours on them. Continental PMA.

Were you running LOP? You may have shock cooled them. :whistle:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 13:22

Username Protected wrote:

Belts had 100 hours on them. Continental PMA.

Funny thing is my passenger says "what does that red low voltage thingy mean?"...uhhh..hmmmm...time to land!

How old is your battery?

Your experience is why the battery needs to be able to be relied on in an emergency.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 15:39

Wow. Way to put it down. That little voice probably saved your butt too. Interesting thought with what Charles suggested. SP, 800 overcast, and gear DONT go down?

All makes me lot for more reliability quite frankly.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jan 2015, 15:50

Username Protected wrote:

Funny thing is my passenger says "what does that red low voltage thingy mean?"...uhhh..hmmmm...time to land!

Ha yes that's what my wife said to me when I had my one alternator failure in IMC. Hmm, my checklist says land as soon as practicable....so, yup time to land!

Great job handling it. With 800 foot ceilings, I don't think I would be tempted to land gear up, unless I was on fire, or some dire emergency and had to get down right away with no delay.