Ned Gravel

The cost of extracting oil from the tar sands makes it economically viable to do so only when the spot price exceeds $90-$95 per barrel or so. When that price was hovering around $75 per barrel about four/five years ago there were a lot of operations in hibernation. They opened up again as prices increased. And prices have been steadily rising until very recently. The folks that run these businesses don't care about politics. Only about what they can get for their investment. If the return is not big enough, they put their cash elsewhere. And they always only consider short term gains, 18 months or less. And this includes the large international oil companies. Our labs that tested core samples for hydrocarbon content had huge peaks and valleys in business because of this. Prices will go back up. It is just a matter of when. Not politics and not very much economics either. Just greed.

That's us. Adding a little class to an otherwise dreary winter. Hey! Arizona is balmy compared to Ottawa in the winter......

Imperial gallons? Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Going though CBP for cheaper gas? Now that is a new high for the CB club. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

As I was approaching 2000 hours on my engine, Clarence and I thought it would be OK to run it on condition beyond 2000 hours. Then the engine spoke up. Oil leak at the through bolt behind #2. When we checked, it was actually a 6" crack in the crankcase. Time was up and it was only at 1970 hours. Know when your engine speaks to you.

M20S Driver: Oops.... This is the message I got when I followed the link. Probably means you did a good job and it is more popular than the service provide can cater for. Error (509) This account's public links are generating too much traffic and have been temporarily disabled!

Oh Elton, where are you Elton? "Flanders"

Great tool!! I hope to try this out when I am back in Canada in December to see how good it is.

+1 for the SIRS.

+1. Brian once took five minutes to clear a problem that had been bugging me and an avionics shop for a week. He found where the coax to Comm #2 was not connected to the antenna in the back.

I would reconsider the GMA 340 for something like the PS 8000 or 8000B. Garmin does not do well on shielding their audio panels from EMI. PS does it better. I have two Narco radios (notorious for being "dirty") and I had to replace my GMA 340 with an audio panel that could actually work with them - PS 8000 (slide in replacement for the 340).

Maybe it is just me, but I had a look at the three families of Diesel being marketed (or just developed) by Continental. The CD-135 and CD-155 are their 100 series (155 hp and less). The CD 200 are their old TD-300 series and put out between 230 and 250 hp. The CD-300 is a V6 design that puts out 300 hp. I wonder if the CD 200 series could be STC'd for our older models. Hmmmmm

I am having the same issue. Clarence's folks tell me that the only thing that can be done is to send it back to the OEM for repair. Will cost about $300 or so.

Byron: I don't mind staying in the yellow arc, except when it gets bumpy. So normal descent for me is around 20-21" MP and 2500 RPM to stay off the red line. If it gets bumpy and I have to start worrying about Va or Vo, then I have to slow things down. The thing about 500 fpm at those settings is that any greater descent rate will push the ASI past those limits (Vne, Va, or Vo) in my aircraft. I know, I know. I fly conservatively.

Did I not hear from some esteemed members on this forum that shock cooling is really an old-wives'-tale? If I don't drop my MP down to 20-21" on descent, my E model will quickly go through the redline @ 500 fpm descent. For getting out of the yellow arc, I have to go down to 17-18".

And not at 150 mph either. More like 50 or 60. Getting too close to stall for me. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

OK. So that is where it all went.

+1. Works pretty well.

Clarence: Might be better to speak to Jeff or Glenna Pike at the ALS lab in Waterloo. Their contact details are in the attached scope of accreditation. Burlington's scope does not contain any more oil analysis capability than the Waterloo lab. If Waterloo is collecting the samples to send to Burlington, your contact is Waterloo and Jeff/Glenna will work to ensure your needs are met. As to "assessing" them, it has been a long time since I led a team into either lab. Note that the ALS lab in Edmonton, cited by Eldon, does not have much in accredited capacity for oil other than PCB and some araclors - but you can bet they are doing the testing (living in the middle of the oil patch). In fact all three labs are providing test results for these tests which are not accredited, probably because the market is not demanding accreditation for these tests. If you want to find an accredited lab that does the tests you seek, you can search for "oil" as a testing parameter on http://67.22.232.63/search.php?wId=s, which is CALA's listing of scopes of accredited labs. If you want to find a US lab (say close to the border in Buffalo) then have a look at either http://www.a2la.org/dirsearchnew/newsearch.cfm or http://l-a-b.com/directory-accredited-labs/. There may be a lab there actually accredited for the type of test you seek. Disclaimer: I spent 10 years as the Quality Manager for CALA. I am currently the Chair of the Policy Expert Committee for L-A-B and I am one of the trainers for A2LA. So I am biased in my recommendations to you. 3149 ALS Waterloo.pdf

True. For you yes. For the engine, perhaps not so much.

Correct Jose, but if you wish to continue with the analogy of a disease, the analysis will show the leukocytes. And that is what the chemistry behind an oil analysis is all about. Think "dissolved." In fact, when you see the big bits in your oil filter, it may already be too late. The problem with most oil analysis labs is that they do not have the QA and QC in place to really control their testing processes, and this is even more critical for organic chemistry analysis. I have never used Blackstone, but I have heard that they are a competent lab. At EAA last year, I saw one booth run by a lab in Hanger D that showed me their certificate of accreditation from L-A-B, and they are the first of these types of labs to be accredited. Within the next few years or so, accreditation will be as much a market differentiator for these labs as it is for those testing drinking water. In the meantime, GA is too small a market niche for them to make much money (with the possible exception of Blackstone) and that may be why Clarence is having difficulty. We are just too small to worry about.

Wait till you are the guy helping with your own annual and under the wing in his shop taking out screws with your bit driver (even with impact to help knock it loose). Apparently some things are not meant to be! I have not made it past apprentice yet. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If your drain valve does not have a good flow while sumping the tank have it checked and fixed. Clarence +1. That is exactly what I did. New valve. Clean holes. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Strange. An extinguisher is a mandatory item for all Canadian aircraft, I believe. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hector: you may be right. When I look at the app, it indicates that the barometer information comes from openweathermap.org, and not an instrument on the phone or iPad itself. The altitude comes from the GPS and the pressure altitude comes from the openweathermap.org reading. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk