If you're like most private pilots, you've put a lot of blood, sweat, tears and time into earning your pilot's license. It's an accomplishment you're proud of, and rightfully so. Taking the next step up to owning a plane is a very exciting and serious financial commitment.
Unfortunately, with higher fuel prices, it's becoming more and more difficult for plane owners to enjoy their time in the sky. At major air shows like Oshkosh, pilots who were typically flying around 125 hours in past years, last year told us they have dropped to between 50 and 75 hours in the air.
If you're flying less frequently and especially less than 100 or 150 hours a year, be aware that oil contamination, acids and water can lead to insidious engine corrosion. If you don’t use your plane often enough, corrosion could leave you grounded with huge repair bills at your next annual.
This doesn't mean you're doomed to lose the very plane that's become your pride and joy. You can take steps to prevent corrosion and keep your aircraft airworthy. Here are just a few things you can do to keep yourself airborne:
1) Fly as much as you can.
You're probably worried because you haven't been able to fly as much as you want to; however, you should still try to fly as often as practical. Frequent flying will keep the oil from just sitting and soaking the internal engine parts in a pool of contaminated lubricant. Corrosion becomes a major problem in infrequently used engines, so make an effort to get your plane in the air as often as possible.
2) Change your oil often.
You may think that in changing your oil every 50 hours, you're doing a good job. However, oil that's been in your engine just 15 to 20 hours is already contaminated and becoming corrosive. Unless you fly a lot, maybe 200 hours per year, don't let that contaminated oil sit in the engine for any length of time. Change your oil every 25-35 hours or quarterly.
3) Don't use automotive oils in aircraft.
This may sound like common sense to most people, whereas others are scratching their heads and wondering, "Isn't all engine oil the same?" Not all engine oil is created equal, and there are major differences between automotive oil and aircraft oil. Automotive and diesel motor oils have metallic detergents added that are incompatible with aircraft engines and can actually damage them. Make sure the oil you're using is aircraft oil.
4) Look for an oil additive that prevents engine corrosion.
Blow-by contaminates oil with acids, water and fuel residues that reduce its lubricating efficiency and can harm your engine. Look for an oil additive that specifically addresses these problems. Most additives are simple solvents and do nothing for contamination or corrosion.
No additive can actually cure the effects of rust after it occurs. Corrosion is worse than cancer for your engine. Once you have it, you have it forever. The only way to fight corrosion is by prevention. CamGuard is one oil additive that nullifies the contamination problem and provides a barrier to protect against corrosion.
Don't let all the hard work you've put into getting a pilot's license and owning a plane go to waste because you can't afford to fly every week. By taking these few simple steps to help prevent corrosion, you can keep your aircraft engine in better shape and keep your plane flying longer.
About the Author
Ed Kollin is the technical director of Aircraft Specialties Lubricant, a Tulsa-based company that developed CamGuard, an oil additive that takes on the corrosion problem at its source. CamGuard is useful for all infrequently used piston engines including aircraft, marine, motorcycles, emergency equipment, backup generators, classic and antique vehicles, agricultural and all seasonal equipment. Visit them online at
http://www.aslcamguard.com today to find out how CamGuard will help your aircraft engine.
