Birthday Reflections

My birthday is around Mother’s Day yearly, which is not always a favorite day.

This year I’m amazed at how much has changed in the past year.

Dropping off the cylinders at Poplar Grove Airmotive while in the area was like heading back in time.  It’s a beautiful airport with two well-maintained grass runways in addition to the paved runway with a good maintenance operation.

Being greeted by Steve, the owner, with a warm hello and memories of my father while the Bonanza had been in there for maintenance over the years brought a smile.  As much as things change, some parts are a comforting constant.

While this year I will not get my birthday horsepower fix, the path towards us flying again is clear. 

The casting that started everything has been mounted on beechwood by one of my friends from the restoration shop as a gift.  It sits above the original Bonanza instrument panel my childhood friend turned into a picture frame.

I have kissed her on the spinner for years to say hello and goodbye, often talking to her as if she understands.

Helping to take the cylinders off and being more intimately involved in the process overall has brought an understanding of some facets of airplane ownership, more stewardship, as these amazing pieces of machinery require more than what is indicated in the regulations.

While the FAA indicates what is required for regulatory compliance, it is the minimum.  During the inspections, when items are found, the gray area between what should be done and what is done is where safety buffers lie.

Do the bare minimum for too long, and it becomes a recipe for an NTSB report, or at the very least, an embarrassing day.

While I am blessed to have had her around my entire life, I must ensure she has what she needs. 

It would be wonderful for us to fly on my birthday, but the extra time to focus on the annual while waiting for the cylinders to return is a blessing.  The time to look more in-depth at the condition of the engine baffles and other things.

Engine baffles help with cooling of the engine while running.

 My Bonanza originally had a 185 horsepower Continental engine with an electric prop.

Over the years, it has been upgraded to a more powerful engine with a prop whose pitch is changed with oil rather than electric. 

The change required modification of the baffles to accommodate both the engine and the oil lines between the oil tank near the firewall and the prop hanging off the front of the engine.

The restorer mentioned some areas we can patch for now and others that might be better to change out while we have the time and access.

Owning an airplane allows for wonderful memories of traveling and exploring new places but also means ensuring items are airworthy.

The ultimate responsibility for any flight is the pilot flying; they are required to know all airworthy items are within compliance. 

If the airplane is not capable of instrument flying or retracting its landing gear, it is a simpler matter of what to keep track of.  Less to inspect during maintenance.

Spending time cleaning and getting to know my sis better has given me time to think about where we will go when she’s flying again.

There is a procedure to follow during engine break-in; it requires flying at higher power settings so the cylinders seat properly in the engine. 

If it is not done properly, the engine will not wear correctly, likely requiring more extensive maintenance sooner than usual.

As she has been sitting for some time without flying, there will likely be kinks and hiccups after her hibernation.   In the first hours after maintenance, especially after spending a long period grounded, there will be issues to address so that flights will be close to home initially.   

Trying to stay realistic when thinking about what is possible this year, but entirely successful.