OK this may be boring as HECK for almost everyone reading this so… SORRY!
If you do NOT own an Evolution or Turbine single then maybe go search for funny cats on YouTube or a different blog post of mine.
BUT, if you own an Evo, then this might be good to read: This is my updated checklist, and it contains a rather large amount of stuff I have learned over the 4 years and 400 hours I have flown N844X so far.
No matter how good an airplane is, it is worthless if not operated correctly, and only a checklist can keep track of all that knowledge!
To this end, I’ve turned my checklist into a SUITE of checklists, with readiness, pre-flight, and in-flight sections. Anyone that own, or is considering owning, an Evolution, should read this glean good info on how to operate this plane properly! This suite of checklists is the result of a rather tremendous amount of learning in the school of hard knocks, and condenses 4 years of learning into a few pages of checklists, so read on carefully and I’m quite certain that if you are new to Evolution ownership, this document can give you quite a nice little leg-up on your learning curve!
austin
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AIRCRAFT-READINESS PAGE
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Oil when COLD:
Many PT6 engines like to run at between two and three quarts down.
Some engines stake their claim at three or even three-and-a-half quarts low.
On a cold engine, that’s between the second and third hash marks below Max Cold on the stick.
Now, if there is NO oil on the stick, don’t panic yet: Just motor the engine for 30 seconds to raise the oil out of the sump.
Then check again.
If we suddenly have oil, then the oil has simply seeped down to the sump: A minor oil migration problem that is safe for flight
but have it looked at at the next annual or so.
Hyd fluid check:
open baggage bay floor far side
look for big black tank with hose going around it.
no problem that the hose going around it has a hole: that is for ventilation and is normal.
under the tank is a blue fitting that you can take off with regular screw direction.
pull that with pliers or wrench and see hyd fluid level with a paper clip or zip-tie in the hole: paper clip on kleenex to see where the wet level is.
it should be basically full.
AOA water drain:
Have to drain water from that if there has been any rain.
This is a part that can rust. Whenever it does not spring to drain water, then socket-wrench to remove that part.
Pop in a new one for $15 from Aircraft Spruce: SAF-AIR DRAIN VALVES CAV-110. I keep a few in the spare parts bin.
Tires:
Check those un my hangar.
Better to see it in my hangar than abroad.
On sloped ramps with ONE sidewall bearing the load, plenty of sidwall deflection is indeed normal!
Gear:
Watch the clearance between the rotor and the strut!
If that gets too low, then strut damage is imminent.
This can happen from the strut getting low or the trailing link bearings wearing and the trailing link having some play!
The trailing link bearings should never have any lateral play! (Just jack the plane to see that)
As well, the ball-joint bearings on the bottom of the STRUTS should NOT be centered!!!
If they are, then the strut will be too close to the rotor and touch it right off the bat.
So, be sure the shock absorber ball-type bearing at the bottom is offset to the side a bit so it sits clear of the rotor disc!
Strut extension:
If I am not happy with th strut extension, then:
Put jack-pads and under the wing jack points in case I open a valve the the things deflate!
This will preserve the gear doors!
Then: Get NITROGEN from the shop
Use nitrogen not oxygen!
That is the black tanks!
Tanks hook into the bottom of the struts easy
There are 2 guages: one is coming out of the tank past its valve, the other is in the cable past its valve.
We want our shocks at 250 to 280 psi.
So ease valves open to see 280 psi on the cable side!
Easy!
Flight Controls:
Check rudder stickiness at various PEDAL adjustments!
The rudders do ineed get titer at max forward adjustment, and this is normal!
Bring them in a little to ffree them up if desired.
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AIRCRAFT-MAINTENANCE PAGE
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Rosen Visors:
3/32” allen wrench adjusts ALL rotation directions.
Up/down is accessd from above, so just get a 3/32” allen wrench and use the short side up there is all, the long side for leverage.
Standard direction tightening.
Pull AFT seats:
ONLY loosen the huge screws on the FRONT of the seats and scoot the seats AFT to them pull them up and remove them.
Pull FORE seats:
First yank the cushIons.
THEN, ONLY remove the longitudinal screws and washers on the FRONT of the seats and scoot the seats AFT and then pull them up at just the right place to remove them.
The rails DO have some cut-outs partway back that will let the seat lift if it is pulled up at just the right point in it’s aft travel that is a bit ft of how far it can go with the washers installed.
So we remove FRONT horizontal screws ONLY, and scoot seat aft until the cut-out part of the rail hits the aft fixed sliders and that is where it lifts right out.
Pull interior:
Screws to hold in interior pieces:
AN525-832R7 and R8. The R8 is 1 size up in length.
You will want a few of each.
Screw diameter is always that tighter dimension of the shaft inside the helix.
Remove: First lower side-liners than aft bulkhead and center headliner then upper side pieces.
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ENGINE-MAINTENANCE PAGE
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Fuel nozzle maintenance
The No. 1 most “cost effective insurance” against hot section distress is using conservative fuel nozzle maintenance intervals.
Borescope inspections
In conjunction with fuel nozzle maintenance, monitor hot section condition for early detection of degrading conditions and costly repairs.
Early detection may increase component reparability versus replacement
Oil analysis
Conduct periodic oil filter inspections looking for metallic and non-metallic debris.
Look for signs contamination, darkening, unusual smell, carbon particles in the oil.
With or without professional oil analysis, the regular monitoring of oil conditions is highly recommended.
Compressor/turbine washes
Must be tailored to the aircraft operating environment (salt laden environment, and industrial pollution).
This is frequently found to be one of the more neglected preventive maintenance measures.
GPU starts (when possible)
Spools the engine faster during start for lower peak ITT.
Extends hot section and starter life.
Introduce fuel at peak Ng (not minimum stated in manuals)
Allows for maximum cooling airflow during engine start to reduce hot section distortion and thermal distress.
Pre-shutdown cool-down
As recommended by the OEM.
Promotes thermal stabilization of hot section components and helps prevent Compressor Turbine blade rub.
Run engine at least once every week
Reference Maintenance Manual, Preservation & Storage instructions.
Improper preservation or storage may render engines unairworthy requiring costly inspections
Fuel spills or other mess from draining the overflow or calibration
Windex and isopropil alcohol nuetralize fuel smell and presense
Then soap takes out the Windex and isopropil alcohol
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PRE-FLIGHT PAGE
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food:
grapes!
cherry-TOMATOES!
avacado or salmon in a burrito roll, pre-sliced into bite-sized!
raisins
trail mix, but that is very dry and may have a lot of sugar!
granola bars, but hat is very dry and may have a lot of sugar!
ice water in my sealed thermos thingies
oil check:
BP-2380: Very thin like water.
Check a bit after engine running, ideally 15 to 30 minutes.
We want to be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 quarts below the max, dpending on who you ask and when.
Filling the oil to the maximum level may result in a high consumption rate, with the oil exiting through the AGB breather.
On some engines, this may also occur with the oil level at one or two U. S. quarts below the maximum level.
battery boost to start:
24 V power to the ground power receptical with ground power and battery switches on does indeed boost the battery!
Just leaving the craft in that state for an hour or so and the un-plugging brough the starter up from 11% to 17% for the start!
We should see 28 V sitting on the batteries on the Garmin to know they are charging.
ramp:
there may be a little blue-on-pavement, orange-on-fingers slimy solution on the ground behind the nose-gear fter shut-down
here is how it works:
the overflow can is on the right by the fin. fuel goes in there every shut-down.
it is SUPPOSED to go out through a hole in flite but if that hole gets clogged somwhow then the fuel will pool until it overflows on shut-down.
when it does, it is fuel mixed with oil mist, which gives the blue-on-ground orange-on-fingers color and feel that is unlike all other fluids.
just see about un-clogging the can whenever I get around to it (gotta pull at least one cowl), but no danger from over-flowing this way.
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GROUND PAGE
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remove before flight:
inlet cover
gear locks
chocks
control lock belt
fuel-check:
leaving an inch of space is 8 gallons per side
fuel cap must be adjust-snug or it leaks if full
data-upload:
power-OFF
NAVIGATION data cards in the TOP
GARMIN data cards in the BOTTOM
LEAVE cards IN or we get warnings in flight!
LEAVE CARDS IN THE PLANE TO GET ENGINE LOGS
pre-start:
all circ breakers in UNDER O-2: maint pulls them!
all circ breakers in ON PANEL: maint pulls them!
gear handle down
flight controls free and correct
hydraulic valve vertical for flight ops
fuel tank fullest
park brake off
seat-belts
O-2 mask: check PRESSURE AND FLOW
bat 1 and 2 ON
look for 3 green gear and hyd-sys pressurize
MFD soft-key to load
FUEL tab, set totalizer to match FOB digital
(NOTE: fuel gages calibrated for taxi attitude.
fuel totalizer is much more accurate in flight)
grab ATIS
set baro and freqs
touch-n-go’s note:
do touch-n-go’s with 1 notch of flaps
flaps retract to 1 notch with too much sink
start:
22 V minimum for start
24 V on batteries
28 V on generators
ALL THREE HANDLES AFT (but NOT beta!)
cabin door (until upper-left latch goes over center)
check all latches over center
dump valve forwards
door seals ON
igniters ON
fuel pump ON (at least 38 PSI on MFD, loud==no fuel)
start switch ON, wait for MAX Ng!
13% Ng will result in 1,000 deg ITT. we want more.
look for oil pressure
condition lever to ground idle
800 is continuous limit, 1000 is 5-second limit
starter release when the ITT comes down
be sure we settle at idle above 52%
If there is no light-off within 10 seconds:
Pull the condition lever and ignition and starter.
Wait 30 seconds for fuel drain.
Dry-motor with fuel pump ON for lubrication 15 seconds.
Wait 60 seconds and try again.
prop forwards
igniters and fuel OFF
generator ON
24-V systems ON
radiant:
BREAKER PAGE: LITES, HVAC ACTRS, CPCS ON
CLIMATE PAGE: AIR OUTPUTS ON
adjust idle: max IDLE ITT is 750!
lites ON
PRESSURIZATION BLEED-AIR ON
CPCS PAGE: check cabin alt and diff-p showing
take-off:
KCAE clearance 124.4
igniters, fuel pump, bleed air ON
flaps UP then ONE notch
both trims CENTERED
part sep and de-ice as reqd
get take-off clearance
1200 foot-pounds for take-off
gear UP, flaps UP, part sep OFF
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FLIGHT PAGE
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climb:
see if pressurizing ok, MASK IN LAP
igniters OFF above 10k
fuel pump OFF above 10k (look for 18 PSI)
baro 29.92 above 18k
autopilot:
let it finish POWER-UP BEFORE I engage it!
then, on engage, it will hold track and VVI
the underline indicates what the rotator will change
AUTOPILOT MAY CAUSE SLIGHT RADIO STATIC
autopilot climb:
enter alt in Garmin, SEL
PUSH knob to confirm alt
ROTATE knob for airspeed
PUSH knob to confirm airspeed
autopilot cruise:
GPSS to track Garmin
EXT to track remote heading
ALT to hold CURRENT altitude
dial rotator to fine-tune
autopilot descent:
enter alt in Garmin and hit SEL PUSH (knob)
(must hit SEL PUSH for each new alt after a capture,
or the autopilot will go right through the altitude!!!)
COMFIRM +1 ON THE ALT FOR CAPTURE ARM!
hit rocker button to tweak VVI as desired
Enroute notes:
122.20 for pireps
DualXGPS-190 can only talk to 2 devs.
will say ‘cannot connect’ to the third.
Sleeping devs count… they connect.
Sagetech loses AHRS in the heat.
vent is all gaspers incl back seat
floor is left rear floor only
defog is defog
recirc overhead fan is always on
SIDs and STARs:
FMS page on MFD
hilite destination apt
hit the proc hardkey
departure/arrival/approach to select SIDS/STARS
airways:
FPL page
enter airway ENTRY fix in middle section
hit enter to leave entry screen.
little knob right: HIT LD AIRWAY SOFT-KEY!
scroll to desired airway
now scroll down the EXIT list to find the EXIT fix!
hilite BELOW fix and hit MENU key
select next airway there!
descent:
COMFIRM +1 ON THE ALT FOR CAPTURE ARM!
800 FT-LB IS BEST-RANGE BELOW 18,000 FT
fuel gauges indicate way low… see totalizer!
200 KIAS limit in or under class-B
250 KIAS limit below 10,000 ft
igniters ON
fuel pump ON
lights ON
test brake pressure
flaps-1 below 160
gear below 150
flaps-2 below 140
ins approach:
DE-SELECT HILITED LINE ON FMS
TO ALLOW AUTO-SEQUENCE!
LOAD when I know the approach
(when I hear it from ATC)
ACTIVATE when I want approach hoops
(when I am in HDG mode, done with NRT NAV)
(ACTIVATE with PROC key)
GEAR DOWN AT FAF FOR FINAL AT STEADY KIAS!
OTHERWISE WE OVERSPEED AND THEN OVERSLOW!
select MAP and hit ENTER if needed for the MISS
landing:
lo idle or we float!
77 knots across the threshold or we float!
after landing:
all anti-ice OFF
bleed air OFF
ignition OFF, but leave fuel pump ON for lubrication!
shut down:
idle, OUT of beta!
HVAC OFF
generators OFF
fuel pump ON
condition OFF
prop FEATHER (last for smooth slow-down)
let NG slow down to 10%
fuel pump OFF
door seals OFF
everything else OFF (batteries and DC last of course)
hydraulic valve to horizontal for ground ops
post-flight:
hydraulic valve HORIZONTAL
check for any water overflow on copilot pedals
note flight time and number cycles
GRAB THE UPPER CARDS IF THEY NEED UPDATING
APPLY THE GEAR DOWN-LOCKS
check oil 15 mins after shut-down. want to be 5 qt LOW