Vic Syracuse
Vic is a fixed-wing and helicopter commercial pilot, CFII with ASMEL/ASES ratings, an A&P/IA, DAR, and EAA technical advisor and flight counselor. Passionately involved in aviation for over 40 years, he has built 11 aircraft and logged over 10,000 hours in 72 different kinds of aircraft. Vic volunteers as a Young Eagle pilot, has his own sport aviation business called Base Leg Aviation, and has written two books on aircraft prebuy and condition inspections.
Where’s the Throttle?
Engine controls, and all other controls in the cockpit, should be labeled as to function and direction. It is standard practice to use black...
Improper Deburring
It is really important to remove the burrs that are created when drilling through aluminum prior to riveting. Otherwise the rivets will not get...
Improper Bolt Length
A bolt should extend beyond the nut by 1–3 threads. If it is any longer, then the next size shorter bolt should be used....
Horizontal Stabilizer Crack
In 2014 Van’s Aircraft put out a service bulletin for potential cracking in the horizontal stabilizers of the RV-6, RV-7 and RV-8 series of...
Turnbuckle Safety Wire
Turnbuckles are usually used in control systems to apply the proper amount of tension to the cables. It is extremely important to ensure that...
Leaky Static Lines
Ever wonder why static systems often start to leak after a couple of years? See the little plastic insert between the two tubes in...
Missing Rivets
This is the root rib on a horizontal stabilizer. The rivets that fasten the rib to the spar are completely missing!
Jam Nut Triple Threat
Jam nuts serve a purpose and that is to prevent actuating arms from becoming disconnected. I found three examples on the same airplane. Two...
Past Due ELT Batteries
There is a requirement for an annual ELT check to be entered into the aircraft logbooks. The batteries must be replaced prior to the...
Rotax Training for the 9 Series
Lockwood Aviation helps you get a full understanding of the four-stroke Rotax.
