Airplane Engines 101

Spokane Turbine Center's Kodiak airplane that visited MMS Aviation July 24th and 25th is back. This time a scheduled inspection (called a phase inspection) is being performed. Because the plane is still on its nationwide tour, it wasn't feasible to take the plane back to its home base in Spokane, Washington. Three MMS mechanics are assisting STC personnel with the inspection.

Mike, an MMS Team Leader, inspects the accessory section of the Kodiak's Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine. It is essentially a small jet engine geared to a propeller. It produces 750 shaft horsepower and burns jet fuel. This engine whines.

Scott, an MMS Production Mechanic, helps install this Pratt & Whitney R-1830-75 engine on a Douglas DC-3 a couple years ago in Missionary Flights International's hangar in Ft. Pierce, Florida. This is a 14 cylinder reciprocating engine that burns aviation gasoline (av-gas) and produces 1350 horsepower. Pratt & Whitney hasn't built recip engines for many years. This engine rumbles.

When Rena and I were missionaries in Bolivia, I maintained a DC-3. I tell people that my Pratt & Whitneys rumble instead of whine.

Footnote to an earlier post: My brother-in-law asked why planes with turboprop engines are the future of missionary aviation. In much of the world there is very little commercial demand for av-gas. Consequently, in some places av-gas is not available and where it is available it is usually much more expensive than jet fuel. Turbo-prop engines are extremely reliable, so the safety factor is valuable to the mission aviation community as well.

Pratt & Whitney and Pratt & Whitney Canada are United Technologies companies.

34 Years Ago

Today is our Wedding Anniversary. We were married 34 years ago today. How time flies when you are having fun! The wedding was in Rock Hill, SC.

Sleepover

Friday night Chanelle and Javin spent the night with us. They were quite excited about spending the time with Grandma and Grandpa and all the spoiling that goes with it. We went to the mall to do some fun activities. For those who are not familiar with our little town, we do not have a mall, so going to the closest mall means going to Zanesville which is about 40 miles away.

window markers have a great appeal

A bowl of popcorn and a great story go together

Sleeping on the floor is more fun than a bed!

Another Week in the Books

Yesterday we wrapped up another work week at MMS Aviation. Throughout the week I'd trained two apprentice mechanics to weld with the oxy-acetylene equipment. Gertjan (on the left in the picture) and Paul were both quick to understand oxy-acetylene welding principles and are doing well.

All mechanics who come to MMS for training go through a basic skills course of which welding is a part.

Yesterday I also intended to revise some pages of the Standard Operating Procedures Manual. The manual is in my documents on the desktop computer in my office. While Gertjan and Paul were practicing welding, I intended work on the revision but the computer wouldn't cooperate. By noon Dave (our facility maintenance manager and resident computer guru) determined the desktop wasn't healthy enough to put more time into, so we transferred stuff to the laptop MMS has for my use.

Overall, it was a good week. However, it's amazing how dependent on computers we have become to get our work done. We'll address the dying desktop again Monday. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the weekend.

Receipts

Karen Dodson and I (Rena) share the MMS job of receipting the many donations that keep the MMS Aviation Ministry going. We come in to the office on different days. What a thrill it is to see the Lord supply, daily, the donations to MMS that provide for the living expenses of each MMS missionary. We divide the donations according to the preference of the donor (eg. support for Smith, shop equipment, etc.), enter them into the computer, print and mail out the tax deductible receipts. (That of course is the simple explanation. There is more to it than that!)

The receipt mail goes through the postage meter

Karen enters the information into the computer

These vital provisions make it possible for us to provided free labor to the ministries who own the airplanes - often cutting their expenses in half. Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support to this ministry. We could not do it without you.

Welcome Paul

There is a new face in the hangar this week. Paul Jones moved here from just down the road - Columbus, OH to begin the apprenticeship for his A&P. Paul was a Captain with Chautauqua Regional Airlines when he felt God's call on his life to go in to missions.

Paul is pictured learning to install rivets.

Never Say Never

It has been 5 or 6 years since we had a yard sale. At that time we decided we were getting too old for this and that the effort was too much. We happily threw away our yard sale signs with finality and decided to move on to other things.

Well, guess what? Painful memories dim over the years. We, along with our daughter, Jen, (& family) had another yard sale Saturday. It was fun to generate some spending money, however, this is the last time!! In retrospect though, I believe (correct me if I am wrong our British readers) America is the only country that does yard sales. What does that say to us about the abundance we have in this country. We have a lot for which to be thankful.

When I Grow Up

Maybe it's because I'll have my 60th birthday in October that nobody asks me what I want to be when I grow up. Well, even though you didn't ask, I want to be an airplane mechanic when I grow up. Today I got away from my desk, took off my administrator hat, and worked on a plane.

Last week Tim, our Production Manager, told me, "So you want to be an airplane mechanic? The T-craft needs an annual inspection. Think you can handle it?" Old mechanic, old airplane-it's a good fit.

First thing to do was comply with an FAA Airworthiness Directive to thoroughly inspect the wing strut fitting on the fuselage frame. Here, in the picture, the mechanic deftly lines the hole in the rear strut with the fitting so the attach bolt will go through. Notice how he skillfully looks through the correct lense in his tri-focals to see things clearly.

The 1941 Taylorcraft was donated to MMS Aviation a number of years ago and was kept to be available for MMS personnel who are pilots to fly. This is the plane I fly; however, I need to get my medical certificate renewed and have a biennial flight review before the T-craft and I can go defy gravity again.