Flying a Bonanza

Larry Dighera wrote:

On Wed, 07 Sep 2005 21:41:41 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::


I have a 64 S35, first year with the IO520 and the first year as a six
seater so as a four seater you have a lot of cargo space. One of the
first things you notice is these things are really put together.
Cessnas and Pipers are flimsy beer cans compared to a Bonanza, of course
thats also why the empty weight is 230 pounds more.


You probably haven't had your Bonanza long enough to answer this
question, but how do you find the cost of maintenance? I have heard
that Raytheon charges exorbitant prices for parts.

I've heard that too, we'll see. My IA has the same model Bo I do so I
am lucky there. No paying for learning about Bonanza's.



Back in the late 90s I made a short trip from John Wayne Airport to
Van Nuys to pick up a passenger. The owner of the FBO from whom I
rented the aircraft for the flight asked if I might pick up a set of
generator brushes for him. I intended to pick up my passenger at the
Raytheon ramp on KVNY, so I agreed to bring the parts back with me.
The cost for two generator brushes (for clarity, these are about the
size of a half stick of blackboard chalk and made of carbon). The
bill was about $200.00! I was shocked. When I worked at the
electrical wholesale house in the 70s, we sold similar brushes for
$0.50 each.

My mechanic says I have an alternator that costs a lot to overhaul if
you do it the right(FAA) way. We will be taking it to the automotive
shop down the street when the time comes. Right now I have one dimmer
switch that is belly up. Mechanic says $350 from Beech but he will
check his other sources and get a cheaper one. Cessna was the same,
very expensive for a dimmer but we found a different source.

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 20:27:29 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::

My mechanic says I have an alternator that costs a lot to overhaul if
you do it the right(FAA) way. We will be taking it to the automotive
shop down the street when the time comes.

Have you any idea with the differences in overhaul procedures are?

Right now I have one dimmer switch that is belly up. Mechanic says
$350 from Beech but he will check his other sources and get a cheaper
one.

A dimmer is nothing more than a wire-wound rheostat right? If it
hasn't been charred beyond serviceability, and the fault is a result
of an open winding, it might be an easy matter to procure the proper
gage Nichrome wire, and rewind it. Materials: $1.00

Cessna was the same, very expensive for a dimmer but we found
a different source.

Well, you can't blame the manufacturers for trying to make a profit,
but attempted price gouging because they officially have a monopoly on
an approved part that is comparable to those priced at 1/10th won't
endear them to their customers.

A dimmer is nothing more than a wire-wound rheostat right? If it
hasn't been charred beyond serviceability, and the fault is a result
of an open winding, it might be an easy matter to procure the proper
gage Nichrome wire, and rewind it. Materials: $1.00

Have you ever taken one apart and tried to rewind it?

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 18:17:55 GMT, john smith wrote in
::

A dimmer is nothing more than a wire-wound rheostat right? If it
hasn't been charred beyond serviceability, and the fault is a result
of an open winding, it might be an easy matter to procure the proper
gage Nichrome wire, and rewind it. Materials: $1.00

Have you ever taken one apart and tried to rewind it?

I have not taken a Cessna nor Bonanza dimmer apart, but I have rewound
rheostats and coils. But then I'm an IBEW trained, card-caryin'
Journeyman Wireman 'A', and electronics technician. Such a task may
not be for everyone, just as some find soldering difficult.

Larry Dighera wrote:



Right now I have one dimmer switch that is belly up. Mechanic says
$350 from Beech but he will check his other sources and get a cheaper
one.


A dimmer is nothing more than a wire-wound rheostat right? If it
hasn't been charred beyond serviceability, and the fault is a result
of an open winding, it might be an easy matter to procure the proper
gage Nichrome wire, and rewind it. Materials: $1.00

I went flying today and saw that my mechanic had fixed the rheostat,
don't yet know what he did. I have Nulites and now the panel looks
really cool.

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:10:12 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::


I went flying today and saw that my mechanic had fixed the rheostat,
don't yet know what he did. I have Nulites and now the panel looks
really cool.

Great.

I'll bet it was an easy fix; it's a very simple system:
http://www.nulite.net/electrical.htm

In article ,
Larry Dighera wrote:

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:10:12 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::


I went flying today and saw that my mechanic had fixed the rheostat,
don't yet know what he did. I have Nulites and now the panel looks
really cool.

Great.

I'll bet it was an easy fix; it's a very simple system:
http://www.nulite.net/electrical.htm

Another high priced product.
Google "electroluminescent rope"

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 21:05:39 GMT, john smith wrote in
::

"electroluminescent rope"

Oh, you mean this stuff:
http://www.glowire.com/basic_glowire_information.htm
Cleaver.

Here
http://www.talkingelectronics.com/Pr...itELine04.html
they say it operates at 120V 500Hz, there might be some interaction
with the ADF at that frequency and its harmonics. Or perhaps Nulites
chose another frequency for their inverter.