S.N.A.F.U.

So, things are going about the way they always do when it comes to
aircraft panel work...

1. Trim switch problems
As previously posted, electric trim switch dismantled, slightly
modified, and repaired. Worked fine on the ground. Test flight today
-- nothing. Works forward, not backward, just as before. After
landing I discovered that turning the yoke hard over to the right
results in the electric aft trim working again. (Kinda hard to
duplicate in flight...)

We now have an apparent intermittent wiring/solder joint problem.
Back to the drawing board.

2. JPI Temperature Probe Installation
Installed in left under-wing inspection panel, ala Jack Allison's
installation in his Arrow. This meant ripping entire left side
interior out (easy), running wires out into wing (sorta easy),
installing probe in inspection panel (easy), and inserting wire into
wiring for JPI EDM-700 (simple). It's a clean installation, much
better than the "drill-the-hole-through-the-side-of-the-fueslage"
method that JPI (and my A&P) recommends.

It also means that you have to reinstall the left side interior when
you're done -- which is a real mother-f**ker. Getting all those
little screws to go back in their (now invisible) little holes is a
sure-fire way to make you wish you'd never started. And, of course,
our EDM-700 is on its way back to California for display repair, so
the whole installation is for naught until it is returned...

3. AvTek Pulsar Installation.
I won this landing-light-blinky-thing at the Cherokee Pilots
Association (actually I won a gift certificate) last June, and am only
now getting time to install it. Opened the box and found that it only
pulses a single landing light -- and I've got two. (Three,
actually.) Called AvTek, spoke with Mike, the owner, and he's going
to send the correct unit in the mail today.

So, we've spent two days installing and repairing three items -- NONE
of which have been successfully accomplished. It's amazing how you can
almost always, with 100% certainty, count on this kind of stuff
happening whenever you dare to venture under the panel of an
airplane...

Still, I was able to throughly clean the interior with the seats out
(first time since OSH), replace a few missing/corroded screws/
fasteners, and -- after putting everything back together -- went for a
nice, uneventful test flight.

When everything comes in, we'll tackle it again...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"