Inside the Cowling Fire / Heat Detector?

How about your nose?

Fortunately, I've never had a fire in an airplane - flying or not.
However, a few years ago I was flying along at economy cruise
(fairly low altitude, as I was enjoying the scenery), when suddenly
something smelled hot. No smoke, but something obviously was amiss.
Of course I headed for the nearest airport. After landing and
shutting down, an inspection soon revealed the source of the
smell - scorched paint on the cowling. It seems that the left
exhaust collector had blown out a hole the size of a quarter
on the side nearest the cowling. Needless to say, that event
could have produced much more excitement than it did.

Another time on a trip in severe clear weather I decided to
descend - once again to get a better look at the scenery. After
leveling off (at 2500 feet, as I recall), I noticed that it had
suddenly become very hot in the airplane. It smelled hot - and
the air coming out of the footwell vents was too hot to hold
my hand in front of. Again, I headed for the nearest airport
and landed - and took off the top cowling to see what was going
on. There was nothing wrong with the airplane. It seems that I
had descended into an inversion layer that must have had temps
of 110 degrees or more (believe it or not this was in Oregon,
and I landed at Astoria). That day it was 114 in Portland!
It was so hot in the motel I stayed in (no air conditioning -
they don't need it there - ha ha), that everybody sat outside
until late in the evening.

Bottom line - if something is too hot in the engine compartment
of a single (front engine, of course), you will know about it
at once!

David Johnson

David Johnson wrote:

How about your nose?

I started smoking at about 15. Quit at about 40. After that, a skunk can walk by and
I won't know it.

George Patterson
None of us is as dumb as all of us.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message ...
David Johnson wrote:

How about your nose?

I started smoking at about 15. Quit at about 40. After that, a skunk can walk by and
I won't know it.

Someday the FAA will refuse to give medicals to people with Tobacco
additions just as they do to people with heroin additions. At least
heroin is easier to kick.

-Robert