All Products

Why does my battery look puffy or swollen?

Many things can cause a puffy or swollen looking battery, which is caused by the buildup of gases inside the battery. This can be from age as gas will build up over time; being exposed to extreme temperatures; deeply discharging or overcharging of the battery.  This is a good indicator that it is time for a new battery.

Will my aircraft lithium battery catch fire?

We understand the fear of a fire in an aircraft is real and justified. We also understand people fear that a lithium battery will spontaneously self-combust with no warning and reason and catch everything near it on fire too.  We want to address this fear. The EarthX batteries are LFP chemistry, or lithium iron phosphate, the most abuse tolerant and requires a lot of energy to force them into thermal runaway. The term thermal runaway can mean different things and for a LFP battery, it does not mean a 3-foot-tall explosion of flames, it means it will produce a lot of smoke for about 10 minutes.  (It should be noted the type of chemistry that does cause a large fire ball is the most used cell in the world, a Lithium Cobalt cell. This is found in your cell phone, your tablet, your laptop, etc.  On a commercial flight, if you are traveling on a 737 with 204 person capacity, it would be typical to have around 300 of these batteries in the cabin with you as a reference point).

To cause a thermal runaway with the EarthX battery, many things in your aircraft, and you as a pilot, would have failed. First, your regulator would have to fail. Then your over voltage protection on your aircraft would have to fail. Then you as a pilot would have to fail and not turn your charging system off (alternator off) as you see the voltage and amps climb, destroying all your electronics on your panel and popping fuses everywhere in the process. If you did nothing but continued to fly, and if the batteries protection failed too or you exceeded the protection limits (over 100V), it takes about 7 minutes of this type of runaway energy to cause a thermal runaway with the battery. The FAA TSO certified approved battery, the ETX900-TSO,and the ETX900-VNT, are in a fireproof containment system (internally) and is a sealed battery that is vented overboard, so even in this catastrophic state, the smoke is pushed overboard and it is not a battery safety issue and it does not cause anything near it to heat or catch on fire either.  

As far as the fear of spontaneous self-combustion, the battery must be part of a catalyst situation for it to go into thermal runaway. It will not simply “combust” with no reactor.  The batteries have short circuit protection and a battery management system to prevent the use of the battery if it detects a fault. The Hundred series for aircraft also has a fault monitoring that would alert you if something was outside of normal with an LED light that will illuminate.  

Does this Magneto come with an impulse?

Check the "Detail" tab of the Slick Magneto that you are interested in buying and the Slick Magneto listed with a "Type: Impulsed" will come up with an impulse coupling.

For a Slick Magneto what is the service time?

According to the Slick Magneto by Champion Overhaul Manual L-1363F, the magneto should be overhauled at TBO, lighting strike, prop strike, sudden stoppage of the engine and immersion of the aircraft. 

What are the possible bill backs that I can get on a core return for my Slick Magneto?

There are no bill backs on a core return that is a current series 4300 or 6300 Slick Magneto. 

What is a good core return?

A good core retunr for a factory overhauled Slick Magneto is going to be a current series 4300 or 6300 Slick Magneto. If a new Slick Magneto is purchased, then older series Slick Magnetos can be considered for credit on a case by case basis. 

How do I lubricate my flap rollers

To lubricate use a lightweight oil. Lubriplate or motor oil works well. Lubriplate is a light weight, patroleum base, very oily grease. 

How do I determine the correct location for the different width flap rollers and the spacer/shim locations?

There are many different installations that were used for the different Cessna models. Please consult your applicable Service/Maintenance Manual and Illustrated Parts Catalog for the proper location for your specific aircraft.

How do I get all the parts lined up and the bolt in place at the aft roller locations while working in the small flap hole?

We sell tool P/N 970 to facilitate the installation of the aft rollers and make the installation easier and simplified for this hard to reach location.

The handle of the tool makes access to the bolt hole in the small inspection opening easy. The pointed tool allows you to align the parts and easily insert the tool in the bolt hole. The next step is to push the tool back out of the hole with the bolt.

What does P/N MCSK100 roller upgrade kit do?

The Cessna Service Bulletin SEB95-3 describes damage to the flap support arms from the edges of the rollers cutting into them as the flap rollers rotate. Cessna fixed the roller end wear problem on the forward roller locations by installing a thin stainless steel wear washer between the roller and the flexible flap arms.

The aft roller location is more difficult as it is up in the flap structure and is rigid. The flap support arms will not flex open for the addition of wear washers like the forward roller location. The aft long roller position has the same wear problem as the forward roller locations. Since there is not room to install a wear washer with the existing roller, McFarlane designed a roller slightly shorter in length that allows room for wear washers on each end of the roller. The wear washers are designed with a step in them to make them an assembly that is easier to install.

Note that the upgrades do not change the aft narrow roller and shims/spacers that control the flap lateral end play. P/N MCSK100 only replaces the unprotected long aft roller(s) on each flap. Replacing the flap arms that have excessive wear is very expensive and time consuming. MCSK100 stops any further flap support arm wear.

What is in the McFarlane flap roller kits?

Flap Roller Kits contain all of the rollers needed to complete one aircraft. Flap Roller Upgrade Kits include all of the components, forward wear washers (P/N MCS1450-3S10-032), aft service kit (P/N MCSK100), and hardware needed to replace the flap rollers and hardware associated with the rollers, along with Cessna SEB95-3 Rev. 1 for instructions to inspect flap support arms for wear.

Where do I install P/N MCSK100 flap roller service kit?

P/N MCSK100 Flap Roller Service Kit replaces the aft wide roller assembly, and only the aft wide roller. Please consult your applicable Service/Maintenance Manual and Illustrated Parts Catalog for the proper location for your specific aircraft, and the STC SA01074WI.

How do I know if my universal joint needs to be replaced?

A universal joint attaches to each control yoke shaft behind the instrument panel. Universal joints are very precision. Replacement of the universal joint is required if any free motion or rust around the joint pivots is detected or if the joint fails inspection required by the Piper AD 2010-15-10.

My Cessna 180/182/185 stabilizer trim is hard to turn or jams. How do I fix it?

Clean the barrel and screw jack and re-apply a coating of MIL-PRF-23827 low temperature grease. The cam bushings that attach the jack screws must be properly adjusted so that both jack screw work as one unit. If the cam bushings are not adjusted correctly the jack screws can work against themselves causing a hard to turn situation. Please review the complete instructions.

My Cessna 180/182/185 trim wheel will sometimes rotates out of position in flight, changing my trim setting. How can I fix this?

The trim wheels on the Cessna 180, early 182 and 185 aircraft have a spring loaded trim wheel stop catch assembly that engages with a molded in ratchet on one side of the trim wheel. This system is designed to prevent unwanted trim wheel movement caused by air pressure on the horizontal stabilizer. If these stop catch assemblies are worn out, the trim wheel is free to rotate. McFarlane has replacement stop catch assemblies.

Should I use stainless steel or galvanized high carbon steel flight control cables?

There are advantages to both, see our article on this topic: Stainless Steel or Galvanized Steel Cable?

Can I use a McFarlane transmitter on a Cessna 152 aircraft?

No, the fuel indicating system on a Cessna 152 is unique and McFarlane has not designed a transmitter for them yet.

Do I need to remove the Cessna fuel strainer standpipe to clean the fuel screen?

Yes. The fuel screen is removed by removing the standpipe. The rubber tipped plunger must be unseated before the standpipe is loosened. Failure to lift the plunger off of its standpipe seat can damage the plunger. Pull the strainer drain knob as if you were draining the fuel bowl. Block or clamp the knob in this position. Insert a smooth round tool such as a screw driver or punch in the standpipe cross-hole and un-screw the standpipe.

Do you have any advice for installing a McFarlane fuel vent line?

Yes, please review the Installation Tips for McFarlane Fuel Vent Lines.

How do I keep contaminants out of my fuel system?

The fuel selector valve works in unscreened fuel. Contaminated fuel can cause selector valve seal damage. When fueling from possibly contaminated fuel sources McFarlane recommends the use of a fuel filter, such as Mr. Funnel or another filtering device, to reduce trash in the fuel system.