Once you have invested in an aircraft, the next challenge you face is its maintenance. Because keeping the exhaust system of your aircraft in pristine condition is one of the most challenging things, especially if you fly it very often.
So in order to avoid potential damages, you need to closely inspect and maintain your aircrafts exhaust system regularly. If you spot any problems, you should take your aircraft to a certified aviation welding technician and get it fixed immediately.
Also Read: Aircraft Exhaust System Inspection And Potential Failures
Unfortunately, the majority of pilots neglect their aircraft exhaust systems until an important subcomponent bears the damage.
This is the main reason many aircraft technicians and mechanics have stories about the crazy stuff they have seen. Because of neglected aircraft exhaust systems, they have witnessed everything from snakes making homes in tailpipes to rats nesting in heat exchangers.
It can get that bad but don’t worry. It doesn’t have to be that bad for you as well. With proper routine maintenance and inspection, you can keep your aircraft exhaust system in prime condition.
In this blog post, we will outline some of the top ways to maintain your aircraft exhaust system and how proper regular maintenance can help you reduce the risk of failure during a flight.
Inspect Your Aircrafts Exhaust System Regularly
Careful inspection of your aircrafts exhaust system will help you identify problems before they become major issues. During your regular inspection, you should check the entire system, including the exhaust piping, termination, and engine muffler.
The exhaust system of your aircraft is often exposed to extreme temperatures, so it has a higher chance of experiencing thermal contraction and expansion.
Therefore, you should regularly inspect the exhaust system of your aircraft for any signs of thermal damage, particularly at the joints and bends. While inspecting your aircraft, you should also check for corrosion, which can occur in marine and wet environments.
If you discover any corrosion issues, you should address them immediately to avoid serious problems down the road. Also, if there are some serious problems that need a major part replacement or remanufacturing services, then you should take it to a certified aviation welding technician and get it fixed as soon as possible.
Change The Oil Regularly
Aircraft engines are specially designed to operate with synthetic oil because it is more stable and less likely to break down than performance-based oils.
But keep in mind that synthetic oil has a much longer life span as compared to petroleum oil, so you will have to change the oil in your aircraft after every six months or 500 hours, whichever comes first.
Similarly, to extend the life of your aircraft engine, you will need to change the oil regularly as it helps to maintain the exhaust system. The oil is responsible for keeping all the parts inside the engine of your aircraft lubricated, which keeps them from overheating, getting stuck, and wearing out too quickly.
Also, if you don't change the oil regularly, the parts of your engine, including the exhaust system, will begin to wear down rapidly and will lead to failure.
Rotate The Rotor Shaft And Propeller
If you regularly fly your aircraft in a marine environment, then you need to rotate the propeller and rotor shaft of your aircraft.
The propellers are prone to galvanic corrosion, which is an electrochemical process between two different metals.
The galvanic corrosion can cause corrosion inside the exhaust system of your aircraft and lead to system failure. By rotating the rotor shaft and propeller, you can alleviate the corrosion issue. To do this, you will need to connect a device called the propeller shaft coupler.
Though rotating the rotor shaft and propeller will not completely eliminate the corrosion, it will increase the lifespan of your exhaust system. Moreover, it is a simple way of keeping your system in pristine condition.
About Acorn Welding
Get your aircraft well-maintained with Acorn Welding. We are committed to complete customer satisfaction by being a reliable source of aircraft parts of unsurpassed quality, workmanship, and airworthiness. Acorn Welding continues to expand its support of customer needs adhering to the highest standards of excellence and service.
Each team member has over 20 years of experience in aerospace manufacturing. As technology progresses, the experience of our product design team is being preserved, polished, and passed on to new members. Contact us for more information.
