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  #1  
Old 07-29-2016, 10:47 AM
Raiz Raiz is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 83
Default What's left you stranded?

My intended mission involves visiting remote places, so I'm putting some thought into how to provide a "get home capability", for each of the common failures.

Have you ever been stranded by a technical failure? Did you find a get-me-home solution?
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  #2  
Old 07-29-2016, 11:06 AM
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JonJay JonJay is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Battleground
Posts: 4,348
Default

I have been lucky. However, most common are;
#1 - Dead Battery, usually from the master being left on.
#2 - Flat Tire

The problem with a dead battery is you typically will not have enough current to energize the alternator field. So, you can hand prop and get it started, unless you are total electronic ignition, but you will not have any charging and no electronics. No radio, etc....
When I go into truly remote areas, I carry a spare PC680 battery, just in case, although I have never left the master on, yet.....
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  #3  
Old 07-29-2016, 11:16 AM
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JonJay JonJay is offline
 
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Location: Battleground
Posts: 4,348
Default

I should have added, I carry a handheld radio and handheld gps.
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RV6 - Builder/Flying
Bucker Jungmann
Fiat G.46 -(restoration in progress, if I have enough life left in me)
RV1 - Proud Pilot.
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  #4  
Old 07-29-2016, 11:37 AM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 4,435
Default

Flat tire,
Bad ignition lead,
Bad spark plug.

None of these in an RV.

Dave
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  #5  
Old 07-29-2016, 11:45 AM
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az_gila az_gila is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 57AZ - NW Tucson area
Posts: 10,011
Default

I see you are building a RV-10

I had to rescue a stranded RV-10 at a major airport because the RV-10 brake pads are somewhat unique and not a popular size that would be stacked by FBOs. The pads had been contaminated by a leaky O-ring.

Add brake pads to your list, all of the other brake stuff such as O-rings should be easily available.
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Half completed RV-10 QB purchased
RV-6A N61GX - finally flying
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  #6  
Old 07-29-2016, 12:33 PM
b1driver b1driver is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Miramar, FL
Posts: 99
Default

A left Mag.. left me stranded in Buffalo, MN in middle of winter. That was the day I decided to go dual EFII.
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RV-6A O-320 D3G
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  #7  
Old 07-29-2016, 12:35 PM
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RickWoodall RickWoodall is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,452
Default ideas

I have never been stranded yet....
But always keep a spare fuel drain, fuel cap, alt belt, one auto plug one mag plug , tube for nose and mains
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Rick Woodall C-GSTT "ghost"
9a -TMX io-320, catto three blade, dual dynon hdx with a/p. 900+ hrs in 8 yrs flying.

Flew to Osh 11,12,15,17,19. SNF 2013. West to Cali /Washington/Vancouver/crossed the Rockies north to Red Deer east to Moosonee and over to maritimes. South to Jekyll Isl, cedar key, and Key West etc. 6 trips and 17 islands of the Bahamas. Flown turtles and dogs for Pilots n Paws too. Love our Rv's
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  #8  
Old 07-29-2016, 12:56 PM
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Vern Vern is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Peachtree City, Ga
Posts: 1,040
Default Aternator belt

Best time to get a spare alternator belt is next time you have the prop off. Put an extra belt behind the flywheel and secure it with tie wraps so when you need a spare you do not have to remove the prop on a trip.
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Awarded FAA "The Wright Brothers 'Master Pilot' Award"- for 50 years safe flying

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Luscombe 8E N2423K 50+years
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770 310-7169
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  #9  
Old 07-29-2016, 01:10 PM
Raiz Raiz is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 83
Default Awesome

This forum is amazing. Within minutes there are several things that I would never have thought of. Thank you.

I've only been stranded twice - both times it was the left (impulse mag) but in different aircraft.
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  #10  
Old 07-29-2016, 01:43 PM
Arvey Fleur's Avatar
Arvey Fleur Arvey Fleur is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 51
Default Starter cable

Only time I have been stranded was because of a broken lug on the starter cable at the starter terminal. I was able to replace the cable with one from the local auto parts store, which BTW is a better cable than the original one.

I made the original cable with using a soldered aluminum lug and rigid tefzel cable - BAD. The aluminum lug cracked unnoticed and failed catastrophically.

The auto cable has a steel "shell" lug crimped around the copper cable so the copper strands go all the way thru the lug itself, no way that thing is gonna break all at once. Also the cable is way more flexible than the tefzel one.

Luckily there was a convenient auto parts store. If I were truly in a remote location, I could prolly have jury-rigged it with some safety wire or other wire enough to get it started once. So maybe its good to have some wire and odd bits of things in your toolbag.
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