Tony Graziano
  • Buchanan, TN
  • United States
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Aircraft Model
ZODIAC XL
Project Status
Flying
Building From
Kit
Building Experience
Have already built an airplane
Flying Experience
Commercial / CFI
Building and Flying Info / Your Profession / Other Background Info
Retired Dept of Defense. Aerospace Engineer/Manager

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Tony Graziano's Blog

Inflight Vibration

Posted on August 1, 2011 at 12:42pm 4 Comments

FWIW  Went out enjoying the sky this morning. Had not flown in almost two weeks due to it being really hot and storms. 

I felt what I believed to be a slight increase in vibration levels, nothing that really concerned me but I did an inflight mag check at the cruise rpm.  Mag check ok. I landed at a nearby airport to say hello to the staff. My prop had stopped in the vertical position and I repositioned it to horizontal- and heard some noise coming from the spinner. I was able to drop the… Continue

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At 10:29am on November 11, 2009, Dr. Edward M. Moody II said…
One of the mods is indeed reinforcement around the aileron pushrod hole and also the rib to which the aileron bellcrank is mounted. This is despite the fact that there have been no failures around those areas in any crashed or still-flying plane.

I agree that the whiners will find something to whine about no matter how many accomodations are made and how many bones Zenith throws them. In fact I have been saying just that in support of my arguement that Zenith has been a lot less concerned with the customers who have been satisfied and supportive. The way this came out with the FAA quoting the FARs about how each of us is responsible to determine that the airplane is airworthy etc. has been received my many (including me) as a thinly veiled threat that we better comply with the "recommended" action lest we be found in violation of that FAR.

I'm not ripping my wings open until and unless I have some good reason to do so, like amajor repair for instance. Until then, like you, I will continue to fly safely and maintain carefully and thoroughly. If I crash, I hope I land on a ZBAGer.

Ed
At 4:40pm on November 10, 2009, Dr. Edward M. Moody II said…
Well Tony, are you going to tear into your wings and cabin to do the suggested mods? How many incident free hours do you have on your plane now? I feel that a mostly silent majority of CH's loyal XL customers have been thrown to the wolves to appease a small group of chronic whiners who will most likely remain unhappy and vocal. The wrong folks got screwed in my humble and mostly ignored opinion.

Ed
At 11:05am on October 20, 2009, Dr. Edward M. Moody II said…
Well honestly I have exercised my discretion as PIC to include a necessary crew member at times. (wink, wink)

Ed
At 6:03pm on October 18, 2009, Dr. Edward M. Moody II said…
I finished the forty hours today and I'm looking forward to fly-ins, airshows, and pancake breakfasts around the state. I also hope to visit some builders who are in neighboring states within reach. Rest assured, vigilance and continued tweaking are still on the agenda.

Ed
 
 
 

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