| If you're like most private pilots, you've put a lot of | | | | contaminated and becoming corrosive. Unless you fly |
| blood, sweat, tears and time into earning your pilot's | | | | a lot, maybe 200 hours per year, don't let that |
| license. It's an accomplishment you're proud of, and | | | | contaminated oil sit in the engine for any length of |
| rightfully so. Taking the next step up to owning a | | | | time. Change your oil every 25-35 hours or quarterly. |
| plane is a very exciting and serious financial | | | | 3) Don't use automotive oils in aircraft. |
| commitment. | | | | This may sound like common sense to most people, |
| Unfortunately, with higher fuel prices, it's becoming | | | | whereas others are scratching their heads and |
| more and more difficult for plane owners to enjoy | | | | wondering, "Isn't all engine oil the same?" Not all |
| their time in the sky. At major air shows like | | | | engine oil is created equal, and there are major |
| Oshkosh, pilots who were typically flying around 125 | | | | differences between automotive oil and aircraft oil. |
| hours in past years, last year told us they have | | | | Automotive and diesel motor oils have metallic |
| dropped to between 50 and 75 hours in the air. | | | | detergents added that are incompatible with aircraft |
| If you're flying less frequently and especially less than | | | | engines and can actually damage them. Make sure |
| 100 or 150 hours a year, be aware that oil | | | | the oil you're using is aircraft oil. |
| contamination, acids and water can lead to insidious | | | | 4) Look for an oil additive that prevents engine |
| engine corrosion. If you don't use your plane often | | | | corrosion. |
| enough, corrosion could leave you grounded with | | | | Blow-by contaminates oil with acids, water and fuel |
| huge repair bills at your next annual. | | | | residues that reduce its lubricating efficiency and can |
| This doesn't mean you're doomed to lose the very | | | | harm your engine. Look for an oil additive that |
| plane that's become your pride and joy. You can take | | | | specifically addresses these problems. Most additives |
| steps to prevent corrosion and keep your aircraft | | | | are simple solvents and do nothing for contamination |
| airworthy. Here are just a few things you can do to | | | | or corrosion. |
| keep yourself airborne: | | | | No additive can actually cure the effects of rust |
| 1) Fly as much as you can. | | | | after it occurs. Corrosion is worse than cancer for |
| You're probably worried because you haven't been | | | | your engine. Once you have it, you have it forever. |
| able to fly as much as you want to; however, you | | | | The only way to fight corrosion is by prevention. |
| should still try to fly as often as practical. Frequent | | | | CamGuard is one oil additive that nullifies the |
| flying will keep the oil from just sitting and soaking | | | | contamination problem and provides a barrier to |
| the internal engine parts in a pool of contaminated | | | | protect against corrosion. |
| lubricant. Corrosion becomes a major problem in | | | | Don't let all the hard work you've put into getting a |
| infrequently used engines, so make an effort to get | | | | pilot's license and owning a plane go to waste |
| your plane in the air as often as possible. | | | | because you can't afford to fly every week. By |
| 2) Change your oil often. | | | | taking these few simple steps to help prevent |
| You may think that in changing your oil every 50 | | | | corrosion, you can keep your aircraft engine in better |
| hours, you're doing a good job. However, oil that's | | | | shape and keep your plane flying longer. |
| been in your engine just 15 to 20 hours is already | | | | |