I tried to fly today. The plane would not start. Another $60 to have the battery removed, charged, and reinstalled (the line at GAI does not have the ability to start a 24 volt plane and the hangers do not have electricity).
This is the second time this has happened. Next week when I fly to LNS for the annual (assuming the piece of junk will fly) I am having the starting SB installed. The plane is really nice when everything works, but that is so seldom that it is a note worthy occasion.
Art, just curious – it was in the high teens through low 20s this morning. Did you try a pre-heat (which GAI offers for $20)? My experience is that when it gets below 30 or 35, you save endless wear, tear, and frustration by getting a pre-heat. I know that your plane is hangared – but is the hangar heated? In any case, I would think the main variable here is the extreme cold.
Art,
Did you have them preheat the plane? It’s pretty cold here today, as I’m sure you figured out while trying to get it started.
Also, though the line at GAI does not have a 24 volt start cart, they DO have the proper jumper cables. One time, before installing the sniffle valves/port drain connectors last year, I had to get a jump start, so we just used their jumper cables, my car’s jumper cables, and the batteries from their truck and my car to create a 24V source to power the plane.
Steve
N84MR - SR20 - 2 years, 720 hours.
No starting SB installed.
Kept in an unheated hangar
Preheat the engine before starting in winter
Zero occasions when it wouldn’t start.
About three delayed departures, but zero flights scrubbed for mechanicals.
One unplanned landing because of an in-flight problem.
I’m 99% satisfied.
This is an outstanding airplane, manyfold better than anything else I’ve ever flown.
Art:
I am sure the cold was 99% of the problem. Weather like we are having demands preheat and it DOES work plus it saves wear on the engine.
You should talk to Steve Lin. He has a lot of experience with this.
Art,
Before having the “Easy Start” SB, I would have your mechanic pull one of the fuel lines from the Spider valve. You might not be getting any fuel in boost mode.
Ever since my Service Center adjusted the pressure during boost, my previously “impossible to start” engine now starts as easily as my Volvo. (Ok, almost as easy!)
You might save yourself a grand. [:)]
Take care,
Walt
Art, we had the starting SB done on ours and what an improvement!. Hope it works for you,
Art,
When is your Lancair due?
myers
Montgomery Aviation (GAI) said the battery will not hold a charge. Since the warranty on the battery is only one year and expired 2 weeks ago, the new one will cost $268 plus labor. Maybe I will be able to start the plane so I can fly it to the annual were I can find out about all of the other things that don’t work and are out of warranty.
Art: too bad you didn’t take Marty up on his offer to buy your plane for the contract price less $25 per hour! It sounds like you’ve been very unhappy and that would have been a quick sale for you…" BTW, I have my Piper Turbo Arrow IV for sale if you’d like to trade…Sandel EHSI, Garmin 530, Stormscope. And it starts on the first try…every time!
Hi Art – Sorry for your troubles starting. Here is a complementary data point:
Today I went to the same airport where you had your problems (GAI)
Reported temperature 3 degrees F warmer than it was for you (28F versus your 25).
GOT A PREHEAT for $20
Plane started on first crank. (After using my super-duper cold-weather technique, which I learned about on this forum and list below.)
Don’t know if it was the 3 degree difference, or the pre-heat, that made this so easy for me where it had been so difficult for you. (I have my guess.) Sorry for your ongoing problems.
Super-duper cold weather technique for SR20:
The previous time this happened it was in the low 50’s. Even this morning the plane cranked enough times before the battery died that, if it were going to start it would have. The only difference the cold made was that on 3 other occasions when it would crank no more I waited 10 minutes an got one more crank which started it. This time waiting didn’t work.
Sounds like you did not preheat; that would have helped.
Maybe the plane just got tired of being started in the cold weather without a preheat like you’re supposed to.
Plane probably thinks that as a owner, you’re a piece of junk.
Andy
Andy’s reply…“Plane probably thinks that as a owner, you’re a piece of junk” is definitely the winner…Congrats Andy!..and hopefully, Art doesn’t own any live animals.
When is your Lancair due?
Cirrus has convinced me that I should stick with more traditional airplanes with less experimental technology that can be maintained at any airport.
Art,
Oh, O.K. As a Columbia position holder myself, I get these e-mail news updates from time to time from Lancair. Under the CC section is a list of significant others to Lancair, employees, customers, sales people, etc. Since “A” is the first letter in the alphabet, a person named Art Pileggi is the first one on the CC line. I thought it might be you.
By the way, I put deposits down on both a Columbia and an SR22. I knew I would be happy with either since I had time in both. First one to deliver would be the charm. I took delivery in Nov. Â’02 of SR22 Ser. #374. No regrets.
myers
Art,
This http://www.aircraft.com/listings/forsale/detail.asp?guid=vqkn1xlk&dlr=1&pcid=6288&etid=1&OHID=1057548&setype=&nh=0Spartan may be the plane for you. About the same price as a new SR22, and all aluminum.
Cheers,
Roger
I am not sure why my name is there. We did sign a contract for a 350 ($250,000 down payment), but the next day my partner (upon finding out that oil on the belly of our SR20 was not a sign of major engine problems) decided to cancel the C350. I didn’t want to cancel, but later when Lancair had the rocky financial situation, I slept much better knowing I didn’t have money riding on them.
In reply to:
…hopefully, Art doesn’t own any live animals.
Charlie,
Why not? As long as they’re proven, and not any of the modern, experimental ones! [;)]