Starter Warning Indicator System

Texas Skyways has obtained a Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for a Starter Warning System for most single engine aircraft.  Texas Skyways is now able to provide to the general aviation public, a Starter Warning Kit for installation in most single engine aircraft. The reason for this modification is simple. As the fleet of aircraft age, more starter solenoids are allowing moisture to seep in causing corrosion to the core of the electromagnet in the solenoid. This may cause that solenoid to stick closed, thus keeping the starter energized after the engine is running.  When the aircraft ignition key is turned to the start position, the electromagnet in the solenoid pulls the main starting contacts closed. When the ignition key is released, the spring inside the solenoid is not strong enough to open the contact points due to this corrosion build up. The starter remains engaged causing undue stress to the aircraft owner and severe damage to the engine and starter.  By installing the Starter Warning Kit the pilot is now able to monitor, via a small warning light on the instrument panel, when the starter is engaged/disengaged. When the light is on, your starter is engaged. Very simple and very effective.

Jack Johnson – Texas Skyways, Inc.:  “When you turn the key to start the engine, the starter solenoid closes, power goes to the starter, the engine cranks, you release the key and you hope that the starter solenoid opens.  Sometimes it doesn’t.  We’ve had a few customers that have installed this starter warning light and they’ve already called and told us it saved burning up the starter, the battery, and sometimes the alternator. 

There’s one case in Dallas years ago in a Cessna 182 RG, what happened was the engine started but the starter solenoid stayed closed.  It drew current from the battery.  The alternator was trying to keep the battery charged, the battery exploded, the alternator ran away, it burned up the wiring to the radios, the cockpit is full of smoke and now the pilot has no electric system.  This was a Cessna 182 RG which has an electric motor to turn the hydraulic pump to lower the landing gear.  Fortunately the pilot was able to pump the gear down with a hand pump, he landed okay but realized the starter solenoid being closed, stuck closed is what had caused the problem.”

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Total Drain Oil Sump

For years pilots and mechanics have tried to drain all the oil out of their engines at oil change.
Oil changes are necessary; the question is how to get out all the dirty oil. Much to the dismay of the pilot, the new oil becomes dirty, almost as dirty as the old oil, after the engine is started because the new oil mixes with the leftover oil that was unable to be drained from the sump.
 
Most Continental 470, 520 and 550 engines have almost a quart of the dirtiest oil in the bottom of the sump after draining. This is where the heaviest contaminants go after engine shut down. Interestingly enough, that is also where the oil pick-up tube is. These contaminants and dirty oil are the first to be sucked up into the oil pump and distributed through the main bearings after engine start up.
 
Texas Skyways, Inc. now has approval to install a drain plug in the lowest point of the oil sump. The 'TOTAL DRAIN™' plug can be mounted to point straight down or at an angle to point forward or to either side for convenient draining.   The good news is the contaminants drain first. The sump can even be flushed if you like. Everything drains out.
Kevin – Texas Skyways, Inc.:  “This is a typical O-470 engine that comes off the majority of the Cessnas we work on.  As you can see there’s quite a bit of deposits and old oil that just stays trapped in there over the years, there’s things floating in there.  You notice that the lowest point of the sump is actually up in this area here, so a certain amount of oil and deposits remain trapped in there.  This is the Texas Skyways sump with our total drain system on it, you notice that the factory drains are still there, but we’ve also added this drain in the center to help get rid of those deposits that normally would, you saw on the other sump, and actually help extend the life of your engine up to about 500 hours just because your oil is staying cleaner and you’re doing better maintenance to your aircraft.  This is our quick drain device that we install on all of our total drain sumps, it enables you to hook up a hose and drain your oil very easily from the bottom of the aircraft.”

Jack Johnson – Texas Skyways, Inc.:  “Oil Sumps that we have developed, our oil drains here (pointing to bottom of the sump).  Normally you drain the oil out of the left side or right side, but you leave roughly a quart of oil inside the oil sump that you can’t drain out.  You’ll have a big film of oil around here and of course that would be the dirtiest most contaminated oil that you’d be leaving in the sump at oil change you couldn’t drain all the oil out from the regular drain.  So what we’ve done is put what we call a total drain sump and we have several types of plugs, you put it up here this is what would fit on a Cessna 182 you can turn the plug either way drain from the left side or the right side.  Now this plug can’t be turned after it’s welded on, so you make up your mind, you want it to drain out of the left side or the right side or in a Cessna 180 where the nose is sitting up, I would put it all the way to the rear.  But, this is an exclusive feature with Texas Skyways and we have drain plugs in various sizes and shapes, we have approved on the engines for all Cessna 180s and 182s.”

Download Total Drain Oil Sump Brochure

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Engine Mount

Texas Skyways attained a Supplemental Type Certification (STC) and Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) for C180 and C182 engine mounts.  Texas Skyways is now able to provide to the general aviation public, an engine mount for the C180 and C182 aircraft. The reason for this is simple. As the fleet of aircraft age and engine overhauls built to various specifications vary greatly some have found themselves in a position of having an engine/airframe combination that vibrates excessively.

Up until now, most have tried to cure the vibration with propeller balancing. While this is a good start, it may not be the complete answer as propeller balancing can only address part of the problem. Texas Skyways has raised the bar on setting standards for taking the vibration out of flying. With the introduction of a stiffer and more ridged mount and the use of vibration isolators approximately twice as thick as the original isolators, Texas Skyways can now offer an owner of any Continental powered Cessna 180 or 182, regardless of engine time, a much improved and smoother ride.

Installation of the engine mount is the same as the original Cessna mount, with exception of the Cessna 210 vibration isolators. No cabin heat boxes to be relocated on the firewall or ground power plugs to relocate.

The mount is approved for two and three bladed propellers, land and float plane operations.

Jack Johnson – Texas Skyways, Inc.:  “One of the reasons that we decided to build our own engine mount was taking a good look at this Cessna mount which is used on the Cessna 182.  It was designed for a 230 horse engine.  But we’re putting on up to 285 horses and if you look at the flexibility of the Cessna mount, we decided that we needed a better mount than this.

 We built the engine mount to use an isolator that is as thick as this is; it’s got twice as much rubber in it as the standard Cessna 182 vibration isolator.  We have four isolators like this on our engine mount, one on each corner, the front and the back so there’re four large vibration isolators.”

Download Engine Mount Brochure

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Exhaust Pipe Extension

Texas Skyways, Inc. has the STC/PMA for an Exhaust Pipe Extension for many of the 1953 to 1986 Cessna Aircraft. This easily installed exhaust pipe extension will help keep the belly of your plane cleaner by channeling exhaust residues farther away from the plane than the existing exhaust pipe. There is no performance lost or performance gain. The ceramic coated exhaust pipe is there for one reason; to minimize the time spent cleaning the belly.

Download Exhaust Pipe Extension / Exhaust Pipe Fairing Brochure

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Exhaust Pipe Fairing

This STC/PMA fairing fits around the exhaust pipe or the exhaust pipe extension giving a more pleasing appearance to the eye. However, the fairing is more than just pleasing to the eye; it blocks the air which normally enters through the exhaust hole in the cowling. Not only does it block the air entering the cowling, it creates a venture effect which draws more air out of the cowling and reduces CHTs.

The large, black, round exhaust pipe extending below the engine cowling about three or four inches can easily be hidden. Around this exhaust pipe the cowling has a large opening thru which the exhaust pipe extends. Due to the location of this large opening, in the forward area of the cowling, ram air passes into the lower portion of the engine compartment. This ram air pressurizes, to a small extent, the lower portion of the cowling thus, preventing the maximum amount of cooling air from passing thru the cowling for engine cooling. By placing a fairing around the exhaust pipe, the exhaust pipe is virtually hidden and the large opening around the exhaust pipe is covered.

Download Exhaust Pipe Extension / Exhaust Pipe Fairing Brochure
Download Exhaust Pipe Fairing / Nose Gear Fairing / Intake Air Fairing Brochure

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Nose Gear Fairing

The steering mechanism of the nose gear of a Cessna 182 is an area that needs a cover. The nose gear must be free to extend in flight and compress upon landing. The steering mechanism of the nose gear is mounted below the lower engine cowl. It is not necessary for this entire mechanism to be exposed. To improve the appearance of the nose area and nose gear of the Cessna 182, a fairing can be placed on the bottom of the engine cowling which will hide the upper portion of the nose gear steering mechanism. Another fairing can be added just behind the nose gear to aid in streamlining the front fairing.  Each of these two fairings must have adequate opening to allow the nose gear to completely compress in the event of a “flat strut”, and enough clearance to allow for nose gear steering.

Download Exhaust Pipe Fairing / Nose Gear Fairing / Intake Air Fairing Brochure

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Intake Air Fairing

Another area of the single engine Cessna needing attention is the area around the intake air filter. The early models of Cessna 182’s and all models of Cessna 180’s and 185’s have a large gap between the air filter and the engine cowling. A fairing around this area serves to no purpose except greatly improving the appearance.

Download Exhaust Pipe Fairing / Nose Gear Fairing / Intake Air Fairing Brochure

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Engine Analyzer

An old and common misconception that other manufacturers of EGT monitors promote is that it is not necessary to know the exact exhaust gas temperatures of your aircraft's engine. However, if you have read recent reports, shock cooling can be catastrophic! The EDM alerts the pilot of those conditions which are most vital to the maintenance of well performing engine. The value in measuring EGT lies in finding the ideal ratio of fuel to air that result in complete combustion, and in long-term trend monitoring.

Download Engine Analyzer Brochure

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Digital Engine Tachometer

Please contact us for additional details.

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