Inspection Tip for All Aircraft

On December 23, 2009, the FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Inspection Bulletin (SAIB) for all aircraft.

The bulletin discusses the hazards involved with resetting a tripped circuit breaker, particularly in flight.

We recommend that you check your circuit breakers twice before each flight. We suggest you do the first check before
you start the engine, the second one during your run-up procedure. If you run your finger over the line of breakers, you'll
add redundancy to the check by inlcuding your sense of touch with your sense of sight. You might also discover an
already tripped breaker that pops out as your finger jiggles it loose.

If you have a circuit breaker on your plane that has tripped and you discover it during your run-up procedure, we
recommend that you don't try to reset it until you're back on the ramp. Before you try a reset, run your finger over the
master switch to remind yourself of the fastest way to cut electrical power if something starts to burn and you smell
smoke. As discussed in another SAIB dated October, 2009, you should think about cockpit ventilation before resetting
the breaker as well.

We also recommend that at your next annual inspection, you double check with your mechanic to ensure that he or she
has taken a close look at the wiring in your plane for signs of crushed wires, chafing, or other damage. In fact, you might
want to give your mechanic a written list of items you'd like her or him to check so that you're both reminded.

The FAA has issued numerous safety bulletins regarding carbon monoxide poisoning and the Special Airworthiness
Information Bulletin (SAIB) for all aircraft with reciprocating engines, issued on May 7, 2010, refers to a study conducted
by Wichita State University.

The bulletin discusses the hazards of flying with a leaky exhaust system and refers to a fatal accident involving a Beech
Musketeer.

We suggest that you follow the FAA's recommendations and install a carbon monoxide detector in a location that's visible
to you while flying. Even though we're into interiors and the inexpensive detectors aren't really attractive, you can find
them at Aircraft Spruce (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/search/search.php) for under $5.00.

We also suggest that you when you do your preflight run-up, you listen carefully to the exhaust note. If you hear a rapid
"tick tick tick," you probably have an exhaust leak at the manifold. If the exhaust is louder than you remember from
previous flights, you may have a leak at the muffler.

If you have a leak at the exhaust manifold, -- or if you're having your engine rebuilt or other work that will require new
exhaust gaskets -- we strongly recommend that you instruct your mechanic to replace all of the gaskets with Blo-Proof
gaskets. They're guaranteed not to fail and they don't cost much that much more than regular ones do.

The FAA recommends that you replace the muffler in your plane at 1000 hour intervals. We suggest that if you choose to
not follow that recommendation, a carbon monoxide detector should be mandatory in your plane.

As always, we recommend that at each annual inspection you double check with your mechanic to ensure that he or she
has taken a close look at the exhaust system in your plane. You might include the item on a written checklist that you can
both review before and after the inspection is complete.