Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 16:04:16 -0500
Message-ID: <redirect-2024079@logan.com>
Reply-To: "Dan Schaefer" <dfs155@earthlink.net>
From: "Dan Schaefer" <dfs155@earthlink.net>
Subject:  tube protection
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Gary Casey wrote:

"...... then what about the hydraulic lines?  Does anyone go to the trouble
to treat those?"

The DAR that inspected my LNC2 back in '93 was the maintenance supervisor at
a FBO (in Santa Barbara, CA) where much primary training took place. As a
result, he took care of a bunch of spam cans that lived very close to the
ocean, with all the attendant accelerated corrosion problems that created.

Following the inspection, he spent several hours passing on advice regarding
lessons learned from his years of keeping his fleet airworthy. One point he
stressed was the vulnerability of the aluminum alloy most commonly used in
hydraulic systems, 5052-O, which was the recommended tubing (at least for
the early models) by the factory. Even though this alloy is touted to have a
relatively high resistance to marine environments (relative to other common
Al. alloys) he stated that it nonetheless occurred at a fairly rapid rate on
the outside of the tubing, detectable by the formation of a white powdery
substance on the Al. surfaces. A simple treatment with LPS greasless spray
lubricant on lines already installed was, according to the DAR, quite
effective in protecting them.

I carefully followed his advice and have yet to see the signs of corrosion
he said to watch for. Would I have had problems had I not done this? Beats
the hell out of me but, the as leader of a Safari once said: "No Gnus is
good Gnus"!

As I've said many times before here, you pays your money and you takes your
chances!

Dan Schaefer
Early LNC2   N235SP