SonexBuilders.net

Hello Everyone,

I know there are a lot of you who have taken or are planning on taking your Sonexes/Waiexes on longer cross country trips, and I think we can all agree that proper trip planning can really help make or break a trip. I hope to be able to do the same sooner than later, but having only flown my Waiex on trips with the AeroVee, I wanted to ask you Jabiru 3300 experts your opinion on taking spare parts or tools.

As I traveled with the AeroVee, I would normally take a small tool kit of spark plugs, VW parts, a spare secondary coil, etc. but the list of parts would be different for a Jabiru engine.

So, my question for you guys...for those of you who take longer cross country trips in your Jabiru powered airplanes, what spare engine parts and/or tools do you take along with you? A few spare spark plugs, a spare ignition coil, etc.? It seems like a lot of the adjustments on this engine can be done with a 3/16" Allen wrench but as time goes on I'd like to start making a tool kit for myself.

Another question to cover the same topic; has anyone been on a trip and had a certain engine part actually fail on them?

Thank you for your help and insight everyone!

Fly Safe!

Hi michael, all,
on a long trip i have a bag with a spare coil, plug, dist. cap, rotor, alt. winding , spare inner tube and peter anson style lift jack and a few tools.

hope this gives you some ideas.

best,

WaiexN143NM
Michael

I carry a pretty good range of tools when I travel, but other than that:
* Spare tubes
* Jack
* Tire pump
* Bicycle tube repair outfit - really tiny
* Oil - one bottle
* Rags for cleanup
* Loctite
* Duct tape
Other than a few small nuts, bolts, split pins, washers and a short length of wire, none of it ever needed, I don't carry any other spares. I have needed to replace main wheel tubes three times and tail wheel tubes twice.

Peter

MichaelFarley56 wrote:Another question to cover the same topic; has anyone been on a trip and had a certain engine part actually fail on them?

Not in a Sonex - but from my camping under the wing type trips - the most common trip stopping issues I've regularly seen are:

- Failed Mag(s)
- Stuck Valves / Failed jug type issues like cylinder heads letting go.
- Failed Alternator / Voltage regulator
- Fuel pumps
- Not engine - but tires - but for most certificated aircraft - that's not a problem. Tire/tubes are easy. For our planes - probably wise to carry.

Michael,

I've had two parts failures away from home........both times a dead ignition coil so definitely carry an extra one of these, along with the tools to make the removal and installation possible (it should be noted that having the recommended 1/2" diameter cold air blast tube aimed at each coil just about eliminates this failure). And, the other times I've been stuck some where has been with a weakened battery. So I always carry a small trickle charger with me...........it has enough cord attached to be able to reach a nearby 110v outlet that always seems to be available on the outside of a hangar or office building. An hour or two of charging has always got me going again.

Have fun with your adventures,

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261