In mid July I will be flying with a friend in my DA42NG from the south of Germany to KOSH and beside the rising pleasure of anticpation I started planning the trip. Just to mention a few things - organizing the planned maintenance events for this year, identifying and ordering the right safety equipment (life raft, survival suits, PLB), visiting a seminar about trips to the US in a small airplane from AOPA Germany...
I would like to invite comments from the Diamond Aviator community on the following questions:
. if any, what spare parts would you take with you?
. what tools what you take with you?
Looking forward to your tips and comments!
Spare parts and tool kit for long trips
Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray
- CFIDave
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Re: Spare parts and tool kit for long trips
I would consider taking the following for a D42 diesel twin:
- At least 2 extra liters of diesel engine oil with funnel or spout
- Gearbox oil (you won't likely need this, but it's not readily available)
- spare inner tube for tires (sized at least for the mains), tire inflation gauge
- toolkit including screw driver for engine cowling cam locks, pliers, wire cutters, adjustable wrench
- safety wire and safety wire twist pliers
- Shop rags for cleaning insects off leading edges (just use water)
- Plexus or similar spray for cleaning plexiglass canopy, along with microfiber towels
- Collection of spare metric nuts, bolts, washers and screws (Diamond supplied a small collection with my new DA42). Most aircraft maintenance shops that work on GA aircraft only have English-sized hardware to fit US-built planes, and the metric hardware available at typical US hardware or auto parts stores is cheap junk that should not be used on aircraft.
- Extra length tie-down ropes or straps, since many US airport tie-downs are old or worn, or have tie-down ropes that are too short for the long wings of a DA42. You'll also need a short length of rope that fits through the small tie-down tail hole of a DA42.
Fly safely, and I look forward to seeing you at Oshkosh (where I'll probably be working the Diamond exhibit again).
- At least 2 extra liters of diesel engine oil with funnel or spout
- Gearbox oil (you won't likely need this, but it's not readily available)
- spare inner tube for tires (sized at least for the mains), tire inflation gauge
- toolkit including screw driver for engine cowling cam locks, pliers, wire cutters, adjustable wrench
- safety wire and safety wire twist pliers
- Shop rags for cleaning insects off leading edges (just use water)
- Plexus or similar spray for cleaning plexiglass canopy, along with microfiber towels
- Collection of spare metric nuts, bolts, washers and screws (Diamond supplied a small collection with my new DA42). Most aircraft maintenance shops that work on GA aircraft only have English-sized hardware to fit US-built planes, and the metric hardware available at typical US hardware or auto parts stores is cheap junk that should not be used on aircraft.
- Extra length tie-down ropes or straps, since many US airport tie-downs are old or worn, or have tie-down ropes that are too short for the long wings of a DA42. You'll also need a short length of rope that fits through the small tie-down tail hole of a DA42.
Fly safely, and I look forward to seeing you at Oshkosh (where I'll probably be working the Diamond exhibit again).
Epic Aircraft E1000 GX
Former DA40XLS, DA42-VI, and DA62 owner
ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI
Former DA40XLS, DA42-VI, and DA62 owner
ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI
- dgger
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Re: Spare parts and tool kit for long trips
If I had a singel vote it would go to the CAN bus adapter. Its does not add weight, but piece of mind. Instead of waiting for days for a mechanic to arrive to diagnose that random „ECU FAIL“ you could just email the readouts.
When I had posed that very question to a number of maintenance facilities I would usually hear the advice to bring a spare tire (at least for the mains). Not sure how solid an advise that is. So far I never lost a tire, but that might purely be by chance.
Oil-wise I am happy to say I finally let that messy funnel go. I now use a few sheets of paper (from a glossy magazine or sometimes tyvek envelope) which I roll up as a cone. Once the oil is in I would stick it inside empty oil can and throw it out later.
When I had posed that very question to a number of maintenance facilities I would usually hear the advice to bring a spare tire (at least for the mains). Not sure how solid an advise that is. So far I never lost a tire, but that might purely be by chance.
Oil-wise I am happy to say I finally let that messy funnel go. I now use a few sheets of paper (from a glossy magazine or sometimes tyvek envelope) which I roll up as a cone. Once the oil is in I would stick it inside empty oil can and throw it out later.
- Karl
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Re: Spare parts and tool kit for long trips
The main gear tyre on a DA 42 is an unusual shape and likely not available at most facilities. Also it would be easy for a mechanic not experienced on the DA42 to fit the wrong one.dgger wrote:If I had a singel vote it would go to the CAN bus adapter. Its does not add weight, but piece of mind. Instead of waiting for days for a mechanic to arrive to diagnose that random „ECU FAIL“ you could just email the readouts.
When I had posed that very question to a number of maintenance facilities I would usually hear the advice to bring a spare tire (at least for the mains). Not sure how solid an advise that is. So far I never lost a tire, but that might purely be by chance.
Oil-wise I am happy to say I finally let that messy funnel go. I now use a few sheets of paper (from a glossy magazine or sometimes tyvek envelope) which I roll up as a cone. Once the oil is in I would stick it inside empty oil can and throw it out later.
The wrong shaped tyre can result in the gear jamming, which is why Diamond require full retracts after a main wheel tyre change.
Carrying the correct one would hopefully avoid the risk of an incorrect one being fitted.
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Re: Spare parts and tool kit for long trips
I carry a battery booster pack and an air compressor to inflate tires as needed. The booster pack also has a usb port, so it can power my iPad or my phone in flight too. The booster pack could be used as external power as well for the airplane. Lastly, the booster pack sports a powerful flashlight, which is useful for inspecting the airplane at night.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motom ... p.html#srp
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/certi ... p.html#srp
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motom ... p.html#srp
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/certi ... p.html#srp
- cptndavid
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Re: Spare parts and tool kit for long trips
If you are going to carry a CAN cable you will also need your lap top loaded with the program to read the CAN cable.
- Wilfried
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Re: Spare parts and tool kit for long trips
Thanks for your helpful remarks! Put them on my list.
Just one remark to the oil replenishment: I do not use a funnel/spout or anything at all. I manage to fill up the oil at the Austros straight from the can, without any spill over.
@ Dave - I will cetainly visit the Diamond exhibit at Oshkosh!
Just one remark to the oil replenishment: I do not use a funnel/spout or anything at all. I manage to fill up the oil at the Austros straight from the can, without any spill over.
@ Dave - I will cetainly visit the Diamond exhibit at Oshkosh!
42.N020