Your humble correspondent admits to allowing his weak mind to ask itself some searching questions today. What on earth was I thinking? We Mobbitts are not for adventuring. We like the quiet life. Why didn't I just stay in the shire?
The darkness came upon me after lunch. We had an ok morning getting the plane up on jacks and cycling the gear. This enabled us to confirm the hydraulic issue. We then checked for external leaks and found none. So that leaves us with internal leaks as being the likely diagnosis. The problem is that it is hard to find where the leak is. It could be inside the pump, inside the actuator, or a valve could be troubled.
So we decided to go to the terminal to get some lunch.
Now when I described Catania as being akin to Warnervale, this was a bit of a misdescription. We are actually in a big airport with gates and security etc. It just happens to have a flying school and an aeroclub that started after the war.
So having had a sandwich we headed back to our access point to get driven back to the aeroclub but were refused access by one of the security guys. His manner was, how shall I put it, Sicilian.
Everything he said was in Italian, loud, fast and accompanied by wild gesticulation. We had handlers and other helpers trying to get us through and failed. We were sent from place to place and left waiting. After a hands down stand up row between the security man, our kind handler, and the police we finally got back to the plane 3 hours after going for a 10 minute bite.
We put it back together and resolved to depart ASAP tomorrow.
Our decision is to return 4 hours to Spain to the regular mechanic for the aircraft who has a good shop and hopefully the parts we need.
But how good would any adventure story be without some drama and a self questioning hero?
I have you booked in for an aeronautical engineering TAFE course starting ASAP ! Posted by Mum who hasn't worked out how to get my own signature
ReplyDeleteHi Tone,
ReplyDeleteBefore you head of to Spain, between the hydraulic pump and the accusing cylinder there should be a consent valve which requires pressure to open and allow the hydraulic fluid to the cylinder.
If you can get to this valve there will be some "O" rings in there which may have fretted(tech term).
this would allow the gear to drop slightly.
Don't know if the helps or not
Eric P
Hopefully the adventurer will call me when he wakes and I will make sure he's read your message Eric. Thank you from an increasingly worried wifey.
ReplyDeleteFor all followers of this adventure, Tony is now awake and facing a new day. Eric, the valves are internal to the pump so they can't check those until they get back to Spain. Tony's words were, "We have to go back, We have no choice." I spoke with Tony at 4.55 am, Italian time which I thnk is 5.55 am in Spain. They are hoping to depart in about two hours. So get ready to watch the Spot me track.
ReplyDeletethe spot is going to be a little difficult to follow once they get come back again!!
ReplyDeleteWatching Spot with interest when the internet functions here, which is spasmodically. Does anyone know whereabouts in Spain they are heading?
ReplyDeleteI hope in spite of the disappointment at not being say one third of the way home, Ton, that you are still enjoying flying in what I imagine are spectacular surroundings.
Looks like they diverted to Corsica again. And headed for Porto Vecchio? Maybe switched off Spot when they were entering traffic control to airport?
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know that, at this stage, I am no more knowledgeable than you are. If I hear anything, I will post it but I can only imagine that they are refuelling at Corsica and having a coffee. With the gear down, they must be going through more fuel and they are about to travel over water. This could be completely offbeat but I really cannot shed any light on the last hour in Corsica.
ReplyDeleteDonna wins all prizes for excellent pilotage knowledge. You don't mess with fuel over water.
ReplyDelete