Aircraft Maintenance: Tools of the trade

Wrenching right

Using quality hand tools and a few specialty items can reduce wear on your aircraft, on fasteners, and even your body. These are a few time savers that have worked well for me.

Screwdriver: Using power screwdrivers on aircraft can cause unnecessary wear and can be very dangerous when working anywhere near fuel. A great manual option is the Craftsman SpeedDrive Ratcheting Screwdriver. It is a high-quality tool that reduces hand fatigue, doubles the speed of a standard ratcheting screwdriver by applying torque with each left or right turn of the handle, and holds any standard quarter-inch bit.

Grinding compound: When you do have trouble removing a screw, using a little grinding compound on the bit can help it to grab the screw and avoid stripping.

Lubricants: The LPS-family of lubricants (LPS1, LPS2, LPS3) cover most moving parts that don't require grease. It pays to have all three on hand in convenient aerosol sprays. Penetrating oils such as Mouse Milk or Kroil are extremely helpful for stuck fasteners.

Grease tools: If you're going to do your own greasing (be sure to use the correct grease for each joint), the LockNLube coupler locks securely to fittings and is easy to use even when your hands are slippery.

Ergonomics to the rescue

Working on an airplane can involve contorting your body in ways that are hard on your back and knees, and you also need to be able to see your work clearly.

Stools and creepers: If you had asked me a year ago about the importance of a quality shop creeper, I might have looked at you sideways. That was before I discovered the AeroCreeper. With aviation-specific creepers ranging from about $200 to $3,000, they are true back savers that make it possible to work comfortably under the wing or fuselage, then convert seamlessly to an upright chair setup for engine or empennage work. Spoiler alert—I went with the top-of-the-line Power-Lift G2 AeroCreeper, and my back thanks me for it every time I work on the airplane.

Headlamp: Having your hands free while working in a well-lit environment is extremely helpful. The Coast rechargeable headlamp does a great job at a very reasonable price (and you'll never have to buy batteries).

Black light: Oil leaks show up well when using a black light in a darkened hangar. There are several very inexpensive rechargeable flashlights that double as regular white lights when you're not looking for that elusive leak.

Specialty tools

Unfortunately, not all shops have the tools necessary to do certain important aircraft-specific preventive maintenance tasks. Therefore, I recommend that owners make a small investment in order to ensure these tools are available to loan to their mechanic when needed.

Borescope: Every aircraft owner should own a quality borescope and should learn how to use it to inspect their engine cylinders, preferably at every oil change. It's a great way to be proactive and catch any exhaust valve issues early, when lapping-in-place is a reasonable remedy. Removing spark plugs and inspecting cylinders is perfectly legal for owners to do as preventive maintenance. However, be sure to get trained on how to do it properly and interpret the results. Mike Busch's Savvy Aviation has some great guidance on the process. Borescopes are also a handy way to look into tight spaces or find the occasional dropped screw. The industry standard borescope is the Oasis Scientific VA-400 rigid one-way articulating borescope, and they offer fully articulating scopes as well. Be sure to get a version that connects to your preferred display device (laptop, phone or tablet).

Valve wobble tool: If your aircraft has a Lycoming engine, you should follow Service Bulletin No. 388C, and inspect exhaust valve guide clearance every 400 hours (or more frequently) using a test fixture readily available from Aircraft Spruce.

Notably, some shops have recently begun skipping the inspection step, reaming the exhaust valve guides every 400 hours as preventive maintenance to ensure clearance. The process is fairly simple and does not require cylinder removal. If you choose this approach, you can skip the wobble test fixture and just purchase the correct size reamer and have it available for your mechanic.

Alternator coupling tool: If your aircraft has a Continental engine with a direct-drive alternator, a failed alternator coupling can destroy your engine and potentially turn an alternator failure into an off-field landing. Therefore, it's important to inspect the alternator coupling regularly per the Continental M-0 maintenance manual using a specialty tool available from Approach Aviation.

Having the right tools for the job can make aircraft maintenance a satisfying and rewarding activity—and you might just impress your mechanic as well. Until next time, I hope you and your families remain safe and healthy, and I wish you blue skies.