Multimedia Video of the Week

KITPLANES Firewall Forward: Spark Plug Maintenance

pauldyeavweb

Sunday, June 19, 2022 at 07:11 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

CFR 43.3 specifies a list of maintenance items that a pilot/owner is legally permitted to perform.
The video demonstrates the process of removing, inspecting, cleaning, and gapping aircraft spark plugs.
Learning proper spark plug maintenance can save money and prevent engine runup issues caused by fouled plugs.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDgqow8R8Qs

CFR 43.3 describes, in a long list, the maintenance items a pilot/owner can legally do. In this video, KITPLANES editor at large Paul Dye runs through how to remove, inspect, clean and gap spark plugs. Learning to do this can not only save you money, but reduce the frustration of suffering a bad runup because of a fouled plug.

pauldyeavweb

Paul Dye, KITPLANES® Editor at Large, retired as a Lead Flight Director for NASA’s Human Space Flight program, with 40 years of aerospace experience on everything from Cubs to the Space Shuttle. An avid homebuilder, he began flying and working on airplanes as a teen, and has experience with a wide range of construction techniques and materials. He flies an RV-8 that he built, an RV-3 that he built with his pilot wife, as well as a Dream Tundra they completed. Currently, they are building a Xenos motorglider. A commercially licensed pilot, he has logged over 5000 hours in many different types of aircraft and is an A&P, EAA Tech Counselor and Flight Advisor, as well as a former member of the Homebuilder’s Council. He consults and collaborates in aerospace operations and flight-testing projects across the country.