Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Propeller balancing

 Some of the guys here at AIM Air have recently been trained on the MicroVib propeller balancing tool.  So that means that with every new inspection comes a chance to balance propellers.  We have done one Caravan already.  This set of pictures is from just yesterday, when we went out and balanced the propeller on 5Y-XPA.  I went along as the driver, while Jim and Paul did the actual balance job.  It went pretty smoothly (pun intended) and we were done in just a couple hours.  

 Jim and Paul getting set up for the first installation of balance weights. 
 Paul watching the airplanes land in the background.  Notice the routing of the prop balance wiring out the bottom right engine cowling and through the top of the co-pilot door. 
 Calculating. 
 And more calculating.  I started to get a little bored.  So I took pictures of lots of other things. 
 Like this Kenya police helicopter, practicing their hovering.  This is an AS350. 
 This helicopter is relatively new to the field.  I think it's an EC-145. 
 There's the AIM Air Cessna 210, 5Y-BLG, ready for takeoff, with the cityscape in the background. 
  I caught it on takeoff, just when they were putting the gear up.  It looks funny dangling down like that. 
 This picture cracks me up.  This giant billboard out on Langata Road makes it look like this woman is peaking over the trees at me.  Weird perspective. 
 I also caught the MAF PC-12 taking off. 
 I got so bored at one point, I took a picture of the grass. 
 This is a pretty cool looking Cessna 206.  There's always something painted interesting around Kenya. 
 AirKenya operates a couple of these Dehavilland DHC-7s.  Really cool airplane. 
 And of course...one of Air Kenya's Twin Otters. 
I thought this was a neat picture.  You can see all the way to the AIM Air hangar and see the DC-3 sitting outside.  And if you look closely through the haze, you can see one of the line maintenance guys up on the engine nacelle cleaning it.