Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 14

PERSPECTIVES FLIGHT LESSON
HOW IT WORKS
BY DENNIS K JOHNSON
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY
OIL PUMP
BEHIND-THE-SCENES HERO
ENGINES PRODUCE A LOT OF HEAT. IT'S THE OIL'S JOB TO
dissipate some of that heat, as well as lubricate parts and take
away contaminants. To get oil circulating through the engine,
an oil pump is used.
Aircraft engines are either dry sump or wet sump, which
means nothing more than the oil is kept either in a separate
tank apart from the engine or integrated and below the engine,
respectively. Regardless of the type of system, the oil pump draws
oil from the sump through the engine, and then either gravity or
another pump takes it back to the sump. That's the simple version.
The actual system is a bit more complex, because we need
a way to filter the contaminants and cool the oil. The order can
vary, but typically the oil is drawn up through a screen that filters
out bigger metal particles. Some engines also have oil filters
like a car, which filters even smaller particles. Then it might
go through an oil cooler, which is a series of tubes and a broad
flat area exposed to the cooling air that comes into the cowling.
Then it goes back into the engine to lubricate and cool the components.
Finally, it drips or is drawn back into the sump to start
the process over again.
Without sophisticated computer-controlled operation
and diagnostics, aviation mechanics rely on clues to help solve
maintenance issues. Oil is one of the biggest sources of
diagnostic information available to them. By noting how much
oil is being lost over time, carefully inspecting the filter and
screen, and sending the oil off for a metallurgy analysis, a
mechanic can tell if an engine is starting to " make metal, "
which can indicate a larger problem.
ian.twombly@aopa.org
Oil circulated
by pump
The oil pump draws oil from
the sump, through a screen
and filter, and throughout
the engine. In some cases a
second pump carries it back
to the sump, or gravity helps
it to flow back.
Oil screen
Oil pump
245
Oil filter
T
E
M
P
245
F150
100
75
OIL
115
100
60
20
P
S
I
P
R
E
S
S
Oil screen
14
FLIGHT TRAINING MARCH/APRIL 2023
APRIL 2017
Photography courtesy of Samuel Delgassi
STEVE KARP

Flight Training - March/April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - March/April 2023

Contents
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - Intro
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - Cover1
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - Cover2
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - Contents
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 2
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 3
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 4
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 5
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 6
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 7
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 8
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 9
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 10
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 11
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 12
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 13
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 14
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 15
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 16
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 17
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 18
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 19
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 20
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 21
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 22
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 23
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 24
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 25
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 26
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 27
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 28
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 29
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 30
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 31
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 32
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 33
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 34
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 35
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 36
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 37
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 38
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 39
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 40
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 41
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 42
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 43
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 44
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 45
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 46
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 47
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 48
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 49
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 50
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 51
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 52
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 53
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 54
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 55
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - 56
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - Cover3
Flight Training - March/April 2023 - Cover4
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