Friday, December 14, 2007

Tanis Responds

I heard from Jeff Jorgenson, Marketing Manager for Tanis Aircraft Products, after running the previous blog, and he provided a couple of additional insights. First, he agrees that after shutdown, it's moot whether humidity in the crankcase is really a problem since most parts are covered with oil, which will take a while to drain off.

"The general rule we use," Jeff says, "is that the oil coating probably remains optimal for a week or two. In perfect conditions, it may last a few weeks, but it really depends on how much you’re willing to gamble with your engine. We tell people if you don’t fly at least once a week, then the Engine Dehydrator is something you should consider investing in."

I was expecting Jorgenson to say that parts become vulnerable in a day or two, but a week sounds reasonable. (It turns out Tanis has done ample research in this area. It's hard to make blanket generalizations, because of the many variables involved. In any case, Jorgenson is not just shooting from the hip when he says that in perfect conditions, the oil coating may protect engine parts for "a few weeks.")

Jorgenson also commented on a factor I forgot to mention: salinity. "You also mentioned that Coastal Areas where the humidity is higher might increase the risk of corrosion," he points out. "While this is true, we believe the salty air may have more of an impact in these areas as well, so the need to use a dehydrator between flights is highly recommended. Certainly a week of having salt-water in the engine seems like a long time to us. We can’t really remove the salt, but we can take out most of the humidity. Standing water eventually evaporates into the dryer air so it gets removed over a longer period of time."

It'll be interesting to see how customers fare with the Tanis Engine Dehydrator over time.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You're exactly right Kas, but there is also a lot we don't yet know.

We do know that there is a lot people can do to protect their aircraft, and it all plays a part. Change the oil regualrly, use a dehydrator, use preheat below 40F, use covers and folloow maintenance guidelines all work together to prevent thousands in potential damage to an aircraft. ~Jeff