Did that used to be Civic Memorial Airport in Bethalto?

 

Okay, first of all it should be pointed out that there is no chance of a lawsuit against GM anyway because GM doesn't really exist anymore. It is the "New GM" that exists now and they are legally separated from the old and are no longer liable for lawsuits against the old GM.

Secondly, I tend to agree with what several people stated here, as long as the vehicle still had manual steering and braking, and it was only "hard to steer and brake" then there is really very little to say about the design. The exact same thing could have happened in a regular gas-powered car if the belt snapped that was driving the power-steering pump. In fact, it happens all the time. Also brake boosters fail on regular cars when there is a loss of vacuum from a hose breaking, etc.

As for it being a "hybrid" well... GM called those hybrids but we all know that was just a marketing campaign to make it appear they were really serious about Hybrids. Somebody pointed out that it was a great design because it was all built into the transmission. Well, did you know the Prius (amongst others) also has it all built into the transaxle? That is right, if you pull a Prius apart there is no where you will see an actual electric motor that can be unbolted somwhere. All you see are 6 organge cables connected to the transaxle. I think only the Honda hybrids can actually separate the electric motor.

 

why in the HE@@ were you flying a plane with a broken seat back, or did it break in mid flight?

 

Yeah, I was 19 years old and wanted to fly that day and that was the only plane available. At that point in my life I would have flown it with the doors missing. All I wanted to do was get to Pinkneyville and do some short-field practices. I thought "what the heck, it is only a comfort item". SIU had pretty good maintenance, as the Aircraft Mechanics School was run out of that airport, but they focused on the airframe more than the interior trim. Duct tape seat cushions were the norm.

 

No, this is the University airport at Carbondale.

 

I'm a Piper guy so I hardly ever touched the carb heat, but I heard that Cessnas are prone to carb ice, so it's supposed to be full on during any approach. On the other hand Cessna guys don't have to worry about switching tanks every half hour.

 

Well...I can tell you there is always some sort of trade off. High wing, low wing, prop, jet...I used to always say, "I can fly it if I can get the door closed and locked!" But airplanes have grown a bit more complex...even the small ones. The F&I guy at the dealership I bought my new truck has a late model C-172 with the standard 6 pack but is trading I think if he can learn to use the G1000 panel that they also have in them. Pretty neat and those don't have carb heat because they are fuel injected!

 

Well Mel,
I have to agree with you, I have 5 years in the Citation X, had three of them and still learn something new in recurrent training, every time I go. Just like shooting an approach in bad weather there is always something you could have done a little better. Speaking about the G1000 in the single engine Cessna's there was lots of software upgrades once the aircraft got into the field, however I do not remember a lot of buy backs. When the Citation III was introduced it was at the time according to cessna the most advanced Business Jet of it's time in 1983. Infact with 25 units out there the factory service center was still trying to figure out how it worked. Service bulletins and Letters were issued weekly. Operators spent more time on the ground than in the air with unservicabilities. The yearly operators conference was like a boxing match with Cessna wearing Kevlar Shorts. Still the operators worked with Cessna and the III was a pilots airplane, Know any other business jet you can due a 45 degree turn at FL510 with the autopilot off? VMo was .8351m not bad for 1983. Still the aircraft in its later years had some very serious problems, while at FL450 i noticed our cabin pressure was down a little and our cabin altitude was up, we were headed for DFW for three days and I thought i would run the aircraft over to ICT. I also had a slight whistle in the cabin very very faint. When Cessna pressurized the aircraft on the ground there was an air leak from a passenger window on the right side, when the window was removed the problem was a lot worse the bonded skins were delaminating. This resulted in replacement of the whole right had side panel as it was a bonded section manufactured by lockhead in a large auto clave, downtime was six months the aircraft was 2yrs old, Cessna gave us a demo III to do our trips and we had the original aircraft for six years. No we did not get our money back we just wanted our aircraft back, no other model, or cash back, just make it right. I have flowen that particular citation III around the world after that with no major issues. The X went through some similar problems.

 

Ken, your post is an excellent example of good technology with a serious problem that no one could have predicted until the aircraft was in the field. While it was inconvenient, the manufacturer attempted to make it taste better and get you going. It is not uncommon for very serious issues to take that long to get fixed. And, there may have been many aircraft have a similiar issue until an AD was put out on it. Folks, an AD is like a TSB or recall...except when the FAA puts an AD on an aircraft, it can cost millions (depending on type of aircraft) to fix at the owners expense! And the manufacturer does not come in and pay for it very often.

Just in case you think a cabin pressure issue is no big deal, remember Payne Stewart died in a Lear Jet that had a slow bleed in cabin pressure. The effects of hypoxia are insidious and you will never know it is coming. So serious that the FAA mandates that when above 24,000' with only one pilot at the controls, he (or she) will be on continuous 100% oxygen. And when above 41,000' BOTH pilots will wear and use 100% oxygen continuously. Why? The time of useful consciousness at 40,000 is only 10-15 seconds and guessing at 51,000' is closer to 5 seconds without supplimental oxygen in an aircraft that has lost it's pressurization.

Even with that, good to know you put total faith in your ability and the design of your aircraft after the repair, Ken. I bet you didn't even ask them to buy your aircraft back. Don't blame you. Stuff breaks, you fix it and go on down the line. Great story Ken, thanks for sharing it.

 

We have the EROS System in the Citation III and X. And you are right Mel I have always worked with the manufacture to find and correct the problem, it makes it better for everyone