Elbow Lake, Minnesota (PRWEB) March 31, 2015
Tanis Aircraft Products of Blaine, Minnesota has created a “bounty program” this spring, with the intention of having more aircraft flying safely next fall and winter. A & P technicians in the northern United States and Canada who notice a qualifying aircraft brought in for maintenance that does not have a preheat system can “turn it in” for a bounty.
The technician receives a five dollar coffee credit at Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or Tim Horton’s.
The owner of the aircraft that was “turned in” will receive information about cold weather flying and the importance of proper aircraft engine preheat equipment.
“The Bounty Program is meant to raise awareness of the hazards of flying in cold climates without proper equipment. Mechanics and MRO centers are our partners in this endeavor because they are in the best position to advise the aircraft owners about their unique situation. If an aircraft owner decides a preheat system is right for them, it’s convenient to install a preheat system while their aircraft is already in the shop.” Said Doug Evink, Tanis President and CEO
Tanis also provides information and guidance regarding the appropriate system for the specific aircraft, and also provides a weekly Cold Weather Tips information series from September through March that includes tips on topics like appropriate survival equipment to carry in the plane, auxiliary equipment protection, take off and landing tips for snow and ice conditions, and other reminders and advice from seasoned cold-weather pilots.
An improperly preheated aircraft flying in cold weather can have several problems:
- Aircraft started in cold weather without proper preheating equipment may develop engine problems, due to cold weather starts that stress engine parts.
- Some preheat solutions on the market heat only a single point on the engine, which can result in burned oil, cracks in sumps, or electrical problems.
- Cold weather starts require long run-ups with extra fuel usage which are particularly costly to operators and problematic for EMS and other emergency response aircraft.
Tanis Aircraft Products preheat systems are a multipoint heating system that will raise the temperature of the engine 55 to 65 degrees F above the ambient air temperature without overheating your oil. All piston systems include sump/crankcase elements, cylinder assembly elements, and a wiring harness which inclused circuit protection and a power plug. Tanis also make systems for turbine fixed wing and rotor wing airframes. Those systems heat all of the critical driveline components and the batteries.
The FAA has awarded Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for several engine and aircraft models, including 4 and 6 cylinder Continental, Franklin, and Lycoming engines, Bell 429, and Agusta Westland 119. The STC is not technically required for aircraft flying in the United States, because the addition of the preheat system is considered a minor modification.
Most preheat systems are installed by fixed based operators (FBOs) or maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) partners while the aircraft is in for scheduled maintenance. Leading aircraft maintenance professionals such as Michael Wiskus of Lucas Oil Airshows and Metro West Aviation, Joe LaRue of Praire Air, and Travis McCullough of Missionary Aircraft Repair Center in Soldatna, Alaska all recommend and endorse Tanis Aircraft preheat products. Tanis is the only preheat manufacturer that has their systems installed by airplane manufacturers, like Cirrus, as part of the Manufactures Type Certificate.
Doug Evink, President and CEO of Tanis Aircraft Products will present information on this topic at many events throughout the summer, including the Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering, the Great Alaska Aviation Gathering, EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and AOPA and EAA Fly-Ins.
For more information or to participate in Tanis’ Bounty program, please visit Bounty.AircraftPreheat.com
About Tanis Aircraft Products
Tanis Aircraft Products has been an innovator in aircraft preheat solutions since 1974. Tanis was the first company to develop an engine-mounted preheat system for the piston engine. It was also the first to offer helicopter and turbine preheat and to meet the rigorous requirements for the FAA Supplemental Type Certification.
Tanis’preheat systems are manufactured at Glenwood Municipal Airport in West Central Minnesota. Engineering, sales, and administrative staff are located near the Anoka County Airport, in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota. These locations provide excellent access to many aircraft for design and testing in real world cold weather conditions.
Tanis Aircraft Products can be contacted at 1-800-443-2136,at http://www.TanisAircraft.com, and can be found on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google Plus.
