And an easy way to keep a borescope safe is by minimizing who uses the scope so that only those properly trained on it use it. The doctor carries out the first aid procedure of the injured location. Theres the communication ribbon to the camera chip at the tip of the probe. Until then, happy flying! Of course, in some of the more advanced systems that have electronically assisted articulation, the articulation may be with the cable. (Had I not been doing the grunt work myself, the tab would have been at least $1,500.). An eyepiece is a viewing device in which the magnified image can be seen, the way as it is used in a telescope or a microscope. When you ship the cylinder out for repairs, provide a sheet of paper discribing the issue with the cylinder along with your contact information. With that longevity comes more maintenance, making borescopes one of the most valuable tools a professional can have at their disposal. It is utilizing a monitor processor computer with software connected to a cable that internally has ultra-thin wire connections to the chip, to the lighting, for the articulation, all connected and working in sync together, Ewert said. If you're shipping outside the US, please call +1 (931) 362-3304 and we will send you a quote as soon as possible. Nothing can replicate the power of a jet engine borescope inspection! Rigid borescopes were some of the first created, and while still in use today, flexible scopes are what most aviation technicians are going to need. This is the classic visual signature of a burned valve. No major scoring from piston. And depending on what model you have and how long the probe is, the price in the labor and time it takes to repair, varies. Jeff Simon is an A&P mechanic, IA, pilot, and aircraft owner. The most important of all is the light source which will illuminate the area under inspection. This can be done without removing the cylinder from the engine and takes about 30 minutes to 45 minutes per cylinder by a skilled mechanic. This part is inserted into the engine for inspections. The accompanying photos (Figures 2-5) provide some examples of what to look for when performing a borescope inspection of a cylinder. Using state of the art equipment, we provide a full video borescope with comprehensive reporting. WebHow To Perform An Aircraft Engine Borescope. GE has delivered more than 8,500 Case installation and removal can also be an issue. Use aviation anti-seize and the correct torque when installing spark plugs. If character limit proves too restrictive, please save your request as a document and attach it below. Next time, we will cover the last two topics regarding cylinder evaluations: oil use and cylinder cracks. Its kind of like the rib cage of the borescope itself. ), Q2 Dual View HD Video Borescopes (4.5 and 6mm OD), Hawkeye Q2 HD Video Borescopes (3.9 and 6mm OD), Hawkeye Pro Flexible Borescopes (3.3 6.0 mm dia. Most A&P schools still dont teach anything about how to use borescopes in piston engine maintenance. This prevents carbon build-up on the stem and valve seat area. (Click, FAA Proposes Rules For Powered-Lift Pilot Certification, Training, Nolen Reportedly Headed To EVTOL Company Archer, Boeing Begins Construction On New Military Aircraft Production Facility, EAGLE And GAMI: Not A Transparent Process, Electric Airliners? Were about results at Phalanx Aviation. If your in need of an A&P to perform an aircraft engine borescope inspection, contact one of our mobile aircraft mechaincs. How a borescope inspection of aircraft turbines works is fairly simple. Cool it down. Others dont do that, so the mechanic needs to have the whereabouts to know, Hey, this engine needs to be at ambient room temperature before I stick this thing in here, French explained. Theyve become the go-to tool for professionals in theaviation industry, as well as those working in plumbing, HVAC, and the manufacturing world. The quality of videoscopes is one borescope application that cannot by overlooked, like the new Hawkeye V3 HD Videoscope, provide users with crystal clear, bright HD images and videos allowing them to easily identify the condition of an aircraft engine. See some piston aircraft engine shops listed below. Youll only have to remove one set of plugs (top or bottom). Using airlines as an example, Ito said post-employment certification consists of three main levels of training: For those who merely need to use a borescope routinely or less, French said there a number of factors to keep in mind to ensure the equipment is protected and used properly. But if the valve looks normal under the borescope, some leakage during the compression check is not grounds for removing the cylinder. Portable borescopesmake it easy to take your engine inspection process on the road. Often multiple repair costs will exceed purchase cost for the customer, Ewert said. At ATS, we understand the importance of quality service, quick turnaround times, and helpful customer service. Once a breach begins in the sealing surface of the valve and seat, the hot gasses passing through it will quickly erode the valve and begin the failure process. Turbine blades in a P&W PT6A-34 aircraft engine inspected with a Hawkeye V3 HD Borescope. For the more casual user, there are several cheaper options, some as low as $200. Ito adds that since various types of engine inspections are required, from small engines in small aircraft, such as helicopters and business jets, to large engines in large passenger aircraft, scope choice will change depending on the job. Brown or gray colored valves are normal. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); WORLD'S PREMIER INDEPENDENT AVIATION NEWS RESOURCE. And the same is true of borescopes, French said. The most borescopes we listed here are articulating scopes, which means end users can change probe camera's directions easily. I had just downed the airplane for its annual inspection, and the first items on my checklist were performing a hot compression check, draining the oil, sending oil samples to the lab, and cutting open the oil filters for inspection.All the cylinders had compressions in the low- to mid-70s. Step 6: Re-install removed items to gain access to spark plugs. The operator would insert the borescope camera end into the engine through various insertion points which are provided on the engine dedicated for borescope inspection only. Gradient Lens Corporation. Failure to address the problem early is a recipe for disaster and will eventually result in a bent or broken valve and the associated engine failure. EAGLE is circling the wagons to favor an ASTM approval process instead of one by STC. Inspectors need formal training to ensure borescoping is an effective, non-destructive means of visually inspecting internal areas to detect distress in gas turbine engine and aircraft components. Borescopes Upon completion of your inspection, you may wish to share your findings with colleagues or clients. 3mm,4mm,6mm, and8mmborescopes remain some of our most popular models for engine inspections. Powering nearly 70% of the world's wide-body aircraft, GE's CF6 engine family encompasses more than 50 years of aircraft propulsion history. The small CMOS camera would produce a magnified image on the eye piece/ lcd monitor of the part under observation. With just a few quick steps, operators can view crystal-clear images of spaces that usually go unseen by the human eye. Youll have to slightly bend the camera end to take a good shot of the valves. It doesnt require a lot of labor (remove spark plugs), and it sheds insight on how your piston engine operating. Handheld units are ideal for quickly peering into a planes turbines. So if the mechanic puts it into the engine, the engines too hot, itll give a warning on the screen to remove the borescope and, Its too hot. We hold EASA Part 145 and FAA approvals to perform engine borescope inspections. abel the pictures. So it really varies as far as cost, time, and labor, French continued. Scoring or scratches on the cylinder walls are cause for further investigation. Why does stainless steel rust? Borescope for Gas Cylinders and SCUBA Diving Tanks, Inspection Borescopes for Metal Casting & Moulding, UV Borescopes Videoscopes Inspection Cameras, Non-Articulation Small Diameter Borescopes, Fever Detection Pre-Screening Thermal Cameras, Vividia AbleScope VA-400 Rigid USB Borescope Endoscope with 180 Degree Articulating 8.5mm (0.33") Diameter Probe and LED Lights, VA-400-WiFi Bundle: Vividia Ablescope VA-400 USB Rigid Articulating Borescope plus VA-B2 WiFi AirBox for iPad iPhone and Android Phone and Tablet, VA-980-WiFi Bundle: Vividia AbleScope VA-980 USB Semi-Rigid Articulating Borescope plus W03B WiFi Box for iPad iPhone and Android, Vividia Ablescope VA-920 Semi-Rigid Digital Borescope Inspection Camera, Vividia Ablescope VA-980 Semi-Rigid USB One-Way Articulating Digital Inspection Camera Borescope Videoscope with 8.5mm (0.33") Diameter, Vividia D3160 USB Digital 180 Degree One-Way Articulating Borescope with 5.9mm Diameter 1m Long Camera Probe, Vividia D3145 USB Digital 180 Degree One-Way Articulating Borescope with 4.5mm Diameter 1m Long Camera Probe, Vividia ET-39 Industrial Motorized Joystick-Controlled 360 Degree Articulating Borescope Videoscope with 5" LCD Touch Screen, Vividia VC-38 Industrial Videoscope Joystick 360 Articulating Borescope with Detachable 3.8mm Diameter Insertion Tube, Vividia VA-4-39 Four-Way Articulating 3.9mm Diameter Long Videoscope Borescope Inspection Camera, Vividia VA-2-39 Two-Way Articulating 3.9mm Diameter Videoscope Borescope Inspection Camera, Vividia VC-28 Industrial Videoscope Joystick 360 Articulating Borescope with Detachable 2.8mm Diameter Insertion Tube, Vividia VA-2-28 Two-Way Articulating 2.8mm Diameter Videoscope Borescope Inspection Camera, Vividia VA-4-28 Four-Way Articulating 2.8mm Diameter Videoscope Borescope Inspection Camera, Vividia W1149 WiFi Dual-Camera Borescope Videoscope with 4.9mm diameter and 1.1 meter length, ViTiny VT-400 Flexible Waterproof Inspection Camera with 6.0mm Two-Way Articulating Probe and 4.9mm Dual-Camera Probe and 3.5" Monitor, Vividia BD-9090 Dual Camera Borescope with 9mm Diameter 90cm Long Probe and 3.5" LCD Monitor, Vividia D3145 USB Digital 180 Degree One-Way Articulating Borescope with 4.5mm diameter 1 meter long Camera Probe (Demo Unit), Vividia TB-1710 Handheld Thermal Imaging Camera Borescope with 17mm Diameter Probe, Vividia Ablescope VA-948 Semi-Rigid USB Digital Inspection Camera Borescope with 8.5mm Diameter 48cm Long Probe and max. The results were extremely impressive, and it was a joy to use. Memory storage and LAN ports also make the process of sharing your findings quick and straightforward. Youll only have to remove one set of plugs (top or bottom). In the flawed valve pictured above youll notice the valve is still rotating (the burn pattern is symetrical), but the valve has been over temped, and will need to be replaced. Most often, a fiber optic borescope is used, as the flexible length of optic cables perfectly bends into tight spaces. The operators efficiency in using borescope would increase with experience. Valve will need replaced. This has huge implications for maintenance routines; since regular inspection allows you to make important judgments on when to make repairs or replacements, borescopes for engine inspections are incredibly vital. We recognize that theres other vehicle options that can meet our requirements and fit in our budget. Ive worked with a myriad of different scopes over the years, and theyve come a long way in a short period of time. I was evaluating a failing valve on one of my cylinders recently when a friend brought over a Snap-On borescope (BK6500) with both forward and side-view integrated cameras, a very bright light, and a built-in camera. Symtoms: Excessive oil consumption, aluminum piston pin wear, or low compression, Continental Compression Check Service Bulliten. 388C detailing instructions for measuring the valve guide clearance every 400 hours of service on some of the manufacturer's engines. See the resource section below for an article that shows improper burn patterns. The most common flaws we detect in aircraft engines are cracks caused by mechanical fatigue, thermal cycling, unintended overheating and vibrations. Subscribe now to receive exclusive information and updates from CAE. French said the most common issue they see with borescopes in need of repair is with articulation. The biggest thing, for us, that we try to tell folks is that the borescope is a delicate instrument. Another rule of thumb is to treat it like your thumb. The valve seat area on an aircraft piston engine cylinder is typcally a machined insert that is pressed into the cylinder. As discussed earlier valve coloring will provide insight as to how hot the cylinder is operating. Hawkeye borescopes allow aircraft maintenance technicians to perform inspections in the engine and airframe where it is impossible to see without tearing down the engine. It can require significant parts and labor in cost to repair. An aircraft engine borescope is arguably one of the most valuable inspections performed on a piston aircraft engine. Meet the newest additions to the ATS family: Put simply, a borescope is a very compact camera designed for use in tiny mechanical spaces that cant be observed through traditional flashlight and mirrors inspection. Whether you prefer torentor buy, weve got you covered. Borescopes provide an inside look at areas of an aircraft too small to otherwise see. Simply write down the picture file name and cylinder # next to each other on a piece of paper. Each borescope will have a learning curve to it which can vary depending on its features, said Ewert. Engine Borescope For example, how does a person know what kind of borescope is right for the job? This will take a little practice getting the best pictures. We usually use the 90 deg camera feature with this borescope. An aircraft engine boresope is a routine maintenance item that can be accomplish in one or two hours. Its one of lowest cost ways to check your engines health. Second, exhaust gasses and oil can get in between the stem and the guide, building up until the tolerance gets overly tight and the valve sticks. The three major areas to inspect are: Exhaust valve, intake valve, and cylinder side wall. Check out USABorescopes Recent Posts For More Borescope News & Resources. Engine French said he stresses this point often. Let us take a practical example to strengthen our learning about boroscopy. When we remove the borescope probe, we dont pull it out like were trying to start a lawn mower. Many of todays aircraft engines are on-condition which means they need to be inspected by a borescope at a certain interval of time to determine if the engine needs maintenance or can continue to fly. Imagine how much easier complete diagnostic checks could be with a borescope at your disposal. Applied Technical Services has been a leader in the aviation NDT industry since 1975 and holds an FAA Repair Station Certification for performing inspections. You have successfully registered to our platform. Now let us relate this to an aircraft engine, the engine is not producing the thrust as per the standard values, ripping of all the engine components apart and then reassembling just for one problem would take some two-three days. Using state of the art equipment, we provide a full The next stage after a valve gets green in color is typically a mechanical failure (bend, or crack). This is why youll find exhaust valves manufacutured with a hollowed core filled with metalic sodium. This is a simple, low-cost, rigid borescope developed in the mid-1980s for use by auto mechanics, and it costs about $950. See our reference section for the different engine torques, and anti-seize recommendation.. Determine how you will set up your physical body and scope position to maximize the ease of inspection, he continued. Welcome to the CAE Cadet Career Pathways! This will lead to early carbon build up on the valve and valve seat area. Applied Technical Services offers borescope inspections for a number of applications, including borescope inspections for aircraft engines. Theres a lot going on in that little probe. About four hours into the project, I held the offending jug in my arms and carried it over to my workbench to survey the damage.I inspected the cylinder closely, with special attention on the exhaust valve. If it is for aircraft engine inspection and general use, the internal accessibility port, length and the angle view to the blades required for the borescope will dictate the best choice for the borescope. And what can we do about it? This cylinder also had low compression with air leaking past the exhaust valve. Borescopes While the wide measuring range is useful for measuring large defects, the ability to measure from a greater distance provides another important advantage inspection speed, Ito said. Understanding how a borescope works can help make the engine borescope inspection process easier. Dont Plan Your Trip Yet. If youre okay sticking your thumb in it, were okay putting a probe in it. Thankfully, there aremicro borescopesof just about every size. Finally, I used a cylinder base wrench and a big breaker bar to coerce the eight cylinder base nuts loose. But at the time, I thought I was doing the right thing.It was the usual story. Practicing with the borescope helps you get familiar with the technology and allows for more context when you actually delve into the inspection process. French says image quality can be a big difference maker when deciding on a borescope. Copyright 2023 Phalanx Aviation All Rights Reserved, How To Perform An Aircraft Engine Borescope, What To Look For In An Aircraft Engine Borescope, How To Repair Aircraft Piston Engine Valves. If you have questions about other aircraft borescope applications, please give us a call at 800-536-0790; we look forward to speaking with you. Now X tries to stand on his legs again but he feels immense pain in his knee. Engine borescope inspections take the work and mess out of the traditional inspection process. WebA method to ensure a complete cylinder borescope profile. He was immediately taken to the hospital where the doctor after an investigation found that he has got an injury on his left knee. Jeff is also the creator of SocialFlight, the free mobile app and website that maps more than 20,000 aviation events, hundred-dollar hamburger destinations, and also offers educational aviation videos. Apart from the insertion points the holes provided for inserting the spark plugs are also used for this purpose at an average we have 10-15 borescope insertion points for varying according to the models. Get extra lift from AOPA. The application for the borescope use must be determined.. With image quality also comes image capture, with some probes able to capture multiple angles and switch between different points of view with just the press of a button. Step 1: Gather tools & materials needed for the job. To provide responsive, top notch mobile aircraft maintenance services to the aviation community. Is this pain only due to the external injury? Surprisingly, I couldnt see anything wrong. First, the valve can wobble in the guide, causing excessive wear and poor seating for the valve face. Note the asymmetrical appearance and the region nearly devoid of any deposits (white arrows). 2023 USA Borescopes. These versatile devices offer 180-degree movement, giving you the freedom and flexibility to explore virtually any space. (Click, Figure 4: Closeup of the burned exhaust valve, with overheated area circled. Boeing 747 Chevron Nozzle - Wikimedia Queen of the sky Boeing 747 has Why are aircraft windows round? We dont treat it like something that is disposable. 3. Pilot after landing flight ABCD at the IGI terminal 3 complaints to the technical department that he felt a certain jerk in engine 2 on the left wing while he was flying over New York. In lieu of X-ray vision, the borescope is the tool technicians need to get a look at the inside workings of the cramped and small spaces of aircraft. WebBorescopes are used in aircraft and engine maintenance programs to reduce or eliminate the need for costly tear turbine engines have access ports that are specifically designed for borescopes. You may prefer an articulating borescope to view pistons, side walls, and valves. You just push a button, and you can toggle between those two views.. Others do it in a joystick, 360 degrees, said French. 2023 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Tackling top overhaul decisions: Borescope inspections, Aircraft Maintenance: Borescopes empower proactive aircraft owners. This training takes approximately five years to complete. These deposits should appear reasonably symmetrical, indicating that the valves are rotating in service as they should be.Figures 3 and 4 below illustrate a burned exhaust valve. The borescope is also a great way to check the condition of the cylinder barrel. WebBorescope Inspection: Aircraft Engine. When your done taking pictures relabel the picture files to correspond to the correct cylinder. Training for Airlines and Business Jet Operators, Aircraft technical support services offices, L3Harris Military Training Welcome to CAE, L3Harris Technologies Military Training Business Press Releases, Upskill your technicians without the downtime. You can learn a lot by practicing! A person X is walking on the road and unfortunately, he meets an accident. (Now they tell me!). Engine compressions are supposed to be accomplished while the engine hot or warm. A trip around the patch before an engine compression reading can save you a lot of headaches.. However, it still seems that you have to pay a premium for the quality needed for this work. All but one, that is. Borescope inspections are a type of visual inspection that can examine hard-to-reach or inaccessible components without taking them apart or damaging them. WebLarger commercial jet engines normally require a 6mm borescope inspection camera and up to 3 meters of working cable length in order to navigate the entire outside of the aircraft engine. 2. If the cylinder leaks air past the exhaust valve during the compression check and if the borescope shows this kind of asymmetrical deposit pattern, you can be relatively certain that the valve is burned and that the cylinder has to come off. Step 1: Gather tools & materials needed for the job. Piston pin plug wear on the cylinder side wall is a common aircraft engine issue. Example: IMG001 = Cyl #1 Exhaust Valve, IMG002 = Cyl #1 Intake Valve, IMG003 = Cyl #1 Side Wall. Blocks F-35 Sales To Thailand: Is Ukraine Posture To Blame? So, You wouldnt expose your hand to hydrochloride acids, so dont put the probe tip in it. The exhaust valve is the most crucial component to inspect. The main types of flexible borescopes utilize a video chip format with internal feature options of articulation, image and video capture, measurement and angle of view at the end tip options, explained Jerry Ewert, CEO and President, JME Technologies. This can be done using a measuring optical adapter with a deeper depth of view (DOF) and a wider field of view (FOV). In this brief video, AOPA Air Safety Institute's Richard McSpadden runs through the likely scenarios that resulted in the June 4, 2023, crash of 2023 Aviation Publishing Group. Automotive and aircraft engines are lasting longer than ever. We usually remove the ones that are easiest to get to.. U.S. We provide mobile aircraft maintenane in all 50 US states. Questions? Deciding what features and functions you need a borescope to perform is equally important as to knowing what options you dont need. Learn more about aircraft engine valve design in theresource section below. Aircraft Engine We ship internationally, but the webstore only ships within the US. A common mistake made is overestimating the durability. Fuel nozzle in a P&W PT6A-34 aircraft engine inspected with a Hawkeye V3 HD Borescope. All rights reserved. Borescope inspections can reveal a lot about cylinder health. The borescopes must meet the performance requirements for inspections as stated in the manuals issued by aircraft manufacturers, such as the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) and the Standard Practices Manual (SPM), as well as engine OEMs, he said. When your done taking pictures relabel the picture files to correspond to the correct cylinder. +1 (931) 362-3304 Espaol: +1 (912) 480-4960 Email: sales@usaborescopes.com. Training to obtain in-house certifications for each aircraft model and engine model takes about six months to one year to complete. Some models even measure as small as .37mm! In this article well discribe how to perform an aircraft engine borescope inspection, and give you some borescope picture examples weve seen in the field. One indication is to look for uniformity of the coloration on the face of the valve. Once you have the right tool for your specific inspection job, insert the end into the engine. We created a list of tools and where to get them under the resources section below . Some do it in four-way. So in most cases, unless its just a simple solder weld, when those cables are replaced, the articulation cables, a light-guide cable, a communication ribbon to the tip of the probe, it requires an entire breakdown of the system, French said. If the valve itself needs to be replaced, that can only be done by removing the cylinder. Figure 5 shows two borescope views of the upper cylinder bore the so-called ring-step area. The left view is normal; the right one has abnormal wear and scoring possibly due to a broken compression ring and probably needs to come off.Next time you put your airplane in the shop, ask your mechanic what kind of borescope he uses. But if a unit is damaged, borescopes can be repaired at a cost. Borescopes are commonly used in the visual inspection of aircraft engines, aeroderivative industrial gas turbines, steam turbines, diesel See the latest information on how CAE is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team starts the borescope inspection and inserted borescope camera though port number 9 and finds that there is twisting damage on the turbine blades, they carry out the inspection through all the ports and find out that the twisting damage is present on all the blades of the compressor section also. Borescope specifications differ according to various industry standards and applications.
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