The Nissan Leaf Gets a New Rear Axle

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Well, I finally have a salvage title for the 2013 Nissan LEAF (Actually I dont have the title yet, but I think they mail it to me. We are far from settled with the insurance company for sure. It has been six months since Angie was rear ended. The following chart shows a very sad and disturbing trend. Insurance companies aren't paying out. It should be criminal. I went shopping for a new rear axle so I can get the car driving again. The rear ended axle was so bent, the car couldn't move. The new one with no connecting bits was over a thousand dollars. The cheapest used ones I could find on ebay were over 500 dollars. I finally scored at a local used parts place for 95 dollars (removed) and with associated bits such as bearings, bushings, parts of the brakes. It took me a concentrated day with cancelled and moved meetings to get the axle replaced and the car running again. The accomplishment felt good. I am now configuring the car with tractor tires and other modifications t...
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Life in Northern Atlanta. If you substitute the car for a small airplane in this pic it would hit the national news. I am glad I am flying to stay away from wrecks like this one. Aviation is so much safer. I did a nice emergency engine out (simulation) the other day (required). I picked a great spot. My flight instructor had a good laugh when I told him the engine out field strongly reminded me of landing in Greene NY. I wish I had a pic, but I was busy. Clear the trees, towers, hills, and wires and you have it made. I won't trade any of my sweaty palms (anywhere) for anything.

Comments

David said…
Wow, knowing nothing about aviation myself, I am assuming that 'engine out' means that you're simulating what to do if the engines all of a sudden stop working while up in the air and that you have to try land it this way (your comment about the sweaty palms makes me think my assumption is true :) ). Isn't that really dangerous by itself then, such a simulation??

Regards,
David
5:22 AM
Charles said…
Yes, a simulated engine out in training is dangerous. I do know one instructor (and student) that crashed badly in that training element. Aviation training and safety is always improving. In the day, they used to take you down just before touch down. Nowadays We go down to about 200 feet as a safety margin.

It is simulated by having the instructor pull the throttle back to idle while the student is doing something else and the instructor announces the engine out situation.

The checklist for the student is something like this:
1. Maximum trim up and maintain 65 knots. (also keep in mind the power might come back on unexpectedly and that requires both hands on the stick and push hard!)
2. Look for a place to land, taking into account winds, terrain, topography, distance, etc.
3. Head that way.
4. In the C172, start at the floor with the fuel selector valve, then work up the panel in a "cross" pattern (appropriate) looking for mixture, mags, and other anomalies.
5. FLY THE PLANE!
6. Attempt restart.
7. If no power, land the plane as appropriate for the selected landing site. (this is where the simulation ends and the assessment is made of survivability)
8. Find clean pair of shorts!
6:22 PM
David said…
Haha, I bet no. 8 is true, and probably should be 'no. 2' in this case :D

Truely impressive stuff, aviation. It must be great to know how to fly a plane. I wouldn't know where to start, also it seems like an awfully expensive passion to me...
6:43 AM
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