Two alternators for day VFR flight?
 

The Baron B55 AFM's 'Required Equipment' list states that only one operative alternator is required for day VFR flight. Yet in the B58 two alternators are required to be working for day VFR.

Anyone got a clue why the change? Personally if I had an alternator fail in Thargominda and it was 8/8ths blue home before dark AND I've got another one anyway that is more than enough for the job why not? Single engine pilots fly on one all the time, in the dark too!

Lumps

That WOULD NEVER happen. The fact is the alternators were both working on departure and the failure was during the cruise :ok:

:oh:

2nd Alternator required to power the extra two seats' i-Pad, i-Pod, DVD player,
4th GPS unit etc etc....

:}

I thought this would have been obvious :confused:

Thronomister has a requirement for a synchronised bus. Hence dual alternators required.

You sure it wouldn't happen next week, on the last flight before the 100 hourly? :p

Checkers I was mistaken.......and you are correct :p


Griffo once again your mature and wise assessment is also correct. :}

Similar with a dead magneto, what happens when the good one fails?

4 magnetos on a baron. Still have two left :p

Come on....you have no sense of humour lad! ;)

Read again!

Being serious though, in your scenario taking off with one failed mag and then having a second.....well you don't have to be too smart to work that out.

Compared to a Baron with one failed alternator, and the risk of two dead alternators.....I know which problem I would rather have.

Now back to comic relief! :ok:

You guys are all assuming the pilot would notice something before the 100 Hr.

I have seen a Chieftain fly for over a week with the alternator belt laying in the bottom of the engine cowl. It was in Africa, - Western pilot but..

I've dispatched with a failed alternator in a piston twin.

The other failed on the return sector and the battery was shagged as I arrived at destination.

Lesson? Never again.

So have I - VFR only!

What happens if the other one fails (?) - same as a SE with only one alternator. Shut as much electrics down as you can, lower the gear and truck on to your destination or alternative - using your portable VHF, GPS, cell phone as necessary.

Hardly a big deal!

Dr :8

Been dealing with NCNs over the last week so no, no sense of humour:(

Poor bastard......you are forgiven :ok:

I'm with the Dr, except I'd leave the gear up, that's what the emergency extension system is for.

It's been a while since I flew the Baron, but does the 58 have one or two voltage regulators? I know the 55 has two, but, as I once learned the hard way, both can let you down.

The ones I've sen have only one regulator which regulates both, not ablle to parallell the alternators on this system( and yea, I know the "L"s are too many)

Not the dreaded one alternator approach, or the possible one magneto approach, (which probably all failed in flight), or the dreaded seven engine approach of a B59 after an engine failure.

Strewth mate!

Fair suck of the sav, fair shake of the sauce bottle, chunder in the old Pacific Sea mate, is this frightening news which should be filed in places like "junk".

I have a tee shirt: I flew CAAC and survived. Same known to take off with one of two engines working.

I'm trying to get a Buffalo Airlines shirt right now. Now they are great.