Hawker Summer 2001

• Weather Radar Tilt Management
• Considering A Like-Kind Exchange?
• Technical Tool Tip

Weather Radar Tilt Management

— Jim Wheaton

Storm season is upon us! The technology of radar is a great tool to avoid damaging weather, but it is important to remember its limitations. Radar registers only “wet” objects such as rain, wet hail and wet snow. This excludes “dry” hail, ice crystals and dry snow which are most common at high altitudes. Recently, Duncan Aviation technicians have repaired several aircraft which were flown into damaging “dry” precipitation that was invisible to properly functioning radar systems and alert pilots.

To minimize this possibility, it is imperative that flight crews train, practice and master the use of their radar’s manual tilt function. Some pilots rely on the auto-tilt feature to track cells, but this feature is designed to compensate for aircraft altitude changes only. Instead, the flight crew should manually adjust tilt as the aircraft moves in relation to the storm cell and focus on the most reflective precipitation, which is found in the bottom 2/3 of storm cells. Proper tilt management allows radar to see precipitation at lower altitudes and alert the crew to the potential of damaging precipitation at higher altitudes. According to multiple manufacturers’ technical reps, poor tilt management is the leading cause of radar performance complaints.

Considering A Like-Kind Exchange?

— Dick Peterson

Over the years, Duncan Aviation’s Aircraft Sales Representatives have had operators ask some basic questions about like-kind exchange transactions. A like-kind exchange, also called a 1031 exchange, is often applicable to business property like aircraft. In general, this means you won’t have to recognize a gain on an aircraft’s sale if you purchase a like-kind property.

Suppose you own an aircraft that will realize a large gain if you sell it. To avoid the gain, you might be able to do a like-kind exchange. The timing of the like-kind exchange must satisfy two requirements:

1. The replacement aircraft must be identified on or before the 45th day after the date of the transfer of your aircraft. The replacement aircraft must be “identified” in a written agreement (unambiguously) for the exchange of properties, and the agreement must be signed by all parties before the end of the identification period.
2. The identified replacement aircraft must actually be received before the end of the exchange period, which begins on the date that your aircraft is transferred and ends on the earlier of:
   • 180 days after the date of the transfer or
   • the due date (including extensions) of your tax return for the year in which the bottom unit was transferred.

If done properly, this type of transaction can have huge tax implications. For the best results, we advise you to consult your tax advisor.

Technical Tool Tip

— Nick Tykoski & Dave Balling

Hi-lock fasteners are used throughout airframes as high strength fasteners. Some fastener locations make it difficult to get tools in position to properly install fasteners. Snap-On Tool offers a modified ratchet that can install the fasteners. The mod removes the locking ball (for socket retention) and drills a hole through the square drive so that an Allen wretch can be used to hold the fastener while the collar is installed. This creates the problem of having the socket fall off the ratchet when maneuvering the tool to the location of the hi-lock. The solution is to drill and tap your socket for a set screw. This will secure the socket to the square drive of the ratchet.

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