Page 60 - Volume 14 Number 4

Check the battery voltage at the battery posts with a digital multimeter, making sure all switches are off. If it is 25.4 volts or higher, it is good to go. If it is below 25 volts, put a battery minder on it overnight. Recheck the electrolyte levels as they will drop with charging.
Another common issue is that the brake fluid level is too low. When this happens, your brakes may be less effective or fail to work. It is easy to check with the top cowl off. Remove the top red plastic cap of the brake reservoir with a 5/16-inch wrench (see Figure 5 on opposite page).
Take a black zip tie and dip it in the reservoir. Put a paper towel under to catch any brake fluid that might drip. Pull the zip tie out and place it next to the reservoir; from this, you can see how full it is. In Figure 6 (on opposite page), you can see the fluid is about an inch below the top (the fluid level is the shiny part). This is about right. Any more full and it will blow out the red cap. There is a small hole in the red cap to allow for changing air pressures. Be sure it is open because if the hole is blocked, the brakes could fail to work or lock up on landing.
Be sure to check the oil level and look for any fuel or oil leaks. Check for loose screws on the inspection panels, mushroom faring and wheel pants. A creeper is a good way to scoot under the plane and have a look.
Sooner or later, you will have a spark plug that fails. Your trip will be delayed until this is fixed. If you carry a spare spark plug and some tools (see Figure 7), it can be replaced in 30 minutes.
58 ■ COPA Pilot
MAY 2019
Figure 4: If the electrolytes have enough distilled water, it will be curved. See the curve on the left side of the cell above; it should be the same on the right side.