Asking for aircraft help on the Cessna Owners Organization forum

Scott Sherer

I've been helping members solve their persnickety airplane maintenance and parts problems for a long time and I thought a few tips would help you get the assistance you need quicker and with fewer communications on the forum. My experience is that if you need a new spark plug, for example, many people ask like this: "How much is a spark plug for my 172 and where do I get it?" Understand that I do not have every parts and maintenance manual for every aircraft ever built. Rather, you need to ask the question like this: "I have a 1976 Cessna 172K, engine model number O320-D2A. The plugs are Champion REM-40E's. Where do I purchase them and how much are they?" If you don't have the actual part numbers, you will need to purchase a parts and service manual and have them in your library. They are available from the following sources for less than $50.00 each: https://www.eflightmanuals.com/ or http://www.esscoaircraft.com/. Using the example above as a model will get you the information you need quickly and efficiently.