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Rather than just a straight "buffer" that only spins most car guys now use the oscillating orbital types now that have an infinite number of speeds to choose from. Even the "cheapo" one seem to work OK and not burn the paint although you can stillcut through on sharp edges if not careful.

I may have missed it, but for anyone thinking of buffing their plane, make sure you get a buffer with a slower settings. Some of the ones you pickup have one FAST speed. That's when you really get into buffing the paint OFF the plane. I'm no expert, but had a long talk with the paint guy that touched up my wings many many years ago. ADDED: Be VERY CAREFUL when you go over the rivets as the paint will come off quickly (another tip from him). Buff the other parts of the plane then just lightly go over the rivets, or better yet, do those small sections by hand.

As long as we don’t break anything, to each his own. I do the gear first because it has a faster speed. The gear drag slows me to the flap speed. I figure the gear is for drag and the flaps are for slow.

considering the alternatives, maybe the swamp cooler from arctic air or B-cool is not that bad, inexpensive, pre-cools in hangar off ship battery connected to battery minder, top off ice before you pull out, topped off B-cool works for about 45 min until most of ice is melted, if you need more, use two of them, most FBOs have ice machine, stays home in winter, I use mine 3-4x per year, have TKS so permanent installation is really not an option, FL and TX may be a different story

The hartwell 5000 latch can wear on the holes the spring axel uses for location, and when it does, the latch can pop open easily. Ask me how I know. Fix is new latch, and for only $47 USD, you can secure a new one sans rivets and labor.

I might be useful to provide information regarding the model and year of your airplane.

Thats pretty cool. For whatever reason, My 67F POH doesn't have sea level performance table. It starts at 2500 MSL.

More update: I was right, the load sheet is not right - like at all. Gonna figure it out.

Passenger sub-limits, even $200K, are why I do NOT fly with any non-family passengers except a CFI. (I'm okay with family suing me since they're in the will anyway) That measly $100K or $200K limit is going to be reached pretty easily in all but an injury free accident. THEN the plaintiff is coming after MY assets! And, while I have a decent umbrella policy, it specifically EXCLUDES GA flying! I have NOT been able to find an umbrella policy that will cover private flying.

Here is how used to look before it was exported. I suspect that it was all removed in an unapproved conversion from the TSIOL-550 to just a IO-550 similar to what Mod Works did or maybe they jury rigged it to a TSIO-550 by removing the liquid cooled jugs .. either way a "South of the Border STC...". It would still have the Rocket Engineering designed engine mount....a real "FrankenMooney". N158MP - 1988 Mooney M20L - For Sale by AircraftMerchants

On my F Vfe is higher than Vle, so it's first notch of flaps, then gear, then full flaps on final.

Moritz Guage question on vac pressure. Does anyone know where the line is to the gauge I am told these deteriorate over time. I looked behind the panel, but couldn't locate it to replace it.

Gear down about 5 nm from airport, flaps abeam of numbers on downwind if doing standard pattern or about 2 miles final if on IFR approach. Speedbrakes as needed if steep descent is needed to get to patten/approach altitude.

We're exactly opposite! Takeoff Flaps no later than pattern entry, gear down abeam my intended landing spot.

If you pull the GSU 25 CB, or the GMU 11 fails, the G5 will revert from HDG to TRK. Interestingly, if the GMU 11 fails, the G3X does not revert and it's HDG indication will drift. I know this because we put my GMU 11 on a separate breaker so if the GSU breaker is pulled I still have the GMU.

Not sure that the pictures are in the correct order. It appears that there was an issue with the GSU 25 as others have stated. The G3X continuously compares the GSU 25 AHRS with the G5 AHRS. The comparator flagged an attitude miscompare and reverted to the G5 AHRS. Eventually, it also flagged a heading miscompare. Reverting should cause the autopilot to disconnect -- at least it has always done that when I test failed the GSU 25 by pulling the CB. But perhaps it doesn't if the reversion was caused by a miscompare. It seems to have corrected itself after you rebooted the G3X. It may never happen again, or it may be the beginning of something failing, so I'd watch it. I would also pull the SD card and send the log file for the flight to Garmin and have them analyze it. One problem with a miscompare is that it may not always be obvious which AHRS is generating erroneous data and it's not clear that the logic in the G3X can always sort it out. This is why I added a AV-20S to my panel to have a tie breaker. The yellow heading indication in the last picture indicates that the heading input is valid but may not be accurate.

VFR, I put the gear down turning downwind and full flaps abeam the numbers. IFR, I put TO flaps in one dot high on the GS/GP and set trim and power for 90 KIAS while level. Then, it’s gear down at GS/GP intercept which nicely begins a descent to 90 KIAS. I usually set full flaps after breaking out, unless I break out low with a lot of gusts or windshear and then I leave flaps set for TO and concentrate on flying the airplane.

I have been putting the gear down when I turn downwind for forty years. I put the flaps down when I’m abeam the numbers. A little more dangerous on a straight in, no defined points to do your stuff. You have to rely on the GUMPS or dare I say, a checklist.

Very nice!

I don't have the statistics on this. The short answer is it depends on who can make a demand against you and/or bring suit against you. It's legal liability coverage. Once you know this then see policy language. Each policy is different. See liability losses not covered. It may also be useful to evaluate any severability clauses if the policy has them.

Sounds like our philosophy is similar. I'm not playing big iron, but FR, I'm in the common gear down / go down group (which can be even further out). VFR it's at the intersection of pattern altitude and 3 miles.

What does your policy say? There is no always.

How often is it that insurance companies are paying anything but the max limit for passenger death or injury? What about spouse, kids, parents, relatives? Are they all covered as passengers? Is the pilot-owner a passenger if someone else is acting as PIC under the open pilot clause with the owner on board?

Anyone know of an A&P/IA around VA that has done this and was successful with the field mod approval?

Been away for a while. Price is $1700 obo. they are listed at $2390.00 retail. Phil 413-530-0112