Leaderboard

I know there has been some discussion on the subject of pre-heating so here's what I built for my hangared airplane. It may not work for everyone, but this setup has worked well for me in Texas where we're not hammered like the guys up north. I used it today and here are the findings- Ambient hangar temp- 31 degrees Time heater was used-4.5 hours Lasar gun temp of crankcase-33 degrees Lasar gun temp of crankcase after 4.5 hours-78 degrees 1300/1500w heater from Home Depot-$19.95 Flexable vent hose-$14.00 Scrap thin plywood- $0

Even though I think that Apple really made an error by releasing the iPad Mini without the Retina display, and the faster processor of the iPad 4, I decided to purchase the current unit. I am sure that Apple will release a newer model in the next six months or so that will include the Retina display at least. So why buy a Mini now? I wrestled with this for a while, but decided that a Mini in a yoke mount at this point was better than leaving my iPad3 on the co-pilot seat. I prefer looking forward than sideways, and with my eyes in the plane of looking out the windscreen, with a slightly downward look to the instruments. More than once, I have experienced a touch of vertigo when turning my head to the right and downward to read details on the iPad3 laying on the seat. When I have had a passenger, holding the iPad, inevitably they will do something to lose the Foreflight app, or change the screen or orientation. When the iPad Mini2 comes out, I will buy the new one, and pass down this Mini to family or friends (following my custom of passing down iPhones and iPads - sort of the case of growing up with siblings). I bought the 16 GB model, with G3 data, to get the GPS version. I have a Dual GPS Bluetooth unit on the glareshield, but I want redundancy here. I used the Ram iPad Mini yoke mount. This is the same set of Ram devices that Sporty's sells, but I was able to purchase them at the San Carlos airport aviation shop (great place for aviation supplies). The yoke fitting itself is typical Ram quality, which is to say, well made and positive in grip to the yoke shaft. The connector is a double ball, spring loaded, connector which is easily connects to the yoke unit and the back of the Ram Mini holder which also has a ball. With this setup there are quite a few adjustments that can be made in height, distance from the back of the yoke itself, and from side to side to keep the Mini in the center of the yoke. I am not satisfied with the Ram Mini mount itself. It holds the Mini just fine, but the design appears to be more universal 7" tablet than specific to the very thin Mini. The upper portion of the holder slides up to allow the Mini to be set in and removed, and a built in spring holds the Mini towards the rear of the holder. The thickness of the holder upper and lower clips would allow for a case for the Mini, but I have no interest in a case. This is a dedicated application for me, and I am annoyed that I have to remove the Mini from the holder to turn it on and off. While the holder has some empty spaces, top and bottom, for cords, etc, the upper clip covers the Mini on/off button. I would guess that Ram will release a Mini specific holder in the future (or at at least I hope so). Getting back to why I want a yoke mounted Mini. I already have a GTN 750, and an AirGizmo mounted 796 in the panel for moving maps. They are both wonderful units, and the GTN 750 cross-feeds flight plans and other data to the 796. I want the GTN 750 to be relatively clutter free, so I use the 796 for XM weather and Zaon traffic display, as well as the 10 minute predictability path. Even though I am Instrument rated, and have flown instruments in all sorts of IFR conditions for years, at this point in my life I spend a good deal of time just flying VFR for the fun of it. Since San Francisco (Class B, Oakland (Class C) and San Jose (Class C) are all within a few miles of San Carlos Airport, my home base, I am forever choosing distances and altitudes to avoid incursions in these airspaces. Also I frequently fly to the Los Angeles area where airspace is highly complex, not to mention all the Restricted areas in-between. The GTN 750 shows the flight plans perfectly, and the general outlines of the Class B and C rings (highly distorted and convoluted in the Bay Area), but to get the altitude restrictions, you have to press (touch) the unit twice. Once in the "ring" area to highlight it, and then again to see the altitudes in a descriptive box. It is far easier to look at Foreflight's Sectional chart display on a Mini or full size iPad. This is really helpful for situation awareness, and I can adjust my flight path - vertical and horizontal, with great certainty that I am outside restricted airspace. Nice to have lots of tools specifically used in optimal ways. While Jeppesen's Pilot application has an interface that is very similar to the icons of the GTN 750 and 796, I really prefer Foreflight. When my Foreflight subscription comes due in February, and will again review the features of both programs. The Mini has smaller boarders than the iPad so the actual size of app data is closer than you might expect, and even with the non-Retina display, quite readable. In flight, I have the yoke mount set so that the top of the Mini is just below the bottom of the HSI. The only things that are covered are the rocker switches, which still can be easily used.

You'll use the plane more with an Instrument Rating. I flew all over the country VFR for almost 3 years before finishing up; now I cancel fewer flights, and have completed some important ones that I could not have done without it. Mooneys are traveling machines, and that means crossing weather systems. Sure, I've still had to sit out both thunderstorms and winter weather in the last two years, but not as many "other" days of weather at departure, destination or simply en route. My usable weather window is now much larger. In the meantime, fly as much as possible, learn the plane, get good and comfortable in it. Learn your power settings for different altitudes and speeds, how to climb and descend and slow down to pattern speed. Visit strange new airports, with runways in weird directions, uphill, downhill, humped and dished; even landed on some sloped more like a ski jump. Mix it up with the big boys at some Class C. Then you'll be ready for Instrument work, and excited to go visit even more new places. In my little ol' C model, I've only been asked to "reduce speed for traffic" once, with my -II; it was funny for both of us. Be prepared to "keep your speed up" too, around the pattern, down the glideslope and sometimes even on short final when you simply cannot. It all goes back to learn the plane, learn the power settings, get comfortable with it. My vote goes for keeping the plane IFR-legal. If you can do that AND mount a D-1, go for it!

I never did understand why the cost of new airplanes far out stripped inflation. I hope it's not all due to liability. If so, lawyers should hang their heads in shame.

Not a problem. I have done that many times.

Looks like you have a rigging problem. Roll tendencies can be fix by adjusting the flap set screw. This screw is located on the most outboard attach point on the flaps, next to the aileron. In your case you will need to adjust the screw to lower the left flap slightly. Do not try to bend any of the control surfaces. When adjusting the roll make sure you have equal fuel on both wings and the wing leveler disengaged. If you have roll tendencies with flaps extended you need to adjust the flaps inboard link. José