Leaderboard

One of the great reasons this forum works so well is follow-ups on previously reported problems. I reported a frustration I was having with my volts on start-up well over a year ago. To recap, I would start up and the volts would hover around 12.3 volts before it would climb to 13.7v. Many opinions were offered from a voltage regulator issue to an alternator. One respondent offered that this was normal and the charging system was designed this way to prevent a voltage spike on start-up. The problem turned out to be a slipping coupler on the alternator. I suspect it had been slipping this whole time and progressively got worse which was verified when my last flight saw voltage sit at 12.0 volts. I now know that after replacing the alternator and using a solid state voltage regulator (either works or it doesn't), the most likely culprit is a slipping coupler. Hope this helps save some time troubleshooting a similar issue.

I have many years of flying through and around the Washington Tri-Area Class B. To some degree, it may be a function of exposure, but it is the only sector where I have have felt compelled to ask for a number to call…twice. Most of my XC flying spans the eastern seaboard. The vast majority of controllers are competent and professional. The few times that I have encountered controllers that are not, it has been with Washington Center or Potomac Tracon. Maybe there’s something in the water in the DC area.

For starters if you lose comm IFR, the first rule is "If VFR conditions exist land as soon as practicable". Apparently the weather was quite good. Second the AIM "suggests" that you monitor guard. Now the AIM is not regulatory, but the NTSB in various violation appeals considers it "careless" not to follow its meme. So there is not a lot of wiggle room here.

It's coming together... 10.6" G3X 10.6" G3X GTN 650XI GNX 375 GFC 500 GMA 345

Penetrating an airshow TFR during a performance is a bit riskier than penetrating a TFR for a stadium sports event. Personally I'm interested in hearing more about these Blue Angles that were mentioned.

I personally don’t see any relevance in the question of how long between radio calls is too long. The only relevant point here is why did the pilot failed to respond when ATC was trying to contact him? Had he switched frequencies believing he was out of range? Was he trying to re-establish communication? Apparently not. In fact the quoted pilot remarks sounds like the he thought ATC communications were optional. Thus far I can’t imagine the pilot was legally instrument current to be flying IFR. I am sure there is more to the story we have yet to hear and i’d bet there is more going on than missed radio calls. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You'd rather your wife not fly with you forever, and oscillate with the plane yourself than give up the plane for a month and get the problem resolved?

https://www.mhoxygen.com/product/o2d2-x-str/

@GeeBee The things you say are not wrong, but.... I know you are not this extreme about it, but please follow along with my reasoning here... In my 182 I've only got one radio. Can't monitor guard. Maybe N91316 is in the same boat? (haha. A plane, in a boat!) It almost sounds like you are suggesting that any pilot who flies an aircraft without a second radio is in violation of 91.13. What would you think of a plane with no radio at all? Yikes! And what do I do about getting weather at my destination? Can't switch off of 121.5 because that's a violation of 91.13, right? So every airplane needs to have a dedicated radio just for 121.5? I really doubt that's what you are really suggesting; I took that to an extreme.And I really doubt that N91316 has only one radio. But this is exactly the sort of reason I don't like to invoke 91.13. Because what seems extreme to me might not seem extreme to you. This is why we have rules other than 91.13, so we have a document that says what is 'extreme'. A big part of my question here is when does it go from just a quiet frequency to lost comms ? 5 minutes? 50 minutes? The rules about that don't exist. 91.183 is what we've got and it has nothing to say about this. I've called up ATC a bunch of times just because things got quiet for 'too long' for my liking.

IPads that are WiFi only do not have GPS. iPads with cellular and WiFi have GPS. The GPS is part of the cellular chipset because it is “assisted” GPS and uses the cellular system to improve location availability and accuracy. If the iPad has GPS, it does not require a cellular or WiFi signal for the GPS receiver to provide location so long as the iPad has a clear view of the sky. Skip

Anyone who tries to talk you out of the yaw damper hasn't been in turbulence significant enough to warrant one. I have. The yaw damper is worth the extra cost, and it's not just because I have one. I had one afternoon flight between Lordsburg, NM and Demming, NM where even with the yaw damper the flight was rough with moderate to severe turbulence. Without the yaw damper it would have been a lot worse. Even on a normal flight there is comfort in knowing it is there to soften the blows.

Flew from Denver to Bozeman today. Had to go up to 16,000 to avoid icing. Highest I’ve ever cruised in the J. With the Mountain High system full open I still had to remember to breathe deeply to maintain above 90% O2 saturation

Nope. This is 100% on the controller if the aircraft was IFR. If I descend an aircraft and clip a class D in my airspace without getting the transition approved, that's all on me. I have tons of restricted airspace where live firing is going on too. If I descend an aircraft into them, guess what? It's not on the pilot. It's all the same. Also the reason I file IFR into unfamiliar areas, because airspace melts away.

I don't see a gasket on that antenna. If you don't have one, re-install it with tank sealer.

I have sanded one of those. The fiberglass under the paint is super hard. You can sand the crap out of it. That antenna has been painted in the past, that's why it looks so bad. I would remove it first, it will be so much easier to sand and paint. It is kind of a PITA to get to the screws. Mine was all rusty and corroded, so removing it and reinstalling it will probably do it some good, just remember the screws need to ground the antenna well.

I believe YES you can paint your antenna as long as the paint doesn't have any metal in it.

And it will work for you in your G1000 when you upgrade it to the NXi … someday:) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am getting a price for swapping my 345 for a 345R. My plan is to put the autopilot controller outside the stack like I have seen several installs. Especially since I found out you can use the autopilot knobs like the remote knob panel for the G500TXi. My annunciater panel is only a single row. But I think I may be able to delete it, with just a couple of warning lights along the top of the left side panel

As others have pointed out, it should be the BNC/Scott adapter, and you must have the in-line regulator. The O2D2 won't tolerate "line" pressure.

Another thumbs up for the O2D2 unit.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeap... and @Yooper Rocketman you should have scott connectors.... But verify it! Ill bet you can go back and forth from Florida 6 times on a tank with this... and I don't even know where in the US you live.

I'm very fond of the boom canula, too. https://www.mhoxygen.com/product/cannula-e-z-breathe-ii-eds/ Be aware, though, that this brings several more connections that can fail or disconnect (with the quick release), and if you're a Bose A20 user, it's very hard to get the mounting ball to adhere to the headset. O2D2 and equipment are IMHO well worth the cost / convenience; I fly 200 hours a year, much of it at 16-17,000, and I refill the tank maybe once a year. -dan

If you feel like you have nothing to do, it's probably because you are flying a Cessna 150 with a headwind. Not much more frustrating than to look at stop-and-go traffic on the interstate under me that is still passing me.

I know this is an old thread, but I used McMaster Part number 1488N639, as a replacement seal for the Oil Cooler of a 1984 Mooney M20J, PN 620017-000: https://www.mcmaster.com/1488n639/ I could only buy in lengths of 10 feet. I can send anyone a length if they need it. Ken.

We got the rigging question answered from Garmin today. We are moving forward with the install, including the YD. In the grand scheme of things, the added cost is negligible. It's one of those things that if we don't do it now, we'll never go back and do it. Art - you make a good point. Our Malibu had it and we all swore it was necessary. My buddy's Malibu doesn't have it, and he doesn't think it's necessary. His wife rides in the back and has never complained. That's his test. I don't ride in the back of planes, so for me it's not necessary. My wife rides in the WAY back of the 421 and has never complained. Maybe that's my test also. I did cycle the YD (421) on and off yesterday during a bumpy descent and the difference was noticeable. Since the 421 is our people hauling machine, it makes more sense. The Ovation is used for the 1-2 person trips, so maybe not as critical. I have about 500 hours in K models and another 500 in the Ovation and the long body does have more tail wag for sure. Don - you're absolutely right. I try to avoid those flights like the plague, but sometimes it can't be avoided.

@exM20K 9 minutes? I'm a Western States (excluding California) pilot.... I get 9 minute blocks without hearing ATC talk to anyone else on the radio let alone talking to me. Now I do know there is a difference between flying out here and flying on the crowded Eastern Seaboard, and 9 minutes is acceptable out here but not out there. But how much wiggle room is there? 3 minutes? 90 seconds?

@lithium366 Perhaps it's not the cam that's worn but the tappet or some other connecting pin or part? But this is just going back to what you said at the very beginning. Found this article about measuring dry tappet clearance. Sounds like a bit of a hassle. https://www.kitplanes.com/maintenance-matters-36/

Back to @Parker_Woodruff’s topic here… Every plane I’ve flown has an idle check as part of the pre-takeoff check list(except the Diamond diesels IIRC). IMHO, this check is as important as the run up mag test. Will the plane idle at or below the specified maximum? If not, you may find yourself consuming a ton of runway when you want to land. I had my OEM vernier throttle replaced with a McFarlaine vernier-ish unit two years ago because the original had a lot of slop in it. No matter how we tried to adjust that throttle cable, it hung up on something when I wanted it closed, and it took a really firm tug to get to idle. My landings, especially at my short home field frankly sucked. And I’m not a big fan of yanking on controls to get them to do what I want. Replaced with an OEM unit (true vernier control also manufactured by McFarlaine), and life is good. also, my TSIO550 is very sensitive to fuel system setup and induction leaks. They should idle nicely at 700 RPM. If not, it’s wise to figure out why. -dan

AGPS is only used to bootstrap the location when first turned on. I does not improve location "availability" or "accuracy". you may be thinking of "skyhook" which uses the known location of WiFi networks to improve positioning

Really? They must be horrible!

Got the plane back from the shop with JPI EDM900 installed. Went over last Saturday for a test flight and to help calibrate fuel senders. Before startup everything seemed to be working. All EGT and CHT's were about 70F. On first test flight the EGT probes on cyl 2 & 4 both read about 600 degrees F less than cyls 1 & 3! Weirdness. When I tested the lean find function, they responded normally when displayed in normalized view. Landed and they put two of the old EGT probes on those two cylinders and the problem disappeared! What are the odds of 2/4 new EGT probes being "bad"? I guess >0. They installed the new JPI shunt on the firewall in the engine compartment and left the original shunt in place. In fact they never saw the original shunt. It's in there somewhere in the vicinity of the avionics cooling fan, way in the back. Removing it would require a lot of disassembly. Everything works!

84 years old and still flying, I hope to be that lucky. I’m guessing that J has standard steam panel and pilot doesn’t use an EFB or have fancy panel that could have given him better situation awareness.

Windshield is installed and curing. JD did save the fiberglass trim. Once cured (and the airport reopens), I’ll do another update. Costs will be higher as the windshield was $975 shipped… -Don

Would have been exciting to be intercepted by a Blue Angel, and led to landing!

from the notam. Restrictions and Requirements Top No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described). UNLESS AUTH BY ATC. https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_6245.html if the pilot is really worried, file a NASA report and go on about your day. good grief. I suppose if he missed a handoff, that could explain Beaufort approach trying to raise him on guard. -dan

The most difficult part of doing this is getting the mouse to hold still so you can milk it.

The night demo in the altitude chamber was eye opening, literally. They took us "up" to about 5,000, maybe 8,000. Dim lights. And we sat there for maybe 20 - 30 minutes. They handed out these cards about 18" square and told to leave them face down on our laps. After the waiting period, they told us to turn over the cards. There was like a pie chart with lots of "slices" in shades of gray. Then they had us put our masks one. ONE inhalation and the chart BRUST in color. It was so dramatic, every one of us recoiled back away from it, the colors were so vivid.

If you really lose oil pressure, your prop will go out of control and your RPM will increase. usually the prop will start to surge. It happened to me once a long time ago. There is nothing subtle about it. If your engine continues to run well, it is probably all right. But you should still land ASAP and figure it out.

When a spar, or anything stiff, breaks, the mechanics of the failure may send a shockwave or other energy through the rest of the system. That energy impinging on another component that is also stressed nearly to failure may be enough to push it past failure. It isn't surprising that the same point on the other side of a symmetric system would also be the same to fail.

Yes - you aren't a flight surgeon - but you are a doctor and a flying doctor who probably learned more on the topic than most doctors - so I sit up and pay attention.

Bill Burr, a comedian does a podcast titled "Monday morning podcast". He is working on his helicopter license and it's very entertaining to listen to him enthusiastically discuss his cross country's in crowded LA air space. He went to the MotoGP race in Austin. He spoke for 37 minutes just on his race experience, he is a huge fan and had the opportunity to do a lap and a half before the race on a Ducati. He freely admits that he is a novice on bikes, but said it was an unbelievable experience got to hand out the manufactures trophy to Honda that had rarned it. Give it a listen, I believe it was just this past Monday. It s salty, so if big boy language is a problem stay clear...

I agree with @Yooper Rocketman and @aggiepilot04. Generally I’m at 16 or 17,000 form my long trips. If there is a really good weather reason to go higher, I will occasionally do so. Mask is not very comfortable and makes drinks or snacks inconvenient. When I was on the cusp of a C340 purchase, a high altitude endorsement was part of the transition training. https://www.flyingmag.com/guides/how-to-earn-a-high-altitude-endorsement/ while our planes don’t require that, it’s not a terrible idea. Also it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the emergency descent procedures.

Wave = free energy if you know how to use it

Some formation Flying over the Daytona Beach area

When I picked up my bird in TX Maxwell specifically stated it really should only be used in an emergency. Do it once in a while for practice and once a year during annual and thats it. After he showed me the interface that the handle actually connects to the motor with I realized why he said that. Its very small, not the strongest, and is easy to strip out.

I have a technician that can crawl in there and sit upright with her legs crossed and appear to very comfortable! We were just installing a GFC 500 and it requires riveting some brackets and installing the servos much farther back that the magnetometer shown earlier. Wish I had taken a picture. I tried to get in there and after finally getting myself back out, I hurt for 2 days.

My 1999 Ovation upgrade, just finished. Very blessed! Before: During: After:

Yes....this worked exactly as you said....I traced out the wires and cut the wire from the nav switch to the third terminal (from pilot side) of the annunciator...installed a normally closed ground wire (and coil -), normally open (and coil +) to nav wire...common to the annunciator and it works exactly like it did before and no back fed leds. thank you