Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/12/2017 in all areas

  1. Well this thread seems like the right place to continue chronicling my Mooney progrss, even as slow as it is. Friday before the Holiday, my Girlfriends son in law Jason, a private pilot who passed his checkride last fall flew copilot with me to Galveston from NorthEast Texas. I flew at 7,500' clearing the scattered clouds. When ATC cut us loose, we crossed the bay southward toward runway 18 Galveston, there were low clouds, 4 mile visibility and water. I saw nothing but white, but kept the top side up until I saw the PAPI and was right on glide slope. The runway was huge and a nice sight at that point. Jason said " if you can't put it on that runway I will never fly with you again." My girlfriend was already there. She rode with Jason's wife down there. We had a great Holiday, soaked up sun, shrimp, steak, played in the surf, saw a great fireworks show and had good times with her kids and grandkids. Tuesday afternoon Sandy and I headed to the airport and loaded up. I got a sqwauk while on the ground and we flew out over the water and were handed off to Houston straight away. We climbed to 8,500' and had smooth and 59 degree air for the flight home. Cool air was a good thing after sweating my butt off getting loaded and doing the preflight. Sandy was a great help in the cockpit. She is not a pilot, but did great writing down frequencies when I was passed off and watched heading and altitude when I was doing other things. I know that to most of you this would have been a short local flight, but it is the farthest and highest I have been in the Mooney so far. It was a great step forward as I get familiar and comfortable with Joyce. She is a great plane, and I am getting more and more familiar and comfortable. My instrument training is starting to move along too. She's a great instrument platform. I flew both ways at about 156 mph true and burned about 9.2 GPH. I also learned that there is a cabin vent to allow air under the panel. Helped a good bit.
    5 points
  2. I wanted to give a shout out to Hector from Aero Comfort in San Antonio for the magnificent work he did on my seats and trim panels. A little background...the interior on my '82 J was done back in 1999 and was in "reasonably" good condition. The plastic was good and the carpet was very good. So I decided to send my seats and trim panels down to AC and have them reupholstered. I had previous experience with AC when they leather wrapped my yokes about three years ago. The work on those was perfect so I knew I was in good hands. Plus, I've read nothing but raving reviews regarding their work. I wanted to go with black leather but it didn't go well with the carpet so I went with a dark gray. I also added headrests and had the cargo area reupholstered as well. While everything was out I cleaned up all the plastic panels with soapy water and a magic eraser and also cleaned the carpet. Attached are before and after pics. I think I lost 3 lbs of water weight installing the new stuff but the reward was well worth it. I'm very happy with the work and would recommend Aero Comfort to anyone considering new interior. This option of sending everything in really saved me a lot of money. I'm not a member of the CB club but I do like saving money where I can!
    4 points
  3. Wanted to post an update on my new panel. Did part of the final installation today. The rest of the installation and configuration begin tomorrow. So far it's looking great!
    4 points
  4. We are all losing our hearing, either fast or not as fast. The only real question in what we can do about it. And thus far I have seen a zillion opinions, but no scientifically driven proof of the best way to slow down the hearing loss as much as possible. Acceptable answers do not include "don't fly".
    4 points
  5. When I think of Amelia Earhart, I don't admire the piloting skills. And I don't think we can judge her by today's standards of aviation and navigation. What I admire is her spirit and drive in pushing the envelope of what was considered possible - that bold spunkiness that used to be characteristic of American heroes. Flying was an adventure then, especially for a woman. Sure history and propaganda may have elevated her status and mystic but let us give her the credit due. Could one of us even imagine a transpacific flight without a GPS today? And for her refusal to learn radios - sounds like some guys on here that still insist that paper charts are better than digital, or fail to accept LOP, or new approaches to engine management. How many times have you heard - that's the way I have always done it and I am not about to change now?!! Go back to the 1930's and I bet most pilots were like - Radio's...pfft who needs radio's. One interesting side note, I travel in SE Asia and Pacific a lot and once saw a worker in an Indonesian tuna factory that looked exactly like pictures I have seen of Amelia Earhart. I stopped went back and talked to her but didn't even know who Earhart was. Maybe that is a bias for another documentary.
    3 points
  6. Job has his Missile posted for sale. 300hp in an M20J... cruise 175. Climb like a rocket. Burn 100LL. easy NA operations. Priced well under a million dollars too. Go Mooney! Best regards, -a-
    3 points
  7. I think the 60 gallon tanks on the mooney would get the turbine fired up and taxied out.... I guess maybe one of those Air Force tankers would let you get some more fuel.
    3 points
  8. I wrote my US Senators immediately upon the heels of Pres. Trump's signing of the ATC privatization memorandum and expressed my concerns relative to the same. I received a response from one Senator, Luther Strange, today. His response, which takes the typical politician position of say nothing in as many words as possible, follows below: Dear Mr. Walker, Thank you for contacting me regarding the oversight and management systems for our national air infrastructure and the re-authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). I appreciate hearing from you on these important topics. The United States currently enjoys the safest, most reliable air transportation system in the world. From the Air Commerce Act of 1926 to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, our ability to comprehend and adapt to innovation in aviation enabled our country to become a world leader in air safety, traffic control, and technological integration. To help ensure the system remains responsive, the United States Congress must periodically reauthorize the agencies responsible for overseeing the national air system. With the current authorization set to expire in September of 2017, Congress is currently engaged in this process. Two proposals have been put forward to accomplish this, the 21st Century AIRR Act (H.R. 2997) and the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2017 (S. 1405). The bills propose reforms, reorganizations, and management innovations including ATC restructuring, fuel tax reform, and the codification of rights for airline passengers. At this time, while the relevant committees in the House and Senate have approved both pieces of legislation, they await further action in their respective chambers. As the Senate continues to evaluate S. 1405, the measure under our consideration, know that I remain committed to keeping the American aviation system the safest and most reliable in the world and that your thoughts and views will be in the forefront of my mind. Again, thank you for taking the time to express your views regarding the oversight and management systems for our national air infrastructure. Should you have any other questions, on this or any other issue, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Luther Strange United States Senator
    2 points
  9. I think there are two sides to this- 1.) she was important to aviation and 2.) she wasn't as good as she needed to be to accomplish what she (or her husband) wanted her to accomplish. In an age when many people were afraid to fly (and rightly so, at times), she undoubtedly gave others the confidence they needed. She was a pioneer and deserves credit as such, even if her desires exceeded her abilities.
    2 points
  10. he's trying to avoid copyright infringement and a legal battle with Disney.
    2 points
  11. Frankly, Amelia was not that good of a pilot. Yes, I said it. If you want to learn about a real woman pilot, read up on Beryl Markham, the first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic from east to west, which is just a bit more difficult than west to east. What Beryl did not have was a publisher husband who spent his life promoting her. She died at the ripe old age of 83.
    2 points
  12. I've been married for a few decades. I don't argue. I just assume my opinion is always wrong.
    2 points
  13. Beautiful panel. I'm very jealous. Only thing I can add - its on my soon to be done list is adding a nice panel mount for iPad mini behind copilot yoke. Runs the IFD100 app giving you a big screen for your 440 (and something pretty for my better half to play with) http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/ifdrmount13-18919.php looking at that back picture of your panel - I really should clean mine out it's a nightmare back there with all the add on upgrades.
    2 points
  14. So, first off, the latest special was not TIGHAR but an independent group. TIGHAR is back on Nikamaruro with body sniffing dogs. Google that and you'll get more info. Also, it was History Channel, not Discovery, although I admit sometimes that makes little difference. And as to the title of the topic, as the OP I will take the blame for that one. I meant to include a "?" at the end but clearly forgot. Can't seem to edit titles!
    2 points
  15. When I fly 1300nm+ nonstop legs in my 201er, I use Plexus. Plexus is easier to use than ordinary cleaners. Its convenient aerosol applicator prevents dripping, leaking, evaporating, and coagulating at the tip of the nozzle (as is common with pumps and squeeze bottles). To use Plexus, simply spray and wipe - no buffing, no mess, and no waste. You can tell it's top notch because it has the word Lexus in the name. Of course, there's really only one way to be convinced about the superiority of Plexus: try it yourself. Plexus comes in a variety of sizes for a number of uses. So when you're looking for the most effective cleaner, protectant and polish for any kind of plastic, there's only one clear choice. Plexus. Clearly the Best. ®
    2 points
  16. Have you looked in a Lycoming Manual? The valve closes to force the oil through the cooler: https://www.lycoming.com/content/understanding-oil-flow ... The Thermostatic Oil Cooler Bypass Valve was designed to provide better control of the engine oil temperature while also maintaining the safety of the oil system by bypassing oil around an oil cooler which is plugged for any reason. The thermostatic oil cooler bypass valve may be used on engines which use the pressure screen system and on engines which have a full-flow oil filter. For most engine models, an oil filter also requires an oil filter adapter. While the oil is cold, this system allows oil to flow through the oil filter without passing through the oil cooler. As oil temperature rises to approximately 180˚ F, the valve closes and forces the oil to pass through the oil cooler. The oil then returns to the accessory housing where it is routed through the oil filter adapter, the filter and then again through the filter adapter, accessory housing and finally into the crankcase. ... If this is the applicable document, the torque is 300 in.-lb. step 13. Service Instruction No. 1008 C INSTALLATION OF THERMOSTATIC OIL COOLER BYPASS VALVE PUBLICATIONS July 21, 2016 MODELS AFFECTED All O-320, IO-320, O-340, O-360, IO-360, VO-360, HIO-360, IVO-360, O- 540, IO-540, IO-720, and TIO-541 engines that do not have a Thermostatic Oil Cooler Bypass Valve Assembly installed https://www.lycoming.com/node/15780
    2 points
  17. I was going into KSEE (Gillespie, San Diego) a couple of years ago. The approach is super simple, you are on the airway, turn a little to the right and descend to the airport. Well they had me go past the FAF and started vectoring me all over the place way west of KSEE. They finally said "Cleared for the ILS into Lindberg" I said that I wasn't going to Lindberg I was going to Gillespie!. The controller apologized and vectored me back to the east towards KSEE then vectored me around a bit more and said "Cleared for the ILS into Montgomery" I told him again I'm not going to Montgomery I'm going to Gillespie!. He apologized again and handed me off to another controller who climbed me from 3500 back to 10000 for the approach into KSEE. I finally got there. SoCal owes me about $100 in plane use. If they start sending me bills, I think I will send them one.
    2 points
  18. She refused to learn how to operate a radio, assumed everyone else would do it for her, she got lost, ran out of fuel, and crashed into the ocean. It's really not a mystery, IMO. When I was much younger, I was very interested in Earhart. I even did a pretty comprehensive report in 8th grade. Back then, we didn't have Google or the internet, really. I read A LOT on the topic. Old encylopedias,books, etc that I had to locate using the Dewey Decimal System (I wonder if kids still learn that!). People have a desire to know where she ended up. They want to believe that she didn't mess up and that someone else is responsible. Everything I've read about her indicates she was a "bold" pilot... Well, she didn't end up old. What Earhart didn't comprehend was that she couldn't just fully rely upon the Itasca to find her and give her a DF steer. She was going to have to perform adequately on the radio herself in order to facilitate getting the bearing to the ship. And in this task, she failed horribly, even from the outset, before the flight began, when she had every opportunity to learn the correct techniques and work out the times, frequencies, and modes for the attempted contacts and homing signals. And to practice DF work over and over until she was totally comfortable and confident with it. She was repeatedly approached about this and offered help, but for whatever reason she repeatedly refused it; Paul Rafford, Jr. of the PAN AM radio division related the story of when his engineer met with Amelia in Miami to discuss radio and recommended changes and improvements to the aircraft station. To his shock and dismay, she blew him off with, "I don’t need that! I’ve got a navigator to tell me where I am!” And others had a time of it as well when trying to coach her up on the use of the radio prior to the flight. It seemed she would not learn how it worked or how to properly operate it. Art Kennedy remembered that when Paul Mantz tried to train her, she just nodded and said finally, "@#$%!, I will just turn the knobs until I get what I want!"
    2 points
  19. One major problem with their biggest piece of evidence... It was published in a Japanese Travel guide in 1935. 2 years before she went missing... Sorry to burst the balloon. Website is in Japanese - This is the website of the Japanese National Diet Library. The equivalent of our Library of Congress. http://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/1223403/99?platform=hootsuite
    2 points
  20. Is that the price you are sharing with your wife? 2 Aspens including EA100, JPI 900, Sandia 340, L-3 Lynx, PMA 450A (upgrade from 8000B), Avidyne 440 (upgrade from 430W), Garmin GNC Navcom Yes 40 is North of 25, just like Canada is North of Mexico. . lol
    2 points
  21. It's not a Mooney, but pretty close. Fuel mileage is about the same as my Rocket and Jet-A is cheaper. Only took 17.5 years and 8,500 hours to build, but a lot cheaper than a King Air (and a lot faster). Tom
    1 point
  22. Could not agree more with both of your assertions. The fact remains that she was an icon and an inspiration to generations of pilots that came after her.
    1 point
  23. Just another update. Spoke with Mooney International, and they did some research. I understand they will be re-publishing POH 1220G because they found a mistake in the art master for this page in the archives. Stay tuned!
    1 point
  24. Is that Jabba the Hutt's lesser known cousin, or was that Jabba's cover name when running Black Op's?
    1 point
  25. Prist is foamy, works well, and at $6.50 a can at Aircraft Spruce it's $10.25 cheaper than Plexus. I also use Pledge on the wings and cowling, and when I get over-spray on the windscreen it works fine there as well. Now my IA insisted last week that I try a new (to me) product (polish/sealer) called "F11 Topcoat". It did a marvelous job of making my old windows look new again but at $59.97 for a 16 oz bottle I won't be using it for routine cleanings. I should mention that for the ~$60 they also throw in a free micro-fiber towel.
    1 point
  26. I am not sure Greg, about MAPA. I just know that we will have some great activities and will be flying the Mooney flag.
    1 point
  27. 1) When they wear, the click gets softer and softer until there is very little click to keep them engaged... 2) They are temperature sensitive. Heat generated in the CB + temperature inside the cockpit is the driving force to open the CB. As they wear, they generate more heat. 3) If the click is strong and temps were cold, the chance of something shorting out is large... 4) If the click is soft and temps are hot, the chance of needing a new CB is large... 5) summer is tough on CBs. 6) I wonder if a good contact cleaner would help minimize resistance/heat build up. PP thoughts only. Alan is the guy I went to for electrical advice regarding my other bird. ('95 Firebird) my chance of helping him out is pretty minimal. But I keep trying... Best regards, -a-
    1 point
  28. I did (for work). Flying Newark to Orlando (EWR-MCO) we got routed so far over the Atlantic that we went straight from New York Center to Jax. Somebody else on the frequency asked about what was going on and the NY controller said that In almost 30 years it was only the second time he'd heard of a Center facility being evacuated.
    1 point
  29. Our hearing is being assaulted from all directions. In my case, flying is one of the least of them. There are 8,760 hours in a year. I fly 80 hours in a good year. So the damage I'm doing to my ears in airplanes is less than 1% of the total damage my ears are exposed to in a year. And I do the best I can to mitigate that damage. Sirens. Loud motorcycles and cars. Workplace surprises (construction sites). I'm exposed daily to all the above. And then there's occasional loud music, like the 3 nights I spent in Nashville last month. We should all try our best to protect our bodies and senses the best we can. But we are all assaulted every day from all directions, and flying airplanes with any kind of noise reduction or passive protection is probably the least of our worries. Having said all that, nels, I appreciate your concern and your posts. I don't know your age, and it's none of my business, but I think Mr. Muncy is right. Hearing loss is an indisputable and unfortunate by-product of aging. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence in my family to support that. I'm the only pilot in my family, and so far my hearing is normal. But I'm a spring chicken at 53. Cheers to all.
    1 point
  30. There is a place that hang a turbo-prop on a Bo, I think it's like $1,200,000.00, I added all the zeros to wake you up....lol
    1 point
  31. exactly, and anything is better than leaking fuel tanks.
    1 point
  32. 1 point
  33. Why I question the photo has clearly to do with the Japanese treatment of prisoners. Do we really think if the Japanese had them in custody, they would look like they are a couple of tourists? Perhaps it could be argued that the photo was taken before their "capture" but considering what we know of her, she would have motivated to let people know she survived. Like Tom, I would love to see this mystery solved. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
    1 point
  34. Nice work, Brandon. We have to write letters. They have to respond... It is the first volleys of a long protracted battle. If we don't write, they don't hear us. We can't get what we need, when they don't know what we are thinking... Thinking out loud, -a-
    1 point
  35. I'm the same with the halos. I sold mine after a few flights and stick with bose a20s many people love the halo and clarity aloft though. there's a video on phil's youtube that shows the correct angle to insert, it is possible you're not getting all the way in the ear canal? it requires a somewhat awkward angle.
    1 point
  36. Best thing is wash with mild soap, water, and a clean hand with no rings or anything. Use a soft cotton t shirt or flannel (I get it by the yard at Joann fabric and cut it). Plexus and pledge are good. Pledge is cheap and seems safe after a few years of use but leaves a waxy residue - especially if it's cold outside. Plexus leaves less residues. Its best to wash the window with water to get the pieces of bugs, dirt etc off before you start polishing with plexus. If you have a choice of soapy water followed by rinsing with clean water, water alone, or plexus alone I would go in that order. If you have gritty things on the windshield and put plexus alone on it you will still risk rubbing and scratching with the gritty stuff caught between the window and the cloth despite the foamy bubbles. I bought plexiglass polis from LP aero and that stuff is both safe and works well for a polisher. I guess the moral of my story is cleaning and polishing should be considered separate steps. Never let a line guy come at your windows with anything except 3M aviation wipes that are safe for tranparencies. Any regular paper towel or shop towel or whatever will scratch and degrade your transperancies.
    1 point
  37. Yeah, I agree, I just ordered a new Lycoming pump. Mine was about 17 years old. Relatively cheap insurance, especially compared to electric pump prices. Price of new was not that much more than repaired, especially once you add shipping charges for the core. I did call Tempest and confirmed a few things. The torque is 30 to 35 inch pounds. The ring is intended to be a locking mechanism for the hardware and provides even compression of the pulsator diaphragm. He said there IS typically a gap at that torque, and if there is not, then it is likely over-torqued. I suspect the Lycoming SB attached is not completely clear with regards to the flatness of the ring. Their intent seems to be with regards to orientation, but it can be misleading. The tech rep at Tempest suggested replacing the pump due to age, but suggested I could verify torque to 30-35 inch pounds if I intended to keep flying it. Not looking forward to swapping it...it's quite buried...
    1 point
  38. Great marketing idea by Lasar. One organization I do not mind receiving marketing information from...
    1 point
  39. Had to be in court at 8:30 this morning in Burbank. I've driven it before; it takes about an hour (if no accidents) to get there by car, and ninety minutes or more to get from the courthouse to my office on the westside of Los Angeles mid-day after whatever hearing. So today I flew. SMO to BUR and back took about 6 minutes each way in the air (tack on a few minutes for taxi, runup, etc). From parking my Jeep at my tie-down to stepping into the courtroom: 35 minutes. (SMO is about 5 minutes from my office.) The return trip? About the same. Bonus: Holding short behind a Spitfire and watching it depart... Parked next to another Mooney at Atlantic at Burbank (N5808F, with a decal of Wiley E. Coyote riding a rocket on the vertical stabilizer); I think we were the only two piston planes there.
    1 point
  40. David, Great post, replete with timely graphics! Thanks for sharing the details. Cleared as filed sounds sooo good some days. This one gives something to be aware of before departing into IMC... Thanks again, -a-
    1 point
  41. My C, with 52 gal tanks, was resealed in 2010 for less than the cost of the bladder kit alone. Full strip and reseal at Wet Wingologists at KFXE.
    1 point
  42. Been having problems keeping the battery charged and the amp meter has been bouncing between -15 and +25. So today I got my boss to put one mag so that I could get to the alt. (TSIO360). The brushes were shot and the shaft could be pushed pulled about an 1/8 inch, main bearing was shot and allowing oil to pass though, aw my oil leak found. After looking in the log books the pressurized mags were just over 500 hrs so I had the boss pull the other mag, so both will be rebuilt and installed after the new alt. to make my job easier. Slowly but surely this 231 is getting to be perfect plane. Pritch
    1 point
  43. I do. Degree in astrophysics. Just a shadow. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1 point
  44. It is not unusual to see 220 on climb out around here. It has a lot to do with ambient temperature. We have plenty of that lately.
    1 point
  45. My wife and I flew over to see Queen concert (Adam Lambert fronting) in Omaha yesterday afternoon. Flew to KCBF, Council Bluffs and Uber'd. Easy flight at 6500. A couple deviations from flight following for parachuting. Nice FBO. Downtown Omaha was a blast. Nice brew pubs, a cigar bar and a killer Queen show. Return today saw 130 knots in climb (ground speed). Nice and cool at 7500 with DAn Auerbach's new album (Waiting on a song) for entertainment. 153 knots LOP at 9.5gph and smooth. 1.2 for flight vs 4 hour drive. I love GA. I love my Mooney and I love going to great live shows with my bestee...
    1 point
  46. Purchased this 67F model just over 2 months ago. Could not be happier! Have a few trips planned in the near future. We are based in Winchester VA OKV. This board is such a wealth of good information. I hope to be able to contribute.
    1 point
  47. I think Seth is telling you that arriving Wednesday there is a good chance that the field will have reached max capacity and there will be no more room to park. That was the case last year. I think it reached max capacity by Tuesday and they were turning people away. I do think, however, that by Wednesday some folks start leaving so they will open the field again as folks leave. Regardless, you need to be prepared for the possibility that you may not be able to get in. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    1 point
  48. Look at Antares' icon...sounds like an overhaul may over-draw the spousal good will currency account....
    1 point
  49. All of the above is the perfect way but with a 1% chance of failure. A 100% guarantee is flood it, full throttle, mixture full lean, crank, and when it fires push the mixture in/pull throttle back. Would certainly follow advice in posts above but if it isn't working just flood start it as opposed to killing the battery.
    1 point
  50. I completed the removal per the SI last year with the engine O/H. Plan on 3 or 4 hrs, depending on your skill set. The most difficult part for me was removing the control cable. Tim
    1 point
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.