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Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/01/2019 in all areas

  1. Wanted to get back with outcome. Turned out to be plugged oil cooler; vernathrem checked ok. Sent off to Pacific Oil Cooler. Decided on new oil lines/fittings just 'cause I was in there anyway Oil cooler is now getting hot and OT is stabilized at 180ish. Another AMU+... oh, well!
    4 points
  2. A MSC is not necessarily more money. Typically, they can take less time to do a task because of familiarity and in the case of inspections, will have a good understanding of the airframe and engine combo they are inspecting for weak areas. The well known, fairly priced MSC's are often touted here by me and others. My short non inclusive list include Maxwell, Oasis, AGL, SWTA, Daytona, DLK and Cole. I have left off the west coast guys as I do not have first hand experience other than some parts ordering here and there, but Others will chime in to their experience. Not all MSC'S are created equal, and are only as good as the wrist and brain behind the wrench. There are a lot of non MSC's that are truly excellent like Boyd Birchler, Ivan James, Phil Jiminez, Arnold Holmes, Larry Wheelock, Bob Meier (and a host of others) who also possess tribal knowledge, correct tooling and can cost effectively work on a Mooney competently
    3 points
  3. Not sure about other headsets, but with the Halo's you can check without removing the foam. If you squeeze the mic a little you can feel the flat sides, just make sure one of the flat sides is facing your mouth.
    3 points
  4. If you cant stroke a check for 65K at the drop of a hat, a P-Baron is not for you.
    3 points
  5. Keep them coming!!! I want to thank every person who has posted photos of your beloved birds! I have studied each and everyone of them. I have looked at things you can’t imagine. I’ve looked at how your fasteners are holding down different pieces in different ways. I’ve seen minor details that will help my plane safer when it’s done. I’ve seen that no two airframes are identical. Similar yet different... if you have not posted photos please consider doing so. You may not be aware of how much help you could be giving to us class of 2019 rookies! Thanks again Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    3 points
  6. What @mike_elliottsaid. I spend a lot of time out at SWTA as they're on the same field as I am. I regularly see Mooneys come in for annual that have been with a "local A&P" for years and JD typically finds lots of "differed" issues. Mooneys are not difficult to work on or maintain, but since they aren't as plentiful as say Cessnas, many A&P's only see one to two of them. That just isn't enough to really learn about some of the issues unique to Mooneys. There are specific areas that commonly wear on Mooneys and an A&P that doesn't work on them often might not know. It's no fault of their own, just inexperience with the breed. I like using an MSC for all my maintenance and am fortunate to be on the field with one of the good ones.
    2 points
  7. The CAPEX costs are the ones that can bite you and, like someone said above, end up rendering your plane a hangar queen, slowly dying. It is great to have reserves for engine, avionics, etc. except when something catastrophic happens before the time you planned. Cracking a case on the plane you bought 100 hours ago or others items requiring a 5-digit immediate outlay can be terrifying, so many choose not think about it. But if you don't have the credit card, home equity line, checkbook, or bank balance to bite that large bullet, consider how you would handle such a problem. Some search for the absolute best (read "cheapest") deal they can find thinking they will have some money left over to do some upgrades to their new plane. Not always true. @gsxrpilothas a list of bad buys where a "deal" ate away at the new owner to the tune of way more money than expected. I think a few paid less for the purchase of the plane than they did on maintenance the first year. I consider myself very fortunate in that my wife was the one who suggested we get the Mooney and upgrade from the Cezzna. It also helps she has horses, so the plane seems relatively inexpensive at times!
    2 points
  8. you can wash it and scrub with PreKote and dry with clean water. then a light coat of SEM, Tempo, or Duplicolor etching primer. Have painter scuff lightly with a fine scotchbrite pad and spray a couple thin coats of single stage polyurethane paint.
    2 points
  9. I thought all Englishmen were rich!
    2 points
  10. No, you are perpetuating a myth, I've researched this and: 1) The Cies frequency based transducers have 2000 steps, and will require a $3-400 'upgrade' from JPI. That is 0.025G increments in the average 50G tank. 2) The resistive or voltage Cies transducers have 500 steps, or 0.1G increments. Cies charge an extra $100 per pair, so this is the more economical way to go. Either way, accuracy is the same. I used the voltage output version, straight into a standard EDM, without the JPI 'black box' Voltage converter. I did not use the Cies connector option (too bulky). I ran 3 new wires to each side (power, ground, signal). Power from the original FQ CB. You can ground the transducers at the tank, but I grounded at the JPI. Aerodon
    2 points
  11. But we take our family camping with the Mooney
    2 points
  12. Com2 went TU- flying home asked the wife what she wanted to do with it. She asked what my airplane budget was and I laughed. I was able to properly maintain - but not upgrade - on a resident salary with moonlighting cash I made on the side to satisfy the flying habit. I was budget conscious but I had two “pots”. Mooney moonlighting and everything else. The idea of an overhaul at next annual would have been doable but not comfortable. To be able to properly budget for these birds you need to be willing to essentially put a new Honda Civic’s worth of maintenance and flying into it to keep it going. Every year. And be willing to put an extra Honda Civic or two into it in case you need an engine overhaul. I thought avaiation budgets were crazy. Then my buddy who has a P-baron mentioned his unexpected overhaul and 3.5 AMU door seal and I thought that was crazy. Then I met some boaters (cruisers) this week and now I truly know crazy.
    2 points
  13. Hmm... sounds an awful lot like the certified pre-owned vehicles we sell at our dealerships and pretty much every other new car dealership out there.
    2 points
  14. We finally got to the age where we could afford a Airpark house in Houston. But we had to sell the airplane to affford the house. I’ve never seen a 200 mph house, except in Kansas and it was a single use. so we passed on the deal
    2 points
  15. Aero 660 in a panel mount makes a great poor mans MFD. Tom
    2 points
  16. Unfortunately, you've asked the one question that we've all sworn never to answer.
    2 points
  17. As a highly SUBJECTIVE note: I’ve found the XM display tends to match the on-board RDR2000 radar depiction somewhat better than does the ADS-B regional radar. Perhaps it is the color rendering. Perhaps the pixel size. Perhaps image age. In any case that’s only true within 40-60 miles of significant weather. Best of all — Use both XM and ADS-B IN, plus Stormscope strike data. The ship’s radar is the most expensive and generally least useful tool: Except when you get within 40 miles of a Cb.
    2 points
  18. Dear MS members, Occasionally we meet people who have an outsize presence. Like the sun they radiate energy that makes those around them feel or perform better. The man who has been working on our Mooney as A&P since we bought her in 2017, David Forgac, passed away last weekend. Dave was one of those people. My wife and I helped him on two owner-assisted annuals, he supervised us installing the EDM900, performed several repairs on our plane, and was CFII for several of my instrument training flights. I found that he was always a kind and patient instructor. His experience working for a Mooney Service Center in Florida years ago really helped with our plane. Today I received a link to his obituary as was written by his family. It is a good description of someone truly passionate about aviation and of a life well lived that ended too early. I can attest to Dave's nature as a passionate and natural teacher. Dave's obituary is here: http://www.northportfuneralservice.com/mr-david-forgac/ Dave passed away last Friday after a short illness at the age of 65. I wanted to share his memory with those of you who care to read his obituary. -Fred
    2 points
  19. I'm going to wait for this one. Wasn't going to dump the panel but for this I just might https://aerovonics.com/av-30
    1 point
  20. I think that is pretty typical. GAMI is a nice bunch to work with.
    1 point
  21. wow, you are fast! I wish I new how to do something of value other that fly an airplane!
    1 point
  22. I jsut downloaded this spreadsheet and I am confused on 1 thing. I noticed the monthly and yearly "financing cost" were wrong after my inputs. To try to figure it out, I changed the purchase price to $1.00 and the interest rate to .01% (it will not let you put 0) I still show a financing cost of $3400.00 per year when i dont have any loan to pay entered into the program! What am I missing?
    1 point
  23. The only time I use the bearing pointers on my Aspen is when I get one of those "intercept Victor 29" requests or when I checking VOR accuracy per FAR 91.171. But I sure do like and use my secondary HSI capabilities.
    1 point
  24. If you want to have your shop wire the G5 for both sources you can. The G5 software (experimental) has the ability to pick between two sources and provide two bearing arrows on the hsi. However, @Marauder is correct it looks like the certified version is not approved for that yet. Having said that I almost never use that feature on my Aspen.
    1 point
  25. My perspective has been upgraded a bit. The Aerovonics AV-30 looks like exactly what I've been waiting for. It will fit existing original spots in my panel, replacing old steam gauges with something that has all the information I could wish for without tearing my existing panel up. I'll be waiting for them to get all the certifications needed and if they have troubles will watch for someone else to succeed at what clearly is possible and what I want.
    1 point
  26. I went frequency mode with the CiES. The “black box” is actually just a firmware upgrade and a wiring harness (that is what you are paying $375 for the option).Frequency mode is less suspect to interference but in our planes it probably doesn’t matter. As for grounding, when I was troubleshooting my installation, grounding was a concern. These units should be grounded through the JPI and not locally. What that means is the outside sender’s (if present) grounds need to be connected to the inner sender’s grounds and then sent up to the JPI. I also used the JPI wiring provided. It was shielded and also shielded wires to the outboard. And for the 100 gallon tank people. The location of the outer senders and the dihedral shape of the wing will force the unit to show full fuel until the fuel level can activate the outer senders. For electrical connections, I used sealed connectors designed to be in wet or fuel/oil environments. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
    1 point
  27. Mechanic said it was 'a gray sludge'...no engine parts, but I wasn't missing any... I don't think Anyway, I should be all set for summer. I'm excited to see if my CHTs drop a bit; I'm always fighting #2 that will head north of 400 in a climb in warm weather if I don't back off power a bit. We shall see.
    1 point
  28. Funny thing about the microphone.... If it gets turned 90 degrees... it will not pick up the voice... having it hidden in the foam... it can be a challenge to know it is pointing the wrong direction... Pull the foam off to see where it is pointing... twist to aim... then put the foam back on... I have an old David Clark, hardly used but very aged, not ANR, If you want to trade even for the ‘broken’ Halo? Good luck with the trade... Best regards, -a-
    1 point
  29. I'm glad that we're able to fly older airframes. Most of us wouldn't be able to get off the ground if we had to buy a new Mooney to get into aviation.
    1 point
  30. Ok, so here it is if you really want to do it. Go to http://www.themooneyflyer.com, look under "cool tools", and download the Cost of Ownership spreadsheet. I THINK that's where this cam from, but here is a screenshot of my unadulterated numbers for my M20M:
    1 point
  31. I actually tried this last week with the Decibullz and it works pretty good. I think I lost a little sound reduction as compared to the yellow foam tips but it is much more comfortable. Here's what I ended up with:
    1 point
  32. SP, Great question... M20C POHs continued to improve every year... up to about 1977. Make sure you have a copy of the most recent POH. Check the download section, or call Mooney directly... The challenges of performance charts... they are not very linear on the edges things get less trustworthy... Edges as in... high OAT, or height GTOW, or high field altitude... Things that effect how much excess HP is available and how much lift can be generated... To make sure your pilot/plane are performing with respect to the POH data... you can collect your own data and compare actual vs expected... I use a portable WAAS gps with an app called CloudAhoy... really cool data collector... needs to be a WAAS source, so the iPad or iPhone gps data might not work... Work with the best data available, then add the safety guidelines of judgement, like Hank pointed out above... PP thoughts only, not a CFI... Best regards, -a-
    1 point
  33. Ding Ding Ding! Many years back I called Mooney for a recommendation on a Service Center. The gentleman that answered asked - “why not being it here?” Hmmm... because you’ll charge me 3-5 times as much? At the time the factory was shuttered. There is a viable, non trivial and I think somewhat substantial business if Mooney can credibly and reasonably deliver on what you suggest up here. Would you rather have a third party shop perform your avionics upgrade, or....the factory? My KCS55a was installed by Mooney, as was my stormscope, backup AI, and new wiring for my KFC150. At the time, they installed by 430 and MX20. For that matter, they installed and signed off my new upholstery. There was a bit of work done by them...and if they could reasonably bring to market Mooney refresh offerings that were more attractive than shops that are proud and charge a premium, they could stay busy with engine swaps, Avionics installs, k to encore upgrades, prop upgrades, tank reseals without hiring additional staff versus ...slowly..building...14.......planes ...at least until marketing cAtches up Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1 point
  34. I think that is the exact reason they aren't doing it. When I hear comments that an Aspen should be more competitively priced closer to the G5s, it is these additional certification costs that are bundled into an Aspen's cost. But instead of buying a new autopilot, you keep your existing autopilot hardware.
    1 point
  35. I call this the Hobby pyramid. You need 3 things to enjoy a hobby. Time, Money, and Space. I have had 2 (or less) of these 3 legs my entire life, so I understand. I'm starting this journey now instead of 10 years ago like I wanted, because enough things have finally come together in life that I will get to claim all 3 legs. I'm excited. But I still have to wait 19 months.. so in the mean time I plan. I have literally done the entire Kings PPL ground training twice, could probably pass the ground FAA written on a moments notice. Have built 2 flight simulators, and have 400+ hours on these FTDs...... I feel that is as far as I can go at this point. Never wanted to wait a Decade to start.. but hey, my son is starting his flight carrier later this year, so now I get to enjoy the journey with him... So that is a hidden blessing. Now I have to go find these photos. lol
    1 point
  36. But if you throw enough money at it there is the possibility of weighing it down so that it can't move...
    1 point
  37. Alex- what a coincidence that the other -G owner on this thread has nearly the exact same paint and panel as mine! Looks in great shape, is the paint still original?
    1 point
  38. OMG!! I read the first couple of posts last night, and thought it ight be safe to check in now. Is this thread full of numbers? If so, I don't want to read it . . . Fixed costs: Annual Hangar / tie down Flight reviews Pitot static tests GPS data (for your particular instrument) Operating Costs Fuel Oil Oil changes Batteries Tires Overnight fees away from home Spark plug changes Magneto overhauls Engine overhaul Variable Expenses Repairs for things that break Repairs formthungs that wear out Instrument replacement / upgrades Interior work Paint "Dressing up" the plane Everything else . . . . Fixed Expenses will vary by your location; Operating Expenses will vary by aircraft type & model, how you fly and how often; Variable Expenses are controlled directly by the desires of the Owner. If you ever add them up, please don't post them where I will accidentally see the answers . . . . .
    1 point
  39. You really, really, really need to change your approach. This is a game for poets, not accountants! (Sorry @Danb.)
    1 point
  40. It doesn't affect the audio quality? Dr Phil's instructions suggested the length was important and to limit any trimming...
    1 point
  41. Does anyone get it from their local A&P? I get Aeroshell W100 Plus for $92 a case, I just pick one up if I'm nearby. Of course, we don't have sales tax here in OR
    1 point
  42. I absolutely would be flying a Cirrus if I had the money, just because of the chute. Flying alone I would not mind so much, I'd rather have the speed. But I do carry passengers once in a while. I remember going with my wife to Denver once and we were crossing Raton pass. There was no place to land whatsoever. I think I was looking at CHT and oil temps more than I was looking for traffic haha. People keep blaming Cirrus' marketing, but it's the product that matters. Cessna had snazzy marketing for TTx too, you know. It's not like marketing to non-pilots does not matter. It does... Look at Icon A5. That thing was absolutely carried by marketing. But the marketing does not account for the whole picture.
    1 point
  43. That is an easy one...you can rent them from EAA for the week.
    1 point
  44. Ben, to be in the Caravan you'd have to be in Madison on the 19th - the flight to KOSH is the 20th. Have you been Caravan/formation qualified before? If so, you might able to get a last minute check ride under the circumstances. But that call is way over my paygrade. If you can't get into the Caravan it will be difficult to get camping space nearby. Parking is pretty strictly first come and the space held for mass arrivals is restricted to the number of planes in the wing. OTOH, we'll love to welcome you to the Mooney tent in the North Forty! You'll have lots of folks interested to hear about your trip. There's a BBQ night and a MS mixer.
    1 point
  45. I’m not quite sure what to make of this statement. The landing gear in all models of Mooney is mechanically interlinked between the nose and main. We don’t suffer from nose gear collapse like bonanzas when the gear actuator goes bad. Unless so badly out of rig that one overcenter lock is engaged without another (almost impossible), the landing gear is locked when the floor indicator says its locked. No need for or indication to do anything manually. I would not engage the manual crank to push the gear further down unless you have a partial extension for some reason and your gear down indicator is also telling you the gear is not down. I would highly recommend sitting under the plane with the belly pans off during the retract test during annual to see how the gear works. It’s a pretty ingenious design.
    1 point
  46. The SlickStart is a great unit- but pricey! Like $900 freakin' bucks! The standard Shower of Sparks works great if it's kept in good shape. Change the condenser, file/clean/gap the points, and that's about it! TCMIgnitionVibratorManual.pdf
    1 point
  47. You must be really good at something to allow you the financial ability to own an airplane. Take it to the best shop where they are really good at what they do and they won't be learning on your dime. They do this everyday and have seen it before and will get it right. There are things that are fun to tinker around with on our airplanes and sometimes we can get it right and it feels good. The complexity of trim switches and autopilots and trim servos are best left to the experts. I had a trim problem which turned out to be the trim switch. The guys at Central Texas Avionics in Georgetown TX knew exactly what it was in about 5 minutes. They rebuilt the switch and the total time and labor was just over $460. I never had another issue with trim on that airplane after that.
    1 point
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