Leaderboard

Personal overkill . . .

We flew to the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell from Sedona. It was a perfect day for flying and the scenery was spectacular. Even our pictures don’t do justice to the natural beauty. This was definitely a Mooney flight of a lifetime. We feel blessed and privileged that we can do this flight in our Mooney. A few pictures (or it didn’t happen): Grand Canyon, Dragon Corridor: Grand Canyon, Zuni Corridor: Lake Powell: Final approach to Sedona RWY 03:

Longest trip so far with the whole family. ILM to EDC with a stop at NEW for the night. Heading back tomorrow ahead of some weather.

Hey @Shadrach - that's very cool, you will be very close to me at KIAG, if you have time, let me know and I may come say hi at CYTZ. Here's the checklist a buddy of mine made for me after my very first flight to Canada, a few years old but I don't think anything changed: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz0w6B5i4-Rda2FtZnEtTzI5Z0lJNkR6XzlqVGlXMmU0bjhB/view?usp=sharing I cross the border pretty often, so feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Intimidating at first, but super easy once you do it once. For your return flight, KBUF has a customs office so they are much more lax on the time you land, whereas if you want to pass customs on your return flight at KIAG, you need to tell them your exact arrival time. I usually pass customs at IAG since it's my homefield, but KBUF may be easier if you are looking to pass customs immediately upon your return flight. It's easier if you're IFR, file the ICAO flight plan, file your flight manifest via DTOPS, call 1888CANPASS at least 2 hours before landing with your ETA...that's pretty much it. Same for US, except the # you call to setup customs appointment will be dependent upon where you decide to land to pass customs. Let me know if you need any help finding those numbers. CYTZ is pretty expensive, Stolport might be cheaper than Porter (but a bit harder to find and less services/lobby), but I can't remember as prices have changed a bit.

You're right. For all the reasons that you dislike Garmin, those are the exact reasons that I like them. Because you're dealing with one vendor everything will interface perfectly to have all functions capable of each product to work with each other. The Garmin servos are brushless and digital, and light for precise control. As such, they should require much less maintenance than other non brushless types. Over the long run the cost of maintenance should pay for the autopilot over other autopilots. They should work to level off in both ascent and descent to the foot, unlike the BK servos that overshoot by 10% of the ROC or ROD. I've flown the GFC 700 extensively and it is the best autopilot in any single engine piston airplane I have flown. The GFC 500 is a later version and should be even better. If I had bought Garmin stock over the past month, I could have had a free autopilot with the profits. Regarding VNAV with the Garmin GTN and GNS series, it is pretty slick once you figure out how to use it. The documentation is terrible, I'll give you that. It can be flown manually with the KFC 150, but with manual control of V/S. The display on the G500TXi is really nice and makes it easy to track deviation and required ROD. So, what is that worth? Unfortunately, a high price tag. And therein lies the rub for many people. You can't buy a Rolls Royce for the price of a VW.

That's clearly a non-starter.

For what it's worth, I recommend getting a four-year college degree if he wants to work for the major airlines. If he wants to take classes that will transfer from an accredited college to the 4-year university, just make sure those credits will transfer. I recommend a 4-year degree from a well recognized aviation university. Yes it will be more expensive, but it's more respected and will open doors faster, plus when the major airlines interview him, they have a point scale system. If the degree is from an aviation university, that candidate will get more points in the hiring process vs non-aviation school. The other thing is that if he goes to an aviation university like Embry-Riddle, he'll be surrounded by aviation day & night. The campus is right by the airport, so it's a GOOD motivator. Also it's recommended that he get a degree in other than Aviation Science, in the event he loses his medical, he'll have the background for another career field. Perhaps business administration or any of the dozens of degree programs. Recommend applying for the many scholarships that are offered. Most of the major airlines have a new pathway to work for them if desired for someone with no aviation experience. You have to enroll at specific aviation universities, and follow their pathway, getting the four-year degree and working at the university flight instructing for a certain amount of time, then guaranteed a pilot position, as long as you maintain a certain GPA and other requirements. It's worth looking into. Here is more info about this program for Delta Air Lines: https://news.delta.com/delta-propels-next-generation-pilots-through-innovative-career-paths The major airlines will need to replace 1000's of pilots over the next 15 years, mechanics as well, so it's an excellent opportunity IF he loves flying. If he doesn't love flying, then go into something else. Network with as many aviation people as possible to compare notes etc.. A lot of times with aviation jobs, it's not what you know, but WHO you know, as long as you have the basic credentials of course. The other thing is have him not get in trouble with the law....ex)speeding tickets, public drunkeness, car crashes, bankruptcy, paying bills on time. The airlines will ask him about speeding tickets, they will look at his credit reports, and are very thorough with background checks including interviewing neighbors/relatives. Make sure he keeps his record clean! Good luck with your own training, that's very exciting you're taking lessons as well for your Private.

Hey, BD... Before the Doc notices.... the rubber flap/seal belongs tucked up into the cowl... (I think) done properly, the airflow is funneled into the dog house... not tucked properly, the rubber might fold down redirecting some of the airflow... Now I wonder what Jim tows his lawnmower with...? PP thoughts only, not trying to be a PIA... Best regards, -a-

The problem is, HBK still wants $9,600 for an overhaul exchange trim servo. That's "fuck you, go away" pricing. They do not want to be in the GA market. I don't know why they're even bothering to keep up appearances any more, because that's all this is. No, it does not exist except maybe in Photoshop. B/K introduced the KI-300 at Oshkosh 2015. You STILL can't get one that will run your King autopilot (the KA-310 autopilot adapter is due "any day now...."). Every year at Oshkosh, King has said that it would be "Available in Q4." At OSH 2017, I asked "Which year?" and the guy said "2018. I MEAN, 2017!!!" That 2018 was the most correct answer I ever got out of them. The KFC-230 is a lame attempt by King to make you think they're coming out with something soon, to keep you from buying the other ones that are already out. You can get a GFC-500 installed today on 12 aircraft types, including the Mooney Bravo, Ovation, and Eagle. You can get an S-TEC 3100 installed today on 19 aircraft types. You can get a TruTrak Vision today on 4 aircraft types. You can get a Trio Pro Pilot today on 11 aircraft types. You cannot get a KFC-230 today in any aircraft type, and I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for that to change. King was once great at avionics. Now, they're great at vaporware. Hell, the KSN 770 has been "out" for 5 years, and I've never heard of a single person who actually bought one. It's a piece of crap. And not only do they have no support for connecting it to a portable device, they have no plans to do so in the future. BK is, sadly, going the way of Narco. They're a has-been. And all that is too bad, because I really wish there was something worthwhile to replace my KFC-150 that were so easy to install.

You must be a man of great faith!

This is my M20K with a total panel rework, resulting in a much cleaner look with room to spare.

I figured that would get @m20kmooney's attention. But I really am curious, @m20kmooney, on what your thoughts are here, and didn't want to hijack anyone else's thread. You said: "The TXi is TSO’d and it was developed prior to the lower cost STC approach. A certified G3X touch is a no brainer." I'm trying to understand this thinking from the perspective of Garmin as a business, and I just can't see any upside for them. The G500 TXi *just* came out! Garmin's major gear generally lasts about a dozen years in the market, and they need that time to sell enough of them to recoup their R&D and certification costs. So why would they undercut their own product just a year after its launch? At Oshkosh 2017, I would have wholeheartedly agreed with you. Dynon made a big splash with their SkyView HDX, and it seemed like Garmin really needed to respond... And CubCrafters was showing off the XCub with the G3X Touch in a certified airplane! I thought for sure a certified G3X Touch was right around the corner. And then, in October of 2017, they announced it - Except it was called the G500 TXi. The two systems, as far as I can tell, offer almost identical functionality. I'm very much in the market for a G500 TXi, and if there were a G3X Touch for a lower price, I'd certainly be all over it. But all that has really changed there is that Garmin wouldn't be making as much money off of me, and they wouldn't be recouping their investment in the G500 TXi. And what market segment are they going to be filling with it? They've got the G5 at the low end for both price and functionality. Aspen fills a slightly higher-end hole than the G5. One Aspen is slightly better than two G5s, and one G500 TXi is slightly better than two Aspens. So, if there's a market segment to fill, it's the one in between dual G5s (~$5,000) and the full 10" G500 TXi with EIS and autopilot interface (~$28,000). But what does that look like? It would have to offer more functionality than dual G5s, yet significantly less functionality than the G500 TXi. The major things that Aspen has that are missing from a dual G5 setup are the ability to send attitude to an attitude-based autopilot like my KFC150, and the ability to have dual nav sources. Showing TAS on the screen, too. It would need to have a smaller screen than the 10" TXi, and offer less functionality - So, let's say, no engine gauges, and no MFD - you'd have to use a GTN 750 as your MFD. OK, so now we're looking at a 7" PFD that can control 3rd-party attitude-based autopilots, connect to dual nav sources, doesn't have engine gauges, and costs about $15K-$18K... But wait! They DO have that already, it's the 7" TXi PFD, which checks exactly those boxes at about $17K. So why would they bother to certify yet another device, even if it's "easy certification", when all it can do is cannibalize their own sales? At this point, I expect the TXi to remain Garmin's flagship retrofit glass until 2029-ish, although at this point I can't envision what the next thing will be other than updating the hardware to faster/more modern screens, CPUs, etc.

Fellow MooneySpacers - Who all is going? Airspeed Insurance Agency (My wife and I) will be exhibiting in Hangar A at Sun 'n Fun. Booth A-046. We look forward to meeting each of you that is attending this year! Blue Skies! Parker and Hope

I went south again, indeed! Last Friday I arrived with my Mooney in Ilopango MSSS where I will stay for the next three years. However, my homebase continues to be KGAI. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

It fits in the same space https://www.bendixking.com/en/~/media/bendixking/files/a60-1576-000-000_aerocruze230-ds.pdf There is a thread on Beechtalk that discusses it: https://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=159538

If he gets any sort of eye surgery, make sure it is accepted by the military EVEN if he's not interested in the military at the moment. I burned myself by getting LASIK and not LASAR-PRK and threw out my chances with the ANG or RCAF (who are desperate for pilots). There's no way to undo LASIK once they slice open the flap. I would have waited if I knew better.

I am interested in this as well, but after installing the KAS 297B last year, I am unsure how everything works together since the face plate of the AeroCruze seems to be the control for Vertical Speed and Altitude pre-select. Does their definition of slide-in mean pin-compatible like an IFD 440 is with the GNS 430W or does it mean just takes the same space? Would some wiring work will be required to eliminate some of the existing, and potentially redundant, hardware in the current A/P configuration? Inquiring minds and potential buyers want to know. BK has been infuriatingly poor on meeting their release dates, and at SnF last year, the person I spoke with took offense when I brought up their lack of delivery. I would love for them to deliver good, quality GA products, as some of mine from the last century could use refreshing, but like Paul, everything is working well now. I can hold out a while longer, but my patience does have limits.

I have a 3 blade on my D model. It is very smooth running. Maybe I just got lucky but I've had it off 4 times in 17 years and it always runs smooth when back on. In reality, what you spend on purchasing a plane will only be half of what you spend total over the next ten years (maybe 5 years) so just plan on it. Flying (even in the Mooney world ain't cheap). Put it this way, how many 50 year old chevys would you buy and then set off on a 500-1,000 mile trip right away? Its the same with 50 year old airplanes, You gotta wait to find the right one. There's a phrase- "Life is hard, its even harder when you're stupid" Don't make the mistakes of some others by jumping in without learning about what you're doing. The education you gain by looking for 6 months to a year and reading log books (even on airplanes you are not interested in) will give you a real advantage when you find the right candidate. Looking is half the fun and exhilarating when you find the right one and YOU know its the right one. You've never been in this world before so take your time and learn - grasshopper :-) Lots of help here from past threads and people who want your experience to be a good one. Slow down and enjoy the ride!

Having obtained my instrument rating in a 172, I can tell you that transitioning to the Mooney should not be a problem as long as you obtain some instrument instruction in it, even after you earn your IFR in the Cessna. The control movements are smaller than the 172, and of course you are going faster. You also have a retractable landing gear and controllable prop to manage. Budget about 10 hours of general instruction and at least a couple hours of instrument training in the Mooney. Welcome!

I’ll be there on Friday and Saturday giving three talks. Stop by and say hello. I’ll be hanging around the SiriusXM booth.

When I was troubleshooting my flap relay problem last year I created this diagram from the Mooney wiring diagram and measurements of my circuit.

It’s not my best pictorial (video) but here’s the setup in my K. A nice compromise of new technology without refabricating a whole new panel. EC9F95A5-59D8-41DD-B370-5EEEC3C2175C.MOV

Open standards and interfaces, anyway. They could keep all the source closed but if all the avionics manufacturers were required to use a common communication protocol (CANBUS or something?) and completely document all data packets, it should be sufficient to allow any manufacturer to build their stuff to interoperate with any other manufacturer's stuff without requiring direct collaboration. That would be pretty great from a consumer standpoint. I'd still end up buying all Garmin stuff, but I'd feel a lot better about what happens in 10 years when someone else comes out with a really nice, newer EFIS that I'd really like to upgrade to without replacing the entire GFC 500.

OMG! having your Mooney next to recycled clorox bottle shavings could cause it to have its gear permanently retracted and lose flap hinge cotter keys!

It doesn’t exists until owners have them installed, or hell, even purchase-able. Same with the fabled Ki300. It has been “coming out” for three years, full of missed dates.

Bart, I know this will be hard to believe, as I probably would not have believed it when I started looking to buy a plane. (I almost died thinking about spending $1000 on a pre-buy, knowing it could not be recouped if I did not buy the plane) But the purchase price is almost insignificant in the ownership picture. An extra $20,000 on the sales price gets lost during the next few years as you have to install stuff, repair stuff, pay insurance, have annual inspections and all the other stuff it takes to fly. I know; anyone who says $20,000 is insignificant must be either rich, stupid or both, but sadly enough, in most cases it is true. Virtually every one of us here appreciates the necessity of not overspending on anything, but be careful of what the cheap plane you find does not have, needs updating, requires repair, etc.

Welcome to the site Tyler. Let's see if I can beat the usual's to this... Pictures are required, you know "pics or it didn't happen. Add some information to your avatar, like location, general is fine. It helps to answer questions.

It must have just switched to approved because I checked early this morning and it wasn't on the approved list. I'm getting it installed as soon as I can get a slot at the avionics shop. I'm going with all 4 servos to see just what kind of improvement a yaw damper servo makes to the already stable M20M. Good riddance to the KFC 150 and wing rock.

The ultimate glass panel.

Even better at night. This was coming back after my Ir cross country. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Today I flew home from Vegas. It was my first IFR flight on my new IR ticket.... the weather was clear and clear so didn’t get it wet. But I got about 5 reroutes so I got to work the brain in someway. The flight was just over five hours. The day started out pretty cool, when I got to the airport there was a can’t miss famous airplane tied up at the transient parking! And let me say it’s even cooler in person! And I got to fly formation with N201PH:) The instrument ticket was well worth the journey!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You're right, how rude of me not to say what I was thinking.

Must be on a texas plane, all that corrosion and all....

Great minds think alike, and apparently at the same time!

Yeah, the 578 miles in 3 hours is nice (doesn't 193 mph average sound awesome? ), but you really need to work on that big "0 Calories" thing . . . .

Zero calories for sitting in a plane for 3 hours? I think you got ripped off...

"Well there's your problem!" Zoicks!

Thanks, @LANCECASPER. I like the way they hedge on the first post - It's designed to be the most effective upgrade for KFC 150, 200, 250 autopilots by utilizing existing servos, brackets, and the majority of the wiring. Even so, after reading the entire post, it appears they may actually have a product to display at SnF. And for the price they quote, it will be very tempting to consider it. We will see how it shakes out in Lakeland.

My guess is that the G3X doesn't get certified, but there's something new coming down the path that will replace the G3X. My guess is that the new system will end up with a closed Garmin architecture that in effect ties the airplane to Garmin equipment. In other words Garmin PFD, G5 backup, GFC500 autopilot only, and the big one- it's only compatible with Garmin navigators- I believe using the MapMX data format would do the trick.

Welcome aboard, Bill. I’ll let Brice @ragedracer1977 know you are looking for him... Best regards, -a-

My C had a low time engine (182 hours), and a 4-year-prior gear up--which gave it a one-piece belly and 3-blade Hartzell. It outclimbs most 200 hp planes and still cruises at 147 KTAS. And I have a functional speed brake on the nose when I want it. Just make sure everything was fixed properly, often you will get extras like I got.

Its trying to start on the right Mag as you relax the key. Something in the the Left mag starting points is not right. Trust me I've been there.

LASAR has the expertise. Northern California

You built the better mousetrap! I had the same switch, but I had the 120V going through the 4G relay and it always made me a little anxious. I rewired it with only 12 V going through the relay and it works! Thank you.

Do not use the fill the fuel tanks method, in my case if I did that it would cost me 18lbs of useful load, because my 64 gallon tanks actually hold 67 gallons. Tom

Btw, congrats on the instrument rating!

Cool pics. Flying out of Las Vegas must have been awesome on a clear day.

Flew to Big Bear on Saturday for some lunch. Met up with another Mooney owner who I don't think is on here. Was hoping to meet up with @xcrmckenna but he was polishing up for his upcoming, and successful, IFR check-ride on Monday. It was a beautiful day, under a broken layer, up through a hole in the clouds to come in over the lake. Big Bear, Clouds, and Poppies Last night after an oil change I took it for a trip around the patch. Flying to Phoenix this afternoon to visit family.

You really need to cut yourself one of these: You are looking at the back of it (it is LHS) and not that expensive - $100 or so form BigBlueSaw or your favorite local water jet place.