Jump to content

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 10/11/2020 in all areas

  1. This summer I met Bryan from Just Plane Silly and we were talking about his irreverent approach to aviation videos. He asked it he could shoot some video and pictures of my plane for a video idea he was hatching. Well here it is, the Just Plane Silly vision of what 1970's TV ads could have been for GA aircraft. Just enjoy the video and don't take the snarky comments seriously.
    9 points
  2. 1. The magnetos have no connection to the battery. 2. Connecting a battery tender backward should not cause a problem. More sophisticated ones will have a protection circuit and even cheapos should have a fuse. 3. An open circuit battery voltage of 12.6 volts indicates that the battery is about 75% charged. 4. Turn on some lights and energize the starter. If the battery is just too week to run the starter, the high current draw of the starter will dim the lights very significantly. If the lights don't dim, then the problem is that the starter is not being energized. The problem could be a circuit breaker or fuse, the ignition switch or the starter relay or some wiring or the starter itself. Skip
    6 points
  3. Call up San Francisco Radio, tell them you are listening on the LOM, and request the A-N range approach into Oakland.
    3 points
  4. I give this article to every one of my instrument students. I also emphasize that if you have +V instead of LVP there is more than likely an obstacle somewhere on the approach that is preventing the establishment of an LPV glidepath and it's minimums. Lookout below.
    3 points
  5. Ok - I checked my log books and - gasp - they are 12 years old. They still work! Which is amazing. Thanks to regular use and a life of full time battery minders. But sub par - the prop is just not turning over terribly peppy any more on start up - pretty good until more recently. Through the annuals they were serviced and usual and checked out ok. So here I am. But 12 years old - I have decided that yeah - they don't owe me anything more. I am ordering 2 new replacements of what they are - a pair of Concorde 35's. I don't select which charges. They charge together. So after the A&P takes a peak I am ordering two. Its time.
    3 points
  6. As a follow on, no you probably didn’t hurt the mags, and depending on your charger if it sensed a reverse hook up it should have shut down, but cheap battery tenders don’t have the sensing circuits. I would suspect you have another electrical issue that may or may not have been caused by the reversed leads. Brian
    3 points
  7. Hey JT! I wanted to thank you for your kind note and words of encouragement. In fact, I located this post on my own a while back and meant to respond but as you can imagine it was easy to get sidetracked. So please accept my apology for the long delay. To your point, I think it's important that the Mooney Community have access to the company. As a Mooney owner I never felt a connection to the company even though I relied on the engineers, metal workers, electricians and other artisans every time I turned the key in my 201 or Acclaim. I'd like to change that dynamic and as you've probably gleaned from my interviews, reconnecting to the Mooney Community is a priority. In the coming weeks we'll be building out a new website and it will allow me to communicate with Mooney owners and advocates more directly. Eventually, the site will also invite participation from the Mooney Community so everyone can have more of a seat at the table so to speak. As you correctly pointed out, we're working to get over this "first hill." I'd be dishonest if I told you it was easy. There is a reason Mooney finds itself in the position it's in and it will take an awful lot of work to undo some of that and get us going in the right direction. But the one thing I am confident of is that Mooney is still the best single engine piston out there and always will be. "Like flying a Ferrari in the sky" I like to say. That reputation still has some gas in the tank and I promise to do my best so that Mooney can rise again. In the meantime, we'll keep the parts going and look to offer improvements to the fleet. I probably won't have time to respond to all the questions and suggestions I expect will be posted, but I promise, I will read each and every one. Thanks again, JT Best, Jonny Pollack
    3 points
  8. David finished the leading edge touch up on the wings! Very appreciative of everything David has done... Inching closer! This will protect the leading edge until I can determine when she should get a face lift ;o) David has done a ton to get her ready - I'm lucky for sure! -Don
    2 points
  9. So that day arrived on Friday (almost 4 yrs to the day when i started writing this thread) when the weather gods and the install gods were in alignment. Covid-19 restrictions allowing I and my co-pilot flew commercial to Holland, took the train from Amsterdam to Roosendahl, my co-pilot then bought a shed load of beer and we took a taxi to Seppe, just down the road to pick up Baby after she had had her final upgrade of what I planned all those years ago when i first saw her in 2015 and bought her. She now has full GPSS and a FMS (ifd540) new audio panel (oh boy that is soooo sexy, thanks @gsxrpilot for insisting I went for a PM450B). The sound is amazing. The Avidyne 540 is so good, with the GDC31 interfacing into the autopilot. Put the flightplan into IFD540, activate flightplan, press the little GPS/heading button for the GDC31, put the autopilot into hdg mode and she flies the route steady as a rock, turns on the waypoints, flew down my makeshift approach into my home airport. Love it. Total cost a DAMN sight less than the GFC500 rip it all and install Garmin approach. The IFD540 even comes with a little keypad. I thought gimic when i first saw this but its extremely useful. Trying to input things in turbulence becomes a doddle with this little baby. My co-pilot for the day (which made it a commercial flight so we did not need to quarantine) sat there typing away. He normally instructs in VFR so when we flew into a little IMC half way across the North Sea he said “im scared”. Made me laugh, as I love IMC and we had made sure all the stuff was working as expected before we launched from VMC to IMC. Oh did I tell you he also managed to break the bracket on the P2 seat back. Fortunately before we had even started the engine, so the wonderful people at Aeroskill Mastenbroek are doing their aero skills and fixing it for us. He’s a big rugby player and used a little too much muscle when leaning backwards! Now we have some old fully functioning radios and things to sell.... see later post. photos of installation will follow later, we were too busy playing with our new toys.
    2 points
  10. Many jet operators have complied with ADS-B with solutions that DO NOT involve a complete WAAS navigation lobotomy. A WAAS GPS might cost $10,000 installed for a small general aviation aircraft but for jet aircraft with multiple FMS systems you could be looking at $250,00 to $350,000 or more. Is the ability to descend another 100 or 200 feet lower than what your current LNAV/VNAV system offers worth that expense? Unless you frequently NEED that capability, the answer is often no, particularly for legacy jets worth under 3 million or so. Many jet operators find themselves frequenting airports with an ILS and are rarely, if ever inconvenienced by the lack of WAAS navigation. Piston aircraft and turboprop aircraft on the other hand visit non ILS airports more frequently and can usually equip for WAAS for much less. It’s all about the cost/benefit ratio, even on multi million dollar aircraft. I often wonder how often the average general aviation aircraft owner really NEEDS the full capability of his WAAS GPS, in other words just how often is a single engine aircraft owner shooting REAL approaches in weather less than 400 and 1? I’ll bet most never do, yet spent the money for the capability.
    2 points
  11. Thank you thank you. CB honorary of the day. Honestly - it is amazing since even this winter it was cranking in cold weather albeit a bit less peppy at say 10F than it used to be. And early spring .... I started thinking hmmm how long is this thing going to last. A gradual decline that seems to accelerate at some point I guess.
    2 points
  12. Everyone is different, I use o2 at 8000’ during the day my saturation is at 90, my wife doesn’t use until 13,000’ where she is 90, a huge difference. I used to get headaches blaming them on the headsets. Once I started using oxygen the headaches stopped. I carry boost f someone needs a shot quickly
    2 points
  13. Depending on model and year, the starter solenoid is on the engine side of the firewall just in front of the pilots feet. If you remove the pilot side, “cheek” cowling you should see it. Checking can be, shall we say, exciting and windy because it’s powered when the key is turned and pressed in. Don’t hurt yourself. Involve a mechanic when you’re over your head, this shouldn’t be a difficult problem to trace or fix.
    2 points
  14. Depends on the tester, it could have shown -12.1v and the- wasn’t noticed there is also a circuit breaker for the starting circuit, check all your breakers to see if any are out. I doubt the battery is negatively charged, but start with the obvious stuff before ripping deep into the systems Brian
    2 points
  15. Jonny, I thought I would chime in as well. I am glad to hear of the new hands-on leadership at Mooney and certainly wish you and your team the best. Mooney has always been a great airplane with a loyal following of owners who understand its design strengths. My airplane is the first plane I have owned. With the encouragement of Russell Stallings and my hands-on attitude, I bought a 1968 F model that had been stored in a Dallas hangar for 26 years, in pieces. I bought it as a project airplane and did some homework about the company beforehand. A crucial part of my decision to go forward with the project was that several airplane vendors and mechanics told me that Mooney has always supported its older aircraft with parts and service. When I was in the throws of the project, I could always count on reaching out to Bill Wheat for answers. I stripped the F model down to a bare hull, reskinned much of the airplane, updated its structure and proceeded to make the airframe to be as close to a modern Mooney as an F model could be. with multiple mods and 337's. It was an award winner at Oshkosh 2 years running with a Lindy Award in 2019. I know my airplane, literally inside and out and appreciate the value in the design. The project was completed with a DER, DAR, two IA's and several A&P's, one was a sheet metal specialist from Gulfstream. It only shows its F model heritage by its Johnson Bar and hydraulic flaps. The and upgraded Vintage Mooneys have an efficiency and simplicity that lends themselves well to become a satisfying forever plane. I have attached some pics of my bird. My perspective as an owner is somewhat different given my history of rebuilding the F. If I can be of any assistance to you or the factory feel free to contact me. John Breda
    2 points
  16. We’re all pulling for you, and what I’m calling “The Dream Team” to find continued success for our beloved Mooney brand. Thank you, and others for your true passion for this amazing project ahead!! Go Mooney !!!
    2 points
  17. Here is the landing when we arrived in Rio, as edited by my son Curtis...he is much more technological than I am... (I can work the G1000 at least!)
    1 point
  18. We have been talking about two completely different things, so let's make sure we are not talking about apples and oranges. LPV - localizer performance with vertical guidance. FAA TERPS standards used for vertical guidance. LNAV/VNAV - an approach with vertical guidance using FAA TERPS standards. It was originally designed for airlines with Baro-VNAV equipment but our WAAS boxes are designed to be capable of flying them without the old airline equipment. LNAV+V - From the FAA standpoint a pure lateral GPS approach. The +V only means a GPS manufacturer added a glidepath usually based on the standard 3° stabilized approach. Use at your own option and your own risk. No one flight tested it for obstacles.
    1 point
  19. That's an interesting observation. I suppose for comparison my vacuum pump is weighed at 5.68 lbs which would leave around 20lbs for panels and lines. Assuming of course the pumps TKS and vacuum pumps are of similar weight which could be completely wrong, but just for discussion. The electric propeller heater is not included in the TKS weight. I have not held an uninstalled TKS leading edge in my hand and it does seem amazing that they could all be that light but It may be possible.
    1 point
  20. Also, you will need to load your terrain data onto the 510 as card....and to do it you will need a USB powered card reader. The 510 needs power to do its thing...laptop computer card readers aren’t powered. If you don’t do this...no terrain on the GTN.
    1 point
  21. I would suggest just flying more and see whether not having O2 restricts you very much. You may be fine without it or only need it once in a while. Part of this is how you personally react to altitude and the sort of flying you wind up doing. Nobody is the same in either sensitivity to altitude or what sort of flying they wind up doing, so only you can accurately sort out what you might really need or not need, and that will help decide what sort of equipment would be best for you. I have two different portable systems, one is simpler and only supports one person, the other is a little more complicated but can support two people. On the rare occasions where I think I might need one, I'll bring it along, but that's not very often.
    1 point
  22. Yes. I replaced all of mine back in May when I revamped my annunciation panel template. For the price, I simply replaced all of them, given the backs of some were “yellowing” a bit, showing age. https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/aml11-12419.php Steve
    1 point
  23. I always shutdown my C by pulling the mixture, and after the RPM rise I also pull the throttle. Restarting is simple-- Master On Mixture Rich Pump throttle one time Advance throttle 1/2" (~1 cm) Turn ignition key and push It will take about twice as long as a cold start, maybe 4-5 seconds to catch. Then set for 1000 RPM and lean the mixture about 2/3 towards Cut Off. If I've only shutdown a few minutes, like for refueling, I don't pump the throttle any. If it's sat while I ate, then I pump it one time.
    1 point
  24. You might file it as a "P" just for ATC purposes, but looks like N634MC is an Ovation (R Model) for the purpose of knowing what it is on Mooneyspace. It looks like it's based in Germany. (https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N634MC) Nice airplane with TKS. I agree with @Bentonck it needs to go to a Garmin dealer. I definitely wouldn't engage the autopilot again until it is serviced.
    1 point
  25. I stopped wearing a watch for infection control at work when covid trolled us. For those needing just a pulse ox - I just saw Massimo is selling for personal / home use presumably the same sensor we have in the hospitals. Pretty much every hospital uses massimo sensors. https://www.masimopersonalhealth.com/products/masimo-sleep?variant=32124763570238&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-sLbla6s7AIVT8DICh03PwBREAQYASABEgKbNPD_BwE
    1 point
  26. Your small batteries perform better when replaced together because you use both of them together. Your Mooney only uses one battery at a time, right? Select Battery #1 for this flight, then use Battery #2 for the next flight. Where's the need to replace them at the same time? P.S.--"my" Mooney only has one battery . . . .
    1 point
  27. Great advice, thank you. I will start with this list and what @Ragsf15e has recommended. I obviously am willing to learn and want to learn to do some more troubleshooting myself, but I know my limitations mechanically. Appreciate your help gentleman, I will report back what I find ... thanks.
    1 point
  28. Actually I just flew it three weeks ago from Phoenix, AZ to Michigan and Ohio and returned - the plane performed tremendously. I try not to let it go more than two weeks flying, so rarely does it go three weeks just sitting. My wife and I were traveling in big sky country, at Glacier National Park for a couple weeks to celebrate 30 years of marriage. So it normally flies regularly.
    1 point
  29. With respect, I think you’d be very surprised what you’re missing. Mild hypoxia creeps up, there really aren’t telltale symptoms at those altitudes but mental and visual acuity are definitely reduced. Additionally, fatigue is noticeably less with oxygen. If you don’t believe me, try a simple $30 oxymeter while you’re cruising at 10,000’ and see what your pulse/ox is. I suspect it’ll be 90% +\-. Not terrible, but worth O2 when available.
    1 point
  30. +1 for the capacity check at annual being the good guidance.... or any time there is a question about battery life, no need to wait... The Long bodies have a pretty complex system of charging one battery at a full rate, while trickle charging the other battery at a float rate... So... both batteries are not quite equal, and could be off from each other after a heavy start load... My gill batteries got swapped every other year... one battery per year... they even had a nice Gill battery charger to try and save them... When it comes to dissimilar batteries... I am still concerned enough... that I tossed both Gills to get a pair of Concordes... Beyond that... The system to handle two dissimilar batteries is pretty good... It probably uses a couple of those one way electron valves... (Diodes)... to keep the electricity flowing the right direction... This is all in the electrical diagrams for the Long bodies.... the Rocket, would need to have a similar Wheatstone bridge looking device in its electrical drawings... Something needs to be there to keep one bad battery from completely draining the other... leading to possible over heating and acid leaks... Comfortable with... same battery brand same battery type various ages or capacity/strengths batteries Less comfortable with... mixing battery types mixing battery brands having a dead battery connected to the system, to maintain WnB... (disconnect it electrically) The system relies on many things working properly... Oddly, the BatteryMinders of the world are complex and use some computer like logic to run the various charging and desulfating activities... I don’t think our voltage regulators are as smart... (they might be, I would have to look closer....) PP thoughts only based on fuzzy memories of the past... Best regards, -a-
    1 point
  31. This is the question I have........why do some have it, and others don’t. As I stated previously, on the 3 Mooneys we sampled, all have the rib/riveted plate configuration inside the wing, yet not all have the buldged skin formation at the joint at the leading on the seam. The buldge is only at this one location per wing. All this was brought to my attention by our local well respected FBO. They have an F model in for inspection and noticed this and called me for my opinion. The J model in their shop does not have the buldge. The F in question does, along with my old D/C model. I don’t believe my Ovation had such. Over the years, this shop (same chief mechanic)has inspected many a variety of Mooney....... this being the first time the buldge was noticed. I’m super curious and I’m now intent on discovering further. I may enquire via Stacy Ellis at factory....... let’s see !
    1 point
  32. We probably shouldn’t rely on batteries getting slow to turnover the engine as our guide for replacement. Maybe that’s fine in our car (and what I do), but the battery in my airplane is a huge safety factor when I’m IFR. Just because it can start the airplane, doesn’t mean I’ll get my 30 minutes (minimum) if the alternator dies. In my opinion, it’s $~300 well spent to change that thing out as soon as it hits the limit on the standard capacity check which should be done each annual. Especially critical if you use a battery minder (as i do) because it will still crank fine but could have limited total capacity. Not that 30 minutes of battery life is gonna be perfect if you’re ifr, but at least it will allow “graceful degradation” for your nav, comm, transponder, etc.
    1 point
  33. KCRQ was ok, the rest are wrong. KBOW, KFPR both OK for me as well.
    1 point
  34. How dare anyone say the Mooney is small. I’m 9ft 13 and fit in my airplane just fine. If you don’t fit you must be doing something wrong.
    1 point
  35. Steve, Yours looks fantastic - job well done. The good folks at IA didn't even charge me for a new screen on mine, they installed a new face when I sent it to them for repairs of ~$400 when an avionics installer installed the plug on backwards and fried about 8 diodes in the unit. They saw how bad the original screen looked and sent it back with a new one. They may not be willing to be just sell parts though, but my entire repair was only a 1/3 of what you heard.
    1 point
  36. Appreciate that. They're expensive and there is a minimum order so the more orders, the less we're out of pocket in advance. We ordered at least 20 so they should be out there soon.
    1 point
  37. In a crosswind the nose wheel will be turned in the direction of rudder pressure. If you set the plane down with the rudder turned, the plane could start going in that direction.
    1 point
  38. Thank you for taking on the mission Jonny. I am sure each day you shake your head as you find out new "gotchas" I've been in your shoes trying to resurrect an FBO and just when you think you can come up for air, someone pushes you back down. I would like to bring up a dire issue that is grounding Mooney's and almost grounded mine. That is the "No back spring" kit. M20-282. I think I bought the last kit in America last month and I called just about every MSC to find one, only to find no stock. As luck would have it, I found one at Cole Aviation just an hour drive away. I know talking to Lasar they have 15 on back order and other's do as well. Without these kits, we cannot fly. The only choice is to find a used actuator starting at about 8000 dollars vs 1000 for the kit. There are many parts owners can reproduce, but this is not one them. Any idea when relief will come?
    1 point
  39. I had real high hopes for this aircraft even though I have no skin in the game. But after watching all of his flights, I don't think he is a capable enough test pilot or engineer for this. THIS WAS SCARY TO WATCH! The lack of stability is crazy. I wonder if a longer fuselage would help. And what are they doing to counter the engine torque? I haven't heard of anything, but I haven't watched every video. Damn I wish they would get this right.
    1 point
  40. You can buy my IO360 roller case and you can get it that way to. But there is long-term data on DLC lifters, they’ve been out in service now for a few years, and really nobody’s reporting failures at all. Quite remarkable
    1 point
  41. I think that Theo needs to raise his budget by about $100K if he wants to find the perfect airplane. Or, spend the 40K on a 50 year old Mooney that has good solid bones and plan on some progressive maintenance and on going expense. To me it was always a labor of love. Frank
    1 point
  42. The mfd requires the external backup battery to remove the ASI and altimeter. The Max pfd/mfd with battery backup is required to remove the AI. Another option is an esi500 which will work with a pfd or pfd Max to be able to remove the backup instruments. Until a month ago the Sandia 340 could also be field approved to replace the backup instruments...now it has demoted to paperweight status.
    1 point
  43. Aspen 2000MAX with the backup external battery lets you eliminate all backup instruments (and potentially your entire vacuum system).
    1 point
  44. Most of the LSA aircraft I have researched are manufactured overseas and final assembly of the modules are performed here in a couple of days by relatively small companies/dealers. All the major manufacturing facilities, engineering and labor are cheaper offshore. I suspect product liability and legal expenses are all but eliminated by offshoring. Any remaining liability is borne by the small business performing the final assembly. It would be difficult if not impossible for an established manufacturer to compete on that level and still make a profit. Cessna and Piper both tried and failed. They have deep pockets and everyone knows it. I believe a large percentage of the cost of every new airplane is product liability or legal expenses which a US manufacturer can not escape.
    1 point
  45. @carusoam @Hyett6420Thank you so much for your help, I've contacted Aeroskill and waiting for the verdict.
    1 point
  46. Ticwatch pro 2020. $245 on Amazon, runs pure Google OS so you can find tons of watch faces including this one you can customize That just looks cool. I mostly use the thing to count steps, but it does do heart rate, sleep, other fitness, music, messages, Google pay, and the other usual stuff. This kept me from spending $1200 on a D2 Delta though...
    1 point
  47. Lucky man... I’m still in the spaghetti-phase
    1 point
  48. I use a simpler blow job procedure: 1. Defuel the tank completely through the drain valve. Replace valve after empty tank 2. Set fuel selector to the opposite tank. 3. Attach a hose to the vent. Seal the coaxial tubing for models M20J and before. 4. Secure fuel cap. 5. Spray foamy soap cleaner like SD-20 around the suspected area next to the tank structure. 6. Blow by mouth only into the vent hose. This avoids skin stressing since your lungs will break before too much pressure. 7. Watch for bubbles in the suspected area. Total tank integrity can be check by bending the hose with air pressure in the tank and after half hour checking for air pressure still in the tank. Using an altimeter pressure to -1000ft. Because of the warm air coming from your lungs the pressure will drop initially about 200ft and then stabilize. I have seen tanks holding pressure for over two hours. Once you have located the suspected area open the tank cover next to the leak. For pinpoint location on the inside blow compressor air inside the tank into the suspected area with an air nozzle until bubbles are seen outside. The above is also useful to check for fuel cap leaks on the O-ring and on the adapter. I would not vacuum the tank since it can pull sealant from the structure. José
    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.