Awqward

So I checked the engine mounting yesterday and couldn't detect any cracks/breaks....but I'll let my mechanic have a good look when he returns at the end of the month...but I did note that although the spinner is a good 3/8" lower than the top cowl (see picture) there was still at least 1/2" clearance all round the backplate to the cowl (upper and lower)....so I think the failure mechanism went something like this: - The spinner was put back on at annual with a slight out of balance condition - over the next 66 hours the wobble went undetected by me but caused the backplate to crack...getting worse and worse - to the point where a large piece of backplate separated and peeled back causing the interference with the lower cowl (which was a closer fit than the top due to the slight engine droop) - the now large forces on the spinner caused the fwd bulkhead and the spinner dome and the ear support bracket on one side to crack Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks Jerry, I have PM'd you... Anthony Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi Jerry, how did you get on with the hunt for your backplate? I have the same prop/spinner and need to replace the fwd and aft bulkheads/backplate along with the dog-ears....I've been around the houses as well and got then same response from Dan at Lasar! I was quoted $4400 and 150 days just for the spinner dome.....or $385 to repair at Aero Specialist Engineering Inc....but I still need the bulkheads so would be keen to know if you ran across a source!

It's pretty good... Except at predicting really low level stuff ie fog reduced vis...probably because these effects are greatly influenced by local factors... But cloud tops and bottoms are usually pretty close..,for stratus as well as convective clouds...,the GFS is yet another gift to the world from the U.S. taxpayer! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well having a Hartzell q-tip prop on a J is relatively rare....and so are replacement spinner assemblies! 4+AMU for just the dome from the factory plus a 150day lead time....vs ca. $400 for welded repair from ASEI.....

Here in Europe we private pilots rely heavily on products derived from the US NOAA GFS data (the same source for all T-skew plots and in fact all US weather products) for IFR...one really good site that uses this data is a Spanish site: www.ogimet.com which is English or Spanish...one really useful feature is to be able to plot a cross section of your route...the screen shot is for a 4 hour flight from Montgomery Field to Las Vegas....you can see it gives cloud levels, type of clouds, freezing level (including some indication of icing) , winds, precip etc.... You can check for a trip up to 10 days in advance...although it really only starts to get reliable about 3 days out...another useful graphic is for a single airport for the next 24 hours...the second screenshot is for my home airport....(pretty crappy!)

Now ya tell me! :-)

Thanks Anthony....yes that is high on my list! I'm out of town this week and my A&P isn't back either until the 28th....but this weekend I will pull the cowls again and have really good look...the engine mounts were replaced at overhaul 134 hours ago and I'm hoping they've just been slowly bedding in... I just spoke to Dan at Lasar and he recommends a different spinner assembly...from Hartzell....with a thicker backplate that doesn't bolt directly to the ring gear....just going to check with my IA before committing but it sounds good...

So I called Hartzell and this one of the few models of prop that they didn't make the spinner for...it's a Mooney spinner from Mooney...

Fair point 888S...I have emailed an inquiry to Hartzell... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So do I go to Hartzell for the full spinner assy ($2500?) or try and scrounge around for a spinner and the fore and aft back plates? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ha....well I disprove that theory I'm afraid! [emoji2] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

23 hours since oil change....didn't notice anything, 66 hours since annual inspection...obviously nothing noted...new engine mounts (Lords) at engine OH 134 hours ago.,, Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Discovered today I have a "droopy" engine too....only I found out the expensive way! The spinner backplate had obviously been rubbing on the lower cowl for some time and finally the backplate cracked...damaging the spinner in the process... I noticed a burning smell on approach to my home airport which I thought was electrical and started shedding avionics one by one....when I put the gear down there was a sudden "puff" from the nose far too quick for my eyes/brain to register anything but disturbing nonetheless...when I landed I didn't have time to investigate but I went back today and removed the cowl to see the shocking images attached....there were bits of aluminum across the cylinders and resting at the front of the oil cooler as well as shredded fiberglass in the air filter and oil cooler....so now I am in the market for a new spinner and backplate and obviously some shimming of my engine mounts!

d Is it possible to put the factory CHT on a spark plug ring and have all four engine analyzer probes setup the same way? Otherwise you would never trust/believe #3 on your EDM

I think the standard from the factory was on the cylinder #3 exhaust header (likewise the CHT probe on #3 cylinder)...presumably because this cylinder typically runs hotter than the other three....but I'm sure most will agree that you need one on each exhaust header...ie an engine monitor...

http://www.mt-propeller.com/en/entw/stcs/mooney_5.htm

In Europe enroute charged are only applied to IFR aircraft >2000kg MTOW....but 53V is correct about landing fees being waived in the event of an unplanned emergency weather diversion....but not all airfields are signed up to that scheme and it only applies to the landing fee...not the (mandatory) handling charges or passenger charges or departure charges....so you will still get charged...eg around $150 - $200 at Edinburgh in Scotland Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The airport doesn't even have an instrument approach.... From their website: "Instrument approach: On June 15, 2012 Schoenhagen Airport was granted approval for instrument flight operations. Unfortunately, it cannot be flown yet. There is a court case against the obstacle clearance deforestation." Unfortunately this is common in Europe outside of major airline hubs very few airfields have IAPs....so some people make their own....hopefully not the case here....

All four blades sheared off at the hub....

Thanks 1MK...yes my airplane is on the N-register (by active choice) and I have an FAA pilot certificate....so I am bound by and abide by the FARs :-) I have previously accessed the outboard sender (during the annual) but not the inboard one....I will give it a go next weekend Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Does anyone have any photographs of these locations? The MM doesn't give a lot of guidance...I have an intermittent problem with my right indicator going to full which is a ground problem....

Here: http://72.10.105.106/tms/misc/MAPAMooneyManual.pdf

More or less....except that each country has different rules and regulations and language! Plus four hours notice to the Border Force when entering the UK....but apart from that! But I have noticed a lot more plastic planes in Europe (cirri, Diamond etc) than Mooneys....

And here in Scotland we love going to France for that "cheap" avgas! And save around $5 a gallon... (£2.40/litre here = $14.63/USG)....and a few weeks ago in France with a Total card it was €2.02/litre= $9.75/USG