Bob - S50

My answer would be.... VFR... use it as much as you like and go direct to anywhere you want. IFR... use it for situation awareness only. File VOR to VOR. The best I could suggest is that if the GPS says a heading of 097 would take you direct to XXX VOR (beyond the service volume range) then ask ATC if you could fly a heading of 097 until receiving XXX VOR and then proceed direct. Of course, the GPS will not allow for wind drift so you will need to apply that before asking for the heading. If they ask where you came up with that heading, tell them its an educated guess. Fly the ... assigned... heading. When it looks like it is off by about 5 degrees, ask ATC how the heading looks. Bob

Good to know. Thanks. Bob

Is this something new? If so, probably not the rigging. If not, probably is. Don't forget the rudder. If everything else looks good, check the rudder. There is no rudder trim but if I remember right there is a small tab on the rudder that your A&P can adjust (read bend) to cause the rudder to display just a little. From what I understand it is trial and error. Bend it, fly it. If still out of trim repeat until happy. Good luck, Bob

Our group is treating it sort of like a car.... Never buy the first year of a new model. Let others work out the bugs then buy. Or like most other electronics.... The prices always seem to go down while the capabilities increase. Besides we are cheap ..er, I meant thrifty, Mooney pilots !! Let us know what you end up doing. Bob

It is a Mode S and 1090 ADS-B capable transponder. http://trig-avionics.com/tt22.html Lots of tough choices. Good luck. Bob

Is there a difference in front seat leg room between the C/E vs the F/J? I think most of the difference is in the back seat leg room. Bob

I like all the info given above. Just a few comments. When considering an airplane, regardless of make or model, be sure to ask about the useful load. FIKI is nice but it adds weight. Speedbrakes are nice but they add weight. Extended range tanks are nice but they add weight, especially when full of fuel. Anything you do that reduces useful load will limit either how much weight you can haul or how far you can haul it. There are lots of things that are nice to have that all add weight to the airplane and reduce the useful load. Consider what you want to be able to do. Never more than 3 people? Sometimes 4 people? Longest time airborne? (my wife and I have agreed to rarely exceed 3 hours). Crossing mountains? Cross the mountains around Seattle in the winter? They will all impact the type of flying you will need to do and how much useful load you'll need. In my 'J', with a useful load of 960 lbs, 240 lbs of fuel will let me fly 3 hours with reserves which leaves me 720 lbs for people and bags. That's 3 typical adults and full bags or 4 smaller people with some bags. If I need to carry more than that it starts limiting how much I can haul. If I want to load up my wife, her brother, and his wife, and no bags; I can only put on enough fuel to fly about 250 miles. It all depends on how you plan to use the plane. Bob

Another option if you just like spending money.... Not sure if we can install the Trig TT22, but if we can, it is a small, light weight, ADS-B capable transponder with a built in altitude encoder. Something to consider anyway. Bob

For me personally it depends. If I'm flying a relatively long leg I use the LOP function. However, after I think I have it set I was maybe 15 seconds because invariably it changes. I try to get all cylinders at least 10F LOP. To do that, my leanest cylinder is usually about 40 LOP. However, if it is running a bit rough I'll richen just a bit. If I'm just flying a local short flight or only leveling off temporarily, I just watch one of the EGT's. I'll watch it rise and when I see it start to fall I'll stop. Close enough for such a short period of time. Of course, in all cases I watch the CHT's and if they start to get close to 400F I'll lean a bit more or reduce power and lean again. Bob

I agree with what has been said but I look at it this way. Regardless of the altitude, if you are LOP, then HP is directly related to fuel burn. 8.7 GPH LOP is 65% regardless of altitude. Level off, set your throttle (full forward at higher cruise altitudes) and RPM then lean to LOP. If the FF is below 8.7 you are getting less than 65%. You can either increase throttle (if available) or RPM (if available) then lean again. An increase of 100 RPM but the same number of degrees LOP should make a difference of about 4% power or about 0.4 GPH. If you set your power and lean but you find the FF higher than the target you want (8.7 for 65%) you can either lean more or reduce MP/RPM and lean again. Just yesterday I found I could get 65% at 2400 RPM at 9500' but at 10500' on the way home I needed to use 2500 RPM. Have fun, Bob

I think they do that because some planes fly LNAV, VNAV without a GPS. The 757 and 767 I fly for example. Most but not all have a GPS but the plane isn't actually using the GPS for navigation. All it is doing is keeping the Inertial system updated on actual position. Those without a GPS use DME/DME updating of position. The LNAV, VNAV, and RNP approachs are flown based on position provided by the inertial system to the flight management computer. So in my 757/767 I can fly LNAV, VNAV and RNP but not LPV approaches. In my Mooney I can fly LNAV, VNAV and LPV approaches but not RNP approaches. Bob

It depends. I don't think there is one way to do it right. In the military I ...never... flew into an uncontrolled airport so I never had to worry about unannounced traffic. In the T37 pattern altitude was 1000' and the plane flew just like the Cessna it was. No buffet, just make the turn, make small adjustments early, accept the overshoot if you screw up and go around if it is too bad to salvage. The T38 (during training in ATC) pattern altitude was 1500' and because the wing was different you flew a minor buffet all the way around the turn. The AT38, F106 and F15 pattern altitude was 2000'. All those planes were one continuous 180 turn from downwind to final. No rollout on base. With a crosswind blowing you away from the runway you used less bank. With the wind blowing you into the runway you flew a bit wider and used a bit more bank. The goal was to complete the turn one mile from the runway at 300'. In all cases you looked for a 'picture'. If you looked high you lowered the nose a bit to adjust and pulled the power a bit to control the airspeed. Just the opposite if you were low. If you needed to increase the bank and G's you also added power to compensate for the higher drag. As for getting to downwind it was either a 60 degree bank pitchout from initial over the numbers or a closed pattern. There were many techniques for the closed. I preferred to pitch the nose up, then bank for the turn and adjust the bank angle and G's to get my desired pattern width. I still fly the Mooney the way I flew the fighters. I look out the window at the runway. If I look high I lower the nose and pull the power to keep from getting fast. If I am a bit fast but the picture looks right I just pull power to slow down and use pitch to keep the picture looking right. If I end up on final one or two miles out I'm happy. If I overshoot I overshoot. Better luck next time. Enjoy your Mooney. There are many ways to fly it. Learn the one that works for you. If you are uncomfortable with something after trying it for awhile, find another (safe) way to do it. If your instructor can't show you another way, find another instructor. Bob

I would just be guessing, but I don't think it has anything to do with WAAS. My guess would be that the approach at STS has a stepdown fix at ZASBU before you get to the MAP so no vertical guidance is provided. However, there is no stepdown fix between the FAF and MAP at DVO so it provided the artificial GS. Again, just a guess. I don't have a 530 in my plane so I don't have a manual to look it up. Bob

I think I read from either John Deakins or Mike Busch that a plane with a sticky exhaust valve may develop 'morning sickness'. That is, it runs a little rough when it first starts until it warms up then runs fine. This is usually caused by a sticky exhaust valve which you say you may have. We had that too. We had an A&P ream the guides. That involves removing the valve and letting it sit in the cylinder while they ream the guide to remove all deposits, then put the valve back in. Takes a couple hours. It wasn't too expensive. If the morning sickness is not cured it can result in bigger problems as mentioned by carusoam. The article I read attributed the problem to carbon deposits from running excessively rich, especially at low power settings (during ground ops for example). Under those conditions, unburned hydro-carbons get deposited on the valve stem as they exit the cylinder. When the valve closes, it takes those deposits up into the valve guide and some of them get deposited there. After enough time they become a significant deposit. When the engine is cold the deposits make the valve stick. As the engine warms everything expands allowing more room and less sticking. Their solution is to brutally lean on the ground. Lean until you see a rise in the RPM and it just starts to drop again. For our plane that turns out to be about 1.8 - 2.0 GPH. If you lean it enough, you may not be able to advance the power to taxi or perform your runnup without enriching the mixture. Whatever you do, be sure to go full rich before takeoff. My way of doing that is to use 1, 2, 3, 4 before I take the runway: 1 on the floor (proper fuel tank selected), 2 on the pedestal (trim and flaps set), 3 at the power quadrant (mixture full rich, prop full forward, cowl flaps open), and 4 sets of switches (lights, pitot heat, boost pump, elevator trim; as required). Good luck, Bob

Sounds like your auto trim function is not working. Try performing the pre-flight test procedure from the book: "With no modes engaged, depress the Preflight Test button on the Mode Controller. All modes will be annunciated on the Annunciator Panel, including Marker lights, and the red Autotrim light will flash. At least four flashes are needed to indicate proper Autotrim monitor operation. The pilot first engages the Flight Director, either by depressing the FD button or Pitch Sync (CWS) button. This will synchronize the Command Bars with the existing aircraft pitch and command wings level. Next, engage the Autopilot and apply force to the controls to determine if the Autopilot can be overpowered. NOTE: The Autopilot will not engage when the Flight Director is not operating. To confirm proper operation of all servos (except Yaw Damper), synchronize the Flight Director for wings level. Command nose up with FD Vertical Trim control. After 3 seconds you should observe the elevator trim wheel turning in the direction commanded. Re-synchronize the FD for wings level by using the CWS button, then command nose down with FD Vertical Trim control. After 3 seconds you should again observe the elevator trim wheel turning in the direction commanded. Re-sync the FD. Now set the heading bug under the lubber line on your PNI and engage HDG SEL mode. Move the heading bug to the right and to the left and observe if the controls operate as commanded. Disengage the AP and check aircraft manual pitch trim. Set trim to takeoff position. This concludes the preflight test." The selections in bold are by me. I do not know how much it costs to be repaired but I'll bet Autopilot Central can tell you. Bob

We had to have our Dukes repaired (the impeller split into 4 pieces). We sent it to Aeromotors LLC in Wisconsin. They only had it for 2 days before it was back in the mail to us. If I remember right, it was about $600 or so. Here is their website: http://www.aeromotorsllc.com/aeromotorsllc/ Good luck, Bob

Dang! You've tried just about everything! Another idea came to mind. I know you said you changed the engine driven fuel pump. Is it possible there is something wrong with the drive mechanism for that pump? I'm not sure how the engine turns the pump, but I assume it is gear or cam driven. Is it possible that the engine gears/cam are worn or damaged allowing slop and inconsistent pressure? You said the FF hangup occurs right around peak EGT. Is that true regardless of power setting (55%, 65%, 75%) or does it occur around the same FF (i.e. 9.5 GPH) regardless of power setting? Are there any sharp bends in the fuel line between the boost pump and the engine pump that could be causing cavitation? Or is it possible the flexible fuel line has a partial collapse inside that is causing a restriction that in turn causes some cavitation? Might be time to call Mike Busch and Savvy Aviation. Good luck, Bob

Thanks. I have nothing against non-towered airports. I'm based at one. I don't mind going there at all when I'm VFR/VMC. However, when I'm just practicing approaches I'm less likely to have to break off the approach (affecting my training) at a towered airport. Not a problem when IFR/IMC because there shouldn't be any local traffic at the non-towered airport. If I'm going to a non-towered airport as a destination I'll be flying the approach to get through the weather. If I break out VMC high enough that there is local traffic I have no problem cancelling IFR and merging in with the local traffic. Interesting idea about diverting. I've had to do that in the real world several times. When I'm choosing an alternate I look at what approaches are available so I'm already somewhat familiar with the approaches but obviously don't have them down in detail. When I was going through pilot training and we had some slack time, one of my classmates (a future astronaut) and I would go grab some time in the old 'Link' trainer. Whoever was sitting in the instructor seat would look through the approach plates, find the most difficult one he could find, position the Link 10 miles from the IAF, hand the approach to the other guy, turn on the motion, and tell them they were cleared for the approach. Good training. Bob

I might do that. I prefer to do both approaches at the same airport for efficiency but I guess I could fly the first one to a missed at GRF or TCM then go to OLM or TIW for the landing. Could also go to NUW then go to PAE. Thanks for the suggestion. Bob

Have you checked the mixture control connections for looseness? I was wondering if engine vibrations could be causing the mixture input to the servo to move causing a fuel flow fluctuation. Bob

Here is my summary of what has been said, what I've read in part 61 and ignoring simulators (which is an option): 1. In the last 6 months do a minimum of 6 approaches, practice intercepting and tracking courses (which I say you are doing if you are flying legs of an appoach), and holding. 2. If you do not meet this requirement, go out under the hood with a safety observer in VMC and get what you are lacking. 3. If you are non-current for 6 months, you have to get an IPC. My plan: Get ... 2 ... approaches every month. That way if I miss a month or two I'll still meet the requirements. I fly the first one to a missed approach and one turn in holding, then fly the second approach to a full stop. Two approaches, tracking, and holding. I prefer to do them at towered airports. For my area that means OLM, TIW, BFI, RNT, BLI and PAE. I'm not planning on landing at a military field or at SEA. I try to go to a different airport every month until I rotate through the list. I try to do one ILS and one RNAV. Bob

I'm assuming your plane has not always done this. That being the case, did you change anything just before the problems started? New plugs? Magnetor work? New alternator? New xxx? Adjusted xxx? In the safety world, when there is an accident, the first thing we looked at was the last maintenance performed. Bob

Don, Depending on my partners, I'm thinking we will wait until about 2017 to upgrade unless the current transponder gives up the ghost before then. My current choice is: Trig TT22. Small remote unit. The control head fits in a very small space which gives lots of options for placement. It costs about $2600, is very light weight, and includes an altitude encoder built in. That means I can free up panel space and save weight at the same time (TT22 in, KT76A and encoder out). For ADS-B in, I've already bought the Garmin GDL 39-3D. Once we install the 'out' portion I'll have NOTAMS, WX, and traffic on my tablet (Garmin Pilot) and a backup (although not certified) attitude indicator. Bob

I'm not a mechanic. First, if you are able to operate LOP you don't really need to do a GAMI test because you probably don't need GAMI injectors and you can save the money. Second, it could be an indicator problem or an actual problem. Since you seem to have both pressure and flow fluctuations, assuming you are using two different transducers for the measurements, I would assume it is an actual problem. If it was one transducer I might lean more toward an indication problem. Since you've changed the fuel pump that most likely rules that out. You said using the boost pump you get a steady fuel pressure. If I remember right the transducer sits between the boost pump and the fuel pump. The boost pump would most likely pressurize the line to the transducer and thus give you the steady indication. That being the case, I would look for a leak prior to the fuel pump. Do you have any fuel leaks between the transducer and the injectors? I would think an air leak prior to the fuel pump (line, selector valve, gascolator) could cause the fluctuations. A leak after the fuel pump should also result in a fuel leak. If there is not leak between the fuel pump and the injectors I would turn on the boost pump (on the ground engine off) and look for leaks prior to the fuel pump. If none are found I would look for leaks between the tank and the boost pump. I would also think an obstruction could cause the problem. You might try checking the filters on the gascolator and the fuel servo. Could also be something inside the servo causing it to meter unevenly. As a pilot, that's all I can think of. Bob

Just so you'll know, that file was based on the POH of a '78 J. It will probably be pretty close for any other J that uses the IO360. Anything other than the J though would be totally wrong. Bob