Robert C.

Interesting proposition. Thanks for sharing! Have you checked out @donkayeDon Kaye's landing DVD? Best $25 I ever spent on flight training http://www.donkaye.com/donkaye.com/Perfect_Your_Landings.html Don shows a variety of landings (high, low, just right) using multiple camera angles/viewpoints from the ground and in the cockpit. Robert

Congratz!! And welcome to Mooney ownership.

Anyone know if you can buy just the rubber pucks for the Lord mounts (IO-550)? Don't see that on their website or Spruce's but figured it would be a lot cheaper than the $500x4 that I'm now looking at Robert

My understanding is that it isn't possible and as a result I dropped the chart subscription a few years ago.

Steven, The OP flies seems to fly a Bravo and asks about doing this on an Acclaim. He presumably regularly cruises higher than an Ovation. The 4-blade starts to shine at higher altitudes as I understand it, hence my reference to "above 10k." Not mentioned in my earlier reply are the pireps of less noise and less vibration. "turbine smooth" is the phrase often used by those that enjoy their MT prop. I had wondered about the CG shift. Thanks for reporting on that. I was assuming one would remove charlie weights to mitigate that.

If you're thinking of getting a new prop you owe it to yourself to look at the 4-blade MT prop. Saves about 30lbs in weight as I recall and will give you better take-off distance and 2-5kts faster cruise when you get above 10k.

Grant, You will have read/heard that you need to be precise when landing a Mooney or you may have "interesting/expensive" experiences. @donkaye has been modest and not pitched his qualifications as one of the most respected Mooney instructors (with @Mike_Elliott and a few others) in the country. If you go ahead and decide to buy a Bravo I recommend that the next thing you do is buy Don's "precision landings" video/DVD. Best $25 (may be more now) training aid I ever bought. Robert

Thanks Paul, that is helpful, I'll get a Sandisk card and try it again. Love the breakfast idea, but will wait till after vaccination

hmm, the 2GB cards I bought cannot be formatted to FAT 32...says they are "write-protected." (yes, i checked the little "lock notch" several times on both cards I bought). Brand is Wasmicro. Anyone else have problems getting a working SD card? Also, I use a 8GB card for my data logging and checklist files and to load the next standby Nav Data. that seems to work fine in the top card slot of the MFD. Has anyone had success using an 8GB card (Scandisk brand)? Robert

Thanks Jeff. I ran into this yesterday and hadn’t yet found the Garmin bulletin. sorry that I can’t help with the Mac question. Our laptops are Microsoft machines Robert

My S-Tec55x problem presented itself somewhat differently but may be related. a few years ago I had 2 runaway trim incidents a few months apart. I don’t recall if the trim wheel felt differently but do remember that I had my mechanic check out the trim assembly. He didn’t find anything that explained the problem and we went on to trouble shooting the 55x. Bottom line: the wearing of the brushes in the servo units had created dust that caused the problems. After the servos were repaired with new brushes the problem did not recur. hope this helps, good luck trouble shooting. Robert

Andrew, Thanks! I enjoyed the presentation you gave at the Mooney Summit a few years ago, and apologize for making you repeat it here in writing :) My shopping list is clear now. Robert

Hi gang, Getting ready to spend on life jackets for my wife and I. I know the topic has come up before, but my google-fu has deserted me. My recollection is that several people recommended "Mustang" brand (https://www.amazon.com/Mustang-Survival-M-I-T-Activation-Fluorescent/dp/B007I95ZJM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526096544&sr=8-4&keywords=mustang%2Blife%2Bjacket&th=1 ). Do i remember correctly? Other recommendations? Thanks in advance, Robert

hmmm...no that'll happen the day after, on 4/1 Robert

Mike, I sent you a PM with 2 versions attached. Robert

Nicely isolated at home found myself exploring some dark corners of the G1000 (manual) to stay entertained and tripped over this topic. Probably already known to many of you G1000 drivers....but I just (re)discovered how to import a flight plan into the G1000. Create the flight plan in Fltplan.com (or Skyvector I read somewhere); On the NavLog page press the "Garmin Button" and save to the MFD top/supplementary SD card; when in the aircraft open the G1000 flight plan menu page and just import it. Full description here: https://support.garmin.com/ms-MY/?faq=7T0ggmVWp74bMV66OE4ij7 Fly Safe everyone, avoid mid-airs with Coronas.

hmm..then again, you can get all the information also from the menu option right above it, the metars page: https://www.aviationweather.gov/metar Robert

I don't, but you could email or call the MAPA Office. I imagine that they have files of the old issues. Robert http://mooneypilots.com

If you have SVT on the G1000 you can (try to) keep the velocity vector at -3deg and simultaneously overlapping the approach end of the runway Kidding aside, I try/practice that periodically and unless you have a perfectly smooth day it's harder than it sounds.

We have done everything described above...and I still need to make sure that after landing rpm don't drop below 950-1000 or it will stall. Sitting idling I can get it to the 900-950 range as long as I reduce very slowly and carefully. I've given up, was spending too much on my A&P trying different things. Hope you have better luck Robert

What GeeBee said ^^^ I did mine about 2 years ago and paid about $31k for for the GIA63Ws and software upgrade for the S-Tec, and the GTX345R for ADS-B. As noted, the issue isn't Mooney but that Garmin has discontinued making the GIA63W GPS units. The newer models are unfortunately not backwards compatible. Also worth exploring is to check with people who understand/know this stuff whether you could get kits for Beech or Cessnas and then have a MSC use the appropriate cabling, s/w etc. for your Ovation. Of course those might be equally rare at this point. Good luck. Robert

Amen!

It was done as the result of a direct request. He'd already made up his mind (based on his past experience) that the cracks were real. Waiting to hear whether he pulled the cylinders - certainly wouldn't want to pay for that since that could have been prevented if he's done the DPI without my prompting.

Update: Dye Penetrant Inspection was done and no cracks were found....phew Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and recommendations! Robert

Thanks Anthony. I checked the EQ3 info in the MSBs. Dates don't line up, my engine is about 6 months older than the ones Continental identifies. I don't have any info on the 1st 900 hrs, other than that the previous owner started the engine with the tow bar attached. Full engine tear down and a replacement prop later she was back in the air. I put 400 or so hrs on the engine without any cylinder related issues. My AP reviewed the performance data from the G1000 (I upload to Savvy and gave him access) at every annual and neither of us ever found anomalies (other than a loose probe once. I'll be asking my AP about doing a Eddy Current or LPI check, but suspect he won't think that necessary.