Robert C.

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.

Thanks Clarence. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into helping others here on Mooneyspace.

Robert

thanks for input so far, pls keep it coming!

I implicitly trust my shop. They haven't tried to rip me off ever, and have a well deserved reputation for competence. The charter operation they are a part off got rid of their Barons because of the frequent cylinder cracking they experienced on those, so they have experience with the issue.

I just authorized them to take those jugs off so they could look at the cams/lifters/etc.

Robert

After a year of trouble free flying I was expecting an uneventful Annual. Engine readouts of EGT and CHTs and oil pressure have been normal all year. 13 year old IO550  with 1300 (TIS) hrs. How naive I am/was!

Got an email from my AP-IA this morning with 3 pictures of 3 cylinders cracked between the fuel nozzle hole and spark plug hole. I'm sure we'll be talking soon to discuss next steps. Anything in particular I should know about this failure mode? Questions to ask? Solutions I should explore with him?

Thanks in advance,

Robert

Guessing that most legacy G1000 drivers saw the SL that Frank Crawford sent out. Good news, courtesy of Garmin. Approaches we lost when v15 of their software came out and which Mooney didn't certify for the pre-Ultra models have been brought back. Flew 2 days ago and confirmed that at least in my part of the world they are again available when selecting an approach

(FYI: when the FAA introduced the words: Vertical Descent Angle not available on the charts the v14 s/w couldn't handle it and those approaches disappeared. Garmin's v15 has no issues with it)

RESOLUTION This issue is resolved in the following software versions: • G1000, Cirrus Perspective, Embraer Prodigy, G950, and G900X GDU software versions 15.00 and later 

• G2000, G3000, and G5000 GDU software versions 5.00 and later 

• GNS 400W/500W Series main software versions 5.10 and later 

• GTN 6xx/7xx Series main software versions 5.13 and later 

For products with earlier software versions than listed above, most procedures originally affected by this issue have been restored to the database beginning with Navigation Database Cycle 1912 (effective November 7, 2019). A small number of procedures will continue to be affected and excluded from databases using earlier software versions. Those excluded procedures will continue to be listed on http://fly.garmin.com. 

Congratz! and welcome to the Mooney Bin

The WAAS upgrade definitely involves a software update but I don’t know what the connection might be to the disappearance of the lean assist function.

Guess I was lucky as it never went away for me and I still have the peak markings for each cylinder and the delta from last to peak in the information box.

Sorry I can’t be more helpful.

Robert

I fly an O3 with A/C in (out of) Connecticut. The effects of the A/C are mildly noticeable while on the ground, but not a game changer. If you've sat on a hot ramp for a couple of hours enjoying lunch or an outing there is no way the A/C will get it comfortable before take off. I'd swap my A/C for FIKI in a heartbeat. Once I climb above 4000ft ( which is after 4 minutes from T/O) the point/benefit of A/C is moot as the vent gets temps down to a reasonable level and when you get to 9k it is supremely comfortable.

Good luck with the negotiations

Robert

We fly there several times each summer. Landing/parking fee is $20 but Helen is a nice gal and when you're a Mom & Pop operation....well you have to make a living somehow.

Happily endorse the recommendation of Rick's Crabby Cowboy Cafe...lobster rolls are the best we know. Oysters, clams and mussels equally fresh. They open 12 noon every day. Ice cream available as well to keep you cool on the 1/2 mile walk to the beach.

Have fun!

Robert

Yep, just had the same thing fixed. Definitely is a leak. Don Maxwell has clear instructions on his website. Think he suggested permeated as sealant. Other threads describe how to remove and put on wing walks. I’m lazy and not a particularly good diy person so had my shop do it all.

edit: look about 15 posts down. Original by skyking1 labeled Fuel Leak November 18.

On 11/15/2018 at 8:17 AM, N201MKTurbo said:

It is often one of the four screws at the end of the support brackets. They don't have quite as much sealing surface as the cover screws. You can usually do a quick fix by removing the screw, coating it with tank sealer or Permatex, and put it back in. Just be careful when taking the screw out and back in, so you don't push the nut plate down breaking the sealant between the support and the top of the tank.

sorry for the necro...but this quote may be the answer to my question!

I have a leak under the wing walk, a screw near the front...see the picture. Does this look like the "cracked nut plate" that Don Maxwell mentions on his website?

Robert

Anthony,

I'd love to do the Hudson River Corridor with the winner, but it's more than the 25 sm distance limit (per the FAA) from KDXR

Also, I discovered that a local operation charges $225 for an hour's intro flight so I think I'll mention that in the write-up and start the auction/bidding at $100 and see how many people are interested.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

Robert

5 hours ago, buddy said:

Robert have you tried this, cold start everything full forward high boost pump 3-4 seconds throttle back to 1/4 in. Open and should start on one blade. Hot start, everything full forward low boost pump10 seconds, pull throttle back and as you start cranking push the throttle in slowly and by the time you get to 3/4 throttle it should start without a problem. This always works for me.

Buddy

Thanks Buddy, I'll try that hot start procedure. Sounds like a variation on the flooding method mentioned above for the Lycoming.

Well, if you have just flown 3 hours I assume the engine is hot and the 1st hypothesis to eliminate would be vapor lock.

With my IO550 the procedure is to pull the Mixture to "cut-off/out" and the throttle to "full/in" and then run the high boost pump for 30 seconds. That clears the vapors and cools the plumbing (fuel goes back into the tank).

I then give it a 5 sec low boost prime, 2-3 twists of throttle and half the time I have normal start. The other half requires a little more fiddling with the throttle.

Not sure about the Lycoming so I'll let your fellow J drivers opine on the best hot-start method for that engine.

Robert

8 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

will it be a single fight or multiple flights?

I'm planning on doing it for the 2 highest bids, so 2 flights as part of a single event.

1 hour ago, McMooney said:

hmm, can flights like this be written off?

Since it is for a charitable organization the "out of pocket" expenses (fuel, oil) are tax deductible (assuming you have enough deductions to exceed the standard deductible ofc)

57 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

I'd double-check with an accountant who understands aircraft rental, but I'd personally feel comfortable with calculating what an hourly rental rate would be or what your hourly cost of operation is (fixed, variable, and reserve costs included), which should come out fairly close to each other.  

Sure, but my own expenses don't matter to me as all proceeds go to a good cause and I like to fly anyway

So I'm mostly curious what rates are for sightseeing flights so I ask a number that people will pay or exceed in an auction. 

31 minutes ago, KLRDMD said:

Make it an auction.

That is actually the plan. But I'd like to have a "minimum bid" that I can ask for, hence my curiosity about what sightseeing flights cost.

Kevin, I appreciate the concern.

Fortunately this is a well trodden path and CFR 91.146 is quite clear on the requirements, which I meet. AOPA also has a guide that expands a bit on the legaleze found in the CFR. (https://goo.gl/qxHu7x).

Robert

Hi Gang,

I'll be volunteering a sightseeing flight for a church fund raiser. Am thinking of about 1 hr, 2 people max per flight, within the regulatory limit of 25 miles of my home drome.

Anyone have any data/pricing on what would be a reasonable price to charge? (All money raised goes to the church ofc).

Cheers,

Robert

So, I can confess I'm one of the many who in the press of things has forgotten to raise T/O flaps when climbing out. As a matter of fact, on at least one occasion I didn't remember until I was already leveling of for cruise and accelerating past 150kts. During the panel scan I noticed the flap button in the "T/O down" position. Lump of ice in the stomach I looked over my shoulder and saw the flaps aligned with the wing. For sure, i thought I had busted something....but they came out fine on the way down. 

After the flight I checked in with my A&P who said....nah....you're fine. The newer Mooneys have a mechanism (forget his exact words) where the air pressure just pushes the flaps in/up from the T/O position when above Vfe.

I haven't had any problems with my flaps or attachment points and feel reassured that the aircraft can easily handle a distracted pilot forgetting to raise (T/O) flaps.

Robert

Thanks Dan, that is very helpful. Guess I'll be looking for a place to enter "other income" on the forms.

Thanks Anthony and Jay. Will write the IRS at the e-mail address in the article and wait for Dan to chime in