Ragsf15e

Likely a leak in the valve will show up dripping onto your left foot while your flying. It’s not terribly difficult to access it by Mooney standards. The actual reservoir is above that and much less accessible. I have the 201 windshield mod and they were nice enough to put a filler port through the firewall so it’s easy to fill with just the top cowling off.

They are pretty easy to check for yourself on a lazy cruise leg or sightseeing. Mine are 3 years old and indicated 4 hours last time I checked. Probably wouldn’t get that much out of them, but they definitely passed.

Ha! Found it almost as fast as Skip!

It’s les intuitive on the G5. I’ll try to look it up. Was being lazy and hoping Skip was lurking because he has all these things memorized and can provide instantaneous documentation.

There is a test continued airworthiness check in the manual. Skip posted it a little while back. I think you put it in battery mode and ensure it’s got more than 1 hour showing. Don’t quote me on that, but it’s in the G5 literarure. @PT20J

Me too! And m20doc and agl and…

That’s your time kicking in. Mostly people have still been going up, although I think you’re the second person that has posted a decline. I think the other one had a new instrument ticket or similar though.

Yeah I see what you’re saying with the original hardware. I was thinking to drop a 1/4” or whatever bolt from the top and screw on something like this. If you seatch, you could probably find something similar to the original? It wouldn’t be “approved”. But yeah, I’m reaching.

My ‘68F is definitely 49 on the nose. It’s hard to keep it there… seems to want to settle at 40, but it’s definitely supposed to be 49.

To be fair to some of the MSCs do outstanding work, have great reputations, and even take their time helping others on this site (@M20Doc @AGL Aviation). I’d take my airplane to either of those in a heartbeat. It’s just like anything else, some good, some not. Same with owners.

Those kind of craftsmen are getting harder and harder to find…

But not “glass” cleaner, right? And microfiber too. Don’t want your own cleaning to be the reason you can’t see! Novus 1 plexi is cheap on Amazon, works well. You’ll need a spray bottle. Or get plexus.

You mean when you takeoff with full tanks and less than 45 minutes fuel?

The problem with using them, even in a local area, is that they are seemingly random shapes of airspace and there’s lots of them with different altitudes in them all. It’s not like you’re in one area for a long time during cruise, but that might just be out here in the west where there’s terrain.

Yes, but try finding an enroute resource where you can use them in flight. Unless you download and map them yourself for your whole route, there isn’t anything. Needs an overlay on FF as discussed above.

Also, you (the OP) had a plan prior, knew where there was likely to be ice, and knew where to go to get lower. Nothing wrong with that.

Definitely. You can also keep those options in mind if you actually have to divert too - nothing says you actually have to go to your planned alternate. ATC doesn’t even know what your alternate is. You might have gas to get somewhere far after going missed at your destination but choose to land somewhere closer even if the weather there is not great, but because you know other planes are getting in there. You’d still need appropriate alternate fuel, but the actual divert location is up to you.

Also, good job speaking up, and good learning!

MVAs are like closely held secrets for some reason. Unless I’m in my local class c and know exactly what they are and how the controllers use them, I wouldn’t plan for them. If you want the lowest altitude, you gotta stick to published/charted routes. So in your situation, file a planned V route through the valley at say 5 or 6k. If they “help you out” and give you direct or some other routing, say “unable”, “I need to stay on Vxxx to stay below ice.” Then they know what you’re doing. Otherwise, they’re trying to help you out. V routes are surveyed for (these numbers are not exact, just example) like 5-10nm off centerline and 2000’ above mountainous terrain or 1k above flat. The MRAs on Victor routes are “always” (someone probably find one not) lower than the MEA or OROCA published in 30nm squares. I have had a similar experience where i filed between two VORs that define a victor route. I was given 9,000’. I wanted the route MEA of 7,000’. Controller says, my MVA is 9,000. I say, sorry, request new clearance on Vxxx (which I’m already on) and he says, oh, hold on… cleared Vxxx at 7,000’. There’s definitely a disconnect there and they don’t have all possible MEAs MVAs available in front of them at all times.

I prefer having the cellular even if I don’t use it just because it includes gps. Depending on your avionics, you can probably get gps Bluetooth, but maybe not in an electric failure (GTX345 gone too?). I currently use a very old mini, dedicated to the airplane. It doesn’t update to the newest foreflight though because of it’s age. It’s also wifi only, so if I have an electrical issue, gps from my GTX345 is gone and I’m down to my phone (or clock to map to ground using the ipad as a map without gps). For my work plane, the company bought me a new pro with lots of space for all the ff downloads in the northwest. It’s too big for the Mooney in my opinion, I like the mini for that. I also don’t like that they got rid of the home button and it requires a different type of charger!

The alternate is only for planning and filing purposes too, so that further complicates it as you could easily choose to land/divert somewhere else with better (or worse) weather if you decide you can’t continue to your destination. You can also “update” your planned alternate in flight, so if you realize you no longer meet fuel requirements for the original one, but weather requirements are met for something closer, you might still be able to continue. Just like @N201MKTurbo said, the only explaining you need to do is to the ntsb if you run out of fuel or to your wife if you soil yourself.

Jeez, can’t the bolt drop in from the top and screw on a knob/nut from inside the cabin in the comfort of your seat? Your new covers are awesome!

Yeah that’s the part I was talking about! You sure it’s 1/8” because mine fell out once and I eventually found it with a damn microscope. It’s a really tiny ball!

So you’re saying I shouldn’t ask to borrow my company airplane for thanksgiving?! At least I’m the normal pilot and the named pilot on the insurance…. Makes me think

Jeez that sucks. I swear mine (‘68F) has a “squeeze” mechanism in the handle that you have to pull to make it move either direction. Ill look next time.