Steve Dietrich

crotchiteers arise Lot's off good thoughts on redundancy couple of slight mods Alternator out for new bearing and brushes at 500-700 hours and coupler tested . Alternator needing more rpm to charge is probably diodes rather than coupling - In the event you get a low volts light inflight and not imc - pull the field breaker, reduce to absolute minimal electrical load and let the coupling cool after 10 minutes reset field breaker and it will probably work. However the coupling has been damaged and should be checked before serious IFR flight Most of the 231s came with the KFC 200 system. I found that a yoke mounted Garmin (fits between the yoke) and the vacuum attitude gyro there was very little lost from a shutdown of the rest of the instruments. The ideal would be an electric AI in place of the turn coord, with a battery backup. Also the note that if you are flying at FL250 a 30 minute backup power supply is a problem

Ray Lopresti did a lot of work on drag reduction with the 231 so unless the F has drag reduction mods it will probably be slower at the same power settings. Offsetting this the 231 is heavier with a max gross of 2,900. A 201 is generally better performing than a 231 below about 8,000. Even around LA the difference in climb from 8,000 to 14,000 becomes a significant factor in winter operations. The path of converting a 231 to 252 is technically simple but pretty expensive (Last I heard about $65K including a reman engine) plus paint and mounts . The parts are mostly Mooney stock items and everything forward of the firewall other than the alt air box prop and spinner are new. With the conversion to LED lighitng and digital avionics the load on the alternator has been substantially reduced and hopefully the too frequent coupler problems eliminated. The need for dual alternators is greatly reduced or eliminated. I believe Mod Works (no longer in business) and another Florida shop have STC's for the conversion. Many of the 231's will have aftermarket intercoolers added which is a great help. Also a modified wastegate with limited authority. The 252 has an automatic wastegate controller which only uses the turbo to the extent that it is necessary to achieve the MP

Most people would assume ( incorrectly) that a failure to register indicates some taxes were not paid....

It's important to note the different speeds based on weight (think of the rule as XX Knots - Y Knots per 200# under gross) to achieve max L/D. The glide ratio does not change substantially but the speed to achieve that glide distance changes. Also to check if it assumes reduction of rpm to minimum. As others indicated above it's useful to think in terms of NM/ 1,000 feet A few flights in a sailplane is a great investment

Few people realize how cold the ocean is off the pacific coast north of Santa Barbara, most all year. The shock is stunning and the effective time in the water is not long. Winter diving off the CA coast, even with a wet suit , is not fun. The good news is that in low swell conditions the landing is probably going to be pretty good and the plane will likely float for a while. When I flew 1EW there were two vests in the pocket by the CP knee. I'm pretty sure getting out and closing the vents, door and baggage compartment will make the plane float for a longer period.

I found giving the right seater navcom2 to play with worked well. If they were not a Mooney pilot I'll have them take the controls for a period . I have a family member who is an extraordinarily skilled and experienced pilot. The first times flying with him I felt more self induced pressure than any checkride. But , his comments were limited to identifying traffic and handing me the divert approach plate before I asked. I think there's a huge benefit in flying with someone who is a great pilot and asking them for a debrief after the flight. For other pilots whom I flew with I would generally ask them to mention anything they saw which was dangerous or damaging to the airplane in real time and hold the balance to share over a beer. It also helped me when I started taking half a minute after shutdown and wrote down what I wished I had done better on the following page of the steno pad I used for clearances frequencies, fuel . It was there to review before the next flight. I also have a friend who has flown for years as cabin crew on high level charter operations. I'm stunned at some of the stories I hear from her. I don't know what the number is for GA but the pilot who did CHILDREN OF THE MAGENTA LINE also did a class on upset training for his airline pilots. I was stunned at his comment that 62% of their hull losses resulted from loss of control accidents .

I have watched a couple of gear up landings on runways . Generally they are great landings and very short roll(slide) Gear down off field landing - if there is any chance of the airplane sliding even a bit I would leave the gear up. The thinking is that there are two things which create a very high G off field landing - hitting something very solid like the side of a concrete building and having the nosewheel tuck back and the nose dig in. You see a lot of fixed gear aircraft land on beaches and flip, aircraft folds at the firewall. I think gear up you'll slide for a bit but not as far as you think . on small country roads it may be snug between the signposts and culverts. Generally the powerlines are set back a bit further. As another writer noted the lines generally cross the highway at intersections or homes. if there is agriculture or oil they also have drops for pumps that frequently cross at the pump shack. The seaplane course I took included training around and under powerlines . Without this I might be more caviler about them and clueless as to strategy. If you are going to hit a fencepost or tree you want to focus on not hitting the cabin or the inner half of the right wing. The reason is leaving a fuel free escape route . Even a typical chain link fence pole will penetrate the tank until the plane is slowed (there are some really grim pictures from a 231 crash in long beach ca years ago . There's also some photos of a mooney which lost power under 0/0 conditions near Bakersfield and landed in a vineyard .

First step is to define your mission in terms of stage length , pax, altitude Some thoughts - It sounds like the 231 has been parked since 2014 when an annual was started. Did they find something. Also most 231's require a top overhaul prior to TBO so you might be headed for that soon. I do not recall the flyer mentioning O2. I flew a 231/252 for 35 years on large portable tanks which was a great solution for single pilot business flying. However most will want an installed system. The 231 has a lot of aerodynamic improvements over the earlier aircraft I pros for the turbo normalized installations are that it's been proven over the years. From others I think the Lyc engine is more susceptible to rust when stored However, a lot depends on if it the engine was preserved . Take a close look at the avionics vs your mission profile and the quality of the retrofit. Would strongly recommend that you talk with Tom R at Top Gun or Lasar regarding the specific airplanes. There's incredible value in the market today . ... I loved my 231 and did close to 3,000 hours in that configuration before updating to the 252/252 configuration. if you want to fly high and can afford the airplane a 252 or converted 231 is an immense leap forward. Being the crotchety old guy I think there's far too much emphasis placed on digital stuff in the airplanes. Look for a cockpit that has quality avionics appropriate to the missions you intend to fly.

There was a time when you could rent a 201 or 231 , get a brief checkout and be on your way. The classic was a 231 at Santa Monica. They rented it to someone who flew into Lindberg ( San Diego ) buildings, jets and controllers asking for more speed. The landing left a lot to be desired including a new prop and engine. A month later they rented it again to the same pilot and he repeated his performance- another engine and prop. Sadly too many i(non mooney) nstructors have students practicing landings before they are comfortable flying the airplane at approach speeds at altitude.

Late but done

ERASED MY REPLY AS I MISREAD AS TRIM JAMMED RATHER THAN INDICATOR

Full up trim was also common in the K with two heavies in the front seats, After looking very carefully at the W&B chart on my 231/252 and my typical mission profile I changed the Charlie weight to a heavier one which made handling, especially landings easier with lower stick forces . It created a situation where you could not fly the airplane with a single light pilot in front and heavy pax in the rear . As a stopgap measure before the charlie weight change I flew the airplane with a 5 gallon water jug in the baggage . Several 231's have been lost during go arounds from full flap landings . At least one was an improperly secured seat and another was a student returning from Flight Safety doing a go around. In the early years one or two were lost due to nut that would jam at max up trim. The seat has to take the forward force on the yoke and the heavy rudder force at full power and low airspeed SEAT AND SEATBACK SECURE should be a boldface item on the initial descent checklist .

This is really great stuff........... But perhaps on the way to the Digital Temple a pause to view Children of The Magenta might be in order (YouTube)

Are there AD's for the T-28 or are you thinking of the T-34

With the KING HSI flying intercepts like you describe on occasion I would just switch the mode to heading, arm the approach and then get the airplane turning towards the final with a twist of the heading bug as the course came alive I think part of the "sluggishness" is that the system wants to know that this is a real , staibilzed localizer before it turns the airplane. . It's something the pilot should be monitoring and a quick shift to CWS mode on a close in 90 degree intercept and then reengagement seems to make sense.

That's a great direction......... Don't stop thinking about the right airplane along the way. We have all had fun with the topic and learned from it . And yes there is a bit of evangelistic fever in the Mooney tent

There is a connection and probably a gasket where the exhaust enters the turbo, I would look very carefully around the turbo . It might just be white spray lubricant but exhaust leaves a dull white deposit ( lead ) anything with the turbo plumbing is critical. Also while you are in the hood check the clamps holding the checkvalves on the turbo supply and return oil lines. The integrity of the rubber on the clamps is VERY critical as the clamp will wear through the valve body in short order. I can not tell if the scat tubing is the heat system or the tubing running from the alternate air intake to the turbo side of the motor. The black on the scat tubing indicates it was rubbing on something may have been the cowl

I don't think "BOTH" works with low wings.......... Also the lateral CG is more important with the low wing so the need to balance the fuel load is greater . I don't think the engine will run very long at all (assuming it is injected and producing power )

I was stunned at the very low number of hours most of the WWII pilots had prior to going into high performance aircraft . But that's also reflected in the number of aircraft lost in the US vs actual combat losses... Also probably why the runways where they did twin training were so wide(ie Sebring)

This sounds like worrying about your kids college selection when you have not yet started dating seriously Looking back I would get your ticket, get some experience and be started on your instrument and then worry more about your missions and the right airplane. It is great to be looking and thinking but probably premature to be acting. I would also put the dogs in a rental airplane and fly them for a few hours to see how then react. My limited experience is that they will probably curl up and sleep if they are warm. As a good friend once commented - owning an airplane is like having a girlfriend who has your checkbook and a crack habit.

RPM required to generate vacuum ? If the gyro erects at fast idle I doubt a windmilling prop is going to get that low , even with the prop pulled back...... My recollection is that the MB motor windmilled around 1,700 rpm with the prop reduced which should be plenty Some aircraft (T-34A) have a detent which allows reduction of the rpm to about 700 but you can not use this range while producing power

Is it a sliding scale - based on specific factors Circling approach (add to mins) Unfamiliar field Long day Viz Night

I believe the NTSB says fuel exhaustion

You're obviously serious about your flying. In a couple of years you will probably be doing some serious flying real IFR night etc. I think it's too easy to get Garminized in the early hours of your flying. You want to be able to control the airplane, fly precisely , monitor the health of the engine and keep your head outside the cockpit and enjoy flying. Traffic alerting makes a lot of sense. If you don't learn this stuff now you never will . You should be looking at the sky and thinking about what's happening and then occasionally checking weather. A few years ago I was down at Lockheed Ft Worth . We were in the F-16 completion building where there was a row of F-16s bound for various nations. The then latest Block 60 aircraft (bound for the UAE ) were filled with digital screens and also included the big red button (Mommie) . A few aircraft down the row was an aircraft bound for Israel , horrors a panel with a bunch of round gauges a few screens and a couple holes for their special stuff that would be added in Israel Yetti's comment that the G1000 will suck your head inside is a sage observation.......

For example, to rent a SR22 its about $350/hr wet. Though I am glad you brought this up because i went and checked our flying clubs site and it seems we do have a Mooney Acclaim M20TM/G1 for rent for $300/hr wet. but you need the following: 250 hours, 25 hours high performance, and 25 hours retractable. Instrument rating required. Minimum checkout time 5 hours unless at least 20 previous hours in make/model. So there is an additional cost for a check out as well. Which is something like 10hr for $250/hr or a 3hr min with a CFI. You probably want to check on the minimum time for each of the club airplanes and also the insurance time requirements for the Mooney . As one of the prior posts noted , like sailing, you'll be a better pilot if you learn in something that has more of a stick and rudder component to it. You should not be a systems operator . The obvious answer is to fly solo in the smaller airplanes and take an instructor with you on trips so that 250 hours you are free to go. On your first 250 hours 50 hours to get your ticket 100 hours in single engine fixed gear club airplane plus some retractable- cross country flying take instructor when you need ifr Get signoff for high performance aircraft so you can log time flying right seat with others. 30 hours - glider rating , seaplane, acro , mountain flying, (these will really help your basic flying skills) 50 hours - commercial and instrument rating (some may be flying your normal trip with a high performance airplane and instructor 20 hours transition By the time you are ready for IFR the game is likely to change with garmin moving to the back seat (per some friends who know a lot more than I do about this stuff There's nothing magical about the numbers other than meeting the regs and the insurance requirements. Try to also get in some right seat flying with some really professional pilots - if you are qualified to fly the airplane you can log that part of the time you are sole manipulator . as a confirmed GOG (grouchy old guy) we do a great disservice putting newbie ifr pilots in high performance single engine aircraft and then turning them loose to fly cross country with little real world experience.