gsxrpilot

I'll disagree with you. Carb heat is rarely if ever needed in a C. Use carb heat if you suspect ice in the carb because of engine roughness and the conditions are right. Other than that, I'd only check it during run-up to verify proper operation.

I agree with both @Hyett6420 and @Marauder, but I much prefer to do the flight myself. Of course, I have quite a few hours in the plane and would rather be the one flying to make sure everything is right. I'm planning just such a flight in the next month or so when my plane is back from major work. I intend first to take it up solo and just fly it around the pattern to make sure it will fly. Then on a second flight, I'll take a pilot friend along to ride right seat and fly, while I test all the new avionics and electronics. I want to be able to be head down in the UserGuides, instructions, etc. if I need to while figuring out all the new stuff. And thus the need for a right seater.

I believe they do... but I haven't done as much research as I wasn't going to go G500.

The only east coast clinic scheduled between now and OSH is in Lynchburg, VA weekend of June 23-25. http://www.mooneycaravan.com/training You can also reach out to the Bonanza group B2OSH. https://www.b2osh.org/Web/B2OSH/Pages/Training/TrainingRegional.asp. They welcome us Mooneys flying with them and their training is also qualifying for the Mooney Caravan.

No, it will not. I have the KFC 150 and looked into this in detail.

The idea that a Mooney cockpit is cramped is a bit of an undeserved reputation. The cockpit is actually wider than all the Cessna's including the 210. It's also wider than the Bonanza's and most of the Pipers. But unlike those other planes, there is little room above your head and no room under your seat. Of course while seated and wearing a seat belt, the human body doesn't actually have much use for either of those spaces. Width is what you need and the Mooney has more than the others. Come down to Texas. There are lot's of Mooneys around and it's easy to get a ride in a few different models.

Lots of IMC in the few years I flew a C. Never once used carb heat. The C just doesn't seem to be all the susceptible to carb icing. I'm sure it can happen, but it's pretty unusual. Might have something to do with the position of the carb on the Lycoming engine as well as the tight cowling of the Mooneys.

I must say I'm very happy to see you with another Mooney! And a J no less. That's awesome. Your daughter is beautiful. When we saw you in Omaha last year, she hadn't been born yet. Congratulations all the way around.

My experience has been that shopping in out in the open is useful and valuable as you get lots of feedback and are less likely to overlook or miss issues with specific planes, and you'll likely find a better one. BUT... you gotta have all your ducks in a row and be ready to pull the trigger BEFORE you go shopping. You need to at least be able to throw down a 10% deposit in cash on a moments notice... or you're not a serious shopper. I believe I already own my forever plane right now... but just so you all know... if I'm ever in the market again... and come to look at your plane, I will have cash in my pocket... you've been warned

The Aspen with the APS4 altitude hold, is probably not nearly as good as what you have now. As far as I know, and I did a fair amount of research into it, there is no vertical speed option or control. You would manually establish and maintain a climb, the APS4 will just activate the altitude hold function when you reach your target altitude. And it works the same on the decent. I have the KFC150, which isn't supported anyway, but even so, I'll be keeping my Altitude pre-select component with my KFC150. It gives me the ability to select both vertical speed and a target altitude.

It went in the shop Dec. 13.

I actually stayed with the same color as well. The off-white is the original color. I'm trying to push the tank guy as well to get my fuel tank sealed. I don't know which process is taking the longest or will be holding up the process the most. But it's frustrating that it's all taking so long.

This is the panel @"Chocks" has laid out, cut, prep'd, and painted for my 252. Tomorrow the labels get laser etched into the panel and then into the plane.

@231LV The Stratus 2's are easy to pick up on the used market. I'll have on for sale as soon as my plane is out of the shop.

We often fly from Austin to Sioux Falls on our way to Oshkosh every summer. I don't believe I'm ever out of easy gliding rang from a suitable landing area, that entire 822 nautical miles.

Yes, they do have the data. It's from several engines, both Lycoming and Continental, turbo and NA, both in airplanes for longer than TBO hours and from engines running on the test stand for thousands of hours. But you'll have to take their class to get all the information and details. Everyone's gotta make a living.

Talk to @"Chocks", he's got the CAD and is regularly turning out panels.

Isn't that what GAMI's done already? That's the whole point, we're past theoretical here. The data is in.

I've got a standby vacuum system, but it's out of a 252 which is 24v.

I'm with the @Oldguy on this . I want my panel to have lots of functionality, but just enough redundancy to be legal. I don't fly a lot of "hard" IFR, (and I know it only takes once), but the times I do, I have the legal required redundancy and I'll back that up with my iPad, iPhone, ForeFlight, Stratus, etc, and ultimately the radio. I want the UL and that is just one of several reasons for my choice not to install back ups for back ups for back ups.

I took the live class, but it includes access to the online course as well. It's recommended that you go through the online course first so that you're better prepared for the live course. The online course is excellent as long as you're willing to accept their instruction as the truth. But if someone is skeptical, the live class is a chance to sit in the room as challenging questions are asked and hear the responses. It's also a chance to get see the test lab and watch while an engine is put through it's cycles while data is collected in real time. You can watch detonation happen, and what happens when in the "red box". It was all just theory to me until I attended the live class and saw it "proven" live and in person.

One of my favorites :-)

Actually not true... The GAMI guys have done their experiments both in the lab... past TPO hours on many different engines. (They happen to have the best lab in the world for these engines, as acknowledged by both Lycoming and Continental.) But they've also demonstrated this in several different airplanes with different engines, going well past TBO. Mike Busch has demonstrated his method in his one airplane, (it does have two engines though). And then has anecdotal evidence from customers of Savvy. But it's only anecdotal as the engines are instrumented beyond EGT/CHT/TIT. The GAMI guys are flying fully instrumented engines for their tests. And that includes many probes and sensors that aren't available to the rest of us. But that's how you get data. It was interesting to see their Champion and Tempest spark plugs that had been modified to accommodate a pressure sensor in the plug its self. This way they can measure Internal Cylinder Pressure in real time while flying, and over the span of an engine run from new to past TBO.

With all respect... Science is in the business of debunking theories and beliefs that have been held in error for eons. I completely agree with your point about Busch. But the guys at GAMI are in a different category. They are scientists who test, measure, and either confirm or debunk long standing theories based on real data. Mariners who had spent their entire lives at sea were absolutely sure the earth was flat until science proved them wrong. It's interesting to me that over on the Beechtalk forums, anyone disputing that LOP operations isn't settled science, is considered in the same boat as the flat-earth folks. Doing what is most comfortable for you is just that, comfortable for you, and no more. It has nothing to do with the health or harm to your engine. There's nothing wrong with doing what's comfortable, it just can't be equated to engine health.

I don't think it's bad taste at all. It's pretty rare to find a pilot not happy to talk about airplanes and flying. It's certainly worth a shot.