moosebreath

My UMA sensor goes to the mag also. No idea if it is compatible with yours though.

I just despised the R-1 that the previous owner installed. It looks like a cheap pinball machine. A dim low tech lcd display is a horrible replacement for a traditional tach. UMA makes a certified 2” tach with an electronic sensor for a reasonable price.

Amazing! Thanks for the most complete demonstration of how this works.

How is the steering disconnected when the nose wheel retracts? I can not find a narrative description and it is not clear, to me at least, in the parts manual drawings. Thanks.

I recently completed an IPC during which we did some partial panel work. After this I decided it was time to replace my turn coordinator with a second AI. I have a KFC 150 installed in my M20J and the main AI, a KI 256, is the only vacuum instrument in the panel. I have both an engine mounted and a backup electric vacuum pump. I simply do not like the look of most modern electronic instruments. I want my AI to be an AI not a multifunction display. Electric mechanical gyro AI are expensive and require a hole to be drilled in the panel for the erecting knob. If possible I did not want to install another mechanical gyro. I discovered the RC Allen 2610-3 which is simply an electronic AI. They are available with several different combinations of options including a rate of turn display, pitch sync, an electronic or physical slip/skid indicator, and a battery backup. The cost is approximately $2600 new depending on the options selected. Installation requires two wires, power and ground, plus the correct size breaker. I believe it was on Mooneyspace that I saw that RC Allen occasionally has reconditioned units for sale. I called them expecting to hear that none were available and instead was told "Why yes we have two! Our complete model with pitch sync, electronic slip/skid, and rate display is $1500 with a two year warranty." I purchased one immediately. Battery backups are listed as an option but I was told they were having difficulty getting the parts for them. This was not critical for my installation as I would now have an electronic AI and a mechanical gyro AI with two vacuum sources. The 2610-3 requires a one amp breaker and the existing turn coordinator had a two amp installed. The new breaker was $25 from Aircraft Spruce. Unfortunately the breaker is mounted in the middle of the breaker panel, the least accessible possible place. It was VERY tempting to cheat and simply put a one amp breaker in line behind the panel. However, I decided to have it done properly and there was significant labor involved in removing the breaker panel and swapping the breaker. It is interesting how the simplest modifications can have unexpected complications particularly instrument / avionic mods. Take a look at your breaker panel, it was not designed for easy maintenance and modification. The final cost for purchase and installation of the 2610 including the $350 I made selling the old turn coordinator on eBay was $2300. This is less than a new 2610 alone so I am quite happy. The instrument works perfectly and does nothing but provide an AI, turn rate indicator, and slip/skid ball which is what I desired. The display is a bit washed out in direct sunlight but direct sunlight is not when it is going to be most needed. From a failure analysis perspective I now felt I had a great system. The only critical single point failure was of the KI256 itself which would disable the autopilot. Two weeks later an hour into a three hour flight home in perfect weather the KI256 decided the plane was flying at 10 degree pitch up while it was straight and level. This made me sad but not nearly as much as if it had occurred in IMC with only my turn coordinator as a backup. There are a lot of posts that say at this point I have the perfect opportunity to install a GI 275 and rip out my vacuum system completely. I discovered it IS possible to make the GI275 simply act as an AI with flight director and drive the KFC 150. At retail a GI275 with autopilot option is $5215 and a KI256 adapter plate is $119. That is $5334 for parts alone. Further, I actually like my KI256 display and prefer it to the look of the GI275. In addition installation of the 275 means having the avionics folks spelunking deep into my panel and autopilot which currently works perfectly aside from the KI256 failure. Bob Bramble of Aerolab Aviation Services specializes in the repair of KFC autopilot systems. I am apparently not the only owner in the world that simply wants to fix their existing system instead of replacing it with the latest Garmin equipment. Bob replaced the rotor and bearings in my KI256 in two days for $1750 with a two year warranty. Removal of the KI256 involves disconnecting one electrical connector and two vacuum hoses then removing it from the panel. I admit we did have to cut one of the 23 year old vacuum hoses to get it out. However that is nothing compared to the complication of replacing it with a 275. The total cost of the repair including two day round trip UPS shipment and installation was $2400. The point of this post is that I now have an electronic backup AI and an overhauled KI256 for a total installed cost of $4700. This is less than the cost of a GI 275 without installation and provides an independent backup AI. I also avoided, from my perspective, the inevitable aggravation of having to troubleshoot the installation of an electronic replacement for the KI256 which I wished to keep. The KI256 will not last forever, but I will not either. The air driven gyro has a backup pump and can be overhauled twice for less than the cost of a GI 275. I admit to a strong preference for the look and function of my existing panel and also a dread born of experience of letting the avionics folks into it. I was honestly surprised however both how much less expensive it was NOT to install a GI 275 and how rapidly the work I had done could be accomplished. As a final note, Bob Bramble has repaired a bazillion KI256 and states that it is almost never required to align a repaired one on the bench to the KC192 computer. He also stated that bench alignment normally is required if the KI256 is used in the older KFC200 system. This might explain the diversity of experience with replacement KI256 found when you search for posts on the subject.

Streaking on one blade and a light oil mist on the wind screen.

I am submitting a current data point on the price of a prop reseal. I have a 1996 M20J with a two blade McCauley Prop model B2D34C214-B. The prop is 17 years old since new and has 825 hours time in service. (It was replaced after a nose truss failure 17 years ago.) It recently began to sling oil from one blade hub. There are a lot of divergent opinions on this subject in other posts. The McCauley manual states that if the leak can not be stopped by cycling the prop on the ground then it should be repaired within 20 hours. It also recommends a reseal every 6 years. Western Aircraft Propellor Service in Sandy, Oregon replaced all the seals in one day for $1500. Unsurprisingly they found the prop hub seals stiff and deformed. The mechanic stated that once the prop begins to leak it is essential that the seals be replaced otherwise water will be able to enter the hub leading to corrosion. This is by far the leading cause of having to scrap a prop at overhaul. The list price of a new prop from McCauley is currently $12,109.54 The shop states that used serviceable props are commonly available due to owners replacing them with three blade props. My personal feeling is that it is annoying to have to reseal the prop on an unscheduled basis. I drove mine to the shop to get the work done quickly. If I had know how commonly props leak I would have had mine resealed during a recent annual rather than waiting for it to fail.

The King switch is a standard part available from Mouser. I bought two last time I replaced mine so I would have a spare. As noted they should be less than $50.

The Stihl portable hand vac. Pricey but has a very soft long flexible hose. You can lock the vac on and place it on the seat just having to move the hose. Highly recommended.

Note that the Mooney maintenance manual for factory speedbrakes calls for inspection every 1000 hours. Quite different from the ICA.

You can search for my post “Stupidly Simple Boost Pump Switch Repair” and likely fix it yourself.

You access the bulbs exactly as Jake describes. They simply plug into sockets on the front of the unit. The hardest part is getting the static line off if it has not been disconnected recently. The rubber will be old and not want to slide off the metal tube on the computer. Mouser part number 606-CM7376 will work. They are currently less than $2.00 each if you buy ten. It might be a good idea to simply replace them all at the same time.

+1

The short version of my story is that I wanted to purchase two new main gear shock links. I have in prior years bought parts from the factory by calling them directly. The current policy is to order through a MSC only. My service guys had in the past just called Lasar for price and delivery of factory parts. This time the phone went directly to an answering machine when they called. The same happened when I called. The message said to email parts requests. I did this but was a bit unsatisfied with this method given my plane was sitting on jacks in the hanger at the time. While awaiting a reply I discovered Dugosh had one of these new old stock on eBay. I called to ask if they happened to have a second one. They answered the phone on the first ring and told me they had only one. They checked factory stock for me while I was on the phone and gave me a quote. Further they offered to walk across the ramp to the factory to pick it up for me and ship it in the same box with the one they had available. You can't ask for more than that, I thought. The new one cost $1485 plus a bit of freight which is a lot. Lasar sent me an answer four days after my inquiry. They offered to sell me exactly the same part (as in the same exact physical one sitting on the factory shelf) for over $1800! So my experience was this: Lasar took four days to answer and marked up the factory price more than 20%. Dugosh answered instantly, shipped the part at once, and charged me a bit over the factory list price. They even apologized for not being able to box it up in time for UPS pickup the same day. Given the above it will be an easy choice who to call first when I need factory parts next. To be fair, I did not call every MSC for a quote and I would hope there are others who answer the phone. Don Maxwell was nice enough to tell me that both that the part was heat treated and not repairable and that he did not have any in stock. I only called Dugosh because they had one advertised. It does seem to me that they have a huge advantage over other MSC given they can see the factory from their hanger. Your experience may be different but I would suggest you consider Dugosh if you need factory parts.

I have to say it … $230 EACH for a lightbulb is not cheap. Also when you get into the wingtip you will discover they are actually a bit fiddly to replace. Several years ago I and others made our own as documented on postings here. I do not recall the exact cost but it can not have been more than $50 total for two. I think the home made variety are just as bright as well. I just can’t get past the thought it is just a low power, non critical, not at all special, solid state, LIGHTBULB. Landing and taxi lights, I gritted my teeth and bought aircraft variety. But $230 for a recognition light bulb? I could not have done it even if they had been available. They will doubtless still sell a lot of them.