Bravoman

Flux capacitors?

That is a bona fide horror story. Can’t imagine what I would do since I don’t have your technical background. Sorry that you went through that.

Or go a slightly different route and ditch the HSI and vacuum system and get an Aspen PFD with an EA 100 which of course works with the KFC 150. The KFC is a beautiful autopilot when working correctly, which to its credit it did for 20 years in my plane until it needed repair. Now that I have had mine overhauled I don’t think I’d be in rush to get rid of it.

Well, thinking about it Joe may have said elevator authority as opposed to rudder. The conversation was a while back I’ll ask him next time I talk to him.

My fixed gear Saratoga will fly like a refrigerator if I completely chop the power once over the fence and need to keep power into the flare. In my opinion, it is a much harder plane to grease on. In the Mooney, I shoot for 75 to at most 80 if I am heavy over the fence, and then pull the power when I know I have the runway made. I do the best in the Mooney compared to any other aircraft I have ever owned or flown for consistently good landings, although I will say that I have no experience other than in my long body. Don’t know how the others compare. FWIW, the owner of my MSC, Joe Cole, who has flown them all, thinks that the long bodies are the best landing of the Mooneys because of additional rudder authority.

I had same experience with my KFC 150 about a year ago and at about the same cost, except repaired by one of the other authorized repair centers, Duncan aviation. Works rock solid now. It was the main circuit board if I am getting that correctly, and one or two other things. I guess if the auto pilot worked great for 20 years and then needed a grand or two thrown into it, I can’t really complain too much!

Call Rocket back and ask if Mr Gaston was ever in their employ. That should solve the question.

PJ aircraft (Phil Jimenez) in Avon Park, which is close. There is a thread on the Florida Mooney Flyers section of this board called best mooney shops in Florida where you’ll find his contact info. I and many others highly recommend.

Thank you very much for posting this. I try to keep a list of things to look out for and check following maintenance, and this will certainly go on the list. Sorry that this happened to you. Shops should utilize a checklist for the mechanics to be taped onto the plane for anything loosened, removed, etc. so that before the airplane is buttoned back up there is some mechanism for refreshing recollections on what needs to be tightened up, placed back into its proper place, etc. I don’t think it would be that hard to use this type of system. From a human factors perspective, it seems to make sense.

If they gave you 30k to take it you’d still be in the hole. Hows that for a beat down?

I think all he really wanted to do was talk flying and Mooneys

I had a DEA agent approach me a couple years back when I landed at Marathon Fl. Same kind of thing. Just asked me for my pilots license and medical. Was very friendly, also a pilot and even talked about Mooneys and that he had owned a C model some years back.

Varies a little for conditions and weight but generally 16/2400 is the approach setting I use till the final fix and reduce MP and prop full forward from there with amount of MP reduction again being dependent on winds, weight and type of approach. I like 90 kn until I have the runway environment at which time I’ll add the second notch of flaps to get her slowed up to land. Good luck with your training.

I would imagine not having an instrument ticket substantially decreases the utility of the Bravo. If I were you, I would just get it knocked out locally in someone else’s aircraft. Since you have had your bravo for some time you should have no problem simply transitioning your instrument skills to your aircraft. IMHO, I wouldn’t want to do the instrument training in my bravo because of the distractions associated with wanting to properly monitor and manage engine parameters so that nothing gets abused.

I used the course years ago referenced above by Marauder. I had a great experience with it. My instructor was a Vietnam forward air control pilot who was an Air Force Academy grad. I learned long after the training that he had a very impressive record in the service, was awarded two distinguished flying Crosses amoung other things. A serious taskmaster, and learned a lot from him. Got it knocked out in 10 days, and that is kind of the way I like to do things. Would highly recommend.