Houman

Hi, On my flight home yesterday from MAPA event in Chattanooga, going to KAGC for fuel, when I noticed at 11500 feet that I started hearing a strange sound in my headset. it was something like a Morse code that you use to identify a station, mostly like the short beep part. Everything looked ok in the airplane, no CHT/EGT/TIT issues, noting on the oil or fuel, gear or flaps or any systems what so ever and flying fine, and speed was about 185 KIAS, so no airspeed warning beep at that point. I started to diagnose the problem in a Sherlock Holmes kind of way, after going trough everything I could think of on the plane systems, I kind of thought it might be my LightSpeed Zulu 2 headset making the noise, I tried to remove them but the engine sound is so overwhelming that you can't hear anything else. I then tried a second set of headset (Bose) A10 that I always carry with me and plug it on pilot site, I was not hearing the beep there. A bit later I tried my Zulu 2 on the co-pilot plug and I was not hearing the beeping either, plug it back to pilot's side, I was hearing the beep, I tried removing my XRX PCAS that connects to pilot side with a Y connection to the pilot's side and nothing changed. Finally I turned off and on the ANR on my Zulu 2 Headset and at that point, the beeping didn't come back. I would say it was more annoying than anything else, but not really happy about hearing a beep continuously like that when flying, beside the noise fatigue and distraction, it is worrisome that something is really wrong with the plane. This was the 1st time I had this issue and I have been using this Zulu 2 headset for more almost 2 years now. One particular thing, I had just replaced the batteries on the headset before my flight, since the light on it was showing red before meaning low battery, after the change, it was showing green, as usual. Anyone has had this before ?

Yves, do you have a phone number for the EAA insurance, I'm in the states right now, but I will call them up when I'm back ! Thanks !

Ned, as a fellow Canadian pilot, if you want me to stop by Ottawa RockCliffe on my way to Caravan and pick you up, that would be my pleasure. A pilot friend of mine and I are going for sure, waiting confirmation on 3rd person, so depending how much you weight and how much luddgage you have, we can see what can be arranged in my Rocket. Now mine is going into annual end of June, just did an oil change in May and it was clean and have had 15 flight in May, but got chills reading your story. I wish I was closer to Clarence for my annual, I'm near Montreal. PM me if you think you want me to pick you up for the Caravan and Osh.

I'm at KBNA till noon probably, leaving for Chattoonnoga, will be at the airport at about 11:00, you are welcomed to come take a look !

Ok, I do have the autopilot and the HSI manuel, I will take a look, and see. From my understandinf of what you are saying, if it is capturing GS from Abouve, I should fly higher than published, but if capturing from below, I should fly at the minimum published ??? Just wondering since I don't have yet a proficient knowledge of all IFR stuff and my CFI dos'nt know my plane or AP, GS well. Maybe the MAPA guys this weekend can help !!!

Hi Peter, I got a Century 41, 2 axes autopilot and as part of my IFR training, I'm doing it all by hand and feet flying, not using Autopilot at all, should I be ?

Thanks and I have tried your suggestions and they help, but how far away do you tell students to configure for landing. My instructor usually tells me to do that a bit before the FAF so that at FAF, I'm all configured and can call ATC and declare on final. He also tells me that in IFR training, I'm not supposed to take any action that takes lift away, such as the speed break, because it hastens the descent rate... just wondering what are your thoughts about that one as well.

Hi, In the process of my flight planning for tomorrow's flight to Nashville, I'm looking either at KPHD ( Harry Clever Field in Ohio ) or KAGC ( Allegheny County in PA ) or KTSO ( Carroll County-Tolson in Ohio ) to fill-up on 100LL half-way. The cheapest fuel seems to be at KPHD(4.65/G) and it is in direct GPS to my destination, I have used KAGC(4.98/G) before when going to Pittsburgh and they provide a great service, fuel is at good price although a bit more expensive than KPHD and it's 15 NM out of my way. KTSO(4.72/G) is right on my way and fuel is a bit more expensive than KPHD. If one knows an airport with a minimum 2500 paved runway with cheap gas prices in the same area, would appreciate letting me know ! Thanks for any input !

That is funny, GS actually works great when I'm heading out in the opposite direction of the track needed towards the runway, I guess it is the position of the antenna, it is just when following the GS from far inboud (5 miles out ), then signal is intermittent. I have tried the same runway on different directions ( i mean 6 and 24 ), so not sure if that is the same GS sender that is in use. I will try other airports in the near future and see if it is different. Otherwise, I might have to find an STC for thrust reverses and land backwards, lol....

Hi, Continuing my IFR training and GS is now working ok, but my instructor is a bit surprised that even following the published approach altitude, the Glide Slope Is intermittent, it comes and then flag goes on, it helps a lot if I put takeoff flaps or even more to change the angle, but changes a bit my approach settings to be 4 or 5 miles out and put on flaps. So what I have done in today's exercise is to start the approach as non-precision and not rely on the intermittent GS until approaching the FAF and slowing down, brining down the gear and flaps and the GS comes in and stays in no problem what to so ever. So my question is how does other more IFR experiences pilots do with GS reception in a Mooney beside the Flaps. My CFI tells me this is the 1st time he has seen this, he usually gives IFR training in a Beech Twin. Thanks !

Thanks for your reply Joe, did you try adjusting it or was there no adjustement possible ? I will have my annual in a month and I will try to adjust till, for now, I takeoff, level off at 400 feet to gain speed, at 90 kts, I bring the gear up without passing the button, and as I gain speed at 100 kts the gear comes up and alarm stops, once that is done, I start again my climb and remove takeoff flaps. It's not a problem with the Rocket 305 engine, but different from the usual takeoff This is somewhat a new takeoff process some usually I would just ignored alarm and push the bypass button and wait for the gear to come up at 100 kts.

Thanks for your reply, here are my 2 issues and according to Mooney Tech support, it is the airspeed saftey switch. The 1st issue is when trying to bring the landing gear up after takeoff, it would not come up unless I'm near 100 kts, I have to push the bypass bouton and same thing for low speed alarm, it only stops at 100 kts, so I guess it is out of adujstement, but Mooney tech support telling me that there is no way to do a field adjustement to the switch and that it needs to be replaced at a cost of 1500$. When I bought 50% of the plane last year, my co-owner told me that this was normal, after diginig a bit, I see that it is not normal to have to push the bypass or the alarm up to 100 Kts, so going trough an owner assisted annual with my mecanic in 3 weeks, I want to understand the problem and solve it. Since Mooney tells me that they will not take the switch back if that is not my issue, I have decided to do a test while the plane is on the jacks and see if it is really not adjustable or does it really need to be replaced. Can you let me know how did you adjust it, since you have the same model and year, we most probably have the same switch, do you have pictures of it, if it was done by your mecanic, is there a way I or my mecanic can talk to him for 5 min... Thanks !!!

Hi, I have 2 issues with my Airspeed safety switch, my mechanic is telling me that usually it is adjustable, but Mooney Tech support is telling me that it is not field adjustable and needs to be charged, and costs about 1300$ US. I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with the Airspeed safety switch and how much labor would it usually take to change it. Thanks !

I used Charette Aviation here, my insurance is with Alianz trough them.

I'm in for that weekend !!!

Hi, I have 2 issues that according to Mooney Tech Support is related to my Airspeed safety switch. The are telling me that the switch is not field adjustable and that I need to replace it with : P/N 940016-515. One Mooney Service Center has given me a price that was pretty surprising for the switch, I was wondering if someone has a spare one for sale. I know I was told Alan Fox has a lot of Mooney stuff for sale, wondering if him or someone else has a fully functional one for sale at a better price. Thanks !

Well Clarence, he has about 9500 hours flight time as an ATP and has another plane as well, that is why he can get insured, and much cheaper than my 200h total and 65h on the Mooney. I had talked to my accountant about putting the plane in my current IT consulting company, but since he is straighter than an arrow, he advised me against it. In any case, my partner is looking to sell his half in the near future, so who knows how it will work out...

It's at KCHA.

Thanks Bob, I had tought of something like this, but here in canada the plane is under my personal name for my 50% and his company for his 50%. I had tought of having the equipement installed at my cost after signing an agrrement with my partner that when he sells his half, I would get 50% of the cost of the equipement and installation back. Something I have to work towards...

Yves, Marsh was quite expensive, I still have 2 quotes to receive, but till now, it looks like COPA is the best deal for me, last year they didn't want to even insure me because I had no time on the Rocket, now with 65h on it, they are the best price wise.

Well this year I might hit about 80h in the Mooney, so not too bad for my 1st year of ownership, in a way it is great to have a co-owner that flies 5h but still pays half of the upkeep, but I understand where he dos'nt want to do more avioncs upgrade.

easier said than done, when you have a partner that only flies 5h a year and not willing to put any money for the avionics, mind you we just put 10K for a full interior redo. I would love a JPI 930 and get rid of all the analogue gauges...

My only regret with my GTN 650 is not having installed a 750 instead...

I would be interested in attending such a clinic

Well I would guess that if you need pedal extensions like I do, then it's because the PIC seat is pretty forward and rear passenger leg room is not at all an issue.