Aerodon

I do have a system ready to go. I replaced a WX10A system in my 252, the factory did a really bad job of installing the antenna. They cut the 3M doubler in half and installed both sides of the centre and then they cut the hole too close to the centre join. My guy did a good job of the NY163 installation, left the one half of the old doubler in place. Made a new doubler for the other side and riveted in place. Not the neatest, but the best we could do with what we had to work with. The M20K had the antenna installed beneath the KFC autopilot servo's. The later model Mooneys have batteries over there, so the WX500 antenna is installed one bulkhead further back. Lessons from Garmin magnetometer tests: Run new grounds from tail light strobes and lights to 'in front' of the magnetometer. I did this just to make sure my LED tail light does not create storm scope interference, but I have found them to be fairly insensitive to electrical noise inside the plane. Aerodon

Garmin supply a list of the parts you need to install a GFC500 in your plane. These are standard hardware items, nothing special, but you will struggle to find them all in one place and end up spending hours finding them and pay many times more than they cost for shipping. I've done the homework and ordered from reputable suppliers, let me know if you want a set. If you have a KFC150 or 200, you are allowed to use most of the roll servo components and do not need new pulleys. I also have a surplus Garmin 'roll servo install kit'. This will allow you to get a head start on the roll installation, it is probably the most tedious part of the M20K installation. Make sure your installer is on board with all of the above, some shops don't like you bringing the steak and asking them to grill it for you. Aerodon

Maingear, or main and nose? All the linkages, or just the gear legs? Aerodon

You can find the cleveland catalogue on line. Find the correct wheel for your plane, then click on the part number and it takes you to a breakdown of all parts. Typically it will list the parts for A,B,C in a table, with different part numbers for some of the components. It could be a different bearing, different wheel half etc.

Terry, thanks for doing this. You have confirmed what I have thought all along, that there are some optimum points to choose for calibrating a FQ gauge. JPI allows the selection of between 2 and 5 calibration points, and I assume it does straight line interpolation between them. There are some obvious things happing here. Your fuel sticks don't show anything because the file has not reached the botton of the stick at the filler hole. I assume the inboard fuel sensor will start reading at the unusable fuel. I selected 5 points, 0,10,25,42.5,52.5 G, then plotted straight lines between them. I think I will get a much more accurate fuel gauge if I use these points rather than say equal spacing of 0,13,26,39,52. The blue line is your fuel hawk (inboard, then outboard) The orange line is a series of 5 straight lines. I'm not quite sure what happened at the top of your table, did you get 55G and not record the Fuelhawk stick, or did you only get 52.5 in? Don

Another way of doing it is to install a GSB15 that will become a USB power outlet as well as data interface.

I have a TSIO360MB engine that I could part out. I think it is the same shaft, you do the research. Don

Reminds me of the racing driver who found out how much it cost to reduce the car weight per pound. He offered to diet and do it for less than that. Aerodon

Disclosure: I sell and install JPI equipment. Horis, sounds like you have an installer problem. I get it that you are frustrated, but I kinda roll my eyes at your multiple problems and your expectation that JPI help fix them. Install a GI-275 - you are not even going to speak with Garmin, they have a dealer network for this. And they use the same (or sometimes poorer quality transducers). 1) Fuel flow - these transducers are used in just about every engine monitor installation (JPI, EI, Garmin, Shadin). JPI sell a little 'simulator' for $35 that generates a signal and will test your wiring, the connections, the JPI display etc. Fuel flow 'comes and goes' - I'm not sure what this means? 2) CiES - these are rock solid if installed and calibrated correctly. Unfortunately that's where it starts going wrong. Not much you can get wrong with the installation other than having the wrong source for the transducer power, do not use the JPI 5V on the connector, you need to use aircraft power. Also it needs to be grounded at the transducer. 'Not working well' - well that's just too wide a description. Bad calibration? Not repeatable? Intermittent? Mooneys have 'complicated' fuel tank shapes and two transducers per tank. Plenty of opportunity for erratic indications, like no decrease for the first 15G, then it goes down at one rate until the top of take is 'uncovered' then a different rate when the sidewalls are in play, then another rate when the bottom of the tank is in play. Choose the calibration points incorrectly and you are going to get goofy results. 3) No fuel pressure - was it working in the beginning, now nothing? Bad connectors, broken wire, failed transducer? Easy for any technician. Multiple problems - overall grounding problem, or signs of a bad installation. You are not giving us much to work on, and if you are having problems with JPI, they are going to be less than helpful with limited information. Send me your data file and I'll see if I can help. Aerodon

Try LP Aero or Great Lakes Plastics - both make lenses for various OEM's and STC holders. Send yours there so they can compare? Or use it as an excuse to get Aveo wingtips like I did. Also, 3M sell some 2 part plastic glues that are awesome. I have seen C172 wingtips 'welded' back together. Especially good if you grind a gap and bridge it, just like you would do with a metal weld. I suspect you could do a half decent repair, its not like you have to spot traffic? Aerodon

Are you keeping the annunciator panel? new gear down annunciator? Either way, its easy to re-wire now so you can install LED's later. In 'general terms' the gear annunciator is powered through the gear down limit switch. The annunciator is just a light. It is grounded to the nav light switch. When the nav lights are off, it's a 'strong ground' - bright. When the nav lights are on its a 'weak ground' - dim. So take the ground off the nav light switch and straight to ground and it will always be bright. Put a toggle switch in the ground line a a resistor on one side and you will have bright / dim. I am replacing the annunciator panel with nice Eaton annunciators, and a Brite/Dim switch, I will have to experiment with resistors to get the correct dimming. Aerodon

500 vertical is reasonable. Closing speed of 240 kts is 354 ft/s. No thanks, I don't want to see a plane passing 1.5 seconds in front or behind. There are previously reported near misses, some almost identical but for the Helo altitude 'error'. Cannot be fun having a 'presidential looking helo pass 150 ft underneath us'. Remind me again on the ratio of incidents vs accidents? And then - let's force all go GA to get ADSB for safety. The target trend of traffic on my 760 is fantastic, and I pay attention to it every time. But then, no, let's give airlines an exemption because they are always under 'positive control. And the military don't need it because their training and equipment is so good. While we are at it, let's let them continue using their own frequencies. Aerodon

Just trying to understand the whole situation. The day before there was a similar conflict, same red CA with inbound aircraft and helicopter. Airplane initiated go around because of an RA, even though it was in daytime and everyone had each other in sight, and a 500 ft differential. (1300 and 800 I think). Controller sounded slightly miffed, but not too bad. When does TCAS no longer work, below 1000? This CRJ was not informed about the PAT. And I think they flew a perfectly good visual approach. But time will tell what their airline rules are for visual and circling approaches etc. And also what TCAS equipment they had on board, what was displayed, did the PNF miss anything etc. And blame tends to get spread around a lot, just look at the recent Las Vegas midair where the Malibu flew through the centreline of the correct runway and whacked the poor C172 on the other runway. Controllers picked up some blame even they asked a couple of times if they were going for the correct runway. Aerodon

I don't think they were on a circling approach. Wouldn't the clearance then be 'cleared to DCA via the 01 GPS/ILS/or Other approach with Circling to 33? They were asked if they could take the 'visual to 33' or something along those lines. But there is no published visual approach, so they were more or less on their own for routing, altitudes etc., just like we are on virtually every VFR landing day or night. Yes they could have loaded a RNAV or GPS approach for guidance, but that is not the clearance they got. Many airlines prohibit VFR approaches, and some prohibit Circling. It's one way to reduce risk, especially at night. Pilots trying to be helpful, and now they are dead. And just the day before a similar situation resulted in a GA and the reason given was 'we got an RA because of a helicopter beneath us'. My son is learning to fly, and I've already taught him to listen to every radio transmission (tower or airplane) and make an assessment of how it might affect him. And also at least attempt to find them, nothing like getting into the habit of searching. I feel sorry for the CRJ pilots not being able to hear the transmissions to the helicopter, it would have saved their lives. There is going to be a lot of would've - should've - could've - didn't at the end of this for all parties involved. Aerodon

Piper Seneca (TSIO360 like the Mooney 231) has a plate that blocks off 1/3rd of the oil cooler, temperate were still way too low in winter. So we made another plate for the other side and blocked off another 1/3rd and temperatures were reasonable. Cessna 172 has a winterization plate that blocks off about 1/3rd of the airflow into the cowl. Yes, close off all 'outside air' for radio cooling, spraying avionics with damp air is not a good idea. Aluminum tape, or plastic caps on ducting. Some radios have internal fans. Some still need cooling, use an avionics fan (like Mooney 231). Aerodon