Aerodon

Some of us are slow to figure this out, myself included. The whole product life cycle and maintenance philosophy has changed, and the best thing is to get on board by pre-thinking your maintenance strategy along with an upgrade path. My friend paid $4500 flat rate to fix a TRC899 traffic system. Then 18 months later it failed again. So rather than $5500 for another repair, he put that towards a $10k Garmin traffic system. IMO, Garmin have a more reasonable flat rate repair, warranty, and future 'plug and play' options (not always). There is quite a glut of as removed components - KCS55A compassions stems, radios, autopilot components etc. And sometimes you can get some very high serial number units, or recently overhauled units for 1/3rd of an overhaul price. Just like I keep spare tires, starters, turbo, alternator, magneto on the shelf, I now have a spare KG102A, KI525A HSI etc. A fair amount of capital tied up, but at least I have them ready to go, and don't have to worry about availability, overnight shipping etc. Not perfect, but I think it works. I don't plan on overhauling any more gyroscopic or mechanical instruments - if they fail, either find a good used one, or upgrade with new alternative products. Aerodon

I'm familiar with the requirements, anyone have the actual SB or Drawings for me? 1) Engine changes (minor) 2) Control counter weights (minor - bolt on) 3) Brakes themselves, easy enough to do, but fairly expensive. Changes from 30-56D single piston to 30-65 double piston brakes like the later Mooneys. 4) Gear doors - major cost of parts and labour. So I was looking at the Beringer wheels and brakes. They are quite compact, and might fit 201's, 231's, 252's without gear door modifications and then all the newer Mooneys that come standard with double piston brakes. If they were to be STC'd, I would say there would be a number of 252 owners who would commit. I realize that there would still have to be a 'deviation' from the gross weight increase instructions, but I would imaging that someone could get it right with a 337? I've started a discussion with Beringer, volunteered my plane for testing. Anyone else interested in helping with this idea? Aerodon

If there are leaks in the tubing to or from the Merlyn, it becomes more unstable than before the Merlyn was installed. Or time for an overhaul of the Merlyn? I have a spare one on the shelf if you want to minimize downtime? Aerodon

Here's what Airpower show for a TSIO360SB New List Price: $101,547 You Pay: $81,547*Payment: $946/Mo.+ Add to Cart*Exchange Core Value: $19,000 Rebuilt List Price: $85,048 You Pay: $65,048*Payment: $755/Mo.+ Add to Cart*Exchange Core Value: $19,000

I can help with a CNC'd panel for any Mooney. I've drawn some of them and cut a couple of M20K panels already. I don't share my drawings, there was a huge amount of trial and error getting all the instruments to fit properly etc. Send me an email with a panel picture and let's get started. I'm a big fan of the G5's - good way to clean up your panel and consolidate instruments. Aerodon supercub@gmail.com

First I've heard of it, but its all about the force and area. The earlier O320H2AD engines had smaller lifters, then the T mode came along to make the lifters larger. In my experience, its more about the regular use of the engine than the T mod. Now for the O360 vs IO360 - I assume the same cam / lifter arrangement? So same bearing pressure on the face of the cam/lifter? Anything different about the valves / springs? If not, I'd put it all on the lack of use rather than the engine time. Aerodon

This is a viable ADSB 'out' solution if you have a GTN. I have one, and carry a portable GDL52 between my planes for the ADSB, XM,Music 'in'. The subscriptions are the more expensive part (in the long run), so may as well be portable. Aerodon

Yeah, just can't get good quality anymore. Next time get the 215 series with cooling fins and then maybe you will get a mere 3000 hours. Or add a cooling shroud and then 4000 hours? Aerodon

I've flown behind TSIO360's for more than 2000 hours. Had the following failures: 1) popped a cylinder head of (cracked thread on head). Back in the days of factory overhauled chrome cylinders. Only 200 hours since overhaul, replaced under warranty. 2) seized valve leading to valve strike and cylinder replacement. Contaminated bits went upstream in the induction system and wrecked two more cylinders. Lead to you overhaul. 3) Pretty much done a top overhaul on all my engines at around 1000-1200 hours. It's definitely something that needs to be done by someone with experience. In your situation: 1) I would get someone to go speak to your previous mechanic and find out exactly what he did and when he last had his torque wrench calibrated. (the guys at Savvy?) 2) Make a decision early on if you are just going to walk away or start compiling evidence for a claim. Or report to FAA as an incident, leave them to investigate. I always try the no blame approach first - the objective to to find out what went wrong, what the status of the other cylinders etc. If he had all the proper tools, the proper specs, procedures etc. and you have confidence that he followed them then it helps. Go to the shop and ask him for some time to sit down and go through the paperwork - copy of the procedures, the actual torque wrench used, the parts list (new through bolts?) etc. I can't tell you how many times I've asked for specs and seen the mechanic squirm and ultimately unable to provide them. Thats fraud. If your guy is being non cooperative or shoving the blame back on you, I would throw him under the bus. 3) Sadly, I would have no confidence in the work done to date - now you need to find someone you will help you work through the options - I would say the minimum is redoing the top overhaul with new hardware, maximum is throwing in the towel and doing an overhaul. And I don't believe Continental will give a full core credit for a non-working engine. Find an engine guy or shop that can do an IRAN for you. 4) And then the hard part. If you repair the engine, you still have a mid life engine with a bit of negative history. So your airplane value might be average or slightly below average. If you install a Factory Reman, your plane is probably worth $20-30k more. Aerodon

Even if it requires mode C, turn it off. No info is better than incorrect info, and you won't end up in a pissing contest with the controller. My guess is the A4 wire between the encoder and transponder is broken, or the encoder itself is broken. Any good avionics shop will have the equipment to test. Aerodon

One of the things that troubled me about this thread is the number of well meaning opinions, surely it can't be that difficult. You have provided the clearest reference, and the avclick article provides a lot of refresher training on the protected area. Now it's a 'no brainer'for me as it should be for IFR flying - if approaching from the 'right side' for a PT, do a PT. If the turn at the VOR looks at all difficult (approaching from the wrong side for a PT) just follow the rules for a racetrack entry on the maneuvering side. All sorted in my mind, thanks. Don

The Avclicks presentation is nice. Page 21 says that you have the option of doing a racetrack on the barb side of the hold, even if not depicted. If this were shown, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion. I would surmise that it is not shown, because the designers needed to put the hold differently as part of the missed approach procedure, that sets you up nicely for the procedure turn. Here is another one (Yakima). I don't think I could easily descend to 4500 on the outbound, but I could get to 2800 inbound. Nice to have speed brakes. Now my question, to make the descent more leisurely, could I enter a racetrack on the barb side and descend to 4500? 4600?. Or should I enter the slightly offset MAP hold? Don

well done Joe, its been a long slog hasn't it. Aerodon

Don, do you have any pictures of the magnetometer installation? Aerodon

I would disagree - I accidentally let a registration lapse, and you have no legal standing. Can't renew / sell or anything, until you re-register. Part of that reregistration process, is the FAA will check that your registration has not been given to someone else. Aerodon

Set your altimeter to airfield elevation and read off the ambient pressure. Then compare with your JPI and your OEM MP. Now if they are all the same (within 0.5"), then I would say the difference you are seeing is a result of where the JPI and OEM are measuring the MP. I've seen OEM MP measured off one of the 'primer ports' in a Cessna and then also off an inlet 'riser' in a carbureted engine. If at all possible, try T the JPI transducer off the OEM MP line somewhere. Aerodon

You mean the 12th 252 made.

Bob, I was trying to point out to Jerry that the auto pilot has its own pitot system, and is more than likely not connected to the altimeter / encode static system. So both my Mooney and my Seneca have two systems. And thanks for educating me, I always thought the two ports were for yaw, but yaw miss-trim is a better reason. Aerodon

So I had a peak behind the panel, and found this wonderful fire hazard. Has been shortening nicely against the GNS480 tray. Easy enough to insulate properly, I guess the installer must have had a distraction (being kind). The rest of the wiring looks pretty good. Now what would require a couple of relays? Standard KCS55A compass system, GNS480. PmA7000B audio panel. KFC150. Something to do with the annunciator panel? Or maybe WoW and Gear Up 'signals' for the GTX345? Aerodon

My Mooney and Seneca have a separate static port system (one port on each side of the fuselage) for the autopilot computer. Aerodon

I would do two things: 1) Tell Garmin that this dealer needs more training 2) Negotiate a smoking hot deal on a G500Txi with a GAD43e to interface to you kFC500. Especially if your vacuum system has been removed. Aerodon

Theres the problem, it will always be devalued, so when you put in a new engine and avionics, interior etc they get devalued too. Not fair, but its what's going to happen. I almost always pay a premium and buy a low TT plane. I don't believe higher TT or engine time planes get discounted enough, and the converse applies too - pay 10% more than average and you get 25% more plane.

Have a look at plane power voltage regulators and see if they make one for your plane. Much more affordable, and I've found them to be reliable.

Art, the transducers are measuring the fuel level of the OEM tanks only, and are probably full until the Monroy tanks have been drawn down a certain amount, Then I assume the two tanks get drawn down evenly, and then you will see some movement on the FQ. Aerodon

Tom, My drawing is based on an M20J panel that I received from Scott. I have different layers so can cut individual panels like the OEM layout, or combine to get rid of the clock panel. I see your clock panel is canted, whereas the later models were flat. And at some point even the CB panel is flat. The 3/4 panel is still a work in progress - I shifted the radio stack right, and have no idea if that will conflict with the structure behind. The drawing is just the starting point - I move things around until I/you are happy, then cut. If it doesn't fit - edit and cut again. Don