Mooney in Oz

9 hours ago, MoonFlyer68 said:

I know this is an old thread, but I have an autopilot that may be having the exact same issues.  My autopilot is an S-tec 50 and when I very first bought my plane, the autopilot would track in NAV and APP mode very well.  Almost immediately after getting the plane I took out the old Garmin VFR only GPS/COM and replaced it with an IFD 440. since that time, the autopilot has never been the same. Specifically it seems @Jake@BevanAviation is the man to talk to.  I know we are headed into the weekend but perhaps next week we can chat about what the best way to get this problem worked on might be.  I am even open to the idea of flying my plane to you and sitting for a few days.

Thanks

My previous autopilot was a 55X and it worked well with both my IFD 540 & 440.

5 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

How does one put an IFD-540 in maintenance mode?   That seems to be where these network config options live, because in regular mode I can't seem to edit SSIDs.

The easiest way to enter maintenance mode is before powering the unit, place a USB stick into the side USB slot, the same as you do when intending to update Nav data. Power up the unit and it will go into maintenance mode as it detects the stick. Along the bottom you will see a single row of about 5 tabs of which the first is 'Update' for Nav or other data and the last should be 'Config'. Tap the Config tab and then you will go straight into the Config pages of which there are about 14. Scroll the right outer and inner knobs to select pages and highlight items. Push on the knob to edit.

If you encounter problems either call or contact tech support via the support page https://pilotsupport.avidyne.com/new or email tech support (techsupport@avidyne.com). They are very helpful and respond reasonably quick using either their support page or email.

10 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

My IFD540 is currently running 10.2.4.1   There must be an update..  Since I'm new to Avidyne, are updates free?   I can see he value of having traffic on the IFD.

That said, I really like having the iPad display traffic and wx.   I built my stratux at low cost so I could sell it on e-bay and break even pretty easily.   Y'all are giving me options to consider.   Wish that one clearly rose to the top!   

G’day Fred.

About the last week of November 2021, Avidyne released 10.3.0.2 update and it is free. There has been a fair amount of complaints relating to a number software bugs. As Lance suggested, have a look at the Avidyne Live forum and enter 10.3 into the search function. You will see what I mean. A number of posters have reverted their units back to 10.2.

I had 10.3 installed and actually find it to be quite good. The most obvious and annoying bug is each time the unit is restarted, the comms default to KMLB frequencies, which is the location of the Avidyne factory.

Avidyne are actively working on a software release to get rid of the bugs, so you may want to wait until the software is released. For further info, the URL for Avidyne Live is http://forums.avidyne.com/forums.html

It is worthwhile to register and be kept up to date with the latest info. You can also participate, as you do here. The forum is monitored by an Avidyne software engineer (AviSteve) who chimes in to answer questions.

On 1/9/2023 at 10:03 PM, ArtVandelay said:

To protect against mud daubers or other insects clogging my fuel vents:

I’ve had the same setup for about the past 15 years. Prior to that each vent had a very small screen covering the outlet until they somehow disappeared.

On 1/8/2023 at 11:56 PM, Pinecone said:

If you are parked outside, there are fuel cap covers to keep the water out of the cap well.

https://wingviewtint.com/products/fuel-cap-covers

 

 

I just ordered a pair.  Thanks for the suggestion. 

On 1/9/2023 at 6:17 PM, carusoam said:

install SS fuel necks… easy update.

What is a SS fuel neck?

4 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Don’t forget once you remove it you won’t have the unsightly hole creating drag.

You also won’t have to worry about the engine stopping if you forget to close the ram air when inadvertently entering icing conditions.

Ask me how I discovered this .

Ram air removed thereafter.

41 minutes ago, Tx_Aggie said:

I stumbled on an old aopa article claiming the MSE could get 168 knots at 8000’. Can’t remember if that was at 2700/max rpm or not but in Mooney fashion, I bet there’s some margin to be gained. 

Beware of marketing speed claims.

Make sure the 'N' number displayed in the IFD config settings is exactly the same as your tail 'N' number.

Agree with Lance that you need your own Jepp account. 

6 hours ago, AIREMATT said:

Does the experimental world get more attention from Garmin than the certified market?

You would be forgiven for thinking so.

The latest G3X Touch Certified PG still has an illustration of a flap position and rudder trim indicator on the bottom left of the PFD on the GDU 460. This is not permitted in the certified world and therefore has no relevance to certified aircraft.

It simply looks like a cut and paste job from the experimental PG.

Who at Garmin checks these things before PG release?

Happy New Year to y’all from Australia 

On 12/28/2022 at 11:30 AM, kortopates said:

This has come up probably a dozen times. I am very pessimistic on them and still doing an experiment on my 252/Encore. Flown our Mooney in all sorts of weather over the past 20+years, minus TRS penetration, and never had any radio interference problems. From what people say my experiment may not be complete till flying around the northern lights. Not sure when if ever that will happen for my Mooney.  But I think it's hard to blame radio static or loss of nav all due to static that is solved by static wicks. I would have put them on years ago if I really believed the plane needed them.

It is probably a phenomenon that rarely happens and it only happened once to me, which was one too many times as I literally had no comms, only static and why I decided to have the wicks fitted.

The phenomenon nicknamed St. Elmos Fire that Skip alluded to in his above post (I recall flying my '78 J through heavy rain one dark (and stormy - sorry, couldn't resist) night and I could put my finger on the windshield and cause an eerie corona discharge that didn't seem to affect the VHF navs or comms.), can result in a striking blue streak surrounding and travelling down the windshield is also static electricity. This is also a rarity that I have seen at night maybe 3 or 4 times in 3,400 hours of night flying, so environmental conditions have to be ripe and why it is so rare. I think Paul this maybe the same reason you have not experienced radio static.

Despite the nickname, St. Elmos Fire is not dangerous, but if you touch it, it could give you a very light static shock, similar to touching a door handle after walking across a carpet covered floor in shoes caused by friction between the soles and carpet.   

Years ago while flying through rain and cloud, my comm had so much intermittent static noise that I could barely decipher radio transmissions. My aircraft engineer recommended static wicks, so I had them fitted. Never a problem with static noise since.

Later I was told by someone that the wicks are only useful for aircraft that fly at a TAS greater than 200 knots. Contrary to this info, mine work well.

5 hours ago, Will.iam said:

Does this help lower your chance of getting struck by lightning?

No, it doesn’t.

50 minutes ago, Philip France 13 said:

Hello

Do you have any news regarding SB for GFC500 Autopilot problem with trim issue?
Is there a SW fix from Garmin? 
I am still flying without AP

Thanks

Philip

Just checked the Garmin Support (Service Bulletin) web page. At this stage no software fix for certified aircraft has been issued, although a software fix for the experimental crowd was released almost 3 weeks ago. I assume Garmin is waiting for FAA approval.

Any time you want to check for yourself, the URL is: https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=6uYPdAQOaS9FzhhL5yaOf

3 hours ago, toto said:

This avweb article just links to the Garmin alert that we have discussed. Is there anything new in the FAA notice?

No. Avweb is playing catch up.

1 hour ago, DCarlton said:

Wasn’t sure that note covered the entire Cirrus population.  

Good point and I too wondered about that. Another MSer (who I can’t recall) posted and explained well the difference between the auto trim system in Cirrus aircraft and other aircraft that are subject to this SA.

@DCarlton I found the post but it was not on MS. If you want to read the thread in its entirety, it was on Beechtalk in the ‘Panel Talk’ section and posted by ‘Garmin Aviation Team’ under the thread, ‘Alert Garmin GFC 500 autopilot for Certified and Experimental’ and is actually the first post on page 1 of 6.

The post is quite long and reads in part, “The Cirrus SR 20 and Cirrus SR 22 aircraft are not affected. They use the original manufacturers’ pitch trim cartridge to move the pitch trim at slower speeds than the GSA 28 pitch servo.”

4 hours ago, DCarlton said:

Any remote chance the GFC500 trim problem had anything to do with this crash (since the pilot may have reported trim issues?  

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute/safety-alerts/safety-alert-garmin-autopilot

As per the Garmin Service Alert, Cirrus aircraft are not affected.

https://atlaske-content.garmin.com/filestorage//email/outbound/attachments/22109A_Time1669064630332.pdf

8 hours ago, DCarlton said:

Maybe even let the passenger put their hands on the controls and their feet on the pedals. 

I think that this is actually a good suggestion that might work or somehow keep them occupied by concentration.

I’ve known airline pilots while seated in the cabin when required to reposition (aka deadheading) to feel nauseas during flight due to turbulent conditions, however I’ve never known any to feel nauseas from turbulence when seated in the flight deck during flight.

On 11/11/2022 at 5:48 AM, jlunseth said:

When the 275s first came out we had a poster on this site who had both 275s go to “red x” mode, something about the system that the two form that failed. Never heard what they figured out with that.

Here you go -

Transport Safety Board of Canada report. Have a look at the pictorial flight path following loss of control at what must have been a terrifying ride. Glad it was a successful outcome and not a tragedy.

https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2021/A21P0001/A21P0001.html

17 hours ago, hais said:

The egocentric version : Look at the vantage PFD display, compare the HSI vs track display in synthetic vision. I think the track display is much better at giving SA. Avidyne is onto something, I hope they certify this PFD for Mooneys.

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/kdPJWbQCp9eDVr1a8

The Vantage is indeed impressive. However, the current units are designed to initially replace ageing Avidyne Entegra units that were originally fitted as OEM products to early model Cirrus aircraft. 

At this stage, it is not available for other aircraft types.

In any case, my understanding is that these 12” screens are very expensive and too big for the short and mid body Mooney panel. Who knows whether the units would fit into a long body panel or if Avidyne will likely release a smaller version to fit all Mooneys and other GA aircraft panels given that Garmin already have a stronghold on the big screen market with the G500 Txi and G3X screens.

If you still want to seek real life opinions on the Vantage screens then your best bet is to access Cirrus forums.

8 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

I’m not sure looking for a “flat” area is really important.  If you need to pull the chute at low altitude (but within the envelope), you just do it.  If you’re at 10k in cruise and lose the engine, sure, glide somewhere “better”.  In a low altitude ejection/chute scenario, you’re usually not too concerned with exactly what’s below you.

I vaguely remember years ago reading somewhere of a no lower than 1,500’ AGL limitation for parachute deployment. Is this still a limitation?

9 hours ago, T. Peterson said:

By all means fly what is comfortable. For me, I would never fly 15 miles with the gear down. That doesn’t make me right and you wrong, just different.

Torrey

No worries Torrey and apologies for getting your name wrong. Corrected accordingly.

2 minutes ago, Hank said:

Late evening after work but before sunset.

Thank goodness it didn’t happen at night.

3 minutes ago, Hank said:

Just fly the miss. That's what I did after a complete electrical failure when I selected Gear Down crossing the VOR on a VOR-A in the mountains. 

I agree with you Hank, but I think it’s still easier to deal with when no missed approach is necessary.

Did this happen to you at night?

14 hours ago, T. Peterson said:

Either at or just before the FAF. Do it that way EVERY time to create a habit that will help prevent a gear up landing. No value to dragging gear from IAF, and you certainly don’t want to fly level in a fully configured airplane. Same with a visual approach. Just do it at the same place. Thanks 

G’day Torrey,

In IMC conducting an instrument approach, I prefer to drop the gear at the IAF or IF (10 miles) at the latest as 5 miles is way too close for my comfort.

Habits have merit when visual and help with distractions. However in IMC during the final leg of an approach, if it suddenly gets busy whether having to deal with ATC or other multiple aircraft at uncontrolled fields that suddenly call up, appear on the traffic display, on the ground or any other issue then distraction can easily happen.

A major cause of gear up landings is distraction.

If IMC there is no need to drag the aircraft in any of the approach segments.  Unless a chart restriction applies, a low IAF restriction of 2,000’ does not mean you have to be at 2,000’ all the way to the chart descent point.

At the IAF (assuming 15 miles with no ATC restrictions) I select gear down and commence descent from 4,500’ AGL (3 x 15 - assuming no terrain and field is at SL) at a 3 degree profile all the way to the MAP or runway if visual at the MAP.  I believe this method also reduces the risk of busting step down altitudes as indicated by the OP in the thread title.

By the time I’m at the FAF, the gear is down, aircraft configured, checklist is complete and I’m fully conversant with the missed approach procedure. When inside 5 miles, all I need to do is monitor the descent in accordance with the chart and I’m ready for anything that’s thrown at me.

A 5 mile final when visual in a quite environment is mundane, but in IMC during an approach with sudden distractions, time passes incredibly fast.

The above is what I was taught years ago by a highly experienced check and training Captain that I’ve carry through to my Mooney flying instrument approaches and works well for me. 

An afterthought - Commencing an approach in IMC, a gear malfunction is easier to deal with at 15 miles at 4,500’ rather than 5 miles at 1,500’ during the final descent phase.