DXB

Take out bottom right screw holding control head to the panel. Get a very fine long skinny flat screw driver (~1mm). I carry in my flight bag to recalibrate periodically. When in GPSS mode in flight in smooth air, display crosstrack error on your navigator. Insert screwdriver gently to base of screw receptacle and make small turns toward the course until it settles out. I can get it within 0.02nm.

What an awful tragedy - I do hope it helps refine the ultralight procedures to protect lives and property. I think this year was my 5th (?) time attending and 4th time coming in on the FISK arrival in the left seat. Though it's sobering (and appropriate) to be reminded of the risks and liabilities, it's still a remarkable spectacle and human enterprise that I hope continues.

Quick related PIREP on replacing my M20C's Dukes 4140-00-21A which recently died after 1500hrs and 17 years in service since overhaul. I needed to replace in a hurry to make Oshkosh so I overnighted a drop in replacement new CJ Aviation 4140-00-21ACJ pump rather than overhaul the Dukes again or put in a Weldon pump, which requires a conversion kit with extra labor rather than being a simple drop in replacement. New pump was ~1395 plus ship (in stock at Spruce), plus a 400 dollar core charge hold until the core is returned (Dukes pump is acceptable core). The CJ pump has better internals than the Dukes but still has plastic vanes, is not rated for continuous duty, and shouldn't be run dry for more than a few seconds. In my plane, it runs much quieter and produces a higher and more rapid rise in fuel pressure than the old Dukes. Install was pretty easy but not entirely trouble free. Related pro tip: if the newly installed pump doesn't raise fuel pressure immediately after turning on, push mixture in actuate the accelerator pump by pumping the throttle repeatedly until the fuel pressure comes up. Also, stop pumping as soon as the pressure comes up or you'll get a flooded carb and fuel all over your nosewheel.

Only directive I've heard is never to let them sit dry for more than a couple days. Anyway, it's utterly impractical to keep them topped off all the time, and I strongly suspect @generalaviationguru should not worry about not topping off to 64 gal. I imagine the fuel vapor (and/or wicking?) is enough to keep the vulcanized neoprene/nylon bladder wall from degenerating in a partly filled tank, but I honestly have no clue - it there a chemical engineer in the house who can clarify? Regardless, one hears far more about wet wing tank sealant issues than bladder issues - maybe the bladders will all start failing at a particular age but we haven't seen it yet, and I bet very few people keep them topped off all the time. One does occasionally hear about leaks at the interconnect tubes, but these seem reasonably easy to fix.

You are correct of course, but I suspect that overheat standard used was redline at 500F in the 1950s. Accepting CHTs in the mid-high 400s will trash your cylinders within a couple hundred hours. Unfortunately the O-360 Mooneys with the doghouse cool poorly under best conditions (optimal carb fuel flow, perfectly sealed doghouse (which is quite rare), gaping open cowl flaps, correct mag timing, no induction leaks). Add legal STC power mods like Powerflow exhaust and timing advance on the Surefly and things only get worse (ask me how I know). Unless there's obstacles close in, climbing at 120mph, well above Vy, is the way to go in these particular Mooneys. I tolerate 430F on 2&4 in climb, and also 410 in cruise if I want to go fast.

Thanks all for the many helpful tips - definitely keeping this thread bookmarked for the future. I made some calls and CYUL is pretty expensive for the FBO (100/day on ramp, only fbo with 100LL is Shell Aerocenter at $8.29/gallon). The landing fee itself isn't too bad ($11/1000kg MGTW). Plus they require using a special system for arrival and departure time slots at that particular field https://www.admtl.com/en/adm/safety/administration-and-permits-office. Given the hassle and expense on a tight work travel schedule I decided to land in Plattsburg NY and rent a car this time.

My '68 C got its airworthiness certificate December 1967. The Graduate came out in theaters that week. I named her Ms. Robinson because she's the older woman in my life.

Super helpful - not being told to switch after takeoff would have confused me terribly. Is there an altitude convention regarding when you switch?

Hi - In a couple of weeks I'm going to Montreal for work, very likely filing IFR for the trip there. I'll be new to flying outside the US and have read all the basic regulatory stuff and gotten the necessary docs and customs sticker. What I'm hoping for guidance on: 1) Getting in and out of Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International smoothly, including any experiences with customs, FBOs, and fees at that particular airport 2) Any gotchas regarding operating in the Canadian airspace system that would throw off a 1200 hr instrument rated private pilot. Many thanks in advance!

Huh. Interesting post. Seems like the original brass color portion of the thread on the OP’s version allows one to measure the ideal depth of the thread. I wonder how that compares to the depth of the thread in the P5000, which is on my plane. I couldn’t find these measurements anywhere- could someone post them?

Does reduced efficiency in filtering <=25 micron particles have any consequence at all for engine wear? I have no idea but I bet someone here knows.

http://griggsaircraft.com/fabrication/mooney_bladders

Agree - recently there no perceptible oil residue in my exhaust, and but #4 was clearly burning a ton due to coked up oil control ring not clearing oil from the combustion chamber. Were any TOP plugs oily? That may be a good hint.

I think so - it was a bit tough to read when 100LL was dripping in my eyeball though

Fixed! thank goodness it was the drain valve and not the nipple of the bladder or some other source. Here’s the part for future reference for bladder owners: F-391-18

xxxx

I have the 27.4 gal/ side Griggs bladders in my C. The fuel drain valve on one side just started leaking pretty briskly. I believe the part is distinct from the valves on the factory wet wing. I don’t think it’s sediment holding the valve open - tried to clear it multiple times without success. I suspect the o-ring is toast. Anyone have the right part number to replace the o-ring or the whole valve as necessary? Anything else I might be missing here?

Wow interesting and elegantly simple. Not sure if any downsides to paint bonding? If not, a hotpot in my hangar may be warranted. I use the expensive blue jug of Aero Cosmetics Wash Wax all, which seems mediocre in performance for this task. When the jug runs out this summer, I may switch to pledge or something else in this thread.

I distinctly recall your prior abhorrent experience with that particular MSC, which led me to stop using them.

Lest one think this was a victimless crime, consider the career impact on the millennial marketing dude who recommended sponsoring that buffoon to plug the company's wallets . The wallets themselves actually seem pretty sweet (my free plug here out of pity) https://ridge.com/

What an awesome plane, particularly with the history of Captain Moyer being the previous pilot. I were in the market for a short body again, I would find this plane irresistable.

Apparently power loss happened on takeoff at Central Jersey Regional on Saturday, pilot is ok. Anyone have details? I go in there occasionally because it has cheapest fuel in the area. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/312151

What you describe is a striking example of the "argument dilution" effect: the human brain erroneously averages the strength of weak vs. strong evidence in considering a viewpoint rather than weighting each piece of evidence based on strength and then treating them additively. I recently learned about this from a fascinating discussion of this phenomenon on the NPR show Hidden Brain - a transformative insight that I now consider when trying to support any viewpoint or assertion. I suspect good trial lawyers know this stuff intuitively. https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/less-is-more/

Despite the relatively modest hours (5k) on my 55 year old M20C, one thing that worries me about this geriatric bird is that the spar must be inspected annually for continued airworthiness - seemingly a very reasonable requirement. However, there is a portion of the spar that cannot readily be inspected. There was someone here who stripped his tanks for reseal only to find a corroded spar under the sealant that totaled the airframe. That part of my spar is now hidden by bladders, and I'm sure no one looked under the sealant before they were put in.

That's a pretty good idea. And now with so many folks going with a left Surefly that's good for 2000 hours, just having a spare right mag ready to go may be all that is needed.