toto

One of the selling points of the TruTrak is an estimated 18-hour install for the whole system (vs 40+ for the GFC500). Granted that no one has yet installed either a TruTrak or a GFC500 in a Mooney, is the Trio in the 18-hour ballpark, or the 40-hour ballpark?

My 20-year-old paint is in great shape for the most part, but it has started to develop a handful of small chips right on rivet heads. I want to prevent these small chips from growing - what's the best way to do that? I'm afraid that regular old touch-up paint is mostly cosmetic, and won't add much integrity to the surrounding paint (but I'm happy to be told otherwise).

(That was the ASRS form the OP mentioned.)

I believe the GFC500 shouldn't need the GAD29b. My understanding from this thread was that the original STC required both inputs for the G5, which would not allow the input from the 345.

My avionics guy has assured that traffic and weather will display on the 430W with two G5s, a GTX345, and a GFC500. No idea about the S-Tec. Install won't be finished for at least a couple more weeks, but I'll confirm when I see it first-hand.

This sounds like a nice problem to have If an avionics shop had gift cards, 30k is probably about the right increment to do some real damage. But seriously, it depends entirely on what your plane needs. If you're totally honest with yourself, what have you deferred to tomorrow that really ought to have been done yesterday? Do that.

Well, it means that flying a coupled ILS approach requires GPS. Admittedly, this is reduced AP functionality, but you can still fly the approach. (I'm actually now really curious how one might simulate loss of GPS signal during a practice approach without compromising the equipment.)

FWIW, I have a Piper in the shop right now getting a GFC500 installed, and I didn't know about this limitation. I've read the flight manual supplement, but the above section didn't jump out at me. Given that there are increasingly few approaches using ground-based nav sources, and increasingly many approaches using satellite-based sources, it doesn't seem like a deal-killer, but they certainly could make the limitation more obvious.

You can say that again

I have no idea whether this is relevant, but the GFC500 and G5 are just rebranded (and STC'd) components of the G3X system for experimentals. The G3X Touch is a cousin to the G500TXi, but not yet available via STC. The G500TXi was targeting the certified market from the start, and I suspect it's a non-trivial integration with the G3X stuff. I, for one, am anxiously awaiting the G3X Certified announcement for Mooneys. (They already have it available for CubCrafters aircraft, but it's on an amended type certificate.)

I don't *think* this specific point has been raised (apologies if so), but one minor advantage to the LPV is that the pilot must take a positive action to select a GPS approach using any equipment. For many ILS-capable radios, there's no visual confirmation of a selected approach. You listened for an audio ident, well, you're pretty sure you did, but you also flipped back and forth to verify the stepdown fix etc. Are you really sure? Especially in congested airspace with a lot of localizer frequencies within range, it's awfully easy to choose the wrong one. But the GPS is going to make you read the approach name on the screen and confirm.

My ears perked up at this thread, because I have a plane in the shop right now getting a dual-G5/GFC500 install. This is going into a panel that already has a 430W and a GTX345, and (well, as of last week, anyway) has traffic displaying from the 345 on the 430. So am I understanding that, given the current state of the G5 STC, I'll lose the traffic display on the 430 once the G5s are in? (Note this is in a Piper - I'm still anxiously waiting to see whether Garmin gets a J model STC for the GFC500 before Dynon gets one for the HDX system...)

Note that Savvy has several different products. The breakdown assistance that comes with Global Aero insurance is different from the full mx product (it's like a $150 product vs a $750 product). The analysis service mentioned above is a third product that also has a free and a paid option.

I renewed two policies with Global this year (one was already with Global, the other was a change) largely because of this benefit. Their prices are competitive with other carriers, and this seemed like a nice thing to have. Worth noting that the Breakdown Assistance service only costs like $150/yr by itself, so probably not worth going with a much more expensive policy just for this.

Yeah. Interior dimensions are awfully similar, but seating position is quite a bit different. They're both very flyable, so unless you have frequent passengers with mobility issues, I can't imagine that seating position would be a factor in your decision. (Ime the Piper seats are easier to access for those with mobility issues, but neither is as good as a Cessna with a step stool.)

The unicorn requirement here might be ADS-B, since a J with recent avionics upgrades is going to be on the high end. If you're cool with doing ADS-B yourself, you can probably find an older J with WAAS in this price range. There's a zillion threads on pricing.

This came in the mail today..

I have no personal experience with them, but I've heard several positive recommendations for Joe Brull @ K81. http://aircraftrefinishing.co

This. I bought a FreedomPop hotspot for about 20 bucks, and it costs zero dollars a month for 500M. Which is way more data than you need to flip a switch on and off.

It's a very interesting time for autopilots. Depending on your point of view, it's either a time of amazing opportunity or of punishing frustration. If you want a new AP right now, today, you've got few options and they're all expensive. But if you have 12-18 months to spare (and especially if you aren't overly bothered by a need to fly coupled approaches to minimums), there will be at least four new options available to you, for very reasonable prices. TruTrak and Trio will have APs available for Mooneys under $10k installed. Garmin will have the GFC500 for under $20k installed. And Dynon may well have a complete panel overhaul including a digital AP for under $30k installed.

Fwiw, the aircraftheaters.com product heats the whole engine compartment and keeps it at something like 60 degrees. (I think it actually turns on automatically at 50 and turns off at 70.)

Has anyone had problems with critters during the winter (when an engine heater is always on)? I have a heater from aircraftheaters.com, and one of my original reasons for buying it was thinking that I could leave it on all the time. But I got nervous, thinking that it would attract mice. I've never actually had a mouse problem, and there isn't much edible in the hangar. But a continuously-warm spot seems like it would be attractive to rodents.

A "real" engine cover fits the plane snugly, and is typically both wind-resistant and heat-resistant. One of the most important uses for me is retaining heat when landing for a few hours at a cold destination. I have a Kennon cover that I'm totally comfortable putting on a hot engine (where it may contact very hot exhaust surfaces). The cover I have uses these bungee fasteners that keep it tight enough that a stiff wind won't blow it away. I don't know if it's worth the price, exactly, but it's awfully nice to have. I think of it like the difference between a big blanket and an expensive mummy bag. The blanket might keep you perfectly comfortable for sleeping, but if money is no object I'd much rather have the fancy bag.

It might depend on whether you're doing all three within a few months, or all three within a couple of years. I might be more inclined to do the exterior first if it meant that the plane wouldn't be flying around naked for an extended period. If you're doing all three "at once," then I'd proceed as you suggested. Avionics, then interior, then paint.

I would almost always use a hot start first. There's a Don Maxwell video that covers this pretty well.