toto

Yep. I was taught this maneuver during primary training, and my instructor demonstrated it a couple of times as a way to descend out of inadvertent IMC. (The demonstration was in a Cessna 150.) I've never heard the term "benign spiral." Afaik this is meant to be a non-turning maneuver.

There's a guy running for mayor who intends to reopen Meigs Field. I don't follow Chicago politics, and I have no clue what his chances are, but it's interesting that someone thinks it's a good idea.

Thanks for posting this. Well worth a watch. I noticed that there is also a long-form version of this video with a full pilot interview. Pretty great stuff.

Always had good luck with DuPage. It's a bit of a hike from downtown, but no fees and reasonable fuel prices (especially at self-serve). It's also outside of the bravo airspace so you get direct routing and no delays. Re MDW, iirc you can buy 10 gallons of the $8.00 fuel to have a ($70?) ramp fee waived. Orange line into the city is awfully convenient.

Right, I understand. But 50%ish still seems crazy high to me. At least, if I interpret "engine failure" as something catastrophic and not fuel starvation or something otherwise easily avoidable. (It's hard to know whether a ran-out-of-gas pilot would describe the event as "engine failure.") Even here on MS, it's a pretty big day if someone has a catastrophic engine failure.

I just saw the below survey results in the AOPA SmartBrief.... Is it even remotely possible that 47.71% of pilots have experienced an in-flight engine failure? Have you ever experienced an engine failure while flying? No 52.29% Yes 47.71%

My very best experiences with ATC have been those dealing with unexpected weather. It really is as simple as saying "I don't like the looks of the radar returns ahead," and they'll often suggest an alternative heading (or accommodate a deviation that you suggest). ATC can be an amazing lifeline when the chips are down.

At some point in the recent past (I believe when the a/c was in the mx shop), my stall/gear horn stopped sounding. Before I take it back and ask them to fix it, is there anything simple or obvious that this might be? A common loose connector or something that I should look for? Tia for any words of wisdom.

No doubt that's the way to let them know we're out here. I signed up about 5 seconds after I heard about it Anyway, I was kidding about 2057. But I love the idea of a real disruptor in this space, and I think that Dynon has a relatively small window of opportunity. It's only a matter of time before Garmin significantly expands the GFC500 AML, and at that point it becomes a numbers game: "Do you want the TXi PFD/MFD/ADS-B/EIS/AP solution for $50k now, or do you want the Dynon equivalent for $25k in 18 months?" Frankly, I'd love to see Garmin get scared enough by Dynon to introduce a G3X-based system at price parity. But I'm not optimistic that that's going to happen, and I'm still eagerly awaiting every next word about HDX certification.

Yeah, I know. But they haven't started the certification process for any Mooney models, and it seems clear that we'll be no sooner than the third phase.

Nice SkyView demo in a new LSA: The certified retrofit unit probably won't be available until 2057 or so, when I will have given up and replaced my entire airplane with a giant flying Garmin logo. But it's still fun to dream.

I have had no problems updating GTN SD cards using flygarmin.com on a Mac.

I'm not a FF user either, but it definitely sounds like the database update feature is not supported. https://support.foreflight.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006594827-Will-I-be-able-to-use-ForeFlight-Mobile-to-wirelessly-update-the-Jeppesen-database-for-my-Garmin-avionics-using-Garmin-Concierge-Flight-Stream-510-?mobile_site=true (This question is about Jepp data but the answer clearly says that the database concierge whatever isn't available to FF users.)

@Utah_Pilot as a point of reference, Dick Karl from Flying magazine chronicled his path to a second career as a charter pilot after 40-odd years in medicine and after beating cancer himself. Yours is a dream that I suspect many of us have shared (at least in hangar-flying daydreams). And if a 70ish cancer survivor can fly 135, I can't imagine you won't have a path to 121 at 33.

Ooh, this is fun. @LANCECASPER do you have a resource for old Mooney print ads? Are they archived somewhere online? I spent about 60 seconds trying to Google it but didn't come up with much.

This has been available for a few weeks, but I just got an email announcing the feature today. I'm happy to see that there is now a free app option for displaying Garmin ADS-B (and AHRS) data. Always seemed absurd to have to pay for a Garmin Pilot (or ForeFlight) subscription just to display the data from your pricey new panel ornament. FltPlan Adds the Garmin® Connext™ System to its Connectivity Options FltPlan is pleased to announce the Garmin Connext System is now part of our growing list of connectivity options. Integration with Garmin Connext is available from the FltPlan Go app for iOS devices. Android compatibility is in development and is expected to be available soon. With compatible Garmin avionics, pilots can simply create a flight plan on FltPlan.com for transfer to the FltPlan Go app and into select avionics once they arrive at the aircraft. Flight plan transfer capability is available with Flight Stream 510 and Flight Stream 210–equipped aircraft using Garmin 650/750 and 430/530W Series avionics. In addition, flight plans can be transferred to the Garmin Pilot app from FltPlan Go iOS. FltPlan Go for iOS can receive and display ADS–B traffic, weather, AHRS, and GPS data from the following Garmin products: The integration with Garmin significantly expands connectivity options for FltPlan users, giving them even greater flexibility in choosing the system that works best for their budget and needs. Click here for a complete list of compatible products. Learn more about how to connect to Garmin with FltPlan Go.

Maybe @Eric W. Gray is still lurking in this thread? Eric, do you have any data on out-the-door costs for certified installs?

STC issued for the 172. (Also noted earlier in the autopilot thread.) I received this email from Dynon a couple of hours ago: DYNON CERTIFIED UPDATE SkyView HDX is now STC Approved! We're excited to share that we've just received our first Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for our flagship SkyView HDX system. The STC’s Approved Model List (AML), which initially covers many Cessna 172 models, ushers in a new era of truly affordable, safety-enhancing integrated avionics systems for type certificated aircraft. The initial STC is for the installation of a full suite of Dynon avionics, allowing pilots to remove the vast majority of their legacy instrumentation, including their vacuum pump. The SkyView HDX system provides complete primary flight instrumentation, including synthetic vision and angle of attack, and complete engine monitoring with CHTs, EGTs, fuel flow, fuel computer, and lean assist. Also approved is Dynon’s fully-integrated two axis autopilot, which features IFR approach capability when SkyView is integrated with a compatible navigator. The approved installation also includes a Mode S Transponder with 2020-compliant ADS-B Out, Navigation and Mapping with Flight Planning ADS-B Traffic and Weather display, and Electronic Flight Bag features. Backup primary flight instruments are provided by a Dynon EFIS-D10A. Approved Model List The initial Approved Model List (AML) covers Cessna 172F, 172G, 172H, 172I, 172K, 172L, 172M, 172N, 172P, 172Q, 172R, and 172S models. Approval does not restrict the operational use of the aircraft, and allows for flight in both IFR and VFR. Dynon will be seeking additional approvals for both single and twin-engine aircraft in the coming months. Pricing and Availability Pricing for the certified/PMA versions of approved Dynon products will be the same as existing experimental/light sport products. The STC for Cessna 172 aircraft is priced at $2,000. The first installations will be available in the coming weeks via US Sport Aircraft + Thrust Flight in Texas, Merrill Field Instruments in Alaska, and a Dynon-affiliated facility in the Pacific Northwest. Additional Information For more information about Dynon Certified and our SkyView HDX system, visit our website at www.dynon.aero/certified.

Yeah, no big deal. The engine in the P____ is still running fine, and aside from the recurring AD has had no real problems. Oil consumption is higher but stable as is the compression. My basic takeaway is that the nickel cylinders are not head-and-shoulders better than the factory cylinders, and that I'd probably be less creative the next time around

Not a Continental or ECi engine (I don't even know what an ECi engine is), but I installed four nickel cylinders in a Lycoming engine and had a pretty negative experience with it. The engine was 2500smoh and running perfectly. Finally decided to do the overhaul just because it seemed like tempting fate with 500 free hours. The shop was really pushing ECi cylinders as superior to the factory cylinders, but I was reluctant because I'd read a lot of bad news about the Classic Cast series. The shop convinced me that ECi had addressed all of their past problems with the new Titan line. Anyway, four new Titan cylinders in a newly-overhauled engine produced worse compression and double the oil consumption as with the Lycoming cylinders. Then about two years later a nice AD on the cylinders requiring an inspection every 50 hours. This was all a decade ago, and it may be that the new products from ECi are free of problems. But if I were to do it over again, I'd buy the Lycoming cylinders in a heartbeat.

I use an app called “Tiny Scanner.” Available for iOS and Android. Costs about 5 bucks but produces a very readable PDF copy. I scan everything from logbooks to 337 forms to flight manuals with that app.

Hi all - My radio master switch has started acting up. When I turn on the master, power is immediately supplied to the radios while the radio master is off - this is consistent with the expected "fail closed" master relay behavior. I encountered this on a recent flight - on initial engine start, I thought it was acting a little strange, but chalked it up to flipping the radio master on sooner than I had planned. On engine start for the return flight, the radio master actually worked correctly and the flight was uneventful. But on shutdown back home, flipping off the radio master did nothing at all and the radios went off only with the master. My avionics shop says that it's really strange for a radio master relay problem to be intermittent -- they said that if it fails, it fails, and that the units are normally sealed and unlikely to collect dirt or other gunk that might impact movement. The plane hasn't made it into the shop yet (just spoke to them over the phone). I dug around under the panel and found a relay P/N 6041H202, which may or may not be the radio master (I don't really know what I'm looking for). Is the intermittent relay a symptom of some other problem? Or do relays sometimes do this? It's nice that the relay fails closed, but I don't trust it until there's a more definitive answer. Hoping to get it in to the shop tomorrow, but would love to hear from others who have experienced similar behavior. TIA for any advice.

What's the title of the new AC article? I couldn't find it on their website. (I'm excitedly watching for any news on this, and the Avweb thing just seemed to confirm everything we have heard here.)

I'll just point out that "J" comes before "K" alphabetically

I know that @Eric W. Gray probably can't comment, but does anyone knowledgeable about the process think it's realistic to have Mooney models on the AML in calendar 2018?