PeteMc

They dropped the AoA to $500 a while ago too. Guess they figured out people were not going for those options at the higher prices. Gotta recoup those development cost somehow...

I just had all my AP servos cleaned and checked as parts are becoming VERY scarce. I had a little jitter in my pitch servo after my panel upgrade (and the plane sitting for a long time). Initial thought was the new Aspen needed adjustment, but the shop was adamant that the servo should be pulled before adjusting the Aspen. Turned out to be full of carbon, but no rebuild needed, just servicing. That's when he told me that with the shortage of parts, now is the time to have all the servos checked as sometimes it's just carbon build up and other times minor preventative maintenance can be done before a total rebuild is needed. Other note he had was that he's had a lot of people try to buy servos online to replace their defective ones. Doesn't work and they come in for him for repairs. He then discover that they bought the wrong Part# and he cannot legally put the servo back in the plane, even if he can fix it. Cost a few hundred each vs. the thousands for the rebuild with current price of parts if you can find them. He recommended they should be pulled every so often (5 years or so) when the planes already in for something just to be looked at to majorly extend the servos life. I think I've had one replaced years ago but otherwise never pulled any of them and they were all were full of carbon. But still appear to have plenty of life in them now that they're cleaned up.

I bet it won't be too long until the SV costs start to drop. Big marketing BUZZ right now, but eventually it will drop just like the latest Android or iPhones do a few months after they come out. I've got multiple maps/displays with my current panel and think I've settled on my go-to enroute configuration, which covers Terrain issues. Aspen is just in the regular FD and HSI, SV is not turned on. GI275 is in Traffice mode. GTN switches around from Map to Flight Plan as needed. And... I have a GNC355 as a backup GPS and Comm2, but that display lives on the Terrain screen. Flying around the NYC area it really doesn't show much. But for flights to the north or on cross US flights having this configuration may come in handy if that controller turns me the wrong way.

On the Molex connector, they are very common and a computer parts or auto parts store near you many have it. Just take a very close look at the keys (notches, tabs, cutouts, etc.) for your connector. Molex makes all sorts of connectors for all sorts of people and some may look like the same size and shape, but not have the right key to go together or stay locked together.

I was told by a mechanic years ago for my 231 (GB and now LB) to only check the engine for oil level after it had been sitting for a day. Too much oil get stuck up in the engine and it takes a while for it to drip down. For multiple legs, just check to see that there is some oil on the dipstick and if there isn't oil all over the belly, then the levels are still good. When I got my LB engine, that same mechanic took the new dipstick out and bent the tip a little, said it makes it easier to get the dipstick in.... But for the life of me sitting here right now, don't remember which way he bent it. And... On my engine, I never fill more than 7 qts. Any time I do, the extra immediately gets blown out, even with the oil separator.

The Aspen Synthetic Vision is interesting to fly with, but I'd also probably never use it in IMC. Even if I got used to it, the Flight Director bars are even lighter color than in regular mode. So right when you want to have clear and distinct FD bars, you don't. Love the MAX in general, but the graphics and color really needs an update by a new team.

He uploaded a couple of PDFs, not website links. Just click on one of them and you should get the option to download the PDF.

Guessing it's a GNC355 if GPS/Comm. But I'm curious why you'd be switching *AT* the Missed? Seems to me that this would be a lot of button pushing and mental bandwidth to make sure everything is doing what it is supposed to be doing. (And not flying you into that hill or tower just off to the right....) If the autopilot is engaged (or you just want to follow the Flight Director) then I could see pushing the Go Around button to start the climb, then continue to fly the Missed by hand or heading if still on the AP. Once well established on the Missed and with some altitude, then you can confirm the GPS is really tracking the Missed (active leg, etc.) and switch over to follow the GPS.

I've also had good luck with the Anker Cig/USB adapter and their other products.

This thread just happened to catch my eye, I was on an AOPA ASN Hangar webinar earlier. Here are a couple of things I took away tonight (though I do not have a hangar). It looks like @Larry posted the FAA regs. They apply if there is Federal money given to the airport. Also, for a short period there were much stricter rules (could not build a plane in a hangar, no fridge, no chairs, etc.), but those have been changed. So if your Apt Manager spots off some really strict FAA rule, make sure s/he has the latest info and is not going off the stricter rules. But they do have to follow the Federal rules if they take Fed. money. Also make sure you're fully aware of what is in your lease. Over the years a lot of people keep "adding" to what's in their hangar. Even on a private airport you might be in violation of your lease. Also make sure you know what happens at the end of your lease or at the end of the last renewal you're eligible for. The other BIG issue that is hitting TX and apparently moving to other city/states is fire suppression. There are updated building codes which are looking at hangars in a different light. Also fire inspections are changing and a lot of people are getting grief for having a case of oil just sitting out on the floor or a shelf. So a lot going on that those of you that have hangars should be aware of and watching out for. AOPA is apparently trying to reign some of these crazy things in, but everyone needs to be aware. Now if anyone knows anything about free standing hangars that could be put on a ramp, I'm trying to get more info.

Did anyone actually answer how to do a basic test on the gauges before you need to start pumping fuel out of the tank? I probably missed it going through the messages (lots of good stuff), but didn't see anyone answer this part of your questions. Start with the tank you are NOT testing full and take off and run on that tank for a while. Then switch to the tank/gauge you're testing and run it down as far as you are comfortable. Go to a level fueling ramp, hopefully one with a newer digital fuel pump, and take note of what the gauge shows. Then fill to the 30 gal. mark. Fill slowly as you get to 30 and stop with the needle in the middle. After the tank has settled and you're sure you're at 30 add what you showed before fueling with what the pump shows and it should = 30. Then continue to fuel to the bottom of the flapper, which should be an additional 6 gal. for the K (36 per side for 72 usable). If you have a JPI, then tell it the tanks are full and go fly ONLY on the tank you're testing (don't test both, etc. since you know the other tank is still good). When you come back the pump number and the JPI Fuel Used should match. Then some day when you've run the other tank down, check it. If there are any questions, then go the full route of having a mechanic empty the tanks and check all the gauges.

Knowing nothing about carrier takeoffs, I could see it as a possibility. I'm *assuming* the catapult has to put some downward force on the plane and I'm also assuming that even in rough seas the planes do not bounce when they launch. So when the weight comes off the wheels they're either flying or something happened and they're about to get wet.

That was my question reading the update on the incident. And re-reading it again... it said the gear handle was down AFTER he exited the plane. So it is quite possible the handle was Up and he put it back Down. As others have said, some folks like to live dangerously with the position of the gear switch or how quickly they bring up the gear. If that's what happened here, he learned why it is REALLY REALLY DUMB to do it.

Can you run this by me one more time? What am I missing? Gear handle was DOWN. The mishap was on TO (takeoff??) but he exited the plane???? If it was on takeoff, I'm guessing you're saying that he lifted off or bounced off the runway and the gear retracted and he settled back down onto the runway? But I'm still missing the circuit breaker being popped. So if the there is no power to the motor, how did the gear retract? Did they swing freely somehow so that they were not still locked in the down position?

Just left ID and in Seattle for a few days before we go back east.

Just know what the Advisory say, so I would guess so. I didn't look, but don't they also say that it is not recommended you reboot while airborne and to land as soon as possible... Or am I thinking of some other device and not the GPS. NOTE: Remember the Advisory was for the GTN, I was wondering if it was relevant to the GI275 issue.

Does anyone know exactly what happened? He may have flown by Albany before he knew he had an issue.

By any chance did you start taxiing before you got the 3DDiff? I don't know about the 275, but there is an Advisory out for the GTN: Taxiing before the ADS-B GPS source has calculated an acceptable GPS position, will result in an incorrectly transmitted “airborne” Air/Ground status.

I actually went with the Diversity option on the 345. I know it's not required yet, but Canada keeps moving that direction and hope to be making more trips up that way. Figured it was easier to just put in the antenna and get everything done on the initial installation.

Actually, crossing the mountains does bring up a good point. You might consider buying or finding a friend that has a Garmin inReach to borrow. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/c16841-p1.html The Mini is fine, but I happen to have the Explorer+ I also only have the basic SOS plan, though I know people that have the plans for full tracking, unlimited texts, etc. Originally bought it for hiking way out in the boonies. But immediately started turning it on before every flight.

I can tell you I'm very happy with my GMA345. No experience to compare the PMA450B.

Have you hooked up your phone yet? People say the call is crystal clear.

Depending if you're trying to get there quickly or you've got some time. Maybe pick some places along the way that maybe you would go to otherwise. We stopped in KRAP and went to Mt Rushmore on a flight to Spokane one year. Worth seeing at least once and there's some good hiking around there. Also maybe Flathead Lake, MT or Coeur d'Alene, ID. This also gives you the "IFR" (I follow roads) option and you can follow I-90 through the mountains if you're going VFR.

Garmin does not post Firmware versions on their public website. They expect you to waste the time of your avionics guy to look up and tell you if a new FW version has been released. If I were an avionics vendor for Garmin, this would be on my list every time they I talked to my contact with Garmin. Really, Really dumb way to provide generic info that should be available to all their installers as well as all their customers. (I know Garmin is big... but I don't think that the issue here. Seems like they've got some people in positions of power that just don't have a clue.)

I talked to Whelen a few weeks ago they told me a LED replacement was on the boards. Obviously not going to tell me if there's a development team assigned, etc. etc., but I do believe they are going to make the LED option. My guesstimate from the conversation is a year, but possibly much sooner pending how they allocate their resources. So lets hope there's a little block in their production schedule that this project fits right into and they do it a lot sooner.