PeteMc

Mine is now top row just left of my Aspen. I kept it because a number of people told me how strange/difficult it was to transition to the little lines on the newer displays. At some point when it dies I'll replace it with another GI275 or possibly whatever the latest and greatest "must have" that out there and fits in that whole.

I remember when I first moved back east CDW had an outer and inner pattern to separate the traffic. Man was my head spinning when the CFI took me over there on my rental checkout.

The few times over the years I've had questions or sent my unit in for firmware updates they have always been responsive. Glad to hear that's still true.

It seems like the insurance companies have been making changes lately, mostly with rates. But I wonder if any have hurricane exclusion clauses added. It is true that you know there is a potential for damage, but you're knowingly leaving the plane in (possible) harms way.

Similar to your putting things in front of you on the cowl, I put them on the wing-walk (usually in front of the door). If it's on the wing-walk (in theory) I will see it when I look to step up and have another option when I have to cross over it. And nothing is every placed up against the plane, it's always out in the middle of the wing-walk. Luckily my caps do have a leash. But even so, my tradition is to check the cap on the pilot side and then sump. Move to the other wing and check the cap, then sump.

Man, couldn't read the flyer right and then messed up on what FF said... Really should have finished my coffee first!!!!

FYI for those of you like me that didn't know where this was happening... KDNN - Dalton Municipal Airport, GA (631 miles NW of Atlanta)

Well, until we hear more... I'm going to GUESS that one brake stayed stuck or semi stuck and the planepivoted when it lunged forward.

No... Actually you do not want to use water due to the freezing potential. If the water freezes and expands, it may break the container it is in. Then all the water would leak out as it melts. I do know some people that have used liquids that do not freeze. But blocks or other commercially available weights work much better. Also for a structure like this, there would be multiple weights that could be moved by hand. So if you had to slightly move it or do repairs, you can un-weight the structure without any machinery. (May not be the funnest job, but doable.)

I'm thinking more enclosed, but I don't expect it to be the same as a hard side hangar. It would need lots of gust vents and maybe some strange angles for wind and snow weight in the north. But similar to the carport, it would definitely keep the sun off. And also (if designed right) keep the birds away and the rain and snow. Sure, the ramp would very possibly still be wet pending how the runoff goes by you or the snow melting under the edges. But for those that can't get a "real" hangar, it might be a viable solution. I would need a non-penetrating type at my airport (at least I'm *assuming* they would not let me go into the ramp). But I could see a penetrating type to for those at airport where they are either on the grass or they just have a pad or strip off the taxiway for the planes and grass everywhere else.

I'll second Air Mods. They've done the work on my K for years as well as a number of other Mooney owners I know. There is often a plane in there being rebuilt or being sold after they have rebuilt it. They are often transporting planes to N87, whether it be by making them flyable and getting a ferry permit or arranging for trucking. You want to talk to Dave Mathiesen (609-259-2400).

Are any of the Mooney Caravan or other formation knowledgeable CFIs in the Greater NYC area? A friend was asking about doing some formation training (he is aware of the Mooney Caravan and that may be part of his interest). And to his credit, the CFII he usually flies with said he's done formation flights, but he didn't think he would be the best to work with my friend.

If you going to install it in your plane, just be sure it's the right part#. My avionics guy says he has a lot of people showing up to have servos repaired and once he pulls the servo he finds out it is not the right part for the plane. So he can't put it back in.

I'm actually really looking for (or may design and create) a "T" Hangar. All the dome tents would extend into the tail space of the planes in the row behind - if it's a bigger airport with back to back tie-downs just like traditional back to back T Hangars. So the footprint would only cover the actual tie-down space. If multiple people want them, then they can be lashed together for additional strength. But the design itself will need to be able to sustain high winds. Which is easy enough with cutouts and slants so that there is little or no flat surfaces against the winds. Also to help the snow slide off.

What else is going into the panel, it may sway people's comments. If all or a lot Garmin, consider the GTX345 or the GTX345R if you have a Garmin device that will control the little Remote device. If more on a budget, the uAvionix TailBeacon seems to get good reviews. But it is only ADS-B OUT. Not having to stick my ADS-B receiver on the dash and run the power cord every flight has really been nice.

I figured I can probably go to a local supplier and have one designed. But I'd like to find someone that has on on the market. Having documented wind tests to present to the airport management and to the insurance company would be a big help. I know they're going to make you carry insurance due to the potential damage to those around you, but it shouldn't be that much if there is test data.

Does anyone know of a manufacturer of a fabric T Hangar that could be used at a tie-down location? So small and possibly adjustable so that you could adjust the footprint to just cover your space. I had seen one years ago, but I can't find anything online.

My thought would be to NOT add all the weights in the tail and just keep some weight (Charlie or whatever) in the baggage area. Then on long trips you can pull those weights out and add in baggage.

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.