PaulM

Bravo's are long bodies. Their only downside is the fuel burn. Want fast? the Acclaim will go 20kts faster on the same fuel burn... want efficiency?. get a K. The bravo hits the faster but can't afford the Acclaim and want the long body space. I normally run between 17-18gph unless I need to fly LOP for the range (800-900nm). Speed falls off quickly LOP, and we bought the Bravo to go fast. I've been flying the 231 motor in a senaca II... you definitely need to fiddle with it from takeoff all the way to cruise. I would prefer the 252 or Bravo.. set it and forget it. It is just the fixed waste gate.. don't over boost on takeoff, keep increasing the MP on climb etc... the pressure controlled variable waste-gate in the Bravo is set full power... leave it.. perhaps select 34" for cruise climb if you feel like it. With the senaca I have to look down at the instruments during the takeoff roll to set power and keep it within the boost limits.

I think we are writing the 2017 manual for the Stec... the original was based in the pre GPS era.. A modern interpretation would say fly GPSS or HDG until the FAF, and press X button outside the FAF for the final approach.. They just have not updated the documentation. A cynic would say that they could update the software to modern standards and auto-sequence from NAV to APR upon the receiving of the precision signal.. But for now.. press that button. I'm going to see if the Max Trescot books brought this up... they have some stuff about KAP140's.. I was used to always pressing APR on the last segment.... it was just that the manual for the 55x said just hit "nav".. so we were working out why that worked.. and should we use NAV or APR... .. doesn't matter.. just hit a button on the before the FAF.

I believe there is one (1) Bravo with the GFC-700... It was the factory development platform.. I saw it advertised 5 years ago... technically there were a few Stec planes converted to GFC-700 at a ridiculous cost by the factory.. but I don't think that upgrade is offered anymore. I just couldn't justify the 100K that going to an Acclaim cost over the Bravo.

This thread was started on S55X specifics.. and then G1000 behavior w/S55X was added. the 55x has internal GPSS steering, so we fly that in NAV-NAV mode (two pushes of the nav button). With a GPS we will be in nav mode for the feeder, through the procedure turn and keep in NAV mode towards the FAF. Questions of A/P behavior have evolved since approach operations with a GPS/NAV unit are done differently from the VOR/LOC era of flying when these A/P's were designed. You used to have to switch between HDG & NAV multiple times in a regular approach either vectors or full procedure. We also see generational changes in A/P's.. You used to have to hit APR (King, century, early Stec) to get the APR mode + GS capture. Stec has changed to using NAV with the precision approach indicator from the NAV unit to go directly into APR mode.. the 55X still includes a separate APR button,.. the S60 doesn't. What I am seeing with RNAV and ILS approaches is that vectors to final (or any other process) needs the button (NAV or APR) to be hit on the segment right before the FAF. Normally with VTF you are vectored to the segment before the FAF, LOC or LP is active and the AP will go right to APR mode. If for whatever reason you are vectored to a segment before the FAF for an RNAV or ILS and the nav radio isn't in the LOC/LP mode yet, you are going to have to push the button again when on the FAF segment. GPSS in your system is VTF as far as the autopilot is concerned, so your normal process is GPSS/VTF until the NAV indicates it is in precision mode. GPSS in the 55X is an extended NAV mode.. What I see as a universal rule is to push the button (NAV/APR) on the segment to the FAF and you will always get the desired behavior. the A/P expects a final mode determination to be done on that segment, and needs a button push to make that happen.

I flew a whole bunch of approaches this past Monday for 6 in 6 + automation testing & the new software rev. S55X behavior only.. All approaches were flown with GPSS as full procedures until the leg before the FAF.. I found some interesting things when deleting the "hold/procedure turn" at the beginning of an approach, it seemed to create a discontinuity. the AP will not go into APR or GS capture mode from an enroute GPSS nav. you have to push a button. (hence why my 1st RNAV didn't switch in December, I joined the RNAV on the base leg) Flew a RNAV LNAV+V... outside the FAF hit APR to get approach mode + GS couple for the +V indications. that +V goes all the way to the ground, it doesn't stop at the MDA. Flew a ILS with full GPSS procedure turn. MGJ ILS03.. the procedure turn is outside of NISSN so it was GPSS all the way to NISSN and then auto-switched to LOC. (but we were already centered by the step down segment) The STEC remained in NAV mode and needed a button (APR) to engage APR/GS. (It did not go to ROL mode) Flew another RNAV LP+V... again needed to push APR to engage APR/GS So, the conclusion is that the STEC needs to have a button pushed on the segment outside of the FAF. APR always works. This is normal with Vectors to final, but is an additional press for GPSS full approaches. I will do some more testing to see if just pressing "NAV" works just outside the FAF. I will also test the procedure turn to LOC G1000 auto-switch when the turn is from the FAF, which should switch to LOC before we are established on the inbound course.

That is standard on that era of charger (exide etc). It indicates that the system "thinks" it is full. Usually you do the initial charge on the 10A setting.. and it starts the "flicker".. then you switch it down to the 2A setting... and eventually that will also "flicker".. then the battery is as full as that charger will get it. The more modern "float" chargers will switch from charge to "maintain" battery tender, battery minder.. for 12v batteries I usually pick up whatever Walmart schumacher 1.5A charger is in store for tending the battery over the winter.. Motos, cars, etc. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher-XM1-5-Maintainer-1-5-Amp/15140193

If this was a one time event, then consider it an anomaly. I started having re-starting problems in my Bravo (Lycoming) I could do the initial start by the book, but after taxing over for fuel the post re-fuel restart (not really hot) might take 30-40 seconds of cranking, hitting the boost, etc. (after years of Dave's 1000RPM no touch warm/hot starts of mixture off, crank, cough, start, mixture smoothly to rich). I had the shop clean the plugs and check the mag timing.. seemed to help, and then it didn't. In the end it was the left mag points. (loose) The run up check was fine, but they weren't getting in the right position during the start. Probably needed the right mag to start (comes back on line when you release the key). So, if you haven't had problems in the past, don't discount that it could be a starter mag problem..

For the FIKI long bodies: (M+R+TN) Official install diagrams are somewhere on Mooneyspace in one of the threads.. "TKS Drawings.pdf" There is a schematic on mooney.com in the POH supplement: http://www.mooney.com/en/pdf/SUPP0017F.pdf The High pressure switch is in the body after the main pumps and before the filter, so a clogged filter triggers the high pressure warning. The low pressure sensors are on the tail flow divider on the way to the two horizontal stabilizer's. They are wired in series so if either is low the warning should trigger..

What I like to point out as a first indication to go for the IFR rating: Have you ever flown MVFR and spent the entire flight perfectly safe, but always worrying about the ceiling and visibility? Are those clouds 500' above? Are those descenders cloud or virga? Is that actually 3 miles? The summer haze in the north east often produces those conditions. I flew VFR from cape cod back to NJ along the RI/CT shore, @ 2500 (clouds@3000ish) always with an eye on the layer above, the class D space all along the route, and didn't fly IFR since the TEC route was another 30-40 miles. Should have filed and ate the miles. I've flown a similar route many times from NH IFR, and you just don't worry. Oh, the clouds are a little close, doesn't matter. the visibility went to 3 miles.. oh well. If you fly nothing but high minimums VFR, you probably don't need the IFR, but if you find yourself in the entire VFR spectrum, CAVU to 3mi 2000' the IFR ticket makes the bottom of that envelope better. I've flown all across the country VFR, yes you don't need the IFR rating, but it can be part of your backup systems. An out when you need it and it makes flying VFR even safer.

I pulled up the METAR... (which stops at 7:15) it was .15mile vis with 300f VV. so 800ft visibility stable with calm winds. 24 07:15 Calm 0.15 Fog OVC003 54 NA NA NA NA 30.18 NA 24 06:55 Calm 0.15 Fog OVC003 55 NA NA NA NA 30.18 NA 24 06:35 Calm 0.15 Fog OVC003 55 NA NA NA NA 30.17 NA There are no alternate takeoff minimums for that airport, so part 135 is 1 mile vis. In the US part 91 can leave zero/zero, but I would not begrudge a layman in observing that the weather was very low.

I used Bob Cabe when I picked up the Bravo in San Antonio. Went fine.

Slow is what a battery minder will do.. say 4A or less. If they have recovered, then you can give it a shot.. you can't ruin the battery any further. If that 6.x volts isn't enough to kick the minder into charge you just need to "help" it up into the charge range. A pair of 12V in series will give you 24 long enough to start the charge cycle. Remember even if we get the batteries back there is some sort of issue in the plane...

In my experience all of those battery systems have start protection (polarity reversal) , so if the battery is very low they won't detect enough voltage to clear the protection and go into charge mode. This is where having a second battery, or a straight 24v supply will allow you to get the system into charge mode, and then you want a slow charge to attempt to bring the battery back

The diodes are between the #1 battery relay (switched side) and the hot side of each relay. Either individual diodes or a four diode rectifier depending on the year:

I will assume you switch batteries every flight/start, this is best so that each battery is connected directly to the charging circuit and only using the trickle on the off cycles. My normal pattern is to switch batteries during the pre-start checklist, turn on the master, start, taxi over to fuel, re-fuel and start again on the same battery (since it really hasn't had a good charge yet). Then switch batteries at the next start. That does a flight on a single battery and the next flight on the other. At some year they added fuses on the trickle charge circuit and these can be overloaded leading to the alternate battery not getting topped off. I only noticed this when switching batteries after start and the "second" took more current than I was expecting for a battery that should have been topped off. I wasn't reliably switching batteries at that time...

If you didn't expect it, the POH schematic is incorrect and incomplete: the light/clock always on circuit isn't shown on the bat1 side of the relay and it doesn't have the trickle charge diodes shown.. the schematics in the maintenance manual are correct and show all of the parts. (Now I'm using a M20M diagram, but these parts are the same on both platforms)

If everything is working correctly there should have been no way to discharge both batteries. So, There is a fault in the system. #1 battery minders won't charge a dead battery the protection circutry needs voltage to start the cycle ... You will need to get the battery back up to at least 18-20v via some other means jump/cross charge from a full battery, or a straight 24v power supply. Dropping a battery to .5 volts has likely killed it. (check the water levels as well with such a deep discharge.) So: on to failure modes. The 2 battery relays are wired to trigger when the panel switch is routed to ground. the Bat1-2 switch routes the relay to the master switch and all the master does is connect to ground. If the wires from the relay to the Bat1-2 switch have shorted then they will always power that relay. This could have left either/both relays active So we check the connectivity from the relay solenoid to ground. The always on circuits are only connected to Bat1. There is also a pair of diodes that trickle charge the non selected battery. If one of these diodes have failed (shorted) then the other battery and relay could have kept the circuit alive until both batteries were discharged. So, Disconnect the batteries. get them back up to 24v and then some debugging will show if the battery relays and switches are all good. Then we would double check the diodes.

Guys, I have the data.. PM me.

The Bravo's aren't going to be fuel efficient for that much overwater flight. I can go 830NM just a bit lean of peak and still have the 1 hour reserve with the 102G tanks. My airframe couldn't have the Monroy tanks since it has AC and TKS. There are some lower power settings on the Bravo chart that might get you to 1000nm.. but I have never investigated them since they add over an hour to the trip, so for my travel I put in a fuel stop unless I'm right at the 830 sort of range with VFR @ destination. The Acclaim manual has max ISA legs of 1250nm.. the Continental has better fuel specifics, I get a feeling from the charts that it will go about 100 nm further than the Bravo at similar best economy power settings. (it burns more GPH but makes up for that in power/speed/travel time)

When I was flying down to the Summit I was monitoring 121.5 and Potomac approach called me on guard. Gave me a new frequency for the next sector. I know that I didn't hear a handoff. My only problem with monitoring guard are the idiots that "joke" on the frequency... when it becomes too much I have to turn it off for a hundred miles or so.

The "MAX" mode tracks the peak since being enabled.

the jagged line on that one purple EGT probe is a classic dying probe.. if the TC shorts out anywhere along the wiring (or in the probe) you get lower readings. All of those excursions are down.

Chief says it's a standard K type thermocouple. I would just use the 712 probe, or any K type probe. There is absolutely nothing in the technology that would be different and EGT TC's are used to just show peak. You could call Westach ask ask for an Owner specified part. "K" wire EGT sender, 1 5/8" to 2 1/2" clamp, 1" tip, 4' lead, grounded tip.. just happens to match the 712 probe. I'll assume they aren't shipping the 713's. http://www.westach.com/app_guide/TSO - CERTIFIED/REPLACEMENT & ADD-ON SWITCHES AND SENDERS/EGT SENDERS/index.php

I flew a few approaches today. The 1st RNAV did not switch to APR mode, but I may have not been on a published segment to the FAF. The second RNAV approach (LPV) enabled APR+GS mode as soon as I hit the NAV button from HDG. Checked an ILS and it also immediately went into APR+GS when hitting the NAV button. So, the APR button is only required for VOR approaches and perhaps GPS non Localizer precision. I also adjusted the roll centering on the way home.

Looks like 8000'.. Magenta indicator with "GPS ENR" .. My recommendation is to zoom in on the magenta line while adjusting. (same tech as the SVT boxes) . The issue isn't the G1000.. it knows you aren't on course.. its the 55X holding an offset. I'll be over in ABE tomorrow morning.