211º

OK, So I spent some time hunkered over the backseat today. I was able to disconnect the red and the green hoses at the Ts in this area. I was happy to apply a vacuum to the red hose that leads to the left aileron and see that aileron deflect. That line was able to keep a 5" vacuum for over 1 minute - Win! Unfortunately, that was the only win. Applying a vacuum to both the red and green that lead to the rudder did nothing but (literally) suck air. Applying the vacuum to the green/right aileron did nothing, but I did note that turning the aileron manually from inside the airplane did push air the other direction - I'm still thinking that through on what it means. From the T to the front (to the 805) I was able to cap the line at the T then attempt to apply the vacuum to "just the line" (i.e., no bellows, joints, or cans) and that did not get any vacuum at all. So that makes me think that the hose on the left side of the cockpit is kaput (both the green and red). So, I think that some items may be coming out of the cockpit in the not too distant future. (an aside, I'm pretty impressed that the autopilot (and vacuum) were able to cause turns to the left at all as it seems that the hose is sieve-like). PS: The picture that has a play button in the middle of it is a screen grab from a video.

Aha! Thanks for that clarification. I see that now as I re-read. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Yep. Just a simple bet. Sounds like Hank above had a lot of luck with renewing hoses. From tracking the hoses, they appeared to be solid, but those appearances may simple be wrong. So a bet before I get all comfy in the baggage area at the T where I can try to see if two of the directions will move with a vacuum applied and the third will hold a vacuum. I’ll get back out there and dig into it more in the next few weeks.

Reviving an old thread if no one minds… Earlier today, I disconnected both the red and the green hoses from my 805. I applied – or rather tried to apply – a vacuum to both sides. The green gave a little bit a vacuum (not much at all) and the red side held absolutely nothing after several attempts. While I will disconnect and plug the hoses near/at the T near the baggage area to see if I can get a vacuum on the hoses running in the left side wall, I am curious for opinions on whether the consensus would be to bet on the hoses being old and brittle or the servos/rubber leaking. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Was able to test the oil pressure with a T in the line. The pressure gauge is simply "off" by about a needle width at the high end. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I saw this last night. I agree - he explains it better than I’ve ever seen. Martin, Thank you indeed! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

A nice 20° sunny day and afternoon. I missed sneaker to ground traction while pushing the plane back in the hangar though. Hangar doors frozen open also gave me pause... but the crazy dense air made it worth it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I'm trying to understanding oil pressure readings better. In my E, I understand that I have a mechanical gauge - where an (oil) line from the engine enters the cabin and connects directly to the oil pressure gauge. The pressure in that line directly deflects the oil pressure gauge to provide a reading. In the wintertime, when the oil is colder and thicker, I'm wondering how the oil in the line between the engine and my panel warms along with the rest of the oil in my engine. If the line were a loop of some sort, I would better be able to visualize its path of warming up (as it would be circulating along with the rest of the oil). But my current understanding is that it is a single line (much like a long flexible straw) that reaches my gauge. So, how is this oil transferred and heated up? Is it just the conductive property of the oil slowly warming down the long straw-like line? My larger question has to do with high oil pressure readings during cold weather - is the higher reading because the oil in the engine block isn't warm and "fluidish" enough or is the higher reading because the oil in the long tube/straw isn't nearly as warm and "fluidish" as the engine oil?

Here is a 66E. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Flew for the first time in a while and was able to test the altitude hold and the HDG on the B-6 autopilot. I was quite happy to see the system hold altitude (after I learned the proper sequence to implement it). Test flight at 2,500 and it held within about 50 feet the whole time... except when I was testing the altitude hold and using and changing the HDG dial on the B-6. During turns, the system would lose about 200 feet of altitude (then gain it back after the turn). It seems that the AP HDG works when turning left, but has trouble coming out of the turn and trouble turning right, but is ok coming out of right turns. This leads me to think that there is an issue somewhere on the right side of the PC system. It’d be “nice” if it was simply the boot... and not a vacuum line that terminates somewhere between the firewall and instrument panel. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Over the past couple of weeks, I've chatted with Cecelia and Kevin at Brittain quite a bit. Kevin gave me pointers on removing the B-601 panel from the aircraft. My hope was that there was something wrong with the unit and he'd be able to fix it and I'd be back in autopilot-business. We chatted after he bench tested the unit and told me that the unit was working fine (and nothing needed to be repaired). He then suggested that I use a voltage meter and see if I get a voltage between the ground and positive on pins 1 and 2 of the cable that connects to the back of the B-601. After several trips and hours upside down, under the pilot's side panel, I was able to find a 22-guage wire that was broken... and was then able to find its broken partner. Reconnecting these wires, I was able to get voltage back to Pins 1 and 2. Cecelia sent the (now cleaned and yellow-tagged) B-601 back to me. This morning, I reinstalled the unit in the panel and taxied around the 500-foot ceiling airport. In the run-up area, I turned the autopilot to Heading and turned the heading. Kevin told me that the system would turn the yokes/actuate the ailerons . And Whoop! The AP commanded a left turn. See the video though, I'm thinking through it, but is appears that I must have a vacuum leak for right hand turns as the autopilot returns to center, but is not pulled to the right (i.e., the left boot releases it pressure, but the right boot doesn't pull the opposite direction past zero/level). As I write this up, I think that I can narrow down the issues to a hose issue, boot issue, or valve issue by figuring out a way to see if the tail or possibly even just the rudder pedals move concurrently with the aileron left, center, right movement. AP_-_1.m4v

My M20E has the B-6 System with Altitude hold. The panel (aka B-601) used to have the eyeball, but that was blanked out prior to my ownership. As I understand, there were two sides (two halves of a circle split vertically - each with a horizontal white line). As the pilot would pull the "Alt Hold" to turn on the altitude hold, he would align the floating, horizontal while lines to match up. I think that this aligned the pitch of the airplane to assist in (easily (easier(?)) holding altitude for the AP. This eyeball had two vacuum lines to it. I think that these vacuum lines now (ultimately) route to a pitch sensor (in my airplane) in the tailcone area - right under the altitude hold box (I'm still learning about how this works).

This is the BI-201 Sensor. in my M20E, mine was mounted in the tail cone and accessible through the large pilot's side access panel. Although it looks rigid, it freely swing's back and forth.

I'm learning more and more about the Brittain B-6 Autopilot system that I have. Since this is the longest thread, I'm going to post seemingly obvious things that I've learned here. To remove the B-601 until from the panel, see the attached pictures for some tips.

And a greatly reduced draw of current from the system. Nice. Did the same thing on my E. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

If you go up again, I wonder if pushing up on the lower right or pushing right in the outside left side of the panel will create a “new shock mount” and fix the problem. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Do you have any old photos of your panel? It seems strange that the yoke-rod coming through the panel is not centered. If you have an old photo that shows that it used to be centered, this would cause me to think that a shock absorbing item shifted or failed in the panel mount. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

So far, I don't know of any real, financial, weight-efficient solution - except passive or active (or both) protection of the ears. Unless Mooney comes out with a pusher prototype - put all of the noise and vibration a little behind us.

Flew Cincinnati to Ohio State and back for Cross Country meet yesterday - 40 minutes in the air beats 2+ hours on the ground - even with a required Uber ride. 3,000 feet, 61% power at about 6.5gph. Added about 5 minutes to the flight. Altimeter was 30.41 - I'd never heard that high before - got several remarks throughout the flights as others were checking in.

Just for comparison. In the center of the cabin of the E at 3,000 ft 25x2500 - 99 dB 21x2350 - 93 dB

I have a set of black quiet technologies halo headsets for sale - bought about two weeks ago - I like them, but I found that I like my David Clark's better. All original items less one set of foam plugs included. $350.

Flew from Cincinnati to Kansas City on Wednesday and returned yesterday. Headwind on the way out kept the GS and IAS about the same the whole way - 140mph at 8500. Loved seeing 170mph GS at 9500 on the way back though. Under 65% both ways - leaned the cruise back to about 8.2 gph using LOP. After 4 hours of flight, landed with about 20 gallons remaining in the tanks. Leaving Downtown KC airport with a right 270 back over the airport - saw a mylar balloon at about 2,000 feet. Reminded me of Mark's (Hedge's) story of the drone at 4,500 - mine was not nearly as lethal, but the time between "what?" and "it's now past me" isn't too, too long.

Agree - that is just the way my ear canals are - headset and earplugs work better.

Hi all, I have a pair of the Quiet Technology in-the-ear headsets for sale. I received them a few weeks ago and have flown with them for about 10 hours. Although I like them, I think the my ear canals are just not the right type to use these. I'm offering them for sale at my cost with free shipping (kind of a balance for using one set of the in ear foam plugs that I don't think that you'll want - there are four sets of foam and a couple of the other kind included). DM me if you'd like them - $367.50.

Flew to Illinois today... because it was there and to color in another state.