chrixxer

Feature creep was getting away from me. I'm leaving most things as-is for now. The plane's been AOG for three weeks already. I'll revisit later.

I'm really struggling with this avionics install - not the actual work, but the planning! What started off as a simple "swap in the SL30 with a wiring harness that reuses almost everything" has become a "well, might as well put in a new indicator and ditch all the Terra stuff, and yank the intercom since the GMA340 will do that and has to go in sometime, and as long as the GPS is fixed, might as well make it IFR legal with a CDI and lights, and as long as you're opening up that can of worms, hell, it can talk to the SL30, so let's RS232 that, and, oh hell, the panel really does need to be redone, as long as everything's pulled apart might as well ... What about the WX-1000? Meh, yank the display for now, if it can be economically fixed, do that later..." Etc.

This is what I'm going with; my A&P approved.

So the guy I shipped my GX55 "nose" to for a $325 flat rate repair seems to know his stuff: > GX55 Display repair. Replaced display controller board (high voltage inverter section shutting down when warm). > Solid result! I was able to reproduce the symptom clearly; after twenty minutes of full brightness operation the display would suddenly go black. > A capacitor failed, venting electrolyte. Replacing it would fix the board, but I notice it also degraded the smart button ribbon cable. > Bottom line, I replaced the smart button board and the whole controller board with a fresh unit to be sure it won't suffer more corrosion in the future (electrolyte on boards is much like having driven a car over salty roads). I'm hours onto the burn-in test, not so much as a flicker now! > On the plus side, your actual display board is from their second lot; Planar fixed the problem with the first-generation epoxy seals, so yours is likely immune to the common ‘display rot’ issue.” It'll at least tide me over (it's IFR en route certified) until I can swing a WAAS unit. Also, it's linked to the autopilot. If anyone else has an old II Morrow / Apollo GPS unit, so far I can recommend this guy (I'll let y'all know if it fails within the 90 day warranty he provides). Garmin won't work on these units anymore.

Turns out if you have some spare RG58 cable and replace the corroded hardware with fresh clean stainless nuts / washers, DeoxIT and scrub the rust from the threads, and hook up that bent wire to your Yaesu, you get really good TX/RX range! Current (this week, hopefully) config: Existing rooftop antenna -> SL30 Ugly ass antenna -> handheld (backup) Phase 2: Existing rooftop antenna -> switch box -> SL30 and -> handheld hookup (emergency) Ugly ass antenna -> garbage bin Belly antenna -> GTN-650

Today my task was to remove the trays for the Terra gear. Which became, due to the use of nyloc nuts, the removal (well, unmounting) of almost everything, including the entire pilot side panel. (Nothing unhooked, just moved out of the way.) I am never, ever, ever, using nyloc nuts anywhere hard to get to again. What's the 'best practice' alternative? Was thinking nut plates but not wild about riveting anything. Clip nuts?

So an avionics guy contacted me: “I could repair yours for $325 flat including return shipping. It'll be one of two things; either the high voltage supply inverter or the row driver chip.” I'm tempted, especially since Pacific Coast Avionics will give me an $800 credit (when I'm ready to pull the trigger on the GTN) for a working GX55. So I'm not 'spending' $325, I'm 'saving' $475. Or something.

Well, I am a lawyer, so... The document states: "This policy statement addresses the approval of the shoulder harness installation only." (Page 3, last line.) Elsewhere it quotes commentators who distinguish between "shoulder and lap harnesses." Also, does the Hooker gear fall within these criteria? "[A]part from TSO-C114 harnesses, we will accept only those harnesses that meet the Society of Automotive Engineers Aerospace Standard 8043, harnesses produced under a Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) or harnesses that meet aircraft military specification requirements." (Page 6, top of page; see also page 15.)

That covers the shoulder harness itself, but to my reading not replacing the existing lap belt... The Alpha gear is, I believe, TSO and specifically mentions Mooney as a "minor change" eligible aircraft (http://www.alphaaviation.com/FAQbelts.html); Hooker has STC/PMA status but only for Cessnas/American a Champion (http://www.hookerharness.com/pdfs/aviationpricing.pdf) and doesn't mention Mooney anywhere on their site. I'd love to have shoulder harnesses for ~$500 instead of $700+, but legally (and I'm new to this particular maze).

Both. Some of the radio access panel screw heads are stripped / stripping. Also, those rusty camlocks. I edited my post earlier but it doesn't seem to have stuck. I found them on Aircraft Spruce: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/sb-mooney-cwl-kit.php (Hopefully that's not $300 per cam lock...?!)

D'oh, of course. I have to swing by there anyway (Kim's a client)...

What piece(s) from Hooker did you go with? Is there an STC / PMA for Mooneys? Didn't see anything for our M20s on their website.

This? http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/exterwasherkit.php "Mooney M20E/G (up to 1976) - 04-02830 $69.85" Doesn't look like it has the "captured" cowling screws though? Like these: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/categories/aircraft_parts/ap/menus/ha/hardware_fasteners.html

Topped off the brakes when I had the flaps fixed on Thursday, and don't have a "job box" at my tie-down yet, but, wilco!

(a) What should I use to replace radio cowling screws? I have a couple with stripped heads. (b) Is replacing the captive screws on the engine cowling easy? What part(s)? (Several have rusty heads.) For a '66 M20E. Thanks! (P.S. I'll do it, if necessary, under the supervision of my local A&P...)

Given the way the radio just immediately failed, and both pilot and copilot jacks / PTT switches had the same behavior (carrier tone only, no voice transmission), I'm thinking the radio or the audio panel just died. I don't see an antenna doing that that suddenly (and wouldn't effect sidetone, loss of which exactly coincided with the transmission failure). I will clean the antenna when I swap in a new radio. The existing RG58 will stay until I have to pull the headliner, etc., to install a WAAS GPS antenna, at which point I'll rewire everything. Though I may put the new radio on a newly installed belly antenna and remove the bent-wire coming out of the radio cowling.

I have one on indefinite loan from a local FBO, I'd be happy to program cards for you if you don't find one of your own. It's the 3-in-1 and I can confirm it successfully programs the PCMCIA card for my GX55.

I've been carrying a handheld since I got the plane, with the ram mount so I can stick it in the window and the remote PTT with the headset adapter. Had to use it tonight coming back from Chino when in the middle of a transmission I lost the tiny bit of sidetone I had and ATC confirmed they were only getting a carrier, no voice, and both pilot and copilot jacks/PTT. COMMs are dead, AOG until I can swap something else in there. :/ More or less busted a Delta arriving home tonight, could hear them but they couldn't hear me on the handheld 5 miles out, squawked 7600 and debriefed with the tower controller over beers a few minutes later when his shift ended. (I know most of our local controllers personally, and they've already come to know my tail number mostly because one of them is convinced she'll memorize it but keeps getting the numbers wrong – long story.) Avionics aside, she flies like a dream, and the flaps are working pretty much perfectly. Got to take the cowling off with a new A&P, readily identified she'd been gear upped, but said the repair work looked good and the bird seemed solid. Two other Mooneys being worked on there today (two Ks), and one of his guys has an E.

Yes but no. Totally frustating. On Monday ground (121.9) said I was unreadable (but the co-pilot was heard fine, same radio, same position, different PTT / headset / panel connections), talked to tower (120.1) and TRACON (125.2) just fine. Today, parked in exactly the same spot, ground said I was loud and clear, but tower (from the hold short line) said I was barely readable, pilot headset / panel connections / PTT (also tried with aftermarket "hook and loop" PTT.) One TRACON controller said I was weak today (125.2), but the rest said I was loud and clear, and no issues at Chino (tower - 118.5 - or ground - 121.6). There's no consistency or rhyme or reason.

Or, this... Ellison Avionics Services will repair the Terras: Bench Checks/Evaluations $112.50 Flat Labor Rate Fee Bench Checks With Alignment $225.00 Flat Labor Rate Fee *Bench Repairs $350.00 Flat Rate A few hundred bucks per radio (plus parts) for repairs gives me more breathing / flying room, and those prices seem reasonable.

Doesn't seem to be the PTT switch. Sidetone is same (very low or none) copilot or pilot jacks. Both jacks perform the same, as does the external. Today, ground could read me loud and clear, but tower (!), at the run-up (line of sight) said I was hard to read, but TRACON could read me fine, as could Chino tower and ground. Talked to a couple of avionics shops today. I'm probably 2 weeks away from the SL30. Did hook up the voltage monitor (cigar(ette) lighter gizmo, verified accurate with my Jeep yesterday). At idle the generator is putting out 11.9-12.0 volts, increasing to 13.5 at 1200 rpm. At cruise power, 13.8-.9V. Seems rock steady, no matter what I ask the system to do (beacon, landing light, fuel pump, all avionics on, most avionics off, etc). Likewise, the ammeter always reads "0," though at 1200 rpm when I pop on the landing light I do get a momentary spike on the ammeter, before it settled back down. (Zeftronics G1500N controlling the generator.) Meh. Part of me wants to drop $600 on a new TX720 just so I can fly her for a while, until I can put in the SL30. The rest of me knows that's pound foolish. OTOH, if I rent an Arrow twice because of the crappy radios, it's a wash...

Yeah, that's the plan. 340 now, 8000BT or whatever down the road (and flip the 340).

Good question, I'll try it out tomorrow.

No sidetone.

Yeah, there's a Terra TMA-230 audio panel and a PS Engineering PM-2000 intercom. I'll hit everything with DeoxIt and contact cleaner. But I also want to multimeter test the PTT.