bob865

Yes, however the FAA doesn't have to maintain them. Semantics, I know. A dollar is still a dollar. However, it is a system that exists outside of the FAA for purposes other than Aviation needs. The US government owns and maintains them (you’re welcome Canada ). They have committed to have 24 operational satellites in orbit 95% of the time and as of today they have 31 in orbit to ensure this commitment. https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/space/

I don't see it that way, or not quite like you do anyway. The purpose is to eliminate radar sites, VORs, and NDBs. Abosulutely yes! Without a doubt! This is all 50+ yr old equiment. VORs came online in the 1940s. They added DMEs in the 1950s and 1960s. All of it is old technology that is difficult, costly, and inefficient to maintain and has been superceeded by sigificantly better methods and equiment to do the same job that are easier to maintain and cost signifcantly less to maintain. Why would anyone want to keep using it other than the "that's how I learned to do it" or "we didn't need it in my day when I flew to school in the snow uphill both ways" or "back in my day we didn't have all this extra information in the cockpit and we did just fine." It's not a bad thing, it's just a reluctance to change. I don't see it as "pushing the cost on us" either. They didn't pay for your Mode C transponder when it was added, why would they pay for your ADS-B transponder? They made provisions for everyone to fly without it if you don't want to incur the expense. They just said you can't fly everywhere without it. Just my opinion. Flame on mooneyspace

FWIW, they aren't. Unless something has changed I should add. The controllers from the Charlotte Bravo were down doing a ATC seminar a while back. The group asked a lot of questions about ADS-B and per the controllers, they couldn't see any ADS-B traffic on their scopes. I do need to add that this was almost a year ago and a lot can change during that time. But to be fair...Having the ATC end setup before the fleet is broadcasting doesn't make much sense either. At least fleet equipping first there is an immediate use, i.e. we can see traffic in the cockpit now. If they equipped ATC first, there would be a long period where equiment is upgraded were no one gets a benefit. Also to be fair, the government side is likely setup more than we know. They already do re-boradcase and FIS-B so the infrastructure is setup. It's just not being displayed to controllers yet. Makes me wonder, do you really want to see RADAR and ADS-B traffic on the same scope? I imagine it like a VOR track vs. a GPS track. They are close and both good for navigation, but they aren't necessarily the same. Not sure I want a mix of GPS and RADAR separation. Like seeing traffic cross-eyed, you show up twice in two slightly different locations.

Friendly reminder to all: Tonight's the night for the BK presentation on TruTrak.

@Doug Tellef I may have missed it from eariler in the thread. What is the cost? I'm in need of an autopilot for my plane. I currently only have the default Mooney PC.

That's kinda my point. Prime example is when I installed the skybeacon. I missed the required placard at first. Just a small oversight that made my install illegal(that has since been corrected). That would have been an easy find an inspector that wouldn't require taking the plane apart and looking for model numbers on light bulbs or digging through log books for correct entries. I also remember the conversation on here a few months/years back about IFR legal GPS installs. From that thread I gathered that many GPS installs that are used for IFR actually aren't even legal for IFR. Not becuase of the capability of the GPS, but becuase the install are't per the rules. Easy to catch if you know what you're looking at and you don't even have to tear into the log books or look at a bulb and crossreference for an STC. I guess to sum up, if I was an inspector, I'd have to be kinda sadistic to go after small owner operators over a LED light bulb. Just my $.02 as a non-faa inspector plane owner.

Maybe I'm just cynical. All this conversation about if a bulb is or is not approved by the FAA is crazy. I feel like we like to obsess about the minutia of the regulations on stuff where it’s basically irrelevant. Let me walk down this path a little and go with me for a bit. Then you can hang me. A light bulb type specifies the base, wattage(in the case of incandescent bulbs this is how bright it is), size, and shape. For the sake of this discussion let’s call it a #123 bulb. If I buy a brand A #123 bulb or brand B #123 bulb they are both going to have the same base, wattage(light output), size and shape. If I buy a LED “bulb” compatible with #123, it will have the same base, pull the same or less wattage (but produce the comparable amount of light as it’s incandescent bulb), and fit within the same size and shape requirements. Why should I look at an LED bulb any different than I would an incandescent? Let’s take a second to consider safety. An incandescent bulb works by creating heat. An LED doesn’t. Point to LED. An LED pulls less power than a comparable incandescent bulb. Another point to an LED. I cannot believe a world exists where an FAA inspector would ramp check a light bulb when there is hardly a Mooney in existence with the same panel it originally had. If the inspector walks up for a ramp check and asks about my light bulb choice and not about the paperwork on my G5, Radios, or Skybeacon then aviation is doomed. I think a log entry saying I did it is a fair and reasonable solution. It wouldn’t say anything other than R&R right wingtip light bulb with compatible LED bulb. Just my opinion. Flame away.

The GT-50 does have OAT FWIW.

Skybeacon or Tailbeacon would limit you to 17,999ft. Have to go 1090ES to be in the Flight Levels.

We always loaded/unloaded munitions at the CALA (Combat Aircraft Loading Area). The CALA was away from the flight line and ramps. The aircraft all parked pointing away from everything else (into the woods typically when state site) so should a missle or gun go off accidentally or no so accidentally, it wouldn't would hit anything with a heart or was expensive.

They get cleaned a lot! As a lowly Lcpl, I washed many a F-18. Later when woking on hueys and cobras spent many hours getting windblown drying the engine after a wash (at this point, I wasn't the one doing the washing).

I installed the GT-50. Nice little unit and the cheapest of the bunch. I liked it because I didn't have a volt meter, and it added that functionality. That alone has already saved my butt. I was doing an IFR training flight at night on an ILS approach (VFR conditions) and it started flashing in my face. My alternator breaker had tripped and I didn't know. The voltage annunciator (idiot light) was flashing, but at low RPM and high load, it's not uncommon for it to flash even with no issue; so I had ignored it. Then the GT-50 started flashing. I was able to unload the system and land so I could troubleshoot on the ground. The original plan was to go missed and fly home so I knew I needed the time on the ground. Luckily it was just a breaker reset. Otherwise I would have started troubleshooting in flight when my radios and lights went out. The ground was a much nicer place to troubleshoot. :)

I was curious about that. I currently don't have a GPS and am looking at adding one. I already have a G5 and was going to add a second with the GPS to that they could act as the CDI and annuciator so I wouldn't need to add another CDI on the panel. With your install, do you get all of the info displayed on the G5? Do you have an autopilot and does the G5 still output course info to your autopilot based on the flight plan in the GPS?

I was understanding that the G3x does not have a A/P built in. The GFC 500 is attitude based and requires the G5 for this info. The G3x touch can also supply this info but the autopilot must still be added. (as I understand it)

You're quandry is basically the same as mine, except I don't have a GPS yet. I can't seem to find a clear answer; is the G5 compatible with the Avidyne IFD series? I think I'd like to go with a IFD-540, remote transponder and dual G5s (I already have 1) and my existing KX-155 as my second com/nav. However, if I can't get full functionalify of the G5s (HSI and Glideslope so I don't need an external CDI or annunciator) without a Garmin GPS, I'd probably forego the Avidyne in favor of big G. I plan on adding a TruTrack also when it comes available and they do have the interface with the G5.

Just got here today. Anyone else around? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

What does the gear indicator light show on the panel when it stops? Does it show gear unsafe (in transit) when the motor stops? If you are not getting a "Gear Unsafe" indication and not getting a tripped breaker, then I would venture a guess that you've got a limit swith that is acting up. It is telling the system that the gear is up even if it's not.

Same on my E. The Yellow Arc starts at 175 on mine.

If you've never been to Triple Tree, you're missing out. I'm local, so I'll probably be there, even if I drive. It may be a grass strip, but it has the best maintained grass strip on the planet. The whole campus is beautiful. Bath houses for camping, etc. Think of it almost like a micro OshKosh. Make sure you pull the approach procedures from the website. If this materialized, I'll be there for sure: Fly or Drive. Should we call it a MooneySpace meetup on Saturday the 7th? http://www.tripletreeaerodrome.com/triple-tree-fly-in.php

I didn't know this was a thing. I flew right by all of this on my way back from FL when I had my tanks resealed. I could see the VAB and all this in the distance. Now that I've seen this, I regret I didn't swing by and do a fly over!

True dat. I'm coming up on 2 years of ownership on mine and even with the PPI, it has cost me about $12k a year so far. Don't take that as a common case. I should clarify that some were expected, some were not, and some were upgrades in lieu of repair (if you have to fix it, why not upgrade instead of replace like for like, right?).

If you find one, I'm interested in a copy too. I want to upgrade my panel in the next couple of years and I haven't found one yet. Matter of fact I looked at a panel planning software at OshKosh and it didn't even have it. He loaded up an E model for demo and I told him it wasn't right. He couldn't comprehend that his E and my E were not the same. They quit making the E in 75. Maybe we need to look at the F? They continued to make the F until 77.

Just heard back from the FBO Manager. They confirmed there is no reserved parking and will be addressing this with the flight school to make sure it doesn't happen to me or anyone else again. Many of you pointed out the risk of putting my plane up front around all the flight school planes. I may not park up there anymore anyway now that I've got that on the mind. However I feel better that moving planes around for no good reason is being addressed and stopped.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I did check the truss first thing before I flew. No damage. Now that I've had some feedback, I'll add my 2 cents. I feel pretty sure that it was the flight school that moved my plane, not the FBO. I'm fine with the FBO moving the plane. Matter of fact, as I see it, I really can't complain even it I didn't like the FBO moving my plane because they 'own' the ramp and need to do what they need to do. They also carry insurance to cover incidents. I know insurance won't prevent my plane from getting damaged, but it will prevent my wallet from getting damaged. I sent an e-mail yesterday afternoon to the FBO manager with my concerns. I asked if there was any reserved parking for clarification. I then told them my concern was damage to my plane. That someone familiar with towing their cessnas around is likely not going to know about the truss issues that can come with improper towing of a Mooney. I iterated that the FBO is the only ones on the field with permission to tow my plane and that should it need to be moved for any reason, the FBO needs to be the ones to do it. I also iterated that moving a plane for prefered parking is not accepable in any environment no matter who moves the plane. I sent an e-mail becuase it was a sunday afternoon. If I haven't hear by early afternoon today, I'll give them a call too. We'll see what happens next.

I want to get your guy's opinion on something that happened today. I'm going to try to stick to the facts so my opinion doesn't influence yours. My plane lives on a tie down. Please hold off on the comments about why I need a hangar. I know all the pros and cons of a hangar, but I can't move myself up the 7 yrs waiting list any faster. I flew yesterday and was lucky enough to get front row parking which is rare because with all the ins and outs of the flight school they usually get all the front row parking. I went out to fly again this morning and my plane was not where I parked it and tied it down yesterday. It was now on a back row and the front row is now full of the flight school planes. The flight school does have a tug and I have regularly seen them towing their planes around the ramp. The FBO, not the airport commission, controls the ramp parking and there are no reserved parking spots. What would your reaction be if the above happened to you?