skydvrboy

In the spirit of “pictures or it didn’t happen”…

Finally got the opportunity to attend a local fly-in that I've been wanting to get to at 1KS3 Leo's Place (1100' published, but later lengthened to 1400'). I reviewed this thread extensively last night along with my POH which was helpful to set my mind at ease, so a big thanks to the guys with MUCH more experience than myself. I did a couple power-off stalls on the way over so I knew the plane was stalling at 59 mph. Overflew the field to check the windsock and landed into the wind. Turns out, the "wind" was about zero and that set me up for a downhill landing. Started final at 1.3 Vso, realized I was a bit high, so I slipped it down and then slowed to 1.2 Vso. Just enough energy to flair but not much more, not a whole lot different than a normal landing other than very precise speed management. Flaps up and back pressure for aerodynamic braking and weight on the mains. I could see I had plenty of room so used very little braking. Stopped in about 900' in spite of the downhill runway. The stall horn chirped once on final, then blared as soon as I started my round out to flair. For takeoff, I chose to accept about 5 knot tailwind so I could takeoff downhill. Did my run-up into the wind, then applied full power about 90 degrees through my turn to final. Kept it on the runway until I knew I had sufficient speed to lift off. Then gear up, flaps up and climb away. The terrain fell away after the end of the runway so no need to worry about clearing obstacles. Lift off was about 950', probably could have yanked it off the ground sooner, but again, could see I had plenty of remaining runway. I don't think I was far off the book numbers for either the takeoff or landing given the conditions (grass, downhill, tailwind, etc.) Of course I went light, about 530 lbs below gross. There was a lot of discussion on here about whether to have a steeper approach or a normal 3* approach. With no glide slope indicator, I couldn't really tell you what I did. It felt like a normal approach, but I almost always use a steeper approach than the glide slope indicators. Sorry, I can't help settle that argument other than to say, don't change your approach substantially from your normal approach. All and all, quite fun, but don't do it without a bit of practice at a longer field. My hangar is 1700' from the end of a 12,300' runway, so I do a lot of short field landings to make my turnoff.

I dropped my plane off for annual six weeks before I told them I really needed (wanted) it back. They told me they could make that happen. I was a little worried when they hadn't pulled it into the shop after four weeks, but once they got it in the shop, it was done in a week. Fortunately, there were very few discrepancies found this year. On the other end, my longest annual was a little over six months!

Not really any engine work done. They fixed a cracked spark plug thread on cylinder #3; compression test; changed the oil and filter and cleaned the oil screen; cleaned the fuel screen; cleaned and gapped the spark plugs. Basic stuff done at every annual. Could have allowed some contamination to enter fuel, oil, or engine, but just as likely the timing could be completely coincidence.

I have one cylinder (#2) that is giving me high CHT's and EGT's when operating LOP. This started the first flight after annual inspection and has progressively become worse. Before when I would lean, all cylinders would peak in the following order 4-3-1-2 and the CHT's would drop to around 310-310-285-335 respectively. During climb, ROP, the CHT's were around 390-350-320-375 respectively. Other parameters: RPM 2500; MAP 24"; FF 8.0 GPM After, when I go LOP the CHT's still peak in the same order, but cylinder #2 seems to stay at it's climb temperature. For the first flight, climb CHT's were 385-355-320-370 respectively. However once LOP, the CHT's were around 310-320-280-355. Other parameters: RPM 2500; MAP 25.5"; FF 8.7 GPM On later flights it has progressively become worse, though admittedly the ambient OAT has climbed as well. On one of my later flights I climbed to 9500' in search of cooler air (to no avail) and the LOP CHT's were around 340-360-310-390. Other parameters: RPM 2500; MAP 21.5"; FF 8.0 GPM. When LOP Cylinder #2 always seems to be about 40 degrees warmer than the others. Meanwhile EGT's on #2 are peaking around 1500 and I have always run about 5-10 degrees LOP after the last cylinder peaks. Of note, on one low altitude flight, I set RPM at 2400 and MAP at 24" and #2 EGT peaked at 1550. That is the only flight where that happened. Now for my amateur incoherent ramblings... It seems that #2 is getting too much air and fuel and is peaking later and later. In order to get the #2 CHT's to start dropping I have to lean so much that the engine is running rough. This was never the case before. In flight (and ground) mag checks show no issues, so I don't think it's a fouled plug. I would think a partially clogged injector would cause that cylinder to get less fuel and run hot when ROP and peak sooner, which is the opposite of what I have going on. Could an intake leak cause one cylinder to get too much air? Is the exhaust valve sticking? Any advice or other things I need to check out would be greatly appreciated.

Unless the airport manager is worried that adding the symbol to the chart might keep GA pilots away and impact his fuel sales, thereby refusing to add the symbol to the chart. This happened at the airport where I trained for my PPL and it's one of the busiest DZ's in the state! So keep in mind that parachute operations can take place at any uncontrolled airfield at any time... or even not at an airport at all. A couple skydiving buddies and I jumped into my wedding reception at my parents' farm. We also did demo jumps at numerous rodeos and sporting events, often in small towns that didn't even have an airport.

Great news! I went out tonight and test flew a few different ILS approaches. The glide slope still functions perfectly at the other airports I tried (higher frequency LOC's). It's still frustrating that I'll be stuck flying the LOC approach to my home drone, but at least I'll be able to finish my rating.

It's a problem with the receiver in the CDI. The visit before they were supposed to check it out and instead checked out and tuned up the Mac1700, so it's like new now.

Currently working on my instrument rating and the glide slope on my KI 211C went kaput. It would never work on the local ILS frequency, (108.9) but seemed to work just about everywhere else. I took it to Bevan Aviation to see if they could fix it. When they could get it working on the higher frequencies, it wouldn't work on the lower ones and vice versa. Now, I'm not sure where it will work... if at all, so I'm looking for a cost effective option to finish up my instrument rating (should be done in the next few weeks). The KI 211C was paired with a Mac1700, which apparently is a face plate on a KX 170B radio. I really like the Mac1700 and don't really want to replace it so if there is anything compatible, that would be my first choice. Anyone got a spare KI 211C laying around!? If not, what can I do to get an inexpensive glide slope display to finish my rating?

I can only envision two scenarios where I’d give up the Mooney: lost medical or financial disaster. Either way, I’m going ultralight, a Quicksilver MX. Never more than 50 mph nor more than 50 feet AGL… I’m going low and slow.

I have never been able to find a way to close the air at the foot well tubes. Mine looks like it just has a bunch of open holes with no way to close them. Maybe I'm missing something. It would sure be nice to be able to shut those vents holes in the foot well tubes so the copilot seat doesn't get so hot.

My setup is about the same as yours except for missing the center vent. The mixing box leads to the footwell, defrost, and to a small slot behind the pilot seat. In the winter, the copilot is burning up, pilot is hot, back left seat is cold, and back right is nearly frozen. That center vent would sure help even out the temps between the various seats. Direct fresh air vents are the eyeball by the pilots left leg and the overhead vents. The rear overheads put out a lot more air than the front. Do you have a way to change the amount of air diverting to the defrost? Mine is open to all heat vents at all times. I don’t have any valves on the tubes in the footwells.

What?! I have a '67 F and I'm almost positive I don't have that vent. I certainly don't get any airflow from anything in that area. Maybe it was added part way through the production year?

As long as they slapped an "INOP" sticker on it... good to go!

Yes, electric gear.