65MooneyPilot

There are two systems in a Boeing plus a checklist being read by the pilot monitoring to not land with the gear up. One is when you select landing flaps and when the thrust levers are at idle power below 500 feet. One results in a very loud horn and the other (GPWS) tells you “To Low Gear” Both pilots have to verify in the checklist the gear is down. I was waiting to land at JFK and a cargo plane landed gear up. Ended up going to LaGuardia instead.

I did some checking last night and unfortunately it looks like the light lens is no longer being made. To bad because IMHO it is a good solution for the landing light.

Several years ago in 2016 I found a halogen light STC for the Mooney that works well. A lot less amps needed and it lasts longer than the original bulbs. I don’t know if it is still available but it’s a Protigal Halogen PLL46-1, STC SA00511SE. It’s a bit old school but the price was right.

I have had an interav alternator for many years. It has always worked but has never come on after starting the engine. I always have to after starting the engine reset it buy turning the master off then back on and it comes right on and starts producing 14 volts. When I called years ago to get tech support the guy I talked to unfortunately had no answers. Instead of running the rpm up try the master off/on to see if it comes on line.

I just looked up XM aviation weather and it does work in Canada except for the extreme north. For the iPad it’s 39.99 and you can suspend for six months at a time without paying 25 dollar reconnect fee. I would definitely consider it. Yes it’s not the pilot deal of free but it works on the ground and the radar refresh rate is 2.5 minutes instead of 5 minutes. Bad news the SXAR1 is no longer available unless you can get a used one however the GDL 51/52 are available for XM weather.

If you are operating part 91, I don’t think you have to have all the latest and greatest.

I have been ferrying aircraft to China for freight conversions. We had RVSM but no CPDLC. You are lucky if you have an FMS with a database in it and don’t have to put coordinates in to get there.

Airlines only install what they are required. There are only 3 centers in the us that use CPDLC. Washington, Indianapolis, and Kansas City. Someday they will actually turn everything on with the space base ADS-B. Canada’s CPDLC works for the whole country. In Europe they almost never use CPDLC.

When using 1090es your ADS-B in will receive traffic, you don’t need TIS. The only reason for TIS to receive the traffic rebroadcast from 978 UAT. As for weather, can you use XM weather in Canada?

To my knowledge the space system is based on having 1090ES transponder. The airplanes I flew in the airlines and any airplane that flies above 18,000 is required to have 1090ES. We also had ADS-C for over water flights. If we had space based in America, we most likely would not have TIS and FIS which are broadcast on the 978UAT Frequency. I installed a 1090ES transponder but I really like the traffic and weather from ADS-B in.

Thanks for the info, my aft avionics rack is pretty full already so a wing install will probably fit the best for the GMU 11. I am assuming the temp probe is the left wing and you are measuring from the wing root and leading edge.

I was thinking about installing a second g5 for the HSI. Can you tell me where they mounted the GMU 11, and where they installed the temp probe? Did you have a GAD 29B installed too? Thanks

I don’t have an autopilot so no worries there and yes my G5 is still ok. We tested that separately after they realized something had gone wrong. Tomorrow I will be sending out the A/S and V/S to get them repaired. What leak check device can be used to check for leaks? Do you have a name and model number? Thanks

Well the altimeter and the encoder worked perfect. If I could just get them to stop blowing up my airspeed indicators I will be in great shape.

I have a G5 installed but the FAA makes you keep the old steam gauges to be legal. So my options are to fix the gauges and find someone who knows what they are doing. Or Are there any certified airspeed stand alone gages that they can’t break. If I install a second G5 can I remove the Airspeed steam gauge for IFR flight?

I tried to have my pitot static check done today and for the second time the airspeed indicator developed a catastrophic problem after they hooked up the tester. The airspeed now reads 40 MPH and does not move and the vertical speed indicator reads 1700 FPM assent. The needle still moves but it has lost its zero reference. The last time I had the test the shop(different shop) broke the airspeed indicator. The new testers have airspeed and static lines and is supposed to be all computer controlled. Something went wrong and of course they don’t know what happened. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem?

The weight and balance and equipment list from the factory is required to be with the airplane. That is the official document that all the changes to the airplane are based on. Each time the airplane is altered and a 337 is filled out, the chain of weight and balance and equipment changes lead back to the original document. If you don’t have it, you will have to have a full W&B and equipment list generated for your airplane. Hopefully the factory has a copy. You can have the FAA send you a CD with all the 337’s on file for your airplane. Raymond, in the US part 91 airplanes do not have to be weighed if you have the documents with all the changes. Transport category aircraft (part 121) are required to be weighed every 2 years.

Thanks for the thoughtful information.

I just recently found out that the Insurance starts going up on retractable gear airplanes when you hit 70 years of age. So I was thinking I would convert my E to a D to keep the plane and get the lower insurance rate. I would rather keep my Mooney than have to sell it and buy a fixed gear. I just read a 2018 post that D models were C’s however when you look at the parts manual it appears the parts would fit an E model. I have 5 years to think about it. What do you guys think?

All required placards are in the type certificate data sheet. Go to the FAA website and get a copy. If it is not required I can get you a better picture when I get home on Monday.

I had my Mooney based in PAO for several years in the early 90’s. It can be a challenging airport but not anymore challenging than any other airport. The ATC environment is also a challenge. First of all my heart also goes out to the families and passengers that survived and wish them a speedy recovery. Here are some things I have learned as a professional pilot and have been written about for many years. First and foremost slow down. Load in an approach to the runway you will be landing on as a reference if you have a GPS. Even a VFR GPS you can put the airport in and observe how many miles away you are from the airport. I still do this in the Boeing. Using 3 to 4 times your Altitude to calculate distance needed to descend usually works. I use 4 times when decending from cruise because The Mooney wings are so slippery and on approach 3 times the altitude. Don’t wait until it’s to late to go around. When you find yourself on an approach that resembles the space shuttle it’s time to go around. And believe me I am speaking from experience. I too have porpoised my Mooney more than once. Do not hesitate to put the power back in immediately to stop it. I don’t like Monday morning quarterbacks and I am not in anyway judging what happened. I just wanted to share a few techniques that may help one of us in the future.

The tie down that LASAR sells is 45.00 for the set. You get the tie downs and the jack points for both sides.

I fly a 737, however it is an ICE contract for people that are being deported. There are quite a few airlines that fly down there.

Unfortunately I only go to drop off passengers and takeoff again. When I retire in three years I am going to stay in some of these places I have been visiting for only an hour.

I go to El Salvador once a week when I am working. Beautiful place. Weather is always good.