pwnel

17 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

I worked in IT for 40 years, and I have as much frustration as everyone else.

25 years, but frustration is at the 40-year level.  This site is impossible to use now.  Also, having led 3 large social networks - what you cannot put a price on, is the contributions from users that actually make the site.  Ie M20doc and others.  I'm not super active myself, but I have invested lots of effort at times to answer detailed questions on specific technical points.  That stuff all adds up.  If you chase away the 5% that adds useful content, you're dead.  

Yeah same.  Pulled the D&M in my 231 and just installed a new ACK-04 with its own antenna.  Looks fine.  I imagine the D&M antenna is still inside the dorsal fin - just left it.  ACK-04 connected to IFD440 and new switch installed on panel.

How glad am I not having spent $40k on an upgrade path to a GFC500….

That STEC3100 STC needs reviving folks. 

Excellent.  Well done to Maxwell for taking over the STC.   Spoke to Kellen and looking forward to doing it for my 231.

On 2/4/2022 at 3:43 AM, carusoam said:

Nice pireps for Weber and also Dave Mathieson…

-a-

Yup - not that your problem is complex.  But stick to MSCs for annuals and bigger work.  Dave does all my annuals (N87 is 20min away from me - I'm sure Weber is great too).  Avionics is Todd at Lancaster - very happy with their service and work - scheduled for more in June.

1 hour ago, donkaye said:

I did a C182 2 hour engine break-in a couple of weeks ago.  I couldn't wait to get out of the plane.  While the seats were higher, I couldn't imagine going on a cross country with those seats.  It reminded me of my '66 Ford Mustang (my first car).  Most uncomfortable on a long trip.

To me Mooney figured out the seat angle on the Bravo perfectly.  There is no limit to the amount of time I can sit on my original seats comfortably on a cross country.  The same goes for all the Ovations I have flown.  I just don't like leather.  It doesn't breath.

 

Flew Ft Pierce to New York recently in one shot (5.5hr flight).  I pull the seat back all the way and then spread my legs between the two footwells.  No problems (but I do have the full adjustable seats which helps a lot).  And it's an AirMod / Dennis Wolter cloth interior that's 20 years old.  Quality work. Wouldn't do leather also.  PS: 6ft 220lbs.  Yeah yeah - Covid and sitting a lot the last year..... 

On 3/4/2021 at 9:45 PM, garuda said:

It is not uncommon to have to pay as much as 1300$ for a 200lt (53 gal) barrel of AVGAS in some african countries. Thid yields to 25$/gal compared to 10$ in a neighboring country. Thus the need for LR tanks. But at 30k, it makes more sense to just carry the fuel in cans (or in a turtlepac) although it would take all the baggage compartment space and limit the quantity to 20gal only.

 

With respect, this is an irrelevant argument. Apart from South Africa, the only reason you'd be flying a Mooney anywhere in the rest of Africa is when you're ferrying it to or from South Africa.  And for that you'd have ferry tanks.  

On 3/3/2021 at 12:33 PM, MisfitSELF said:

This is discouraging.  I had some long terms plans of flying my Mooney across the Atlantic and was thinking of putting these long range tanks on in the next 6-9 years.

I have the same plan, but honestly for me spending a minimum of $10k on the Monroy tanks didn't make sense vs just going straight to a temporary Turtlepac install.  (I have plans to go well beyond just the Atlantic though).  

20 hours ago, Jerry 5TJ said:

Discussed this in 2015 before crossing Lake Michigan to OSH.  Even in July the water temperature is in the low 60F range.  
 

If you can not get out of the water and into a raft then the statistics aren’t good.  

Finally a benefit! My COVID work-from-home induced extra pounds is a life-saver.  Buys me several hours of survival!! :-) 

Ok y'all conviced me.  Let's see if the Adidas red hat I ordered fit my giant dome.   

Best time ever to fly long distance.  Hotels are cheap, available, and all amenable to zero cancellation fees in case of weather delays.  Been anywhere from Telluride in peak season to Bahamas with no hassle.  Bummer we can't cross the border to Canada but then who needs Canadians....

You all have seen the video of Harry Moyer here flying his Mooney on his 100th birthday, right?  

Stop complaining 

Quick PIREP after a positive experience getting term life insurance.  I'm one of those folks where life insurers normally just laugh hysterically when I apply.  Pilot, technical diver, rock climber, high altitude mountaineer, kite surfer, motorcycle racer and all of those I do all over the world.

So I was happy to find www.piclife.com and working with them finally got a 20-year term policy at very good rates with all the above activities built in.  Reach out if you're in a similar position and speak to Elizabeth.

(NOTE: this is an unsolicited PIREP - it took me a while to find something that would work for me and thought there might be others here in similar situations)

On 11/5/2020 at 8:25 AM, binkata said:

Yes, that's how I understand it. Though one company/pilot said that she logged her hours under the ICAO type M20T, which is what the M20K would be, technically?

I'll ask the insurance company for clarification.

As a 231 owner, irrespective of what the insurance says, I won’t let anyone who don’t have 50hrs 231 experience fly my plane. Too much that can be messed up with poor engine management. I’ll include 252 pilots if they’re technically minded and understands the differences between LB and MB engines. (To insurance they’re both M20K) Be mindful of this - I see you’ve already been reading a lot here. Enjoy!

Apart from training aircraft, my total flying hours so far is split 50/50 between the RV7 I had access to in South Africa, and the 231 I own in the US.  And man, that's a hard choice.... enjoy!

On 10/7/2020 at 3:50 PM, gsxrpilot said:

Ah, so they took off 27 but instead of flying the "normal" route west then south towards DRO and then east, they turned and headed back over the town towards the falls and Black Bear Pass. 

Having been over both Black Bear and Imogene in 4x4's I've often wanted to see that from the air. But I'd have to be at 15K or so, just to be comfortable. 

@N201MKTurbo I'd love to talk mountain flying over a couple of beers in Telluride one day. I'd have plenty to learn.

Soulds like a turbo Mooney fly-in in the making.  Would love to join.  I took off full fuel at 9am from TEX r/w 27 in June and was very glad for that turbo.  I cannot imagine going the other way in anything less than a Pilatus Porter .... 

https://www.c-l-aero.com 

Have a chat to them.  They did mine - on recommendation from previous similar threads here on MS.  Excellent service - excellent telephonic advice beforehand.

PS: I removed my own cylinder and shipped it to them, but it's required to have an A&P re-install it and do the log entry.  (reference somewhere here on MS too). 

Sometimes after extended IFR in busy New York - Boston airspace I'm just wiped - period.  There's stats out about competitive chess players burning 7000 calories while sitting down playing a match.  Don't discount the mental effort required.

(That said, I fly with a Mountain High O2 system and the boom cannula that's attached to my Zulu headset. Highly recommended.   Also dual CO monitors - Sensorcon velcro'd to the panel, and Sentry unit placed on pilot side's window).

49 minutes ago, LevelWing said:

 I also said the skilled labor market was an issue in Africa, not China.

Folks please, Africa is a continent.  It has 54 countries. Some of them (like South Africa) with advanced industry.  For those of you familiar with the NTC market, MGL avionics and Sling aircraft are South African products - and wildly successful at that internationally.

2 minutes ago, Mike A said:

 Is this the end for them?  If I was doing it all over again I wouldn’t put one in knowing this. 

Unlike Garmin, at least the entire company doesn't get taken down by a ransomware attack...... including Garmin Pilot btw.   I know which one I trust better...

thanks Paul - yip, including the references here more for the purpose of broader debate as I know you're the expert on it.  But that said, this is the kind of nonsense that makes me want to sell the Mooney and get an RV10 . 

1 hour ago, kortopates said:

This is an aircraft alteration anyway you look at it - not changing a bulb. Aircraft alterations are not permitted under preventative maintenance - minor or otherwise. Now once LED’s have been installed with old Whelen power supplies removed and perhaps additional wiring pulled with proper log entries for the mod and new weight and balance filled out - then sure thing an owner could replace a bad LED with a new one of same kind. But that’s the only fair comparison to the spirit of those items listed in the PM list.


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Paul not often I disagree with you. In my case the tail strobe bulb failed. So clearly I'm going to replace it, and with a new Whelen LED drop-in replacement.  It required bypassing the Whelen power supply, but I left said supply in place to be removed at annual. I documented everything, including updated schematics to detail the (still very trivial) bypass.

1. 43.3(c) and the Coleal interpretation allows for doing things of "comparable ease and non-complexity" to the 31 items in Appendix A.  https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/october/pilot/savvy-aviator-preventive-maintenance

2. From Appendix A it has:

• (16) Trouble shooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring circuits. 
• (17) Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights.

So, bulb was blown and replaced with a TSO drop-in replacement, in accordance with Whelen's documentation, the power supply was left in place to be removed at annual, and the replacement was documented and signed in the logs.  

Aint no way anyone is going to convince me this is an alteration.  Same will apply should my nav lights blow.  (and I have a feeling that will happen shortly .... )

Just now, OR75 said:

Again, BEFORE  doing any work, make sure you find an A&P willing to sign off on your work. 

I disagree with that sentiment.  I'm not taking my plane to an A&P to replace a nav light.  That is why 43.3 and the Coleal letter exists and it's fully within a pilot owners authority to preventative maintenance like that.  If your A&P has a problem with that, you should switch A&P's right away as they don't understand the FAA regulations around this.

On 7/27/2020 at 11:52 AM, gsxrpilot said:

I'm not qualified to speak about the connectors... I'm sure a proper A&P will be along soon with that information. But that would be the last step. 

So yeah, first step is removing all the panels. You can also remove the existing power supplies. Then figure out where to run the wires and how many to run. You won't put connectors on anything until after the wires are all run.

I'm not an A&P either, but to avoid any trouble with IAs, I'm using what Mooney used originally for connectors - i.e. the stock Whelen Molex.  They're on Spruce and you need both the Whelen A444 and Whelen A446 and in my case I also got the proper crimping tool.

And make sure to use proper 20AWG Milspec wire.   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQWJ162/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

EDIT:  where A&P and IA's rightfully start objecting is when folks use automotive connectors and wires - and this seems to be a common problem when hangar fairies start doing work.  I certainly don't want to inherit a plane where this was done.

On 7/27/2020 at 9:26 PM, MikeOH said:

That's exactly the question I ask myself, "How am I going to handle if the IA at annual coughs up a fur ball over it?" Case by case basis, that's how.

In THIS case I'd risk it. IA says, "Your aircraft log shows you changed out the strobe power supply and that's NOT on the list of owner tasks.". Well, I'd start out showing him the Coleal letter.  If that proves unpersuasive, then I'd ask him what he would be looking for beyond the bolts are tight and the demonstrable fact that the strobes work.  I'm thinking he'd have nothing beyond that.  Next, "So, mister IA what are you going to charge me to look at the four bolts and move on (i.e. 'approve' the replacement)?". If the answer is >$25 he's signing off the annual with that discrepancy, I'm getting a ferry permit, posting the guy's name here, and NEVER going back to him.

Maybe it's the COVID talking, but I'm getting pretty damn tired of the government telling me it's THEIR job to provide for my safety.

Sorry, THAT is MY job.

Amen too.   In my case, my tail strobe blew after 35 years, so I replaced it recently with the LED Whelen Orion.  In doing so I bypassed the Whelen strobe power supply in the tail, but left it there.   Removing it and updating the W&B, although super simple, is something I'd just leave to be done at annual.  As an electronics engineer I documented how it was wired with reference to the wiring diagram in my service manual.  So at annual time even a fussy IA can inspect my work and place his signature next to mine in the logbook entry.  And they get to charge me an hour's labor for the privilege of removing four screws and doing paperwork. And if they don't want to - I'll follow the MikeOH strategy above.