David Lloyd

Dark and marginal weather, got too low and snagged some power lines. CTL is NA at night, ATC cleared him for left pattern, VFR. ATC and crew worked together to skirt the rules. That's the kind of thing that gets rules changed later. Just watched a security video, looked like a tight turn, possibly a stall, a steep descent, then the power lines. Either way, marginal night weather, hilly terrain, non-precision approach: Beware!

Thought for sure I put a few things on this list. I did have some goals this year: Maintain instrument currency. Check. Maintain night currency. Check. SureFly SIM. Check. Mooney Service Center annual. Check (AGL). Panel update. Check (dual 275s). Keep everything working. Check. Did have the autopilot quit and have it repaired. Don't bend any metal. Check. Got a hangar. Yeah! Lost 25 pounds. Go flying with Jackie, the 65 pound Lab mix. Check (and she did pretty good on a 6 hour trip to and from KY). There were a few items that did not work out for 2021. Add color to more states on the map. Plans fell thru for a northeast tour to include MA, NH, ME, RI and DE. Will do in the spring 2022. Trip out west to see Penny's brother. Time constraints had us on the airlines. 2022 will get another trip, this time by Mooney. 2022 will also see a prop and governor overhaul. Maybe paint. Autopilot still won't capture the GS. Sometimes has become never. Trip to the shop maybe in January. Loose another 10 pounds.

Only 70 hours this year. Pic 1, coming home from KY in rain and between layers at 9000. Pic 2, 65 pound dog in baggage testing aft CG speed enhancement.

From what I have seen, Garmin Pilot and Fore Flight are similar but different. Mine is more capable or mine is easier to use. No, both will do much more than you will most likely ever use. Either is easy to use if you have learned how, not just tried for a short time. Both will talk to a Garmin navigator. The only significant difference is the GP ability to upload a new database to the 275s and 300 series navigators.

Unexpected laugh near the end. Uh, the end of the video. The back end. Not to be confused with the beginning.

The same logic applies to a NOTAM for a 180' unlighted tower 5.3 miles from an airport. Who would ever do that?

No, being in that range on an approach will not hurt it. Continuous operation refers to a cruise setting.

There is a roll pin thru the shaft that fits into a notch in the lever. The lever itself is held on the shaft by the center screw and a very tight fit. I had to construct a puller to remove mine. The shaft was also frozen in the bushing requiring complete disassembly. Probably why the original lever broke. A little lube on the shaft and cable, everything that moves will probably keep things moving freely for years. Not moving the levers for years at a time is most likely the cause of frozen cables, levers, etc. Exercise those levers every time you think about it.

I have been in a covered spot since 1982. That is all that was available at my little airport. That airport was sold two years ago for residential development and I went on the waiting list at KVUJ (and others) for a 19 months. A covered spot became available in November. The enclosed hangar list is looong. I'm good with that. Used a cover all that time. Did not use a cowl cover or plugs as I fly every week and the airport does not have a bird problem. Use the cover every time the plane is parked for more than an hour or so to keep dirt off the windows.

Time spent in a Cherokee 140, M20C, F33A and RV7, none would fly hands off very long unless there was a little rudder nudging involved. Mooney is the best of those four. Maybe Cezznas are better for hands off?

Should have been a little more specific. Airplane level on ground, make certain the ball is truly centered. I noticed on my airplane one wingtip was several inches higher from the floor than the other. Several gallons of water later I could see the opposite main was sitting in a puddle, the other not. Sloping concrete, wavey concrete, different tire pressures, more fuel on one side, different compression of the shock discs; a lot of things can affect measurement.

When it comes to rigging, the absolute first step is to make certain the ball is centered when the aircraft is level. Not verifying this, everything else is a waste of time.

Just three weeks ago I posted about carb ice, today for the first time in 35+ years I got carb ice today. Keep in mind for that 35 year period, I was flying injected airplanes. Climbed away from Owensboro, KY in rain and low clouds, headed southeast for home. Going thru 8 for 9, the climb rate diminished somewhat more than expected. Leveled off between layers but still in rain at 9, the airspeed seemed about 10 knots slow, but we were heavy with fuel, two dogs and a bunch of Christmas stuff. MP also seemed low at 20", but I really wasn't sure. Temp was 3 C. Near Taylor County entered cloud again and some moderate rain and made a turn to the east to skirt the heaviest. Fuel flow had been about 9GPH and noticed it decreasing to 8.6, then 8.4 and looked at the dropping EGTs. About that time the engine coughed. The MP was now at 17". I had forgotten my own advice! Pulled the carb heat and in just a few seconds the MP rose to 21". TAS rose to a more expected 143-144 knots. I suspect on the climb around 8k a little carb ice formed while still in cloud and rain. Once a 9, between layers it did not build nor went away, accounting for the slow airspeed. When re-entering clouds and rain, the ice began building again. Next time, I will remember to pay attention to what my instruments should be reading and realize these old airplanes will make carb ice.

Part 38, the trim link will wear adding to the slop. $450 or so for the bolt bushing and link.

The push to test just shows that the lights work. 81X asked the correct question; Does it illuminate when the engine is off and the electronics are on? It should. It is the only way to test the system in airplanes without a gauge.

At the rear of the engine are fuel pump gasket, oil filter, all connections, vac pump gasket, prop governor & gasket, oil return lines. Torn magneto gaskets are something I have seen a couple times. It's a pain to check each of these but a lot easier than installing a new engine.

Since you have the remote gyro, nothing you do on the panel right now will interfere. There are other places to put the box for the EIS that will be better than the cramped area right behind the engine. If you get 275s, an inappropriate amount of time will be spent while flying looking at them rather than out the window. You will be glad you left the PC in place until later. Pump, regulator, filter and plumbing weigh about 5 pounds. PC servo, remote, piloted valve and the plastic lines about the same.

The triangle exclamation is just the notification a message is available. First menu item. Usually a notice of a database update being needed. Track and not heading, you're getting the GPS feed but not the magnatometer. Hopefully the message will give a clue. The messages on each display are specific to that display. The GMU11 in mine is connected to the ADI. The configuration summary shows this setup: Magnetic Heading 1 Interface GMU11 RS-232 RX/TX Port 1 Orientation Aft

The Viking was very unusual in that it could be ordered with either a Lycoming IO-540 or a Continental IO-520. Seems like the 540 was 300 horsepower, the 520 was 285.

Must be a Snail Darter

It's what happens when you take a Cezzna to Dugosh.

The only time I ever had carb ice in a Mooney was in rain or in cloud and rain. Nowhere else and not every time. I do know, absolutely the C and G Mooneys will get carb ice and treat the possibility with respect. Use carb heat as directed. If carb ice is suspected, act quickly and decisively.

Don, I've said for years, it isn't a matter of if, but when something will fail. If it is used on or in an airplane, sooner or later it will malfunction.

Notice also the weight of the fuel in that pic. That was for 64 gallons usable at some temperature, I think about 85 degrees. Not the 6 pounds per gallon we were taught but something near adjusted for temp.

Like M20Doc said, the 1965 models had a remote gyro in the aft radio bay to control the PC system. There was a roll trim knob on the pilot yoke over the clock. The momentary disconnect button was on the left side of the pilot yoke. That disconnect button de-energized a piloted valve behind the panel that provided vacuum to the PC system. The 2" turn co-ordinator in the panel is electric driven and has no connection to the PC. I always get a kick out of the manual referring to the piloted valve as a pilot valve. Us pilots get confused. In pneumatics, piloted refers to the valve being operated by air pressure or vacuum rather than electrically. The 1966 models have a standard size, electric driven turn and bank that controls the PC. Roll trim knob was one the pilot yoke over the clock. The momentary disconnect button was on the left side of the pilot yoke. That disconnect button de-energized a piloted valve behind the panel that provided vacuum to the PC system. The 1967 and later models have a standard size turn and bank that is both electrically and vacuum driven that controls the PC. The roll trim knob is part of the T&B. There is a piloted valve behind the panel. At some point rather than the disconnect button directly controlling the vacuum to the piloted valve, an electronic valve was used. Point is, there are several variations. Each is shown in the parts manual. Get an idea on how it is laid out and where all the parts are before trying to troubleshoot. Fairly good pictures of the 1965, 66 and 67 are in the parts manual available in the downloads section. Mooney parts M20C 1965 to 1967.pdf. I think is in the engine section, 2nd page. The 1967 pictures look almost like the 1976 except for the piloted/electrical valve.