David Lloyd

I had synvis with the Dynon, when a friend was installing a G500 in his Bo, I told him to save his money. I am in the process of having GI275s installed and will spend the current $500 for the synvis. The flight path marker might be useful and if it causes the traffic to display on the AI (the pilot guide is sketchy on it's description of weather or not), maybe it is worthwhile. Us flatlanders just won't have much to look at.

With a little digging you will find several threads, other forums, same topic. Most have seen substantial increases the last two years. Just prior to that, rates were very low. Last year I had a 60% increase, in May another 15%. Another big increase an I might go liability only.

I've got to get on one knee, shoulders keep me from reaching under to sample fuel simply squating down. I keep a foam garden kneeling pad in the plane and use it depending on what pants I'm wearing. It is handy, rain or not, sumps and tie downs. When it is pouring rain, I always evaluated how much water I was going to dump into the tank versus what was likely in the tank. Yeah, I know, I know. My caps don't leak. Was it fueled while raining? Don't get in too much of a hurry, look at all the important stuff. Be sure to get the chocks, all 3 tie downs, the pitot cover, and get both doors shut. Now you're good and wet. Use that dry towel to dry your face, hair and arms. Keep it handy to wipe the condensation from the inside of your windows since you brought all that moisture inside. Some days it rains and you got to go anyway.

Remember in your decision making, the 54 gallon bladders weigh 30 pounds, eating into your useful load.

The bottom or the backs or both? Not much to the bottom, just some foam and fabric with a 3' dowel holding the front and rear edge in place. When buying the upholstery kit from Airtex, the bottom came ready for install; out with the old, in with the new. If you also need the backs, a salvage yard is your best bet.

N5878J, a 1965 S Bonanza is still flying! Guess they got that density altitude thing figured out.

In the meanwhile, oblong one of the mounting holes to get them even.

The 1/2" refers to the valve stem diameter. It's one or the other, not both. That was all changed to increase the TBO, valve stems wore then broke. 1/2" fixed that. I had a Cherokee 40 years ago, Changed out the cylinders before we got it. I'd be shocked to hear you had anything but 1/2" valves. While I had the Cherokee, a mechanic from nearby Gastonia flew into Wilgrove in their Cherokee 140. Leaving it broke a valve. He and his father were replacing the cylinder a couple days later and told me they were going to get it home and overhaul to get rid of the 7/16" valves.

A few years ago I was flying the RV with two Dynon 7" screens to Pittsburgh. About 40 miles south of AGC, the alternator quit. AGC was IFR, nothing but good VFR weather and forecast behind me. Did a little figuring and told ATC I was returning home, alternator out. Turned off 1 screen and the strobe. SL30 and one Dynon, with the EMS, transponder, ADSB stayed on. I think the amp draw was 5-6. Landed at home about an hour and a half later, still showing 11.5 volts on the main battery. I think the SL30 and transponder both would work down to about 9 volts. Don't remember but the Dynon might switch to the backup battery at 10 volts. It is always best if you know and understand what your plane can do.

Correct about the 7/16 valve stems and 1200 TBO. Vast majority were upgraded to 1/2" decades ago. At worst it would have been done 2 years ago when it was topped.

Agree! I tried piano wire, difficult to get bent the way you want and almost impossible to thread. Had to buy a new die as a result. Mild steel works fine.

Yes, the GI275 will do both, but life and avionics are complicated. The GI275 comes in 4 main flavors: AI, HSI, MFD and EIS. If you are replacing an AI in your 6 pack with a GI275, it must be purchased and will function as an AI. A pretty fancy one, it will show true airspeed and standard rate turns if the temp probe is installed, it will show traffic alerts (from a Garmin source), some neat stuff if synthetic vision is purchased. If installed as an AI, it will not show any other displays such as the traffic page, maps, safe taxi, etc. If you are replacing a DG or HSI in your 6 pack with a GI275, it must be purchased and will function as an HSI. A pretty fancy one, it will selectively display background maps, different nav sources, bearing pointers, waypoint info, heading bugs, etc. It will work with your autopilot. Read the Pilot Guide, about 200 pages are devoted to all the stuff the HSI will do. It will not show any other displays such the traffic page.... If installed in you panel as a pair, AI/HSI, the HSI will also work as a backup AI (unless something really weird happens like in another thread). The EIS will function only as an EIS. The MFD will display all the pretty stuff pictured on the Garmin website. If the AI and HSI are installed as a primary pair, the MFD will display and be a backup as long as the optional AHRS is purchased. Not all this is revealed on the Garmin website, some is in the Pilot Guide. Some is answered at the radio shop or other forums. Right now Garmin has a bundle pricing deal on the AI/HSI combo and synthetic vision until sometime in June. Leaking vacuum o-ring? Remove accessory case? Don't think you got that correct.

Rats. Mine was inside the one piece belly pan. Until 15 years ago I flew a pretty good amount. It was rare event then the MBs that were working. What...what's that noise? Ditch it, you'll never miss it.

Will also drive an older KI-204.

I had a Bonanza with an IO520, later an IO550, thousands of hours and never once had a starter adapter slip. Three engines were factory remans going to 1950, 2350 and 1550 hours. The last engine was a Western Skyways overhaul and had about 1300 hours when sold. Each engine after break-in used Aeroshell 15W-50. No Camguard. Most of this was before the internet so I didn't know. At the time (now?) AS 15W-50 was an approved lubricant. I must have been lucky. A friend had his IO550 rebuilt, the shop owner said never use the AS 15W-50, "it's too slick." So he ran AS 100W. 300 Hours, the starter began slipping. New adapter required. Once it slips, it won't get better. The more it slips, the more it costs to repair. For years our company sold industrial speed reducers, some with sprag or spring style backstops to prevent reverse rotation. Despite dire warnings in the instructions (one manufacturer, it was 8 times in the instruction booklet) to never use any lubricant with EP additives if equipped with a backstop, every year some customer would use the improper lubricant with somewhat predictable results. A loaded inclined conveyor would shut down, backstop would slip and dump tons of rock at the tail section of the belt. Nothing like several tons of coal from an elevator boot on a 100 degree day! Every one I investigated, yep, wrong lube. EP additives would be too slick for the sprags or spring wrap to grip the shaft. So there is probably some truth to the too slick theory.

Yes, that's true, it is on the owner to make the decision on SB compliance. But insurance is involved and I was told by either the broker or claims rep if I did not comply with the SB and a problem (like a broken crank or mag gear) cropped up later resulting in a claim, it may be denied.

The insurance will pay for repair for damage from the gear up landing or prop strike. They not pay for a complete overhaul. Prop, they bought me a blade and pro-rated the overhaul based on hours/years recommended by Hartzell. Seemed fair to me. Per others, AD does not require a complete engine teardown. The Lycoming SB does. Several years ago, I had a prop strike and the two engine shops I spoke to would not do the AD without complying with the Lycoming SB. The insurance adjuster had heard that before and approved the teardown without further discussion. I went with the teardown. The 450 hour cylinders came off and went back on without anything being done to them. Case split, and all the parts inspected and it went together with all new bearings, gaskets, etc. Even two brand new mags a mandatory SB replacement item. Insurance did there thing and paid removal, inspection, a bunch of AD parts, bearings, gaskets, mags, yada, yada, and reinstallation. Actually, I did the removal and reinstallation, the insurance paid my 37 hours time. Seemed fair to me. But, had a few spalled lifters and worn cam. Neither me or the engine shop was going to put those back in. I was on the hook for those, not the insurance. So, if they open it up and find worn parts or damaged parts not do to the gear up be prepared to pay out of pocket. When I decapitated the taxiway light with the prop, the head bounced off the wing before disappearing in trees a couple hundred yards away. Left a big dent. Repair and paint wound up a few hundred more than the quote. Insurance said to document why and they paid it. All in all, the insurance company was fair, almost generous, and easy to deal with. Overall claim as about $25k. The next renewal, the premium actually went down about 10%. Go figure. 9 Years later the insurance market has changed, less hull on the Mooney compared to the RV and my premium has now doubled. I don't think the increase is in any direct way the result of the old claim.

There are a couple holes in the rear flange of the crankcase, one on either side, for the purpose of attaching a ground strap. You could use the sump bolts or studs for the prop gov or a lot of other places, but Lycoming provided holes for you to use. Just to the right of the gov pad, above the tube fitting. And yes, I replaced the aluminum 45 degree fitting with a steel fitting. This is a narrow deck 360, I assume the wide deck engines are similar.

One factor no has mentioned is how close the parallel runways are to each other. What, about 1000'? 1500'? Back when CLT began IFR operations to parallel runways, there was a lot of discussion and procedures put in place. 36L (now C due to the 3rd runway added) and 36R are about 4000' apart. 1000' Leaves little margin for error.

I know of one that came down by chute and was repaired and still flying. Catastrophic engine failure in cruise flight in early morning darkness. Too far to make Lexington, the nearest airport, pilot told Greensboro approach that he was pulling the handle at 3000', which he did. Only injury, pilot bit through his lip. He couldn't tell me if that happened when the engine clanked to a stop, when he pulled the chute or when it hit the ground. It has been about 5 years now and that airplane (and 2 others the company owns) is still flying nearly every weekday.

Even though I have read of AVGAS being trucked, I would really expect it to travel by rail or barge to major distribution points. From there by dedicated leaded fuel truck to airports, etc. Can't imagine trucks carrying 6-8000 gallons AVGAS making the trip from refineries on the gulf coast to any place other than the nearby area. Wasn't all that many years ago AVGAS was making the trip via pipeline.

First of many! We had a lot of great memories meeting our parents in Greensboro, Sulphur, Carlsbad, Roswell and Albuquerque. A bunch of those trips were centered around Mother's Day.

When you select the ILS approach on the GNX375, you will get a message the ILS is for practice only, not to be used in IFR. Or something to that effect. The message has to be acknowledged before continuing. Sometimes I get the glideslope, sometimes I don't. I think it has to do with how the approach must be used: Intercept the localizer two miles or more outside the IAF and the glideslope from below. No short cuts. When the glideslope doesn't work for me, it is usually because I flew directly to the fix as opposed to intercepting a couple miles out. Try it on the Garmin simulator and you will get your answer. Took my own advice and checked it out on the Garmin Aviation Trainer, a terrific way to learn and understand your GPS. I could not get the GS to show on the G500 when doing the ILS with the GNX375. Now I'm really wondering what is up. I'll just have to stand with what I said 9 hours ago, sometimes I get the glideslope, sometimes I don't. Eventually I will figure out why is is a sometime thing.

I've been flying with a Garmin GNX375 for the last hundred hours and find on a bumpy day I am about 10x as likely to try unsuccessfully to do something on my iPad. It really isn't a big deal after a period of time. I remember having a KX155 installed new way back when in lieu of an aging KX170 and worrying I would break off those flimsy little knobs. Never happened. With either the Garmin and surely the Avidyne, a button push will get nearest airports or VORs or intersections, etc. Then you can see all the closest VORs and distances. Huge amount of information.

I chased an oil leak for quite a while before discovering it was a torn mag gasket. Turns out they tear easily when changing mag timing. Aircraft Spruce has both the plain round gaskets and the gaskets with bolt holes. I've used both with equal results.