David Lloyd

Several attitude indicators I’ve had fail did give very subtle signs a month or more in advance. Each time was either slow erection or not exactly level in the first couple minutes. One had warned me for a while, then suddenly in flight turned and parked itself showing a 90* bank. Two began giving erroneous indications in flight; beginning a descent caused a shallow right turn, leveling caused a shallow left turn. That was fun, getting vectors for a nighttime ILS until I figured out what was happening. Another time a fresh overhaul had one of the auto erection pendulum vanes stick. It would work properly then show a left turn for a while, then level out for a while…. Shop said it was a speck of dust. Like so many things, they tell us in advance if we pay attention.

Steve201, this one of the very best questions I have seen asked on Mooneyspace. A bunch of people are calculating, how could this be done successfully? In years past, the best solution would have been to turn toward a nearby airport, maybe ask for vectors, circle the airport if near enough and pray to break out with enough altitude to maneuver to a safe landing. Today, our GPS navigators will not only give us our pick of nearest airports but show an approach and have it loaded in seconds. Garmin’s Smartglide will even show if we are within glide range. Now the question becomes, what AGL altitude and speed do I need crossing the FAF in order to put the wheels on asphalt? Don’t have that answer today but will by next week. Several years ago I was just given a descent from 11,000, headed for a GPS to minimums approach to Linden, NJ. A couple seconds later, I informed center of an alternator failure and requested an immediate turn and vectors ILS 6 at Allentown. I had just listened to their ATIS minutes before and would much rather go for a sure thing at ABE than some iffy result at LDJ. If the radios went dark, Newark airspace with low clouds would be a bad place to be. VFR weather was 150 miles west. Point is, always know where you are, what is near by, the weather, your options. Don’t wait until the grits have hit the fan.

I've experienced the same problem, both LPV and ILS. GI275s, GNX375, KX165, Stec 60-2. Sometimes captures the glideslope, sometimes not. Rebuilt mode controlller, rebuilt roll computer, exchanged pitch computer. wiring checked and rechecked, same results. One techie at Garmin told me it was a known problem. The Database Concierge has not worked properly between my iPad with Garmin Pilot, the 275s and 375 since February. It will update one database at a time but not two or more. They know about that also and prefer to let us spend time, money and frustration attempting to track down our problem rather than just fessing up.

It’s so easy to get spoiled. Every now and then, do an ILS; every other time forget to adjust the inbound course. What the heck? How hard is the wind blowing? Oh. Never happened using the KCS55 since you were always twisting the course knob.

Many years ago, the former editor of Flying Magazine, Richard Collins, wrote not only could an engine out instrument approach could be done successfully, his father had done just that. Don’t remember the details.

Like Skip says, cycling the master will reset an overvoltage trip. The OECO or Electro Delta voltage regulator on the 1975s has both a voltage and overvoltage adjustment. I think with old age, sometimes they may require a slight adjustment. There is a procedure in the service manual. Follow the procedure. If it happens again after the first adjustment, replace the voltage regulator.

Nice lookin’ C, you’re gonna enjoy it. Wish we were back near Albuquerque.

9 Months! If you had asked four hours ago I would be sending the box to you. Kid you not, the air stuff went in one box today, the starter vibrator in another. Sorry.

The gas strut sounds really interesting. Not 30 minutes ago, I asked Paul Loewen about rebuilding or repairing my cabin door slider. He said pry it apart and make a new roller from a drill bit cut off with a Dremel. I might give that the first try. First time I talked to Paul in 40 years. We were young men then. Slower but still pretty sharp.

Several years ago, I could have written this. P leads were reversed.

There's twitchy and there's out of control. Depends on the amount of nose wheel caster set by year, SB compliance, proper assembly and hand made parts. Not fixing it properly can lead to broken parts: rudder torque tube lever arm. I had that happen 40 years ago. I saw another at AGL in April or May.

Another related thread going on right now. Read about Service Bulletin 202 for our older planes. Mooneys are no more sensitive than any other planes provided everything is properly installed and adjusted.

Either the parts manual or maintenance manual have the schemes for various years and models shown. It's in the 1969-1974 parts manuals, near the back. The paint colors but not the patterns were in earlier manuals, don't know about the later ones.

Who signed off on all that? If it was the mechanic fired, he certainly deserved what he got. So many problems, can only be a team effort. The narrative seems to indicate few hours flown before the engine was opened at Zephyr, how many on that camshaft? I can't imagine a new camshaft looking like that in just a few hours. Was it really new? Did they try to regrind the old one themselves? I'm not a mechanic, licensed, certified or anything else. I'm not even a shade tree mechanic. I have turned enough wrenches to know how difficult it is to do a job correctly. When I see something like this, I just cringe.

Yea, me too. Cashed my check months ago and unresponsive since. Heck, at this point I just as soon have my money back.

I still like straight lines.

Talking with a mechanic a couple weeks ago, he was replacing the nose gear truss on a early J. He said this one did not track very good, just like a couple old Mooneys he had owned. I asked if he was familiar with SB102. Nope, I explained about the 8 second ride and the need to measure the caster as shown in the service manual and SB. Printed him a copy. Did not even think of the collar being installed upside down.

There were 18 dogs. The cats weren't counted.

So many years and it is still fun to cruise through the cloud tops.

I recently had a problem with erratic low voltage then the main breaker tripped and the alternator went off line, accompanied by a burnt wiring odor. For months the strobes being tuned on caused the voltage to fluctuate by about one volt. Previous troubleshooting showed the alternator, firewall forward wiring and regulator good. This time I began at the main breaker suspecting a loose connection at the breaker. After removing the glare shield, in the next five seconds I found the jumper from the main 70 amp breaker was loose at the neighboring 50 amp aux buss breaker. Loose as in about to fall off loose. Yes it got hot, melted insulation, it just surprised me a loose connector would cause the main to trip. The jumper is that three wire piece Mooney put together to go from the main breaker to the aux buss, landing light and gear. Repaired, all is well. No more jumpy voltage when the stones are turned on. Without looking at the electrical schematics for your plane, I suspect a loose connection could affect everything you describe.

$363 at VUJ over a year ago included 8 quarts, filter and pulling the screen. $125 labor at 28A with me providing the oil and filter. $0 at VUJ with me providing labor, oil and filter.

Always keep in mind, when the motor quits, the airplane descends more quickly than anticipated. Even more so when the gear is extended.

Don, Having a problem IFR and sorting it out successfully is somewhat a milestone event in your training. Stuff does happen, you handled it well.

Did not do the update last cycle due to the plane in the shop. This morning tried to update via WiFi and Garmin Pilot on my iPad. Nope, it hung at 100%. Per Garmin's suggestion some time back, I installed on update at a time and it worked updating the other 275 and 375. There was the Obstacle DB, Safetaxi DB, Nav DB, what a pain! Guess big G is still working on the problem.

Got one. Odd the ref to Carolina Avionics. If AGL sent it, they need to update.