PT20J

That works only if the pilot not operating the controls is a flight instructor giving instruction or if the aircraft type certificate or regulation under which it is operated requires two pilots. 91.109 requires a safety pilot for simulated instrument flight. If the pilots agree that the safety pilot will be pilot in command, then they can both log it. This actually makes sense since the safety pilot is in a better position to be responsible for the flight. Skip

Anyone know where I can get a 6AX7 tube for my Philco TV? I'm kind of amazed that it's possible keep these old avionics running as long as they do. My KAP 150 autopilot was designed about the same time as an Apple II back when 300 baud modems were hot stuff. The problem is, of course, upgrading is so expensive. I could have a really sweet panel for a $50K investment. But that's a third the value of the airplane. Makes me think hard about swapping out the whole airplane for something more modern. Maybe plastic with a parachute.

That sounds like a good idea. I’ve never done that nor does any IA I know make it a standard practice. Do you put any kind of filter between the shop vac and the engine? How do you check for leaks! Soapy water sprayed around? Skip

I don’t see how a comm radio could trigger the ELT. And, it is improbable that both radios would fail in the same way simultaneously. However, the comm antennas are close to the ELT antenna and if the ELT was transmitting, I could see the 121.5 MHz signal overloading the comm receivers. Skip

Here's a copy of the test cell report from Lycoming for my rebuilt A3B6. I'd be interested to see the report from Western Skyways to compare. I've been associated with several flight schools over the years and typically they just put a restriction to use mineral oil, cruise at >65% power and no touch and goes for 50 hours or so. Most flight schools get TBO or greater on the engines since they are used a lot. At the two part 135 operations I've been involved with we just used mineral oil and flew the normal routes. Skip Test Report.pdf

I've tried this in a number of airplanes (including a very draggy Beaver on floats) and they can all do it from 1000'. Success below that depends on a lot of variables. My technique is to retract the gear at positive rate, retract the flaps when clear of obstacles and continue accelerating to cruise climb. https://www.advancedpilot.com/articles.php?action=article&articleid=1842 Skip

Hey Paul @Pmaxwell, how high was Don when the engine quit? I remember his clunk, chirp description of putting the gear down at the last moment, but I don't recall how high he said he was when it quit. Skip

I downloaded it from the Apple store -- it's only for iPad.

If the mixture is off very far, you may find setting it changes the idle speed and then you have to reset the idle speed and then adjust the mixture again.

So, you have eliminated the charging system, the ignition system and the radios. That leaves the audio panel. Skip

It's fall now, so when you say the annual was done "this fall" I assume that you mean very recently. I would want to understand why the current owner put so much money into it and then decided to sell it right away and I would look very carefully at the work that was done. There are lots of flavors of engine overhauls and I would want to know if it was overhauled to new of service limits, if the cam and lifters were new or reground, and what was done with the cylinders. I'd also look over the avionics installation very carefully. A big part of avionics cost is the installation and wiring and t

I knew someone would bring up the dreaded red box What we need is a cockpit warning light

Thanks for that, I didn't know about that one. It's kind of fun to play with.

The Key numbers are trivial to calculate. You simply look through the power charts and find combinations of rpm in hundreds and MAP in inches Hg that give approximately the same %power and add them together. For instance, in my M20J, any combination that adds up to 49 is about 70% power. It is not exact, but it's close enough to give you an idea where you are operating. I really don't understand why anyone cares much about %power, though. Maybe it's because the charts in the POH are made that way. Or maybe our first instructor emphasized it. But, what's special about 65% or 70%? Why not u

You're right, of course. I looked too quickly.