PT20J

They should be painted. I think the exhaust gases would likely be corrosive to aluminum.

Try hand flying a constant airspeed climb in turbulence and compare to the autopilot.

Preflighted a Schweitzer 300 just out of annual inspection and found bolts on all three pitch links missing cotter pins. Told the DOM he couldn't be my friend again until he replaced them. Always preflight these things carefully.

Wouldn’t a mast bump cause separation near the hub? This still from AvWeb kind of looks like maybe the whole transmission and main rotor separated together.

It used to be that the number of plies was specified. But nowadays, tire manufactures use "ply rating" to describe the tire strength and load carrying capacity of tires. The rating and the actual number of cord plies may or may not be the same.

The point is that airplanes are supposed to comply with the type design or an STC or some other data acceptable to the administrator. Otherwise, some FAA inspector or IA may quibble. I know an IA that used to refuse to sign off an annual if the airplane had the wrong ply nose wheel tire. If you stick with approved data, you will never have a problem. Regarding the data plate, Mooney would have some documentation showing the location and an email from Frank Crawford would settle the issue.

Sounds like it could be the o-ring around the shaft on the selector.

An ICA will have an Airworthiness Limitations section that is FAA approved. Only maintenance that is listed in that section is legally required to be performed under Part 91. It is rare for that section to contain required maintenance. An exception is the Powerflow exhaust annual disassembly and lubrication.

Use what’s specified in the TCDS and you will be fine.

Did you try replacing the bolts? Sometimes the bolt shank wears more than the hole in the ball.

It will depend on the serial number. Grounds will be shown on the wiring diagrams in the service and maintenance manual Vol 2 (or in envelopes in the manual if you have an old paper copy).

This is true. However, if the external GPS navigator goes down in a G3X installation, the GFC 500 will use the G3X internal GPS for aiding. For a G5 ADI, it is possible to install both the glare shield antenna for the internal GPS receiver and a RS-232 connection to the primary GPS navigator so that the G5 and GFC 500 will still have GPS aiding if the primary navigator goes down. Of course, this won't help you if the GPS system is down due to failures or jamming.

Lycoming says below 400 is good. Many back that off to 380. Personally, I see no advantage to lower CHTs and Ed Kollin’s logic about valve sticking has always seemed reasonable to me.

I'm not a big fan of the flame cones. They break down quickly (mine only lasted 500 hours after the muffler rebuild in my M20J). Worse, if they collapse in such a way as to block exhaust flow they can cause power loss. The purpose seems to be to keep more heat in the muffler (which is going to wear it out more quickly) in order to produce more cabin heat and carb heat (the latter is not an issue in an IO-360 and my cabin heater is plenty hot without them). My exhaust system is otherwise sound and I discussed it with my IA and we decided good riddance.

The GDL 88 is approved for interface by the GTN STC, but the GDL 39 is not.

At first I thought this was a bad thing. But, except in Alaska, I cannot remember the last time I contacted a FSS in the air (or on the ground for that matter). On the rare occasions I file a VFR flight plan, I find ForeFlight very convenient for activating and closing them. I get better in flight weather information from ADS-B. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2025/april/03/faa-plans-to-shut-down-rco-network

From Lycoming’s website: Factory New – Everything in the engine or installed on the engine is brand new. The engine has a zero time since new and zero time since major overhaul. These engines are identical to what an OEM customer (such as Cessna or Piper) would be installing into their brand new aircraft. New engines carry a two-year factory warranty up to the hourly overhaul period listed in Service Instruction 1009. This engine choice makes sense for the customer that likes to have the peace of mind of having everything be brand new. Factory Rebuilt – Every part used in building the engine meets or exceeds new part specifications; or the engine is like new. It has a zero time since new and a zero time since major overhaul. Some parts may be used, but they meet the same specifications as a new part. Like new engines, this engine carries a two-year factory warranty up to the hourly overhaul period listed in Service Instruction 1009. This engine choice is for the customers who are looking to have a return on their investment by adding value to their airframe. Overhauled – The parts used to build the engine meet or exceed service limits and specifications. The engine carries the previously accrued total time since new, but has zero time since major overhaul. This engine also carries a one-year factory warranty up to the hourly overhaul period listed in Service Instruction 1009. An overhauled engine is best for the customer who is looking for the most cost-effective option, or for those who accrue hours very quickly and will likely run the engine through the next overhaul cycle. Some parts are no longer available new from the original equipment manufacturers, such as dual magnetos from Bendix/TCM. In these cases, those parts are overhauled by a reputable overhaul facility. All Lycoming factory new, rebuilt and overhauled engines are built on the same production assembly line. The same skilled workers build all types of engines, new or overhauled, 4-cylinders or 8-cylinders, and naturally aspirated or turbocharged.

When I fuel like that, gas splashes everywhere.

Does the IPC list a part number and manufacturer?

When I took the factory class, Lycoming said the rebuilts are done to new limits and have the same warranty as a new engine. There are a lot of new parts: Cylinders, pistons, camshaft, lifters, gears. They try to reuse cases, and crankshafts, probably con rods.

IRAN = Inspect and Repair As Necessary. By definition, you can’t know the cost to repair until you disassemble and inspect. But, it should always be less than a new limit overhaul. Maybe closer to a service limit overhaul.

Makes sense. A bad field connection (at the alternator terminal, the brushes, or -less likely - at the regulator) will disable the alternator. Easy (inexpensive) to check.

When I had my custom panel done, I had the shop replicate the dimensions of the factory panel exactly including the rolled edge under the left side and higher straight lower edge above the power controls. This isn’t my panel, but mine (and the original) look like this. I don’t know if the larger vernier throttle knob would fit under the original panel design without modification but there does appear to be more space.

Wow. 3 years for a Lycoming factory rebuilt! When I did mine in the fall of 2018 it was 3 MONTHS! I know they got backed up during COVID and I know they had problems a few years ago when they brought cylinder head machining in house, but I would have thought they would have gotten ahead of this by now. It seems to be getting worse. Anyone received an explanation from Lycoming?