PT20J

Having used Jepps for many years and now using government charts I absolutely agree. If I were flying IFR weekly, I would purchase a Jepp subscription.

I bought some TCO DD-1(W) from SkyGeek but returned them as they were 6” long not 4. Couldn’t find a retail source for the Specmats which are on my airplane. Ended up just buying them from LASAR. Yeah, they’re expensive. I remove them when the plane goes in a shop for maintenance. I also check the torque on them during preflight ever since one went missing during a flight. Skip

https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/director-my-favorite-bob-hoover-story

I installed a 3 amp MCI True Blue Power cube behind the panel and ran a USB-lightening cable along the control column shaft to my iPad mini mount. It will charge the mini while it’s running with full brightness and bluetooth enabled. Skip

I suspect some shops don’t keep a good supply of some parts (like DB connector backshells) in stock. There are a number of different retention methods for DB connectors and the connector on the device dictates which backshell to use. It would be better to order the correct part if not in inventory, but that might require telling the customer that it will take longer than expected. Every time I crawl under my panel, I end up fixing something done previously that I don’t like. Whoever installed the ACK blind encoder for the previous owner didn’t have the right backshell and used one that’s designed for retention bales, not screws as needed by the encoder. So, until I replaced it, the the electrical contacts were only things holding the connector on. Skip

Happy New Year and thanks for all I've learned from you! Skip

Yep, me too. Jimmy buys some of his inventory, but a lot is on consignment. Either way, it’s tricky because he gets paid by the seller, not the buyer. But Jimmy plays it straight for both parties because he understands that the aviation world is small and he wants the repeat business. That’s how he’s stayed in business for nearly thirty years. I would always do my homework, and realize that Jimmy will put the best face on everything he sells, but in my experience, he will honestly answer questions, provide you every opportunity to learn what you need to know, and not misrepresent. Skip

The “sparks” appear to follow the motion of your right hand which is in bright sunlight. Do you wear a ring on that hand? Might be a reflection.

They’re non-structural - won’t any brand of aluminum pop rivet do?

There’s some info in this thread that may be of interest:

Always a good idea to try the simple stuff first

Yeah, Lightspeed says that also. But I’ve successfully used rechargeable (NiMH) batteries in each headset. Also successfully used Energizer Lithium AA non-rechargables. I used the rechargeables when I was flying part 135, 6 hrs/day and the alkalines started getting expensive. Since NiMH batteries don’t have memory, you can recharge them often and then you never have to worry about changing them in flight. Skip

Everything went smoothly. All the important stuff is in this thread. My summary is near the end. Skip

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS!

I think you are right for something TSO'd. I'm not sure about an autopilot though. I think that requires an STC because each installation is different. For instance, there are two plug in modules that program the KC191 computer and they are specific for each airplane.

We discussed this in another thread and IIRC, the result was that the drag of a stopped prop is slightly higher than a windmilling prop set to high pitch. I believe there are some youtube videos about. There's actually quite a bit of blade area to create drag when the prop is stopped but not feathered, and a non-feathering prop will go to flat pitch when stopped. Of course feathered is best. I recall reading somewhere that to get measurements to confirm the B-17 drag polar, Boeing flew one up to 20,000 feet or so and shut down all four engines and feathered all four props and did glide tests. I guess they got them started again Test pilots have all the fun. Skip,

My M20J came from the factory with a KAP150. The KAP150 is not listed on the TC, so I presume that the factory installed it under STC. Legally, to apply an STC you need a letter from the STC holder granting permission to apply the STC to your airplane. Skip

Might be a bad alternator diode.

There's an autopilot trouble shooting guy that hangs about that could help you narrow it down. I blank on his name at the moment but Anthony @carusoam should be along any moment to help us out .

I had this problem with my Aspen and KAP 150. Turned out to be a bad ACU. I believe that the 55X requires an ACU2. When I talked to Aspen tech support, I got the idea that ACU failures were not that uncommon. If that is the problem, Aspen will trade yours for a refurbished one - I don't know the current price. I found a used one on eBay. Skip

Perhaps @Blue on Top can weigh in but I always had the impression that the TC holder had to do a lot more with the FAA than may be required for an STC. At a homecoming factory tour years ago I asked someone why the factory installed speed brakes using the STC instead of just adding them to the TC and was told that the cost that an airframe manufacturer has to go through to get a design change accepted was prohibitive. Back in the day, Mooney always did good engineering and was very conservative. I'm sure that if engineering increased a tube size they thought it necessary to maintain a desired factor of safety. A manufacturer has a lot more on the line than an STC holder, and a lot of STC holders are defunct. Skip

See, that would be my fear: I’d pay $500 for the thing and then every really difficult job would be one where it wouldn’t work.

It’s considered part of the engine, so it would be in the Lycoming engine IPC.

The suction screen was safety cabled at the factory on my A3B6 rebuilt. It looked so pretty, we hated to cut it. Kind of pricey if you’re not doing a lot, but you’d be the envy of every IA that looks at your airplane. https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/nosetool.php?clickkey=27717 Skip

I noticed something interesting about Lycoming SB 480 (excerpt posted above). It has the standard warning that all the Lycoming SBs contain: Incomplete review of all the information in this document can cause errors. Read the entire Service Bulletin to make sure you have a compete understanding of the requirements. Good advice since the oil change procedure includes draining and refilling the sump, and that procedure comes before the procedure to remove, inspect, and replace the suction screen which is located at the bottom of the sump. Skip