PT20J

A neat feature with the G3X CAS is that it has outputs for Warning and Caution to drive external lights. You could repurpose the fuel lights in the annunciator panel for Master Caution and Master Warning. I have a PMA 450B audio panel and I connected these G3X outputs to it so that it audibly annunciates "Master Warning" and "Master Caution" until you acknowledge the indication on the audio panel. That really gets your attention.

Yes, that’s the way I most often do an approach.

One as an attitude indicator and one as a HSI.

The G3X and GFC 500 are part of a system. Most of the autopilot software is actually in the G3X. It’s a completely different architecture than a KFC 150. Garmin’s solution for legacy autopilots is the G500TXi or a pair of GI 275s.

It's easy two see how the GTN works because Garmin built a nice simulator, but Garmin has never built sims for its autopilots and the documentation is not always clear. So, I did a bunch of tests today, and found that the logic is actually pretty simple. For all these tests, I started in NAV mode on a GPS track to an IF just prior to the FAF on an ILS or LOC approach. Auto Switch: With GTN Auto Switch enabled, the GTN will fly via GPS to the IF, roll steer to the final approach course, and once the active waypoint changes to the FAF, switch the CDI to VLOC. It doesn't matter whether the loaded approach is a ILS or LOC -- it works the same. GFC ROL reversion: If GFC APR is pressed (which arms LOC and GS) before auto switch, the GFC will capture the localizer after the Auto Switch without reverting to ROL. If APR is not armed, it will revert to ROL when the CDI switches. This means that Auto Switch will only work without ROL reversion on an ILS. Auto Switch disabled: With APR armed, the GFC will revert to ROL if the CDI is switched to VLOC far enough from the localizer course to end up with full deflection after the switch. I leave it as an exercise for someone else to determine how far you can be offset from the localizer and have the manual CDI switch not cause a ROL reversion . EDIT: From the documentation, I believe that it is probable that a manual CDI switch from GPS to VLOC will not cause the GFC 500 to revert to ROL if the CDI ends up being a half scale deflection or less on the localizer, but I haven't tested this. It does not revert if the CDI ends up centered.

@Marc_B can you set the overlay opacity on the G500TXi?

There are differences in how the various equipment processes the NEXRAD data. I have noticed that the Garmin displays often show heavier returns than show up on ForeFlight even though the GTX 345 is the source for all. I often see virga on the G3X map. It will show on ForeFlight also, but doesn’t appear as heavy.

I would check with a place that does boat repairs. Check the Service Manual - the fiberglass is supposed to have a fire retardant mixed in. I seem to recall that Byron @jetdriven did extensive rework on his cowling. Maybe his shop will take it on. Modworks had an STC for a reinforcement to the center hump. They are long gone, but maybe someone has the details on how to reinforce the cowling.

G3X doesn't do that. The G3X Map has various overlays but one annoying thing is that there is no way to change the radar opacity so NEXRAD returns obscure map terrain detail. The G3X Chart (Sectional and IFR) screen is north up only and has limited overlays (course line and maybe glide range ring -- I can't remember, I seldom use it). Also, you have to switch map regions between US and Canada if you subscribe to both. I usually fly with the Garmin Map page up and use the yoke-mounted iPad to display the sectional and approach charts. I can poke around on the iPad without disturbing the G3X map and then use Connect to upload changes if necessary.

In the G3X Pilot's Guide, Rev F, Garmin calls that grey diamond a VDI Preview. I believe it is active when VNAV is active and the GP or GS comes into view, but is not yet active. This would seem to be most useful as a heads up if the GTN Xi Transition to Approach were enabled where VNAV smoothly transitions to the GP or GS. Transition to Approach currently works with the GFC 600 but not the GFC 500. I'm told by Joey Ferreyra that Garmin is working on it for the GFC 500 and the fact that VDI Preview was added to the G3X in, I believe, v9.15, might imply that it will happen. With Transition to Approach disabled per the STC, VNAV terminates at the FAF for LNAV and at the fix before the FAF for approaches with vertical guidance.

Do the easy things first: 1. Clean and lube the jackscrew in the tail 2. Clean and lube all the u-joints in the trim shaft 3. Clean and lube the screw at the forward gear box. (This is a good time to check that SBM20-88A has been complied with to install non-jamming stop nuts) 4. Check that the trim wheel chain is not too tight and lube the shaft for the trim wheel. This will free things up in most cases. Worst case, you might need to remove the front gear box and the aft jackscrew assembly and clean and lube. Some models had a trim friction adjustment on the trim wheel. I do not believe that any M20Js had this, but it might be worth checking.

Thanks. I couldn't find that in the GFC STC documentation. This appears to be from the G5 Pilot's Guide.

Trim is an option, but if you install it, I don't believe that the manual electric trim switch is optional. And you have to put the AP disconnect/trim interrupt switch on the yoke anyway. Garmin's solution is to mount a bracket on the yoke to hold the switches. They list a small toggle switch option for the trim switch for this mounting method. I know a local flight school that did that on two of their C-172s which also have small yokes with no room for switches.

This is a common problem with installers not familiar with Mooneys. It is easy to check on a J: just put the trim in the take off position on the trim indicator and the trim assist bungees should cause the elevator to align with the stabilizer. This check doesn't work on later models that have a down spring and bob weight because the elevator always hangs down when the airplane is parked.

No, the time range (actually 16-24 seconds) is an installation validation measurement to be sure that the manual electric trim is operating properly. There isn't a timer -- you just manually run the trim to a stop and then actuate the electric trim and time how long it takes to run to the opposite stop and then repeat in the other direction. On the ground, it takes more force to trim nose up because you are lifting the tail with the jackscrew.

The Mooney trim system is geared pretty low (takes a lot of turns of the trim wheel from full up to full down) and also has more friction than conventional trim systems since it has to move the entire tail with a jackscrew. The GFC 500 has a spec of 24 seconds max. for the M20J for the trim run time stop to stop. In order to meet this spec, Garmin uses a very large sprocket on the servo and a much smaller sprocket on the trim tube to “gear up” the servo and increase its speed. But, this reduces torque available. Even with the torque setting at 100% as specified in the STC, there isn’t much reserve. You can tell this by placing your hand on the trim wheel when operating the electric trim on the ground and noticing how little pressure you have to apply to stop the trim motion. So, after checking that the installation is correct (servo chain tension and alignment, servo setup parameters) the thing to do is to go through the trim system and find and remove sources of excess friction.

It has a MAP page that shows a computer generated map that can be north up, track up or DTK up. It has a chart page that will show raster scanned sectionals or IFR charts always north up. But, they are separate pages.

The main part of the mechanism is connected to the interior handle. The outside handle is connected to this mechanism by a separate rod that is adjustable.

I think the altitude has the bigger effect because it reduces the power available. But, I never really think too much about it. I'm in Deakin's camp on climb speeds. https://www.advancedpilot.com/articles.php?action=article&articleid=1842 When I'm up around 10,000 or higher I usually just split the difference between sea level gross weight Vx and Vy and find that close enough for a good climb speed.

It is accessed through the belly. The actuator is just aft of the flaps. There are two Honeywell microswitch replacement possibilities: V3L-3 comes with a lever. You can also use a V3-1 switch with a JV-5 lever. These are shown (somewhat confusingly) in the IPC.

Ross, that would be true if the power available were constant. However, it's not. Power available is thrust times TAS and so it is zero at zero airspeed and increases as airspeed increases until prop efficiency drops off. At low speeds, the variation in power available with airspeed is greatest and this affects Vy since ROC is the difference between power required (which varies as the square root of weight) and the power available.

If you really need a non precision approach without vertical guidance, you could select a localizer approach.

I think we are saying the same thing. I love to watch the automation work, and would never go back to life without it, but I do think things were easier to understand when I learned with two VORs and an ADF. I bragged to my DPE friend once that I used to be able to do intersection holds with a single VOR and he bested me by saying he did the same thing with a VOR receiver that you had to tune manually. Thank God I never had to orient on a four-course range.

It would be interesting to try. I’m betting that it will just capture without reverting to ROL because there is no confusion about your intent. There is a potential issue if you cannot capture the ILS localizer in NAV. Sometimes I get cleared to track the localizer, but not for the approach because there is an airplane ahead of me on the approach and I cannot be cleared until that aircraft lands or misses (the last time this happened, I was following an Army helicopter doing 60 kts!) In that case, I intercept the localizer in NAV and don’t hit APR until cleared to avoid accidentally capturing the GS and busting my assigned altitude. I’ve always had auto switch work without reverting to ROL, but I think I’ve always been on a vector in HDG with NAV armed so there was not a change in the active navigation source.

Here is something interesting to ponder relative the GTN Auto Switch and the GFC 500 interaction: ILS Auto Switch works with an ILS. I tried it with a localizer approach on the simulator and it works on a localizer also. However, the GFC 500 is set to APR for an ILS and NAV for a localizer-only approach. So, there cannot be anything "special" about APR since NAV has to work the same way. It seems that the logic in the GTN and GFC will always do the Auto Switch without reverting to ROL. According to the GFC 500 AFMS, if a localizer is the active navigation source, the GFC will "arm" if the CDI deflection is more than half scale and "capture" if the CDI is less than half scale deflection. So, I'm betting that if your are on a GPS leg and there is more than half scale deflection after you manually switch from GPS to VLOC that the GFC will revert to ROL and if there is half or less full scale deflection it will just smoothly capture the localizer.