JimB

Not really on topic but I might trade my Mooney for a DA 50 NG....(but that's unrealistic and will never happen). 180 kts on 9 gph of cheap Jet A and 1230 lb useful load sounds pretty appealing.

I will tell you that if you scan your logs in to PDFs and with the right version of Adobe Acrobat, you can make them searchable. Obviously the hand written stuff from 1972 is not going to be very OCR friendly but all the printed labels put in there will be and it is fantastic to type in an AD, SB or keyword (Gear, battery, starter, etc.) and have it found almost instantly. It is well worth the effort to scan them. In fact if anyone here in the community doesn't have the full version of Acrobat and would like me to OCR some documents, send me a PM.

I said no mostly because of this: CONTINENTAL Engine 1 Time 1,825 Engine Time Between Overhaul 2,000 Engine Notes TCM IO-550-N, 310 HP 1,825 hours TTSN (Hobbs) More gas, more maintenance for not enough performance gain. I like my F. It does what I need.

My Dad got me in to flying in high school. He never flew anything but I think it was a dream of his. So I went the route of going to college to be an airline pilot. Got there and met a lot of other pilots that were also on an airline pilot path. After a while of being there, I began to have second thoughts. Driving a bus full of whiny people from PHL to BOS back to PHL over to DCA down to MCO (etc.) all day every day just really didn't sound appealing. So I gave that up, got my A&P and never looked back at flying as a job again. After my kids were grown and out of the house and I could afford it, I got back in to little airplanes and flying again.

Guess that makes 2 of us.

In the last couple of years I have installed a JPI 900, dual G5s, GNX 375, upgraded NAV/COMs and just recently installed a GFC 500. The JPI is great and I like the ability to download data and analyze afterwards. However, if you are thinking in terms of safety, the GFC 500 AP wins hands down without a doubt. The convenience is also fantastic on longer trips but I am more impressed with the safety it provides. It can significantly reduce your work load in some environments and can greatly reduce the big GA fatality, loss of control in-flight due to weather, VFR in to IFR, etc. Get in bad weather or disoriented, hit the LVL button, take a deep breath and get your wits about you. You actually will have more than "178 seconds to live", it will keep you upright and level for as long as you allow it and there is gas in the tank. And if you are flying a lot of IFR, the benefits are obvious. The biggest downside (other than cost!) is you will now spend a lot of time over analyzing all the data on you engine analyzer during any cross country flying! (Wait a min, did my fuel pressure just drop from 22-21psi?? Why is the cylinders CHT 20 degrees cooler than the rest?? Did my amperage just go from 0 to -1??)

Technically per the STC installation manual yes... but I believe I could easily get a field approval to configure it as MFD/STANDBY ADI. My G5 HSI already automatically switches over to an AI if the primary attitude indicator fails so the GI-275/ADI is basically acting as a back up to the back up. So we would have the original Airspeed indictor, Altimeter and VSI along with 2 battery backed up G5s and a battery backed up GI 275 that can all function as an AI/TC. I'm not sure how much more redundancy you could put in a small aircraft.

Hair?? What's that?

I have dual G5s and am very pleased with them. To me the biggest advantage to dual GI 275s is that you can get rid of most of the other instruments if you want freeing up a lot of panel space. I have considered installing a GI 275 in place of my TC to use as a back up ADI/TC and MFD for map, traffic, weather, HSI, etc. but it seems hard to justify right now.

Me personally, I'd use it for a negotiating tool and if after a thorough inspection of the aircraft you like it and can get it at a price you are comfortable with, buy it. I have worked for airlines where we bought some used aircraft that the logs weren't missing but all the maintenance from the previous foreign operator was suspect. We re-accomplished every single scheduled maintenance task and airworthiness directive on the aircraft. Basically the aircraft was rebuilt/re-certified to an almost new standard. So what we got in the end was probably better than a lot of other used aircraft and even after all the work was done, less expensive. Just realize what you are getting yourself in to. If you were closer around here, I'd help. I like seeing aircraft that have been sitting around unused get a new life.

Technically you have to have permission from the STC holder to use the STC. When the units are installed your installer has to sign off a major alteration (337) on the aircraft using the STC data. The AML is just the list of approved aircraft. The STC is the data to install it and Garmin holds the rights to the STC. A lot of avionics get installed without this permission being granted. I'm not sure what happens if you have to send a unit back to Garmin for exchange or repairs...

How about Amazon.... https://www.amazon.com/Torrington-TORRINGTON-USA-PN-4-A/dp/B00DBP0PPQ

You can use either MIL-C-27500 or the 120 ohm Can Bus shielded 2 conductor wire. However if you are planning to install a GFC 500, it is preferred to use the 120 ohm Can Bus wire. In the big scheme of installing things the 120 ohm wire is not that expensive https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/garmin_11-17264.php?clickkey=135505 G5 install manual GFC 500 manual

No dumb questions. That it. This is from a GTR/GNC manual but you get the idea. You can certainly run two separate wires to the connector too if you want.

You gots to read all the various notes... For a 14V system you are going to be drawing more amps than a 28v system so they want you to use 2 of those little pins and either 2 wires as depicted or you could use a larger wire size to the connector and splice the 2 together. What revision of the install manual are you referencing? It looks older.

You also might find these FAA docs helpful as well.... Clarification of Inspection and Overhaul Requirements Under Part 91 https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/notice/n_8900.410.pdf Reciprocating Engine Overhaul Terminology and Standards https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_43-11_CHG-1.pdf

That's funny....high time engine....1350 SMOH.....

Fully understand and agree. I just figured it was one less thing to worry about. And I'm not even sure the FCC cares. I think it's an ICAO or IATA requirement and has little to do with GA.

Looking at getting this just to be covered for a trip to the Bahamas and Canada later this year. Are the fees really $170 for the aircraft radio station license? And the radiotelephone operator permit is $70? and the annual customs sticker is $27.50? Sound right?

As an A&P/IA/aircraft owner myself, I not only give consideration to what's safe and legal but I also consider resale value of my aircraft if and when I decide to sell. Some things may make sense now and be safe and legal, but when you have to explain it to a potential buyer in the future, it may be a little harder to explain. Just my $.02...

Not that this helps this discussion a lot but here is a 1975 M20F

It is annoying but mine is also the same and I handle it the same as well. 20 RPM is .7% so I really don't worry about it. However, I will probably dial my governor back a bit this annual. I don't like things turning red on takeoff. After a while I will quit paying attention to it and that's when something will alert that I really should be aware of.

Pretty sure there hasn't been a new airplane built in a long time that has a vacuum pump...there really are some good reasons for that... https://airfactsjournal.com/2017/04/death-knell-vacuum-pump/

During my life I have met more than my fair share of old, experienced idiots. Being old and spending a lot of time doing something does not necessarily equal knowledge or wisdom. Some people just don't learn. This is the internet....no telling who is on the other side typing. However, I have learned a lot about Mooneys being part of this group and I sincerely hope that I am able to give back on occasion. But I do try and refrain from typing anything unless I think it will be useful or well received.

Four or more days out? This is about as accurate a forecast as you can get.