MinneMooney

Turbine flow meters are generally recommended to have 10 - 25 pipe diameters (depending on the type of flow disturbing fitting, 90deg elbow, t-fitting) of a straight length of pipe upstream and 5 pipe diameters downstream to smooth flow.

Silence. After attempting to explain the realities of weather forecasting the first half dozen times, I’ve “thrown in the towel”. She also believes that “future radar” setting in the Storm app.

I tell my wife that, looking at the long range forecast there’s likely going to be rain next weekend when we have a trip planned and she will ask “what time”.

If I remember correctly, it was going to cost about $7000 to reseal both of the tanks on my 65C when I checked with Paul Beck in Wilmer, MN about a year ago, just before I purchased my plane. Although that would not have included the cost to move the plane, sales tax, etc.

Yesterday’s weather was 35F with winds at the ground <5kt. They were almost 25kt at 5000’ but smooth! It gave me a chance to play with the new Avidyne as well. Really like the IFD100 app running on the iPad mini.

With a Capital “U”! What’s with that dorsal fin?

I too installed this one on the O-360 in my ‘65 C. Only challenge was getting a wrench on the nut that goes on the stud. A&P bent and ground a small wrench to make it fit. Do you really have an IO360 in your C?

I have a ‘65C (N5901Q) and just flew today. It was about 20F outside but toasty warm inside. I had to check with my passenger to make sure he wasn’t too warm. I had the vent control about 1/2 open and the heat control about 1/3 open. Are you getting good airflow from your ventilation outlets in flight?

Me too. When I bought my plane I was having trouble with the uplock. I lubricated the J-bar and haven’t had a problem since.

I got back into flying about 4 years ago after a 16 year hiatus. I had sold my ‘53 Bonanza in 1998. Now, my oldest was out of college and wanted to learn how to fly. We started by joining a local flying club. After 2 years, I bought a Cessna 140 to fly for fun and to have my son and I get our tail wheel endorsements. When the opportunity to purchase a really nice C Mooney popped up about a year ago, I jumped at the chance. I have since sold the 140 and now my son has a great economical plane to get his Commercial rating and build time in. The C is a great 2 person airplane and moves along nicely for the horsepower. It’s faster than my former 225hp Bonanza was. I did not find it any more challenging to fly, just somewhat different. The best advice that I can pass on from lurking here on Mooneyspace for the past year is to take your time before buying any plane. There is a definite learning curve when it comes to Mooneys versus other planes and you can make a big mi$take if you don’t know what to look for. I love mine and it will be my forever plane. Good luck.

The Uavionix Tailbeacon STC Installation manual does say that you need to comply with AC43-13.2B and refer to the Mfg. Service manual if installing on a moving control surface. I would definitely balance the rudder if I installed a Tailbeacon in it.

My SOP GUMPS check always includes grabbing the J-bar and pulling to verify that the down-lock pin has engaged so I don’t have an inadvertent retraction after landing. My plane has a newer Lasar downlock that was installed a while ago after a gear problem/prop strike in 2001.

I also have the worlds most glaring gear down indicator, the Johnson bar.

I don’t remember having any problem seeing the gear up/down lites, but I don’t think it was a very bright sunny day.

I still think the Tailbeacon is a great option, given the difficulty and cost in getting into an avionics shop install a new transponder. Ask me again in a couple of years and I hope to have the same answer. My plane lives in a hangar near Minneapolis so it is protected from the sun and weather. I might be concerned with long term UV exposure if it was tied down outside. I have heard (from a pilot at our local EAA Chapter) of a few reliability problems. I am not concerned with flutter as it is attached to a non-movable surface on my plane.

Andy, has there been a change? This is what I found on AOPA’s web-site: https://pilot-protection-services.aopa.org/news/2016/july/01/are-30-day-vor-checks-still-required-for-ifr-flight it’s from 2016. Unless there’s been a change, it says a Garmin 430 non-waas (TSO-C129) requires 30 day VOR checks.

I currently have a (TSO-C129)Garmin 430 non-waas. Technically, I need my VOR to legally navigate on an IFR flight plan. Can’t wait to install my new Avidyne IFD-440!

Thanks for the tip. I looked up the Garmin Doc. 190-00848-00, which is the GA 35 installation instructions. It does include the following caution: “Do not use construction grade RTV sealant or sealants containing acetic acid. These sealants may damage the electrical connections to the antenna. Use of these type sealants may void the antenna warranty.”

My A&P and I are about to replace the Garmin GA56 with a new Garmin GA35. The GA56 has a rubber gasket covering the entire bottom to prevent water from getting to the 4 screws or the BNC connector hole. The GA56 has an o-ring (but no bottom gasket) that seals the TNC connector hole but nothing to protect the 4 screw holes. What have people been doing to keep water from getting to the screw holes? A&P mentioned RTV, but is there a corrosion concern with aluminum with the acetic acid in RTV?

Funny thing is I have an airway that passes right over the top of my home field but the VOR is too close (5 miles) so I have to fly outbound 15+ mi min. before I can perform a legal single VOR check. Sorry for the thread creep but this should be a consideration for anyone making avionics decisions.

If you read the VOR check requirements: Single VOR, you must use a VOT, a designated ground checkpoint, or a designated airborne checkpoint, none of which are convenient for me at my home field. The 4th option is: (4) If no check signal or point is available, while in flight - (i) Select a VOR radial that lies along the centerline of an established VOR airway; (ii) Select a prominent ground point along the selected radial preferably more than 20 nautical miles from the VOR ground facility and maneuver the aircraft directly over the point at a reasonably low altitude; and (iii) Note the VOR bearing indicated by the receiver when over the ground point (the maximum permissible variation between the published radial and the indicated bearing is 6 degrees). Also not very convenient for me, but doable. You can’t just pick a spot on a sectional and determine the radial to the VOR. I had to fly about 30 minutes the last time I did this check. With 2 VOR’s I can do the check on the ground sitting outside my hangar.

I have an old Narco Nav 122 as my #2 Nav and just sent it out to be repaired when the VOR portion quit working. For me, needing to do VOR checks every 30 days without a second VOR made it an easy decision (based on economics). Without a second VOR, I would have to fly over a landmark on a VOR airway to check my Garmin 430’s VOR. It wouldn’t take many flights to cover the repair cost (thanks Mike’s Avionics). It would be nice if the FAA would revise 91.171 to allow the use of a GPS to establish your location to check your VOR against.

+1 on the Cherokee 140. My dad and I bought a ‘69 140 back in the early 1980’s and I got my pp and inst. rating in it. Moved on to a ‘53 Bonanza and now a ‘65 M20C. The 140 was a great plane to learn in and was simple to maintain. Also, with the Hershey bar wing, it was more difficult to land well than either the Bonanza or the Mooney.

I ordered my Tailbeacon from Chase at Avionics Source (he’s a great guy to deal with) and received it about a week after the STC had been approved. I contacted one of the Uavionix Qualified installers listed at my home airport to install. Installation went quick and easy except we had to substitute a #6 screw for the top mounting screw as the #4 was stripped out. The A&P placed the ground wire under a mounting screw, but it works fine. (if the ground was good enough for the original incandescent nav light, shouldn’t it be fine for the Tailbeacon?) Unfortunately, that first Tailbeacon apparently had a defective barometric pressure sensor. Uavionix quickly shipped me a new Tailbeacon and the replacement works correctly. I made a short flight and got and printed my PAPR with no discrepancies. This couldn’t have been easier!

Compliance with this Service Bulletin is a required part of the Continued Airworthiness instructions (every 12 calendar months).