bcbender10

Hi all, picking up on this thread for a trim servo issue. Situation: Outbound leg: Power trim worked fine, KFC150 passed the a/p test. All appeared fine on climb out, but A/P failed to capture altitude set in altitude preselect. Then held altitude when I set using "ALT" on the KFC150 controller. On descent, noticed issues again. With A/P off, noticed electric trim was not working. Used manual trim which was smooth and fine to land. Return leg: on start up, electric trim didn't work in either direction. A/P would not pass its self check. Seems like a trim servo issue to me. Perhaps it died? 1998 Mooney Encore. Likely given 24 years of service...

Welcome (soon) to SoCal! Yep, hangars are difficult and expensive to find. I base my 1998 M20K at Santa Monica. I invested in a full set of covers from Bruce's Custom Covers - wing, engine, tail, and fuselage. I'm glad I did. Yes, the complete set is a pain to put on (about 15 minutes) and take off (about 10 minutes). It took me a few months to get the process down. BUT - after about 2 years of ownership, I know I'm saving the paint and airframe. The dew every morning picks up tiny amounts of salt blown in the air off the ocean. Over a long time, that repeated cycle puts salt on top surfaces of an unprotected plane. Additionally, the UV rays are brutal. The covers protect the plane against the salt and UV. I can feel the salt and the effect of the UV on the covers - they are stiffer now. Good news is that the covers easily rinse - I just bring them home and spray them down every now and then. I fly every week. If I think I'm going to be flying multiple days in a row, or have an early morning departure with little time, or a late night arrival (ie, dark), I just put on the fuselage cover and the set of engine plugs I bought - very quick! then I put on the full set when I know I won't fly for more than a few days or come back the next day to put on the full set. Also helpful: get a Husky box to store stuff (and your covers) and a short step ladder to ease putting the tail cover on and off. All this until the day an affordable hangar opens up (or I move away from SMO or it shuts down in 2028!)

Closing the loop on this... Shop owner had the shop lead avionics manager personally look into this. Magically, issue was resolved with existing parts in place and it works perfectly.

Thanks, all! Search underway. Ebay has 3 levels of choices... 1) No yellow tag ($800) 2) Yellow tagged (~1800) 3) overhauled ($3AMU+). I'm inclined to go with option 2)

My KAS-297B is showing the display below. It occurred while I was rotating the altitude preselect outer ring. I suspect it blew a diode or something and needs to be replaced or overhauled. There's quite a range of prices on e-Bay for yellow tagged ($900) vs overhauled ($3+AMU). What are this group's thoughts on causes and best remedial action? I just had a factory reman engine, new prop, and twin GI275s installed. Not eager for another capital upgrade to GFC500 right now...

@Mark89114Thanks for the tip. I had no idea about the different mod issue. @carusoamYes, it's always complicated when mixing competing technologies (especially Garmin and BK) in GA planes.

Thanks A! @Alan Fox Do you have any KEA 130As? and at what rate? Lone Mountain Aviation, being a Mooney Service Center, strongly discourages owner-provided parts. They typically require purchase through them. If the parts come from somewhere else, they must be properly tagged (I'm not sure of the specific requirements, but I'm sure an A&P avionics would...)

Yes. Exactly that thing. Part number matches what the shop sent me.

Hi all, I'm adding to this string because the MSC in Las Vegas alerted me to an issue with my KEA-130A following an extended maintenance period. Following the install of a 2nd GI275 (HSI; I already had an ADI w/ AP and back up battery for AI), the KEA-130A failed the static test. They claim despite all efforts to eliminate leaks (new fittings, teflon tape), the KEA-130A failed the tests. The plane has been in MSCs for maintenance for 10 of the last 13 months since the KEA-130A did pass static checks. Also relevant... I have a GTX345 transponder and still have the KFC150 autopilot. The shop recommends I buy an overhauled KEA-130A for $2,300. The ONLY reason I need the KEA-130A is for the altitude input to the KFC150. What are my options? Is there a converter that can translate the GI275 altitude signal to the greycode input the KFC150 requires? Or send the KEA-130A in for overhaul, or "INOP" the altimeter and KFC150 altogether, or upgrade to a GFC500 AP (I'm broke though after paying for so many upgrades and repairs since buying my plane 15 months ago). Ideas welcome.

Wish I could join. My Mooney is awaiting its engine overhaul. Have fun!!

I couldn't agree more! Thanks, Paul. @kortopates. I upgraded from a Piper Arrow II (great planes) last August. This forum and Paul's flight instruction in my new-to-me Encore are incredible sources of wisdom. This string is particularly helpful for me. Yesterday I applied some techniques discussed and voila... 65%+ LOP ops and all the numbers (including TIT) right where they should be.

Got a million bucks for me? Hellllllooo Acclaim! This could work out for me yet.... 1) yes, JPI is showing steady RPM. I'm one of those math geeks. Data & analytics is my day job and pays the bills (house & Mooney). 2) yes 3) Need to find out. If so, that would clinch it for a bad gauge or wire 4) yep 5) yep. very logical 6) I bought a replacement tach removed from another Mooney for a glass upgrade for $85 on ebay. Even if I can't use it, couldn't resist. Better than paying for a prop overhaul. 7) you buy, I fly.

Yep. EDM730. I edited my question to reflect that. Would love an EDM900. Budget constraints after 2-3 months in the shops after purchase bringing it to WAAS and ADS-B and fully current on all inspections. Some day soon a full glass panel with EIS.

HA!! It's feeling that way, in spite of volumes of data (video, EDM, and pilot) pointing in other directions.

Thanks, Chris. Agreed for this issue alone. Another MSC failed to fully fix an alternator issue and the vacuum system. This indication issue popped up during a x-country in the week in between, so asked the 2nd MSC to look into it. Savvy recommended switching to an EI R1, and I suggested that to the MSC.