Toothdok50

Steve, I just had and AP/IA quote me a fee of $8,200 to install an AV-30-C in my M20C. That's about 65 hours of labor once the equipment in subtracted from the price and static system check is done. I'm scratching my head wondering what he's thinking when one guy on a Piper forum is reporting about 6 hours is required to install this unit. Do you mind sharing what your A&P charged and how many hours he billed out on your install? I'm concern about this quote...its seems really, really high. Worse yet, I was going to do this in conjunction with an annual, so the plane is already going to be torn apart...

Thanks all for the help. ARC is certainly the manufacturer based on the provided manual download. I've done a lot of searching on the web and it was fruitless. We're really fortunate to have Mooneyspace a lot of great members who are willing to share their knowledge. Its one reason I gladly support the site financially. Great resource... Kudo to Racedrager1977!

I bought my M20C two years ago and this odd little autopilot sits down behind the J-bar and flap pump handle. Its labeled "Mooney". No documentation on the thing at all. The AP works--with a little drifting and gentle s-turns. Its obvious a one-axis AP and I'm thinking its a Century I retro-fit item (AK-319), but I'm finding a paucity of information on it, and just don't know. Reading the Century I Manual, the controls and feature are very similar, but very different too. The heading knob on it is a mystery. I put an e-mail into Century describing the instrument and never got any word back from them. Supposedly, the Century I had a "retro-fit" model and I can't find any information about that kit--called the AK-319. I can't find any photos of this autopilot or any documentation to verify who manufactured it. Its an all electric system, which rules out Britton, but unlike most Century I autopilots, I don't have a Century I turn coordinator. Yes, my turn/slip instrument is electric, but there's no control knob on it, and its not branded as a Century gauge. Just behind our baggage compartment, in the tail, there is an electric gyro instrument, which seems as if it s part of the autopilot system. A warning label on this electric gyro warns against avoid any shocks or blows to the instrument. I'm lost and was hoping someone in the community might provide some information on this. I'd like to I.D. the device, obtain a manual for it and provide any sort of service the unit calls for. Short of pulling the servo to look for a manufacturer, I don't know what else to do. Even the electric gyro in the tail doesn't have a branding on it. Help!

I purchase this LED upgrade kit from ShortWingPiperClub.org: https://www.shortwingpiperclub.org/swpc-store/aircraft-parts/cabin-mounted-shoulder-lights/ Someone 3D printed new sleeves and provided a suitable LED replacement bulb. So easy to install and what a difference in light output and no burnt fingers anymore. The best fifty bucks I ever spent on my plane. Work flawlessly and draw a lot less current.

Scott, I'd gladly purchase the Aerospace Logic gauge to do the Cies upgrade, but I literally have no where to put the gauge on my panel. Us Mooney owners are in a bind with the cramped quarters we have on our panels. A $12,000 JPI EDM 900 install with Cies senders is my future, but in these vintage aircraft needing accurate fuel readings, that's something a lot of folks just don't want to do. Right now, my only alternative--if I'm going to use the FL202D gauge--is to remove my ADF, and put the Aerospace Logic gauge in that location. While I never use the old ADF, its just nice to know it's there as another option for radio nav. As far as getting a solution for the Mooney and a 337 approval goes, I'm in Florida, and working with you guys on a project like this is probably unfeasible. I sure wish someone in your area with a Mooney might step up and go for it. It certainly would make your senders more desirable and more useful. This is a challenge I'd certainly like to take on. With cheap, small microprocessors, that can read PWM, and then, via a digital potentiometer, output variable resistance, I can't imagine why a simple, small converter can't be brought to fruition--but then, I'm a dentist...what do I know?

One of the great things about owning an aircraft with a history and popularity of Mooney is the community of owners (and former owners) that are willing to share their experiences and knowledge with others. Mooneyspace is great resource for disseminating and communicating that. For me, a annual donation to keep and maintain Mooneyspace is a small investment to ensure this site continues and prospers. Keep up the good work, and good luck with the fund raising.

My son and I have decided its time to put a JPI EDM 900 in our M20C with CEIS Fuel Senders. He's anxious to get it all purchased and start the install. It appears, however, that Fun 'n Sun 2021 is a go, and I'm encouraging him to wait for the show to see if there are any specials or rebates we can get on the equipment from JPI. Being relatively new to aircraft ownership, I'm reaching out to those more seasoned owners that may have made show purchases to see what JPI has offered in the way of discounts in the past. If I'm looking at typical rebate or discount of $250 or so, its pointless to wait. However, if we're looking at a grand or more, that's an incentive to wait a month. Anyone have some experience with the sort of rebates and discounts that JPI has typically offered at previous shows? I've tried to find some old pages on the web showing show discounts or rebates at previous events and haven't been finding much. Having only owned an plane now for 2 years, and COVID eliminating Fun 'n Sun last year, I need some guidance from you seasoned aircraft owners who've gone with JPI systems or have seen more than I have. Any guidance?

Thanks RLCarter...appreciate the tips on applying the seal. Lots of good info... This makes sense to keep the black calk from oozing out at the seam, like mine is now. Its quite unsightly.

ShuRugal's suggestion seems promising too. Hmmm... I may just get both of these 3M products and see what's easiest to handle and clean-up. Not sure which way to go. Here I was thinking there'd be a called out, approved sealer or preformed seal for this since its a certified aircraft... 3M Fire Barrier Moldable Putty Stix MP+, Red, 1.45 in x 6 in_ Paint_ Amazon.com_ Industrial & Scientific.html

My A&P who does a lot of Mooney work says its tar. Smells like a tar-based roofing sealant too. Whatever is on the plane, its a mess. It oozes out and when you try to wipe it off it leaves brown streaks...like tar would. You got to work at cleaning it without dissolving anymore of the oozing material. Getting that channel cleaned out seems like a necessary goal in this too. Thanks for all the input and suggestions.

Ah, I see, those groove are now full of tar. I'll get them cleaned out and just put the 3M Calk on either side of the channels. Seeing one on each of the mating surfaces had me thinking this was for a bead seal...

Thanks Mike...that looks like a good product for the job. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to embed a rubber cord seal in those grooves as well.

Yeah, that seems like a good solution, I was just worried about adhesive silicone. Prying that thing off with any sort of force can deform that thin aluminum, but something that's non-adhesive might be the way to go.

During my first annual inspection, my A&P pointed out that someone sealed our instrument access panel with tar. What a mess! I'd seen this nasty, black goo oozing out at the seams, and figured it was the appropriate sealant from back in the early sixties when the plane was built, and it was just something our certified aircraft had to continue to use for a seal on this piece of cowling. My A&P says someone probably got frustrated from having water leaks in the cabin and use this, and this wasn't the appropriate sort of seal for the access panel. On inspection of the tar covered mating surfaces of the panel, it appear there is a half-round groove formed into the skin and also the mating surface of the panel, as if a round, rubber cord fit into this groove. I'm wondering what Mooney intended for this seal, how effective it was and what other guys on C models are using to get a nice water-tight seal on this access panel. I'm thinking of cleaning all this tar off the mating surfaces, getting a round rubber cord of the appropriate cross-sectional size and then trying a silicone gasket seal in addition to it. Any thoughts? I'd like to fix this before she done with her repairs and all buttoned up, but I guess I could do this back at our hangar if worse comes to worse. If anyone has the appropriate seal done here, is the rubber for this solid or tubular? Is it simply a rubber cord, or is there a specific gasket/seal for the job--something like a flat, 1" wide piece of rubber with a raised semi-circular bead on it, to fit into the grooves. I'm thinking a two part, non-adhesive silicone gasket compound might work well too. Knowing I'll need to remove this panel again without damaging it, I want to avoid adhesive silicone. Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated. I don't want tar--but I don't want leaks!

Thanks to MilitaryAV8R for additional information on the St. Augustine crash. Was looking for anything more the hapless media didn't report.