RDuplechin

‘65 E model with a Tail Beacon since August 2019. I chose that option since I already had LED nav/strobes on the wing tips. It worked fine after it was finally configured properly. The installer had some bad settings in the set up and it kept failing the proving flight. I had an avionics guy (not the original A&P) take a look and he immediately knew what the issue was. He made a software adjustment to the configuration and it has been great since. I originally had an AT150 and it worked with that. The transponder got a little weird ( sticking digits). I had a chance to change that out for a Garmin 327 and it has worked great with that transponder too.

Thanks. I called Lightspeed and found out I’m still under warranty. Shipped them off Saturday. They couldn’t have been nicer. Hopefully, that fixes the issue.

Using 2 year old light speed noise canceling headsets. On my last 2 flights after an hour of flight I will get a loud electrical pop in the headset and the noise reduction will shut off. It can me turned back on. On yesterday’s flight the interval between pops got more frequent to the point that I just left it off entirely on final. It has done this on the ground once and the rest of the time in the air. Two different headsets have done this. The batteries in the headsets were not brand new but had plenty of juice left. Anyway, I wouldn’t think they would sell a product that fails with a loud pop when the battery goes low. My audio panel is a PS 6000 that I was going to replace with a PS 7000 anyway. So this was swapped out between flights. The popping occurs with both audio panels. I had an avionics guy sit in the plane with me last night with the engine running and all normal electrical items on. Of course we could not duplicate the issue and his oscilloscope show nothing abnormal. Anyone experience anything like this?

Does anyone have an extra bezel that goes around the 8 day yoke clock on a 65 E? Thanks.

It was kind of the family business for me. My dad flew HU-16s, SH-34s, and SH-3s for the Navy. I was born while he was a T-34 instructor in Pensacola. I started elementary school on Midway Island watching the single engine fighters refuel on their way to Viet Nam in 65 and 66. I never really considered that I would do anything else. I did initially go into Navy ROTC until I realized I didn't like 6 months of water at a pop. So, I switched to Army ROTC… I liked helicopters better anyway. I flew UH-1s, CH-47Ds, and AH-64As for 24 years. The Commercial/Multi/Instrument fixed wing ratings I did on my own. I'm glad I did since I can't afford to buy a helicopter!

Yeah, I like how cleanly the CGR set looks.

Good Morning. Please see the picture below. I’m planning a panel upgrade on my 20E and the engine monitor is as good a start as any. I have not flown with EDM or EI units before so I am a clean slate looking for opinions from those of you who have. Please give me pros/cons of my two possibilities. I could replace my existing tach and MP gauges with a CGR-30 P and C replacing all engine instruments. Removing the existing 6 cluster would leave room for an autopilot later. That would be a really clean swap. Or, I could put an EDM 900 vertically in the tach spot, plug the MP hole, and still use the existing engine instrument 6 cluster square area for an autopilot later. The iPad mini is staying where it is pictured. Thanks.

No, it is the original style. Might be the original one. i cant find a reference to it being replaced.

Yes, engine was running. All lights and electrical systems were on...take off configuration...xpndr to ALT...the works. Engine is at 1800 or so during the run up with a known heading. During run up, I generally check vacuum then verify the DG matches the compass and make sure both agree with my actual heading (taxi way line, 90 degrees to the runway, etc). Only thing not on at that particular time is the boost pump...but that isn't on in flight either, so that shouldn't be the culprit. All that was fine at GPM on flight 1 and at SJT on the return flight. From SJT to GPM the winds were out of the north northwest, but based on the Star Wars chart they would have had to be close to 50 knots to give me that drastic of a crab angle. They were actually more like 12-15 knots. Forgot to mention...just for fun I did 30 degree (roughly) turns left and right just to see if the compass would move at all. It moved a few degrees but not as much as one would expect. I am familiar with lead/lag and accelerate/decelerate tendencies. That normal compass behavior is not what I experienced. The compass correction card calls for 2 degrees at that heading. This far exceeded that. This was more like it was stuck magnetically very close to 030. Once I got closer to GPM, I got real busy dodging the parade of 172s full of future airline pilots who don’t speak English and I admittedly stopped paying attention to the compass. Same after landing...I forgot to note what it was doing on the ground.

I recently had my compass swung and made my first flight this weekend since the work was done. It appears to be reading accurately on the ground with all radios, lights, electronics powered up. I flew from Grand Prairie to San Angelo (west southwesterly) and it appeared to be reasonably accurate in flight. On the return trip later the same day the compass indicated about 30-35 degrees all the way home. That should have been 74 degrees minus a few for the northerly winds...say 65 degrees for discussion. Any idea what's happening here? I’m assuming some sort of magnetized airframe maybe, but why would it not show up on the ground and not show up in flight for a few hours. My airplane has original panel configuration, KX-155s, Garmin 327 xpndr, Garmin 796...nothing new or unusual. IPad mini with a cooling deck plugged into cigar lighter. The only electrical work I have done in the last year is to put in a 406 ELT, put in a tail beacon ADS-B, put in LED nav/strobes, wire up the pitot heat, put in an electric step motor. Nav lights stay on all the time since it powers the ADS-B. Thanks for any insight.

Right hand flap available? Thanks.

I would like a pair please.

I’d be happy to be 3rd in line for a 65E panel with a 6 pack configuration.

Don’t have a picture yet, sorry. Just got it set up last weekend. My 20E still has the original glove compartment on the right side. MGF makes a nice (yet pricey) solution that mounts there. I used that system along with the cooling dock to mount my new mini there. I like it because it mounts tight against that empty section of panel. It does not interfere with full motion of the yoke, blocks zero square inches of window or windscreen, blocks no instruments, does not extend above the top of the panel, and can be angled toward me and slightly down to fight glare. For my flying it seems to be ideal. I’ll send a pic if that option interests you.

A previous owner fabricated (for lack of a better word) a screen that goes over the vents of my 20E. A few tight wraps of fine safety wire holds them in place very securely. I have no doubt it keeps the insects out. The only downside I can see would be it would be easier to ice up. That is not a big consideration for me so I chose to leave them even though I was pretty sure this wasn’t a factory solution even before I read this thread. Does anyone seen any obvious danger to leaving them in place other than the increased chance of icing?

Was it converted to the standard 6 pack on a flat panel or did it still have the bend across the middle of the panel?

Does anyone have pictures of dual G5’s installed in an older style (65 M20E) panel? Specifically, I am wondering if it is possible to mount them over/under as Att Ind/HSI with one on the upper angle and one on the lower angle without having to replace the entire panel with a completely flat one?

Tough to find much. Redbird had some a year ago when I was looking at around $400 I think.

For those still following along...the consensus seems to be that the exhaust pushrod tip failed first. This could be because the valve stuck. When this happened the chamber could not be emptied and was highly pressurized. The intake valve is designed to open into an empty cylinder not push against a high pressure. When the intake tried to open the weakest link failed and the intake pushrod bent. The failed mag may or may not have played into the failure sequence. The next step is to check each cylinder to ensure good oil flow by hooking up a tube where the oil return line goes in and running the engine to see if all are flowing similarly. I may also use Avblend moving forward. May be snake oil or it may help. I don’t think it will hurt anything. Any other thoughts on how the operator can avoid sticking valves?

That’s how I’ll make my fortune! LOL

Thanks Clarence. I’m going to mention this technique to the guy doing my annual and ask him to make sure all cylinders seem to be receiving a similar quantity of oil over a given period of time. I was wondering why someone hasn’t fabricated a diagnostic valve cover with a window or large sight glass to visually verify oil is moving to the top of the cylinder. It seems like for short periods of time it would be feasible.

RLC, yep I noticed that. She is 590. You are probably closer to 575 or 580 I imagine.

RLC. I can’t disagree. Did the mag set off the whole chain or was it simultaneous failures then?

Carusoam, #3 Agreed...and I almost checked the mags. I didn’t because I wasn’t over any terrain I wished to land on. The closest airport was several miles beyond my glide range. I could find the good mag or it could quit entirely. I wasn’t confident that if it quit I could get a restart. I’ve gone back and forth 2nd guessing trying the mags but I probably would do it the same way again. Partial power is better than dead silence when there is nothing below me. #4. We thought that might be the issue but can find no evidence of that. Valves and guides were super clean...no evidence of coking. If they stuck in flight they had cleaned themselves upon landing. No distortion, no burrs or nicks, no bent or tweaked valve shaft. I did not tell the guy how much time was on the engine but I asked him to borescope everything while the jug was off. He called me and asked if it was right out of overhaul it was so clean. Comments about lack of oil have me intrigued. The airplane came with XC20/50 and Camguard. (It lived in Wisconsin before me, not flown much in winter, and the previous owner thought Camguard a good idea.). Don’t want to start a Camguard debate...I know there are passionate opinions pro and con. I just mention it to illustrate what was in the engine at failure and ask would Marvel MO be a good idea if it is suspected that a lack of oil to the rockers was the culprit? I’ve heard it said some people swear by MMO in Lycomings. I’ve used it in old cars for many years but never in an airplane.

MKTurbo, I was not present when the damage was found. I can’t speak to how it was installed. The mechanic did not mention any hardware being reversed on teardown and I would assume he would when I asked him why did this happen? He had no answer.