mhrivnak

@OSUAV8TER per Jeff Argersinger's message above, I saw a similar email response he sent to a friend, but this doesn't add up. If they are depending on the factory-installed 7.5 ohm resistor, it will only drop the voltage by about 1V because the current flow is much less. The new part states a current range of 0.12A - 0.16A: 0.12 amps * 7.5 ohms = 0.9V drop 0.16 amps * 7.5 ohms = 1.2V drop Obviously that's not going to lower the voltage to 14V on a 28V system. But we can see how that resistor worked fine for the old 2A bulbs: 2 amps * 7.5 ohms = 15V drop Whelen has electrical engineers who understand this much better than I do. But with their sales director telling people it'll work because of the factory-installed resistor, that just doesn't seem correct. Maybe something's lost in translation? This other thread (linked below) mentions that the device has a transducer, and you also stated there that "there is a step down box to get it from 28V to 14V". Do you have official confirmation that the device by itself, with whatever comes in the box, will be able to work with 28V? Or for those us of with the resistors, 27V? With the mixed messages, it seems to be in everyone's interest to make sure there's a clear statement from Whelen that the light will work with an input of close to 28V.

Good point. Though of course the induction system introduces significant and measurable airflow restriction even at WOT, which is AIUI why we don't see MAP get higher than about 1" below ambient air pressure for normally aspirated engines. But it's a fair question: if a leak was so bad that it could deliver full ambient pressure to a cylinder, or slightly more if coming from a pressurized area within the cowling, would that be enough of a difference at WOT to cause a cylinder to be lean enough for detonation? Perhaps if combined with lower fuel flow than usual, as seems like the case here, and timing found to be advanced by 2 degrees, that could all add up to be enough to cause it.

The smoothest Mooney takeoff still feels every bump in the runway. We get used to it, but even a runway in excellent condition can shake things around. What do you make of the big MAP swings that started in the middle of the earlier flight? Looks like the airplane leveled off from climb, reduced RPM from 2500 to 2400, and that's the moment when MAP started oscillating in a fairly consistent pattern with 12-15s between peaks. At 16m in, they start a descent, and while descending the oscillations speed up to 5 second periods with a smaller amplitude. When they level off, the oscillation slows down again with a bigger amplitude. The descent at 20m follows the same pattern: faster and smaller oscillation during descent, returning to slower and bigger at level-off. Comparing the warm-up data from the beginning of each flight when the engine was running about 1000 rpm, the MAP seems noticeably more volatile on the second flight. Then during your takeoff roll, it was jumping around A LOT. There were three peaks even above ambient (measured at 30 prior to engine start): 30.4, 31, then 30.6. Is it possible that something was pressurizing the intake manifold? It sure seems like this data is trying to tell us something. I wish I knew what it was! But it does seem like something went awry with the intake system first. It may have started during the first flight, but not caused harm at cruise power and below. Your first post said the team reported "No intake leaks", but I wonder how they determined that. It seems like much of this might be explained with an intake leak affecting cyls 1 and 2 where the leak was moderate for a while, then whatever gap was the source of the leak physically opened up wider at rotation, leading to a very lean condition. For example, just speculating: if someone loosened intake pipe hardware on the front cylinders for some reason while installing the new exhaust, that might result in forgetting to re-tighten, and/or damaging the old-and-crusty intake gasket that needed to be replaced if disturbed, or something like that. It could have partially shaken loose during the prior flight, then further let go at rotation in your flight. The MAP sensor installation is also a consideration. I don't know where it's plumbed in on your engine, but I suspect the engine monitor displayed on the g3x touch required new engine sensors to be installed. That's another opportunity to introduce an intake leak. Speaking of sensors, did you have new fuel sensors installed? Anything different about the fuel line routing, for example to accommodate a new fuel flow sensor? Forgetting about MAP for a second, I wonder if a fuel line too close to the new exhaust could cause issues of vaporization or similar. Speculating wildly now: maybe with the pitch change at rotation, whatever liquid fuel was in the divider would pool in the back, feeding the lines to cylinders 3 and 4 normally, while the front cylinders got the vapor.

Just an observation: EGT 1 and 2 started to run away exactly at the moment of rotation. The engine ran full power for 18 seconds with similar parameters to the former flight. But just when IAS stopped increasing and altitude started rising, that's where the EGTs take off. That could be consistent with a theory that the physical pitch change at rotation contributed to dislodging some rust or debris in the fuel system, or maybe there's some other connection, or maybe it's a coincidence.

What's the best way to get across Houston E-W from Lake Charles (LCH) to Sugar Land (SGR)? I'm going to make a trip from NC, and Lake Charles seems like a good stopping point for a break and cheap fuel. Should I go VFR and ask for a bravo transition? Would they send me between IAH and HOU, or maybe vector me around the south? Or should I go VFR on my own under the bravo between IAH and HOU, at the flyway chart's recommended 1500ft? Or should I head south to the coast and follow it west for a more scenic route that keeps me on the south side of the bravo? Or something else? All PIREPS appreciated!

I have your same part number: 820308-529 off of my 1990 MSE. Let me know if you still need one.

FWIW I ordered two Tempest filters from spruce in August because it said they were expected to ship in a few days. That got pushed back at least three times, and now the website says Oct 4. If they're widely available from either manufacturer, it seems spruce isn't in the loop.

The Champion 48103-1's I ordered in February from spruce finally arrived. It feels like my birthday! But curiously, they're both stamped with the date 8/24/2021. I wonder if they've actually been hiding somewhere all this time!? Or maybe someone at the factory forgot to increment the year before they resumed production.

Bring a flashlight for lighting up shadowy areas in tight spaces. Take lots of up-close pictures of everything. Maybe there's a local mechanic who you could hire for an hour to help you sanity-check some obvious stuff. That might be better than trying to figure out what to look for yourself. When you get to a PPI, you'll ask the shop to look for the obvious deal-breakers first, and stop if they find something. If there's corrosion you could find easily on your own, they'll find it in the first hour too and call you to see if you want to continue. So I wouldn't worry about having a lot to lose by not spotting an "easy" problem yourself.

There is AC 120-78A that describes what the FAA requires and accepts for electronic signatures. And there are vendors such as PLANELOGIX that offer compliant digital maintenance log services.

Nice. What fuel flow do you see?

Getting a copy of the FAA's records on the airframe can fill in some gaps, especially for STCs and 337s. https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/copies_aircraft_records/

Can you elaborate on how to achieve that? Seems like a lot of Js settle from 145-150 KTAS LOP.

It's great. I love having all of the data in one place and visible all the time. Uploading the data to Savvy has been very helpful in pinpointing a couple of issues. If I ever had to buy another plane (though I hope this J lasts me for life), my top upgrade priority would be installing a JPI engine monitor as primary. I did have to get a warranty replacement of the fuel flow transducer after several months. The interaction started well; they sent me a little test device for free. Based on the results they concluded I should send them the transducer, which I did. That's when it became difficult. Their bench test couldn't reproduce the intermittent drop-out I was seeing, even though I'd already isolated the issue to that transducer both with their test device and by re-installing the transducer that had been in my plane previously. And everyone has a story about poor communication from JPI... the person doing the test can't talk to customers, but the people who do talk to customers have no idea what the test criteria are or if that person knew any details of the problem I had with the part. After some time on the phone where I felt like I basically coached them through how to communicate with each other about my problem, eventually someone agreed to send me a new transducer, and it's been working great ever since.

Follow-up that I forgot to post in 2020: JPI told me to just connect it to the master bus up front. The phone support guy referred me to their engineering team, who got back to me by email in a day or two.

These engines can often go deeply lean of peak before getting rough. When I do Savvy's GAMI lean test, it'll go down to 90F LOP before any significant roughness. You certainly can fly deeply LOP, but you might consider being much closer to peak to get the LOP benefits while still keeping most of the speed. I usually aim for ~25F LOP. FWIW those CHTs are a lot higher than I'd expect to see on my J at such a low power setting. Same for oil temp. May be wise to check the baffling next time the cowling is off. Though I usually fly at around 130Kts indicated, and maybe the extra air flow more than offsets heat from the additional power?

If you have Garmin EIS, that may be a different story and is worth asking about. My JPI EDM 900 is an approved replacement for the original OAT. The same may apply for Garmin's or another primary engine monitor that displays OAT.

My understanding is that the Garmin STC does not allow a G5 (or g3x touch) with GAD13 to replace the original certified OAT, and so you'll need to have two temp probes. Your installer can confirm. You want the probe under a wing, where it won't be in the path of heat coming off the cowling, nor will it be in direct sunlight. It's more work to run the wire into and through the wing, but worth it. If the installer pushes back, ask to look together at what the installation manual says about placement, and you'll find similar guidance.

As I understand it, an Electroair mag has basically the same components as a SureFly alternative, except SureFly packs them all into one housing that goes where the old magneto was. Electroair puts the impulse couplings on their own (can be replaced independently if ever needed) and the electronics aft of the firewall, out of the heat. The moving parts attached to the hot engine are real simple. The wiring between components becomes a failure point, but you still have two independent systems with independent wiring. IMO even if SureFly made an all-in-one EIS replacement for the bendix dual mag, I think the separation of components that Electroair has done makes sense and is an improvement.

I've done a few pilots-n-paws flights with puppies. Here's what I've had success with: No food for 6 hours before flight. No water for 2 hours before flight. I have a small plastic carrier that fits easily through the baggage door even fully assembled, and I've used other small carriers of various designs. Just check the carrier's dimensions with the door dimensions. I put down a tarp just in case anything spills out the front, and it saved the day once when the foster family violated the above rule about food but didn't tell me. I've also had success putting small puppies in a large rubbermaid bin placed in the back seat. No lid required; they can't climb out. I tried a small-sized wire cage once. It fit (tightlly) through the passenger door of someone's M20F, which gave me confidence it would fit in my plane when we did a hand-off. Maybe due to differences in upholstery or seat shape, it was much more difficult to get in and out of my plane without scratching anything, and I would not use it again. Unfortunately that one couldn't be disassembled. If possible, bring an assistant in case any in-flight attention is needed. I probably wouldn't do the open rubbermaid bin without an assistant. On the flight pictured, my wife was certain that this pup NEEDED LOTS of attention for the entire flight. The pup started in the rubbermaid bin, but when we level off in cruise was promptly scooped up and spent the duration sleeping in the co-pilot's lap.

Just an idea: if you switch to the Hartzell Top Prop, that gives you the option to later put in an IO-390 whenever your engine is due for overhaul. It also would get rid of the RPM caution range. The downside is that their lead time is about 12 weeks (I asked at their Sun n Fun booth the other day). But maybe there's a similar delay for McCauley.

More news from Sun n Fun. Electroair got approval this past Friday for their EIS replacement for the Bendix dual mag. Pricing starts around $6k right now as a "show special" for the whole kit, which includes a backup battery, display for your panel, new ignition switch, spark plugs, leads, etc. I was in a Lycoming talk about their EIS, and the presenter said roughly: "If you have a dual mag, use Electoair's new replacement. It's great." It sounds like Lycoming is even considering using that as the only mag option in the future for overhauls they do of dual-mag engines. Installation is not trivial. The battery and control box both get installed aft of the firewall. It's good to have them out of the heat (unlike surefuly where the electronics are inside the housing that's bolted to the engine), but there's wiring to be done. There's also the ignition switch to replace, display to put in your panel, new ignition leads to run, and the prop has to come off to install a new ring on the crankshaft. It seems pretty expensive vs. switching to an engine with independent mags, but if for some reason you want to keep an A3B6D or other dual-mag engine and also want EIS, this is an option now.

I talked to the folks at the Sun n Fun Whelen booth. It sounds like they're pretty far along in developing it and had hoped to have it ready in time for this show, but got delayed. It should be ready "soon". The impression I got was "months, not years". So hopefully that's good news. And they confirmed that there's no better way to find out about it than to be on James's list!

I'll be there as a first-timer, flying into Winter Haven and staying at a hotel in Lakeland with a rental car. Suggestions welcome on what to prioritize as a newbie! If you'd like an easier way to look at the online schedule in advance, check out what I did here that lets you import it into your own calendar app: https://snf.hrivnak.org/

Keep in mind, it's been three years since Boeing acquired Foreflight. Boeing owns the last 3 years of pricing decisions as much as they own today's.