Alan Maurer

Schlic In hangar yesterday , I turned power on and panel AP switch on. Then tried yoke electric trim switch with my hand resting on between seats wheel to see if it turned....at first nothing happened and it would not rotate (trim) so I then moved the wheel between the seats a few turns AND ...then repeated the whole thing and the yoke electric switch started working. To add to this saga, Sarasota Avionics looked into this after the January Lakeland Mooney course as in a dual instruction flight, everything got stuck. They looked at the servo and mechanism in the back and lubricated whatever drives that device and said all was fine. I will ask them to have another look.

Skip, Moving the trim wheel between the seats seemed to loosen things up and then (on the ground) the electric trim switch on the yoke started working so it seems intermittent. I hate intermittent problems. Either way I can always trim the elevator. I will keep an eye on it. Thanks for advice! Alan

So....Problem could be intermittent. in hangar, turned power on and AP rocker switch...I then pushed the electric trim button on the yoke......no trim movement....I them moved the manual trim wheel a few turns and then tried the electric trim switch again....and it worked perfectly!!! Could this be a lubrication problem?? Thanks Alan

Hi Everyone, I always use the big red button on the yoke to disengage the autopilot. As observed, if AP is disengaged or turned off using the rocker switch, it also turns off the electric trim on my Ovation. I do not know of any other way to disengage the AP although it is maybe possible to press the AP button on the GFC700 and it would disengage...never tried that! But...everyone stay tuned...I am heading for the airport to fool with it

Steve, The panel AP rocker switch was on. I turn the AP off with the big red button on the yoke. Electric trim on yoke would not trim airplane. I just used the manual trim wheel between the seats. I know if I turn off the rocker switch on the panel that the electric trim will not work... I am going to try it again today

Hi...no popped breaker. AP was off downwind turning base....AP is Garmin GFC700. Never have autopilot turned on in immediate airport area.I could take off tomorrow and see if electric trim works with autopilot turned on but for now not sure

DEAR MOONEY PEOPLE, On downwind today the electric trim switch quit just when I wanted to trim up for landing. I am not sure where to start checking for what is broken. Used the trim wheel easily but not sure if the switch is bad or to look elsewhere. Glad to have some advise.... Thanks Alan N913ND Ovation 2 DX

Skip The trim wheel is usually very easy to turn. This time Could really not turn it. Finally we got it to turn. Before the other day, always easy to turn. After landing I always re trim for the next time out. Spoke to Sarasota Avionics/maintenance....they are going to look at the servo motor and the jack screw. Did not have a circuit breaker pop out. As of now the electric trim is not working. Stay tuned.....

Hi Guys, To clarify...The thumb trim switch did nothing and the manual wheel between the seats would not turn until we forced it, which was not easy. Now the thumb switch on the yoke does nothing and the trim wheel is still hard to turn. I have left the panel AP/trim switch off until I have whatever it is repaired. The AP is the GFC700 that is part of the G1000 system in the Ovation M20R. Thanks Alan

The autopilot is the Garmin GFC 700 . usually works perfectly. Took lots of force to turn the manual trim.

Hello Mooney People, Flying with an instructor at Mooney Review Course in Lakeland yesterday (really great course) the electric elevator trim quit and trim manual wheel was stuck. Nose was trimmed down and had to pull hard. With force we managed to trim with the wheel in Ovation M20R and flew home today with trim switch off. It is broken but I wondered if anyone else had this problem and what needed a repair. Thanks Everyone Alan

Hi Pam,Ovation is a fantastic plane but needs to be flown by the numbers. For light people two in front and two more in the rear works and not out of CG. You can always leave out some fuel.Mooney fuel tanks are large. Glass is a bit daunting at first, but a few hours with an instructor really helps and once learned it is quite easy. Mooneys were never really intended for short runways in my opinion. Approach speed works at exactly 75 knots and still likes to float a bit so patience on landing works. it cannot be forced onto the runway. Sad that Mooney is not building airplanes but Cirrus has a better useful load and a parachute. Mooneys don't have lots of ground clearance so I stay away from any soft runway. That said, the Ovation is a rugged, well built airplane and... it is very fast. really fast.What's not to love. So much fun to fly. Alan Ovation 2GX

Hello Everyone...Thanks for the information. I do not have two alternator switches. Just one field switch. I will try going back and forth between the main bus and the emergency bus to see if the backup alternator picks up the work. This all became a question because using both Battery One or Battery two for a flight...both show -2 amps and both show 28 volts. So on both battery sides there is a lack of charging.... thought about a problem with main alternator or ? slipping drive? Cheers Alan Ovation 2 GX from 2008

Hello Mooney People If I want test backup alternator in Ovation, will it work to switch off alternator field and turn on emergency bus? Will that operate the backup alternator? Thanks Alan

hello Everyone, Flying Ovation yesterday I noticed that on Battery#1 the ammeter was showing -2 amps. For a moment I thought the alternator circuit breaker had popped but it did not. Is this the sign of a failing battery or should I see this in normal flight. I thought it should be in the plus range showing charging? Thanks Alan N913ND Ovation M20R

I had the same shimmy with my Ovation. It was corrected by Sarasota Avionics by adding few tighter components to the nose wheel gear. About for hours work and it worked. This was an easy fix.

Hello Mooney People My little green light in the upper small panel for gear down is not working. Can I replace the bulb or is it necessary to replace the entire panel ? Is this easy or a difficult job? And where can I get the bulb or the panel? It is for 2008 Ovation. Thanks everyone and Happy Thanksgiving. Alan.

Hello Mooney People, My G1000 PFD seems to want to stay dim. I am able to brighten it up using the menu but the next time I come back to use it, it is dim again. Is there a secret that I am missing in order to keep the screen bright? The MFD stays bright. Thanks Alan N913ND

With around 900 hours since new , compression checks with engine hot turns up compressions in the middle fifties. Boroscope did not show any particular damage and I do not know where the air leaks out. In any event the engine develops full power on take off and runs very smoothly. my plan is just to recheck in a month or two as I am not at all anxious to think about a top overhaul. Exhaust valves looked good!

Having read Mike Busch's essay on tops called "Be Afraid" and one of several issues being preload on the assorted. bolts ....he talks about proper lubrication of the fasteners that attach a cylinder to the case. We spoke of this at Sarasota Avionics and was told that the instructions from Continental to attach a cylinder call for doing this "dry" .......Mike says any cylinder work is scary business. Has anyone done a top overhaul on a mid life IO550 lately? And WHY? Cheers Alan N913ND

So Guys....Have we decided that is is OK and possible to install a GI 275 in a Mooney that has a G1000 system and remove one or more of the original three backups on the right side? Like ...for example in a M20R Ovation?? And would the installation empty one's bank account? And could these instruments provide data to the autopilot? thanks Alan N913ND

Having read Mike Busch's new book 'Engines" and dislike of changing a cylinder, I have a question. I was told today by my mechanic that Continental says that if a cylinder was removed that the deck bolts and thru bolts should be replaced dry. Mike says to slather oil on it first and of course use a calibrated torque wrench. Thought I should check with Mooniacs!

I suspect that it is not worth the cost and trouble. I fly the same M20R. Paper work and probable around $5000 . I thought...more noise in cabin, faster off the runway and climb but no increase in cruise speed. Change in prop governor and possible new tach that can show 2700 RPM....I am not an expert at all but I thought about it and decided it was not worth it.

Well Guys, There is nothing we can do about it. I fly an Ovation and have about 9000 hours (SMEL, inst, Comm etc) and this year paid about $7000 for my renewal despite a spotless record and the FAA Wilbur & Orville Wright Master Pilots Award. I am now 78 and have a fresh BFR and IPC and the insurance companies look at statistics. A few older pilots that ought not to be flying and fly infrequently get into mishaps and the premiums go wild. I like to think we are better pilots than the younger less experienced fellows but I wish it were possible to convince the insurance carriers. ...sad!

Hi what do those two abbreviations stand for?