Mac80

Comparison with Century 2000 1994 installed by Century 1997 computer work done 2000 more computer work 2009 roll servo repaired more computer work Attitude and directional gyros rebuilt or replaced over time. 2021 computer repaired, trim and pitch interrupt switches replaced roll servo repaired. Matt Greer signed off on install in 1994, repairs 1997, 2000, and 2021. Works better than since I have owned it. 24 years of service and 3300 hours. Got to say that GRMN has stepped up supporting general aviation and I have started supported them. My next autopilot would be the 500 if needed.

Just watched a presentation on ForeFlight and one of original developers mentioned useful feature of using terrain at higher elevations. I having been wanting to add moving map with showing terrain or synthetic vision. Supposed to be able to add terrain with Lynx 9000 installed but it was not an added feature installed as yet. The only IPad view I see that would have terrain is one that shows attitude indicator and DG in color. Am I missing out on ForeFlight feature. Mostly flying in Midwest but I still would like to see terrain while using moving map on approaches and near airports especially during low visibility. Also interested if other use the attitude feature. If fly with 6 pack type gages and KLN 94 is only map.

I was one of those investors when I held a bit of Mooney common stock. Still a believer in Mooney plane. Kind of went the way of Alcan aluminum. Never thought state of Missouri would let them fold but they did.

Airport is KHIG. The front of their shop is on NE corner of airport. Follow taxi line past FBO to building on NE corner. Ask Misti first where to park before you come. If quick turn around out front. Hangar door around back of the building. Misti Higginsville Avionics LLC 11671 Airport Rd Higginsville MO 64037 660-584-3222 avionics@ctcis.net

Most recently used them this Wednesday September 22, 2021 turned me around in couple hours to replace Lynx 9000 and IFR certification. Took a couple weeks to get on schedule. I used them for miscellaneous including sales, installation, replacement not repairs yet. Stanton and Misti are owners and the have 2 retired ex military avionics support technical staff that love their work. Stanton has at least 2 decades or more of avionics work and has a Mooney he pilots and uses to test new avionics. Think he is second or third owner of shop. Very practical about his recommendations. Believe he does panel work too. They don’t do autopilot repairs that I know of any more as lost their bench tester. I went to Mineral Wells Texas for Century autopilot work very satisfied with them too. They will give you bid on new install. Last one I got for new Garmin avionics labor was about 1/2 of other estimates for labor and did not need to wait till next April 2020. Best they are honest Christian folks as Century installer which is important for me to trade with. Also the most beautiful small airport I have ever landed at and has (KHIG) 2 GPS approaches surrounded by lakes and city park on 3 sides. Probably can get a room in nearby Higginsville or Marshall Missouri.

Excellent service by Stan at Higginsville Avionics near KC Missouri. Only charged $100 to replace and test the rebuilt unit and $300 for new IFR 2 year certification. Century in Mineral Wells rebuilt the roll servo, autopilot and replaced trim switches. Excellent service by Matt Greer. There are many good service people that support general aviation. Lynx replacement functions well with transponder frequency changes and traffic. Still not sure about getting Metars have not shown up as previous model, but I get those by radios or iPad connection thru Lynx on Bluetooth. Three years of service on the original Lynx unit is disappointing. I would expect more. My 1994 Century 2000 lasted longer. Since last overhaul it’s been 19 years before need for a rebuilt roll servo, computer trim board and couple of trim switch replacement and works better than since purchased with plane in 2005. Total expenses for travel, fuel, rebuilt units and labor less than $7,000 versus $30,000 + for new autopilot attitude and directional gyro replacements, transponder, ADSB traffic and weather. ACSS (L3) customer service and technical support was excellent. Very pleased to have a safe IFR plane back in service.

Highly recommend Higginsville Avionics Lab

https://www.indeed.com/companies/compare/2dd9d24593bb99ad-51950f33b6a590d5 Garmin vs L3 appears employee ratings are same Sure did like the features of L3 ABS-D transponder I wish L3 ACSS was still innovating in the general aviation sector Recently replaced bad screen on Lynx 9000 from factory trade in 2 great employee helpers 2 not so great Overall satisfied with cost and service. Garmin has seemed to nailed it with their auto land on new Cirrus Jet Come on L3 show us your stuff again

Avionics shop has one so they are going tp install next week. Believe it stores internal memory of navigation data and your last location maybe more. Kings Avionics in KC replaced it back 2007 and said most people don't know about it.

Wanted to thank fellow aviators for recommending overhauling my Century 2000 versus replacement with new unit. You were correct. It is fixed and cost is less than down payment on new autopilot + install. Took it to Matt Greer Century’s principle installer. Stayed at Magpie bed and breakfast in Mineral Wells Texas for 3 good days just after Labor Day and the autopilot is better than when I got the I first got the N981SM in mid 2000. Great service at the city run FBO. Matt installed the same Autopilot for King Aviation Schools in 1994. It is the same red and white KS plane, now green with gold and red strips, featured in their flying IFR series. Pretty satisfied that some of the autopilot components have lasted 28 years. Had servos/computer worked on in 2007. Local shop sent computer, servos, and instruments to Century. Shotgun approach no real problem shooting or diagnostic equipment like they have in Mineral Wells. Matt is able to run diagnostics inside the aircraft while setting on tarmac. Ran thru approach sequences and can see how servos reacted to inputs from his portable radio device. Found problems with slow roll servo and trim and trouble shot trim switches. Also demonstrated better than I had ever known how to use AP features, including the autopilot interrupt which none of my instructors showed me or I forgot. Put in two new trim switches with wires, rebuilt roll servo, replaced trim circuit board in computer think bad trim switch shorted the board, tested attitude gyro and director gyro per my request on bench which were good. Had one disconnect issue in 5 hours flying. Not sure why that happened may have touched something that interrupted the autopilot. That was a primary concern before in hot weather the AP disconnected in flight only. Have some minor operational issues with selecting altitude hold and heading. Appears I need to select 100 feet prior to desired altitude, 7400 feet for 7500 level flight and couple degrees left on directional gyro, to my desired heading. Overall the autopilot has never been so smooth and fast for me nor held heading, guide slope, localizer, attitude and altitude so well in summer thermals. Very impressed and have full confidence again and can go to partial panel and hand fly which I will practice. Having glitchy transponder replaced next week, so I will be able to fly in clouds and navigate again with confidence. Thanks again for members support and advice and Mooney space for maintaining the forums.

Beech talk has good write up on KLN 89 battery. Tadiran TL-5104/P Wonder if it is same for KLN 94 if so I may buy so avionics expert can install.

If I try to justify owning an airplane by economics I cannot. I never considered rentals or club planes as for me it restricts where, when, and what you can do. My circumstance is road travel takes to long and wears one down. Looking down at the interstates and from 6,000 feet at 180 mph as straight as crow can fly who wants to drive. Airline travel one must usually drive long hours to get to airport, airport parking, and put up with circumstances that private pilots are not subject too. Except for long journeys I don’t want to spend my time for that either. If you have the capability getting a charter it is the next best thing. It is extraordinarily expensive. You can justify it if it is needed for your life style if getting where you need or you want to go often is out of reach except by private plane. If you have an ability and circumstances to rent or cost share and where you can use the plane to go you should probably do that and enjoy flying. Piloting your own plane is a wonderful and liberating experience.

I have global too. Been with same broker 11years. Went up $726 this year. First big jump since I have owned it. I called to see my history. Started with them after couple years of flying at $1,700 Went up few hundred, then down. Broker said increases where industry wide probably due to increase losses. Folks may not be moving planes when floods occur or hurricanes? We have been out of hangars for 4 last 24 months due flooding forecasts.

My older 6/12/24 Schauer charger worked at only 5 amp charge for the connection to transponder and kept battery up. Turned off most avionics and radios. noticed Sportys sells a new Schauer power supply/charger for $399.

Good to know it should not harm. I would like to use my current battery charger if that will help not draw down my battery. It puts out about 10 AMPs when battery needs it and drops to less than one amp when fully charged. I can turn off most of the avionics by buttons or pulling breakers. If it does not hurt the avionics then why not leave it plugged in to side of the plane for software updates. It is same port that the shop uses their ground charger on. Presently, I just use battery, draw it down, and recharge later. I really need to try a new software update( MPC (MAT) operation with maintenance PC thru USB cable and laptop. I think the the breaker is only about 5 amps to the transponder. It is written on the breaker. I don't wish to pay several hundred or thousands more for ground unit I rarely use.

Have a similar question with 24 volt system. I need to do some software updates that may take some time. I have a 24 volt charger and plug in I routinely use to recharge battery. I recall being advised not to use avionics while battery charging so I do not do that. However, it would be nice to leave on while updating software especially with my new task trying my transponder software updates. Is there a definitive answer like never cycle avionics with battery charger plugged in? I do not know circuity between charging buss and plane but I think it goes directly to battery as I can charge the 24 volt Gill battery with master switch off It is a 1994 MSE and I hear a connection being made when I insert the outside plug into the plane. I always have the systems off when I do this but would like to turn on master switch and avionics to power transponder when plugged in but done want to do harm. Once the avionics master is on many things are powered up. Think charger I have puts out about 25 volts but I can check that first if needed?

I trained in Piper Warrior till I soled then transitioned to M20 MSE. It was difficult to find an instructor that had many hours in Mooney. They were technically qualified for complex planes but knew squat about Mooney. May want to get your certificate as you may need to fly to your instructor. That’s what I needed to do to get Instrument rating. It was good to get extra time in. I hopped in with guys not that familiar with Mooney and went thru couple that did not know the plane much which was not so good. If I did it over I would get my license in piper or 172 then get few rides with Instructor familiar with Mooney. A few hours with an experienced Mooney owner pilot, instructor or not, will help you bunches with transition speeds for takeoff, descent, landing and stopping bounce or hop it will do if you put her down before she’s ready to quit flying. My instructor taught me to pull back on yoke to keep nose wheel off after bounce or just land again if to high. There are old pilots and bold pilots but no old bold pilots.

Thanks for all the help and support. I did not want to be negative. I was surprised. The functions of ADS-B, traffic, and weather have been useful. Controllers have never complained and having it seems to make things easier for them too. Connecting to my iPad and ForeFlight for traffic has been very comforting in busy space. The price is reasonable and it has otherwise been flawless. My instructor likes them too and told me he is surprised that more pilots have not installed them. Any suggestions are welcome.

Had 2 lockups on touchscreen. Today screen worked OK then when controller asks me change to before landing the VFR via the touch assist button, no dials, the screen locked on to the IFR transponder code and would not revert to VFR. Happen a week or so ago but worse could not get anything to come up except VFR code and gibberish. Later same flight it started some familiar routines. Airplane has not been not hit by lighting or power surge that I know of but did have a routine annual before this started. I don't think they even turn on the avionics bus. Oil prop new tires and inspections. Have any other users had this kind of issue? I have asked L3 technical and the installer to call me.