Bigdaddie

I recently flew with a fellow Mooney pilot (in my day job) who had a most excellent suggestion for totally avoiding a possible baggage door opening. It’s so simple it even slipped by my very simple mind. Leave the key in the baggage door. If you go to start without the baggage door locked, you’re unable. Until recently reading about baggage doors coming open and impacting the tail, I never locked it before flight. Now it’s a ritual. It should be on the before start checklist frankly. Fly safe!

That's my thought also. Shop said they talked to Garmin and the setup was correct and my other option was to install a second magnetometer. I understand that there's always the compass, but who knows how to fly off those things these days? Especially in an no s**t emergency and you're down to that one 275 on battery power, I don't need to be trying to scan up to the compass to fly simple headings.

What did you find out about the magnatrometer installation? I just got my airplane back from the avionics shop last month. I have 2x G500txi + a GI-275 for backup and one magnatrometer. What concerns me is that the G500 powers the magnatrometer, so when in reversionary or standby mode, the backup GI-275 has no heading information. It seems to me that the GI-275 should be primary driver for heading and transmit that info to the G500s. But, I guess the GI-275 could fail just as much as the G500. To me, heading information should be always available from the standby instrument, even on battery power.

I also have the #3 cylinder problem. What is the baffle modification?

I could be wrong (and I'm wrong a lot), but isn't there a provision to bend the aft lower skin on the rudder to address trim issues? I don't know if I read this in the service manual or it was word of mouth or forum. I'd let a Mooney mechanic do this though.

I'll have to look at it when I go to the avionics shop. I'd just replace the 3 micro switches and be done with it.

I also have a complete KFC200 system (well it's at the avionics shop with the rest of the airplane). We installed a Cygnet electric trim switch with the avionics upgrade. Let me know if you can't find one.

In most airliners (Airbus is a different animal) our company uses half the steady state and all the gust up to 15kts. 15kts is a lot in a Mooney. I like the previous reference to Richard Collins; I'll have to check that out. Landing any airplane is easy using the following technique: minimum rate of decent at touchdown. No, I'm just being a smart a**.

I lean to the point where EGTs just start to move. I don't notice much difference in CHTs but the fuel burn comes down a lot.

First power up of the new panel. Still about a month from flying.

So who has installed an EarthX battery and what do you think?

I think I have more hours on my starter motor than on the engine. IF you miss that first kick at a hot start, let the games begin. I do all the tricks like run the fuel pump for 30 sec, etc. The ONLY trick that works every time is to flood it and do the old full throttle and mixture cut-off start. I hope that the SureFly with the extra spark energy will help. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I have brand new mags complements of Kelly Aerospace. They had 300hrs but failed inspection, so kudos to Kelly for stepping up and replacing for free out of warranty. I just wish someone like e-mag would get an STC with a fully self-contained solution. But for now, SureFly looks like a great product. Let me know how they perform.

Do you notice any difference in performance? How about the dreaded hot start? Steve

In airliners or GA airplanes, I rarely check the position of the landing gear handle on final. It's usually a check of the gear indication (annunciator and floor indication on the Mooney) and that's it. BUT, I do like your idea of checking the gear handle in addition of the other two. I have yet to gear up land....... Y E T......

I should have given more information about this. We are looking at moving the switch, retaining the factory switch, override and wiring, from the top of the panel to probably left of the throttle. Numerous manufacturers place the gear handle here. It is WAY far away from the flap switch (these are not Bonanzas!). The IA I spoke with is a well respected Mooney guy, but he has his strong opinions. The Mooney service center where I have my annuals done did not think it would be an issue. It would suck to have to make a new panel over this issue. Steve