natdm

Re: The actual topic Anything you can learn on the Garmin GPS/Navigator Trainer apps for the 650 and 355, and the RealSimGear plugin for the 650, I can do, which is to say most of it. Given that the iPad Trainer apps exist, I'd hope everyone knows how to do everything available if they've got Garmin. Sadly I talked to a pilot the other day that didn't know how to add waypoints given to him by ATC while flying, and would just find them on ForeFlight and hand-fly it based on the iPad. Once I showed him you can tap on a current waypoint and click Add Before or Add After, his mind was blown. That's the kind of stuff you should know. That said, I'm a bit of a tech geek and I love learning this stuff. If theres things I didn't know out of the box, it was how the new equipment interfaces with the old equipment. What the G500 can do (it can set altitude capture and heading bug but can't do V/S), and how much of all this works on the KAP200 I have. I learned all that in visual conditions before taking it in IMC. Also I try my best to see how much of the tech in the plane I can utilize. @201er says he can do most of it on his iPad. That's great, and true, but I don't want to. Once the flight plan is ported over via Connext, I tuck it away. I think the first week I had the plane, I took off in the AZ heat and the iPad overheated and shut down. Even with all that technology (It had two 430's at the time), I got a little worried. I didn't like that and felt with all the tech available, I shouldn't be using the iPad for anything more than the planning and research stage. I can do all the needed research on the 650 now, and the Aera 760.

How many missions in life do you have that make it worth switching that often? The changes in most models can't be significant enough to make a new mission flight profile that dramatic and worth the pre-purchase inspection, training, etc.

@KLRDMD - Why so many planes? Just like switching it up? Seems like a lot of upgrades then downgrades. I'd consider the SR20 a downgrade from a lot of those. You could say "well it has a chute and it's fancy", but you also downgraded from an SR22.

Wish I could go, just not working out that way for me again.

@Vance Harral - @N201MKTurbo is right. I dropped in at about 9PM and they were super chill. Here's the route: https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N226C/history/20240808/0258Z/06C/06C I just radio'd in, said I was over the Northbrook VOR and requested southbound, then northbound, along the VFR corridor at 1500 or lower. They were chill the whole ways and gave me notams when I was headed back to Schamburg for REIL's out. They also had a DA40 on flight-following that even at 60% power, I was overtaking.

I installed a 650xi and a 355, as a backup GPS. While it's nice that the 355 cross-fills to the 650xi and had connext built-in, I think it was a bit of a waste. In hind-sight, I'd rather a large screen 750xi, add connext to it, and get something like the 215. So, it doesn't help you much, but there's that.

I had a piper 160 at $85 wet for my PPL (2021). Even came with a partial power plant failure training session. You can still find cheap here. You just.. get what you pay for, and it’s a lot less now!

Just join some of the Mooney groups on Facebook. Their admins will "@everyone" some swag they personally sell, whether you like it or not. It made me leave but if you're all about it, go for it.

3rd for willmar. Just don’t interrupt that work they’re doing for me.

It's so so much more than I expected. I'm still paying $$$ for things that the pre-purchase shop never checked. I'm hoping it mellows out soon. People say the first 3 years are more expensive and it's true. I did also have an incident, which hurt financially but will be great for the long-run. Right now I put a percentage of my check in an account for aviation. As long as that's above a certain number, I'm good. If it gets to a higher number, I get some new toys in the plane. If it gets too low, I throttle back flying a bit. I refuse to make it more complicated than that.

Reviving an old thread. Anyone have any ideas for seat covers that aren't sheepskin but have the same summer-time effect? I've got sheepskin thanks to the previous owner ( @rainman ) but I just don't like the look (or the smell).. and I'm a vain person. The copilot seat has another rip in it and I'm just going to put a cover on it for now until I want to overhaul the seat.

Then why am I practicing full stall landings?? Thanks for the help.

I guess that leaves me more confused as I'd think adding heft to the gear legs would weigh it down more.

But *how*?

Time to derail this thread. Any idea how the 252+encore got a higher UL than the 231, which to my knowledge has less to weigh it down? Did something actually change or get taken out? Or did they just certify it higher after new tests?

I don’t have a family but I’ve had some 6’ people in the back of my 231 and they said it was fine, “plenty of room”. My useful load is about 950 or so I think? Haven’t had to push it in a while. The CG is super forward though, which hasn’t ever been a problem. Absolutely love my 231, just wish Jimmy has set me up with a better pre-purchase inspection, as I’ve dumped thousands in to what I now know should have been caught.

Yeah I've heard that a few times from you and @Skates97. I've got the material but just didn't like the bubbles I saw in it. If you use soap to remove the bubbles, but then put it back on, there's more bubbles. Out the door with the OSH discount and DIY kit, $700, to get all 4 covered plus the front, isn't too shabby.

Half-done. More of a pain than I thought. I scratched the front with scissors and over-bent the back in an area (I think), so it's got a crease. Don't even know when I did that. Overall though, looks great. The custom kit came with enough to be able to do a strip over the front window when I'm done, if I can figure a way to keep it there.

Last picture.. I think. Friend in the back snapped a pic.

That’s amazing! I wanted to get closer. I should have just asked for vectors past it. They were super chill at 11pm

I've got my mini 6 mounted on the yoke with a FlyBoys mount, so it's quick to attach and detach. I've been trying to use it for departure and approach, but keep it tucked away for cruise. I noticed myself looking down at the iPad instead of enjoying the view a lot and didn't like that.

Just a quick flight past the Chicago skyline via the VFR flyway. Now just a minute from our sponsor, Ridge Wallet.

I've got a tie-down there and they're as anti-GA as it gets. Though seeing the planes there is super cool at times. @N201MKTurbo is right. CHD is typically the best one near Gateway area. As busy as it gets, it's not as busy as Falcon.

It was an error all around. I was getting a EX1021 error. Something to do with the forum running low on space.

Just got my engine overhauled. I didn't get any parts back.