dkkim73

You might also want to have the transition instructor fly the plane back with you. More time for ADM talk, working on panel nav, AP, weather gear operation as applicable. Then you can do specific training in your home sphere as indicated (high DA ops, LOFT along a planned commute, etc). My 2 cents. Don wasn't available when I was looking, I went with Mooney Pros and got a great instructor. Mike can work pretty proactively with you on timing as he has a rolodex.

"Everyone was watching the blonde as she sashayed down the bar and set her martini down... 'Is that,' she asked softly, '...CLP?'"

Tell them it's for a non-aviation application.

Last two times I did this, the shop QA mechanic was right seat. Inexpensive extra brainpower, can guide you through it. Definitely I agree with Brandt that it's a bad time to try that adventure flight over no-radio alligator country.

Pretty much the other end of the spectrum. But I eat everything...

I love this video. I can't believe I haven't come across this instructor before. She's so technically-specific, clearly-spoken, and artful in the flying. Big bonus that this translates exactly to my airplane. Inertia, speeds, etc. Also just watching the dynamics. I've wondered if I'm "working" the controls too much (a la C-172 and taildraggers), but I see she does the same to respond to the gusts and to "feel" the dynamics of the airplane. The prelude with the discussion of stability seems odd at first, but is totally on-point. Some of the ground-effect work reminds me of Don's comments on the importance of certain drills in building comfort with soft-field and crosswind landings. Thank you for sharing! Big help for long body newbies like me.

Even in the darkest of times, the flickering flame of civilization burns in the most surprising places. I can picture the Little Debbie logo...

Hi Ray, no idea on the specific questions you asked. I suppose one question would be, can you improve upon it? Or are you constrained by the initially-spec'ed materials? I would be starting from square one, but there's probably a marginal optimization opportunity here that excites Mooney pilots

Do you know if there are any fit issues with a long body? Gear doors etc. Depending on how much of a hurry you are in, I'd be interested. That's a very reasonable price, appreciated! We're in the process of a household move this week (within MT) but at some point in the next couple months, I'm going to be bringing out a ground load from the Puget Sound area. Let me do some legwork and I'll PM you.

Good write up!

I've been experimenting with keeping the low IFR charts up more often in FF for that reason. I still find some kind of topo more intuitive, will try to have at least one device showing some terrain reference. Good topic.

Very on-point. I haven't had to go missed for real in recent memory. Exception is where I thought I was going to go missed until the last 10 seconds or so... due to smoke. That was a surprise since it was technically VMC though wildfire smoke greatly reduced the visibility, and in a geographically-variable way. My practice is to brief the missed even in severe clear and I try to fly IFR approaches on most trips for the familiarity in sequencing, power settings, terrain, etc. My big variable as one other person touched on is terrain. Unfamiliarity with the environment would alter what I'd accept. E.g. after training, at KMSO I didn't attempt an approach in real IMC until I'd had over 100 hrs back in the plane (not a hard #, just what it worked out to). That's because there you have some real cumulogranite in multiple quadrants. Other commenters are right, the old doctrine of stepping down your limits is hard to apply in some settings. Works ok where I am now, worked better in the flat upper Midwest, probably in coastal CA, but a lot of places have only isolated real practice opportunities.

Hi All, Does anyone here still use any of the Garmin GPSMap series? 196, 396, 496? I have an old 196 that I no longer need (and, although Garmin will sell a DB update for it, I'm not sure how useful it is in my case). I have a car cradle mount, a yoke mount, external antenna and cigarette lighter adapter, card programmer, and misc. CDs and stuff. IIRC the 496 is still relevant and in use, so the mounts and cables would be useful. The 196 itself might even be useful for someone (e.g. backup VFR GPS in a club plane, etc). Asking only the cost of shipping to discourage spam, and limiting to people with prior posts and who can verify human status by phone (actually if you're a robot but I already know you, that's fine too...

Does anyone know if there's a way to enable internet-fed traffic on GP?

Update (since it sounded like the above was confusing to at least one person): The update to 401.37 was paid (by me) and they put a copy of the loader files for all the Garmin LRUs on an SD card with the AFM. So we found what we needed today after a little digging. What is apparently strange (and relevant) is that many manufacturers do not restrict this, so Garmin can provide up-to-date software directly to the dealers. But some manufacturers, incl. Mooney, and apparently recently Textron, do not. Apparently Mooney told Garmin last April to not include this on the dealer resource site. Which dealer resource site can be used by authorized servicers, E.g. my local dealer today who was trying to update the servo to match my existing installation. So.... the issue my installer pointed out is that, if the card isn't available or gets lost, it requires the manufacturer in the loop to sell (or in my case generate) a new. He had the same problem a few years ago when Mooney were inactive. FWIW no one picked up the phone when I called for technical support today. So a potential snag, FYI for others. Luckily, all is now updated and installed and tested. No post-mortem as the old servo didn't respond electrically at all, and it's on its way back to the mystical place called "Olathe" where it will judged by the Great LRU and be reborn again. Or that's what I recall from my Garmin course

Nevermind. Talked to Brian Kendrick, who straightened me out. Turned out that the paid upgrade involves access including an SD card placed with the AFM (POH). It's coming back to me now. Still odd that authorized dealers don't have separate access for maintenance, but oh well.

Hey all, Quick update and urgent question: Servo tested bad, the local Garmin dealer got an overnighted unit (GSA-81) but apparently when they went to get 401.37 software from the Garmin dealer site, it wasn't available. I got an email just now "when I went to the Garmin DRC to grab this system’s S/W, I saw that Garmin only has up to v 401.34. Apparently, last April, Mooney rescinded S/W v401.37, making Garmin take it OFF the DRC." He's looking for a release letter from Mooney to allow him to get the SW from Garmin, or someone to send him that software. I reached out to a Mooney avionics guy in TX, wondering if any of you have dealt with this problem and why in the world Mooney would restrict Garmin's general distribution of this SW? I can see steering business to Mooney centers, but limiting only certain SW versions seems a recipe to unnecessarily AOG planes... Thanks for any help, David Edit to clarify: The plane's already at 401.37, done at the Mooney factory service center in Feb 2024. So it's a matter of updating the servo to "fit in". I've never heard of a recall of the 401.37 software, so no idea why this is an issue at all.

I've got a built-in bottle and it lasts a long time with the Mountain High. But a concentrator is pretty elegant. Aithre has some systems, I think mostly for experimental but also certificated. Has anyone used those? A true hybrid system built-in would be the most elegant, I think.

Huh. In my practice I don't usually prescribe oxygen, so maybe there's some twist. But it hardly seems unreasonable. If someone were going to high altitude on a trip and I were in a primary role (eg. when I was a flight doc) I would happily give them Diamox or Decadron if they didn't have a contraindication. Heck, I was trying to get the AF SOF guys to take diamox but they were all tough guys. I don't think what I considered a painful headache is what they considered "pain" So, maybe it's a matter of explaining the context to your doc?

That's too high (the spread). I've heard some people caution against GAMIjectors for some planes, and experiment with swapping the Continental injectors. But I think most of the time the consensus is GAMIjectors/TurboGAMIjectors are better. I would imagine the best path is to collect detailed engine data and consult with GAMI (free). Very good point above about making sure something else isn't off (esp. air leak into the system) first. As for ?LOP at all? that's a broader question that will beget a forum riot soon. I think it's great and at the very least a fantastic tool to have in your quiver. Which tool you will not have with too high a spread...

@donkaye, MCFI I'm sorry you had a bad experience on the return trip; it sounds like you were proactive in trying to mitigate that via First Class. It was nice to meet you, and I heard wonderful things from the people you flew with. Unfortunately the airlines seem to have picked up the general corporate practice of figuring out what they can get away with in downgrading services (coined as "Gotcha Capitalism" about 10 yrs ago). Sad but not entirely surprising this has percolated up to First Class. I'm always pleasantly surprised when I get good service in the last few years. I always make a point of thanking the flight attendants in those cases; I figure anything to reinforce positive cultural norms. The airline reliability factor was surprising on a few trips in the last two years. They will oversell, schedule tightly, and as a result (plus maybe some external factors) I've had about 30% of trips have big delays or cancellations forcing some kind of scramble. Last was the day before Easter, happened about a 22 hr drive away from home. Twice recently I've kicked myself for not chancing the wx and just going by Mooney. KCYS was not as fluid as I'd hoped. I'd thought the wx environment, logistics, etc, would be closer to home, but it was surprisingly throwing a lot of wrenches into peoples' plans (storms, hale, wind, etc). I suppose people got some good cross wind training! Hotel was meh (I think I got food poisoning which happily waited until a few hours after landing to put me down). But the program itself was fantastic! Highly-recommended to those who haven't gone. It was my first time. Don's story illustrates perhaps that there are a number of very senior instructors who schlep out there as a labor of love to keep the community active. Some really cool people with suprising resumes but down-to-earth and willing to share wisdom. Good lectures, lots of nitty-gritty expertise. Great value on the flight instruction, too. Got a BFR and IPC and my first real no-power-to-the-airport full landing scenario, a couple overheads, lots of Acclaim-specific tips. The AP deflating early on really sharpened the instrument work, LOL... Good to meet a couple of you there! David

Hi All, While down at the Mooney Pilot Proficiency Program last weekend, my AP went offline early on (during the VFR part) and wouldn't come back on despite recycling multiple times. I get a PTRM red flag on the PFD, and the aux page seems to show no comms or a problem with the pitch trim servo. Please see attached screenshots. Unit is a GFC 700. While it made for hours of great training (including on the IFR flight home :|), the AP is a big safety element in this plane so I'm eager to get it fixed. Other data: - I found the switch cluster on the left horn of the pilot yoke quite loose recently, in fact I tightened it a day before all this (the AP worked in the meantime). I went back and took it apart (no way the tightening affected the trim switches, they click normally, esp. after some contact cleaner). -when I first got the plane, the factory annual/pre-buy found the clutch untis on PITCH TRIM and ROLL out of spec (despite adjustment) and so they installed "new old" stock GSM 85's they had that were lightly used off an engineering bird, part described as GSM 85 PITCH TRIM/ROLL SERVO MOUNT 011-00894-09. So the servo unit itself remains original, high 1500 hrs right now. - also went back and checked the bayonet connector (to pitch trim servo), cleaned and re-seated. No joy. The local avionics shop is going to come by this week (they're kinda busy) and troubleshoot; specifically their Garmin-whisperer. Sounds like they can interrogate the servo unit for more particulars than I can see from the Aux page. Thinking I'm headed towards a servo unit swap/overhaul/replacement, but would appreciate any recent experiences or insights. Thanks, David

Another +1. Totally trouble-free, always helpful. Huge bang for buck.

I didn't really see anyone *here* saying shooting a *rifle* in the air indiscriminately was a good idea. To be clear, there are contexts and sub-groups where people no kidding shoot into the air with whatever's on hand. Domestically, I recall public safety announcements in LA years ago not to do this exact thing. The creepier thing is, I guess, whether anyone has a grudge at the airport and is just shooting in that direction. That velocity does imply a flatter trajectory as someone noted. That bullet looked jacketed and intact and potentially able to do some damage. There are probably some people dumb or nihilistic enough to shoot at things indiscriminately... We were in a "transitional" neighborhood a number of years ago and some gangbangers would shoot out over the lake with their pistols from the park overlook across the street at night. I'm betting they really didn't have a clue.

IIRC Ad Topperwein actually did this trick with a Browning Automatic Rifle, a big heavy thing that fires from an open bolt.