William Munney

Possibly in a year or so if you don’t buy by then. PM me for details.

OK. thanks all. Looking at the Alpha systems with the HUD. Great suggestion.

Does anyone have experience with GA AOA (Angle of Attack) indicators? Any Ovation owners with one installed? Which one, how much and what is your experience? Thanks all.

Thanks gentlemen. Always great answers here.

My lenses are fine. It’s the aluminum around them that’s ratty. I know they got rid of them in the newer models but on a TKS airplane there is a difference in height of the leading edge between the TKS cuff and the taxi/landing light lense with no aluminum around it. Not a big deal Lance? I need every knot on the TKS wing.

Anyone know where i can find new or nearly knew fairings for the taxi/landing light lense on the Ovations? The exterior aluminum part around the taxi/ landing light location Mine are old and all dinged up. Running without them now. Thanks all.

I have the Garmin GI275 installed as a backup attitude indicator. It also drives the new GFC500 Autopilot or I would have installed the G5. The Gi275 is a beautiful instrument but it’s crowded. I wish it had a bigger display and that it was a square/ rectangle display. The 60-90 min battery is MORE than enough time to get on the ground with a PFD or electrical failure. Thankfully, the TKS Ovations have TWO alternators and ,of course, TWO batteries so total electrical failure is a remote possibility. Avionics shops are currently out their minds with install prices. My quotes from around the nation varied by +/- 10K for and AP/ GI275 install.

All good ideas. I thought the remote transponder and audio was fantastic until a few days ago. I didn’t get to fully explore what was available for coms with the frozen screen because I quickly tried everything on the screen……(No OFF button on the unit)…..and the pulled the CB and reset. I did 3 different approaches that day to different airports so lots of comm changes, flight plan changes, VNAV profiles etc. No problems through the rest of a busy day that gave it a real workout.. I was VFR practicing multiple instrument approaches with a new GFC-500. IFR would be a bigger deal. The GPS was still working in there, I had a magenta line and a GPS roll mode but I was unable to do anything on the touchscreen. That’s flight plan, Com 1, Nav1, Audio Panel, Transponder. Next time in there, i will pull the CB on the ground and see if it auto-fails to comm 2….which would be nice. If not, I will have to look into seeing how that can be done. I always have the handheld radio and a bunch of batteries.

All: Anyone with experience or hear a tale of the Garmin GTN 750 freezing in flight? We were VFR. Tried to switch frequencies and the touch screen was completely un-responsive. So, Com 1, Nav 1, Audio panel and transponder……Kaput! Tried everything on the touchscreen. Even HOME. Nothing. Pulled the CB for Nav1/ Audio. Reset it. No problems the remainder of the day.

The users manual for the GFC 500 gives you all the information but not the actual method of operation. It’s all in there somewhere but not obvious in some places. One way to look at it is that the selections on the GFC500 for Roll/ AP mode/ Pitch are what you would like the autopilot and FD to do. The FMA’s and the FD are telling you what the AP will actually do NOW and in the future (Alt Armed, VNAV armed etc). The Flight Mode Annunciators and FD are the key to understanding the autopilot. This will probably be new for first time users of this autopilot. It operates more closely to what you would find in a Boeing than what you would find in past GA autopilots. In general, don’t use the FD if you are not using the AP. It’s added work to make the FD do what you are currently doing with your hand flying. And, its dangerous to develop habits that ignore the FD. There are plenty of times I do not use the AP. I like hand flying. Your choice. But, it’s going to be hard to beat this AP/FD on an instrument approach. The only time I use “mixed automation” (AP=off and FD=ON) is on instrument approaches when i am hand flying. In that situation its nice to have to autopilot chiming in saying “this is what i would do” through the FD commands. General recommended AP use: On Takeoff: Select the FD on and push TO/GA to give the FD pre-programmed roll and pitch commands. At a safe height: Select a roll mode (NAV/ HDG) and verify with the FMA. Then, select a Pitch Mode: (PIT/ VS/ IAS) and verify with the FMA. The FD should now be pretty close to your actual pitch and roll. Now, select AP and verify with the FMA. Summary: The FMA’s and the FD position are the windows to the soul of the AP.

Thank you. I like it as well. It was done that way when i bought the airplane and that was my first impression as well. However, when the G500 TXi is in multi-function mode, as seen here, the PFD is centered on the yoke. Most the time I am in multi-function mode looking at the moving map or weather or expanded engine instruments or the flight plan or approach charts etc… When expanded you don’t notice anything. It’s a clean, brand new interior and panel. The transponder and audio panel are remote and controlled through the GTN750. The GI275 is bright and packed with information. I honestly wish it was just a bit larger. The GFC500 is a giant leap ahead of the the King KFC150 which I replaced. The Flight Mode Annunciators (scoreboard) on the PFD and GI275 along with VNAV and ESP make it a true pro autopilot.

First, Don and Paul are fantastic to deal with. I like them both very much personally. I’m just going to say that the airplane was there more than enough time to anccomplish the work and that there were some surprising things left undone and done incorrectly. They are making it right. Still, highly recommend.

Call Jason Doescher at Jed-Aire Aviation in Benson, Minnesota. (KBBB). So what, you fly a little, stay overnight in the little town there and you are out in 2 days with a fairly priced annual and decades of experience with Mooney. He is currently doing my annual and fixing some things that were all screwed up from my visit to Don Maxwell Flying Service in Texas. No question. The best in the Midwest.

So far, so good on mine. Anytime you are in turbulence the AP will chase VS or IAS climb modes. Better off turning it off and holding a pitch attitude and accepting changes in IAS or VS.

G500 TXi PFD, GI275 Backup attitude (drives the GFC500 AP), and the GFC500. A GTN 750 and GNS530 WAAS do all the navigating. It all plays together nicely. Love the Flight mode annunciators on the PFD and the GI 275. I was on the fence about the installation but the GFC is much superior to my old KFC150.