DC_Brasil

I've experienced both. First it was a VR (I have the old electrodelta VR802). Luckily it failed on the ground. It was removed and repaired. The technician that worked on it said it was a bad resistor (or something like that) very easy and cheap to repair. E few months ago I had the alternator go out right after takeoff returning home from an airport about 250nm away. After takeoff it went offline. I tried the checklist items without success. I was taking off an airport with absolutely no resources for a repair so I elected to continue flight on battery power to a larger field 20mins away. I informed ATC I could lose radio contact any minute and pushed on. It was a national holiday, so I had to find an FBO to park, find and A&P to see the plane next morning and get on an airline flight back home :-( It wasn't before a whole week I could go back to get the plane. It turned out to be broken field wire. We ended up redoing all connections to make them firmer.

Hello everyone, I have seen some pictures of some modern looking rocker switches but I can't seem to find out if they are approved for use in certificated airplanes. I've found some models on aircraft Spruce but they all seem to be for experimentals. Can anyone point me to the correct brand/models? I'd love to have modern looking switches to replace my M20J rockers.

Yes. There are many features it adds which the old non-WAAS GNS430 doesn't have: Holds Parallel track Airways Waypoint Alt constraints VNAV integration G3X can send Flt Plan to the GPS Smart Glide Plus the added benefit of ADSB in/out for the GNX375.

Nope... I have the old grumpy non WAAS GNS430

Very nice upgrade. Very similar to what I did with my M20J. I didn't have the cash to put in a new GPS, though. Now I am contemplating purchasing an used GNX375 to have a modern GPS, ADSB and retire my old King KT76A transponder.

Older Voltage regulators like the one I have in my 1990 J are actually not very complex equipments. They're circuit boards with very simple and easy to find components like resistors, capacitors, etc. An electronic technician can easily work with them to troubleshoot. Most of the times (not always) electrical problems are easier to pinpoint than mechanical. You can get point to point readings with a multimeter to isolate where some faults are coming from.

I've had this problem. In my case it was the VR802 voltage regulator. A technician removed it and changed a fried component (very quick diagnostic and repair) and bench tested it. It has worked great ever since.

I have had a back-an-forth with Mooney support as well. My rudder is out of specs. I discovered it has been painted in the past without stripping the old paint and that is what is probably making it too heavy. I'll have to strip the paint, repaint it and redo the static balance check

+1 here. I would love the improved fuel consumption and cleaner burn (higher spark voltage) of the EIS. However, Electroair's website is kind of unclear about the single-drive dual Bendix magneto replacement. Although their engine AML says that Lycoming IO-360-A3B6D is an approved model, it lists the EIS 41000 as the installation model. However, their website shows the EIS-42000DM as the "correct" model ("The EIS-42000D Electronic Ignition Kit is a fully STC'd kit to replace the Bendix single drive, dual magneto with a complete, DUAL ELECTRONIC ignition.") Other things that caught my attention: all 41000 models have links to AML, installation instructions, AFM Supplement, etc. The 42000 does not. Their STC page does not show the 42000 anywhere. I contacted their distribution partner in Brazil and they said that their STC for the Bendix dual mag is not yet validated by ANAC (Brazilian civil aviation authority), but I am thinking that their FAA STC hasn't yet gone through for that specific model... or am I missing something here?

I have downloaded and have read the manual. The only question I have - and I want to check the mechanics are doing it right - is where along the length of the rudder is the correct spot put the scale support point (in red in the image below).

Hello everyone. I am having my 1990 M20J go through the 2900lbs gross weight increase procedure as per SL92-1. The shop is doing the rudder balance check as directed by SB-M20-252 but the rudder seems to be out of specs: the measured moment is not within limits and we'd need to add weight to the rudder horn counterweight. As we're discussing the best approach to fall within limits, I am suspecting the plane has been painted with a heavy coat in the past (before I purchased it) and it is affecting the surface weight. However, since I live in Brazil and there are very few Mooneys around here, I suspect there is also a possibility that the A&Ps at the shop aren't measuring the distance to calculate moment at the correct spot. Consequently, I'd like to ask members here if someone might have pictures of this balancing procedure and where they actually measured the underbalance weight. Thanks!

Hello 1 - lean so much as the engine will not develop meaningful RPM if you try to apply takeoff power. This will have two effects: lean operation at low power and protects you from inadvertently trying to takeoff forgetting to enrichen the mixture. 2 and 3 - Follow the most recent manufacturers' recommendations. For most of the Lycoming direct drive engines it will be Service Instruction SI-1132B. It says to do the run-up at 50-65% power and Best Power mixture. For most engines it will be higher than the POHs 2000 RPM. 4 - Takeoff is when we get as close to maximum rated power as possible. Aviation engines have large compression rates and will need excess fuel to allow for thermal protection against detonation. So it is NOT a good idea to takeoff very lean. Aspirated engines should be running at full rich unless density altitude is playing a role (about > than 3000ft you should find best power). Turbocharged engines will always "think" they're at sea level so you always takeoff with mixture full rich, unless your POH tells you otherwise. 5 - If you are looking for operating LOP the best technique is Mike Busch's big mixture pull until noticing a drop in power output. Then enrichen slowly to peak EGT, and then stablish the regimen you wish (LOP or at peak). After you do it a few times and establish your LOP operation you will start to notice the LOP fuel flow for different altitudes, as EGT will vary depending on atmospheric conditions and RPM settings, and relate it to a TAS. After a while you'll be able to do the big mixture pull, feel the engine loose a little power and then enrichen to a known fuel flow while crosschecking with airspeed. I my plane (IO-360-A3B6D) that equates to about 8.8 to 9.2gph up until 5500 feet and 7.7 to 8.2 gph at 11,000. For me it leads to a 139kts TAS. 6 - It really depends on your operation and how fast you wish to climb. You CAN climb LOP. However it will require monitoring temps more closely as your mixture will become richer as atmosphere becomes thinner. ROP climb will yield more power and a quicker climb. 7 - It varies. How high and how lean were you in cruise? If you were very high and running LOP your engine will show signs of over lean mixture as you descent. 8 - I have it in my After landing checklist: mixture ...... LEAN. Same as after start.

I believe that's the correct approach to take. However, as I explained before, I bought the Mooney and took it straight to the avionics shop (my first experience as an owner). I approached it as I would a very well recommended doctor for a surgery: I thought I needed not to know the tecnical details about the procedure to be executed. Certainly now, I see it is very different with aircraft maintenance.

Very interesting (negatively, of course) to see many similar accounts. Indeed, there seems to be a repeating pattern here. Unfortunately, Garmin doesn't publicly offer installation manuals or STC supplements unless you're an authorized dealer. So we actually have no way of knowing in advance what and how things will be done to get minimally involved.

It is accessible from under the panel or behind the center pedestal? Anyone has pictures? I can't seem to find this switch or procedure in the Service Manual.

I bought my Mooney and it went straight to the avionics shop. Was not familiar enough to notice the unusual elevator position on the test flight Completely unrelated, but just as curiosity: on that test flight I had a blown main tire during landing roll, so it was a very interesting morning Luckily I was in very focused and prepared mental state for the test flight.

This has happened to me! When the shop installs the pitch and pitch trim servos they have to disconnect the pivoting empennage. I don't know the exact procedure, but I infer that when they connect it again, if they haven't properly marked all the previous positions of each connection, there is a risk they will not return the linckages to the exact position they were before. Then, they will need to redo all tail flight control rigging. In my case, the first test flight had a very pronounced nose down tendency and I had to use almost full nose-up trim to land the plane. After the flight I noticed hw much the elevator was drooping down and compared it to older pictures. I live in Brazil, where Mooneys are rare birds, so the shop that installed my GFC500 had only previously worked on one Mooney ever. They had to get my regular Mooney A&P to travel there and redo all tail connections and F/CTL rigging. This is the elevator after the test flight: And this was the elevator before installation: Hope it helps.

Hello everyone. Reviving this topic because I was trying to find information in my Service Manual regarding adjustment of this warning and couldn't find it. I can find the airspeed microswitch calibration procedure but not the throttle-related warning. Interestingly, my service manual doesn't have the chapter 76, titled engine controls. It has a "Currently Not Used" text. I imagine this section would contain this info. According to the POH, the gear warning horn should sound with gear up and throttle less than about 12" MAP. Mine sounds at around 17". Consequently, it is very annoying in descents. Can anyone shine a light? Or perhaps some additional pictures? I was thinking if I could adjust it during next oil change.

If you have an engine monitor and download the data, take a look what your normal CHTs were in different phases: after start, at runup, after takeoff, at cruise power. If you have a magneto problem, especially related to timing, you'll be able to spot a difference in CHTs. At high power (takeoff) be extra vigilant for any roughness or unusual temps.

Just found these... $279 for a set of two https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/lgpages/hubbahubba06-02572.php

Thanks @PT20J My dust covers are also flat. If they are indeed cleveland, maybe they changed design along the way. Anyway, they seem to be a very simple aluminum sheet, cut round and with screw holes. Seems to me that $300 for one is one of these things that makes absolutely no sense in aviation. I'll try to source used/ salvaged.

After a recent flight a noticed one of those covers were missing from my right main gear (1990 M20J). I tried to find the PN in the IPC with no success. Interestingly the pages the show wheel assembly don't show the dust covers. Any help with that?

I believe we can safely say what you're experiencing is an over-lean engine misfire. My plane has the exact same engine (IO-360-A3B6D) and at around 75 LOP it will start behaving badly a will lose a lot of power. The Lycoming operation manual says best economy for these engines is exactly at peak EGT. My G3X EIS says it is slightly below (around 25LOP gets more miles.per galon). Overly lean mixtures require a stronger spark to ignite. You'd need to have 100% sure your magneto, ignition harnesses and spark plugs are all in pristine shape to operate confidently at 50 LOP. Tiny variations in induction airflow or fuel injected at these settings will likely cause the hiccups you've seen. Different engines (even the same model) will have slightly different behaviors: my engine will run well at peak EGT up to around 50 LOP. The equates (depending on altitude and temperature) to 8.6 all the way to 7.4 Gal/h fuel flow. At peak I will see between 139 and 144 kts TAS. At 50 LOP I get around 122 to 127 kts TAS. I use these settings if ATC instructs me to hold or I know I'll have a lot of traffic in front of me.

I've been looking at the data and I can't see anything that would indicate a problem. No noticeable drop in any parameter, even during the lean check (which starts at 37min, right?). Can you try to describe exactly how you perceived the "stumble"? Was a rough vibration? Does it feels like it stopped working for a second? How hard did it shake? Think of an engine starting flooded when it catches but almost dies before catching for good... was it like that? If you can give more descriptions of how it behaved we could help assisting. A clogged injector would only affect one cylinder and could lead to a very rough engine especially when operating lean. Fly with the mixture richer than ROP and see if this issue manifests itself. A bad magneto would be noticeable if when you do the in flight mag check. If it keeps running smooth in either mag and CHTs seem normal, you can pretty much rule out the mag. If it were bad mag timing, or broken gear teeth inside would be getting consistently very rough engine and perhaps detonation, pre ignition, etc. Induction leak could lead to a significan decrease in manifold pressure and could hiccup the engine if it were bad enough, but would it be random and repeating only a few times? I'm not sure. How's your fuel? Any signs of recent contamination? Have you resealed your tanks (or done any other work) recently? Have you been draining the gascolator? A sudden hiccup (albeit not noticeable in the engine data) may be related to fuel contamination (affecting all cylinders at once).

Wow... that was a very complete answer. Thanks a lot. Let me break it down a little. I very seldom would encounter icing conditions and would not be spending much time around mountains. Luckly, in my region, we have maybe a month or two in which icing is a factor for lower levels, however, if I plan to go higher, it will get colder and I have been taught icing can occur anywhere as long as there's moisture and low temps. So, I am not entirely sure TKS is a requirement although I'd not reject a plane just for having it. I am ok with no TKS and air conditioning. I'd rather have the useful load and not have two additional sources for possible maintenance. I fly mostly IFR and single-pilot, so I am looking into modern avionics to lower the workload. My region is the busiest airspace in all of Latin America, that's why I am looking into big screens, modern autopilot and RNAV capability. I've upgraded my M20J with G3X/GFC500 and it helps A LOT. Since we don't have ADSB mandate in Brazil yet, an active traffic system (TAS or TCAS) will definitely be in my plans. Most Saratogas and Cirruses already come with TAS and nice avionics packages. The Avidyne Entegra on early SR22 or late Saratogas, with GNS430W and Stec 55x autopilots are very capable systems as are the G1000/GFC700s. Modern and recordable digital engine monitoring for me is a must and both Avidyne and Garmin will deliver those. As for the Acclaim I've seen for sale: they all seem to have a smaller useful load as you pointed out. Most of them under 850lbs. Most Turbo SR22 and Saratogas are in the upper 900 or lower 1000s range.