DonMuncy

You guys are making my head hurt.

I have had mine for a LONG time and still do not have it installed properly. I took it to my avionics shop (who I have used for a long time; have multiple excellent technicians I trust, etc.) They put it in, but the volume on the unit is so low it can barely be heard on roll-out, and not at all in the air. They ultimately sent the unit back to Nidal to be checked out. He said it is within specs. After reinstallation, it is unchanged. They had everyone in the shop scratching their heads, but no answer yet. One of our MS guys has offered to bring his plane (with an installed unit) for me to listen to, and ultimately swap my unit for his to troubleshoot, but we haven't gotten together yet. Any ideas?

Thanks Jake. I talked to Mike day before yesterday and sent the unit to you. Bevan received it yesterday. I am waiting for a report.

If it was filled to the very brim when very cold, if it warmed up some, the fuel would expand, perhaps pushing the excess out the overflow. That does not sound like what you are describing, but worthy of some thought.

I pulled the 430, brought it home and spent a hour pushing each button 200 times or more. When I reinstalled it, it seems to work fine. It may be only temporary, but I will give it some time and see how it goes.

Just out of curiosity, what else is there?

Did you send it directly to Garmin yourself; rather than going through a dealer. What is you thoughts on that aspect; $, service, freight, turnaround time, etc.

I just hate it when someone uses logic when I just want to save a buck Another question that would follow that is that the screen is not quite pristine. Does anyone know if Garmin still has those re[placement parts. Last I heard, they really intended to only support the 430s as long as their parts last.

I have had my Garmin 430 for a long time. Lately it has started having trouble with accepting inputs from various buttons. Originally, the flip-flop between the active and stand-by com would not work unless I pushed it multiple times. Someone (perhaps here on MS) suggested that I should "exercise" the button by pushing it many times. I finally went out to the hangar and must have pushed it 200 times or more, and it seemed to fix it. Now it is acting up with a bunch of the buttons, Proc., Flight plan, etc. It is my understanding that Garmin will not allow avionic shops to open up the box to clean the contacts. That you are supposed to send it back to them, and let them do a flat-rate tune-up for about 1AMU. Has anyone ever worked on this problem? Will anyone ever open up a 430. Since the warranty is long gone, Garmin couldn't threaten to void the warranty if you did. Do I need to spend an afternoon pushing each button on the box a zillion times. Any other ideas?

I'm no engineer, but that looks like a high class structure. Better than I would have built, if I did it myself.

It sounds like you are doing fine with the GB. If you are going to keep the plane forever, you might want to stay with it. If you ever sell the plane (or before another OH), you are likely to take a hit in excess of $13K on the sale price. In my opinion, the GB got a worse reputation than it deserved because not many pilots had learned engine management at the time. I am also unsure whether up-dating to an LB costs that much. Are you sure it was not the difference between two engine shops?

That was my experience. They were OK with selling me liability. I am self insuring for my hull value.

That seems to fit with my experience. I asked Parker offer to get me a policy with a "gear up" exclusion, but there were no takers.

I'm over 80 and when my policy expired, they would not renew. In spite of Parker's best efforts, no one would give me a quote quote unless I went to a non-retractable plane.

Just for anyone who happens to care. I checked the batteries in my hand-held nav-com today, and my petroleum jelly application on the terminals seems to be working fine. No corrosion and good electrical contact.

I have had, and use a Draeger gauge I have had for 40 or 50 years, but I recognize that I used to be a lot more ego-driven than I am now. I have found many gauges that seem to have perfectly acceptable accuracy, so my advice would be to use any type you that seems comfortable for you.

I have kinda gotten sidetracked, but I will get back to it.

At one time, that was awfully important. In today's world, with the Airport management having email addresses for everyone (at least mine does), it should be no problem to write a notification and send to "all".

So terribly sorry for your loss. He was always kind and considerate to me.

If you are not in the "disadvantaged" age group and have never had a claim before, it is unlikely to have any appreciable effect on your policy or your premium. The biggest fear is that if you file this one, in the future if you have another one, it might cause a problem. No guarantees.

Yes, Rochester makes them, but many years ago I had a big fight with them because they would not sell them to me. They claim that Mooney has proprietary rights they would not violate. They sell these same gauge (with different markings) for a zillion other applications for about $5 each.

You will only need the lens/dial unit. The sender in the tank turns a magnet which causes the dial in the unit on top to turn. It is a cinch to change. I think a place in Varo Beach FL sold them at one point.

Thanks so much guys. I may try my hand at it, and I might take some of you up on your generous offers to help.

Sorry to go on such a tangent, but I know how much talent is on MS. In manufacturing visors, I wound up sending drawings for machining some of the parts. One supplier wanted computerized drawings (CAD?). I work with drafting tools and a T-square. How does one go about converting such a drawing to something a CNC machine can read? Is that far beyond what a dinosaur like me could do? Special computer programs, etc.? Or do I just pay to have it done?