Hank

I agree with Nobody (different meaning than "I agree with no one"). After being down South in the land of mile-long runways for a year, it was time to revisit friends in WV at the 3000' strip where I got my license and was based for 7 years. So I found a nearby 3150' strip and visited once--me, the wife and half tanks, just to see if I needed more practice before filling up, loading up and flying 3+ hours. When I found I had no problem, I put the plane away and finished getting ready for the trip. Last weekend I had another voluntary IPC, just because I've not been inside a cloud since the last Mooney Summit in early October. Foggles with a friend aren't the same as actual, but foggles with a CFII can still help prepare me. So now I'm ready to go. But where to? Hmmm . . . This is just my way of saying that practice is a good thing. Practice with an instructor is also a good thing. Both can help keep your hiney out of a crack, just be careful when practicing by yourself . . . This may have been a case of practice, we will see when the report comes out. I remember reading several years ago about someone in a high-powered Mooney losing it like this on a go around, ended up against a tree in someone's back yard. Texas? Gotta know your plane, gotta learn it with a knowledgable instructor, and practice practice practice.

In my C, I takeoff and climb to cruise altitude WOT/2700. When I think about it, I lean to Target EGT in the climb; when I forget, I'll eventually notice a really low EGT and start leaning then. I've made few enough departures at high DA requiring leaning for takeoff that it's an unusual event and thought out in advance. After talking to Bob Kromer, I tried a round trip flight ~2.5-2.6 hours each way, WOT/2500 and leaned 50º ROP. Used lots of extra gas [>1 gph additional burn], saw little speed or temperature difference. A couple of weeks later, made another round trip just over 2 hours each way using my SOP, and was back down to 9 gph block time. After leveling off and accelerating, I pull the throttle back just enough to make the MP needle move, to disengage the auto-enrichment circuit at full throttle. Then I set RPM [at 2500 if around 7000-7500 or higher, I always double-check my Performance Tables on my kneeboard]. In the long run, it's your engine and will be your overhaul, so run it the way you want to. This is how I choose to run mine.

That could have been his last 3-year renewal, too. I checked my own, it has a "Last Action" date from my reported change of address last fall.

Just saw this linked elsewhere: http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/05/01/small-plane-crash-lands-in-plano-backyard-pilot-unhurt/ Tough about the plane, but at at least no one was hurt.

That's a great idea! But she wants a carriage ride along The Battery. We will visit two friends, one who moved down from WV, and my cousin. Maybe next time? Keep this thread alive for the next after-May-21st meetup.

The airport restaurant in Eufaula is pretty good, with a nicely varied menu. But the 20th is our anniversary, and we are planning a weekend trip to Charleston. Any other weekend in May with work for me. May just have to wait for the next one.

I heard another Mooney somewhere this morning, as I was in and out of Andalusia, 0930-1030-1200-1230.

My landings have been unsat lately due to reduced frequency of practice. Nothing quite like a nice full stall landing at 3' agl, unless it is several of them on different days . . . But on my Flight Review / IPC today, I did much better. Strong winds had me crabbing 20° on approach, riding the bumps and trying to stay level. We started with a hold, and my first lap sucked, then the second one I managed to stay on the course I wanted to be on. From there in out, I just had to pay attention. Landing at the end was good. Then I flew home and made the 2000' turnoff with only gentle braking at the end.

If you're pretty sure you will come back in just two years, keep it if you've done lots of fixin up that you don't want to do all over again on the next plane. It shouldn't be hard to find someone to fly it periodically for you. I know someone who went this route, headed up to Alaska and had someone else fly his plane; they paid gas & oil, he continued to pay maintenance and annual (I have no idea about insurance, who paid what). If the prospect of locating, purchasing and fixin up another Mooney isn't off-putting, or if you may extend your time in paradise, selling may make sense. Have fun either way, and think of us back here sometime . . .

You'd better be careful there! Dihydrogen monoxide is dangerous stuff--too much of it can kill you!!

I have some Brittain PDFs for AccuTrak and AccuFlight, but they aren't on my ithingy. I'll see what I can find. did you check the Download section on the homepage here? You may find them there, too.

Some braking is required to make the midfield turnoff at the 5000' field I was based at. Now I'm somewhere short again, 3200', with a taxiway and three exits [both ends, and off-center in the frequent direction]. I still brake modestly; if I overshoot, I again brake modestly in order to turn around to the right and back-taxi. I think I've done "heavy braking" maybe once . . . But I raise the flaps while holding throttle to idle after the nose comes down, and don't try to brake until under 50 mph. Pads are expensive, and while I am allowed to remove the brakes to split the wheel, I am not permitted to replace the pads while they are off. Who thinks up these ridiculous regulations????

Certainly not, the legs are too long! But I'd be up for a set of prints drawn from the real thing, if they are drawn by someone who knows what he's doing. Or she. Whoever.

$300, no packaging required--I'll come get it . . . .

Love my AccuTrak, AccuFlite and G430W!!

Must have been a helluva Field Approval, but the extra 20-30 knots must be worth it!

I'll go $250, and will come pick it up down there!

I had a single (Slick) mag going bad. What I saw was: Both--normal RPM, never paid attention to MP or EGT (but I'm about to start) Good mag--normal drop, ~50-60 Bad mag--drop >200 RPM, with coughing and spitting Flight cancelled, returned to hangar and called mechanic. Sent Left mag to Kelly factory an hour's drive away. Been running great since reinstall and retime last August, RPM drop 50-75 RPM. < apparently Anthony is rubbing off, we now have a B signed above. >

IAG is a nice field. Attended a MAPA PPP there a few years ago, they did a pretty good job keeping the many Mooneys straight. There's a chart for overflying the Falls, with it's own frequency, ground reference points, direction of flow, and separate altitudes for fixed and rotor wing flights. Please find it and use it; there should be copies at the IAG FBO. We drove downtown, parked the car and walked across the bridge for supper and the nightly light show on the Falls. Seeing the huge traffic jam trying to get into the U.S. made us glad that we had walked! About things to do: we discovered why Niagara Falls is a popular honeymoon destination. You can only look at the Falls for so long. There are many very good restaurants, too. But then there is nothing to do except go back to the hotel . . . Enjoy yourself!

I just got home to Alabama from a business trip to Connecticut. I only had to remind one person that I hear as fast as I speak . . . Now that I'm finished with the aluminum tube, can't wait to get out in my plane tomorrow. Good luck with your Calgary trip!

Nice video! Unlike Anthony, the only verbiage I had problems understanding was the pilot . . . Compared to Alabama, he sounded like he ODed at Starbucks! Meeting the shadow at landing was pretty nice, too. Right down the centerline.

Press each button on the 430 several dozen times. Literally. Just push push push on one, 40 50 60 times, then move to the next button and repeat. It helps. Buttons you don't use much, push like this once a year or so.

You're not right . . . .

You should find where the oil in the gear door is coming from, that does not sound normal to me. What was your flight time on the trip to the Big Easy? Two and a half quarts sounds like a lot for the round trip, even if it was 5-6 hours each way. Your gear doors should stay clean. It's not uncommon for my oil burn to double on long trips like that, but I don't fly WOT; I tried that once, fuel,burn increased ~1-1/2 gph for a negligible speed increase. Instead, once I level off, I pull the throttle back enough to make the MP needle barely move, then set 2500 and lean. If I were to guess, higher oil consumption comes from two things: full power climbs to higher altitude take more time, and higher RPM produces more power at any throttle setting. Our engines will never be as easy on oil as a car, simply due to the construction and need to operate in a wider temperature extreme; they aren't built as tight.

That was along the Ohio River. When I moved south it was to a full-service-only field . . . Now I'm at a no-fuel field . . .