Hank

Why is foreign registration a negative? Other than needing to paint new numbers on? But if it's in the past, why would it matter???

Practicing is one thing, needing to is another. If you NEED to crank it down, stop and find out why, then verify on jacks that it's all fixed. At least, that's my understanding. If half your engine oil was gone after a flight, would you just top off and go, or try to find the leak?

Quote: Parker_Woodruff Yup. Every now and then I get that small dose of encouragement when some 19 or 20 year old calls in because he just bought a plane and needs our services...Unfortunately, that doesn't happen often enough.

I always thought the caution about not raising the gear after a real emergency extension was just to make sure nothing had happened to cause the emergency. Get it checked out--retracting and extending on jacks shouldn't hurt anything, especially if the fault was a general electrical system issue and not a gear-specific issue. When I practice emergency extensions, I always fold & stow the handle, move my headset cord out of the way [learned that the hard way the first time!], push in the breaker and retract. Had to crank it down once in-flight due to sudden electrical failure, and kept her on the ground until we found out what caused it. Good luck with your trouble-shooting!

Maybe you can get a replacement windshield through the factory/MSC channel if needed. I remember hearing from people who wanted to do the conversion that niether LASAR nor SWTA had windshields in stock, and wouldn't make any without a sufficient number of orders.

I use a Smith & Wesson 2-AA LED, with one button for 3 white LEDs and one button for 3 blue LEDs. [They also come in green/white and red/white, but I think the red washes out too much on charts.] I buy them from a local industrial supply house for ~$25 each [ www.mscdirect.com and search for flashlight]. The first one I bought came with a free carabiner light a couple inches long with one white LED--this one lives clipped onto my headset cord where it plugs into the panel. Clipped between the two split leads, it's always easy to find. And I have an Ashlight [$30 from Spruce] with four red LEDs sitting on my left where the factory had installed the ashtray. My how times have changed! Compared to the ashtray, the light is actually useful, and I've used it in flight often. Runs on AAAs. Just in case, there's also a mini-mag lite in my flight bag. It used to hang bulb up in the old microphone bracket, but I now keep binder clips there to hold approach plate books open when needed. I'd hate to run out of light . . . Oh, yeah, the S&W lives in a nylon holster with spare AA's in the pocket of the holster. It's in my flight bag all the time; when out after dark, it moves to the seat pocket between my knees for easy access. Then for Christmas I received two spider lights that can be wrapped to most anything. My coat now has a single red LED attached to the zipper pull, but I haven't tested it for cockpit suitability yet. These are all just in case the overhead spotlights and nulites both stop working . . . .

I can't comment on J-bar difficulties, but can say this: My seatbelts both have the male end on the inside, with the buckle on the outside strap. They are mounted to the seat itself, unlike the Cessna I learned in where sliding the seat forward after buckling up could cause shortage of breath. The belts meet approximately in the middle of my [~180 lb] body. They were replaced sometime in the 37 years between when she left the factory and when I acquired her; time, owner and shop have not been investigated. I do not have a problem with the unbuckled male end catching in the trim wheel, because they are long enough to slide the seat all the way back [touching the back seat; gotta love the short-bodies!] and the metal tab is still in front of the wheel.

Quote: maropers

I know of a top-notch F for sale, with 530W & MX-20, HSI, speed brakes, recent paint, etc., etc., but it's well outside your targeted number. From what I've seen, there are no "bargains" when plane shopping. You either pay for good condition and installed extras, or you can improve the condition and choose your own upgrades on a pay-as-you-go schedule for 50-75% higher surcharge(s). Shop and buy based on engine condition, maintenance history and installed avionics and you should do well. Buy cheap, and you will often pay the difference and then some later on. For comparison, look what it costs to purchase and install a 430W versus your gently-used one for 9 AMU. I guarantee it will make it look like a bargain!

A-ha! You caught him using shiny paint, trying to cover up a prop strike!! No wonder it's not airworthy . . . Aren't TBO on props like TBO on engines, "Not Applicable" for us Part 91 folks, and to be taken as recommendations only???

I've never flown a J-bar plane, but I have a few observations culled from various discussions. Operation of both systems have their benefits, quirks and negatives. From cockpit organization [there's never enough space], I find the area between the seats to be convenient for storing multiple charts on longer flights. A recent trip to E. PA. needed three--one open, the others folded between the seats [VFR: Cinci, DC, New York; IFR: L-26/27, L-29/30; both recommend having the DC TAC for SFRA & P-40 awareness]. Also, I like to stack approach plate books sideways on the floor against the panel. The J-bar does not allow for either option, but may permit keeping a water bottle within reach between and behind the seats. Pay attention to the fuel switch, some put it there, some put it between the pilot's feet. J-bar operators often mention the benefit of early gear retraction before speed gets very high, often 80 mph or less, as effort required increases with airspeed. Just something to keep in mind; I often have my gear up well below tree-top level anyway. Then there is passenger perception . . . If the interior is in good shape, they may not notice the manual gear; if the interior is worn and/or dated, the bar may increase apprehension. I have no idea how much swinging the gear may interfere with their personal space--take a test ride with someone and see how their arm moves beside you. Think about your normal passenger type, familiarity with GA, etc. Just a few comments from a happy electric-gear owner.

Based on my own experience, and the Examiner's comments, a C-model is an excellent instrument platform. He also said "since you have the perfect airplane, why don't you start on your Commercial certificate?" but I have not taken him up on the offer.

Buying a plane with upgrades already installed is good advice regardless of what it is. GPS and panel upgrades are especially expensive to perform, and typically recoup half of the cost at time of sale. Many of the cowling and windshield mods to our Vintage birds are becoming impossible to perform due to part non-availability [sWTA windshield, 201-style wingtips, anything from Norm Smith, etc.]. I transitioned into my Mooney six weeks after my PPL checkride, with a whopping 62 hours in my logbook. It can be done, but it does require attention, concentration and a Mooney-knowledgable CFI [not just the guy hanging out at the local airport, but someone with at least hundreds of Mooney hours]. Our planes are great performers and wonderful traveling machines, but demand respect and precision to get onto the ground without incident. And for the record, my C is a pretty good traveler. Based in WV, it has taken me to western Wyoming, south Florida and the Carolina beaches without issues, day, night and in the clouds. I can generally count on 140 knots ± wind, and 9 gallons per hour. It is ~30% faster while using ~10% less fuel than a 172. When considering headwinds, it is even more favorable of a comparison. Buy your second airplane first! Save the money and the hassle . . . .

Here's the other "error" that I see frequently, but Refresh clears it all up. In this case, I had previously read past this error, left the site, came back and wanted to read the newest posts. Found this error, Refreshed and was then able to scroll to the end. "Refresh" is your friend! Just don't try to post from a Droid, or an i-anything using iOS earlier than 5.0, which has other issues.

Quote: nels I've been reading alot of references to lop and rop. All rather new to me. Do I understand this correctly: peak is the peak combustion temp you can achieve and is the result of total burn of fuel and oxygen with no leftovers. This condition should be avoided. rop results in lower combustion temp due to unburned fuel or incomplete combustion, lop is complete combustion with unspent oxygen which results in cooling the combustion process due to the excess oxygen/air. This is correct, and very clearly stated. Congratulations! How is the transition made going from rop to peak to lop? I would assume any time at peak is detrimental to the pistons, rings and cylinders especially under load. To transition to lop from rop is it necessary to reduce the prop pitch/load during the transition? Are fuel injected engines better balanced fuel wise? OR----- am I in left field and need some schooling? I am here to learn.

Wallet open, eyes closed, seems to be a common occurence. Personally, I'm just afraid to add it all up. But now that I'm through with IFR training, I seem to be burning much less fuel! My hours were down last year, too; I seem to be on a rollercoaster, 100/85/125/85 for the last four years. Totalling up cost would take much time, and bring unwanted depression. But my last annual [owner-assisted] was less than a single AMU!! :-) Not bad, considering she wouldn't crank. Neither a mag nor a battery issue [both recently replaced], just worn plugs since the last annual. Who'd a thunk?

Dan-- Looks to me like you have a very solid grasp of the requirements to ACT AS PIC. Logging time as PIC, however, may be done on any flight where I am the sole manipulator of the controls [ASEL], and for any flight where I am acting as safety pilot while the guy flying is shooting practice approaches in VMC. My safety pilot, with ASEL only, also logs PIC time while I am PIC and logging PIC time, shooting my own practice approaches. He is NOT PIC, but he logs the time as such while I wear my foggles. So says my DPE.

That happens a lot. Just hit "Refresh" and it should clear up. Same thing if halfway through a thread you get an error message and can't read the rest. "Refresh" will bring it up. BUT sometimes the thread just terminates with no error message, and I haven't found a way around that yet. Next time I'll grab a screen shot. Found it--this one is dead to me, the original post and 2 replies are just not visible.

Let me tell you...for someone that is NOT currently IFR certified THIS link is EXTREMELY complex and daunting. Let me give a scenario: I am having a VOR indicator installed in my Mooney. I own the airplane. I will be in left seat. I will be flying with an instrument certified pilot. We want to practice some VOR approaches WITHOUT foggles in VFR conditions. What is required to do this? Me and right seat IFR certified but NOT current pilot. Thank you for a "simple" reply. Scott

Here's a picture of the other control; the Cabin Heat and Cabin Vent knobs are both on the panel. No, I can't read the labels, either. The slider on the left is Carb Heat--it is Up for OFF. In this photo, the other vent knob is on the right, and it's all the way Down for CLOSED. Raise it up some, and if the Cabin Heat knob is pulled out, lots of very warm air will begin to gush out just above it. Don't know how the earlier C's are done, but this is my '70 model. Johnson-bar-equipped planes will necessarily be different, as it will be in the way of this.

You can't file IFR for practice approaches if you are not current and your safety pilot is either not current or not rated. But I do my practices VFR anyway if I'm not current; if I'm current and want to practice in IMC, I don't need a safety pilot . . . If practicing approaches VFR, your safety pilot only needs category and class ratings [Aircraft, Single-Engine, Land]. The safety pilot can log PIC time while you are hooded without the need for instrument rating or even knowledge, and no need for complex endorsement, either. So spoke the DPE when I was working on my rating and enquiring about safety pilots, as there are few complex-endorsed folks at our little airport.

I've had good experience at Barnwell, SC [KBNL] about a halfhour north of Savannah. Nice brick FBO, multiple runways with approaches, and a fine crew car to go into town. Cheap fuel, too--the combination is tough to beat. But there are few restaurants open for lunch on Sunday; Friday shouldn't be a problem. Wherever you stop, have a good trip and make sure it's pleasant for the passengers, too!

Quote: aviatoreb

Pulling the Cabin Heat knob in my C opens the slider around the muffler; to actually get warm air into the cabin requires opening the vent below the throttle quadrant. Warm air comes out there [a lot!]. There are also two pipes under the panel, one on each side, with individual shut-off valves. Closing these valves sends the hot air up to the windshield as defroster; open them to heat the inside knees of both front seats. I typically run the Cabin Heat knob 1/2-2/3 open, and the Cabin Vent knob beside it 1/4-1/2 open to modulate the temperature. Even here in Ohio in the winter. Closing the vent slider below the throttle quadrant [next to the Carb Heat] greatly reduces the flow of warm air, down to a trickle. Opening it all the way will run us out of the plane.

Hey, wow, we outlasted the Red Board! http://forums.aopa.org/showthread.php?t=79627 Or are we just three times as hardheaded, based on the relative posting counts?