N9660M

Yes, the aerodynamics of our airplanes will cause the baggage door to come open during takeoff roll if not latched. Don't ask me how I know.... Take care - Jim

Participated in a Civil Air Patrol pilot clinic earlier this year where the focus was night flying. The accident rate for takeoff/landings is about 11x higher on "dark" nights vice "bright" nights (don't recall what level of illum was used to distinguish between dark and bright) and the fatality rate is nearly twice as high. If I remember correctly, the source was "The Pilot's Night Flying Handbook" by Buckwalter. A good point was made about personal minimums. We establish them in many areas of our flying, but maybe should consider them more at night. For example, if the illumination is below XX%, don't conduct a night flight or go IFR. Take care - Jim

I've found the Universal Big Bogi from Bogert works well for towing my plane with a garden tractor. Not as cheap as fabricating your own though. http://bogertaviation.com Fly safe - Jim

Looks like I'll be moving to El Paso, TX, soon. Likely will be living on the north side, near Fort Bliss. Any recommendations for nearby airports with available hangers? Thanks - Jim

Dave, it may not be quite that bad in Japan (I flew and instructed there for three years). It was an USAF operation, but we flew C172s and were subject to Japanese GA regulations. VFR day and night cross countries were allowed. You do have to call ahead and get prior permission (PPR) before going to an airport other than your home base. There is typically a landing fee of around $10. We provided sight seeing flights, and I did several over downtown Tokyo at night (awesome view). Several islands that make great $100 hamburger destinations as well. I did see a few JA registered GA airplanes at various airports, but only a tiny fraction of what you see in the US. As I recall, renting a C172 at a Japanese FBO was about $300 an hour, so many aspiring professional pilots come to the US for pilot training. There are far fewer airports. Airspace still utilizes the old Terminal Control Zone, Airport Traffic Area, control zones, etc... that we had in the US until many years ago. In general their aviation is regulated much like ours. The only really disconcerting aspect for me was the communications in congested airspace. The controllers would talk to me in English, but everyone else in Japanese. The frequencies would be busy, but I had no idea what was going on around me (my fault for not learning to speak the language). You'd be surprised how much you miss the situational awareness you build listening to the radio. This was all about nine years ago, but unless things have changed drastically, it's not all that bad. That said, it definitely does make you appreciate what we have in the US. And the organizations like AOPA that fight to keep the GA opportunities we enjoy. Take care - Jim

Seth, think when I had my engine overhauled, Tom there at Freeway said to run straight mineral oil for 50 hours. After that I switched to Camgaurd and Phillips X/C. Fly safe - Jim

Bill, thanks for providing us the facts. And if it's good for Mooney airplanes and those of us who own them, then the source of the funding isn't important. All part of the global economy we live in today. Take care - Jim

I'd also offer that we should be careful about confusing ATC's ability to control operations with the FAA's authority to regulate operations. Controlled vice uncontrolled (i.e. class G) airspace is often determined by radar coverage. If ATC can't see us, they can't effectively control us. That's why, although throughout much of the U.S. the floor of class E airspace is 1200 feet AGL (or 700 AGL/surface around most airports), over mountainous terrain on sectional charts the floor of class E (or in other words, the beginning of class G) is often higher. Radar coverage is not as good in the mountains, so more airspace is designated as class G. But although ATC can't effectively control operations because they generally lack radar coverage for class G, that doesn't mean the FAA can't regulate them. And for the purposes of this discussion the FAA does exactly that by establishing VFR weather minimums for operations in class G airspace. OK, I rest my case, so to speak. Jim

Regardless of flight plans, clearances, and controlled/uncontrolled airspace, think any time we leave the ground we are operating under one of two sets of rules: VFR or IFR. That said, when we call ATC and "cancel IFR", we are not cancelling the IFR clearance (only ATC can provide or cancel a clearance). We are cancelling our IFR flight plan, which is why if we cancel in the air with ATC there's no need to make an additional call to an FSS to close the flight plan after we land at a non-towered airport (and also why no one will come looking for us if we crash a 1/2 mile short of the runway). So the instant we "cancel IFR", we no longer have either an IFR clearance or flight plan. By default that means we're now operating VFR and obliged to follow the VFR found in part 91, including the basic VFR weather minimums. At night in class G that's 500 feet below the clouds. I'm not a lawyer, but believe that's how it would play out in court. Jim

Think the answer is B. The instant you cancel IFR, you're legally obligated to maintain basic VFR weather minimums, which for the purposes of this discussion is 500 feet below the clouds for class G at night. Prudent option though is wait until you're on the ground. Jim

Congrats! As well as this one went, you'll have no problems once you're ready to go for your CFII.

You might try taking it into your local FBO and asking them if they can repair it. Mine broke last year as well, and my shop here was able to weld if back together. I'm not a welder, but my guess would have been that welding it would have been very difficult. But the weld is barely noticeable, and it's been holding up fine since. Probably a lot cheaper than buying a new one.

201er, think the FAA tends to agree with you. Last year the accelerated stall was added to the commercial PTS. Basically, starting at an altitude that allows recovery no lower than 3000 AGL, slow the airplane down and trim for straight and level flight at Vx. Then roll into a 45 degree bank and apply back pressure to maintain altitude. If done correctly, you'll get the buffet almost immediately at or very near your entry speed. You've just stalled by increasing the wing's G-loading rather than by allowing airspeed to bleed off to an unaccelerated stall speed, as is typical with power-off and power-on stall training. I remember doing these when I was working on my PPL back in the mid-80s. I may be wrong, but I think they were part of the private PTS back. Take care - Jim

Mike, I hadn't seen this before...great find! Jim

Any recommendations for a good avionics shop in the Seattle area? My airplane has an STEC-30 with altitude hold and GPSS. When shooting a coupled approach, the autopilot only turns at 1/2 standard rate. This causes an overshoot of the final approach course. This has been an issue for a while, but I generally just disconnect the GPSS and autopilot, hand fly the turn, then re-engage. On my last flight, the altitude hold stopped working. Blue light on the face of the STEC indicates altitude hold is engaged, but it's not. Would like to take the airplane to a good shop and get both problems fixed. Have not had much luck with asking general FBOs to address avionics issues during annuals, etc... Thanks - Jim