podair

in two years I went through three voltage regulators with my old generator setup on a 1967 M20F. I used two mechanical ones, then the Zeftronics which looked like it worked perfectly until my generator gave up the ghost. I then had a PlanePower alternator installed with its solid state reg, and that has been working flawlessly at all rpm regimes. I frankly think I should have done that straight away. A lot of regulator issues tend to mask bigger electrical glitches apparently. Forget the generators. Get the Plane Power alternator, well worth it imho.

Hi I get pretty much the same numbers with a stock 1967 M20F with the 3 blade Hartzell. For a variety of reasons it seems my ideal altitude is around 10,000ft. I normally cruise at 10,000 ft (my normal run is a 2h-2h30 flight), full throttle, 2500 rpm. I normally lean to peak or just 10-20 F lean of peak (no gamis). I get 33 litres per hour (just under 9gph) and pretty much invariably 145kt TAS. I check that on most flights with the e6b function of my handheld gps and that usually is off 125-130kt CAS indicated. I reckon that is around 68% power. A bit lower down, at 8k I'd say I would get similar TAS with about 36 litres. At 12k I normally get around 140 tas for 30 litres. I have an EDM700 with fuel flow. More than happy to email you the downloads but no TAS or OAT on them. I emailed them to GAMI who confirmed I didn't need GAMIs as my injectors were balanced enough (my peaks are within a litre or two of each other). I don't normally lean any further than 20F LOP. normally keep just over peak, when I ve experimented any leaner I'd get a marked reduction in power and some hickups around -50F.

very odd... I logged in as PodAir , wrote the post and suddenly I was sky-captain? Forum glitch? Did we log in at the same time? Then again, sky captain's M20J looks very nice... mine needs paint and interior... how convenient! My M20F is going throught its annual and thought I'd add a few probes to the EDM 700 I had installed last year. Fantastic piece of kit! I have fuel flow but thinking of adding Oil Temp and maybe Oil Pressure. The OAT probe is cheap too but don't really see its use as my current old fashioned OAT seems reliable enough. RPM and MP would be nice but not sure I ll stretch to that. Any views? What's easy to install? I don't want to spend a fortune, just want to pick a couple more useful features at reduced cost , both part and installation. I use the EDM mainly to lean slightly LOP (on stock injectors) and as piece of mind (I do a lot of overwater flying with the family) device. I download the data on a regular basis. I also have an ADC filter with the optional chip detector.

out of curiosity, do you have a multi probe EGT?CHT fitted? What kind of temps do you get? I have an EDM 700, and had to fit a bayonet probe for cylinder 3 where the factory probe is fitted. Cyl 3 is the one I get the highest CHT readings, on average 30-40 F higher than the other ones and I hit 400 on it only in max weight climbs in 30deg plus temperatures. So I am wondering if I am overconcerned and the CHT is not really an issue as the other ones are in the mid to high 300 at worst and the factory one is still in the green, and even if so, it is only an issue in hot weather at max weight in the summer.

Thanks. Which one did you fit? Lasar? Is a 30-40 F drop feasible?

I am bit confused now... I fly a 1967 M20F and have been considering a cowl closure mod. My main objective is lower CHTs. My engine runs pretty cool but at max weight in the summer cylinder number 3 hits 400'F in the climb initial quite frequently on the EDM 700, at which point I lower the nose. My other CHTs go up to 360-370 max. In the cruise I get 310-320 for 1,2,4 and 340-350 with number 3. Bear in mind the number 3 is where I had to installed a bayonet probe so it might be reading higher anyway just due to probe location. The factory gauges stay in the green at all times. So I might just be paranoid, there might not be a need for it. Would I benefit from a cowl closure mod and do I need it? I can't afford a full cowl, but if it drops the CHTs, a cowl closure mod might be an option. We seem to have drifted in this discussion from cowl closure to full cowl mod. How do the cowl closure mods from SWTA and Lasar compare? I can't fit an ARI mod as I don't think it ever got signed off in Europe while the other two have.

I had an EDM 700 installed with fuel flow in my M20F and it is a fantastic piece of kit and I would say even more of a worthwhile investment in a 252. I'd go for the new LCD models, much nicer and nice to have a USB download port and fuel flow displayed at the same time rather than have to flick through a 1980s menu. However the installation cost me much more than expected, approx 40-45 hrs of work rather than the 25 initially planned. Still worth it though, both as piece of mind (I spend a lot of time over water) and in fuel savings. Magnus, where are you having the Aspen EASA installation done? Avionik Straubing?

Hi I ve just upgraded my 196 for an Aera. Fantastic piece of kit, but don't think there is actually much difference in screen resolution with the 296/496 but it is at least as good as the 296. Backlit colour is a huge improvement from the 196 (which I liked a lot already), so either 296 or Aera is a great upgrade. I think the refresh rate might be quicker in the Aera than the 296. I have a metal plate instead of the M20F yoke clock and had a 196 cradle there so was looking at the 296 too initially, hoping for a 495. In the end, drilled four little holes in the metal plate and fixed the Aera cradle there. I like the fact that the Aera is much thinner. The screen is great and I m ok with the touchscreen. I get perfect sat reception with the built in antenna from the yoke, something I didnt get with the 196. Another plus is the Aera dock (rather than buy another one I simply unscrewed the one from the yoke mount) is very convenient, has power built in, and clips nicely into and out of place whereas with the 196 I had to undo the power cable and antenna every time I took it off. The Aera also accepts inputs from tcas devices like the Zaon , which I don t think the 296 does (but the 495 does). I do miss the toggle buttons however, but pretty sure I ll get used to the screen quickly. Pity we don't get XM weather in Europe or SA, so anything more than the 500 is of no real use for us in the Aera series. I'd say if you can get a 296 for at least 25% less than a new Aera so (so $200 off or so) , it might be a good deal, but otherwise go for the new! Anyone want a nice 196 with the auto kit? I still have my old GPS90 for backup!

my M20F has a Hartzell 3 blade HC-C3YR-1RF. I believe the previous 2 blade had a limitation not to operate below 2350. On mine the only restriction is no continuous operation below 15inmap between 1950-2350rpm, otherwise the green arc is all the way from 500 to 2700rpm. When I bought it I did find some rpm settings were not as sweet so I had the prop balanced but the shop said it was pretty well balanced already. It seems particularly happy at 2500rpm, or 21-2200rpm, less so in between. So I tend to fly at 2500rpm , or 2200 for loafing around or slowing down on approaches. I guess this could be airframe or even aircraft specific. I did some training on a M20F with a 2 blader and it did seem to be a bit smoother but much noisier at higher rpms. I have the old windshield with centre post. The 2 blade M20F was a later model with the old one piece windshield (not a retrofit).

Great thread, we've been flying as a little family for a while now. I concur with all the advice above, and I ll add one thing: make sure your intercom has a pilot isolate button, or even better like on mine pilot/crew/all! We routinely fly 2-3hr legs at 9-10k ft, no issues at all. I try to avoid turbulence , but it helps explaining why the plane moves about.

hello Robert! funny enough, my M20F had an old T-12D ADF. It was removed in 1993 to make room for a Collins... ADF! Doesn't seem to be that heavy, more a case of making more panel space available for a GPS Extract from the revised w&b: Removed items: - ADF antenna 2321 0.59kg , ADF T12D 1.77kg , 551 Indicator 0.77kg = 3.13kg Installed items - KI227 indicator 0.32kg , ADF RCR650 1.08kg ADF Ant 650A 1.18kg ....! so 2.58kg I suspect my trusty KNS80 is heavier!

fantastic stuff, congratulations, many thanks for playing your part in the Mooney story

my aircraft is a 1967 M20F with a three blade prop but otherwise completely standard (no mods), still has the original factory paint! Funny enough I don't get anything near the 1967 POH speeds , but I have a set of 1974 charts which are spot on! as posted earlier in the main discussion, I tend to fly high, routinely 10k ft, full throttle and peak EGT/slighly lean using an EDM 700. I always get 145kt tas and 32ltrs per hour (8.5gal), normally works out 140-145mph indicated. Higher at 12k I d get 142ish and 30 (7.5). Lower I use the power charts to be around 70%, always 2500, and usually get 140/145mph indicated. At 65% I get around 135mph indicated. Optimum loafing around settings seem to be 2200rpm/22in at 2000ft (no restrictions with the 3 blade), 50deg lop and get 26ltrs per hour which is around 6.5gals US.