triple8s

I have thought of doing this but the location of the oil quick drain is in close proximity to the cabin heat exchanger and the hose will become very hard and brittle then when it gets used after being in a vibrating engine it would eventually be an oily leaky mess. It would also become a possible ignition source permanently above a 1500 degree muffler. I think I will just slip a hose on my quick drain at oil change time and remove when finished. Maybe I’m weird but that’s me. I’ve seen equipment at work catch fire and burn from bursted/leaking hydraulic lines many times. May never happen with an empty oil drain line I don’t know but I do know for certain if it ain’t there it can’t burn. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

“I am currently flying it all over the country…….” This is key, things can and do happen. Health issues, many other unexpected things in life which could shorten or upset the time/situation you have NOW with your son. You have an extraordinary and invaluable time in front of you now. Things that could shorten or change this are many. My advice? No amount of money in the world can buy one more second, if that plane is serviceable spend your efforts into flying that awesome bird with your son. Make memories, your son will also learn what happens if and or when an autopilot servo quits on an approach in ifr. He will learn how to get repairs made away from home. It’s a blessing you have right now and it can be gone in an instant. I would be with my son in that plane my friend. Time is the most valuable thing in our lives and all the money in the world won’t buy anymore nor purchase any memories. Just my opinion. Keep it safe and maintained and fly it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://newschannel9.com/news/local/small-plane-crashes-at-chattanooga-airport-wednesday-morning Sad

If the engine is idled up as in flight it should be either charging if the battery state is lower than full charge or it may not be charging. You can turn on landing and taxi lights while in flight and see if it keeps up if not it can be a sign of not charging. On the TCM engine there is an sb (I think it’s a service bulletin) any how you are supposed to check the alternator coupling. This is accomplished but removing the alternator and there is a tool like a socket and another thing that locks the alternator shaft or the coupling can’t remember which but one is locked and a torque wrench torque is applied and if it slips before a specified torque setting then the coupling is bad. It’s about .8 k iirc mine was bad a couple of years ago prices have probably changed for the procedure. I think I remember that pieces of said coupling (orange plastic shards) can shed off into the engine oil sump and cause problems if not fixed. Plenty to read on the issue on the beech site and other places. 8’s

Two symptoms makes me lean towards a fuel issue, lower the nose and conditions improve, the higher the nose the more is required to pump the fuel to the engine. I know this from experience. The other thing is the fuel system was touched recently (worked on). When things are working and you disturb them sometimes they cause other issues. The airlines have a thing called “maintenance induced failure” which addresses this phenomenon. Now that I think about it those symptoms remind me of an unpleasantly exciting flight in a Bravo and it was a fuel issue and after maintenance as well. As I recall it was pumping plenty of fuel it just wasn’t all making it to the engine.

Wasn’t Mooney covertly working on this gross weight increase project a few years ago somewhere in a small town in middle Tennessee? Doing testing I think?

I had a similar problem. Mechanic found one brake was sticking a lil bit a quick brake check showed nothing. He then removed the wheel.....lo and behold an wheel bearing shim/spacer was on in the wrong place. There is a tiny round shim that goes on the axle I’m not sure wether it goes on the axle first or behind the axle nut but it was in the wrong place. This was on a 1965 C model.

I work in the maintenance department for a Utility contractor and I always tell the production crews. "The most dangerous time to operate a piece of equipment is just after it's out of maintenance!" Of course I am only parroting what I have heard.....Mike Busch. Seriously I strongly recommend reading what Mike Busch has to say about maintenance induced failure.

I wonder why they didnt or why these couldn't be put on an M22?

VFR vs IFR I flew slower planes for quite a few years before I owned my first Mooney. It was a lil C model 180 hp and I learned something. When you have a Mooney, any model of Mooney besides the mite, which i have zero experience with, any Mooney will open a door... a door of travelling opportunities which will necessitate an instrument rating. A Mooney will cover so much terra firma so quickly you will "want" to travel, you will be able to afford to travel but to do this you REALLY need the instrument rating. Owning a Mooney without an ifr rating is like owning a computer and having no internet connection. Can't emphasize how much an ifr rating will change you as a pilot and increase the usefulness of a Mooney.

(Quote) Good to know but the shortest RW I use is BID or 3N6 where my uncle lives. As for my second Mooney? I'll be moving up from an Archer so anything is better. Don't need or want monster engine. Being an ex A&P monster engines come with their own problems, fuel consumption, oil burn and more. I've been climbing at 500 fpm so a plane that doubles that is more than sufficient. In my experience and please someone else chime in on this. IMHO monster engines if you can call a TCM 550 a monster doesn't neccesarily have more problems than a smaller engine. The 550 in an ovation even the 310 hp ones are not setup to provide their full potential. The same engine set up differently in other aircraft have higher HP output than in the Mooney. The de-rating of this engine makes for less maintenance, good longevity and reliability. Look at the TBO times for the engine at different HP ratings and how it goes down as rated HP is increased. So my point is, just because it is a larger displacement does not mean it is more maintenance or cost (other than fuel burn). A Non turbo engine with larger displacement is going to be less maintenance than a smaller engine with a turbo. So dont let the idea of bigger engine/more cost scare you off. And on the fuel issue an ovation can be fast, push the knobs in and it burns more fuel and goes fast pull them out and it goes Cessna 172 speeds and burns 172 fuel rates. Well almost, but the you have so many options with the Ovation. It is a VERY simple engine to operate. ROP LOP it doesn't care get high enough so that the MP limits engine output to less than 65% and TCM says you can't hurt the engine with the mixture control. How simple can it be. I just can't emphasize enough as to how perfect the Ovation is. The turbocharged planes are great to but there are more moving parts and you have more to look after as far as the engine goes. A 252 may be a little more efficient than the Ovation, do I like them of course I do but the TCM TSIO 360 is a more complex engine and requires more attention and heat management than the big derated 550. And when it is time for an overhaul compare the prices on the two. So dont be afraid of the monster engine, it is also a simple engine.

Damage history is all about 2 things. 1. Was it repaired properly with proper paperwork and quality parts. 2. How long are you going to keep it before you decide to sell it. Of course number one needs little explanation but number two is, a plane with NDH is always going to be easier to sell. With time, actual flying time, trust in the repairs is built and if all the proper documentation of all repairs is in order and the repairs are proper then with a good track record of the repairs holding up and not being continual trouble over the years damage history becomes less of an issue with most people, but NDH aircraft are always easier to sell and bring top dollar. So if you are a buyer and the repairs are good and documented then it is not much more than a negotiating chip for you the buyer and it will be the same to the buyer whom you sell to. Another thought is the 97 O is going to have 23 yrs old instruments in it and after 20 yrs they start showing their age. I have a 96 O and I am on the verge of having to do something with my gyros, so this is also a consideration lots of money ey can be spent here. Oh also the Oxygen tank has a life limit I think its 15 yrs ought check that. There's a 2000$ bill to replace and have valve rebuilt/replaced which ought be done too, and Ovation has a sweet spot (cruise alt.) that is such that you will need it. Mine loves mid teens and LOP operation, it is truly a sweet travelling machine. Very economical. Your trip from NY to FL will be a trip such that FIKI would be very handy so look at your useful load. You won't need as much fuel in an ovation as in other brands, read up on this. Tks/fiki will eat into that useful load some and also they say tks will shave off a few kts of cruise speed. I dont have tks so I only know what I've heard. Good luck and if you decide on an O please share pics and experiences with us. http://www.mooneypilots.com/mapalog/M20R Evaluation/M20R.htm

I'm no aircraft mechanic, so this is owner experience and nothing more. I own a 1996 ovation/ IO 550 G 280hp. I had a starter adapter that just had barely started acting up. Symptoms are when the prop doesn't turn immediately when the starter is energized. Didnt always slip just once in a awhile I did some research into it and the starter adapter on a tcm 550 seems to be prone to failure when paired with a planetary drive starter like the iskra that is OEM on this ovation I have. I was told that the starter adapter must be able to backspin freely once the starter is disengaged and the planetary drive starters dont seem to let this happen freely enough to keep the adapter happy so I replaced it and the starter as well. As recommended I replaced the iskra with a presto lite also was told the Energizer was a good one as well. If the adapter isn't able to backspin freely it will make metal as well as do other nasty things. Just something you might ought read up on. Could be your source of the metal may not be but I would look into it. Have fun with your "O" awesome birds!

I went through the same issue with my Ovation and best to catch it early. There is a place I think Niagra Airparts or something I'd have to look at my logs n see its been awhile but in talking with them I was told about the problems a high torque starter can cause if it doesnt back spin freely. I was told that when a starter wont let the starter adapter spin back freely to let the spring/clutch unwind and release it will burn up the spring and drum producing metal and making a mess of the engine. I was told the best starter was the Energizer or Prestolite and to throw away the Iskra and not to use any geared starter or there would be no warranty on my reman adapter. They didnt have any starters at the time but steered me to a fellow in a small town in Kentucky I called and was back in business in maybe 2 days.The very worst thing to do is to continue flying with the starter adapter not working properly. It can make metal and ruin your engine if not repaired. I looked and couldnt find it again but there are horror stories I had read about some of the Bo Drivers trashing engines because of not getting the issue fixed. I am not an aircraft mechanic and everyone has a different opinion, mine is I would not fly it with a malfunctioning adapter. The place in Brooks Ky. thats the town yes. Good folks

I had to replace the left caliper.Although I do not have co pilot brakes, here is my story. Bled brakes every way we know, AP and I did, bottom up, top down over and over again. He said I may be getting air into the system through the brake master cylinders and we should rebuild them I thought yes he is an AP and has worked on aircraft since Vietnam War where he was a mechanic but I couldn't see how air could get in if no fluid was getting out. He pointed out the fluid level in the reservoir would go up after bleeding and that's why we weren't losing any fluid. So we removed both master cylinders and replaced the o rings in them. Bled the brakes again from the bottom up and no more problems. He said the master cylinders can pull air in around the shafts when the pedal is released. Guess he was right.

In regard to the use of rudder trim. There is a small white wedge shaped box on the rudder trim indicator, elevator trim indicator and flap position indicator, showing where the function is supposed to be in order to be properly configured for take off. In using the rudder trim I was told to position the rudder trim as close to the take off position while on final as I was comfortable with yes this means I might have to hold pressure in on the left rudder, not a lot of pressure but a little in order to keep the ball centered while in the on final. This "rudder trim" is only a spring connected to the rudder push rods by means of a cable and actuated by a small round drum which is turned by a tiny electric motor n gearbox to help hold pressure one way or the other to "trim" the rudder. The reason to trim some right rudder in on final is so when a go around is needed the trim is almost where it needs to be for a go around and thus saving adjusting the rudder trim in the busy time when transitioning from approach (low power setting) to full take off power. When on approach the ele trim is way nose up especially when full flaps are out so there are several things to change when its time to go around not counting the throttle, prop and gear. Personally on approach I have take off position flaps out, rudder trim nearly in the take off position and land just a tiny bit faster (because of the flaps in T.O. position). This config. means less nose high pitch attitude and much less shock when full power is applied for go around. If I have to land on a short runway, I use full flaps of course but operating out of a 3500 ft strip I have no problem landing with plenty of room to spare. Also when landing in crosswinds less flaps out and a slightly higher approach speed makes crosswind landing no sweat most of the time. As for the gear unless it is very hot, high AD and I'm heavy on landing I dont worry about the gear. An Ovation has enough power to fly just fine no matter where the gear is, just mind the gear retraction speed, the bird will still climb. I owned and flew a "C" model for 6 yr and had the ovation since 2012 and I swear I have much less trouble with crosswinds in the Ovation than I did with the lighter "C" model. The Ovation IMHO is just about the perfect 4 place single hard to beat (speed, efficiency, payload, comfort) it unless you wanna land on grass or rough strips. Love the "O" Flame away!

Does anyone happen to know the part number of the removal and install tools needed to remove the star locks on the exhaust studs on a TCM IO 550G? I found a place that sells those and my mechanic said we need them.

My comment of certain electronic non certified Ipads, cell phones and others being toys has to do with points of failure. I have an Ipad and run flight software on it. I have had this for years and it is great for certain things however, if the ipad gets hot or has a glitch and locks up or the device that feeds the Ipad its ahars data fails or has any problem then you have no back up. The same in my opinion for the standby vac in my Ovation it has two points of failure, the attitude indicator is one and the vac pump is the second, if the attitude indicator fails then 20 vac pumps wont help one bit. One component could fail and render the rest useless. This is why I prefer a separate electric standby AI with battery back up or a mini stand alone AHRS with an internal battery back up. When you have several things that have to work to at the same time to give data you have more chances of having a failure. The synthetic vision is great but if I had to make a personal choice I would always choose the simplest and most reliable to be a backup. I always wondered about the ovation instead of having the second vac pump why didnt they just come with an electric second attitude indicator then you would truly have a second redundant system not reliant on anything that is part of the primary. I think RC Allen or Castleberry made an AI that had a turn/slip tube that was electric and had an internal battery that could legally be used in place of the standard TC which could be used to fill the required TC as per regs.

I have often thought about losing gyros in IMC and there is no reason with the low cost of a decent back indicators we have available today not to have a plan for when primary instruments fail. One thing I wanted to say too is I think it's insane for a person to think a cellphone or iPad 6-pak is anything more than a toy because it may be better than nothing but just barely. There is no reason not to pick up a used dynon D1 or something like that. I know they can be had for way less than 1000$ used and even buying new they are so worth it. A device that send attitude info to an iPad I dont trust much either. I think get a good backup system and also fly it under the hood in vfr with a safety pilot. Sad to lose fellow pilots.

https://www.wate.com/news/local-news/search-underway-for-missing-plane-pilot-en-route-from-knoxville-to-sc/1851306959 Praying for a happy ending but doesnt sound good. Was an M20C departed KDKX around 5:30 ish

The most dangerous time to fly an airplane is after it has been put back together. Not bashing mechanics at all but they are human and sometimes things get missed. I would make sure to look at the engine with the cowlings off before I ever climbed into an airplane that had an engine installed and was the "first" flight. Seen first hand a fuel line come almost disconnected during the first 30 mins of break-in. Fuel line didn't come off but was so loose I could turn it several revolutions with my fingers, there was blue fuel streaks on side of fuselage and fuel stains on top of engine. The cyl temps had came down from the break in and were stabilized for a few minutes, then they started climbing. Next engine began misfiring, and the mixture helped initially but then it didn't help anymore. We were just about to leave the airport area and if we had the outcome would've been different. Luck was with us that day, and I was with a great pilot Thank God! once on the ground we went from scared to mad. A great learning experience. We've all heard it said that we should learn from our experiences, in aviation when you're lucky you "Live through" your experiences. Ignition systems, Fuel systems and Lubrication systems in that order will stop the power the quickest.

A speed gain by increase in hp takes a large increase in hp to yield a small increase in speed. I'm talking cruise, now climb? Horsepower increases make for increases in climb that are very easy to feel but cruise speed? The biggest things that will effect cruise are reduced drag and propellor efficiency.