PTK

Notice the shallow menu. It takes one button push to get to the hold page which contains the very large buttons to setup the hold parameters. Intuitive and user friendly. Notice also the superior high def graphics. Makes the Avidyne look like MSDOS!

I just don't see it that way. Take the GTN750 as an example. Price has not come down. What has happened is the opposite. The price of the Avidyne 540 is up to 750 level! For the same money customers naturally choose Garmin. This is what I mean when I say Garmin dictates cost. The smart thing for Avidyne to do would be to recognize they're not Garmin and stop pretending they are. Keep the 540 at a price point lower than the GTN.

GA avionics are not automobiles. Garmin revolutionized GA avionics, made it affordable for us and dictates cost. This is evident as I don't see them reducing the cost of their products due to Avidyne or anyone else. Reason is they're not any competition. Garmin is that good. No one said eliminate any company?!

What HF radio do folks use for transoceanic flight? Handheld or panel mount? Do folks buy these or rent? How about antenna mounting considerations.

I'm of the opinion that if it wasn't for Garmin GA avionics would still be in the dark ages. Garmin, did two things for us: They brought to the ga cockpit technology that commercial aviation wishes they had at a price we can afford. Single handedly I might add and in a way no one else could. We can debate all day long as to which is the "better" box. But one thing is clear...there's Garmin and then there are all the rest who wish they were but they can't. To their credit however some do make a good effort to follow the leader and try to keep up. Think where the ga cockpit would be today without Garmin.

The IFD has way too many menus and submenus which translate to button pushes. I want as few button pushes as possible. Simple tasks require a lot more button pushing with the IFD. Also the touch buttons are small. Too much screen real estate of the already smaller screen is taken up by stuff that could be smaller or is not needed. Requiring extra button pushing to remove it. The GTN 750 has intuition built in and by doing so it requires much less button pushing to accomplish the same task. And the buttons are large and easy to touch. One other thing I know I would find annoying is the simple task of entering a frequency or a waypoint. Does the IFD remember anything used recently? If it did it would reduce button pushing greatly. Another example which I found particularly annoying is the map button. If I press the map button it's because I want to see the map. Why does it take me to the chart submenu requiring an extra button push? I have not flown the IFD, only the simulator. I compared a few routine tasks I do on my GTN750 to how they'd be done on the IFD540.

Andrew, competition is healthy and we all benefit from it. However, in this case there just is none! The GTN is MUCH more user friendly imo. Extremely intuitive with very shallow menus. Exactly what your GPS/NAV/COM should be. Be sure you play with the simulators for both. Also you should definitely make it a point to fly with someone who has a GTN for sure. Not sure about Avidyne but maybe.

Based on your account of your experience, it appears that you've fallen victim to the old bait and switch tactic! The oldest trick in the book! I would have instructed them to stop immediately right then and there and go pickup your airplane. Take it to a shop who values you as the customer rather than try to deceive you and rip you off. You would have saved the aggravation.

And his "girls" have"large" fingers. Too large to push any of those tiny buttons on that wimpy 450a audio panel!

I installed the Whelen Orion 650 E. Dramatically lowered the amp draw, shed some weight and advanced the ACL/NAV lights to the latest and greatest hi tech. More pics in my gallery.

Anyone know what the part number is for the radio master circuit breaker switch 14volt airplane? My parts catalog lists 930023-213 with effectivity XXXIV. My sn is 24-1406. Thanks

They violated regulations and the FAA called them out on it. Not the FAA's problem and it's not a discussion about product cost and development etc etc. Just follow the regulations instead of playing victim.

Here's one for you and your livestock Chris: TA9MOOM

Seriously though, how does one do an annual on a Mooney in one day?! That's quite a feat! Is this what's referred to as a signature annual? The quickest annual turn around for me has been a week!

And...is that your final answer?! Good. You can have all the paper hard copies you want! I'll even give you copies of copies!!

That is one heavy duty watch!

Why not you take care of your logs and give them the back up?

Original logs directly effect the value of my aircraft. Therefore it is how I feel that takes precedence over the feelings of the shop. Thumb drive or print and give them a paper copy. Most shops mean well and make every effort to guard the logs. But things beyond our control can and do happen. You can only lose the original logs once and that's too many.

Personally as a matter of policy I don't leave original logs with a shop. Original logs spend most of their life in a safety deposit box. They only come out occasionally to get updated and get some fresh air! Give them the thumb drive. If they want paper logs they can print them off the thumb drive or you can offer to print them and bring copies to them.

You couldn't help yourself...you had to ask what her weight was didn't you?! You couldn't just tell her she has a sexy voice and leave it at that...could you? Did you at least get her weight before she dumped you and ran off?!!

The attachement to the seat belt would be reversed. But should work still.

May have to do with the shoulder harness attachment. It would be reversed. But still should work. (...thinking and typing...)

Having briefed the approach you noticed there are two IAFs and one intermediate fix. Since he told you your approach would be RNAV (GPS) 6 you load the approach to the IAF appropriate to your present position, i.e. VACTE if approaching from the south, ZOVLU from the north or the IF FOJSO from the west. TOTNY is FAF and will be there. When he tells you direct TOTNY simply activate the approach and select direct TOTNY. It's all there in the GPS. Just have to understand how to load and activate the approach. He asked you and understands you're RNAV capable. So he assumes you can properly load and activate the approach. Should he have given you direct to FAF or not is an academic discussion and of no consequence since he is working you on the approach and knows you can comply.

I agree with you as long as you have sufficient AS. When behind the power curve as this poor guy was, cleaning flaps too much too fast can lead to a stall. Going from full flaps to TO flaps reduces primarily drag but preserves lift. Continuing to no flaps sacrifices much needed lift. The danger in the go around is the stall by not allowing the AS to increase before climb. Drilled into my head long long ago!

One very important thing that hasn't been mentioned is trim setting. The trim setting on landing is a higher up setting than that for take off. If he forgot to reset the trim on the go it caused the pitch up and stall. This is most likely to happen in a touch and go and it's a "gotcha" for a low time in type pilot combined with the convenience of electric trim! Incidentally, always check trim operational range and make sure the trim setting indicator is showing correct trim setting. Not acting up and misleading.