Mooney217RN

The PowerFlow exhaust is worth every single cent, IF you need to replace your exhaust. My exhaust on my former E Model kept having cracks develop, and at a certain point, enough was enough. I spent the $$$, got the PowerFlow tuned exhaust, and couldn't have been happier with it. Performance increased, in particular at higher altitudes. I am based at a high altitude field, so that was a huge benefit. Probably picked up an extra inch of manifold pressure from it at higher altitudes. The downside is the ambient sound level was higher than the stock exhaust. That's the only downside.

Years ago, I upgraded the panel in my E Model (former E Model). The Garmin 530 had just come out a year or so earlier, if that. I went for it. GPS/NAV/COM all for around $10,000 at the time, couldn't be beat. I would use it in HSI mode, never bothered with the moving map. It also displayed traffic off my newly installed Garmin GTX 330 transponder. I never had a problem with that box. In fact, my G1000 is missing some features that were available in the 530. In particular, the 530 would give you both radial and distance from a VOR in the lower left corner of the display. The G1000 gives you distance from the station, but not a precise radial displayed with it. The 530 also has a very nice arc on it, the G1000 has it but is much smaller and at the bottom of the screen. A friend of mine is chief pilot for AmeriFlight. Last I checked, they were still using the 530 in their Beech 1900's. I love the 530, I think it's a fantastic unit.

Contact Will Wobbe. William.wobbe@gmail.com

There is little to no chance that in our lifetimes we will see an all electric Mooney, airline transport or fully functional Part 91 aircraft that can seat 4 and have any reasonable range. LSA, probably. Not only do we have the FAA to contend with, who approve virtually nothing without a lifetime of hassles, headaches and regulatory burdens, but pound for pound, dollar for dollar, nothing beats petroleum. It's also functional and practical for aircraft use, which batteries are not.

Excellent decision. And if you need a lift back to your home field, I bet a lot of us would be able/willing to assist wx permitting.

I'm a bit late to the party on the responses here, but I was given a hot start technique 20+ years ago from Tom Rouch (Top Gun) and he was spot on. I put about 2,000 hrs on the IO-360 and never had a hot start issue. In fact, I could more easily hot start it as opposed to a cold start. Simple procedure - Throttle about 1/3 open, mixture lean/cutoff. Crank it, add mixture smoothly but quickly as the engine fires. works every single time.

Top Gun. Nothing more I can say but go there. They’ve been servicing my aircraft for 20+ years.

I have an Ovation 2GX, converted to an O3. it has a non-waas G1000. Works just fine. To my knowledge you cannot convert it to WAAS enabled.

You'll likely need to send them out to Precise Flight. What you're describing is a safety feature where if one doesn't deploy, neither deploys. There are the speed brake assemblies and the logic box that controls simultaneous operations. Look at your logbook(s). If the speed brakes have never been sent out to Precise Flight, it's now time.

I don't think I have ever read such nonsense. First off, my background on this - I used to detail cars as a teen for spare $$$, so I know how to wash, wax and restore paint surfaces. I had to wash my parent's cars, which to this day they still occasionally ask me to do because I am so thorough. You will not damage your plane washing it with a hose and spray nozzle. You should use car wash on it, lots of different brands out there. I like Griot's the best, but you can use whatever you want. Just don't be using dish detergent! Meguiar's is also good. I soak the plane in water. They wash it with a sponge and car wash soap in a bucket. I then rinse the plane getting all the car wash off it. Then dry with a microfiber towel or two. I also use speed shine and clay to remove contaminants at least twice a year, after which time I coat the plane with a caranuba wax (Best of Show). It shines. It also saves your paint. And you WILL gain a few knots, yes, true. On my E Model which I owned for about 20 years, I NEVER had to repaint it because I cleaned it and waxed it thoroughly and regularly. In fact, when I sold it, it may have had original paint on it, which I had restored. A clean plane is a happy plane, plus it gives you the opportunity to eyeball the aircraft in detail to see any potential discrepancies or problems.

I cleaned both sides of the plug today with electrical contact cleaner. Reassembled. Worked fine in static and run-up, but haven't flown it yet. I am guessing that it is failing at high altitude and high ambient temps. Interestingly enough, the MP was 24.4 static subsequent to cleaning, 23.7 prior to cleaning, altimeter 30.11 on both occasions. Density altitude was 8,000' after cleaning. The other day when it was 23.7, the DA was 8,700' with the same altimeter setting.

Good news/bad news on this. The MP line is fine, the fittings haven't moved and are not loose. The canon jack plug appeared to be seated properly. it was clean. I am going to clean it anyway with contact cleaner and re-connect. Haven't checked the wire harness connections to the plug yet, but they appear to be solid. Looks like both transducers have never been touched since installation on the aircraft at time of manufacture. there is no corrosion anywhere on the plug or sensor. I have the part #, and that's where the bad news starts. The part is no longer manufactured, and there is no replacement part. it's a Kulite Air Pressure Transducer, p/n APT-20G-1000-25A I am crossing my fingers that the contact cleaner will solve the issue, reconnect and I am on my way. If not, we have a major problem.

@carusoam MP reads 23.7 engine off. Field elevation 5,900’ density altitude 8,700’

There’s something else going on that nobody is paying attention to. The demand for GA aircraft is up because of the pandemic. There is a segment of the population that is just saying no to the airlines. I am in that segment. Further, people are moving away from major metro areas, meaning they need transportation. Yes, economics are playing a role, but so are external factors. there are two things that concern me about GA in general. The demographic isn’t getting any younger. Also, when the federal reserve pulls the punch bowl away, and they will, the party will be over. Eventually interest rates will rise and the excess liquidity in the system will evaporate. That said, I know a ton of people who have decided that they are NOT going back to the airlines under any circumstances. That is the biggest factor.

That’s what I think, the sensor.

Fellow Mooniacs, looking for you’re help identifying this problem. On prior occasion, the MP indication on my G1000 has gone erratic to the low side at higher altitudes. Yesterday when flying at 10,500 in some very warm temps (high density altitude), the gauge became erratic again enroute to the SF Bay Area. On my return flight, the gauge indication basically crapped out. As I was l on final approach at my home airport, the MP began to read properly again, so lower throttle setting 10.5” MP, it was working. On departure out of the Bay Area, it was working. Again, conditions causing the malfunction are high altitude, or perhaps high pressure altitude. Density altitude on my arrival was around 8,500’. This morning, when checking the MP in static conditions, it is now reading 23.7, which would be about right considering the current density altitude of 8,700,. So engine running, MP indication errant and not functioning properly. High density altitude and hot ambient temps. Engine running fine considering the hot weather. Any thoughts on the source of the problem would be appreciated. MSC says bad connection. I think bad sensor.

Greetings to you. I have a post - 2000 O3, and the numbers are spot on. The only difference I ever notice is that when the heat is on (density altitude), the TAS drops down from 190KTS. In cold weather conditions, the TAS rises a bit above 190KTS. So yes, I would say the numbers are very accurate. I run in cruise at 50 degrees ROP, per the POH. Full throttle, 2450 RPM, 190+/- KTAS depending upon OAT. More often than not, it's 190.

Exactly, to you and me, we don't know any different. it's when people travel to locales where DA is a daily issue that accidents sadly happen. I tell everyone, things just happen faster with density altitude. right now, DA is 7,100' and the temperature is 15C/59F. Winds are forecast to be 240 @ 14 G28. Now mix in terrain, winds that are 40-50 degrees off the runway heading, updrafts, downdrafts, wind shear, thermals and turbulence. it's a wrestling match for certain. And it's only 0930 here. Once the temps rise more, DA will be up over 8,000'

Read the report about the guy who pulled the chute in Texas but it failed to deploy. Reason for pulling the chute - electrical failure. Outcome - the pilot realized that the BRS didn't function properly, and he flew the aircraft to the nearest suitable airfield and landed safely. The rocket and tether were trailing the airframe as he taxied in.

As a longstanding Mooney owner and pilot for decades, I say go for it. What I like about the Cirrus aircraft is that it gets people into planes. There's a lot I don't like about them, but if it gets you into a plane, do it. Here's what I don't like - no nosewheel steering, no trim wheel, no prop control (it's a weird linkage), high maintenance costs, higher insurance costs, poor maintenance support from the factory, challenging to get into and out of (far more than a Mooney), chute repack every 10 years, high fuel burn, slower than a Mooney, oddball landing characteristics, no articulating seat. Here's what I do like - very nice in turbulence, the plane looks good, chicks dig it (I had to get that one in), it's easy to fly, good ergonomics, nifty doors albeit tough to close at times, decent handling characteristics. If it gets you into a plane, do it. Don't be fooled by the parachute, it doesn't always work. I know of two instances where the chute didn't work, one of which ended in a fatality. I also know of a guy who last week, lost the engine in his SR22 and flew it to the nearest suitable airport - he and his passenger walked away. The chute isn't a savior or a panacea.

There was a recent thread on DA that I was browsing here on Mooney Space, and I felt compelled to start a new one. We're quickly moving into the season where density altitude will become an issue to contend with. Please note that I am not a CFI, but a pilot based at a high altitude airfield in mountainous terrain who has flown thousands of hours in my Mooney in these conditions. Density Altitude is the silent, invisible killer. I have seen many an accident caused by DA. The #1 way to ensure that you're not one of those statistics is avoidance. The #2 way is to get a mountain checkride BEFORE you head into the mountains on your own. Don Kaye out here on the west coast can do that for you. I am based at TRK. Every single airport in this region has it's unique attributes, but Truckee is by and large the most challenging. We deal with updrafts, downdrafts, wind shear, high winds, crosswinds, terrain, thermals and all of that mixed in with density altitude. I took off this morning to practice some landings. At 0830 the DA was in excess of 7,000' Other airports in this region are easier to deal with, but each has its challenges. The Nevada side of the state line is notorious for turbulence. Lake Tahoe Airport is probably the easiest to operate out of, and it has the most runway outside of Reno. But the terrain spooks a lot of people there. Here are some pointers for those who venture into the mountains and have to deal with density altitude. Fly early morning when it's coolest; don't load up on fuel; don't go out at maximum gross weight; fly your airspeeds, plus a few knots for safety's sake; expect to land long; expect to use more runway on departure; fly over the terrain as high as possible; you're speed over ground will be faster than you are accustomed to on the runway and in the pattern - fly your airspeeds, don't be fooled by visual clues; watch your temps - with less "air" you're oil & CHT temps will rise quicker and won't fall so easily; lean your mixture for best performance (normally aspirated engines); don't make shallow or steep approaches, stablized approaches on or slight above speed are best; don't try a short field landing in a density altitude environment. One of the things I noticed years ago is that your airspeed will bleed off quicker than normal and your stall will occur faster than usual - you have less lift and less air density, so this makes perfect sense. Do NOT fly behind the power curve under any circumstances; we had a couple of airline pilots we lost a few years back who did that, we couldn't find them, but eventually spotted the plane short of the runway about 1500' from the threshold in the scrub. The suspicion is that they were low, slow and behind the power curve, just flew it into the ground as the aircraft caught the downside of a thermal on short final. Mountain flying is very rewarding, and it can be a new challenge for many to overcome. When you head up into the mountains, we want you to visit again and visit often. The best way to do that in your Mooney is to have a mountain checkride before you load up the bird and fly up the hill.

All day long and twice on Sundays. I'd recommend this STC to anyone with an Ovation.

You have to ask yourself why? Why do states insist on taxing aircraft owners aggressively? Answer - because it’s politically popular to stick it to aircraft owners. Besides blocking your tail # using the LADD system through the FAA, Iif you’re aircraft is involved in interstate commerce, generally, you’re exempt from sales & use tax. California has an affinity for harassing aircraft owners, often wrongly chasing after them. The irony of this all is that while government always believes in raising taxes, they never address the expense side of their ledger. Government employees are grossly overpaid for the work they claim to do, and their benefits are absurdly generous by any standard.

I would encourage any aircraft owner who doesn’t want to deal with the tax man to block their tail number through the FAA. When blocked, you as the owner can authorize access to a friend, loved one, spouse, etc. once blocked, ONLY the FAA can see the aircraft movement. ADS-B is the primary mechanism taxing agencies use to assess your aircraft. https://ladd.faa.gov

That was a Garmin Software Update MoonCharlie. The limit on the 280HP setup is 2500 RPM. The only real cost is the prop.