Bob

Dan, Thanks for showing your view in a constructive way! You are right, the crash alone does not promote aviation. However please remember that this is just one small piece of an entire story. You can not skip the beginning! I think Jolie is very open to ideas for future entries, thanks for offering to help, please send her your ideas. Has "Sully" promoted general aviation awareness? He told a crash story as well. Was that the whole story? or just a chapter in promoting aviation. When people critique the "Wheels up" blog down the road, they will see how the crash entry has given many details that will serve as an outline for future entries and tie everything all together. Please don't throw the book away based on just a couple pages.

Russ, Don't worry, you did not miss the party. You are the kind of guy people wait for to arrive.

According to the poll, someone purchased at under 50hrs. Please share.

Kevin, You are missing the point, this is not a story about a plane crash. What has been told so far is just one little chapter of the history of Jolie's story of aviation and her enjoyment. Would it be better if only the good was shown and not the bad? Maybe only part of the story? The media does the opposite and only shows the bad. Should the article have started at the point of the last annual inspection? I think the beginning is much better. A few weeks ago I explained to my young daughter that the news reports car, bus, boat, train and plane accidents only if it ends realy bad. I talked to her about people getting in car accidents and plane accidents and surviveing. She seemed to be surprised. Then we read the first chapter of Jolie's story and it was just another example of what I was trying to show her. Don't you think the general public may see that not every plane crash ends in a horrible death of fear and fire? I enjoyed attending one of Jolie's lectures. The plane crash was such a small part of the content. Maybe you should attend sometime. Or if you think Jolie and Forbes have made a mistake, don't tell them they are wrong, just show them how to do it. Show them by example!

61.8 hrs...........uhh..........6 days after my checkride. Now I am only a few hours short of my 100 Mooney Hour Anniversary. Nice!

Unbelievable! http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/John_Martha_King_Held_At_Gunpoint_203205-1.html

Jolie, We enjoyed meeting both you and Mitch at Oshkosh. Thanks for the link to the final chapter of your story. Juliana and I have decided to make them her bedtime reading starting tonight. She really enjoys them since you and her have met. We just got back from a flying weekend to our summer home. We did our first air tour of the town as we left. Here is where we went. http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/17425.html For those that don't know, Juliana is my 7yr old daughter. Your link has helped us keep the flying education & excitement going! Thanks! Bob & Juliana

Tom, I think the best info would come from a phone call to Continental and maybe the cylinder manufacturer if not the factory. Have you talked to them? I am sure there are a lot of people interested in your complete overhaul experience. Please share it all with us: shops involved, givens, unknowns, times & engine history,cost, choices you had to make, time frame, upgrades etc. Thanks!

Victoria....thats my ex-wife's name...

The "missing horizon" sneaks up on you when flying over lake Michigan as well, at night, when going East. This one is easy to forget, its just a lake right?

Enjoy your new purchase! It looks like a nice one. Parker, Great advise! I personally think that a pilot with a new plane should never fly at night into a unfamiliar area. The other day I was going from Chicago to the DC area and got a late start. I chose to land at early dusk, just before the mountains. I guess I just give in to Stay-Alive-Itis.

Today went very well. Gami's are installed. I need about another hour on the engine and 1/2 hour on the panel. Then test and fine tune as needed, check for leaks, etc. Not much to add today. Basically just grunt work. But boy was it great!

George, The 830 does not have any primary functions as it is sold. However you can add only 3 primary functions to the 830. They are CHT, TIT and Oil Temp and cost $400 each. This would be pointless since the TIT and CDT are both in one factory gauge and the CHT and Oil temp in most cases are also combined with others. You can pay about $2000 more and get the 930. The 930 is a primary replacement for all functions. When I reviewed the idea, I determined that the panel space saved by getting rid of the factory gauges is lost by the size of the 930. It didn't make any sense to me. It would have also forced my Engine Monitor to go to the far right side of the panel. Less user friendly and $2000 more, no thanks! Jpi realy seems to be on the ball and has shown a history of offering existing customers with upgrades at fair price points. I bet in the future, the primary upgrade for existing 830 customers may be offered. Does anyone know if the outside air temp is primary required equiptment?

My JPI unit was purchased from Gami along with the injectors. Today I contacted Gami and requested that they overnight a JPI-830 for the 6 cylinder that I ordered and not the 4 cyl unit I received. Gami took care of the small mistake promptly and JPI handled everything at a unbelievable customer service level. JPI is a top noch operation! Today was a great learning experience! I basically installed most of the items on the engine while Matt, the avionics installer, took care of the panel dissembly and planning. The EGT, TIT and CDT probes all installed by drilling a 1/8 hole and securing the probes with the supplied hose clamps. The fuel flow and oil pressure installed with basic plumbing properties. The oil temp probe screwed in. The RPM sensor basically screws in to the mags, but is a very tight working environment. Everything is very simple, but as we all know, takes longer than you would think. As you see below Matt jumped in and went at it! I learned that the ideal plan that I invisioned, sometimes is not possible or is just not financially wise. I am able to swap the 480 and MX20 so the multifunction is on top. But the intercom wires are too short to move to the right side of the panel without a lot of labor. My only current option is to turn the intercom controls verticle to allow room for the 830. In the morning Matt is going to re-install the trays and complete all the wireing at the panel. I am going to run the engine wireing harness and connect all sensors and then top it off with a Gami installation. If all goes well, we should be able to test the system in the afternoon.

Well, I opened the box and am getting prepaired for the install in the morning. JPI helps get things going in the proper direction by having everything in little bags with labels. They also have a parts list for each bag. It looks like they give you almost everything needed except shrink tube, plastic ties and fittings specific to your application. I am very impressed overall except for one thing. Any ideas? See first picture.

Chuck, Where are you picking her up from? Looks like you got most of it. A good headset is a must! If you don't have one, used Bose X are the buy right now. I started my flight home with the instructor doing the takeoff, I then learned the autopilot and panel when the instructor watched for traffic and navigated for 3 hrs.. This made me very comfortable for my first landing and pattern work at a familiar airport. This this worked very well for me and I was solo in 10.5hrs. Bob

Gary, Nice Jugs!

Dave, The 480 and MX20 swap will depend solely on the length of the harness. If the existing harness has to be lengthened, I am going to pass for now. My origional install was done back in 03 when the MX20 and 480 combo were new on the market. The avionic guys realy did not know what to do with them at that point. Now we all know that the Multifunction is more user friendly when on top. This is why I flew the plane for 8 months before makeing any changes. It is unbelievable how you evaluate a panel when you are all alone for a 4.5hr flight.

Mitch, My Attaboy check list makes that failure impossible. A checkilist is only effective if it removes the possibility for any and all error. Attaboy Checklist: 1) Tear off label 2) Remove cap 3) Fill bottle to maximum rim height 4) Reinstall cap 5) Toss behind you into right rear baggage area, out of reach of pilot. 6) Lean forward to adjust for weight and balance.

Mitch, Just Playing back! Bob

Yes Ron, a new audio panel would be wise, but that is on my list for next year. I do not want to get $maxed$ out. This kept me from going all the way to the JPI 930. I am trying to just do the 830 install and line everything up for step 2, while trying not to redo too much later. After the 830 install, I have my annual coming up in a few months. Then step #2 for the panel, will include a audio panel upgrade, remote mounted mode c transponder and a back-up gps. I currently have a 196 on the yoke. I would like to get rid of that and add a Aero, 696 or simular. I am hopeing by next year they will have a larger Aero so I can panel mount it on the right side. I will set-up the battery back-up gps for a traffic monitor, on always, so I won't have to flip thru the multifunction to see it. Then in the event of total power failure, I can use it as a emergency gps. As you see from the full, current, panel shot. If I get rid of the Loran on the right, It will give me a lot of room for the Hobbs and intercom controls untill I redo the whole right side later. Thanks for the feedback Ron!

This technical thread is dedicated to Mitch. I have a appointment Tuesday to install a JPI 830 and also Gami injectors on my 1980 231 Mooney. Yes these "toys" were purchased at Oshkosh. I am doing an owner assist installation with my avionics installer. My plan is to take some pics and share the details of the installation so anybody interested can become more familiar with engine monitors and their Mooney. The installation is of the Complete EDM 830 unit plus TIT and CDT probes. This will include, oil temp, oil press, fuel flow, OAT, EGT, CHT, TIT, CDT and RPM sensor. In addition to the install, I have to relocate the Hobbs and Intercom controls to the right side of the panel. Optional changes may include swaping the location of my 480 and the MX20 multifunction as well as getting rid of the loran. A current panel picture is shown in my gallery. The red circle is a warning light to slap me in the face to check the gauge. The switch is to switch between screens on the 830. All suggestions or tips are appreciated.

When on long flights, I always drink diet Mountain Dew, 1 Liter size, with the "wide mouth". It keeps me going! I tear off the label from the bottle if I use it for relief. I think I am going to call it the "Attaboy".

A hanger in the back yard would allow you to sneak out to the hanger after your wife falls asleep.

Carl, Lexol brand products are good quality. They have a cleaner and also a conditioner. Do not use Armor all. The product will actually dry up leather. For very hard to remove dirt, I have used "Tuff Stuff Foam Upholstery Cleaner". But useing it is a little risky. You must spray water on the leather first to reduce the power of the product. If you do this, use clean rags to wipe. It is possible to lift the leather die color by useing this product. Be very careful and only use if nothing else works or if you have a impossible stain.