cliffy

You can't see the two big fan jets there either? :-)

I'm having flash backs of "Children of the Magenta Line" video :-) Sure we have advanced in technology but to what end? But, now we have antennas up in the windshield blocking the view outside? We can facetime a phone call and divert our attention from looking out the window to playing games and reading books while flying? Are we to believe we ae riding in a Waymo airplane now? :-) I guess I don't understand how I have done 60+ years of flying in all kinds of weather without internet connections. Ya'll be careful out there

CL-600? Wow, we are fast aren't we?

Be sure to allow for the difference between up and down movement on the pitch servo as just setting the arm in the middle between the two hard stops may not allow the correct travel before hitting the hard stop. Check your TCDS to review how far up and down the elevator goes each side of center and allow for the difference between the hard stops. The center rod for the pitch is not drilled and threaded through the rod and each end depth may be different. Measure three times before cutting to length to make sure you can get the proper thread engagement for the Heim joints and sensor. . Make sure you make up a dummy rod the full length out of 1/8 by 1/2 aluminum (drilled at the length you think you want) and try it out in place after everything is installed BEFORE you cut any of the rods to length.

I stand corrected Maybe brain fart from being up too late recently :-)

So we have 12 years and 19 years between incidents (4 total) and how many gear operations in the entire fleet did we have in that time? Not exactly a risky issue in the big picture. IF I had an electric suck'm up I don't think I'd be too worried. A lot of other things happen more often than that. Can we say "stall, spin" or "forgot the gear" ? Lots more vulnerability there than a simple spring - fleet wide. Would I change the spring? Probably if it hadn't been changed in 30 or 40 years, just to be proactive but I certainly wouldn't lose sleep over it. Considering the possibility of maintenance induced failure and the complexity of the replacement I'd sure be going half way across the country to find a shop that has done a bunch of them. Might be a good excuse to install new 40:1 gears at the same time.

There are some of us who were around when this SB came out and remember the background of what actually happened. Even though it was only a couple of springs that went bad due to a bad heat treat in a batch of springs, the risk factor of the gear up landing if one was to break again (think lawyers) was high enough to make the 1000 hrs change out a reality. This would also preclude changing the SB to longer time limit today with today's litigious society. If it was an inherent problem with the design and wear factors of the spring itself we would have seen springs failing many times in the years before this SB came out. What changed? What have we done now when the springs were not available for years? We flew and didn't have spring failures. Many Mooneys would have had gear up landings because many Mooneys had more then 1000 hrs on the spring they came with before the SB. Fleet average might realistically be 1 or 2 gear operations per hour given 4000 hr airframes only 8000 operations over 40 or more years. Is there a limit to how long a god spring will last? We don't have those numbers so it seems reasonable to change the spring at some time down the road. I'm sure Al Mooney never figured his designs would be flying 60+ years after they left the factory. SB's are, after all, "optional" for Pt 91 airplanes (Australia aside :-) Your choice. Can anyone report on any Mooney gear failure due to a back up spring failure recently? Please provide the details so I can research the issue. Due to the very detailed SB requirements this is a prime place for "maintenance induced failures" if not done exactually like the SB proscribes. Being as esoteric as this particular maintenance action is it is not one to be attempted by just any A&P. Do I dare say "Johnson Bar" anyone :-)

IIRC they found maybe 2 broken springs from one batch and it was traced to a bad heat treat of that batch. Small cracks on the tightest bend of the spring that lead to failure I think the SB was a CYA to cover failures in that batch of springs at the time. We didn't have and replacements for years and the sky did not fall in on the Mooney fleet but each owner will have to make their own determination of what SERVICE BULLETINS he wants to do as they are not mandatory for Pt 91 operations. ADs are another matter. If your maintenance shop does a lot of repairs on Pt 135 charter airplanes they may be more inclined to want SBs done as its mandatory for Pt 135 to do them all. To replace it is a significant expense and not many shops today even know how to do it. Pick a good one if you decide to do it. One with experience preferably.

To get that last "push" into the gear down position make sure you are not trying to crush the leather boot at the bottom of the Johnson bar. It can get bunched up between the handle and the nose ger well. Also if you have thick carpet on the nose gear well between the bar the the well that can cause difficulty in getting the gear to lock down. As mentioned - gear rigging and over center torque may need to be checked also along with a real good lubrication of the gear. I have a metal shoulder and I can get it up and down with a little finesse. Gear going up -a slight push on the control wheel to help reduce the load really helps. Going down really seems no problem for me. Don't forget to pay attention to the Mooney specific AD for gear rigging check and lubrication every annual OR 100 HRS flight time. Both are limiting. Enjoy the Mooney You'll have fun with it.

No liability if- "adjusted landing gear preloads to factory specifications per maint manual section xxxx" I'll bet I could check 10 Mooneys and find the gear or elevator settings wrong on 50% of them.

Just to be clear- the 500 Hr magneto check is an "Inspection" and repair and NOT an OVERHAUL, One doesn't need to spend the extra money for a complete OVERHAUL at 500 hrs They are two different procedures. One is much less expensive than the other. IF you can find a shop to do a 500 INSPECTION only. Some won't.

I had to modify one parameter on mine fr the vertical mode. I had to change the "Static Lag' number from 1 to 2 to remove a very slight bobbing up an down slightly chasing the altitude. Just one flight to check it but it seems better although I haven't had a perfectly calm day in weeks yet. Maybe this next week will give a good day for a real good check flight.

The Accutrak will only follow an old style nav deviation with millivolts out ( I think 5 millivolts =full scale) If the GPS output is a digital signal it won't work. We're talking crystal radio to a main frame here. There are ways to get a Brittian A/P working but almost all radio shops have no idea or interest in doing so.- let alone most of us who just fly the thing. As touchy as the FAA is on the autopilot issue right now (think Boeing) we are now into an area that at the least requires the proper manual to refer to and an A&P to sign off what is done. I strongly suggest you work along those lines. Leveling the airplane and the T/C are basic tasks for an A&P with the proper manuals. Your local A&P would be the one to talk to about doing this kind of work. After flying my Accutrak for years and pulling it out for an Aerocruze 100 I'd never go back. BTW I have almost 2 complete Accutraks on the shelf that will go up for sale shortly.

Short story- I once knew a guy, when I was a teenager and pumping gas at the airport, who bought a Stinson Reliant and went to fly tropical fish out of the jungle in Columbia (60 years ago). I ran into him about 7-8 years later at the FSS station in Tucson AZ (when we had one there) and asked how things were going. He said he just did 5 years in a Columbian prison because he flew fish out of the jungle but guns into the jungle. I asked what he was doing in TUS and he said he was buying a DC-6 out of Davis-Monthan. What are you using it for I asked and he replied? To fly tropical fish out of South America! Some crooks can't change their ways. Never saw him again. An "unrelated" matter might just be a separate occurrence of booze running. My bet? 90% probability.

Maybe he was being watched for previous beer runs? That wouldn't surprise me. I used to live next to the Navajo Nation and the road going in was paved with broken beer and whiskey bottles thrown out of the cars just before turning in. Where's Smokey and Bandit when you need them? :-)

I caution on bending control edges. Too much chance of going too far and pulling a rivet. For roll (If its close) I use a 1/4 to 1/2 turn on the flap up stop bolt. Nothing works well until the airplane is rigged WITH trim boards correctly. You have to get the throws correct. Just like rigging the gear you can't start in he middle of the procedure and expect to have good results. One can check to see if the airplane is even near correct by aligning one aileron counter weight with the top of the wing skin (tape it there) and then looking at the other to see how close it is to being flush with its top wing skin. The inboard ends of the aileron should be right next to the outboard ends of the flaps in this position . As old as our airplanes are, when in flight and with a load on them- the ailerons MAY be above the flap trailing edges. If the ailerons are rerigged by putting a simulated load UP on them and then rigging them to be flush the flaps can then be rigged to match them WITH the simulated load. This assumes the right flap is not twisted by 50 years of people standing on it by mistake. When ever the lateral trim is worked on the control wheels have to be locked level in place with an aluminum angle and straps. If the ball is not centered then it will roll off or wander back and forth with the autopilot. Make sure it is centered on level ground before you determine that it needs rudder tab adjustment.

They have found someone with a PMA that will work with them on hard to get or impossible to get parts. I have a link to the entire thread at the bottom if it works. We received some more approvals from the FAA!!! Newly approved: SSV35-810122-1 Bushing, Landing Gear replaces Textron p/n: 35-810122-1 Textron Price: $126.65/ea Our Price: $76.95/ea Parts are at the platers and due in a week or two. SSV35-815250 Bushing, Landing Gear replaces Textron p/n: 35-815250 Textron Price: $128.15/ea (they don't have any in stock, by the way) Our Price: $61.95/ea We have six pieces in stock (sold a bunch before announcement) SSV96-364012-5 Landing Light Clamp** replaces Textron p/n: 96-364012-5 Textron Price: $332.05 (they don't have any stock) Our Price: $529.95/ea Our parts are due in two to three weeks. https://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=240338&view=unread#unread

I have the Aerocruze 100 in my D model and it is working fine. I did have to adjust one parameter to calm down the pitch oscillating slightly in ALT Hold. I will say you will need to be very sure your airplane flies hands off (NOW before you install it) straight and level and doesn't fall off on one side or the other. It has to be in near perfect trim before you install the A/P otherwise it will wander back and forth across the course as the out of trim condition pulls it one way and the A/P tries to bring it back . Many Mooneys are not in good trim laterally! Many many of them, but it can be done. That is the only issue I have found. Pay real close attention to the wiring diagrams (especially the caution on reversing the pitch feed wires to the pitch servo) and all should go well. It takes some use to get to know the "buttonology" of the control head. No worse than learning a Garmin EFIS.

One didn't need to have MORE than $10,000 to have it confiscated. One case in Florida was for IIRC $8500 taken from a guy IN THE JETWAY boarding the airplane by a FL task force. He eventually won an got it all back AND Florida stopped that entire program of stopping passengers in the jetway. Also IIRC there is a lawsuit somewhere against the TSA to stop their notifications to the police about seeing bundles of money in carryon bags. If you all remember (many won't) the only way TSA got approved by Congress was to agree that they would never have badges and thy would never organize in a union. Both of which have gone by the wayside.

In reality asbestos is a problem but not an instantaneous death kneel. Asbestosis killed many who worked in factories for years that used asbestos in manufacture (old brake shoes). It took years of exposure for it to be a real problem Just one exposure or even a series of short exposures probably won't cause much of an impact. Its not instantly "poisonous". Many of us "older" folks were near it occasionally (brake dust) with no impact on health. However those who came in contact on a regular basis had problems - Asbestosis Asbestosis (as-bes-TOE-sis) is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. Prolonged exposure to these fibers can cause lung tissue scarring and shortness of breath. Asbestosis symptoms can range from mild to severe, and usually don't appear until many years after initial exposure.

Maybe call a very good interior shop and ask how they do it OR better yet - Do They? I'll bet the original was fiberglass covered in some kind of fabric. I think it is only for heat protection during normal flight (passenger comfort) as the steel firewall meets the time requirement for flame proofing in case of an engine fire. Boeing uses a foil covered "fiber" inside their fuselages that I'd bet would work but would it be certifiable? Some IAs might baulk at using anything not certifiable

One would still have to have a PMA to sell the part to others. Even if such a part could be STC'd to use. PMA compliance and insurance for the product is not a cheap endeavor It "might" be possible as @MikeOH says but I think its a long shot on such a critical part. Many have died because of the failure of this clamp This is a single point of failure with tragic results if it does fail. It is nothing to trifle with.

Was the "leak" from the crankshaft/prop flange area or from one of the prop blade to hub seals? In hot weather one "might" see small specks of oil from a blade/seal interface - not really a problem The aft spinner bulkhead can only be removed with the prop off. One could always just get a dynamic prop balance done to avoid removing the prop IF the leak is NOT between the crankshaft/prop flange or the crankcase seal.

Do you have any idea how strong the centrifugal force is at 2700 RPM on that broken corner? Once it lets go the added diameter to the spinner now is a weight throwing the balance out on the entire assembly Can you spell VIBRATION ? To be honest I wouldn't pass it on a 100 hr inspection Get a new spinner and use plastic or fiber or nylon washers under the screw heads That is probably why it cracked in the first place Welding won't work (at least I've never seen on welded that worked) Its probably made from 2024 O condition aluminum and can't be welded. Learned that 50 years ago on Navajo spinners We couldn't keep them from cracking until we used plastic washers.

But the OPP will be way more than $1700 You need a DER to sign off o it. AND- Remember NO OPP can market the part to others It takes a DER for each owner Now you might find a DER that will "re-engineer" each subsequent clamp for follow on owners at a reduced rate per.