cliffy

He's doing well considering his age. A lot better than most would be. He didn't sign my test flight off but knew who did and he remembered the guy that signed off the AW in 64. Still lives in Kerrville and does receive guests who call ahead. I didn't stay too long as I didn't want to over stay my welcome or tire him out. He had a couple of good stories about the infamous flight with no bearings in the tail hinge and what his favorite early airframe was. Absolutely an A, Number One, person.

I figure my C is a "low dollar traveling machine". If I wanted all the bells and whistles I'd go 201 or up. As a low dollar scheme, I don't want to go upside down on radios. I also looked at my flying profile. I've done all the 600 RVR Auto-lands I'll ever do. Done all the 200 & 1/2 in blowing snow I ever want to do. I don't have a need to PLAN a flight with a landing in those conditions anymore. I do want to be able to "occasionally" go cross-country (with high ceilings) direct, on top. I do want to be able to shoot non-precision GPS approaches "occasionally"! Where I live and fly, winter always means ice when IFR so, if I can't do it VFR I don't go. I do need to do an occasional ILS and marine layer climb out so IFR capability is needed. With all that in mind, I have a King 155 Nav-Com and a Garmin 155 TSO GPS with a Britain Accu-Trac auotopilot for straight and level flight. I use an iFly 700 on my control wheel to track the flight and approaches. I know if everything goes bad I can do an approach on just the iFly 700 if I absolutely had to in an emergency just like I used to practice CAT III 50 ft approaches (in good weather) by hand flying (CAT III for those not familiar is A/P Auto-land only). This fills my flying profile to a "T". I'd never get my money out of a C with top dollar radios. I'll never get top dollar for even a good C model (the market just isn't there). So, I fly cheap, I keep it in good shape and I enjoy relaxing and flying (sometimes without any radios on except the Xponder) for hours at a time. When it comes time to sell, it will sell for what it is worth and I'll have had 20 to 25 years of cheap flying.

I did a 2 year college course in 1967, went to work the next Monday for Continental Airlines. We have a local guy doing the "experience" route and the PMI for the 135 company he's working for has him doing a log book for every hour he spends in the shop doing his 1800 hrs for the test. Has to log times and what he did. approved by the Director of Maintenance

From point A to point B in my 64C I get 16 to 18 nautical miles per gallon. I like MPG as a cost planner. I typically use WOT and 2500 RPM and lean to just shy of peak EGT. Just did 5 hrs today at 12,500' and trued 137 kts. Had a conversation with Bill Wheat 3days ago and he agreed 135 to 140 kts is about right for a stock C model. If I'm just tooling around the lake sightseeing it's 2500 and what ever MP gives me the speed I want, leaned to 100 short of peak just in case I need to add power in a hurry ( usually DAs of 7500 to 9000).

His blood chemistry is different either from genetics or adapting to high altitude over time. He probably has much more hemoglobin than any of us.

If the airframes are the same (J-K-M-etc), the flat plate drag figure is the same (we're talking generalities here) therefore speed is directly proportional to energy expended at the prop for thrust. BUT you can't double the fuel and get double the speed. Drag is a logarithmic function. If you want to go fast(er) you gotta burn the fuel at what ever altitude you are comparing at. How fast and at what cost is up to you. As an example, on a 727-200 I'd do .78-.79 MACH at 9,000 lbs/hr. If I wanted to do .88 it was 12,000 lbs/hr. a 33% increase for 13% more speed. A 737 is even worse above best speed/fuel.

Didn't know him but hope he has a strong recovery. Best Wishes to him and his family.

Round inlets like a LoPresti- Hmmmmmm Nice!

Unfortunately I'm way up in Page! or I'd be glad to help you out with my 64 C model. Any chance you're coming up here in the near future?

Well yes and no. It doesn't draw it flat dead and it does get recharged the proper way instead of just with the alternator. All battery manufacturers recommend a capacity check as part of a Continuing Airworthiness requirement.

Just a thought- Any time a lead/acid battery is completely discharged it losses some "capacity". The amount of loss is related to how long it was flat and how many times it has happened AND how old the battery is. The next time you fly and have to depend on that battery for radios (alternator failure!) you may not have much battery power available until things go quiet and dark. Your battery is your last line of defense if you loss your alt. It pays to keep it perfect. It may save your life! If you fly IFR with one alt/gen and one battery you might want to have a battery capacity check done after a discharge event to see how much is really left in your battery if you need it. You also might want to do this if your battery is 3 years old or older. Here's a question to ponder- When was the last time you had to change your battery because it failed? You probably found out it was bad when you came put to fly and the engine wouldn't turn over-right? Starting uses very little of the total capacity of a good battery. If it won't start the engine there was very little of it left anyway. What would have happened if on your last flight before you changed it you were IFR or night and lost your alternator? How much help do you think THAT battery would have been then? Lights? Radios? Instruments? GEAR?

So when you retire-What's your hurry???? :-) :-) Slow down and smell the roses! Enjoy the trips while you can. My wife and I decided to do just that and stayed with our C model!

I remember reading the quarter issue somewhere long ago but had forgotten all about it. GREAT rehash of the way to do it!

If funds are a concern there ain't nothin' wrong with a good C model. Sure, it's 10 or 15 kts slower but you're looking at 30 mins difference in 4 hrs flying. Big deal especially if you like to fly. You do like to fly don't you? Lots of good ones available at buyer's prices. Buy one set up close to what you want in in radios and stuff and go flying. Far better off buying what you want than trying to "build" what you want. Look carefully at what your flying profile will be and if you find your pax load 85%+ of the time is you and maybe one more, a cheaper C model will fill the bill nicely. Look at the Johnson bar gear and hand pump flaps for less maintenance and ADs.

Yes start by putting a level across the seat rails on the floor(left to right). Level airplane by removing air from a tire and then see if the ball is centered. If not, have it leveled by loosening the screws and rotating in the hole if you have slotted screw holes. Re-air your tire.

I want I want I want a TN F although my C does pretty good.

Only 2 items are needed to bring you into compliance if the records can not be found The control surfaces have to be checked for proper balance conditions per the maintenance manual. No options here. This must be logged after any paint job. If it was an "over paint" and not a strip and paint on the control surfaces, that can indeed throw them out of balance. Secondly, a simple reweigh of the airplane should be done and logged. If it was an over paint it will weigh more than it did and way more than the 1 pound allowed for modifications that don't require a logging of the weight changes. Best of course is to find the old records. Good Luck

Most of this junk comes down to the airport sponsor (the city, county or whom ever) taking Federal money to improve the airport. Lots of entanglements when that is done. If the airport takes Fed money it can't sell the land to private folks unless the Feds agree (ya right). Hangars on Fed supported airports are required to be used for aviation purposes only (no condo hangars with living quarters). The sponsor has to comply with fire regulations dictated by a national standard book and the definitions are astounding if you read it. The airport must have a "Master Plan" on file with the Feds. It has to be updated on a certain schedule and the Feds have to approve it. If the airport has ANY commercial airline service it's a quagmire to wind your way through the rules especially on the "Security" aspect. How many airports can a kid on a bicycle get onto today and just wander around getting interested in flying? I did it when I was 15 every day but NOT NOW! Go volunteer for your local airport advisory board and see what I mean. I did it for 3 years here. And we wonder why the thought of flying is dying out!

GREAT JOB IN A VERY STRESSFUL SITUATION MY HAT IS OFF TO YOU!

Skybrd makes sense How many hours on your alt? Mine had worn brushes and the slip rings were worn out. I'd probably look at the brushes first if I had lots of hours on it. Why spend bucks if the reg is not the problem. If the brushes are gone, my bet is that the rings are also worn out. Maybe time for another alt.

Just to verify what I said, by changing the depth of the rod into the inner (fwd) rod end it will vary the angle that the elevator sits at in relation to the stabilizer centerline at a neutral bungee pressure setting. As is called for in the TCDS, this angle is set at a specific setting of the stabilizer in relation to the center line of the of the fuselage. It will vary for all other settings of the stabilizer.

I also fly a Twin Mooney er, Twin Comanche and hot starts on the IO320s are easy. Throttle 1" open. Mixture cutoff, electric pumps on, start cranking and slowly advance the mixture, when it starts to fire advance the mixture all the way. Works every time.

Unless you change the depth of the threads in the forward Heim joint you won't change the adjustment. The rear nut only tightens on the internal sleeve/bushing that sets a predetermined tension on the double bungee springs. It can be removed , the springs removed, cleaned, lubed and reassembled without disturbing the elevator setting. One could also use a "brake cleaner" spray can to clean the springs without disassembling them. If you live in a dusty area like I do, oil and grease attract dirt. I just use silicon like on the rod ends for the control surfaces.

I was at a CBP "Wings, FAA" forum recently and mention was made of some regulation that said in effect, that their authority to "inspect" extended to 100 miles from the border as being "proximate to the border area of responsibility". If the airplane at any time was within 100 miles of the border they said they had the same authority as if you were at a POE airport. Not a lawyer and haven't seen the regulation but that is what was said. This is why I feel a flight from Denver to Salina KS being inspected may have issues. Those who fly from or to CO now with the new reefer law may have issues of being checked. Have heard it said (I know, second hand info) that border states to CO have police watching the border and tagging cars that may be hauling grass out of CO. Why wouldn't CBP do the same? But, beyond 100 miles from the border.

#3 is still OK at 72. Not to worry, #4 is still OK at 60 but jetdriven has a good plan. Fly it and recheck. If it's still 60 you might think about lapping the valve, in place, in the cylinder. Can be done, is done all the time and it works. Takes about 2 hours shop time and can bring it back to the mid to high 70s. Just did one last week (56/80) and brought it to 76/80. If you decide to pull the jugs ( I don't think you really need to at this time), you might contact Pacific Continental Engines in L.A., Calif. for the cylinder work. They're fast and do good work. Do you have any idea if your cylinders are first run, have thousands of hours on them (well used at the last overhaul) or if they are standard or ground oversize ? That info plays into your decision also.