cliffy

Well When in Rome! If you go to another country you gotta follow their rules- what ever they are. I believe it's actually an ICAO rule that most countries abide by. It also says you must have on your license a phrase saying you are proficient in the English language. Many holders of even PP licenses don't have that on their certificate. If going to Mexico they require your a/c insurance to be in a copy in Spanish and if it's a corp owned airplane an LOA from the corp authorizing you to fly it there even if you are the corp. Lots of little traps and YES I have been asked for them in Mexico but many say "what the hell, never been asked".

Your empty weight might go up (most likely outcome) or it might go down like mine did but you'll know for sure where you are in relation to exactly calculating your Max allowed weight. "Interiors" don't have an arm but seats do and side walls can be calculated just like adding any other piece of equipment to the airplane. Anything that changes weight changes the CG. A reweigh is done by an A&P with certified scales. The procedure is contained in AC 43.13

I don't understand. I REALLY don't understand the issues with following the regs in aviation. If it says you need a station license and a radiotelephone license why not just get it and be done with it? Why have the worry of "maybe they'll ask for it then what"? AOPA has all the requirements for out of country travel posted on their website. Why not just follow what is said there?

The operative word here is "W&B" If the weight changes the "balance" changes. Both must be accounted for. One way is to check weights on each item separately (each seat, each side wall, etc) before and after. The "Arm" of each item is in your POH and your A&P can figure the new Empty CG from that. The best way (especially if your plane hasn't been weighed since it left the factory) is to do a real rewieigh. More than likely you have gained in empty weight and lost in payload BUT not always. I reweighed mine after 45 years of computations only and lost 90 pounds of empty weight and gained it in payload. Mine actually had a mistake in the original factory weights.

Our local Redbird goes for $85/hr It has an LOA from the Feds that allows the 6 in 6 and a hold to be done in the sim solo- no instructor required. After hundreds of hours in big iron sims over the years, I think these things do an admirable job for small aircraft.

Let me answer two questions that have been left unanswered by others: 1) The "mechanic" violated was mentioned and written about on a posting right here on MS 2) And now I'll get personal: a) 1 friend died in a hot and high crash into Lake Powell AZ in the 60s I went to HS with him We were friends Another died in an icing incident in the NE flying a Bonanza in weather that he shouldn't have been in c) 1 friend died doing low altitude aerobatics in a WWII fighter d) 2 died in a corp jet crash while trying to get into a foggy airport in the middle of the night. They are plastered on a mountainside e) Another died just after going IMC on takeoff in real crappy weather in a Comanche She was very low time in both flying and Inst, Thank you for allowing me to drag up old memories of my dead friends. They were all good friends of mine from over 50 years in this business. I have a few more but will stop there. As is required by regulation (here I go again) no licensed mechanic can do anything to an airplane without reference to some kind of accepted or approved data. Mention was made of referring to Part 43. Part 43 is an Advisory Circular not a "regulation". Secondly, on the very first page of Part 43 its 'Applicability" is stated. Therein it says (to paraphrase) that Part 43 Methods and Techniques may only be used IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OTHER MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS. Therefore, if the MANUFACTURER of the airframe, engine or appliance has instructions for maintenance and/or overhaul of that unit, those instructions shall be followed and not substituted by anything in Part 43. If someone wants to use the airframe for break in of a field overhauled engine it's OK to do it with calibrated gauges (either separate gauges or have the airplane gauges calibrated but for that they have to be removed and sent out and the calibration goes dead 1 year later). I, too, have come in behind other mechanics and found sloppy or unsafe work previously done. All mechanics are not the same. Remember, even some Doctor had to graduate at the bottom of his class! But I'll say it again- If you have never seen or been involved in a full blown FAA investigation you have no idea what you are in for if it happens to you. I've seen it, it ain't pretty! A couple of questions that could come up in an investigation are: What makes you think you know more than the manufacturer? If you have a good answer so be it and- Show me your approved or accepted data for the procedure you are following. Again, can you answer this one ?

Yes and back to the movie

Jim, I mention things I have seen happen over 50 years in this business. My "commentary" is to maybe keep someone from being violated or hurt. I have mentioned before that unless you have ever seen what a true FAA investigation is like you have no idea what you are in for if it ever happens. I've seen it happen to other people and it ain't pretty. Unless you have ever had personal close friends killed in plane accidents then the true impact of same has less feel. I've been there too many times in half a century. One of the leading causes of accidents is unauthorized or unlicensed owner done maintenance as pronounced by our local FAA Maint Insp at a recent Safety Meeting. Now maybe I could have changed my wording a little to be less "ambiguous" Lycoming has a Service Bulletin that shows their break in procedure. By FAR one is required to follow the manufacturers methods and recommendations for maintenance of certified aircraft. Yes, SBs are are not mandatory but the argument may be specious if a problem develops with a log book sign off or accident. . At least 1 A&P HAS been violated for not following Lycomings break in procedure (no ambiguity here). Lycoming's procedure does require calibrated gauges. I do talk to the FAA from time to time and they have told me of the issue of calibrated gauges and signing it off as an overhaul> I had a long conversation with Lycoming at Oshkosh where in they did say that they win most law suits because their procedures were not followed. Even SBs! If my efforts to try to help keep folks legal and safe are out of line, sorry. I've lost too many friends to stupid issues to remain silent. I too have an issue with many of the problems the FAA brings about but for the most part, most all of the regulations have been written with someones blood in the pen.

Just a couple of notes that maybe someone can remember- Lycoming has an "approved" break in path by Service Bulletin. At least one A&P has been violated for signing off on a break in regime that did not follow that "approved" program. That program also has a requirement to use "calibrated" gauges. There used to be an issue that in order to legally call it an overhaul or rebuilt engine in the logs you had to have used calibrated gauges for break in or else it was a "repaired" engine. Had an FAA guy mention this once. In talking a few years ago to Lycoming it was noted that if their engines fail and someone sues them unless one followed Lycomings instructions one wouldn't do too good in the law suit. I did mine by the Lycoming method and have 800 hrs on it with no issues, no cylinder problems, nothing of note. Wondering what I'm missing.

My original post was not to start a political diatribe. It was to show that maybe someone had good insight into what the Chinese were doing inside their own country. Obviously the head man at Mooney had some good intel BEFORE he committed to buying Mooney. Obviously he had good business sense to bring out the M10 as the Chinese begin to build the infrastructure of an aviation economy inside their country. A couple more observations as all may not be bright lights and patent leather shoes either- It's still a Communist country where lots of things do not get out to the world. Difficulties that may cast a bad light (or hurt personal images) never see the light of public notification- newspapers to say one item. Difficulties in the loss of airplanes inside the country may not be reported worldwide with the complete control of information. There is a well documented history of a cultural issue in training Chinese pilots and in cockpit CRM with the same crews. One only has to look at several recent accidents to see the issue. I spent many years doing airline training in large jets. I've seen it first hand. My second post was direct from a person whom I have known for over 50 years and one of very few I trust implicitly in the airline training field. Up till now the original cadre of big airplane pilots in China have almost exclusively come from the Chinese military (not counting the expats now flying the airliners). This may/has have/had a large influence on how they react in the cockpit. With a huge build up of ab initio pilots, if this new aviation infrastructure comes to pass, this may all change. Only time will tell. With no aviation infrastructure they have to go the ab initio training route to fill their airline cockpits as they try to get rid of the expat pilots. They have no other way to find pilots. While the goals of that training system are noble and on paper it may pencil out, I am not a big fan of filling jet cockpit seats going that route. My personal opinion and choice. Its rote training without the decision making steps that true long term experience brings into the mix. Nor am I a big fan of Airbus and its basic design parameters for operation by ab initio pilots, but that is another whole subject for a different time. All the points about learning to fly while learning English are noted but that is no different than any other non-English student pilot around the world. In fact, ICAO has a requirement for an "English proficient" endorsement to be placed right on your pilot's license in order to fly from country to country around the world. When one looks at how many dialects of Chinese there are and one pilot may not be able to communicate with the other in his own dialect, it now raises the level of concern if some have to learn another dialect just to learn English and to communicate while learning to fly. A large mountain to climb. It's going to be a long, protracted, uphill battle to say the least.

Don't suppose you'd do a straight trade with me so you can have all the fun again? Nice.

Knew a guy who trained Chinese airline pilots.Whenever he was asked how it was going he had a 3 word reply- "Can't be done" !

www.globaltimes.cn/content/912151.shtml

That is very cool! Anything an owner can learn about the inner workings of his plane is great! The time may come when that info proves valuable, very valuable. My hat is off to you for wanting to learn all you can.

I can always assemble things with less parts than the manufacturer!

Tommy- Please get the help of a competent A&P to do this job. It is classified as "maintenance" and not "preventive maintenance" that an owner/PP is allowed to do. It does need to be signed off in the log book also by an A&P.

+1 for minor alteration and log book sign off for A&P if just added to lights.

THE ACCUTRAC MANUAL ALSO SAYS TO "BE ON COURSE" BEFORE YOU ENGAGE IT. sorry for the caps

Anyone going to the Mooney Flyer Summit in June at Paso Robles, CA? From what was written up in the current Mooney Flyer it looks to be a fun time. I used to spend time in Paso years ago. It's a nice place. The Hurst Castle is near by, Moro Bay, Cambria Pines by the beach, lots of wineries. Looks like they even have an F-18 driver for a lunch session and several MSCs for a round table. Who else going?

The reality of a C I've flown mine for 14 years and 1600 hrs. Yes I like it. Cheap way to travel. After years of reading this forum figure 140 kts TAS. Figure 8.5 to 9.5 GPH in cruise at 8000' to 11,000' 4 pax can be done but you won't like it for too long. I've had 4 in mine 3 times. You absolutely need someone who knows Mooneys to do the prebuy PERIOD! A good prebuy is an eyeopener for you and the owner! Unless you want to spend a lot of money for a few kts speed forget all the mods or buy one with them already installed. It's just bragging rights in the end. If you have to go faster get an E model. Stock C is the best bang for the buck.

To just change the battery only a log book entry is needed. Can be done by PP/Owner If weight change is greater than 1 pound a new W&B needs to be done by an A&P.

OK enough to convince me! No more flooded ones when this one dies.

In another thread some were commenting on long battery life with certain makes. I'm wondering if mounting location has an effect? I'm looking at 2 - 3 years per battery (with good servicing of water and alt charging correctly) mounted in the engine compartment. Those of you with longer battery lives where is yours mounted? Tailcone? I'm thinking heat has something to do with it.

It's the Genie coming out of the bottle :-)

Have you thought about making a small tank and bolting the sender to the side of same and watching the sender as you fill the small tank? Any square can would do. Paint thinner can maybe. Cut out the narrow side and make a round hole in the bottom the same distance up as the sender sits in the tank. Some jumper wires and the salvaged paint thinner to float the float and see what happens.