cliffy

So why would I want to suck hind tit and be the only one vectored "out of the way"? Sorry Its my airspace also. VFR at 10,500 is still VFR In reality no need to even talk to anyone. I fly VFR over LAS all the time. "Most" of the time I talk to them. Most of you don't even remember the start of the TCAs and how they were never to be expanded. Most also don't remember that the only way they got TSA was to promise that the "agents" would never unionize or have badges (indicating law enforcement). That was the only way they got it passed in Congress. What have we got now? Now they work have in hand with DEA. (But also with a 95% failure rate in detecting weapons passage through the gates, Look it up if you don't believe me)

Ya I too got SBA to Catalina to Seal Beach once in a Cherokee but I won't do that again I'd declare and emergency if I couldn't negotiate a different route and i was airborne. Too many years of seeing too many things happen. IIRC a Cirrus was lost just off SMO a couple years ago.

But how long can you float in 6 foot seas without a life jacket? Even a smooth day is rough out there in the channel How about a rough landing and being even slightly injured and trying to swim to a boat? Crap happens in water touch downs Drowning happens quick. I've got a Coast Guard Masters License and have been out there many days in all kinds of boats and wouldn't think of entering the water off shore without a Mae West on.

Roasmond is a private community airport Nothing absolutely nothing in California City Mojave Airport is very limited in a GA airport Mostly aviation business orientated and desert storage for airliners. Tehachapi is a fairly long way to go uphill also Gets very windy in the slot between Mojave and Tehachapi (LOTS of wind farms there.) Fox Field is a real good GA airport and probably your best bet. They also have a good restaurant on the airport. Lots of GA parking and activity especially on weekends for the restaurant. That would be my spot if I were you. I know its an old thread but I thought it might help

If you go be sure to have life jackets on board for everyone! Crap happens when you least expect it and you are out of gliding range of anything land. Been there in Cessnas to Lears, Its not all that difficult if you keep your head about you.

Affordable and SMO don't go together!

Old guy transition to new glass has been an "issue" since the first 757 came out. Old 727 pilots had a hard time transitioning to it (and it was the first generation glass) BUT the FMC was the big hurdle. Not the glass faces. My transition to the 757 was pretty easy the Airbus was a little more difficult due to different ways of doing things after being 757 qualified. But that's just my experience. Buttonology to make all things work is the biggest issue for many. What buttons do I push and when? Define what you want in a new panel- dual everything or just a good backup "in case"? Remember "most" glass today has far better MTBFs than any old style legacy electronics. Way better, so chances of needing full back ups to everything is minimal. What type of flying are you going to do? Lots of hard IFR or day VFR or an occasional 500 foot approach? Your decisions are all based on what YOU are going to do and be comfortable with. In today's world we don't really need ADFs, DMEs, Mkr Beacons, etc. We could easily get by for full IFR with one good all in one unit and a basic GPS only radio just for backup in case #1 took a dump IMC. Asa point of contrast I went basic VFR only with a 10 inch Dynon HDX and the D-10A backup. If I ever want full IFR I'll add an IFD 440 and that's it. Your money - your decision. Do at least look at the Dynon HDX (autopilot pending approval)

There is another thought about gas cap chains IF the cap were to pop off in flight without the chain it would fly off the wing with little damage to the wing BUT IF it has a chain it might flop around quite a lot banging up the top of the wing. Had one pop off 50 years ago on a Cessna and heard it flop around until I slowed to 70 MPH It also sucked the tank dry.

IF you disconnect the link arm on the nose gear door (so the door can flop around) make sure you pay attention to the location of the very small spacers located on the bolt right next to the hiem ball joint that attaches to the link rod. These spacers are very small and easy to miss as you slide the bolt out of the gear door hinge. Pat attention to which goes where and this is a good time to check the freedom of movement of the ball end of the rod that the bolt goes through. It should rotate all directions without binding. Put some oil on it but better yet is 100% silicone spray lube.

I know of a Cessna 140 that had a crank break in the rod journal fillet on a C-85 and continued to run for 5 mins as they got down to a runway. It was caused by having the crank reground .010 undersize but the shop did not radius the regrind cut into the crank cheek. Classic sharp edge fatigue failure. BUT that was 60 years ago too !! Other than the old Continental 6 cyl cranks that broke (IIRC) crank failure by breaking isn't too common.

My point exactly The risk is minimal if the AD is completed in reference to a complete overhaul or IRAN. Probably no worse than any other cause of engine failure due to maintenance.

If you want to slow down - pull the power off

Another point of view- What kind of prop strike did you have? Dig big holes in concrete while folding the blades back on the prop or just tick the runway with light damage to the tips? A lot of "dig holes" engines come out perfectly fine after IRAN. Who is paying the bill? If you, can you easily afford that much expense to overhaul? If the insurance company, they'll pay for IRAN, you pay the difference. You have a 180 HP Lyc engine Probably the most durable engine out there Decision time is either just do the AD required rear crankshaft gear stuff OR tear it down and see what is wrong (IF anything). Just a light tic with blade tip damage MAY give priority to just doing the rear gear AD, Many "dig holes" engines have also done this and do fine. Just depends on how much you want to spend, Rear gear doesn't even require engine removal. Question for the group- Find me a catastrophic failure of an engine (especially a 180 HP engine) after only doing the Rear Gear AD

If my new ALL GLASS panel is done by then I'll be there :-) (It should be done soon)

Check what MP your Maintenance Manual says the gear horn should trigger at and maybe reset that trigger point

Of course the old hoses will be new again!

Doing something different for the new panels finished looks I'll keep you in suspense until I get it ready to install :-) :-) It may work and it may not- we'll see

Two items come to mind- 1) Sounds like a way FWD CG and/or stabilizer/elevators not set correctly in static conditions according to the TCDS and the trim indicator Do a good W&B and see where your CG sits with that loading. My bet? WAY FWD 2) Initial stabilizer pitch settings - Someone who KNOWS how to check and set the elevator and stabilizer angles properly while on jacks to get perfect level fore and aft is needed. Elevator rigging boards are needed to do it correctly. Until you verify this everything else is just a guess. All the settings are contained in the TCDS If they aren't correct and you go by just what the indicator says you might be way off in trim for lift off speed. Once the proper angles have been determined you might try trimming for 75 MPH on final and leave it there throughout the flare and landing. Go back and make a takeoff with that same setting (don't reset trim from last landing) and DON'T retract the gear. Just fly out with the gear down and see what you feel on pitch Once beyond 80-85 MPH trim down to control pitch as it will be going up. I say don't retract the gear because the gear moves the CG aft as it retracts, pushing the nose up more on the initial climb out. Not what we want for this first T/O Come around and again trim for 75 on final and leave it there. Do another T/O and retract the gear normally and see what you feel. Be aware of your speed and don't let it drop below 75. Trim down as necessary as speed increases. If it was in trim at 75 landing it should be in trim at 75 on takeoff. (just after lift off). In other words light pressure to lift off at 65 accelerating. Pulling the gear up pulls the nose up with aft shifting CG. Accelerating to more than 75 will raise the nose. If its trimmed for around 75 the elevator pressures should not be too high for a decent landing flare slowly decreasing engine power in the flare. UNLESS you try to keep the nose up until you lose elevator effectives (riding on just the main tires) and the nose wheel drops. Aft CG is way easier than FWD CG. At all changes with varying loads. Remember that as you push or pull the control wheel you are compressing the bungee springs and making it harder to move the more you displace the controls. That's normal. I know way detailed explanation but maybe someone in the future might benefit from it.

Lest we forget- big wheels and short side wall tires equal rough ride compared to 65s or 70s tall on cars. Part of our shock" abortion on the airplane is tire wall flex due to tire height ( hence the proper pressure needs to be maintained. ) Can you imagine a 30 tire on a Mooney with rubber pucks? :-(

Maybe you had better check your W&B I don't think any Mooney has 1500 lbs on the nose wheel Could be wrong but I don't think so.

The wheels on Moneys were designed for "short" valve stem tires You can't find them any more The long stem tires bend the valve body at the bear race hub and put a strain on the outside of the bend so as they age they crack on that side culminating in a flat tire . Many flats happen because of this one item. One way "some" find to alleviate this condition is in using 8.00x6 tubes with 90 degree angled metal valve stems on the main wheels. For those who go this way it seems to work very well for years. Check the TCDS sheet for your airplane model to determine what size and PLY rating is approved for your airplane.

Dynon STC requires their EFIS D-10A for certification

Nice math Thanks

It was back in the late 60s that it happened when they still had the black and gold paint job. We called it "The dirty bird with the brass ass"!

Yes section 8.8.1 a &b is what I was trying to remember. Quite technical but in some instances the wet compass can go bye bye. (Backup electronic heading indicator) THX