Jeff_S

Um, I may be wrong about this, but I don't believe upgrading your GTX 330 to the ES model will give you ADS-B In. I just checked the Garmin web site to be sure, and it seems to confirm this. The ADS-B In solution in this case is the GTX 345. If I'm wrong, feel free to enlighten me, but I want to make sure you're getting what you need.

Indeed, it seems that the wires in the yoke shaft were the culprit. Those were addressed yesterday so hopefully we're all fixed up. It's always something with an airplane, isn't it!?

As to the cost of upgrading from STEC to GFC700, when Mooney had such a path available it was fairly obscene, to the tune of $60K or so as I recall (which included the WAAS upgrade). I never went through it, but a few did. There may have been some discounts early on. Adding WAAS to the STEC's now is a reasonable $25K "all-in" including shop time, so several of us have taken that route and it's working well. I have received a private message from a fellow MSpacer who tells me that he's had talks with Garmin engineers, and the software in the NXi *should* support the STEC, so perhaps I was wrong on that statement. But still, I don't see Mooney putting in any serious amount of time on this upgrade process right now. They need to sell new airplanes to get the cash flow going again.

Yes, thanks all...I thought it seemed bizarre. Perhaps this ties in with the IDENT button on the yoke that stopped functioning at about the same time. I suspect some wire crimping could be the culprit. Back to the shop!

Here's a new one, at least new to me. Not sure exactly when, but sometime in the last few months I changed my procedure on when I would set trim for takeoff position, and I noticed that occasionally on the ground the thumb switch would be a little "balky", like it would activate in one direction or not the other briefly. It always ended up working eventually in pre-flight, and NEVER did anything weird in-flight. So figuring I learned to fly with manual trim and this wasn't a dangerous situation, I decided to just keep an eye on it to see if I could detect a pattern. Lo and behold, today I was just doing database updates and decided to do some tests. With everything at rest and the Master on, pushing the trim switch did NOTHING, either direction, no matter what I tried. But then something clicked in my head and I thought "well, these yokes are at full rest position (meaning all the way forward), which is a totally non-flying position. What happens when I pull them back a more neutral flying position?" Voilà, as soon as the yoke was in a more natural flying position, the trim switch worked immediately in both directions, no hesitation, no problemo. So it seems as though there is a limit switch that deactivates the trim button when the yokes are too far forward, but I couldn't find anything about this in the POH. Has anyone ever heard of this? On the long-bodies, the yokes at rest do go all the way to the forward stops, unlike the mid- and short-bodies where there is a mechanism that keeps them in a more neutral position. Perhaps in all my prior pre-flights in two years of owning this airplane I always had the yoke pulled back somewhat which is why I never noticed it. Or perhaps there is still something wrong that I need to keep investigating. Any thoughts?

To upgrade to the NXi would undoubtedly require swapping out the STEC-55x A/P if you have one, which I do. Presumably if you've already got the GFC700 the path would be easier, but has been noted, I doubt that Mooney is spending too much time worrying about that right now. The NXi does have some cool features, but amazingly, it doesn't make the engine purr any more nicely and it doesn't change the way GPS navigation works. I suspect it would never be economical to upgrade an existing G1000 plane but maybe they'll prove me wrong.

CEO changes are always messy. And they can be instigated from both sides, either the CEO or the Board. It's really difficult to say here what may have gone on because the facts are murky. What is known is that Mooney just announced the certification of the Ultras and also sent a conflicting message about the M10 series, both announcements which just happened at SnF a few weeks ago. The immediate departure of Saxena so soon after these announcements makes me think this particular change was instigated by the Board, but again, the reasons are hard to guess. For some reason, he wasn't satisfying investor requirements, but perhaps they wanted to keep him on until they got the Ultra's certificated so as to not worry the FAA. That would be in my thought process if I were the Board. As to everyone's various opinions about the Ultra models and the marketplace, I would encourage all the naysayers to put yourselves in the CEO office and think about reality. A lot of investment has been sunk in upgrading the manufacturing process for the Ultras, and FAA certification has just been won. That's your pony, boys, and you've got to ride it as best you can. The cost of an Acclaim Ultra is less than an SR22-GTS, and if marketed correctly it can appeal to a particular audience. I know I would buy an Ovation Ultra before an SR22, parachute-be-damned, because of the operating costs and the cool factor. Those of us on Mooneyspace don't buy new planes (most, anyway) but we need other people to do that, so we can eventually buy the used ones. For this reason alone, we should ALL be rooting for Mooney to succeed.

That must have been somebody's accident. I had them in my J and they provided all the benefits already stated, but never any smell. Of course, I do shower regularly!

I know the airworthiness date for my plane is August 2006, but there's nothing in my engine logs which states the date of engine manufacture. Is there an automated way to check that with CMI, or do I just have to call them?

Well, you can't actually upgrade a non-G1000 version to a G1000 system. The G1000 is part of the type certificate for the newer airplanes, so it cannot be retrofitted. You could take a steam gauge plane and put in a G500 with the latest GTN radios, and that would be a pretty close alternative, but still no G1000 and no GFC700, which can only be used with the G1000.

I'd be happy to take you up if you get to Atlanta sometime, but I'm sure there's someone closer to you. But feel free to ping me whenever!

Ordinarily for your mission, I would say that an Ovation would fit your flight profile and be very nice to your budget. Ovations generally cruise at about 13.5 GPH when LOP and still beat the speeds you're seeing for your Socata. You may need to fly in and over the Alps, which would suggest the turbo is useful, but on nice weather days even the Ovation will easily get to 18,000' which may be sufficient. But if the turbo is what you really want, others can give you advice on operating costs for Mooney versions. They will probably be less than your Socata for sure, because even a turbo Mooney can be flown very efficiently. As to the glass cockpit, you will hear some differing opinions. I have the G1000 and I love the tight integration of the system. Now that even some of the early G1000 models have an economical path to WAAS and ADS-B (not sure if that matters in Europe) there shouldn't be any complaints along those lines. However, some will tell you they prefer taking an older steam-gauge plane and adding glass to it, as they are more free to make modifications and add/replace things as they feel like it. It is true that with the G1000, most major changes to the panel have to come through a joint Garmin-Mooney effort. Hope that helps. Searching for your new plane is often one of the most fun parts of owning it!

I pronounce it "Anthony" as well, but if answering the literal first question, I'd say something like "cuh-ROO-soam"!

The TIT is the "7th" probe which is actually at the confluence of the left-side exhaust manifold. It's the probe that actually feeds the single EGT readout in the main view of the G1000. It is usually about 100° hotter than the individual probes. If I had the Acclaim then this would really would be the TIT...I guess they just left it there in the Ovation for consistency with the G1000 models.

If you have a good engine analyzer that can output the data, I can't recommend the Savvy Analysis folks high enough. They have a great online tool that allows you to input your data and do your own analysis free of charge...but if you want their expert insight, it's only $129/year and they will help you tweak and tune to your heart's content. Here is a link to a recent flight during which I did their Analysis Profile, which includes three ROP-LOP cycles and then a LOP mag test. It's interesting data, but I'm also doing this to test out to see if this link actually works! https://www.savvyanalysis.com/flight/1823020/0e94c1d9-db6b-4eb4-8b67-4f964cb084f9 I know I can get to it, but I'd like to see if others can as well, so let me know. Thanks.

If this ever becomes an AD, I predict a rash of forced wheelbarrow landings or perhaps a lot of forgetful pilots who accidentally leave the gear up!

My results are similar to what you've already read here. I cruise in the 8K to 10K range generally, at WOT and 2450 to 2500 RPM (slightly less RPM if I can take advantage of tail winds). I run slightly LOP at these settings and generally get about 175 knots at 13.5 GPH. I basically lean to keep my hottest cylinder at 350dF or less, which makes my coolest cylinder usually below 300. (I have a fairly wide distribution because of the alternator in front of #5...haven't done the pixie hole maneuver yet. Search for that if you're interested.) In practical terms, a trip I make quite often is between Atlanta (PDK) and Amelia Island FL (FHB). In my J, it would routinely take about 2 hours, including routing around or over Hartsfield. In the O that is 1.5 hours, so even on a short trip like this I save a half hour. Doesn't seem like much, but it adds up. And the climb capability, comfort and style of the Ovation are also nice benefits. Don't get me wrong...I loved my J and it's a fine airplane, but I have to admit I like my Ovation even that much more.

That's awesome news. With that monkey off they're back, now they can start selling and making some real Mooney money!

You can certainly take an old steam gauge panel and glassify it, but I don't think the G1000 adds $100K to the cost of a used plane. Planes that have G1000s in them are simply newer, which accounts for a lot of that value. And the G1000 is still an option even on brand new TBM 930s, which goes to show they have a lot of life left in them. I was reading in the latest AOPA magazine that TBM can even add back into the G1000 all the loss of control envelope protections they've put into the G3000, so the platform is extensible. If you've never flown a G1000 before, go up with someone who has and watch how much utility it provides and how it simplifies so many of the complex tasks. There's a reason it's become the default platform for almost all GA planes over the last ten years.

As noted already, you don't need an MSC to do most of the work on your Mooney. There are a few things that an MSC might be better suited for, Mooney-specific stuff like making sure gear is in good condition, changing the shock absorbers (requires a special tool that most non-MSC shops will have to rent), stuff like that. But an engine is an engine, sheet metal is sheet metal, and a good A/P with the manuals can handle most stuff. Ditto with the pre-buy, there is a list of things to check. I have no further information on sources of aircraft than what you've been given. I found my Ovation3 on Controller, but it seems that both Controller and Trade-a-Plane have the same listings these days...and for the Ovations it seems most of them are through Premier or one of the other agents. I have seen many fewer owner-sold Ovations these days. With Mooney's recent "certified pre-owned" program you should really look into this, as it will probably give you a quality and reliable plane...although you'll pay more for it. Check out the sales tax requirements in whichever state you want to register it. There can be advantages in some states that may not charge a sales tax. I don't know the difference between NC and CT. Finally, if you're thinking about a G1000 bird that is non-WAAS, realize that this is much less of a sticking point now than it was a few months ago. Mooney's SB-305B now allows you to add WAAS to either a GFC700 or S-TEC system for about $24K, so you just need to factor that into the selling price compared to existing WAAS enabled planes.

Any normally aspirated airplane will do best in the 8K to 11K range simply because that's where your engine will still develop a good amount of HP for cruise power, while also benefitting from reduced drag of thinner air. You can go faster down low but burn more gas, or speed will taper off as you climb higher but you'll burn less gas and get overall better mileage (assuming you lean correctly and no wind factor). So really, as has been noted by those above, a lot of your decision will come down to winds, and where in that range you'll get the overall best bang for your gasoline buck. (There is a pun not so cleverly hidden there!) My default altitude in ForeFlight is 8K feet, and then I'll use the wind planner to see if I want to modify that based on prevailing winds (and direction of course, even vs odd thousands).

First of all, let's make sure you're talking about USAIG, which is not the same things as AIG. But assuming you are, I renewed my policy with USAIG in December and that was with a slight policy decrease. Not much, in the tens of dollars, but still something. I did compare through Falcon and while they found me one policy that was about $150 less, it wasn't enough to make me switch, because I have a good relationship with my broker and he has a good relationship with the USAIG underwriter. I think that's as important as anything these days. I stuck with USAIG even though they increased my rates slightly the year after a claim, because they were exceptional in how they handled the claim and have always provided good service. Of course, doubling of rates should be looked at askance. That's where your broker can provide some insight as to what happened, and s/he should at least have a personal conversation with the USAIG underwriter to get more details on why that happened. Perhaps it was just a system error.

Sorry, we're in Atlanta most of the time, but my wife grew up in Cullowhee, which is 3 minutes by air from Franklin and has a cool mountain top airport (24A). If it's nice weather you should at least stop in...with drop offs on both sides it's a fun carrier-style landing.

Success! I tried a standard T- shaped RNAV approach where I was able to establish a level attitude prior to FAF and the S-TEC captured the glideslope perfectly. Then I went to an old fashioned GPS overlay approach that had a hold in lieu of procedure turn at the IAF and then a constant descent from the inbound point to the FAF. Having the A/P in altitude select mode and APR captured the glideslope again and flew it down the line. So nice! I noticed that the SVT flight path boxes didn't actually show the glideslope on the LPV approach like they do on an ILS...I'll have to research that a bit. Also, it has always amazed me that lateral guidance on the A/P actually gets worse in APR mode compared to GPSS, but my old GNS480 in the J did the same thing so I guess that's just normal. And I admit I could be applying gentle rudder to help out on final approach...those IFR lessons probably apply whether it's me or "George" flying the plane. Money well spent, without a doubt.

Hi Folks, I ran across this video the other day...it's truly, sidesplittingly funny! He has other satire videos that he's done, all related to Cirrus aircraft, so if you see them listed on YouTube I would encourage you to watch. Enjoy!