Jeff_S

I was down there yesterday (Sunday) just for the day. It was a beautiful day to fly from Atlanta, but I found the overall level of attendance to be quite low. There were many fewer airplanes parked in the Warbirds section, it seemed like a lot of the exhibition tents were gone, and the crowd seemed small. But in fairness, I've never been there on a Sunday before so that may be normal. One thing I noticed is that the Hangar Marts are getting pretty repetitive and boring. Mostly just the same folks you see every year, with the same stuff. And the booth staff seemed downright surly to me. Again, maybe because it was Sunday, but the folks at Garmin, Lightspeed and Cobham made me feel like I was an intruder in their space. That F-22 Raptor demonstration sure is cool, though. That thing leapt into the air in 1000' or less (best guess) and showed some awesome maneuverability. My favorite part, though, was when it teemed up with a P-51 and did aerial demonstrations side by side. Two gorgeous machines, showing the timelessness of great design.

I took a test drive at Sun-n-Fun yesterday, and I will say this: while nice and glitzy and very powerful, I found the user interface to be quite a handful. Like any new computer software, there's always some time involved to learn how to use it. And maybe folks familiar with the aera series will adapt more quickly because it places heavy emphasis on using the Home button to start most procedures. Since I have a 480, I was most curious about how you can assign airways, which it does well...again, once you get a handle on the user interface. One thing to note for anybody who has a 480, the two systems will not speak to each other for cross-fill. A fantasy I have is to put in a G500 and take out the MX20, the old KLN89b and the KX-155 and substitute a GTN650. All this would work, but the two GPS boxes would be independent of each other. Anyway, I picked up the PC simulator so I'll play around with it out of curiosity, if nothing else.

Folks, I was at Sun-n-Fun yesterday and a Whelen dealer was selling the Prometheus bulbs at a nice discount. He had both the PAR36 and PAR46 bulbs. Even though the PAR46 bulbs are STC'd yet, he said they expected it within a month, and if it didn't happen he'd refund my money. So I bought it. But I was concerned that it just "looked" too big, and that the PAR36 was perhaps the right bulb for my 1990 J with the single cowling landing light (even though in this thread others have told me that PAR46 was right). Sure enough, I checked my log this morning since my A/P just changed the landing light last year, and he noted replacement with a GE4509 bulb which is a PAR36. So I remain confused. Are there different types of J cowlings that use different bulbs?

I think a second 480, coupled with a G500 set-up, would be the cat's meow for me! Wish I had an extra $20K lying around just asking to be spent to do all that.

I would save yourself the trouble, because this is exactly what the IA is supposed to do as part of his job and what you are paying him (or her) for. They will have the list of the required ADs for your plane, and they will scour the logbooks and fill out a form to keep track of it. They also all use a common program for doing this, which prints out the record that they then sign and becomes part of your logs.

Somehow, I can't imagine that the product managers at Garmin overlooked the concept of turbulence in their product design. I can understand the general reluctance to touch screen, as I've been bounced around my fair share like everyone else. But the reviews I've read from people who've actually flown with the devices say that it is quite manageable...e.g. Mac McClelland and Paul Bertorelli. And there is a knob approach on these devices if you really need it. I do understand people's viewpoints, but I predict that once it gets into the real world and real users' experience starts getting out there, this will be less of an issue. But it will be fun to watch and wait for that...

LPV approaches all the way. As noted above, a capable autopilot and correct use of speed control will let you fly one of them all the way to the ground in a last-ditch scenario. I did it to about 50' AGL in VFR just to test it.

Hello Everyone, I have more information on the Mooney Ambassador Weekend at the Vidalia Onion Festival at the end of April so please read if you are planning/hoping to attend. I apologize for the length of the post but there's much to cover. The Air Show event will be held both days, Sat April 30 and Sun May 1. The gates open each day at 9am, and the air show itself will start about 11:30 and end between 3:30 and 4:00. We will have a space set up at one end of the Static Display area and the organizer is looking forward to our participation. First issue: my general expectation was that most folks wouldn't want to spend the whole weekend hanging out at an airport in Vidalia, GA. Anybody who wants to, hold that thought until we get to the second issue. But for people who only want to come in for one day, there will be slightly more space available on Sunday than Saturday, due to some space on the field being occupied for the Kellie Pickler concert that evening. For the day trippers, please let me know which of the two days you would prefer to attend, and if you really don't care, it would be better to choose Sunday. Either day, plan to be on the ground by 9:00 so there isn't too much movement in the static area where people will be walking around. (I don't want to discourage Saturday because there WILL be space, but maybe for only 10-15 planes, whereas Sunday is about as many as we want.) Second issue: anyone who DOES want to spend the night and enjoy more of the Festival will find it difficult to get a room if you call now. This is because the organizer has all the local rooms reserved in her name. She is holding one for me, and I can probably get a few more, so if you do want to spend the night and be there for both days please let me know ASAP so I can forward that along and try to get you some space. So again, please let me know either A) which day you plan to attend, or you want to attend both days and are requesting a hotel room. I'll do the best I can to accommodate all requests. You can send me a PM here, or go the Facebook page and RSVP with a note as to which day you prefer. Here's the link again:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122197724519444 Many thanks, and I'll send more out now as we get closer to the event. Cheers, Jeff N1077G

This must be a Windows-only thing, as I see neither check boxes nor delete buttons anywhere on the screen using my Mac, with either Safari or FireFox. Interesting.

I agree the end product is not as revolutionary as they promoted, but it's still an nice evolution of the product and someone looking to upgrade an ancient panel will benefit from it. Like it or not, avionics is now in the world of high-technology, where progress is incremental but constant. As to killing support for the 430/430W, don't believe that for a second. There are so many of those units sold that support will continue for a very long time. I have a 480 and have no fear about continued support for that device.

Quote: FlyDave This Garmin announcement was nothing more than marketing and a poor BS job at that. Keeping something that is not innovative secret for a grand release is not marketing, at least not effective marketing.

Once a Lycoming starts making metal, unless it stops completely at the next 10-hour oil change, things aren't looking good. Based on the info you've provided it sounds like that engine is very old and hasn't been flown alot or well cared-for. So unfortunately I agree with Cruiser and Lew...time to start looking at engines and if it were me I'd be very cautious about flying. Don't mean to instill undue alarm so take this as just my opinion.

Hmm, maybe that's the reason they call it "scat" tubing! Ha, just kidding. I have no clue but I hope you get it figured out.

Yeah, as a market researcher I would tell you the survey question was going to be a challenge since they are all important, and many of them equally important. So I answered it as though you'd asked "what's the FIRST thing you consider when purchasing a unit" and for me that is experience with the manufacturer. Since I have a JPI-700 installed, I know how that unit functions, I know what to expect when I hit the buttons, so I would think my learning curve would be quicker in adapting to the new device. I also trust them because my current unit has been trustworthy (so far). That isn't to say the other units don't have merit or superior features, but I would look to JPI first because of my current experience. I would also like to know what it is with these fish!

Preliminary report is that the external antenna for my MRX did help out. I wouldn't know, since I spent two hours under the hood on Sunday getting caught up on approaches with my CFI, but I did point out to her a few times when I saw something on the MRX and she invariably said "yep, I got it in sight." Next time I fly when I can actually look around a little bit I'll provide more details.

This is one of those debates that no one will win or lose because the hard evidence can always be questioned. One might say it's like a religion! But for what an "expert" has to say on the AvBlend website, you can look here: http://www.avblend.com/faa/kas_thomas_lenckite.html Reading into this and comparing it to the MSDS someone else posted, this article does provide some additional scientific explanation of why this "mineral oil" is not just the same thing in the 1 quart bottles. I'm no chemist so totally unable to validate or refute this.

For all to consider, I upgraded to the ForeFlight HD subscription with digital IAPs and taxiways when it came out a few weeks ago. Had a chance to give it a good tryout today when I went up with my CFI-I for some refresher work. Although I spent more time looking at the gauges than normal (dang that "malfunctioning" auto-pilot!) she was dutifully impressed with how the IAPs worked in FF. Even though she'd never seen the app before in her life, she was able to easily learn how to navigate the UI and get to the approach plates, and used our real-time positioning to help vector me around on several of our practice approaches with ease.

I have started using AvBlend, based on the recommendation of Jerry Manthy at one of his Mooney maintenance classes last year. I was using it with AeroShell 15W50 but have switched to Phillips 20W50 based on the recommendation of Mike Busch. Now, Mike says in his personal analysis of running AvBlend in one of his engines and nothing in the other (on a Cessna 310) that he could detect no noticeable difference. His feeling is that it doesn't harm, but maybe doesn't help much. But his data is not exhaustive. On the other hand, doing the same comparison with CamGuard, he sees a noticeable difference on the oil analysis from one engine to the other, which mostly occurs when his plane has sat idle for a few weeks. He feels that CamGuard really does help prevent corrosion in engines that are not getting regular workouts. Jerry said in his class that with AvBlend in his automobile he noticed an immediate 3 mpg increase, and that he always felt his Mooney engines ran cleaner and stronger with it. I've only had it in now for the last six months, so I won't claim an outstanding benefits but my oil analyses are all looking nice and stable.

Ditto on all that. The massive squall lines are to be avoided, but the general thunderstorm activity can make for the most beautiful flights there are as long as you have the knowledge and technology to avoid them. Last summer I was at the Jerry Manthy MAPA maintenance class at Kinston NC, and during the afternoon a massive line moved across the area while we were in class. But by 6pm it had mostly moved on, and skies to the west were improving with just latent pop-ups. I flew back to Clemson and got some amazing sky shots, as well as a nice illustration of how XM-Wx depicts cells. Pardon the quality of the iPhone photo, but the two shots below show how a cell near Clemson looked on the MFD and out the window.

Hello all, I've got my IFR cert coming up in a few months, and I want to also tackle a niggly grounding problem in the avionics that causes my fuel pressure gauge to bounce on/off intermittently. I suspect some wiring somewhere in the intercom as it can be triggered by keying the mic button most reliably. Looking for recommendations on shops in the general Atlanta-N. Georgia area that do good work on Mooneys. I've used a few in the area myself over the years with my Warrior, but I don't want to bias anybody's answers with my own opinions there. In particular, this problem will require a bit of troubleshooting which I know is an art form, especially for tight Mooney panels. Any thoughts are welcome. Use Private Message if you'd prefer not to besmirch or provide adulations for any shop publicly. Thanks!

Yeah, I've looked high and low for a nice pair of gradient sunglasses. I tested the Ray Bans in the store, and the gradient with light-brown might work. What I'm really looking for is something like that with a lighter amber color. I have a pair from PeakVision that I use on the golf course and the lenses are perfect, with dark amber on top and light amber below, but they only make the shield-type frames which are too bulky to form a tight seal with my Zulu headset. The search continues...

Just so I'm clear, this is WAAS for Europe, right?

Just a thought. I know they're expensive, but the Rosen sun visors for the Mooney are simply awesome and much better than anything you could do with the original rods. I bought my plane with the Rosen's already installed, but there's nothing like them for really cutting the glare. I seldom wear sunglasses because I have problems with my eyes adjusting to see the panel through dark lenses, but if it's really bright or hazy I can just lower the Rosen visor and it neatly fills up the viewing area let still lets me see everything perfectly.

Quote: LFOD Good PCS move. I was wondering, are you flying your Mooney in Saudi?

This may not apply to a long-body, but it's what I found helped transition to the J after the Warrior. I'll keep a skosh of power on until roundout, trying to flatten the arc very close to the tarmac. Then with power off I'll just keep adding back pressure to keep the nose where it is in the sight picture and let the tail ease onto the ground. I like to visualize the mains just "sitting" onto the pavement. Doesn't always work perfectly, but when it does I have that moment of saying "when is this thing going to land?" before realizing you're already down. Dusk is the best time for this: usually no wind, and you can celebrate an awesome sunset cruise!