Jerry 5TJ

I’m scheduled to fly in on Thursday with a client in his nice J model. The Burlington VT PPP this weekend is fully registered and another of my learners would attend if anyone gives up their seat. Please PM me if you have to cancel.

They should charge it per the capacity test procedure and then do the C1 capacity test to provide a baseline for the new battery before installation.

I read that section 8 as recommending “0.2 x C1” which for 35 amp-hour battery is ~ 7 amperes.

So a 35 amp-hour battery would be charged at 280 amperes? Seems pretty high to me.

Vaporware is often attractively priced.

The next MAPASF Pilot Proficiency Program starts September 6 in Burlington VT. The email update yesterday announced the hotel information: This is a reminder that the Mooney Aircraft Pilots Association Safety Foundation will be holding a Pilot Proficiency Program at the Burlington International Airport in Burlington Vt beginning Sept 6ththat 7am at the Windjammer Hotel in Burlington Vt. We hope you would contact Lela Hughes Lela Hughes email is lelahughes49@gmail.com or give her a call to get registered. Her phone is (210) 289-6939. The hotel number and information is below Jen Hamway | Conference & Events Manager Best Western Plus Windjammer Inn & Conference Center 1076 Williston Road| South Burlington |VT| 05403 P: 802.846.0658 E: jhamway@windjammergroup.com

True. But we MAPASF instructors do that during the day VFR portion of the training. It is loss of control at night or in IMC that rarely turns out well.

Fortunately, many of those spinning gyro AI have been replaced by solid state AHRS and few of us have only one attitude reference any more. But I have flown in a number of Mooney planes with great upgraded glass panels … but the KA256 is still installed over in one corner and remains the sole reference for the autopilot.

A classic failure of the KA256 attitude indicator where over a few minutes the gyro spins down and the artificial horizon data become false: the King AP dutifully follows the AI into a turning spiral. Eventually the AP runs out of trim, kicks itself off and hands control back to the pilot. The plane is at elevator trim limits, in a high speed spiral descent and the AI shows wings level. I suspect it is highly confusing — the startled pilot has only seconds to figure it out and apply the correct (no gyro) recovery.

Lots of variables drive the premium quotes —pilot age is a factor, sub-limits and deductibles vary, recency and perhaps type of training, open pilot policy limitations, the number of active underwriters in the Mooney marketplace, they all have a role.

At an airspeed much higher than the trimmed speed, yes, rolling level may demand significant FORWARD yoke pressure to avoid overloading the airframe.

The point of the simple equation g max = (airspeed/stall speed)^2 is that the wing will generate a lot more lift than the 1 g weight of the aircraft and the max g load goes up as the square of the ratio of airspeed to stall speed. If the plane’s airspeed is 3x the stall speed in that configuration then the wing can theoretically generate 9 g before stalling. In most GA airplanes the structure will fail before reaching that load. In a loss of control event a low drag plane (Mooney, Bonanza, Mirage, whatever) can easily reach 3 or even 4 times the stall speed and great care is required to keep the g load within limits during recovery. Even in a draggy 172 it’s possible to get to 3X stall speed and destroy the airframe unintentionally by over-vigorous control input. I demonstrate this (in an AATD!) by failing the AI, rolling the plane inverted in (simulated) IMC and task the learner to recover. It is common for the student to cause the AATD to “crash” after breaking apart mid-air— in software so only a restart is required. But it is sobering The take-away is — don’t lose control.

The most important thing is to maintain control as loss of control in IMC rarely turns out well. In-flight breakup is often a result of LOC, not the cause of the accident: It matters little if the wings are intact at impact.

All of my Mooneys were slower than the MooneySpace numbers.

I have had the door pop open in my old E. I could re-engage the main door latch but not the upper one during flight. Perhaps the differences in reports are due in part to the two latches. Some can close the door and latch one, some both of them. As an instructor I have “introduced realistic distractions” by popping the door. But only on warm days because it’s real drafty in the right seat.

Ditto.

…above FL180 if you have a second pilot or even a right seat helper it is good to have them breathing on a different oxygen system than yours.

An inexpensive one….my Concorde RG46 is around $2200. The plane uses a pair of them.

https://themooneyflyer.com/cfi.html lists quite a few CFI in Texas.

Aside to the topic: I installed a diversity Mode S transponder. It has both top and bottom antennas so it will respond to interrogations from above, such as those from the Aireon satellites. In case a plane with a diversity transponder goes missing the Aireon record will show the last location down to the ground, and to a few meters accuracy. Advantage—No false alarms such as with ELT. Disadvantage—You are still required to have an ELT.

Ah, a fond old topic….from 13 years ago. Shooting from the hip here: Perhaps at high load the regulator’s over-current coil is engaged (disconnecting the generator) and you see the battery discharge voltage. A solid state regulator will calm down the generator voltage swings and reduce abuse of the battery.

The only case of insurance denying a claim due to pilot false representation (claiming to hold a valid medical, claiming to have completed policy-mandated annual recurrent training) that I personally know of (and I know only because I knew both the pilot and the lawyer representing the insurer) was due to the pilot’s pattern of willful misconduct and not simple neglect or innocent errors. With two fatalities and total loss of a nice Citation the potential claims were not small, either. Generally speaking, insurance companies do pay regularly for the dumb pilot stuff we keep doing.

I’m teaching at a community college aviation school in Redbird AATD sims. My instrument students are reporting that their CFII at the flight schools frequently cancel flights due to IMC, even if it is 2000’ overcast and no ice aloft. Most of the students have zero actual IMC prior to their practical test. Of course, many of the younger flight school CFII have little to no actual IMC themselves, so I can appreciate their reluctance to take a student into the clouds. On the plus side, all our private pilot students do get 4+ hours of simulator training on instruments in addition to the FAA mandated 3 hours of instrument training in the airplane.

I’ve flown all three of my Mooney planes coast to coast and over the Rockies. Suggestions don't fly over the Rockies in IMC use oxygen and keep your O2 sat > 95% follow the major highways as a guide for lower terrain and more airports mornings tend to be smoother if the wind at ridge levels is > 30 knots, reconsider enjoy the spectacular views