FoxMike

I just added a G750 and 345. The shop tried to convince me to go with a G500. Instead I overhauled my K102 HSI gyro and KI 256. I have been flying steam for 50 years and cannot see spending large to get a TV that will also run my KFC150.

Call Dan at XeVision. He has a Mooney drawing showing the installation which represents approved data. ( I think). This would be the basis for an approval of a 337. You would have to install the way the drawing is done but this should not be a problem. I would suggest you get the drawing write up a 337 and take it to your FAA inspector and get it approved before you buy the lights. The FAA decided that since one company got an STC approval they should stonewall all the field approvals to benefit the company who bowed to the FAA and went through the process. I am at the starting point of a field approval but Christmas got in the way. Let us know how you are progressing.

I bought a TLS with the factory install TKS. I do not use it much but when I need it it really does the job. If you want "dispatch reliability" the TKS is worthwhile. Most of the time the ice is light and you can rely on the turbo to get up out of the clouds but on some occasions you get ice in the flight levels. If you already have a load from the climb out you do have a immediate problem. Having TKS makes flight planning easier and encounters with moderate ice less intense. I have had two other booted airplanes which I found to be adequate except for a surprise encounter with freezing rain. I have no idea how TKS works in freezing rain. A friend with a TLS and I flew wing tip to wing tip at the same power. He was able to get ahead of me but not by too much. I think the performance loss is 3-5 knots at 70% power. I am glad that the system was installed before I bought the airplane ($40K option in 1999). Like you I intend to keep the TLS for a long time. It certainly has maintenance issues which Textron should deal with but Textron is clearly interested in profit before a product they can be proud of. Good luck in your decision.

Personally I have never idled a turboed engine after a flight and I have been flying a turbo of one sort or another for 40 years. The 231s that do not have a waste gate, if taxied at high power might be able to turn the turbo fast enough to heat up the turbo but fairly unlikely. A very few pilots have to taxi up hill or over soft ground to their hangar or parking area and might need a short idle but the majority don't need to idle before shut down. Just my opinion.

I did not read the whole thread but my Bravo puffs a little white smoke at start and during operation. I attribute it to turbo seals. It is pretty hard to seal up the oil passage because of the temperature differentials the turbo operates under. When at normal operating temp he seals probably seal pretty well but at start up and taxi after landing the turbo core cools and the seals do not seal as well. Anyhow the problem is likely the turbo not the engine.

I will take a wild guess that the gear door hinge got bent. Try raising the gear a little at a time and examine the hinges on both sides.

Several have asked about the cost of the 750/345 install. It was north on 20K. I have sold most of the radio equipment that was removed so the net cost is around 18K. I also sent the HSI gyro and KI 256 to Aerolabs for overhaul. They had 1800 on them and never been out of the airplane. Bob Bramble said they were tired but did not require any special work or parts. I hope they will go another 1800. I looked at installing an Aspen but the cost of setting it up to run the KFC 150 just seemed to much. After flying steam gauges for 50 years I am not reluctant to rely on them. I installed the Sandia Quartto last year because I was flying to Cuba and the KI256 while not showing any bad signs had a lot of time on it. I felt it was a good decision when approaching Havana we got into Colorado level turbulence. I have not tried the 750 on any long trips as I am still trying to learn it. Pilot manual is 650 pages. It seems intuitive but about the time I think I have conquered it, I get handed some humble pie. I have been noticing that very few folks have yet complied with ADS-B. I see lots of FIS B traffic but not much tagged with an N number. The 345 passed the check ride as I mentioned in another thread. I should say that the radio shop did the install wiring well, but on the day I went to pick the airplane their were so many problems I had to leave it for another day. During the radio installation I sent the entire fuel system in for overhaul. As with the gyros the fuel system was original. In the past I could fly lean of peak but not without a small amount of roughness. After the overhaul I have found the engine runs smoothly lean of peak and idles down to around 500 RPM without difficulty. One query I have for the Garmin owners is what database works out best. I was going to go with Jepp as I travel the Caribbean and Latin America. In the past I have gotten a Jepp trip kit but I thought I might splurge for the Americas Jepp database. The radio shop said the key to open up the 750 to Jepp was 2K. I am now reconsidering that idea. I wondering what other folks have done. I think the 2K unlock is a recent development and maybe it will go away after Jepp thinks of a way to put some pressure on Garmin. Anyhow I would appreciate your thoughts. Sorry this thread got hijacked so badly but if anyone is still reading this I would appreciate your input.

13 yrs and 1600 hrs. Many10s of thousands of dollars.

Just to give you some hope. I installed a 750+345 two weeks ago and after completion flew up to Steamboat Springs at 12.5K. Made a couple of heading changes and started an instrument approach. Based on that I got a positive report from the FAA and filed for the rebate which has been approved. I have not gotten the check yet. I hope it is before inauguration day. If you download the Public ADS-b Performance Report it seems to be useless information except any failures are coded red. If you pass that test you need to download a GA Incentive Requirements Status Report and use the number on it to claim the rebate . A lot of hassle for a the equivalent of a tank of gas.

Left behind from the vandalism are a KT 76C transponder (pictured above) and a KN 72 VOR/LOC converter. Both are available with connectors,tray or mounting bracket. Either would make an excellent gift for your aluminum mistress. KT 76C slides into a the earlier King transponder tray. The 750/345 equipment seems to be working OK. I flew up to Steamboat Springs last week which was enough to allow me to get the $500.00 rebate (rule airspace above 10K). All that paper work is done, approved and I am waiting for the check.

I parked my TLS next to a radio shop a few weeks ago and forgot to lock it up. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED.

I have been using Strikefinders or Stormscopes since the the 90's. I had a Stratus and found the weather it provided invaluable in some ways but when the chips were down current lighting data was what I relied on. You are required to learn to interpret the data and they does take awhile but I think going ahead would be to your benefit. I had a T210 with a srtikefinder in it and flew it for 15 years. There were many occasions that it prevented excessive sweating.

I am having a 750 installed at this time. I shopped around some and think a 650 should not cost more than 11K installed unless your airplane has an unusual problem that will make the install difficult.

I assume the new Mooney CEO spoke during the convention. Did he say anything worth repeating? I normally make the convention but this year I am getting the plane 2020 compliant.

I calibrated mine while flying but I had the KI 256 as a reference. An hour or so of putting the plane on jacks and leveling it will fix the problem. Someone commented about the floating Artificial Horizon. The fix for that is software package 1.6. You have to exchange the unit. These units work just fine once you get the bugs out.

Sorry for the delay. I needed to go to the hangar to remove the KI256 for overhaul. The 155A with GS I will sell for $1500.00 The 155a with localizer only with the KI 203 indicator I will sell for $1500.00. The KT76C I will sell for $700.00. I also have a Stratus 2S, model number PRX V2. I bought this used from a friend a few months ago. It has hardly been used maybe 100hrs total. I will sell for $550.00. I will not ship outside the US for any of this equipment. SOLD 10/26/16

Plane goes to the shop tomorrow for a Garmin 750 and 345. Have to make room for them by removing KLN94, KX155A w/GS, K203 Indicator, KT76C transponder, KX 155A no glideslope, The The VHF radios and transponder are original factory equipment. The KLN94 was a slide in replacement for a 89. Everything works well and looks great. Plane is a 1999 and has always been hangared. I will update this thread shortly with prices. The KLN94 may be spoken for but I do not have a check yet. The airplane has 1800hrs on it. Lonestar makes a converter that will step up your 12V to 28V. Chief Aircraft was advertising for around $400.00. UPDATE KLN 94 SOLD Both KX155A SOLD KI 203 SOLD STILL AVAILABLE KT76C Transponder and KN 72 VOR Converter. Thanks to all for their interest.

Transition training is worth the time and expense. I flew Mooneys for 15 years or so then moved to Beech and T210. Had been away from Mooneys for 15 years when I bought a TLS. Took me 10 hours or so to get used to the heavy Mooney and the 4 degree nose high attitude. Flare takes some getting used to. Good Luck!

Good job of explaining the features. I have a PS450 and have enjoyed it. The problem is remembering some of the features that you do not often use and then figuring out which buttons to push.

I have been considering an MT. A friend has one on a Skywagon. Took the prop in for an overhaul. The prop shop rebuilt the hub and sent the blades to MT in Fla. for overhaul. My friend was billed about $2K/blade for the blade inspection and blade overhaul. MT says the blades have an infinite life but do require inspection and overhaul. Just a datapoint.

Do you notice the nose to be a little lighter in the flare (easier to hold nose wheel off when CG is forward?

I think I read about this on Avweb.

I voted for other. Here are the suggestions for M models. Put a coil spring around the gear donuts. Idea is to provide more support and maybe a higher gross weight (3550 gross would be an acceptable). Probably would take some tweaking to keep airplane from bouncing. Hopefully would help the donuts last a few more years (I get about 6 years on a set now). Beech Staggerwing could serve as an example. Put the Acclaim wing tips on the M20Ms. Lower the stall speed a few knots so the flap gap seals could be installed and the gross weight increased. Need more lift to reduce stall? Use the Mustang flaps. Mooney should have the drawing around. Maybe look at some of the later prop designs. Consider that almost all of the users cruise in the high teens or low 20's. More takeoff thrust and better ROC would be better than higher cruise speed at 25k. Why would Mooney want to compete with the Acclaim? It would not but a few M owners might be able to sell their M's for a higher price and be able to purchase a new Acclaim.

Seems like a great idea. The challenge is finding 6 compatible pilots who have the skills to handle the airplane properly and are willing to train to maintain their skills. Over the years this idea has been tried many times and usually fails.

My experience of over forty years of flying weather, lots of it over the Rockies, I would offer this advise. In moderate ice which you do not encounter all the time, you need a turbo to get the power to give you at least 700fpm or so rate of climb. Since many times you are only getting light ice your climb rate can be less and the risk of falling from the sky not that high. If you want dispatch reliability you need a de/anti iced turboed airplane that you are proficient in flying. Experience counts for a lot in dismal weather. For those who do not think the turbo is necessary, I can remember crossing Indiana in December and bumping into freezing rain in my "booted" T210. The boots did not help much but the turbo saved the day. You do not need the turbo often but when you need it there is no substitute. I have owned a FIKI Bravo for more than a decade and wish it had more useful load but when the weather gets bad I love the heavy equipment. BTW turbo pilots need O2 so make sure you have some on board. One other thought. If you have a weather capable airplane the maintenance must be impeccable. Most of the time you are riding along in VFR wondering why you are spending a ton to maintain all this equipment. Then the weather gets bad and you remember why. In other words you only need this stuff once in a while but without it you gotta stop or not start.