Awful_Charlie

Is that 2200hrs TTSN (or since overhaul) or 2200hrs TIS Erik? I seem to remember there was a rather unkind name for another forumite here, we wouldn't want you to become "Crusty Underdungers" or similar!

Fuel is coming down here too In Switzerland, car gas is about CHF1.35 a litre, diesel a little more. Over the border in France (where I'm hangared) last months avgas was EUR1.53 a litre - hopefully another 5 or 10 cents cheaper this month

Gorgeous aircraft, lovely equipment (although I'd have to add TKS to use it here) Let me have a grovel down the back of the sofa and see what I can pull together.....

I've never looked after shutdown, except at oil change time, by which time it's pretty black!

Reminds me of Ray Hanna https://youtu.be/Xf3UtmHLKUU

I have no problems with cold starts, it's the hot ones that get me. For cold, prime with full mixture and throttle (I don't use the panel pump switch) for the book time, start counting after the pump drops in note as it comes under load. Turn the pump off by pulling the throttle all the way to closed, then two or three twists in. Beacon light on, holler out the window, have a looksie around, twist and push the key and it will start after a few blades. If it doesn't keep going, then not enough prime or not enough throttle, so do the same again only adding a couple of seconds of prime and/or an extras twist. Works for me ok down to about -10C, I haven't got much experience of many starts colder than that

For the reco lights, I had a word with my A&P,. and he was OK with me making the replacement bulbs: see this $3 each from fleabay! (and about 30 mins to cut them down and move the leads over) Note you have to bend the pins on the back of the bulb to the side so it fits into the assembly. Note it is a 12V bulb with a dropping resistor in the wingtip The compass light is a standard part: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/airpath_compass5.php Not terribly overpriced!

Note that the external power socket only charges battery #1 (the one on the left) - if you want to charge #2 then you either need to plumb in some leads or remove one of the side panels. However, if you're not managing to get a start out of two batteries even in the cold, I think there is something else that needs attention - mags, starter, leads, relays, possibly even your technique?

I have a pair of Alps masks which are pretty comfortable (not that I've tried any others mind you) although I tend to use canulas when below 18,000 (easier to eat & drink) They also work fine with my audio panel (G*rmin) and Bose headsets - the latter have Lemo plugs and plugging a jack of the mask mic in cuts out the Bose headset mic

I'm not sure, but have a feeling the L had a lousy useful load, and the TSIOL suffered from it too - anyone know some numbers?

Unfortunately more evidence emerging to make a bomb a greater probability

I understand it is normally the trim servo that causes the KAP150 to fail the self test. I also hear that the yoke disconnect switch if sometimes the cause of the problem, and 1) they are expensive, and 2) not really rated for the current they have to handle, consequently I'll normally use the button on the unit to disconnect

Get one from Mooney - great value for the price of about half a tank of fuel or half a day of A&P time You want a MAN1005A

its far from perfect in Europe (although I rarely get one as long as the Mooney is running), but long haul has for a long time since moved from "Trolly Dollies" to "Wagon Dragons"

Another one who bought an N registered aircraft and left it on there. When I looked into it, the cost alone made it preferable to leave it there, compare: A. Commercial flight to UK, FAA IFP exam at Farnborough, trip to Adam House for 61.75 issue, CAA verification fee, two days hire car and leave from the job & a BFR - vs - B. Strip and re-spray of upper fuselage to apply new registration and that is before A&P/LAE time, export CofAs, finding any mods/STCs that EArSA don't like and so on. Until the new 'Part M light' comes in for us, then there is also the CAMO stuff to contend with. I'm sure it will get there in time, but it's not all going to be quick. Even when it is all there, what are you going to do for EASA maintenance if you ever need any outside of EASA land, and are you going to keep the aircraft until the end of its life, or do you want to be able to sell it again?

Hope you're going to be doing a full series of retract tests after fitting it! Do you remember the one about the chap who put a quick-drain adapter on his engine, went flying to find retracting the gear dumped the oil? Small changes can have a big effect

I'll have a 430 (non-W) coming available soon-ish, unit will be removed by Avionik Straubing near Munich and they can tag to suit. PM for more if this suits

Not sure how they lasted that long - the previous owners must have had something to do with it, as I only had the last five years of them. I don't have external power in my hanger, but use a battery minder on a generator when I'm pottering about, and alternated with a third battery for the last couple of year (one at home on a battery minder and two in service) frequently abused as in left for a month without usage, frozen in the winter, baked in the summer, only things I avoided were long cap checks to less than 50%capacity, and did a check of the fluid levels twice a year

I got about 10 years out of both my Gills - it's on the board here somewhere. Replaced about a year ago with one Gill and 8 months ago with one Concorde - time will tell if the extra cost of the Concorde is worth it

What are you guys doing to your bulbs? I'm still on the bulbs that the 'plane came with 5 years ago

Total Aero DM 15W-50, with one bottle of Camguard added to a 20litre (~5 USG) drum for me. http://204.92.52.209/lubricants/pdf/E27_LUBRICATION_SOLUTIONS_2014-05_EN.pdf 15W-50 as by the Mooney manual it is that or 20W-50, although the Lycoming spec (that covers all engines -http://www.lycoming.com/Portals/0/techpublications/serviceinstructions/SI%201014M%20(05-22-1995)/Lubricating%20Oil%20Recommendations.pdf ) allows a monograde, and Total as that is easily obtainable here, Camgaurd as sometimes it happens I don't get to fly for a month and I value my camshaft! Three or four oil changes per year, always with a new filter and cut open the last, and usually with oil analysis. Strainer screen is a job for my A&P at annual. Being a frequent visitor to FL180+, and using the aircraft all year, it simplifies life having one oil that can cope with +45C on the ground to -45 in the air without issues. It also makes it easier to top up in the winter when the monogrades can be like jello

Send your regulator off for new seals - both times I have had a slight loss of pressure over time the new seals have fixed it. The regulator should be checked every few years anyway, and the check includes replacing the seals

I track my oil consumption too. Normally about 0.15-0.22 litres (near as dammit equal to quarts) per hour. I *think* there might be a correlation in the use of high boost at high altitude (ie running sustained 34" at FL250 will be a higher consumption than 34" at 2000', and likewise 34" at FL250 will burn more than 30" at FL250, the latter is pretty obvious, the former maybe not so). Running Total AeroDM 15W50 with 1 pint of camguard in 20 litres of oil. Also note that the consumption increases (nearly doubles) over the life of the oil

I figured 25 lbs for 2 pumps, manifold, regulator, filters & the KI256. Yep, some of that will go back with the KI300, but I haven't seen a weight for that yet. The breakdown was: Primary Vac pump: 9lbs at stn -2 Secondary Vac pump 12lbs at stn 110.4 KI256 3lbs at stn 17.4 Misc regulators/filters/manifold - say 3 lbs at stn 15 Most of those figures are from the schedule in the POH. The net change to the CofG will be in the region of 0.1" further forward (which is the wrong way, but way compensated for if I go MT prop)