Awful_Charlie

Quote: flight2000 I don't know, I actually think it won't be that bad in turbulence and it's just a way to justify NOT getting the new systems.

For cruise descents I just use 5nm per 1000' as it keeps the arithmetic easy. Bump it up a bit with a good tail wind, shorten it a bit for a headwind. One or my regular legs is a FL180 cruise, I need to be below 2000' for my local pattern. 16,000 feet to lose, = 80nm. To start with I'll maintain the altitude and pull a couple of inches at say 82nm, then call ATC for descent. It my descent gets delayed, then I'll sneak another inch or two in a few minutes and repeat as required. Assuming the descent comes immediately, just pitch down to towards the top of the green, and in a Bravo you get something like 165KIAS at 24" and 700FPM. If you've been stealing MP 'cos they delayed your descent, nothing less than say 18" and pitch down for the same IAS. If you got *really* delayed, then it's speedbrake time. In the descent keep stealing the odd inch and monitor distance to run, and when it comes in perfect it ends up levelling with 5nm to run, 18" and the speed coming back to about 100-120, good enough to drop the gear overhead on on downwind. I nornally open the cowl flaps when I drop the gear, as otherwise I find the CHTs on the rise again. Do watch out for your terrain clearance though!

If you have plenty of time, some of these are quite good too: http://www.pprune.org/atc-issues/59309-atc-humour-merged.html

The EC is the Engine Constant, and depends on the compression ratio (the EC will be between 12 and 15). You also need to set the rated HP of the engine, and then with the outside/induction temperatures, and the fuel flow, it should be able to work out the HP being generated. I'm not sure it is sufficiently smart to work out the correct figure when both LOP and ROP though, I think it just does the ROP calculation (maybe someone knows better, or can find out easily?) Ben

Sold to the nice chap with the nice Belgian registered Mooney! A pleasure to meet you, hope you had a great flight home Ben

I've got a set here (in Europe) of the 3" extensions that I removed from the left seat - at 6'1" I don't need them! Wanna make me an offer Ben

My Bravo has one (for the wingtips) in the avionics bay, on the back of the baggage bulkhead, and one for the tail strobe on the back of an inspection panel underneath the empennage (just forward of the trim hinge) Ben

Can't be an exact help to you I'm afraid, as my MX20 is talking to a 480, but I *believe* my MX20 was updated to the latest release not so long ago, which is on the label as 5.7 I'll have to go to the aircraft to see what version it reports when it powers up with, but that won't be for a while I'm afraid, as w*rk is getting in the way! Ben

I don't know which kit you have in your aircraft, but in my TLS it is the 895-08015 from here: http://www.avoxsys.com/pdf/products/cylinder-and-regulator-assemblies/895-series-composite-cylinder-and-regulator-assemblies.pdf There is a small flow at ground level, which increases with altitude Ben

Just a few thoughts, although I've no experience of this directly (and not an A&P) Have you checked the drive into the governor by removing it and turning the engine over slowly by hand and looking in the end of the governor drive? If there is no drive there then I'm afraid you are into a teardown, but it is a simple low cost check, and verifies the internal bits associated with getting the drive from the camshaft to the governor. Is there anyone on your field you could do a prop/governor swap with, just to verify where the problem lies. The price of another governor overhaul will probably cover a days A&P time. I'm guessing the plug sounds a favourite, from the parts catalogue I have it looks like a 1 3/8" 71640. There is a 2" STD-1211 also listed, but I'm suspecting that is for the fixed pitch application. Good luck, let us know how you get on in due course Ben

Most of you being in the right continent may have seen these before, but this case reminded me of them

There is an interesting podcast on AvWeb - http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/AudioPodcast_LionelLavenue_FlightPrepFlightPlanning_PatentLaw_203826-1.html?kw=AVwebAudio that explains some of the issues. I have heard from a reliable source that part of the problem is that the owner of FlightPrep is the chap who originally wrote what is now Jepp FlightStar, and for a full time job is an Attorney. I don't like it any more than anyone else here, but think some caution is advised Ben

Quote: Igor_U Ben, Article I had in mind is this one: http://cafefoundation.org/v2/pdf_tech/MPG.engines/AIAA.1980.1847.B.H.Carson.pdf There is no such limitation for Part 91 flying and (my) insurance company has nothing to say. However, I normally not fly above 10-11k ft unless going far and high over mountains (14,000 MEA). That is the only time I would fly at Carson speed as it is equal to my plane’s max cruse speed. Having said that: I see you fly Bravo… and dare to say you fly (or should) at or close to Carson speed if you fly high, as Bravo is meant to be flown.:> I am not familiar to you best Glide speed but keep in mind that if you indicate 145 KT at FL200 (standard atmosphere) your True speed is 200KT and at FL250 true speed is 216KT. I would be interested to know Vg for M20M; due to higher gross weight it should be significantly higher than 105 mph for my M20F. Regards, Igor

There is a good article here: http://www.db.erau.edu/research/cruise/piston.frame.html for getting the range out of fuel. I wouldn't use it unless I needed to avoid the stop, or there wasn't one available, as although you can save some cash on the fuel, engines are still TBO at 2000 hours, and the check still comes at 100 hours. It doesn't make any difference if you do those hours at max cruise or most economical, anything with a flight hours limitation is going to have to be replaced/serviced/reduce in value. Your insurance company might have something to say too if you want to increase your hours by a considerable factor, and as has already been pointed out, if you're gonna go real slow, get a brand C or brand P machine, or take the car! Ben

I'm a TKS user - about 10-20galls a year for 100-150 hours. As previously noted, you need to run the system once in a while to keep the membranes wet, so I it turn it on once a month or so if there's been no need to use it in the interim. I tend to do this in the cruise on the outbound flight, so it doesn't drip it on my hangar floor when I get home! Running it when the temperature is warm means the fluid is too thin to get all the way through the panels, and doesn't seem to be as effective to get to all the membrane. I'm normally using it to get through a layer and climb on top, and then again to descend back down again. You really need to have the panels primed before going into icing conditions. Without this you are going to have a tough time getting the ice to shed until you get out of freezing conditions. If need be, I'll prime on the ground before despatch, and then top up before I start up to launch, as a good prime can get through 1/2 gallon if it hasn't been used for a while. I might then lob a 5 litre bottle in the baggage bay so I can get to somewhere that sells it if I'm going more than an hour or two from my home base (It's not that common over here, and even more difficult outside M-F 9-5) For the OP, surprised you were getting problems at -29C, there's not a lot of moisture left at those temperatures, the worst range seems to be in the 0 to -10 area, but if you're into freezing rain, then all bets are off, to the point the system might not be able to cope with it at all - then it is time to get out and fast, even to the point of declaring an emergency. I would normally be looking to get through the bad range and into -15 or colder to reduce the icing and hence the fluid usage. Having got out of the high risk zone, I'll then cycle the pump between normal and off if still in IMC to keep the tail totally clear and the system primed ready for a descent, but monitor the build up on the landing lights and wing tips. The drawback of going high this time of year seems to be that the Bravo heater struggles to keep up when you get into colder than -40 or so, and then getting ice on the inside of the screens and windows starts to become an issue, wish someone had an easy fix for this - anyone?

Shop around! I had a similar problem in Europe at the beginning of the year, Atelier Bigata wanted over 1300 EUR and trawling around found a variety of (excessive) prices and turnaround times. I ended up with Zodiac Aerospace in the UK, who turned it around in a week (one of the shortest times quoted) for GBP350 and were helpful all the way through Ben

Thank you Stacey I'll have to call next week, as the ignition key only has "RL" on it, but I'm pretty sure there is a number stamped into the face of the lock, which means a drive over to the hangar. Michael - I'm hoping this is going to be a one off job, so having sorted this out, I'm not too worried about having keys from different sources Thanks again Ben

I'm having great trouble finding someone in Switzerland who can cut me a spare set of keys. When I ask my Mooney dealer to order some blanks, they tell me it is not possible, and I can only get keys with a new lock set! Can anyone recommend a supplier? - the ignition is a Medeco and to door is a brass Chicago Lock Company - the latter will sell me a box of 50 which is a bit OTT! Ben

There is a spreadsheet for calculating HP and FF available from http://www.egtrends.com/LOPFFvsHP.xls I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it is in the right ballpark

Quote: Jeff_S Ah, interesting. The plane does have a "maintenance Hobbs meter" which is installed on the back bulkhead of the baggage compartment. Something to check into.

Wherever you choose, do make sure it is not downstream of the exhaust of the cowl outlets - the quantity of heat that comes from those regions, even when diluted, will introduce a gauge error you don't really want. I have an OAT probe in the starboard NACA duct on the fuselage which seems to be ok, unless left in the sun. The factory sender is way out on the lower side of the starboard wing between the outboard end of the fuel tank and the tank vent. hth Ben

Just a quick hello from a new joiner. I bought a Bravo nearly two years agoand have been looking for something like this, and just stumbled here where looking for something else! I live in Switzerland but due to EU regs and so on, find it easier to keep the aircraft an hours drive away at Habsheim in France. I used to run an elderly Arrow for about 10 years, and am now up to about 1700TT with and IR. Look forward to learning a lot more here! Ben