donkaye, MCFI

My Castleberry was still going strong after I'm not sure how many years before it was removed for my panel upgrade. Top Gun has it and would probably give you a good deal on it.

Trek, It's nice to see you have signed up for this list. I'm sure as people find out how knowledgeable you are about all the Garmin products you will be getting as many questions over here as on the Beechtalk list. Welcome aboard!

I sold mine to Top Gun when I upgraded. Their number is : 209-983-8082.

Not a poor choice of words. If I understand you correctly, you are doing exactly what you said--a no no to my way of thinking. Notwithstanding a dangerous way to descend, you would be in such a high nose attitude so as not to be able to see ahead of you and thereby create a "hazardous attitude" in more ways that one. Also, to get in that situation there had to be very poor descent planning. There are much, much better ways to descend in an emergency or otherwise.

My friend, you are playing with fire that can get you into BIG trouble if you are doing that in a Mooney. Please, nobody on this list should EVER consider doing that. The laminar flow wing has a much higher slope on the backside of the power curve than the non laminar flow airplanes and your rate of descent can quickly get out of control.

You've got to be kidding! The backside of the power curve on laminar flow wings such as the Mooney is much steeper than those of the non laminar flow variety. Small changes in pitch can have a large effect on descent rate. The correct approach airspeed in my airplane, a Bravo, can vary as much as 10 knots on final depending on weight. Because of the above, I always calculate my landing weight on approach for "proper" airspeed, but having an AOA would be a much simpler and more accurate way of determining what is "proper" for best performance for all landing configurations if the AOA is configured properly. I expect to buy one from Alpha Systems when their new units become available sometime later this month.

On the website: "A New Fleet of AOAs are Coming Soon".

I was going to get one installed during my current upgrade, but Mark from Alpha Systems said to wait until later this month as they are coming out with a whole new group of indicators. Go look at their website for a teaser... Home | Alpha Systems - AOA

Read it all. Thinking about giving up flying IMC after reading the article by Cliff Biggs. ;-). Phil, what would it take to be listed for Mooney Specific Instruction, as you know I have been instructing primarily in Mooneys for the past 20 years and in 9,685 hours of total time have 5,370 hours teaching of which 4,180 have been in all models of Mooneys from the A to the TN? My website? http://www.donkaye.com

I personally retract them at gear speed because the airplane can be slowed to flap and approach speed comfortably without them, and it would not be as efficient an approach having them deployed to touchdown because more power would be required during the approach. I do "pop" them on touchdown, just like the Commercial Airliners do with their spoilers. They are effective until about half the touchdown speed from my experience, so why not use them. Besides they look "cool".

I'm currently upgrading my panel and am putting in the Garmin GTX 330ES. My installer is configuring it to be controlled by either the 750 or 650 or the unit itself. So the answer is yes.

I love the iPad, but if I'm flying IFR on a challenging day, there's no way I would trade that easy to use $15,000 aviation dedicated and certified GPS for an iPad.

My airplane has been in the avionics shop for the past 4 months so my total for 2013 was quite a bit less than usual. Total for 2013 was 293.7 hours.

Actually, you're right. They would be much more valuable on the models with the lower gear speeds. I have to say, though, that after hearing groans from airline pilots on the radio when told that they will be following a Mooney in on final to San Jose, its sort of fun to key the mike and say, "C'mon now, 170 knots on final isn't going to slow you down", and hear not a word for the rest of the final. I'll slow down to 160 at 5 miles, hit the speed brakes, slow within a couple of seconds to 140, lower the gear, a couple of seconds later at 110 go to full flaps and touch down like the airliners at the 1,000 foot stripe.

I did a writeup on speed brake usage some time ago, that may be of interest. http://www.donkaye.com/donkaye.com/Use_of_Speed_Brakes.html

Same plug type, I didn't change them, RHB37E

If you're getting the G500, then having the second GPS IS worthwhile, since if the 1st one goes out the second one will feed the G500 in its place. If spending this much money on a new panel, I would go ALL IN and get EVERYTHING you could possibly want $$$ be damned.

By far the Advanced Pilot Training Course was one of the most valuable courses I have ever taken. There just isn't enough basic engine management training in the usual curriculum of pilot training. The TIO540AF1B engine now costs $61,000 for a reman. While LOP operations are great for the Continental and even the non turbocharged Lycomings, I am not going to spend any more time trying to figure out how it might be done on my engine after the amount of time I spent on it in the past. No one including the GAMi folks have a good handle on it. It could be the pressurized Slick Mags with their lousy plastic gears creating the issue. Anyway, yes, I do believe in the physics of it. Right now I'm waiting patiently to get my airplane back from the avionics shop where it has been for the past loooong 4 months. Luckily, I've still been doing a lot of cross country flying helping people who have recently purchased Mooneys learn to fly them. There finally seems to be an uptick in the number of people buying these airplanes.

I had GAMIs installed in ADA. Jean Paul flew with me to establish the GAMI spread. It ended up at about .3 or .4. With the mags I had at the time I was able to fly LOP, but still at only 1 power setting. It was a while ago so I only remember that 2200 RPM worked and nothing higher. MP didn't make much difference as expected LOP. After a mag change, I was never able to run LOP again. The timing was double checked and it was correct. The TIT would peak go down and with continued leaning start up again. It became a process in futility. I know of one only Bravo engine that has successfully run LOP. I do not recommend it with the turbocharged TIO540AF!B engine. I've had my plane now for 21 years and am at 1,000 hours on the second engine. The first one was exchanged for a reman at 2,300 hours. We ran it over TBO because the Bravo conversion was done at 1,300 hours. I now run ROP at between 1600 and 1625 TIT. This gives 19 gal/hr for the first hour and 18 gal/hr thereafter at 29/2400 or 75% power. Into the wind I will run up to 31/2400 or 80% power. Run any higher power settings and expect to buy a new engine before TBO. Cylinder #1 runs the hottest and I haven't been able to get it much below 400°F at 17,000 in the summertime by trailing the cowl flaps a bit. Don Kaye, MCFI

I have spent the past 8 months reviewing products, deciding upon, choosing an avionics shop and authorizing the project for my avionics upgrade after my EFIS 40 failed, so I think I know the current market pretty well. While the deed is done for you regarding upgrading the airplane, I would have recommended that you buy a Bravo, since they are being given away in this market, and after my type of avionics type upgrade you would have had an airplane almost as fast as an Acclaim that would have cost 2.5 times as much, and possibly not had WAAS. Since that is water under the bridge at this point, here is my take on your situation. Although you are concerned about the cost of the project, if funds are available, you are much better off doing the whole project all at once from an overall cost savings point of view. This is what I did to my Bravo: G500 with SVT, GAD43e, GTN 750, GTN 650, GMA 35, GTX 330ES, GTS 800 (get the Diversity unit), GDL 88 (non diversity, since I got the diversity GTS 800), GDL 69A, WX 500, ESI 2000, MVP-50. I kept my KN 63 DME, KFC 150 and Shadin Miniflo-L. Reasons: I wanted the remote audio panel because of the ease of use and functionality vs the GMA 350. If the 750 fails, it fails to Com 2 automatically. Sell the 430 (you can get a pretty good price for it now) and put in the GTN 650 for your number 2 radio. The sales price of the 430 plus the KX 155 will go a long way towards paying for the 650. When you get the G500, if the 750 fails, the 650 would take its place for continued operation of the G500 which depends on WAAS GPS for operation. The GTX 330 ES will only allow you to be an ADS-B "Participant" when combined with the GTN 750. You still need a receiver to display it. The Certified solution to that is the GDL 88 or non certified solution is the GDL 39. Get the GDL 88 for the total solution. The GTS 800 feeds the GDL 88, correlates the data and sends it to be displayed on the 750/650. This would give you Garmin's TargetTrend display, which would not be available with only the GTS 800. I chose the MVP-50 over the JPI because it has soooo much more functionality. The penalty is that the display of the 930 is much better and the 930 gives "fuel to destination" instead of only "fuel to waypoint". All engine instruments are replaced with either. I chose the GTX 330 ES instead of the remote GTX 33 because I like the additional functions displayed on the non remote unit. Both the 750 and 650 can control the 330ES. Finally, my 796 is staying on the yoke in spite of all the above. Since I got rid of my number 2 nav head, in an emergency where the G500 went black, the 796 would get me down with the assistance of the backup ESI 2000 and 750/650 . Also with the GDL 39 (I'm keeping one in the front pocket and wiring it to power) ADS-B traffic and weather becomes available on both it and an ipad through bluetooth. If you have any questions regarding the above, ask away. Don Kaye, MCFI

I just can't imagine why in the world you would sell the 796? My installation of the G500/750/650 and too many other things to mention is just about complete and the 796 will stay on the yoke. Nearly everything the panel will be able to do the 796 can do faster except fly the plane. It's my primary source for approach plates and weather along with "what if" scenarios for weather diversions. Of course as a bi-product it serves me well as a flight instructor by normalizing the avionics in all airplanes in which I teach.

There is NO way I would give up on the handheld GPS. Before I did my avionics panel upgrade it was my primary MFD and even with the G500 and GTN 750 and 650 it will stay on the yoke. I do a lot of ferrying all over the country and I would decline a trip if for some reason the 796 were not operational. The same could not be said for a faulty ipad. That goes for the 696 which I had previously. Everything in one place, easily accessible without switching programs like you have to do with the ipad. ADS-B weather is "adequate" but XM just outshines it with many more useful functions. BTW the regular Aviator version of XM does have freezing levels. For me the ipad is backup for charts. Although the aviation programs are nice on it, the Garmin handheld is all around so much better as to not even be considered a competitor from my point of view. Don Kaye, MCFI

I can't imagine NOT owning an airplane, and yet for a good part of my life I didn't. Thank goodness for Flying Magazine and that picture of the TLS on its cover back in 1990. I've still kept that issue. It's been 21 years and over 9,300 flight hours later and my life has never been the same. I don't fly FOR a living. I fly for living. I can't imagine a more exciting and at most times peaceful way to wile away the hours than up in the air. I am fortunate in having had a mentor flight instructor who talked me into getting my CFI. As a result, I've met so many interesting people I never would have come in contact with and had adventures unimaginable in another way of life. If you really have a passion for the air, find a way to make it happen for you. I don't think It really works to live vicariously through someone else when you can have the experience yourself.

The Bravos are being given away at ridiculously low prices. This would be a good time to buy one. The low resale value was one of the reasons I spent what did on the upgrade to my airplane. After adding the cost of the upgrade, trading for an Acclaim that wasn't as well equipped would have still cost twice as much, so it seemed like a good investment to me. While I'm planning on keeping my airplane indefinitely, were I to sell it there is no doubt in my mind that I would get back everything that I put into it because I don't think there is a Bravo out there that has this avionics package in it, and someone would HAVE to have it. At least if it were me, I would choose my airplane before any other one, however, I might be just as little prejudiced...

There may be a good reason to keep the second GPS if you have a G500 or are thinking of getting one. Should one of the GPS units fail, the other unit would keep the G500 going. Regarding the use of the GTN 750 vs the GNS 530 to pull up procedures; at most there are 2 button pushes, and they can be done so rapidly that I'll bet I can get an approach set up as quickly as on the 530. In other regards it is so much more superior that it would be hard to know where to start with the extra benefits. For one though, the topo map is soooo much better for situational awareness.