donkaye, MCFI

Many years ago I remember an organization promising to fund a real estate project I was working on. I felt it was worth the risk of the $5,000 upfront fee. Their interest rate was considerably lower than that of a known entity. I wishfully waited and waited, all the while the slick broker kept promising it was coming. I finally had the courage to give up on them and went with the known entity and completed a successful project. Do you guys get the message? For the past year and a half (after I got the initial bug worked out) I have enjoyed a remarkable first class next generation autopilot by a Company who puts out and supports great products. Can you "waiters" say the same thing? Life is passing you by.

So, success in life does inhibit flight instructing to some extent. I will not teach the Private because I am not in the plane at all times. Up until a year ago, I always was named an additional insured with waiver of subrogation. With tightening by the insurance companies, in spite of my experience, yearly Basic and Advanced Wings Program participation, being a Gold Seal CFI, a 10 time Master with both NAFI and SAFE (20 Years), due to age I have not been able to get the additional insured and waiver in most cases. I do have CFI Insurance with SAFE at a reasonable rate (a Group Policy) but there is a hull limit. I have had to turn down several transition trainings in the more expensive airplanes, in particular Mark Brandemuehl, which still makes me angry and sad at the insurance company. I just couldn't convince them to put me on his policy even with a prophetic email to them. I'm told he received very good instruction, so maybe training with me would not have made a difference in his outcome, but... I do love instructing. I've devoted the last 26 years of my life and over 6,300 hours to it, so I will continue to teach (and keep detailed records of what is done on each flight of any training) as long as I am in the airplane and it's cost would be mostly covered by my CFI policy.

Steve, you probably are already aware that the latest system update for the G500 TXi has a box for GPS Altitude above Terrain for Altitudes below 2,500 feet.

Do you really want an announcement above 70 feet? I could have had either, but chose the 70 foot one due to possible annoyance. ( Edit: After reading some of the comments, I changed to the 100' unit).

I thought I had it all. Then this. I just ordered one.

Yes. When I had the ESI 500, which was a great backup, I chose not to have the MAG500, but got heading from the G500 GMU 11. I didn't want to always have the 2 headings not align by a few degrees. In the unlikely event that the basic PFD fails, the reversion to TRK works just fine for the short amount of time necessary to get on the ground and have the main unit repaired.

That's actually a good thing. Switch off the G500/G500Txi and you still have your autopilot without Heading (unless you installed an extra GMU 11 with the G5). I've tested it and it works perfectly.

The display is not the important thing here. That message is relative to the GFC 500. So the AFMS for the GFC 500 is the place to look.

Time to read the manual. It is the default for PITCH. The other default is ROL for roll.

You're not going to fly automatic holding patterns without GPSS. It's so beneficial that I would immediately run down to your friendly avionics shop and have the DAC 31 installed. They're reasonably inexpensive, and after you use it for awhile, you'll wonder why you didn't get it sooner.

When it comes to airplanes, it's foolish to think in terms of resale value in my opinion. Figure the plane itself is worthless after you buy it. Then do whatever your pocketbook will allow to make the flying experience the best it can be. Having an autopilot like the GFC 500 is one of those luxuries. And if you did sell a plane where the GFC 500 comprised a good portion of the resale value, you don't think the plane would get back a good part of the cost, not even considering how much faster it would sell? I'm finding a lot better perspective on life comes with increasing age where time and doing the things that make you happy is much more valuable than money.

Yes, The AFMS details emergency procedures, the main one of which is to push the AP Disconnect Switch.

At this point in my flying career I go for efficiency, with that dependent on weather. Really knowing the VFR and IFR rules makes the decision fairly simple. If I'm going to San Diego, for example, from San Jose and the weather is good, to save time from filing a route to go around Lemoore NAS I'll pre-file IFR from LHS, a VOR just before LA Airspace, and go VFR to there where I pick up the IFR. I won't fly VFR in LA Airspace unless I'm working with a Student. Coming back I file IFR, then near LA ask for a direct route instead of the delay going V459. That is usually denied. I then ask for VFR on Top and often get it. If that is denied, I just cancel IFR, get Flight Following, and go the way I want to, assuming the weather is VFR. A couple of weeks ago I needed to go over to Reid Hillview to get the plane washed. The smoke was so thick that it was IFR and 2½ miles at San Jose. I asked for a special VFR over to KRHV. Usually that works well, since KRHV is only 5 miles from KSJC. After waiting 20 minutes, I gave up and got an IFR over there. That was one time I should have just filed in the first place. Bottom line, use both VFR and IFR and Special VFR in the most efficient manner to get you what you want in a safe manner. Note that when you change to VFR on Top on an IFR Clearance you give up something, the separation provided on a Hard Altitude IFR Clearance.

The M20C airspeed numbers in MPH can be used for the E, however, the MP numbers need to change to establish those speeds. For more detailed information go to my website and download the AirVenture 2019 Handout. (www.donkaye.com)

Well PilotFun101, you did a good job with your video, not so much with your demonstration of landing technique. This critique is from a flight instructor's point of view. You flew by the "seat of your pants", not in any way, shape or form with the precision or technique I like to teach. Basically you flew with no discipline. You worked too hard. This comes from flying an undisciplined pattern. In short your power settings were all over the chart, your gear timing and flap settings were inappropriate, your slope varied, your aim point was too long, and your transition speed was too fast so you touched down long. I've attached the way a disciplined pattern should be flown in the C Model. When you get the time, I'd like to see another video flown per the below description. Good luck. Very nice panel!

How often do you really think this would be a problem? How about rarely, if ever. I've had my GFC 500 for over a year now and never once had an issue with an ILS. This is like always flying a high final requiring a high descent rate because you're afraid of losing your engine, then more often screwing up the flare because of the unstable approach. It defies common sense. You missed out on a free install and a great autopilot. Did I know of the issue when I had mine installed? Yes, and I couldn't wait to have it installed. I haven't been sorry in the least.

Scan is so much easier than with the legacy instruments. It's all done in a single glance. Steep turns, sometimes difficult for some, can be flown to the foot with the flight path marker. Regarding first and second derivative of the position angle, the G500 TXi has a somewhat analog version with a needle that makes climbs and descents to a given altitude absolutely as simple as a standard VSI, which is key to smooth roundouts to an altitude. No other needles are really necessary to good IFR flying in my opinion. Now working on some Commercial Maneuvers are easier with analog instruments because you are looking at rate of movements of the needles to make maneuvers like the Chandelle and Lazy 8 work out perfectly. Rate of movement of number changes is more difficult. Check out the VSI below.

No way would I ever trade the G500 TXi for the older G3X. I don't care about the 2 way flight plan feature. I haven't ever needed nor will need a feature like that. Had Garmin thought it valuable, they would have included it in the later designed G500 TXi. It integrates with many more boxes to provide for future unknown additions, has a brighter screen, and its software is constantly being updated to bring new surprise features to it. With a little experience, while analog looking instruments may seem nice, they are totally unnecessary, and the tapes become automatic to read. The G500 TXi does, however, provide one nice feature which adds better clarity to climbs and descents, and that is a needle showing V/S.

This thread was originally talking approaches with vertical navigation. Someone brought up VNAV so I chimed in about that. With a baro-corrected altimeter and one of the GTN series GPSs and PFDs, VNAV is available with or without the GFC 500 and can be flown manually or on an autopilot such as the KFC 150 in V/S mode. With a non Garmin AP it just requires more work to follow the step-downs.

Again, I said a Baro-Corrected Altimeter Source was required for VNAV enroute descents on the GTNs and AP coupled VNAV descents for the GFC 500. This is independent of the AIM. It is dependent on what Garmin says works for their units.

Talking about VNAV not associated with approaches.

In a crosswind the nose wheel will be turned in the direction of rudder pressure. If you set the plane down with the rudder turned, the plane could start going in that direction.

Yes. Don't you notice the tendency to go right as you taxi with the rudder trim set for takeoff? It's also a potential issue when landing from a strong crosswind. Unlike some Cessnas, the rudder and nose wheel are interconnected. Also, why not use full rudder trim on takeoff. That's what it's there for; to correct for slipstream, torque, and p-factor effect.

That's a great price. Alex, I thought you were going to keep the KFC 150. What changed your mind?

Not that know of. Flew 15-17K and it didn't work.