donkaye, MCFI

In GPSS mode all works perfectly. In HDG, NAV, and APR I have been unable to completely eliminate "wing rock", especially when speeds are under 110 knots. WRT the GAD 43e which handles ALT Preselect and VS, unlike the digital APs like the GFC 700, altitudes are overshot by 40 or 50 feet, but do return to the preselected altitude after a time. This is within the specs of the KFC 150. I recommend getting both anyway. When the the GFC 600 is STC's for the Mooney, you have the option of going all out with a digital AP with many more functions that the KFC 150. I'll be first on the list for purchasing the new AP with its added versatility and safety features.

You are right about that. I have never really gotten the KFC 150 to work as well as I would like it to when interfaced with the G500. Plus, all the extra safety features being added are worth the cost to me. So, I'll be first in line when it gets approved. And just when I thought there would be nothing else that I could possibly want for the plane. The Bravo is the perfect plane for me compared to buying a turbine airplane. Fast enough, reasonably cost effective compared to a turbine, and when it comes to upgrading waaaay less cost to do an upgrade. Today, 2:45 San Jose to Ogden on the way, first to Sioux Falls to do a Training with a person having some difficulty with his landings, and then on to Oshkosh to talk Garmin into getting the GFC 600 STC'd for the Mooney .

I am and will push for Mooney going to the top of the list.

A 75% power my CHTs are around 360° max without opening the cowl flaps. I have the MVP-50 on highest CHT and EGT so I monitor it closely and often.

Some AC is better than none, but I haven't found it to be as effective as it should be. Except for training, the Turbocharged Mooneys can get to cool air in about 10 minutes in the hot country.

Not me. Those with an Acclaim would be lusting after mine...except for the little extra speed of the Acclaim.

Yes.

My numbers on the 231 say at 75% power ROP it's 13 gph compared to the Bravo at 18 gph at 75% power.

This was a Mooney? Were you headed straight down?

Going Eastbound at 17,000 feet (my comfortable altitude) with typical tailwinds, I usually see speeds between 225 and 245 knots at 75% power. You will not be seeing those kinds of speed in a non Rocket K Model. The only time I saw a lot better was a coupled of months ago ferrying an Acclaim back to Chicago. At FL190 I saw 264 knots for most of the flight.

My 1st engine went to 2295 hours after the Bravo conversion at 1300 hours. On the 2nd engine I've had to pull 2 cylinders for leaky intake valve guides. The plane was down for a couple of weeks for that. The Bravo is the steal of the Century right now IMHO having owned mine for the past 25 years. I've flown and taught in nearly every model Mooney and the Bravo is second only to the Acclaim at 4-5 times the price. To me it would be important to get one without the G1000 with its associated upgrade issues, and upgrade it to the greatest extent you can afford. I upgraded my avionics past any Acclaim out there. (They still cannot get TargetTrend, one of the most valuable items to have as part of your traffic solution).

I should mention that Page 8 of the Precision Flying Handout is the most important page you will ever read on the mechanics of aircraft control. When I completely understood that page I knew I had the edge over any instructor out there who did not teach that method of aircraft control, and to this day, after giving nearly 6,000 hours of flight instruction, that still holds true. If you understand that page, you can make perfect landings every time.

Those principles came from my mentor instructor, Bob Goldin, an aeronautical engineer, who created an eleven page handout that he use to give out at the Mooney PPP and which I modified and put on my website. Those were the good old days at the Mooney PPPs where creativity flourished. Before I installed my AOA, I DID do the calculations necessary to arrive at the appropriate airspeed on final. I could do it in a couple of seconds knowing the zero fuel weight of the plane, adding back in the remaining fuel to get the airplane's landing weight, and then making the adjustments called for on page 11 of the handout. (On my website click on Mooney Homecoming 2016 Handout and download it. Open the PDF, click on Bookmarks, and then click on Precision Flying with Don Kaye, then scroll to Page 11 for all the details)

In a steady headwind absolutely no reason to add any speed on approach. As Ken said, less energy on touchdown means less potential problems. Regarding steady crosswinds, that is another story. I personally don't want any more crab on final than about 15°. That sometimes means more speed is required. One of the worst crosswind situations I have encountered was coming into KSJC a number of years ago as a strong cold front was passing through. It was pretty close to a 90° crosswind at 35 knots. I had to run final at 105 knots with no flaps. I touched down at that speed and gradually reduced power while adding right aileron. With that speed on touchdown, then continually slowing and holding the runway with aileron, had I come to a point where the plane started to drift, I could immediately add power and go around. Luckily that wasn't necessary. The runway is at sea level and at the time 4,500 feet long. That was adequate. This isn't to say I recommend everyone land at 100 knots in 35 knot crosswind. You need to fly the plane onto the runway to prevent bouncing. So a lot of practice is in order.

I posted the question on Beechtalk where a person from the Garmin team hangs out. Here is his response:

Well, this is a little confusing. The statement a few posts above says the G5 requires a WAAS GPS, but says you can use the internal GPS with certain antennas, one of which is not a WAAS antenna. ???

So the G5 requires a WAAS GPS source. It can be the WAAS GPS inside the G5 with the proper antenna.

The ESI 500 accepts a 429 input from the G500 heading source. That's how I have mine set up. In my opinion and after much research in the matter when I updated my panel, there is no comparison between the fully loaded ESI 500 and all the other current backups out there for GA aircraft under 6000 pounds. Once again, you get what you pay for. It would be nice if it could interface to the KFC 150, but I doubt that is in the cards.

Thank you. I spent months researching everything on the market and reading all the manuals--even to things I didn't buy like the JPI 930. The MVP 50 is just a better product for my needs. My avionics guru spent a month putting together the wiring diagrams to interface everything properly, then did the install single handedly except for installing the "antenna farm". Everything worked perfectly the first time. My only issue, and still is to a very limited extent, is the GAD43e AP interface and that is not his fault. Notice how he even put in the ESI 2000 so the horizon matched the G500. Since the picture, I swapped out the ESI 2000 for the ESI 500 and the GTX 330ES for the GTX 335. I wanted the Navigation of the ESI 500 and the display of the GTX 335. I also added the Alpha Systems AOA. Even the latest Acclaims off the line can't do everything this panel does.

Thumbs up!!

I flown nearly all Mooney models extensively and the Bravo is superior to all but the Acclaim going for between 4 and 8 times the Bravo cost depending on how new the Acclaim is. The current market for Bravos makes absolutely no sense to me. They're a total steal.

I've had my Bravo for 25 years. Been through one engine replacement in 2004. At that time my all in cost for a remain installed with all new hoses and refurbished engine mount was $65,000 with the engine costing $50,000. Expect a new remain now to be in the neighborhood of $60,000 plus remove and replace plus new hoses and refurbished mount. So I'd plan on spending $75,000 if you want a reman. For an overhauled engine figure about $7,000 less. I wanted the zero time engine so went with the reman. Yearly annual typically runs about $6,000 at a Mooney Service Center if you don't have anything major wrong. The proper inspection alone is supposed to take 31 hours. The G1000 airplanes are great as long as they belong to someone else. I like the option of being able to upgrade my panel to my liking when I want. As mentioned above you cannot do that with a G1000 airplane. You are at the mercy of Mooney and Garmin. I did update my panel 3 years ago, and I think it is still a state of the art certified airplane--not one legacy instrument. And there is a lot going on behind that panel like Stormscope, GTS 800 Active Traffic, GMA35c audio panel, GDL 69A, GDL88, FS 210, FS 510, GAD 43e AP interface with Altitude Preselect and DME. A dream panel to fly behind. The only thing that would be nice to have is the GFC 700 Garmin AP. With it there would be no need to adjust altitude with altimeter setting changes.

In the Bay Area there will often be 20 to 30 targets on the screen. No way you can tell me you are going to be able to stay up with that amount of traffic by looking out the window. Now looking out the window without traffic may make you FEEL better because you don't know what you don't know. However, I'll easily admit that TargetTrend is a big part of feeling like I have the traffic picture in hand. Without it you would have to look at the screen an inordinate amount of time to see if traffic was converging on you. With TargetTrend it's a split second.

Certainly not for me. I'm always looking out front, but miss most traffic sightings called by ATC. In fact, what a wakeup call it was when I got traffic, both active and passive, in the cockpit. Looking at the Screen of either the G500, GTN 750, or GTN 650 and then looking at its position relative to the screen is what works best for me to find targets. Even then sometimes I miss them. But with TargetTrend at least I know they won't be intercepting me. To date, knock on wood, I have not had any issues with non transponder equipped planes getting in my way.

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