donkaye, MCFI

Currently there are 4 products out there that are similar, only 3 of which could be installed on a Mooney at present: 1. L3 ESI 500 $5,289 for basis unit 2. Garmin G5 $2,149 3. Sandia Quatro $3,595 4. Dynon D10A N/A Not approved for Mooney The only "real" backup for everything is the L3 unit so I consider it top of the line, and the price reflects it. The Garmin unit would come next on my list. It has V/S that the Sandia and Dynon do not have. The lower 3 units don't have heading, nav or SVT options, and can be used as Primary for AI only. In the final analysis, if you ever think you are going to upgrade to glass and not have legacy instruments remain, the only option at present is the L3 ESI 500. None of them have an AP interface. Somewhere I read that the L3 has 429 outputs that when integrated with a D/A converter could be used to run an AP. In looking at the instalI manual I see pitch and roll output labels so that may be a future option. I can see problems with that if, for example, you lost total electrical power. The ESI 500 would continue to operate on backup battery, but the AP would be inop. So I'm not sure an AP interface would be useful. So in the final analysis, the price point of the G5 is good, but the utility of the ESI 500 far surpasses it---but for a price.

Almost right, but he was a Rock Star, then a friend after I helped him bring the plane back from Texas when he bought it. Some of the most fun I've had flying was in the early days before the jet when we took the plane on tour all over the country. Many adventures on those tours.

Congratulation! I did it a little bit differently. I got my first ATP in my airplane, so it was a single engine ATP. I never thought I would ever be flying a multiengine airplane. Well many years later a student of mine who after becoming a famous Rock Star bought a Mooney and took training with me, decided a few albums later to buy a King Air and asked me if I wanted to do the training with him? I thought, "Are you kidding? Of course." So I found an instructor and over the next few weeks came up to speed on the Cessna 310. My first multiengine check ride was the ATP multi. It was a long ride since we had to do the Commercial maneuvers then everything else associated with the ATP. It was basically an add on. A year later the same student sold the King Air and bought a Citation Jet. He again gave me the same option. We both went to Flight Safety and were fire hosed for 2 weeks. So I got my Single Pilot ATP in the CJ after a grueling 3 hour check ride. Many more things can be done to you in a simulator than in the real airplane. Passing the Sim test wasn't the end of it, though. After his plane was finished being built there was another shorter check ride. First there was a half day preflight and oral, then a simple flight doing an ILS and some landings. Then the signoff. What a ride that whole experience was!

I liked the Miniflo-L so much that I kept it when I did my upgrade. It will work on any engine with the proper transducer. They are so inexpensive that you might be better off buying one new. After a while, the gas discharge tube wears out and you have to send it in for replacement, killing any discount you may have received on purchase of the used one.

That would be nice, but no, it doesn't drive an autopilot. The G5 is a glorified Castleberry. I just don't understand what all the fuss is about. It's useless as a certified backup to glass. End of story for now.

As of Oshkosh last week, the Ultras have NOT been FAA approved.

I bought the Alpha Systems "AOA" a couple of years ago to see if it was worth while. I'd been teaching for 22 years at the time and, therefore, had done thousands of landings. We took care in doing the calibration. I found that even with my experience, I was able to shave pretty close to 5 knots off of my landings comfortably flying the blue donut (1.3Vso) and then on short final going to the upper half donut (1.2 Vso). I have the Valkyrie HUD down during cruise and raise it on approach. It's mounted on the glare shield so is in my line of sight all the time. I'll set it up for the donut and then check the airspeed for reference, without doing the mental calculations I used to do before each landing to determine the appropriate speed. Ron Blum from Mooney doesn't like the pressure differential "AOA". Probably his reasoning is correct. He's an aeronautical engineer. I'm not. Mark Korin from Alpha Systems disagrees with him. But in any event for 1g flight on approach that system works. Lately, there has been a system update to the Alpha Systems AOA to a 4 point calibration. This further corrects for non linearity. I spoke to Mark about this last week at Oshkosh, and he said not to waste my time sending in the computer; that I wouldn't notice a difference. Bottom line, I like the unit and find it useful even in the limited approach situation. Certainly you could do without it and make consistently good landings on fields you're used to, but go to higher DA fields on hot days with a forward CG, and it's nice to not have to look up the numbers on the fly. Should you get one? I'll leave that up to you.

Very unusual. Might he have put the gear up instead of the flaps on landing?

It wouldn't be a problem. I've done 2 transition trainings this year to very low time pilots in LB. One bought his Ovation 3 and we flew it back home to California before he had his private pilot's license. Low time pilots are easier to teach than those with a lot of time from my experience.

Yes, the manuals come across in Garmin Pilot. Again, this is all US approach plates Sids, and Stars, and Airway Manuals; not the enroute charts.

I just installed Jeppesen Plates on Garmin Pilot--WOW!

Great. See you at Osh. Missing the Caravan this year. My plane is in Annual and being upgraded some more. Exchanging out the GTX 330ES for the GTX 335 and the GMA 35 with the GMA 35C. Both upgrades not necessary, but I like the display of the 335. The GMA 35c gives me Bluetooth and a 2 year warranty to get Garmin to make sure all the PTC Commands work. After the new System Update to the GTNs next month, there will be several hundred more Commands available.

The Bravo should EASILY be able to land at an airport like Oceano (L52) at 2325 feet--and make the first turn off at about half that. If the above is the case, then Flight Safety needs some competent new Mooney instructors. Show your friend this post. The M20 C can be landed at near C 150 speed.

I haven't even been able to get it to understand English on some commands. It will be interesting to see if Garmin fixed those problems.

https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/onepak/

According to the write up, with the OnePak you get everything you got with the PilotPak plus all the databases to one handheld GPS plus the IFR upgrade to the iPad. Like I said, quite a reduction in subscription prices, since you don't have to purchase the Bundle for the 796 or pay the added price for the IFR portion to Garmin Pilot AND the price of the OnePak is cheaper than the PilotPak.

Almost right, if I understood the Garmin Customer Service rep right. While the OnePak provides the IFR Premium subscription, you still have to purchase the basic subscription.

http://newsroom.garmin.com/press-release/featured-releases/garmin-introduces-new-and-exciting-ways-interact-gtn-650750

On the next line it also says that the maximum LANDING weight is 3,200 lbs.

Today Garmin announced a whole bunch of new things, and the OnePak was one of them. For one airplane it looks like it replaces the old PilotPak, and gives you a number of new databases for free in addition to reducing the PilotPak prices.

Under the General Section of the POH my manual says: Maximum CERTIFICATED landing weight: 3,200 pounds. That sounds like an FAA legal limit to me. Later in the manual it does describe additional procedures if it is "necessary" to land overweight. Again overweight is overweight. Obviously the wing can take 3.8 Gs, which is a lot more than 3,200 pounds. My understanding is that the problem is with the landing gear structure. My recommendation: don't intentionally land over 3,200 pounds on a regular basis.

I found out yesterday that the IFR portion of Garmin Pilot is included as part of the one OnePak.

Although I just recently purchased both a Garmin PilotPak and 796 database bundle, with the recent announcement a couple of days ago of the Garmin OnePak, prices were dramatically reduced. I called Garmin to see about extending my subscription for the amount of the price difference, and they unhesitatingly calculated the difference in price and gave me an extension for the amount of time associated with the price difference. Superior customer service in the process! It looks like large database subscription prices are coming down. I am one happy Garmin customer today.

Absolutely. Those numbers should be used on all the long body Mooneys.

I've had my Bravo 24 years next month. In calm conditions 75 kts is the FASTEST you should be coming in at gross weight. Except in gusty conditions full flaps should be used. For every 300 pounds that you are under gross take off 5 knots. If I'm alone with one hour of fuel on board 65 knots should be used. So for the range of useful loads available on the Bravo, the landing speed will vary between 75 and 65 knots in calm conditions. When able, confining your slope to 3° will allow a comfortable 8 ft/sec descent rate that will allow a smooth, gentle round out and touchdown. If you're getting even a "chirp" on touch down you touched down too fast. When proficient, you should be able to roll the wheels on power off. Don Kaye, Master Flight Instructor