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Everything posted by donkaye
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upgrading - older/newer, slower/faster, value of avionics?
donkaye replied to AJ88V's topic in General Mooney Talk
"Life is short" is a term we hear often. When we're young and say the term, I don't think most of us really grasp the concept. Life seems infinite. However---one day you will wakeup and say, "Wait a minute, just yesterday I was 20 years old and everyone around me is older. Where did the last 60 years go?" It happens just that fast. My recommendation? Don't wait too long to go after the things you want. Time waits for no-one.- 32 replies
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Before I had my tanks sealed, I had 100LL stains on the bottom of the wing that I couldn't remove easily. The same would go for the G100UL. Bottom line, if your tanks are leaking, they should be resealed. If not, then the staining is comparable and really can't be seen unless you got under the wing and looked. Regarding the STC, I'm not sure what GAMI will do in the long run, but if you were based at an airport that just got G100UL the STC cost $0. For those of us at nearby airports, we got 25 gallons of fuel free, so that gave a pretty good discount on the STC cost. Face it. One way or another 100LL is eventually going the way of the dinosaur. With the unleaded fuel, you should have a much cleaner engine internally, which should lead to longer TBO times.
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The G100UL works great. It's been mixed with 100LL in my plane, so its benefits won't show up until I use it alone all the time, and that's not anytime soon, since so few airports have it right now. It does weigh a little more than 100LL at 6.15-6.30 lb/gal. GAMI says to use 6.25 lb/gal for weight and balance calculations. The fuel has "slightly higher volumetric density" so has about 1% more energy. I've found FF to be slightly less at cruise power to get the same TIT. One thing to be aware of is the necessity to carry an absorbent towel with you when fueling or dumping fuel back into the tank after checking for water. The fuel will stain the paint if not wiped up immediately. So far the price is fair at $6.99/gallon.
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I don't understand why someone would want to remove the Miniflo-L from their panel even when upgrading it. If there is one item where multiplicity of function is useful it is fuel quantity and fuel computations. Even though I installed the MVP-50 in my upgrade, I kept the Miniflo-L due to its usefulness. When my display goes out again, the unit is going in for repair, not removal.
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As an option, you could send yours back to Shadin to have the display replace, if they are still doing them. I had my display replaced by them a number of years ago.
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M20F down near KFUL - Minor/Moderate Injuries
donkaye replied to Skates97's topic in Mooney Safety & Accident Discussion
No fire? No fuel? -
GFC-500 Autopilot in mid body Mooney - Yaw controls needed?
donkaye replied to UteM20F's topic in General Mooney Talk
Complexity? A complete non issue. In heavy turbulence I turn the AP off because I can fly the airplane better than the autopilot, but the YD stays on because the multiple Garmin inputs* to it can better anticipate yaw changes than I can. To me one of the most important inputs is Lateral Acceleration, which is the rate of change of lateral motion. It's one thing to adjust to lateral motion. It's quite another to adjust to the rate of change of lateral motion. To me these multiple inputs make it better than other YDs with single inputs. *Per Garmin: "The yaw servo provides Dutch roll damping and turn coordination in response to yaw rate, roll angle, lateral acceleration, and airspeed." -
GFC-500 Autopilot in mid body Mooney - Yaw controls needed?
donkaye replied to UteM20F's topic in General Mooney Talk
I bought my airplane 32 years ago before my "perspective" change. I think my airplane may be one of the best equipped Mooneys in the fleet. The G1000 and G1000NXi are great products, but I like the flexibility of being able to modify my airplane as new and exciting technology comes to market. That can't be done with any G1000/NXi equipped airplane. I happily accept the 20 knot speed difference between my airplane and the Acclaims for the extra benefits I have with mine. -
GFC-500 Autopilot in mid body Mooney - Yaw controls needed?
donkaye replied to UteM20F's topic in General Mooney Talk
As I get older, I have a different perspective on money. Whether it's a small improvement or not, if I'm going to spend the money on an upgrade, I want the best. That means all 4 servos--and the improvement in the Bravo is not small. -
Sitting at the table in our Condo on the Big Island of Hawaii overlooking what some might call "Paradise", I sit back and summarize my simplistic observations on the above "discussion". 1. Why make things more complicated than they need to be? 2. Avoid simple brain overload and most importantly, 3. Just update your databases monthly.
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There are multiple IOCs lenses. I thought the multifocal lenses were IR sensitive that required multiple visits, then a lock in. Bottom line, each of us who have had the implants can only relate our experience. Due diligence is required.
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Larry was lucky. Multifocal lenses were not recommended for pilots when I was a doing my research earlier this year. I'm, also, a flight instructor and former engineer. I didn't like that multiple visits were necessary before the lenses were "locked" in. If you "accidentally" exposed them to improper light they could get locked in by mistake. I wanted the least risky and best chance to get off the Special Issuance and get my 2nd Class Medical back. Therefore, I chose the Toric lens for far vision. One month after both eyes were completed I got off the Special Issuance and got my 2nd Class Medical back. I feel that was the least risky for me. I've never had better distant vision, but need glasses for near vision. Night vision is excellent, but I don't think the halo effect was applicable for the regular Toric lens.
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G100UL is available at Reid Hillview (RHV)
donkaye replied to UteM20F's topic in Miscellaneous Aviation Talk
I let them know I'd be there around 10:00am. -
I wasn't clear. It was the active servo control cable.
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G100UL is available at Reid Hillview (RHV)
donkaye replied to UteM20F's topic in Miscellaneous Aviation Talk
Unleaded fuel is inevitable. To minimize the entry cost I bought the STC today. Even though I am based at KSJC, the local airport pilots get 25 gallons free this Saturday. The discounts seems to vary depending on when you bought or buy the STCs and whether you are based at KRHV or E16. I've attached the program for those interested and near RHV. Your entry cost totals $620. Edit: STC Cost apparently varies with engine HP, so my cost is in the upper region. GAMI Reid Hillview 10 28 2024.pdf -
I test flew the plane today and I have my AP back working. I WILL get a bill, since it took a lot more time than allocated. Garmin will hear from me about that!
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It was finished yesterday late afternoon. I'm going test fly it this morning.
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That was what they said was the problem; the longer reach on the YD servo especially, and yes it is the control cables.
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I'm into the 3rd day and the installer says several of the servos are very difficult; not the servo removal but the cabling. I don't think they've done a Bravo replacement before. As good as the shop is supposed to be, I'm now thinking I should have spent the money and time going to the original installer in Minden. I expect this "no cost" replacement is going to cost me a lot--disappointingly.
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G100UL is available at Reid Hillview (RHV)
donkaye replied to UteM20F's topic in Miscellaneous Aviation Talk
This is the first I have heard that KRHV has the G100UL. No lead is supposed to mean a cleaner engine that implies better longevity. I would consider using it even if it cost more just for the engine benefit alone. Does anyone know how the fueler knows whether you have bought the STC from Gami or, if they check, can you get it from them? Or do you have to contact GAMI to buy it? OTOH, right now Reid Hillview is an absolute mess, as is it undergoing a massive improvement process. For a small airport, if you are not based there, just getting to the runway involves a clearance as long as one for a cross country. Even thought I asked them to read it slowly, the Controllers there just rattle it off so fast that I finally just told them that I wanted "Progressive" to the runway. I am base at San Jose, 5 miles from Reid Hillview, and the fuel price is higher than at Signature in San Diego, a Class B airport, by a significant amount. I haven't bought fuel there in years. -
Per the Rogers Report the least error occurs when the two calibration points are close together. Phil Verghese and I calibrated ours with the high calibration point at the top of the white arc in the clean configuration, and the low calibration point at 1.3 Vso fully configured for landing.
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I'll find out this week as mine are being changed out now. I was told by the shop that it was 2 hours reimbursement for each servo. If they charge me excess over 2 hours per servo, I'll call Garmin to see how much time they give to confirm the 2 hours. One of the techs said it takes him about an hour per servo, but I'm not sure they've done any Mooney exchanges.
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My strobes have one choice; synchronized. My pulse lights alternate: left taxi/right recognition then right taxi/ left recognition. https://youtu.be/sw6ZScJkmmI
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Before he retired, Tom Rouch from Top Gun, had the procedure down cold. I watched him do it. He could replace the back spring in a couple of hours--around $300. The back spring cost about $350 at the time. He used to refurbish gear actuators. I bought one from him in 2016 to eliminate the Plessey actuator and its associated back spring issues (you couldn't get them). The price at the time was a little less than $5,000. New they were $15,000. The good old days just 8 years ago...
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Help Me With My Hot Start Technique (or Lack Thereof)
donkaye replied to bigmo's topic in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)
My new hot start method: 1. Remove Left Mag 2. Replace with SureFly SIM 3. Start like a cold start.