donkaye

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". I hope everyone who complains about Garmin enjoys their non Garmin products. Having not used any of them, I am happy NOT to complain about them. I've been dealing with Garmin since I bought their first aviation GPS, the GPS90. I won't go over all the many things Garmin has done for me to make things right when I had some issue with a product that I bought from them. That even included replacing an Area 796 that was 7 years out of warranty due to a software update issue they couldn't solve. Since my GFC 500 was one of the first to be installed in a Bravo, when I had my problem with it, they did something they never do and probably never will again. They allowed me to come to Olathe on my way to Oshkosh a couple of years ago to investigate the problem. I flew with the pilot who certified it and they agreed something was wrong. We landed and opened up the back panel to investigate. They immediately saw that a couple of brackets that supported the pitch trim servo were missing. Whether they were not include in the kit or were left off by the installer made no difference. They sent me to an approved avionics shop on the field and had them installed. I offered to pay and they declined the offer. I offered to pay for their lunches, and they declined that, too. Last week I sold my Aera 796. I had just purchased a separate year's database subscription for my new 760. The 796 was attached to my OnePac subscription. During the process of exchanging the 796 subscription with the 760 subscription the support agent found some of the databases were out of sync with each other on my OnePac. He not only synced them, but gave me an extra month on the subscription. Because I have an integrated Garmin System, I got thousands of dollars in rebates, by buying at rebate time (Oshkosh). I stayed up to date on the latest products (G500 to G500 TXi and GTN to GTN Xi) with discounts on the update. I have many other "good news" stories that I could share. So everyone who wants to bad mouth Garmin be my guest. If you've had problems with them I'm sorry. But no amount of talk is going convince me that they are not one of the best companies in the Avionics field. I have had too much long term experience to the contrary.

That's never going to happen with that plane. It was certified with the G1000 and that can't be changed.

Almost all operations on the GTN series of GPS can be done with touch or buttons. However, even in turbulence, with the ledges provided, I've never had an issue of not being able to do what I wanted to do. Surprisingly, one of the best features of the GTN is the VFR approaches provided to almost every airport and every runway, front and back, with the option of coupling both laterally and vertically to an autopilot, Garmin or 3rd party. So far, at least once a year Garmin updates their units with new features. Whether you love them or hate them, they provide really good products.

Well, the good new is your choices are limited to two. The bad new is you aren't interested in one of them. So, your choices are limited to one, Avidyne. Since I'm a Garmin guy all the way and I haven't had any students who have an Avidyne unit, you'll have to get information on them from others this forum. Those others really like Avidyne. OK, enough of the sarcasm. The user interfaces on the two types of units are completely different. Personally, I like that of Garmin, which is now uniform across all of their platforms. Like Avidyne, almost all functions can be performed with the knob in addition to the touch screen. If you ever planned on upgrading your autopilot, multiple step-down VNAV can only be done with the GTN series of navigators. I'd get the manuals for both devices and read through them both in addition to watching the many videos out there describing their use. A benefit of going with one manufacturer is that all their units talk nicely to one another. Often trying to put a system together with multiple manufactures leads to interface headaches. Before I did my upgrade, I spent a month investigating the market, reading manuals and deciding what I wanted to accomplish with the upgrade. Seven years later I'm very happy with the result.

That a picture was taken pre upgrade. There is a hole there now. The checklist has been converted to the Playback, and Telligence is one the other side of the yoke.

I'm sorry, there are no links. I'd just ask your avionics shop or MSC.

You can and should get a cap that covers the red pointed switch (see below). I can't stand to be poked by those switches. I have all of mine capped. Top Gun has had them and so has my Avionics shop.

I flew with the KFC 150 for 26 years. For the first 22 years, except for a couple of servo overhauls, it provided good service for an autopilot of its time. For the next 4 years I got around the wing rock in NAV mode by flying in GPSS mode most of the time. There was no wing rock in that mode. So when the GFC 500 came along, I really didn't think about money in my decision to get it. It was meant to interface with all my other Garmin products and provide added functionality not available with the KFC 150--and it has. Does spending money on any upgrade item for your plane make economic sense when the original item is working perfectly well? In my opinion, no. But, depending on your financial picture, one maybe should not think in terms of monetary value, but rather in terms the extra value provided your flying experience. In that case the GFC 500 should be high on the priority list of Mooney upgrades. OTOH, if other priorities take precedence over your airplane, those needs need to be met first.

Yes, that's a good reason for getting the G600. SVT is really worth having. Regarding upgrading the AP: yes, the 225 is a nice autopilot, but if anything goes wrong with the servos it's a minimum 3,000 to overhaul. If anythng goes wrong with the computer, then you have to deal with BK and their exorbitant pricing. During the tine I had my KFC 150 I need to overhaul servos 3 times. The cost of the GSA 28 servos is only 1,500 per servo. Personally I had a wing rock that I spent over 5,000 trying to get rid of after I installed the G500. It never got solved until I upgraded to the GFC 500. The GFC 500 is the best autopilot I have flown. In combination with the G500 TXi and the GTNs flying with it couldn't be better.

I'm not sure why you would want the G600 instead of the G500. At any rate, the GFC 500 is a significant advance over the KFC 225. Some of the extras you get with the GFC 500 is ESP (Electronic Stability Protection), LVL Protection if inadvertently entering an unusual attitude, VNAV with automatic multiple step downs, and IAS climbs and descents. You also get light weight brushless servos, which are much less expensive, if they ever need to be replaced. You do lose one item, CWS. I find that to be a non issue.

You write well. I read your Blog on those last flights and noted something that will allow ATC to view you as more of a professional. They listen to people all day long and can tell whether you know what you're doing both by how you sound and what you say. The pro is likely to get more favorable treatment from ATC because ATC is more likely to trust the pro (or non pro who sounds like a pro). When ATC gives a climb or descent or when you're climbing or descending and a handoff is given, the AIM says you should come back with, or check in with, 2 altitudes, the altitude you are at and the altitude to which you are going. Listen to the Airlines pilots on the radio. You will always hear them coming back with 2 altitudes. As long as I'm at it, I'll add a couple of other things that don't relate to your communications, but that I've heard wrong on so many occasions. It's the way to say altitudes. From 0 to 10,000 feet it is a specific terminalogy, from 10,000 to 18,000 is another terminology, and from 18,000 on up is a third. Leave off adjectives when telling ATC your altitudes. i.e. don't say 3,000 climbing to 4,000. Say 3,000 climbing 4,000. The former could be confusing. If you really want to seem like a person who doesn't know the rules, then leave off your current altitude, add "to", and say "point" i.e. "Mooney 1234, climbing to 3 point 5." If I heard that communication, I'd be wary of that pilot, and I suspect ATC would, too.

All approaches with vertical navigation should be run with the APR button. All approaches without vertical navigation should be run with the NAV button.

I recommend pulling the card and updating through your computer. It's nice to have the FS 510 and all, but I have found the reliability to be less than stellar. I spend more time trying to figure out why database sync doesn't sync than just bringing home the card and updating it there, which is what I have been doing ---reliably.

Yes, it was an exceptional deal.

$169.95 for all databases for a year. Yes, the GXM 40 provides XM weather and radio.

At higher altitudes my oil pressure decreased into the yellow range making me very uncomfortable. Top Gun changed the oil pressure spring to a stiffer one. At higher altitudes the pressure is now in the normal range. However, on startup the pressure is in the red range until the oil heats up. This means a longer wait on the ground until the pressure goes into the green range. So, higher oil pressure on startup is normal.

As a result of my recent purchase of the Aera 760 and GDL 52, I've decided to sell my trusty Aera 796. This is by far the best Handheld Garmin put out before the Aera 760. It comes with so many extras that I purchased that I almost don't know where to start. aera 796 GXM 40 XM antenna Yoke mount DC cigarette adapter 12/24 volt cradle with XM adapter DC cigarette adapter 12/24 volt cradle with XM adapter and GDL 5X adapter Bare wire cradle for installation in aircraft 2 Home A/C cradle docks GA 25 remote antenna with suction cup mount USB cable Carrying case (Never been used) Quick reference guide I just paid for a full year's database subscription Pilot's Guide e-version (viewable on the document viewer) I haven't posted it on eBay, yet. I think my 796 is 3 years old. It looks new. This was when Garmin sent it to me as a replacement to my long time unit that had an issue after a System update. Offers?

Main Menu >Tools>Track Log>Menu>Clear Active Track

A trim switch (also used for manual trimming when the AP is not engaged) is added on the yoke and the Y/D is engaged on the GMC 507 Mode Controller and disengaged on GMC 507 or AP disengaged switch on the yoke..

I don't see how you can make any money. From several bids I got before I installed my GFC 500, the parts alone for a 4 servo system including adding the G5 came to $16,000.

Of course it was tongue in cheek.

Actually, yes, but it was in bad weather and incorrect use of the parachute. It was the accident over Donner Summit a number of years ago. The parachute failed by being deployed at too high a speed and the plane disintegrated. So, having a parachute didn't necessarily help when used incorrectly. This person had just taken the Cirrus training course a couple of weeks earlier.

To the OP: You've got to be kidding. In heavy turbulence which airplane would you rather be in: a "plastic" one or one built like a tank with a steel roll cage around the cabin? I personally don't like a side stick either, and I want complete pitch control, not pitch control limited by the resolution of a trim motor. Since the transformation of my airplane over the past few years, there is no way I would trade down to a turbine or even an Acclaim. I feel fortunate to have purchased mine before Mooney quit making the best single engine piston airplane out there.

You are sitting right on the edge of a cliff and most certainly will fall off in the not too distant future. It was the failure of my EFIS 40 (Electronic Flight Information System) that led to my upgrading my panel. BK wanted over $18,000 to repair what amounted to 30 year old technology, totally hardware oriented, that required new expensive hardware for any change that was made for it--and all it was was a glorified HSI that had infinitely less capability than what is now the Garmin G5. I would rate its value today at $0.00. In fact less than Zero if you were to sell your airplane today. The sooner you get rid of it the better. Regarding the KLN90B, it was the best of its generation, but that was 2 generations ago. The GTNs have so much more capability that it's time to usher in the new generation in my opinion. Say goodbye to the trusty KSN81 and KY196A while you're at it. They, too, have pretty well out lived their usefulness. You'll be much happier with the GTN 750Xi than the GTN 650Xi. Better yet, get both as long as you're at it.

I just picked up a Bravo there last week and ferried it to Stockton for a pre-buy. Since they had done the Annuals on it previously, they didn't want the conflict of interest. They have a brand new facility.