donkaye, MCFI

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.

I don't get it. Many people recommend this unit, but I couldn't get my O2 saturation level above 92% with it. Also, very annoying to constantly hear your breathing through the headset. Mountain High couldn't help other than to say that with my altitude compensating regulator it wouldn't work. Sent it back for a refund. Totally useless for me.

I have the GFC 500 in combination with the G500 TXi and G5. For me the reasons I would not use the GI 275 are: 1. I have no round gauges and a don't want any. 2. While the GI 275 is brighter display, I've never had a problem with seeing the G5 in bright sunlight. 3. Don't need the multifunction display capability of the GI 275. 4. G5 is half the cost of the GI 275. 5. 4 hour backup battery. Conditions under which I might consider the GI 275: 1. No large multifunction display like the G500 in the plane. 2. No separate engine monitor.

The rudder trim continues to operate as it would before the GFC 500 installation. I personally use full right rudder trim on takeoff. Above 800 feet I turn on the YD and continue the climb. When I level off and accelerate I, turn off the YD and center the slip/skid indicator with rudder trim, then re-enable the YD. This puts the least constant torque requirements on the YD servo.

Don, while that prospect is scary, the truth of the matter is, for those with net worths over a million dollars, maybe significantly over, the risk has been there for many years. The airplane hull value is minuscule in relation to net worth. As Paul said, I think you should consider risking the airplane value and loading up on whatever the highest value liability insurance you can get, and enjoy flying the Mooney as long as you feel comfortable and proficient, no matter your age. That's what I'm going to do when the time arrives. Did you try Avemco? They are a direct insurer. More expensive, but maybe you are insurable with them.

I'd like to thank JoAnn Hill, Head Master of Master Instructors LLC (and Sportys for the 20 year Jacket) for putting together the Master's Program. It's been an honor to participate in it for the past 20 years. While not easy to qualify, I think it is a worthy goal for Flight Instructors interested in pursuing Excellence in their profession.

As stated in the G600 manual, the GDU needs be configured the same as the backup mechanical AI. If it is not, then the installer made a mistake and the configuration needs to be changed. That needs an installer card to change the setting, so you need to go to an avionics shop that has the card and have it changed. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Poorly written in the POH. NO FLAP EXTENSION above 110 Knots. That has been discussed numerous times in the past 20 years. At one point Mooney considered raising the approach flaps airspeed to 140 knots, but testing showed, if I recall correctly, wing torsion issues possibly related to CG position. I don't remember exactly, but I do know it was never implemented. Bottom line to repeat: NO FLAPS ABOVE 110 KNOTS.

The later model Mooneys only have 2 flap settings: 15° and 33°. At takeoff you could say "takeoff flaps"; on landing the same setting would be "approach flaps". The A Model Mooney actually does say to put in full flaps near the end of the takeoff run on a short field takeoff. This won't work on the later model Mooneys with electric flaps. M20A 001.pdf

From my mentor instructor, an aeronautical engineer, many years ago. ⅔ as much lift as drag in the approach configuration, ⅔ as much drag as lift in the full flap configuration.

Certainly the 1,00,000 liability cap is an issue, and I thought about that in regards to teaching at all, but you've got to live life. If I'm in the airplane, that's a risk I have taken, if I want to enjoy teaching. The known hull limitation is more immediate to me. I don't expect anyone would want to take on that liability personally, so I said my experience won't be benefitting the new Mooney Owner, except for what I might post here on MS and BeechTalk, the only forums I am currently monitoring. Luckily for me, most other Mooney values are in the range where I would be covered by my CFI Insurance.

Thank you Mike. It allowed me to do one Acclaim Ultra training. After that there was no insurance available for me even with my massive amount of Mooney teaching experience, experience that I believe is more than any CFI in the Country. The only way I will be doing trainings with the more expensive new Mooneys now will be with a full Indemnity Agreement and verification that the Owner is capable of paying it. So, if someone wants the benefit of that experience in the New Mooneys that's what it will take. Luckily, I had no trouble getting insurance for my airplane this year. Just a modest increase that I don't think had anything to do with age.

That's my understanding at present, but you can check in with Garmin Support to confirm.

You would need a G5 or GI 275. The Aspen doesn't interface with the GFC 500.

It will fly all approaches with vertical guidance, just not multiple step-downs during the enroute phase of flight (STARS). VNAV with multiple step-downs is not the same as a single VNAV on the GNS 530 or 430.

The VNAV function will do nothing. Of course you could be a "sort of" VNAV function by continually preselecting an altitude and using V/S to control your rate, but that isn't necessarily going to give you the various slopes for various step downs.

What does that mean? The GFC 500 doesn't support VNAV past one waypoint before the FAF even with the GTNs. The 375 will couple to the GFC 500 for LPV Approaches.

If you want VNAV with the GFC 500, then you'll need a GTN, either the 750 or 650.

Thanks for the reply, Paul. The Garmin Charts load within a couple of minutes to the 750 using Database Concierge. The long Chart Streaming to the G500 isn't really a bug just a big file problem. Garmin sort of solves the problem by streaming all the Charts in your flight plan if you use Database Sync and all the Charts haven't transferred over. I choose just to update the G500 TXi from the Card and be done with it. I'm also tired of trying to track down why there is either a delay or a hang in database transfer to the 650. Updating the card only takes a couple of minutes at home. The the new data transfer technology just isn't worth the trouble to me.

Upgrading a panel is not for the faint of heart or for a light pocketbook. Mine took longer than anticipated, but cost what I anticipated. The problem was that Garmin kept coming up with new goodies that I just had to have, so two more panel changes later I have exactly what I want. It made sense for me to do what I did rather than buy a new airplane. I wouldn't like to go through the process again.

Since it was already installed, I kept the FS 210 and use it interchangeably with the FS 510 in flight. When it comes to Database Concierge, it's less than a toss up as to its usefulness. First, I've had problems with syncing from my 750 to the 650, so I need to take the 650 card home and transfer data to it from flygarmin.com. Same goes for the G500TXi. Database sync seems to work with it, but Flight Charts takes about an hour to transfer over, and while that can happen in flight, if the flight is less than an hour and the transfer is not completed, then you get to start over again. That's unacceptable, so that card is also loaded from flygarmin.com, too. When I've talked to Garmin Support about this, even they recommend just updating the cards separately. Bottom line, you might as well do all cards separately rather than use the FS 510.

Aren't you near Don Maxwell?. They are also doing a lot of Avionics now. Having said that, the FS 510 is basically plug and play. You need to pair the Bluetooth and enable Database Sync, if you have multiple units that have Databases.

I have about 15 hours in that plane. I helped Dave Norinsky bring it back from KGGG when he bought it in 2013. It was a long day with 10.5 flight hours to Petaluma, California. Dave traded a J Model for it. I haven't flown with Dave since 2014 so I don't know anything else about it or why he is selling it. TT on the airframe doesn't mean much. I know he had a hangar in Petaluma. OTOH it's got the original engine that was converted the Bravo 933 hours ago. When I converted my first engine to the Bravo I flew it to 2295 hours before I swapped it out for a Reman. I think the reason for the low price is in anticipation for a new engine in the not too distant future.

Sounds good too me.