donkaye

In my opinion if you even notice the control as a force, you are not flying the airplane correctly. The Mooney should be flown as you drive a car. Do you feel a force on the steering wheel when you change lanes? Slight control pressure is all that is needed to gracefully fly the Mooney. I've never given the flying of the Mooney a second thought as to difficult control pressure. I assure you your passengers will appreciate a pilot who doesn't jerk the airplane around. That includes looking like a one arm paper hanger while on approach and into the flare, to which I've been a witness too many times. With the airplane properly trimmed you should be able to control it with the pointer finger and thumb of each hand.

My understanding is that only ADS-B Out is available. No ADS-B In on any of the new Mooneys.

I like flying the G1000 airplanes---when they are someone else's. The upgrade is not under your control and may not even be possible. If possible, you will be held hostage to possible outrages upgrade fees because you have no choice. I wouldn't consider buying a G1000 airplane for that reason---even if it was heavily discounted. In my opinion you're not moving up, you're moving into never never land. Can we say Edsel? Better to buy an upgradable DX model where you can choose your upgrade path. The price you pay for the upgrade, however, is a very stressful upgrade time frame. Although wildly happy with the outcome of mine, I really wouldn't want to go through the process again.

Yes.

Owning an airplane is not for the faint of heart. But, if there's a will there's a way--especially if you like flying. The day after I took possession of my airplane, I looked at it and thought, "What have I done?" I wasn't even qualified to fly it. Twenty three years and 10,000 flight hours later, that decision to buy changed my life. The Mooney is the best looking, best flying, fastest single engine piston out there. I took it upon myself to become the most knowledgeable person I could on flying the airplane. I really am not the kind of person who wants to spend my time working on them, so I get the most knowledgeable people I know to do that. So how can you make the airplane pay for itself? If you love flying and potentially teaching, how about becoming a flight instructor? That's exactly what I did, and I became an expert on flying the Mooney. I've met so many interesting people along the way, and had adventures many could only dream about. Flight instruction goes a long way towards paying for the expenses of the airplane. And all the while I get to go flying and help people like you realize their dreams. What a great way to live!

Wrong. The price was $5,000. We were on Lycoming for years before that to fix the problem.

The AP is the first thing I disconnect in the face of moderate turbulence. The AP doesn't have a brain and can't adjust rate of control movement to the intensity of the turbulence. We can fly our planes much, much better than an AP when things get rough.

January 29,1993. The Mooney Salesman for Northern California asked me if I would like to accompany him to Kerrville to take a TLS he had sold a customer back for a repair that needed to be done at the Factory. Having just bought my airplane a few months earlier, I jumped at any opportunity to fly cross country, especially in a TLS, and with this very good pilot. He let me fly left seat. This plane did not have a stormscope and there was no other on board weather such as we all have today. I questioned him before I flew up to Auburn about filling the O2 tank. The plan for this flight was to fly direct to Tucson, then on to Kerrville. Once in Kerrville we would change planes and fly back in a demonstrator M20J. This would all be done in one night. Looking back on this it seems crazy, but at the time.... Anyway, I flew to Auburn in my plane. When I got there I found out the he hadn't filled the O2. Today, I would have passed on that flight on that alone. Since I respected his judgment, I figured he had done a weather briefing. He hadn't, or if it did it was superficial. We took off into the darkness on a direct flight to Tucson with no flight plan filed. Direct flight takes you directly over the worst of the Sierras for an extended period of time, but there was no fear because you couldn't see the ground anyway. Awhile later it became apparent that we would need to air file due to clouds. We were in the clouds and pretty soon we started seeing St. Elmos fire arcing across the cowling. I thought that was interesting in that I had never seen it before. No sooner had I made that comment than lightning filled the windscreen. Pow!! we hit a downdraft of 2,000 ft/min. Then an updraft. My right seat comrade screamed, "What are you doing?" I said I was trying to keep the plane under control. We started climbing. I thought it was going to be all over for us. We climbed and climbed and climbed. Suddenly I started seeing stars appear. We were at FL 210. Due to our O2 supply being close to empty, my right seater said I should use it. We did the ILS into Tucson. I got out of the plane and suggested to my friend that he continue on to Kerrville--alone--and pick me up on his way back. He could use the remaining O2 that way. I was never happier to be on the ground at the Best Western that night. Well, nearly 10,000 hours and CFI and ATP ratings later, I just shake my head at my ignorance at that time.

I just went to the Garmin website and pulled down the Operator's Manual. I've attached it. The install manual would have to be obtained from a Dealer, who would do the install and logbook entry. Gi-260 AOA Manual.pdf

Excellent panel and workmanship! How long did it take you, any problems on turn on, and did you have any issues with the sign off? My logbook entries at the conclusion of the job were pages and pages long. Did you find difficulty with that part of the process? You must be an electrical engineer. I read every install manual on my upgrade and wouldn't have considered taking on a job of that magnitude even though I am electrical engineer by education.

If you got the Bravo Conversion it probably wouldn't make that much difference, since the whole top including cylinders would be replaced.

The Bravo upgrade is a complete top to the engine that includes all new cylinders and an oil injecting system to the exhaust value guides. Yes, the prop probably should be OH. Runs about 3K+

Assuming no corrosion from living in Florida and hardly being flown, that is a very good deal. She doesn't know what she has. The plane has Altitude preselect, Shadin Fuel Flow, and engine monitor, that isn't mentioned. The plane needs the Bravo upgrade (no engine at this time unless corrosion in it), a WAAS GPS and possibly ADS-B OUT. I don't understand the '89 paint job, but the serial number is past mine so it is a 93. It also has the new stronger braking system that isn't mentioned. 25,000 Bravo Upgrade 15,000 WAAS GPS (GTN 750 installed) or less if used 430 or 530 5,000 GTX 330EX Transponder with ADS-B OUT (Installed) So you're getting a Bravo for 99,000 + 45,000 = 144,000. You could also get 1,000 for the KLN 90B on GPS upgrade. A steal.....

The 650 does NOT have an AHRS in it. The Flight Stream 210 does have one.

I've compared my Nonin Flight Stat that constantly has battery problems with my inexpensive Oxi-Go and they read the same.

I just hang mine on the prop control knob and check it every 15 minutes or so.

Lots of good information in this thread. One more very important thing should be mentioned, though. Hypoxia isn't the only issue with flying high. Another big issue that affects some people more than others and is a major issue with U2 pilots and can be a deadly as hypoxia is the BENDS. It is also cumulative. I've had to deal with that issue for the duration of my Mooney ownership. Initially, I didn't know what was happening to my number 2. She complained about joint pain after 3 hours aloft. It was only after a stop in Rock Springs on the way to Oshkosh one year that I knew I had to find out what was going on. Her whole chest was covered with blotches. In hindsight we should have found the nearest hyperbaric chamber, but I was oblivious to what was going on at the time. Later, calls to Brooks Air Force Hospital in San Antonio and an actual trip to the University of North Dakota brought the issue to the forefront for us. Over the past 10 years we have mitigated her problems and she has not suffered any incidences of the Bends since. There are 5 means of mitigation: 1. Pre breath O2 with a sealed mask for ½ hour before flying. (Not really practical for us). 2. Take an aspirin 1 hour before flight. 3. Hydration--drink plenty of water 4. Slow ascent rate 5. Time aloft. What I have found works best is the aspirin, water, slow ascent rate, but most important is time aloft. 3 hours is the maximum I'll fly with her. We have experienced an incident within that time frame only once many years ago. It was at 17,000 feet and a descent to 13,000 mitigated the issue. The good news for me (and her) is I don't fly in the flight levels. 18,000 feet is tops for me on extended range. Usually I'll fly 15,000 to 17,000 feet. The difference in true airspeed between those altitudes and higher just isn't that much. I will sometimes climb to 20,000 for 10 minutes when going over the Sierras, but immediately descend when the terrain risk subsides. If the weather is bad enough to required a climb to the flight levels, we land or don't go at all. We've ended up having some great experiences is places we never would have gone. So consider the Bends issue when you are flying high for an extended period of time in addition to the hypoxia issue. It can occur at a much lower altitude than you might think. Regarding O2 use for me: above 7,500 feet during the day and from engine start to engine stop at night.

Just heard from a flight instructor at the PPP that the wreckage was recovered, so maybe we'll now find out what happened if they can get the G1000 data.

Speculation--- First I don't think he should have gone at the time he did. I see he was an experienced pilot with a Commercial rating who had been flying for 40 years, so the fact that he did is surprising. I learned long ago that, at least for me, I don't much care for the flight levels in an unpressurized airplane. The body doesn't react very well. 15-18K is good enough and leaves more time of useful consciousness if O2 problems develop. On long trips where it might be necessary to go higher safely, I take along a secondary O2 tank that can quickly be used in the event of failure of the primary tank. It's really necessary to do a Chamber ride if you plan to go high. You just have to know your hypoxic signals and react quickly. This implies having several pulse oximeters at hand and using them at the first sign of hypoxia. A few years ago I was ferrying a 231 to Colorado. The plane did not have a built in oxygen system. I carried several O2 tanks and flew at 17K. I switched tanks in the middle of the flight and after a few minutes felt light headed. I checked the pulse oximeter and it said 85%. Turns out I had turned the valve the wrong direction. I quickly turned it the right direction and felt better immediately. You just have to know your symptoms. While its possible it was a heart attack, I think it more likely a hypoxia incident and most likely he would be alive today had he just not gone. Assuming the AP was in altitude hold mode, I think it would have held altitude until the stall after the plane exhausted the full in one of the tanks, and then tried hold altitude with the elevator back in the descent. Thus the low speed in the descent. I don't know if it would hold wings level in the descent (my KFC 150 won't) and I never tried it with the GFC 700, but at some point maybe the AP disconnected and with the fuel imbalance between the full tank and the empty one the airplane went into a steep spiral. That may have occurred at 13,000 feet where the descent rate dramatically increased. Of course, all just pure speculation on my part....

In this case I don't know. IMHO it was clearly a no go for a Mooney, even an Acclaim. Had he called and asked me I'd have said, "It looks like the front is moving rather quickly, wait and go later or in the morning. Think of your family--and yourself. Do you really need to get there today?"

And as is often the case, the routing is just about clear now.

It doesn't only risk it, it is just about a certainty if your are descending into cloud in below zero conditions.. I made that mistake once many years ago. Never again. They froze in the UP position.

Speed brakes would be totally inappropriate with OAT -17°C. They would freeze up. Gear down, prop back to bottom of the green arc, throttle slowly brought back to about 20" then 15". 1600 ft/min would normally not be a problem, but with convection the speed restriction to Va would demand a much lower descent rate. From our weather and risk discussion yesterday, that flight was a no go from the start. The weather looked pretty bad....

Nowadays it is pretty easy to make go no go decisions. Freezing levels below 6,000 feet with no TKS and convective activity greater than isolated and the briefing is over. No go for me. Convective activity and 3,000 pound airplanes don't mix well. With some exceptions flying in the morning between 6 and 12 is most likely to produce the best results. The AOPA weather has been satisfactory for me for the past 5 years or so. First I'll check US Satellite for cloud cover and lightning. If lightning along the route and no short deviations around it then the briefing is over--a no go. Next I check the Nexrad Chart. Anything greater than dark green along my path with no extensive deviations around it and it's a no go. Then I'll look at the winds aloft from the ground to 18,000 feet. The latter shows the the direction of movement of any systems. By now i have a pretty good idea of the type of flight it will be. Next I'll look at the Prog charts, then the Sigmets, Airmets, and Convective Outlook. From the above it's pretty easy to make the decision. I won't fly in heavy precipitation. Been there, done that, don't like it. It destroys the paint, and heavy precip usually means some type of frontal activity, turbulence and an uncomfortable ride for passengers. I'm not going there anymore. Regarding minimums; flying to them is fine as long as you make sure the altimeter is properly set and there is an above minimum alternate within regulation distance from your destination airport. Regarding Nexrad colors; I've tried yellow a couple of times--no more. Dark green is my maximum fly through and that for only short periods of time. After reviewing all the above, if I still am unsure about going, the decision is made--don't go. Having said all the above, I won't go without XM and/or FIS-B and Stormscope if any anticipated weather could present an issue.

There is a significant difference between having a certified WAAS GPS and a non WAAS GPS as relates to doing approaches. In the olden days it was "Dive and Drive" on step-down non precision approaches. You needed to be especially careful with multiple step-downs. Today almost all GPS approaches with WAAS have some form of Glidepath associated them. This is a HUGE benefit of having a certified WAAS receiver and provides much greater safety in doing approaches. Of course lower minimums associated with LPV approaches is another major benefit. In my area here in California 200 foot lower minimums than before make all the difference in being able to get into airports like Watsonville or Tracy or other Valley airports during foggy conditions.