donkaye

I CAN see the issue for a high time engine, since a reman installed can run $80,000. While I know I'm prejudice, having extensively taught in and flown nearly every model Mooney, the Mooney Bravo for the price is the best performing personal airliner in the Mooney fleet---by far!

As much as I love flying the Acclaim, I wouldn't take that option when I could have more capability for ¼ the cost, as I just discussed above. The only thing I would not have is 25 knots more speed and flying west that usually gets whittled down to a negligible amount. Oh, sorry---hijacked thread....

One other option. My insurance company incredibly says a Mooney Bravo not upgraded has a puny value of $115,000, which to me is just a ridiculously low price. Everyone should go jump on any one of those if they can find one for that price. That would be the best bargain in the flying universe. Anyway, if one should find one for that price and upgraded it to what I have, they would have less than $200,000 in an airplane that surpasses the avionics of the current production $800,000 Acclaim that does not have ADS-B in.

Go up and run this test with the KI 256. Run a standard left hand pattern. Turn base and then final. When you roll level on final, visually look at the KI 256. Does it show level? My bet is that it does not. Now think of being vectored to final from the left in IMC conditions. Having run this test, how comfortable do you feel?

Well then, I just hope the KI 300 gets its certification soon, because from my experience the KI 256 OH'd, due to its mechanical behavior and gyro peculiarities, is just not up to the task when it comes to comfortable instrument flying in this days and age--especially when its failure modes can be either mechanical, vacuum, or both. Recognizing the financial implication of upgrading even to the Aspen, is your life and those of our family really not worth the difference of just a couple of thousand dollars even if you are a CB?

The G500 is not a G1000. There is no reversion from PFD to MFD, although that would certainly be nice. I am also unaware of any battery backup available for the G500. Certainly nothing has been discussed on BeechTalk or presented at Oshkosh this year. My discussion above referred to the Genesis L-3 ESI 500 currently in certification and I am told will be available by November of this year. Like my ESI 2000 backup to the G500, it has a multi hour battery backup and additionally input from a GPS for navigation and SVT. I'm not sure what you are referring to with regards the GAD 43e and legacy hardware. Its job is to provide the interface to the AP, DME, ADF, and provide Altitude and Vertical preselect to a number of autopilots.

It really is an apples vs oranges thing. I've got tons of time behind the KI256, the Aspens (both single and dual tubes), the G1000, and most recently the G500 in my airplane (for the past year and a half). I overhauled my KI256 3 times. Each time it lasted a little over 1,000 hours. It only failed the first time and I preemptively overhauled them the two additional times, since I do a lot of IFR flying. In the end the KI 256 really never behaved properly after the overhauls, and maybe not even originally. It was satisfactory not to kill someone, but ALWAYS in a left turn to final when rolling out level the AI was off at least 5° from level. I never liked that. On the cheap, the new KI 300 looked really good at Oshkosh. I hope they get it certified soon for those who for cost or sentimental reasons want to operate with the legacy instrumentation. The Aspen is "adequate" and really does a lot for a modest amount of money, but as the saying goes (well, maybe I'm making it up) it isn't a G500. In my opinion the G500 is the Rolls Royce of the panel upgrades. It is the most comfortable panel I have flown behind, including the G1000. You do pay for that privilege, however. With the new ESI 500 that will be out by November according to my contacts at L-3, a backup similar to the 2nd screen Aspen will be available for the G500 that includes navigation (both lateral and vertical), SVT, VS, independent heading, sync'd baro, and backup battery. I plan to sell my ESI 2000 and put that unit in when it becomes available. It'll be like having a mini G500 in the panel as a backup. I've now made numerous trips all over the country with my system and the power of the new technology is just amazing. The Flight Stream 210 turned out to be a huge surprise as to its usefulness, even with a fully equipped airplane such as mine.

The only problem is that it is only to one headset at a time. which may be good for some and not so good for others. The only way to stream to everyone simultaneously is through the audio panel.

Wait till you cross 10,000. It happened for me last October. Now looking for 11,000... Congratulations and work toward the next milestone of 1,000 hours.

San Jose International at a time then the Cessna 150 was going for $8/hr. wet and the flight instructor was $10/hr.

The GDL 88 is a great piece of hardware. With the Flight Stream 210 you can bluetooth all of its information to the iPad. Diversity is not worth it according to John Collins, avionics guru. I didn't get it with my upgrade, but did get diversity with my GTS 800. I have so many different places to get textual weather, that I haven't tried the panning method, but will.

You might want to check out my website, as I have a few hours in Mooneys and am located in California. I did one Acclaim checkout in North Dakota a couple of years ago in the middle of January. I soloed him at 25 hours (the insurance requirement) with the temperature +1°. www.donkaye.com

Flew today with Foreflight 7.2 and everything works as stated with FlightStream 210. it apparently doesn't have TargetTrend, though.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Flight Stream 210 GPS interface to the iPad via the GTN 750 is independent of iPad application. That would allow that accurate WAAS location to be used in other iPad aviation applications such as FlyQ without the need to buy one of the external WAAS GPSs. Too bad the Flight Stream can't interface with the other apps for AHRS usability with them.

The Encore has a lower panel. My Bravo has the taller panel, but I have found no trouble seeing over it either enroute or in landing. You can fit more stuff in the taller panels.

Mike, not sure what else you would want. Is someone in a position to run into you or not? Relative motion shows that. I've just spent some time reviewing some of the videos of FlyQ. The program has some very good features not available in other products that I have seen. Their videos are very helpful in determining what it does. It does appear that it has something similar to the Garmin target trend, so would be another alternative for a non panel mounted solution. It's the only program that has it that I am aware of. The cost would probably be about the same as buying the GDL 39 that has TargetTrend built in and using Garmin Pilot. The benefit of FlyQ is that since the software computes the trend, you can use all of their compatible ADS-B receivers instead of having to rely on the GDL 39 as Garmin Pilot requires. Mike, which other programs did you investigate before going with FlyQ?

Actually, the most important aspect of the GDL 88 in my opinion is its TargetTrend capability if you have a compatible display. Of course the iPad with FlightStream 210 would be a compatible display, if you don't have a GTN or G500.

After reading the above and before reading the above, I have one comment. I'll take a Mooney Service Center like Top Gun any day, thank you. I fly airplanes, don't have the slightest interest in working on them. I leave that to the pros--Mooney pros. If I wanted to do that type of work I'd have gotten an A&P license.

The Bravo requires 31 hours of inspection time if done properly by a Mooney knowledgeable mechanic. Unless a whole shop is put on the airplane, it can't be done in a couple of days. I've looked at the estimated repair times of all found items, and I can't imagine a mechanic unfamiliar with Mooneys would have found some of the items or been able to fix the items in the time estimated. I'll take a Mooney specify shop, thank you.

Unlikely. The 770 was a JV between BK and Aspen.

Former Electrical Engineer, Apartment Sales Broker, Real Estate Developer in that order. Real Estate Investor past, present, and future. Currently a flight instructor for the past 21 years. Mostly Mooneys. I clicked on a number of the choices that applied and the poll seemed to allow it?

I was just responding to an AOA posting yesterday when the system was updated. Apparently a weeks worth of postings were lost when the update failed. That included the AOA thread. So for whoever did that post here was my response: I'll weigh in on this. I had over 10,000 hours (about 8,300 in Mooneys at the time along with about 5,600 hours of instructing) when I decided to buy one to see if it would be of any value. I had done a lot of reading and one of the best articles is this one Wind Tunnel Test of Angle of Attack Probe - NAR Associates In the past I always made a rough calculation of landing weight and adjusted my approach speed accordingly. That speed could vary by 5 to as much as 15 knots depending on weight. The AOA has made that calculation unnecessary. I have been using it now for over 6 months and feel it was a very good investment. Proper use would be to slow to the donut when on approach, note that speed, then fly that speed. I have become so comfortable with the AOA that I noticed that I unconsciously flew the AOA to the flare point recently. I have surprised myself by being able to reduce my approach speed 5-6 knots comfortably. The donut does indicate different speeds at different weights. In my opinion they work well, and I would encourage their purchase and use. I have the Alpha Systems Eagle with the Valkyrie HUD.

Turbulence with the GTNs? Com Side: Enter the frequency with the knob. then push and hold the knob to flip it. Nav side: Push the knob to move the cursor to the NAV side. Enter the frequency, then push and hold the knob to flip it. Push the knob to return to the Comm side or wait 15 seconds for it to automatically return to the Com side. A piece of cake. Never had a problem with turbulence with the GTNs. Regarding the product to buy: Cadillac or Ford (Garmin vs Avidyne) or Edsel (BK). I loved the Silver Crown series and my KLN 90B. Then came the KFD 840 that didn't make it and was shelved. How could it not interface with its own autopilots or have preselect? So failure with it and those who bought them left blowing in the wind. Then the KSN-770, years in design and ultimately partnered with Aspen. If not enough of them are sold, it will go the way of the KFD 840. As much as I liked Bendix King, I would be afraid to buy a product from them now.

My KFC 150 has no problem capturing from above the GS. in APPR mode with ALT off press the rocker arm down. At GS intercept the GS light will light and the GS will be followed. Not a good idea to intercept with too much V/S.

It was a well planned and executed weekend. We all had a great time. It should be mentioned that we were fortunate to have a keynote speaker at Saturday's lunch, Captain David Koss, the Navy's Strike Fighter Wing Commander, Western Pacific Fleet , give an outstanding presentation. I was not aware that Lemoore NAS out in the Valley had become such a major base in the West. When I asked Phil how he was able to get him as as speaker he smiled and said he knew an Admiral pretty well...