takair

Do you have pictures or info on the display and the sensor install? Does it require a mast for pressure sensing?

Sad to hear his passing. He was a great contributor here and clearly a great friend to many.

Don. Is there a formal way to be self insured? In other words, some airports require proof of insurance, can this be provided when one is self insured? I’m curious because I have an experimental plane I’m restoring that may be difficult to insure at first. I am hopeful I will be able to get liability at a minimum, but not sure yet.

Just had a similar question with respect to the giant gear spring. I think it will work here too. Grab a stack of washers of great diameter than the spring. Bend the spring back and forth to open the coils and insert washers in the openings. This slowly extends the spring to install. Put flap down, spring stretches more and washers are loose or fall out. Let us know how it works.

Bend spring back and forth while adding washers in the space between coils. Very easy and effectively lengthens the spring so you can attach without damaging you or the plane. Swing gear and washers fall out to be retrieved with a magnet. Be sure to count the washers first.

I think technique is the number one reason for a person new to the Johnson bar. As others said, too much speed is a big factor. With the Johnson bar, get the gear up early. Most folks new to the gear struggle to hit the thumb release, pull down on the handle and then swing it. Usually by the time they figure out step 1 and 2, the speed is too high. Oh, and then there is an awkward motion of the hand and wrist about half way through. If the speed does get too high, one can momentarily help the gear with a slight push on the yoke, but don’t forget to release the push. It usually takes about a dozen cycles to feel comfortable. Putting the gear down is easier, it tends to want to come down hard, so one must use care not to let it slam home……but you want enough momentum to get into the down lock. Once you get used to it, it is an awesome system….assuming it is rigged right. For Skip @PT20J, I find it more difficult from the right seat because I can’t use my thumb to release the lock. Once used to it, it’s not impossible, but like the being new to the left seat, it takes about a dozen cycles to learn to do it from the right seat……not to mention I’m right handed and weaker left arm.

Just a thought. Consider making the aft stripe over the 4PR a light shade of the section over the N5. So the stripe would transition dark, lighter, light. Might add a couple of knots that way….at least in my head it does.

I will say that it took me years to sort things out and get it comfortable. Beyond the suggestion I made above above, plugging leaks is key. I do close up one of my aft vents so I don’t pump all the heat out. More importantly, one of the biggest leaks was the wiring pass through from the cabin to the aft cabin. Avionics guys love this pass through, but are terrible at plugging it up after working there. It is actually easy to access through the aft hatch. This applies equally to Acclaims. My last leak is coming out of the side walls. The wing to fuselage junction is hard to seal, so the side panels are a source of leaking air, especially at the spar junction.

On my 64 E, it is the same. Counterintuitively, I have found that the most effective way to heat the plane is to keep both of the caps closed. This forces air to come out equally through the defrost, back exits, and pilot side. Provides more balanced heating. This assumes no holes in the scat tubes. Give it a try.

Yes

Consider posting pictures of the engine compartment to see if folks can help identify opportunities.

I’m trying to picture where this goes? Anybody have a picture?

Might be worth confirming no static leak into the airframe. That might push indicated airspeed up. I saw that recently on a different airframe.

That does seem very close. As Nick said, check the rubber mounts for sagging. Would also double check the motor mount. They do crack on occasion and the cracks can be hard to see. Also check that your exhaust risers are not broken. This should be more obvious.

Consider idling at 1000-1200 RPM, per the manual, especially in cold. The idle mixture will change winter to summer. You can find a reasonable mid setting. I like to set the idle mixture for under 25rpm rise. That way you don’t need to lean as aggressively on the ground. As far as popping, sounds like you were good at 1000 rpm. I always imagined the popping in mine was from heating of the fuel injector lines after flight, but could be slight intake leak….. I might try Byron’s suggestion on my own plane. I suppose the sniffle valve can also be a source of leak…