kortopates

I suspect your airspace and opportunities for direct routings are really about the same as ours in that it's limited to the same constraints we have here. Perhaps though the biggest difference is that your TMA/Class B are much bigger than ours for the traffic volumes as are probably your Resticted areas and MOAs. We're very fortunate here that since we've always had a large GA user base that AOPA has been very successful keeping Class A airspace to a minimum size and with generally adequate ways to traverse VFR (when it is a large airspace like SOCAL). But it shouldn't be a surprise that every TRACON has its own arrival and departure routes or corridors that result in standardized clearances and routing depending on the runways in use. As such, aircraft not landing or departing in the B airspace are often just routed around it; especially the smaller ones. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree with Chris but would qualify that to what kind airspace you are flying into or out of with regards to who controls it and if it is controlled. I live under one of or the busiest TRACONs in the country and I have never gotten less than a full route clearance in or out of any TRACON. Center airspace is the land of direct routes but if planning to cross a TRACON's airspace get ready for an amended clearance. Small TRACON's are easy since often one waypoint to the side will be enough to clear it and then it's back to direct. But Altitude is important too since it's got to be controlled airspace and not a hot restricted area or MOA which we have plenty of out west. But out west direct of any distance is rare below the level of the continental shelf of class E airspace at 14.5k since we also have lots of G airspace too. So most NA birds get non-direct routings out west. But out east you can get direct routings at very low altitudes, altitudes we would never fly out west. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just renewed in Feb with USAIG via AOPA. They aren't the cheapest but offer expanded coverage to preferred pilots which is valuable for those that travel. Mine went down a few dollars but is essentially unchanged from last year. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That what I do, just combine the multiple graphics files into one graphic file layer out the way you like. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd expect Merlyn is the only player purely due to the economics. They brought a very low cost manual wastegate to market to replace the fixed wastegate. To do it it economically they use upper deck air pressure to control a pneumatic wastegate. Could they have made a pneumatic automatic controller to control their wastegate? I can't really say except as far as I know they don't exist but my guess is it would become just as expensive or more so than existing hydraulic wastegates still not perform as well. If you start buying parts like a automatic hydraulic controller outright, the controller alone is over $5K. Which somewhat defeats the 231 being the more economical entry into turbos. Even though its still a manual wastegate, as all those that operate 231 up high know, eliminating the fixed bolt wastegate significantly improves the engines critical altitude from somewhere around 15.7K (from memory) and thus greatly improves performance in the upper teens and into the flight levels. Its value is all about the altitudes you operate it in. But agreed if one is not flying up there I don't imagine one would miss it.

Doors look normal to me as well. But as others have stated its all about them fully closing without added/unnecessary tension on them.

I didn't know they had this now till your question prompted another look. But the same folks that provide the visitedstatesmap also now provide a comprehensive map for North America which brings in CENAM as well: http://visitednorthamericamap.com/ Prior to this, I used this for Canada http://visitedstatesmap.com/visited-provinces.php and this for Mexico http://www.visitedmexicomap.com/ and then combined them without CENAM and the islands. They now have Europe covered too, but nothing for Asia yet. Combining them seems to keep the footprint smaller, but I may have to do some experimenting.

FWIW, although I am down in San Diego, over the years I have heard lots of good things from others about Avionics work at both Leading Edge at SNA and Dan's recommendation at High Desert. But if I was in your area, I would also consider the Advantage Avionics at Chino. It seems that these days all the shops are super busy because of the Ads-B work and schedule availability has become a prime consideration.

Thanks! I didn't realize you as well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Again, since your eAPIS requires a valid CBP sticker for all US registered aircraft, both outbound and inbound, you'll need it before you can file your eAPIS prior to departure. You don't need the sticker in your possession but will need the sticker number from an email receipt or from their website once processed by CBP. This is why they offer expedited processing with overnight shipping now.

Awesome!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I miss the pre-eAPIS days as well. We all do! Especially since CBP have been know to give out significant fines for people that haven't followed the rules properly. But not for where they have their sticker placed. They're not so worried about a device with a small plane as much as they are about smuggling in nuclear material. But if they weren't checking for it, it would be super easy to bring it in. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The stickers aren't for a foreign country but for US CBP when you return. Nobody else will even notice nor does CBP as long as you have it when you re-enter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Old info. It’s been years since you could do that. Before eAPIS, These days you need the number on the sticker to file eAPIS, both outbound and inbound. Your overdue for another Baja trip [emoji846] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I like that idea, although I have never tried it. I have kept mine out of sight under the elevator where I can point to it standing by the door. No body has complained about that either after 15 years. I’d be a little paranoid about losing it if not attached somewhere but if I had a paint job as nice as Byron’s I would be very motivated to keep it off the plane. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Like Byron, i've never known of an IA to refuse to sign off an inspection because of an engine at or beyond TBO. But through Savvy Aviation we do see shops that refuse to annual an aircraft with an engine that's past TBO. But usually the shops use a arbitrary cutoff of 10-20% past TBO rather than right at. Mike has been successfull at educating a few why doing so shouldn't increase there liability, but not all. You'd think age would be a concern too but don't hear about that much. But when a shop does refuse to do an annual, at least in the cases I know, the shop has been upfront about it from beginning before they accept the aircraft and begin any work; usually at the time of scheduling. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I won’t say it happens to all of us, since I can’t speak for all of us. But I’ll never forget the day I did much the same thing very early in my flying career. In my case I had the correct frequency dialed in, kept looking at and wondering why I couldn’t hear the other very visible traffic in the pattern. Until I finally realized I had the volume turned way down as I was abeam the numbers and only then got the volume up in time to hear another pilot complaining that I obviously couldn’t hear them! Felt like a total idiot but it was a lesson well learned enough that’s it’s never happened again. And that’s the only positive thing I can say about such experiences like that, that such difficult lessons like that usually never needs repeating. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those gascolator o-rings should be replaced every annual when they are pulled for inspection, but its seems that doesn't always happen. I didn't think any of the K's came with out the fuel selector not being in the center, making it easily reachable by all pilots. The problem requiring the PVC tool was for the vintage Mooneys where it was placed in front of the pilot seat along with the gascolator drain ring and if the pilot flies with his seat forward the first required step is move the seat back and then use the PVC tool to reach it. With the fuel selector positioned in front of the trim wheel this issue is eliminated entirely. Its a shame Mooney wasn't able to do this much earlier.

At a MAPA PPP, I spoke with a pilot that experienced the exact same thing. Although he may not have been approaching the airport, the key thing was his altitude was too low to give him any time to keep flying the plane to an off field landing. Although he didn't have luck about is tank running dry at low altitude, at least he had some about the location since he was able to put it down without getting injured, collect on the insurance and fly another day. And that's the most important thing! But it happens a lot. We had a very new Cirrus SR22 go down right after takeoff at only 500' agl. This became a fatal because the plane came straight down on its nose. The engine quit in what appeared to be a very steep climb and the Ads-B position data makes it look like it climbed till literally fell out of the sky - the pilot never pushed the nose over to maintain glide speed. Although we have no idea why yet, one of the common possibilities being talked about of course is fuel starvation. All we really know to support that is that the first responders remarks that there was very little fuel to clean up at the site.

Sorry to hear that Continental has abandoned the Aviator Services program that gave owners free access to all documentation. Personally, I don't particularly like the ATP interface either. Under Continental you just merely downloaded the PDF version of the entire manual, but under ATP's website it appears much more restrictive viewing. In truth, so far I have just been using ATP to determine if I need a new copy of something. For the most part the main document that is regularly updated virtually every quarter is M-0 Maintenance manual that applies to all engines since its a compilation of what were previously in many Service letters, bulletins and instruction. For example this is the document where you'll get the current engine set up parameters for most of the engines and all the Torque settings. Due to the cost, I suggest getting paper copies of everything since all but M-0 tend to go years without a revision. Even with free digital access, I bought paper copies of all of mine for the hangar. These are still available through http://cmipowerstore.aero/publications.html for fees that range between $80 to $130. The M-0 manual is $110.

I believe Mooney adopted the folding rear bucket seat design in ‘85. So all ‘85 and on should have it including the late J’s, K’s and all long bodies. AFAIK, , The only thing really unique thing to the Bravo is its engine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Also consider on the plugs that these engines can have much poorer mixture distribution at idle as compared to cruise power setting. Looking at size of the EGT spread at idle compared to cruise will give you feel for that. Therefore it’s really hard to make any judgement on rich or lean cylinders based on plugs; especially after a low power rich descent followed by a taxi. I’d stick to gami spreads for such conclusions. The oil is another issue entirely, but even there you have to be sure the engine wasn’t pulled back to near idle descent so that the prop was driving the engine. I.e. things only you can take into account in assessing. But you’ve shown you may have a trend going. But if you did have a broken oil ring for example it should be accompanied with a rise in CHT from the added friction with sign of it in the borescope exam which you remarked was good - so very doubtful. Another possible source is valve guide wear; especially if the guide to valve seat wasn’t perfectly centered which does happen on these cylinders leading to premature valve guide wear and/or valve burning. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

After the gascolator draining of both I’ll leave it on the lowest and startup on the lowest tank and then taxi to the run up area, then switch to the fullest for run up and takeoff. Both tanks get exercised for a number of minutes that way. My base is a busy class D field under Bravo so most startups to departure times run no less than 20 min and often more with IMC conditions. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, since you’ll need to replace all 4 OEM resistive senders with CIES senders. I am using the CIES with Monroy long range tanks in my 252. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Curious where do you draw that from, was their something regulatory previously that stated turns at standard rate? Given that the TERPS protected airspace is modeled after standard rate turns at your category aircraft or maximum holding airspeed and their assumed modeled max winds for the altitude, it seems you could conceivably get into trouble if you turned at less than standard rate, but not more than standard rate. So it seems you wouldn't want to use less than standard. And side question, are you able to complete circling approaches kn transport category aircraft within the protected airspace without exceeding standard rate?