kortopates

You can bring your own pulse oximeter with you to the chamber as I did just to make sure. But some do and some don't have one to use in the chamber. TUC values vary so widely they are pretty useless except for giving you an expected trend. The tables give 3-6min at 25000'. I didn't see anyone not make it past 3min, most everyone made 6min. Perhaps the oldest guy went 8.5 min. The first to go back on O2 were actually the younger pilots. Only the older guys went over 6 min. Which jives with what high altitude climbing community has been documenting for years that middle aged climbers do far better at altitude than 18 year olds - although I have yet to see anyone in there teens or even young 20's in the chamber. But the value of the chamber ride IMO is not merely to see how long you can function as your O2 is dropping but for us to see and recognize our own personal symptoms (hear rate, vision, tingles in the fingers etc) and learn about our reduced cognitive abilities as O2 saturation steadily declines. Yeah, it'll probably kill a few brain cells but the knowledge gained is worth it. surprisingly although many people recognize these symptoms, far too many don't - and maybe someone in the later category should refrain from flying alone in the flight levels. Two people on board and another source of O2 is the strongest defense IMO. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hah Hah! But seriously, if you or anyone attempts or has attempted to pass an IFR checkride with your DPE without a working installed clock of some kind please do tell us about the results either way. I have one student that I think wants to try it with a non-working panel clock and a velcro'd stop watch.

See Limitations Section Page 2-6 in the O2 POH, your IO-550 has the same constraints as the Turbo Continentals allowing up to 3% IPA giving all the Continentals the same limit at 3%; leaving only the Lycoming engines with the 1% limit (which of course is plenty). But all Mooney's prohibit Prist/EGME because of our fuel system.

See the Limitations section. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Too funny, I know John very well, he is in the same hangar complex as I am and he's a fellow A&P/IA & CFI-II. The GTN won't cut it since you can't keep clock info up while you use the box for anything else. The GTX345 almost does the job because it has the timer functions that you can use for holds etc and keep visible the entire time but it still doesn't do the job because it doesn't include actual clock time for clearances like "...Expect further clearance at 22:10Z, time now 22:02Z"..... But better options IMO are a panel clock that include other functions. Such as my Guardian Co monitor/clock with other functions. But other glass panel options such as the G500 / G1000 all have clock and timer functions that can be made visible on the PFD to satisfy the requirements.

Sounds like ignition system is working - but truth is with only one EGT sensor you can't tell if you had a plug missing on both mags giving similar like drop so I would pull and check plugs to eliminate the simple stuff. But your symptoms make me suspicious of your carb with a possibly leaking seal or gasket.

For the normally aspirated Lyc IO-360's Mooney POHs, such as the J model, Limitations section allows 1% isopropyl alcohol and they also specifically prohibit other things such as EGME or Prist because of concerns for fuel system compatibility. Although you'll hear arguments to the effect that as long as its well diluted/mixed when adding it, it should be okay. But I would avoid it as long as isopropyl alcohol is readily available and just use it carefully when its your only option. But on Continental Turbo charged Mooney's K's through Acclaim, Mooney POH's allow up to 3% which is a huge amount. I did hear from someone that actually used 3% all winter and reported it very quickly wore out the seals in the fuel pump which was expensive so would really advise against using more than really necessary.

It should still run just fine on a current Windows system, you just need to set up the "compatibility Settings". I don't know what your running now, but for example if you are running Windows 10, you can set the required compatibility settings by right clicking the executable shortcut on the desktop (or anywhere) and clicking "troubleshoot compatibility". This will run an automated utility that will do it for you or you can just tell it to set it up to run as if it was on Windows XP Service Pack 2 which should do it. But sometimes you may also have to play with the graphics settings too. But regardless, if your comfortable using the utility, you should be able to set it up to run just fine. Its never failed me and I've used it on every version of Windows, it just gets easier to use with every new version but has been available on every version since at least XP.

Not unusual for Continental cylinders. But compression is only part of the story in that borescope results are more important. But expecting Lycoming like compressions with Continental cylinders would have you needlessly replacing cylinders. As for a minimum compression it's what ever the master orifice leaks that day which is usually in the low 40's/80. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The vacuum system extends the speed brakes against the spring. The spring retracts them back in. If you have the Standby electric Vacuum System, you can test them on the ground in your hangar without starting the engine. The cables that go through a bicycle like sheath can also become a problem when the sheath becomes cracked and brittle. When that happens the cable & cable conduits need replacing. You can examine the cables conduits from under the wheel wells. If their extending okay then the vacuum canister is working fine which is below the rear seat. Its not normal for them to hang on retraction so you'll have to figure out the cause and address it. The vacuum should be in the green range when you have sufficient RPM, idle is not necessarily enough, but 1700 should be fine. Speed brakes should never be deployed in IMC at or near icing, so personally I just avoid their use on approaches 100% of the time to avoid bad habits. If they ice up they're not coming back down till above freezing temps again.

How much IFR utility will you have left when your IFR flying is limited to below 10K? Even VFR, you won't be able to fly over Hatfield class B if I understood that's what your doing now. That's all way too restrictive out west; especially when all you need is to adsb out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Insurance companies will generally always insure an aircraft for the selling price. If its above 200% of market price for the model they'll likely ask for an appraisal. It's much easier to get higher valued planes insured at time of sale then it is after upgrades as an owner. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Engine monitors pay for themselves over time, assuming we learn how to use it. And most often an engine monitor will alert us to a problem before the fan stops and very often giving us enough warning to save the engine. That's pretty priceless in my book.

You both are essentially correct, but there is no rule about how much blockage we see. It can be minimal such that we would refer to it as dirty just causing a greater than normal gami spread. But from there it ranges to all degrees of partial blockage. The worst and most obvious ones are those that are just blocked enough to put the cylinder at peak at full power, since if ignored it can burn up a cylinder in short order. But there are all degrees and its not uncommon to be looking at a cyl that is actually running LOP from the blockage while all the all the others are ROP. Those that do run LOP are more likely to notice a partial blockage since even of they don't notice their leanest cyl has changed they'll surely notice new roughness if running moderately to deeply LOP. But then they might mistake misfire as an ignition issue when its really premature misfire from that one cylinder just running overly lean. With the more insidious ones its critical to look at downloaded data to verify what's going on and this is when real diagnostic data in the form of our Savvy Test profile enables eliminating the guess work and seeing what's really going on. For example, if it mixture, CHT will always follow EGT in either direction, but an induction leak can also appear to be a partial blocked injector with a MAP significantly lower than ambient pressure. (Thought I posted the above yesterday but it didn't go through - so this is bit late now....) exactly right Teejay!!

Personally I'd take your backup attitude a little more seriously because your two AHRS aren't entirely independent. What I am referring too is that a failure of your pitot heat in icing will bring down both AHRS entirely; showing nothing for attitude, airspeed or altimeter making that backup attitude instrument more important. I went with the ESI-500 for my panel so that I also have backup nav functionality as well as IAS, Alt & VS, but an electric gyro with it own backup battery should do the job for you Ok.

You don't really want to convert as much as you want to add a LEMO plug right next to your standard 2 plug jacks. Your avionics shop should know exactly what to do - or can provide the supervision if you want to tackle this yourself.

Personally, I think the Tanis with dual CHT/ heater element probes and oil sump pad are the very best option. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Indeed, the Sheriff Judd knew the pilot very well: "Judd said he has personally known John Shannon, the President of the Republican Club of Lakeland, for years. Shannon had filed a flight plan this morning to fly to Key West for an apparent Christmas Eve day trip." In one video, I thought I recall Judd saying he had a hangar near where the crash occurred too. But regardless I also remember him saying he knew the pilot for many years, as in more than decades, and we also know that the pilot was licensed in 2010 per the news. But can't really trust the news at this point as that could have merely been just the last recorded update to his certificate. Anyway, if all true, I got the impression Judd viewed the pilot as a less experienced pilot. If true that only 7 years from private to Cessna 340 with very busy career is pretty fast for a recreational pilot. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The speed brakes require an extra kit to close out the speed brakes. This is all sheet metal work followed by sealing the new fuel bay. What you would do under the supervision of your A&P is best addressed between the two of you. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know someone personally that lost their electric boost pump trying to drain a mere 12 gals! Maybe it was on its last legs anyway but @jetdriven Byron's caution is very valid.

Good for you Matt. I hear that all the time from other long time pilots that are so ingrained with the habits. I've given up trying to correct them, plus when I have tried to its usually only minutes later and we'll hear a professional airline pilot doing it too - perhaps the biggest offenders setting a poor example. Perhaps I am overly anal but the sign of true professionalism on the radio is sticking to proper phraseology.

The risk isn't limited to defueling/refueling the plane. You also have the storage issue to consider next. Fire ordinances and the like typically prohibit storing fuel in the hangar that is not in the plane. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

http://artcraftpaint.com/ is very good and fairly priced at ~12K. They're booked well in advance too.

Great write up and good for you practicing this. Very good points too about not yanking the cord too hard - we had one guy do this at a MAPA PPP years ago on the west coast and broke the cord! You don't want to see that happen One point of clarification though on the gear being down and locked when the light comes on since you bring up an excellent point of what will happen with a total electrical failure. Absolutely right about the light coming on to indicate the gear is fully down, but you have the light on the floor where the football; besides the lighted annunciator and afterall the floorboard football and light are the primary means of verifying the gear is down and locked rather than the annuciator. But its not really true the gear didn't lock down till the light came on. The gear actually locked down into place a good pull or more before the light actually came on. The Mooney light isn't triggered by a microswitch on the gear down link like some airframe are, but a single microswitch on one of the two the main gear tubes directly below the cockpit. After the gear is over center, its takes approximately another pull or more to compress the springs further to the desired pre-load. Its the pre-load on the springs that will prevent the gear from folding back up if it you side load the landing gear from imperfect cross wind landing technique or you take a turn off with too great of speed. The click you heard could only be the micro-switch clicking which was directly below you in the cockpit. But I doubt you could hear or feel this click in the air. So what does this all mean when lowering the gear with a total electrical failure? Without the light, you wouldn't be able to know precisely when you are at the proper pre-load setting. All we really have to rely on besides seeing the football centered is feeling the cord tension get much harder when the gear is down and we are compressing the springs with the final pull(s). But the springs aren't fully compressed when the gear is at the proper pre-loads either so its possible to keep going till the one of the springs reaches its limit first and is fully compressed or until the gear motor screw reaches it's limit. Which is beyond what you really want to do. So with no light to tell us (thankfully we have two bulbs) , be careful, go until the indicator shows the football is in place and stop after the pull that all of a sudden got real hard. Then land very gently being very careful not to side the load the gear any more than necessary till it can be properly inspected on jacks or at least re-cycled electrically on jacks to the proper pre-load. And there you have another reason of the importance of practicing this in the hangar on jacks to help get a sense of that last pull with the increased tension as the springs compress so you'll have an idea of what to expect should you have to do this for real with an electrical failure. If you watch Mike's video of the gear extending by hand I think you'll be able to see the gear stop moving and then hear one more pull as the springs are compressed into the proper pre-load tension and close the microswitch.

I fit two high end 29er high end mountain bikes into the back of mine, along with luggage for week get away. Wheels and seats come off and the frames go into bags and the wheels go into wheel bags which go on top of the bikes. A bit of a hassle but being serious about our single track mountain biking I wouldn't even consider a folding bike. We've flown them as far away as Alpine Tx from Southern Cal to ride by Big Bend in the winter. There are a few other threads on this that include pictures.