kortopates

I would also add, if all the damaged parts and skins were replaced with new as is typically done for a minor gear up landing, I personally wouldn't see a problem. Generally there is no structural damage, just replacement of the belly pan, some plastic flap hinge fairings and other minor parts. Nor are the repairs very invasive. And after several years the stigma of the properly repaired damage evaporates. Meanwhile you get to take advantage of the stigma discount now. Just get a proper PPI to check it out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those are just inspection panels. Plus those areas wouldn't even be damaged by a gear up. The area originally damaged would be the belly behind the engine and at this point you would have to drop the belly pan (which would have been replaced) to see the quality of the repair and extent of the repairs. Plus you could look for the 337 documenting the repair. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I still can't get over the fact that they took off without shoulder harnesses! So unbelievable that in this age people don't think their lives are worth the cost of shoulder harnesses - or that it could never happen to them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When you compare your TB to the J what altitudes are use considering. If you compare at Sea Level and I can imagine the stock J out performing you. I have no time in the TB but the turbo itself doesn't add horsepower - in fact it generally robs you of it down low for the added overhead of spinning up the turbine - unless you can totally bypass it. But if you operate it altitude as turbos are designed for you should have no problem beating out a stock J. For example, you should do much better taking off from a high density alt airport such as Big Bear or Mammoth, and cruise much faster up in the middle to upper teens. But I wouldn't expect improved performance below 12K. Its important to know your birds critical altitude and take advantage of that when the winds aloft allow. But down low you are likely paying the overhead cost without any of the benefits. If I had a performance concern the first thing I would likely do is fly it up to its critical altitude to very its performing as expected. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Robert, next I would suggest turning things off and on one at a time to see if you can isolate it. For example, It could turn out to be the strobes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had that happen to me once coming back home from Central America in Mexico - but it was food poisoning after a lobster dinner. Luckily just me and not my wife. She enjoyed a couple extra days of the beach in Mazatlan while I remained in the room chained to the toilet. Then it was home in one more long day. Get well! I see you are a wiz with Photoshop! Unless your bride took that photo of you landing again. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Without wiring to existing strobes you'll have to have wires pulled out to both wing tips and tail. Your current wiring to your existing position lights would be usable for the position lights on the Orion 650. The Orion's have 4 wires: ground, position voltage, strobe voltage and a strobe sync wires to optionally enable the strobes to flash all at the same time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Technically you are following all MooneySpace but I have not seen the sub-forum feature work since the last upgrade to MS. I follow using the Timeline feature. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"Mandatory" service bulletins aren't mandatory because we operate under Part 91. I don't think Part 23 vs CAR 3 has anything to do with it. I was referring to placing the requirement to replace the life limited part in the ICA section of the Maintenance manual (chapter 5) which would make it as Mandatory as a AD. That's what makes it mandatory on Cirrus and where they also limit the total number of airframe hours. It's not an issue for our CAR3 aircraft. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe Don was referring to a bad batch of springs from over a dozen years ago. I've actually gone through 3 of these because the first one had to replaced very quickly because of a manufacturing defect (I recall in the heat treatment processing) where they did have some sudden failures. A number of us had to do it twice in rapid succession because of that, but since then there have been no such issues except perhaps the doubling of the cost (or we would all be hearing about it.) For some time now reported failures have been very low as you would expect. I agree with Clarence and Don K, this is definitely a life limited part and the only life limited part called out in the Mooney Service manual. The factory doesn't make this stuff up, but they do try to come up with a time period that is going to protect 99.9% of the fleet (or so I assume). 1000 hrs is perhaps overly conservative and the factory has stated as much and that they were considering extending the time. Meanwhile after following this for many years I've personally settled on a 1500 hrs replacement schedule until there is a reliable way to judge remaining life - which most likely will never happen. If this minor issue is the Achilles heal of the Mooney fleet we got off real lucky compared to the Cirrus in 2 ways. First the cost is nothing compared to it re-packing the Cirrus parachute. Secondly I think there little doubt this wouldn't be legally required and listed under the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness if our Mooney's were Part 23 certified. But because we aren't, the factory's "mandatory" bulletins have no legal teeth. So owners can make their own choice. Choose wisely.

I ordered it from Mooney, figured they were the best source being I was told I could only order the spring as part of the SB kit. Still learning my sources. I talked to Maxwell in Longview today and I feel a little better about continuing to fly while I'm waiting on parts. I'm replacing it because I can tell the aircraft was not serviced regularly and sat for years at a time. One period was ten years. I don't recall anything coming in the kit but the spring and documentation - but it's been a few years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's more complicated than that. Some records need to be retained forever - bet you can guess which ones. (AD's and major alterations are examples) retention requirements are in multiple places. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe the only difference between the PRK and LASIK is that with the latter, a flap is cut on the surface and peeled back. Then the laser resurfaces the cornea below the flap. A custom ablation can be done to correct for astigmatism. To cut the flap, they need a minimum thickness in the cornea. But it gets thinner as we age to the point that they can only do the PRK. The PRK does the same surface treatment but without the flap. The flap is nice because it heals almost instantly as the flap is laid back down and is painless. Not so with the PRK it takes time and some scarring occurs which makes it a bit less accurate. Some people can have an adverse reaction to the process which results in significant scarring but I understand it's very rare with some eye drops they prescribe to avoid this. Still a scary thought because subsequent treatments generally result in greater reactions and they say the drug to prevent it becomes less effective with multiple treatments making PRK more limited for touchups. LASIKs though can be touched up in minutes by just lifting the flap back up. I am not a doctor, just have had experience with both. Talk to your doctor. But I also highly recommend it. I got my LASIK when they first became approved. At that time ATL Pilots were lining up to get them done and did not need to take any more than a few days - to a week off. The FAA though wants you to stay grounded till your doc has verified your vision has stabilized without any bad side effects that are more pronounced at night. (E.g. Stars etc) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've used the McFarlane prop tape. It work very well. I'd have to measure it's width but it's near 2" wide and thus about 1" on each side. Their documentation from there website should tell you right off if it's approved for stainless- if not a quick call. However I bet it would work fine on a freshly painted prop - but the issue may be when you go to pull it off it may very well pull the paint up with it if the paint doesn't adhere well to the stainless. It can do that with aluminum painted props that weren't primed and painted properly. Given you'd likely need to replace the tape annually or similar you probably won't like seeing the paint come off. And absolutely the tape must adhere well to entire span of its application as it would likely come off at the tip first. But an unpainted leading edge is probably okay as long as it had good adhesion right past the LE. But really calling McFarlane is the right answer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

By "drop in" I mean LEDs that fit the existing sockets for incandescent bulbs - am i using the term wrong? To my knowledge this only exists for the landing light. Including the word "bulb" clarifies that, since this thread was about the entire fixture till Phil brought up bulbs above. But AFAIK I have not seen a truly approved LED replacement bulb, just LED bulbs that claim to meet the FAA requirements which does not make them approved. But Phil above has been very reliable so I am looking forward to hearing what he found. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The legal drop in replacement has been mentioned many times in these forums. For starters see the second post above on them. Then you can use the search function to see pictures and videos. One caveat, they are true drop in replacement for the common A650P &G's - if you don't have those you'll have to compare footprints and mounting holes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

AFAIK you won't find a Mooney drawing for the tools. But people have duplicated them and cheap knock-offs abound on EBay. There not expensive. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Best left to someone who is experienced with it and the SB. More than the spring may need servicing as well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice Don. I am deciding myself between the your ESI 500 and SAI 340 and wondering if the extra cost of the ESI 500 is worth it for the backup GS. I am sure it is, but this all adds up$$ I was a little surprised by your comment about no certified backup nav because my interpretation is we have the raw data and CDI directly on both GPS's. What we're really lacking is a backup GS indicator if the G500 goes dark to do precision approaches. Although another CDI head could also fill that role, I certainly agree the ESI 500 is the far more elegant solution!! I am envious and I am seriously considering it - just $$.

Hi Steve, I don't know how many hours you have on that mag but based on what I've seen in the past I would take advantage of having it off to get it opened up and inspected and at least re-timed internally. Your unpressurized mags should go 5 yrs/500hrs without servicing, but beyond that they should be inspected. Frankly if both mags were near the 5yr/500hr I'd do them both. (I pull my pressurized mags annually because they are much more prone to internal corrosion from moisture being pumped in.) With a 2 sec data sampling rate, which is great, you should do 30 sec's per key position. That gives 15 data points but we also need time to see temps stabilize. 10 seconds is just not enough time. Even though 30 sec may not show much improvement, the added time is important to show any possible misfire. Its normal that you will see less of a rise going from the Bottom plug of cylinder to the Top plug of the cylinder. The bottom plugs generally give a higher rise because combustion on the bottom only plug is not as thorough as combustion on the top plug which is generally cleaner, free of oil etc. As a result, combustion is slowed on the bottom plug only and as the exhaust valve opens up the EGT probe is seeing the incomplete combustion continuing as it the gas is exiting resulting in a higher EGT rise. So a drop in EGT rises from bottoms to tops is normal. But what is not is seeing less than a minimum rise of 50-75F rise on each plug when operated on a single mag. We measure that from the both position to the single mag rise.

Whelen has FAA/TSO'd approved LED combination Navigation & Strobe lights. Google Whelen Orion 650 lights. They are available in a model that sits outside of the wing exposed to the elements and also in model enclosed in the plexi wing tip. They are approved for most of the vintage Mooney (and i expect the C model - just not the modern ones but that is not a big problem). There are several threads on these lights in Mooneyspace already, some showing installs and video's of them turned on.

There is no validity in comparing the two peaks between Left & Right mags. What we actually do is look at the Odds as a group and the Evens as a group, since then we are looking only at tops on one mag and bottoms on the other mag. If the Odds Tops match the Evens Tops with the Odds Bottoms matching the Evens Bottom - then we know the mag are timed together or not split timed. The EGT rise comparison is between Both and Left and Both and Right. For that we are looking for a 50-75 EGT rise or more. But your data is too short to be useful. It looks like we only got 3 data points in each position before changing it. We want to see at least 10 data points on each position to allow temps to stabilize so with a 6 sec data sampling rate you want to use a full minute on Left, Both and Right which totals 3 minutes. Do this LOP after a Gami spread or since carbureted get it as lean as you can without any roughness - i.e. enrich just enough to be smooth. More details here on how to do the test as well as how to interpret it: https://www.savvyanalysis.com/articles/in-flight-diagnostics Or you can always click on the button to request analysis.

Ouch!! I can't even imagine the pain and I am an avid MTB rider myself. Great cardio. Hope there is no long term damage. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You are right, I apologize. I had been setting in the lobby of the urgent care place down the street with a banged up knee for over three hours, I was in a pissy mood... Wow - sorry to hear about the knee. Hope it gets better soonest! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It shouldn't matter. It should change with the press of the button. My guess is your button may be sticking. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk