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Everything posted by kortopates
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Defective Garmin GTN Database Cards
kortopates replied to Mooney_Allegro's topic in Avionics/Panel Discussion
Reading through this thread I could not tell if the card is only not recognized by the reader on PC or both the GPS and the PC. Also I could tell what s/w were you were using on the PC but am assuming JSUM given the reference to JeppView. So if the GPS doesn't recognize the card too, then sorry its time for aa new card. But if the GPS recognizes the card, the issue is likely in the needing to re-install the card reader driver in JSUM and thus the technical support guys at Jeppesen should be able to get you going quickly. Other than that, I can only offer the obvious to make they don't get dropped and to protect them from static electricity while handling and carrying them around while out of the aircraft. -
FWIW, your engine manufacturer would disagree if it matters. Their recommendation is in your POH. Specifically for Continentals it depends on whether your engine has a Hydraulic Controller like the MB and SB variants. The 231's GB and LB do not and this would not apply to the Merlyn either since its a pneumatic controller. But the Hydraulic controllers use oil pressure to control the hydraulic wategate and it is very sensitive to oil temperature. For example, max boost will vary with oil temperature which is why its common to see some overboost on the first takeoff of the day when oil temperature has not gotten up to 180F yet, and when oil temperature is really hot 200+ you won't be able to see max boost MAP (on a properly adjusted controller) because of the effect of temperature on the controller. As the oil gets hotter its viscosity reduces and this affects your controllers ability to maintain a set MAP under varying temperatures. Therefore in addition to picking an oil weight based on ambient temperatures, for Continental for turbo engines with hydraulic controllers and wategates like the TSIO-MB & SB, you will see your POH calls for a multi-weight oil to improve controller performance. Personally I believe turbo shaft coking is more correlated to turbo longevity and the popular wisdom is that synthetic oils are prone to coking more than non-synthetic. Plus even RAM recommends that at annual the oil lines be removed from the turbo to flush it with solvent to clean any coking for turbo longevity. I'll add in contrast, specifically for Continental engines, that starter adapters have been shown to last longer on straight weight oils. They tend to slip a bit earlier with multi-weight oils. Proof of this can be seen by switching from a multi-weight to a single weight oil at the first signs of slippage in order to get some more time out of your starter adapter - if done soon enough. Anyway I just thought I would add Continentals guidance to the discussion since it stems directly to the turbo aspect of the OP question and since its not all about ambient temperatures.
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The tower is open every day (8am-8pm). Its not that busy of an airport compared to our other San Diego county airports but has a lot going on between aircraft coming over the border from TJ (a mile away) to clear customs, parachute jumping, military (Nat Guard) including F/A-18's and more and the usual GA training. Its also home to a lot of experimental aircraft and a local EAA chapter 14. It gets additional traffic from aircraft owners for usually having the best fuel prices in the county too. The C172 in the midair was associated with a local flying club I instruct with - perhaps the biggest club in the nation. The C172 pilot was alone, so far from what we've heard. Still very little is known, but a friend of mine that observed it while fueling up there said the C172 was coming in on a right base for 26R, the same long runway that the Sabreliner would also be coming in on. She saw the collision and said it was just awful. The FAA hasn't even upload there daily accident/incident stats from the weekend yet. But I am sure we'll hear more details soon.
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Honestly, the current s/w version should be irrelevant. Given an authorized Garmin dealer installs it for you, most certainly they will update the firmware to Garmin's latest at no extra charge. Garmin doesn't charge the dealers for them and many shops due them as a courtesy. I have never paid for an update myself. I think the current version is 5 something. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Skygeek.com is one way Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Good, everything is contained in the cartridge and they are much more serviceable and easier to work on. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Speed brakes were not standard equipment in 231s - not till the 252. So what kind do you have? The above advice is only good for newer electric ones. At the time of the 231 they installed vacuum actuated brakes. If that is what you have it could be a spring or the conduit caring the cable may be disintegrating - it's like a bicycle cable. But nothing simple here. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Ah, got it. I always enter coming in at the top of that canyon leading to the damn. But I've never dropped down it as I am usually pretty high by then climbing out. That would make for a fun descent. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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You got my curiosity. I've done that flight many times over the years but I can't tell what valley to the south you mean going back to San Diego? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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You'll basically install a whole new electric speed brake kit - nothing from the old system will be re-used except for the electrical wiring from the yoke and panel to the vacuum regulator. I expect that wire can be used to extend power to the two new brakes that have their actuators built into the brake cartridges. This assumes too that the newer brake cartridges will fit into the existing wing cut outs without further sheet metal work but that would need to be verified. But if all fits install labor should be closer to a quarter of what a new installation from scratch would be (i.e. 10-15hrs) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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FWIW, The K does not have the same switch to turn on the electric fuel pump as does the Ovation setup. Plus the fuel pump is in front of the engine in front of the #5 cyl and the transducer is also up there above #5 cyl unlike the ovation/eagle with pump in the rear. Very different, not to mention a NA fuel pump is also a different from a turbo fuel pump. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I am having a hard time getting past the "gear up inspection" only 10 hrs ago. Both manufacturers require a complete tear down inspection for prop strikes which the insurance company's pay for. I am having a hard time believing or understanding how a 42 year old engine gets put back together without turning it into a major overhaul even though not required. Plus the comment that the owner "scoped" the cam further adds question to the scope of the inspection - he should have been able to hold it in his hand with a proper inspection. I assume though you gave reviewed the logs and know what was really done. But stuff like that makes me wonder if you even want to fly that engine in its current state. Like Byron commented - if that is not run out I don't know what is. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Check to see if the compass is still level - it may have been pushed up from R&R'ing the glare shield. But no, re-swinging the compass is not on the owner approved list of maintenance items.
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Tim, Perhaps Don will fabricate a new bracket for it and rivet it on. I see you have an SB. I assure you though the front cross over exhaust section is two separate pipes. You'd have look closely though as the junction is covered up by the heat shield and not really evident with the shield on. Regardless though, the fact is the front heat shield takes a lot of abuse being where it is across two sections of pipe and is unlikely to last the lifetime of the engine even when properly installed.
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I'll bet the issue is due to tightening both clamps securely that hold the heat shield to the exhaust pipe. You'll note the two clamps for the heat shield go on different sections of exhaust pipe. The service manual, see section 77, is very clear with a big CAUTION not to tighten both sides so that their is some play for movement as the pipes heat up. Tightening them both prevents any movement causing the bracket to crack at the clamp till it breaks and as you must know heat shields aren't cheap. Kind of underlines the need to use and follow proper documentation.
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I don't believe lightning is included in the ADS-B TIS-B product list - there is no mention of it. I have it with my XM subscription but its important to realize its only provides ground strikes. So in addition to the delay, its also a phenomenon of mature cells and thus I find most helpful for the strategic planning a long ways out on longer cross countries. The spherics devices of course show all forms of lightning and thus much more valuable.
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Agreed Hank and Bob, In fact the turbocharger makes the storm scope even more important IMO since it gets us up higher where they're more a danger. Sure you can see them as your climbing up when the layers have low tops and the cells are isolated, but not when you're climbing to tops that are high and cells are scattered or worse. Knowing right now where they are is key to getting on top safely or within layers where you can avoid visually. Plus its not just the big boomers we want to avoid. Of course the WX-500 stormscope layered on top of the Nexrad weather display on your GPS or MFD provides much improved situational awareness.
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Do they have an orange label on the other side so that they work with the current memory cards being sold also with orange labels? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I went through the sales tax exemption process in CA too as Jerry described. But this was over a dozen years ago with an aircraft purchase price of over $200K - so I was very motivated to make the effort for 8% savings. My purchase was entirely for personal use so I followed a different protocol which kept the aircraft out of state for over 3 months. The rules have since changed and as far as I know the exemption is only good for business use today. However anyone interested in this only needs to go to the CA BOE website and read up to find out if there is anyway they pull it off. Well worth it if you can. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Is it possible to use a cell phone while flying?
kortopates replied to Rik's topic in General Mooney Talk
From a SAR standpoint its best to always leave your cell phone on while in flight. If you go down and SAR folks can get your cell phone (e.g. Flight plan, friend, relative etc.) and have the phone company ping your phone for a GPS position before the search even begins. It can be very helpful in getting help to you much sooner if your 406 with GPS position source failed or you don't have one or just to corroborate the other data. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -
51 year old prop governor?
kortopates replied to stevebennett327's topic in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)
I hope you're aware of engine corrosion risk issues from a plane that likely sat longterm and either got a very thorough PPI on it or valued it as a runout engine. Don't mean to sound doom and gloom but the oil leaks and governor may be the least of your concern if there is internal corrosion. If there is, it typically shows up 1.5 to 2yrs after being put back into normal use with spalling cam and lifters. Good to have a plan. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -
Besides cleaning out the holes, don't rely on the springs to push the pins into the holes - make sure the seat occupant positively pushed the lever down as well to ensure the pins are seated, if the holes are overly rounded then the rails should be replaced just like Cessna rails. They are available from Mooney.
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Prop De-Ice Ammeter inop - need to find one.
kortopates replied to DaveAnderson's topic in Modern Mooney Discussion
Its been awhile but if you look the part # up in the IPC you should be able to find it on the web. Its a Goodrich part if I recall properly and last I saw it was $800+ a number of years ago. -
I agree about the poorly written article. It really looks like self serving sensationalism to me - aimed entirely at scaring people away from trying to fly into Mexico alone without hiring their services. Fact is its real easy and the rules are surely not hidden in spanish on some mexican DGAC site, they're readily available from many aviation web site like Baja Bush and others. For all the good Rick Gardner does, especially as the AOPA Mexico rep, its really frustrating too see this kind of stuff. Its just like at the start of the Mexican APIS thing, Caribbean sky tours was virtually as bad as FlightPlan.Com insisting that you better file a Mexican APIS through their fee based ARINC interface when the truth was no one in Mexico cared, nor had the majority of any GA airport Commadantes even hear about this new policy/law being implemented - they had been out of the loop. But more importantly there was no enforcement of this new law simply because they still have a lot of work to do to implement the infrastructure. Its over years later since the laws debut and if you file a Mexican APIS today it still doesn't go beyond Mexico City; nobody really cares and there sure hasn't been an attempted enforcement of private GA flights. Eventually this will change and with the new free email filing method by sending a spreadsheet its foolish to ignore it since they're making it so easy. Anyway, WRT crossing the southern Mexican border, Mexico's policy is virtually identical to the US. Note from our Northern border you are not obligated to stop at the first AOE airport and can continue further south - same in Mexico. But not so coming into the US from the south. Same thing in Mexico except they have such a smaller border on the south they only have two AOE's they let us use; which isn't a problem if you do your due diligence. If you ever entered Mexico from the south you'll understand why they do it. Lastly since the last CBP fine that I have heard of recently was for a US pilot re-entering the US that didn't declare he had a couple of oranges on board was fined $500. Based on that, do you really think a US pilot would get fined for less than a couple thousand dollars if they failed to stop at one of the border airports like our hapless pilot above did in Mexico?? I doubt it; especially after trying to tell them their rules didn't apply to him. Really???
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Inbound, you'll only need to file a US ICAO flightplan if you are entering VFR. If you enter on a IFR flight plan they'll hand you off at the border and you'll always be on squawk code. If you are entering VFR you need to file a ICAO through any of the DUAT providers or Lockhead Martin via their website 1800wxbrief.com or you could even do it over the phone using skype (which usually works well from Mexico providing you have internet access). Don't rely on Mexico to get your flight plan to the US - often it works but when it doesn't you have you have to file a full flight plan over the radio with FSS which is painful from the air. Remember you can update your eAPIS arrival time in the air on a FSS radio frequency as long as you contact them at least 30 min out from your arrival time. Often that means you can't be very low and reach them that far out. DVFR flights plans are no longer used, they have been replaced by ICAO International flight plans.