kortopates

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2014/11/accident-occurred-november-12-2014-in.html Registration suggest just a few months of ownership. Flightaware info suggest a long day of VFR flying in less than good weather. Its shows 2 flights which actually appear to be the same flight with a change to a closer destination. An initial altitude of 2500 then later at 6500 - perhaps staying below low ceilings in the departure area?

With the cost to upgrade to the new larger color 830 at 1 amu why spend $300 to fix it. I'd instead move the GPSS elsewhere if possible to make room for the larger display that enables you to read all parameters at the same time and download data via USB device - a far superior unit. If the fuel flow above is not a required primary I'd remove that to integrate into the new JPI display and move the GPSS there. Just my thoughts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In the Seattle area I'd highly recommend Craig Scamehorn at Command Aviation in Bellingham KBLI. He was the former head mechanic at the now closed MSC in WA that Trey recommended. There is no better engine guru in WA, he is really good and his shop at Bellingham is quite good and very reasonable.

Definitely not normal. The only time I've seen this is when the oil pump began cavitating, i.e. getting air in the suction tube inlet just as M201MKTurbo said above , from the oil level getting dangerously low. With otherwise steady normal oil pressure indications, fluctuations such as what you describe that accompany increasingly lower oil pressure are sign that the oil level is dropping to the oil suction inlet tube. They're really your last warning that the turbo is pumping oil overboard from its seal going bad. Missing that warning will allow the oil pressure to drop enough that the turbo can rapidly fail. The higher your flying the faster oil can leak past the seal; down low the leak is minimal at first. I personally would not accept it. I personally have not seen a faulty oil pressure regulator cause this but that seems like a possibility in addition to air in the system. I'd want to drop the oil pan to see what could be causing this, since it really suggest something may have fallen down into the oil pan interfering with the oil inlet at the screen. Since dropping the pan is big job, and your past mechanics have not been very helpful, I'd start with calling Bill Ross at the TCM factory ( http://www.continentalmotors.aero/Meet_the_Team/) and relay your symptoms and see what he suggests for next steps. Hopefully he may suggest some less drastic steps that can be done first, such as maybe the pressure regulator (?). But with 2 independent oil pressure indications showing the same thing I'd expect the indications to be real and you need to find the cause and get it resolved with peace of mind. I am sure you'll find TCM over the phone to be very helpful. I don't buy the turbocontroller theory since when you're not changing the power in cruise (MP, prop, fuel) and not changing the altitude the controller and wategate will have achieved pretty near homeostasis such that oil pressure changes to the wategate should be near negligible - yet you report the symptom continuously.

Exactly right Dave, you have to wonder with a dewpoint spread down to 1C in the metars we're shown before the fog rolled in with the temp only able to go lower, why wasn't the pilot already considering his plan B out? This could be an example reminder to continue risk management in the air after launching to be considering the Consequences of what is changing (e.g. narrow dew point spread, temperature dropping approaching sunset or past sunset etc); considering Alternatives - diverting; other landing options; the Reality of the conditions when getting there finding fog and asking himself/herself if his/her External Pressures to land at the planned destinations and perhaps avoid undesirable fees are interfering with his/her judgement? How about another quick review after the first failed landing attempt. Try again - really? The CARE checklist is just one way to walk oneself through the evaluation and decision making process that we should be considering whenever something changes.

Yes, the original same Lever Arm you have now is available from Mooney for the price I listed a year ago. But like you and most people in this predicament the roll pin holes had grown in size from being loose. So I ordered a new Lever Arm from Mooney before I realized my motor coming back from Globe would have bigger roll pin holes in the shaft. The larger roll pin holes was good news in that it enabled me to re-drill the my old lever arm holes to the new size and return it to "like new" condition saving the cost of the new Lever Arm. Its very unlikely that your current lever arm holes would be so enlarged that the same fix won't return your existing one to like new as well. But if I am wrong, keep in mind the new matching lever arm part is not listed in our IPC, nor had Mooney manufactured the first one as of a year ago. They just spec'd out the new motor (-513) at the time the Encore went out of production and have been using it for spares ever since so I assume the lack of demand for the new lever arm part has been pretty non-existent. So I really doubt you'll have any problem with yours either. You can get the drawing for the new spec'd lever arm from Mooney to tell you the proper size hole or just measure the new pin holes on the motor shaft when you get it back ( or I can find my copy of the drawing and email it to you). I had mine drilled by a friend in a machine shop so I wouldn't risk damage given the two holes have to be aligned up with the motor shaft, but access to a good drill press should be adequate too. Make sure both of the new roll pins are properly secured with safety wire to so that they never are allowed to work there way out. Given your description, I am sure your pin shaft holes are enlarged and you will need a new shaft. So I am sure Bobby will have a new motor out to you within a week. They're great but they can't sell them outright, only overhaul them due their relationship with Mooney.

I personally think they oversell the mounting compatibility. The truth is there is no slide in tray like your avionics tray up front and they all more or less share a compatible footprint. Mounting the unit is the smallest part of the install. All the units require a new 406 antenna to be installed as well as remote cockpit switch. If you want to include a GPS interface, then a wire will be pulled for that from your GPS along with the remote cockpit switch wire. The ONLY approved 406 antenna for under the fiberglass dorsal fin is the Artex unit using the Mooney supplied Artex antenna install kit (see SI M20-116 from Mooney for details) If your plane already has a Ameri-King remote switch that you can re-use, then you can save significant install time for that which is more meaningful in install cost than the tray mounting IMO. Depending on your Avionics guy, pulling the additional wire for the GPS interface can be significant as well. But in my case, I was already pulling the cable for the remote switch so it didn't add that much time. Given an Amer-King with GPS interface capability cost 2x the ACK E04 cost, I'd really have a good talk with your favorite avionics guy about what a full install for you will cost before paying double to save a few hours - unless you don't value the GPS interface which makes the cost delta a wash. Note that the unit that has a built in GPS certainly eliminates the install time for a GPS interface cable, but it doesn't also broadcast on 121.5 which I personally view as a very significant limitation.

That would have to be local chapter requirement. Angel Flight West, that I am a member of us, has many VFR only pilots. So it can't be a national requirement, if such a thing exist. AFW requires 250 hrs total, 75 x-county and 25 in type and 50 PIC in the last 12 months or a flight review/wings completion in the last 3 months. Really very little experience is required to donate your plane time flying for them.

Exactly, I've flown my 252 into Mulege many times over the years and other worse strips as well and never had a problem dinging my prop. In addition to the good advice above I would also suggest being careful in picking a place to turn around for departure where you neither have excessive amount of rocks or may need excessive amount of power (e.g., softer dirt/sand). If you get into trouble turning around, rather than add more and more power just shutdown and pull it around. Not such an issue at Mulege as much as some other places like Laguna San Ignacio. There are almost always other folks to help, especially if you are going down with the Flying Sam's etc.. I will also walk the strip whenever I can to pick my turn around point. Really no different piloting techniques than just being zealous with the soft field techniques for your prop's sake. The big difference that you will probably most notice going into Mulege in a low wing Mooney compared to your prior high wing Cessna experience though will be the close proximity of your wingtips to the fence on the narrow runway - it will really have your attention. Because of this hazard, I delay touch down till I am well past the pad at the threshold and right where the road is coming in from the left that runs along the other side of the fence along the runway -- i.e. a few hundred feet past the pad. By this point two things are in my favor, first the strip has widened appreciably by then and secondly any x-wind is greatly diminished by the hillside on the right starting to block x-winds at that point. You'll still have plenty of runway to roll out even if you are a little hot. Enjoy your trip down. Yeah, I've flown all over Baja and the mainland and into Central America and never gotten any bad gas, but these stories still persist.

ACK E-04 is a great deal and the provides a GPS interface from your installed panel mounted GPS - very worthwhile if you'd like SAR to know your coordinates should the worse happen. The only downside is that they do not have a certified antenna that can be installed hidden in the fiberglass where your OEM antenna is. If you want that you'd have to go with the AIRTEX unit that Mooney worked with the manufacturer to enable such an installation under the fiberglass dorsal fin and get Mooney's antenna or mounting bracket. There is a Mooney Service letter on Mooney's web site with the details but it's more than twice as expensive. Strongly recommend against getting any 406 ELT that does not also have 121.5. 121.5 is still what the local responders (e.g., CAP, etc) use for searching for the plane, not 406Mh. The 121.5 freq also provides the benefit of verifying the unit is working properly at annual without special equipment or through a service with additional fees - keeps it easy to maintain. In addition to the 406, a 496 PLB is also great added insurance. You just can't count on being able to get to it and activate it after a crash so its not a substitute for an installed ELT IMO. Realistically, my waterproof/floating ACR PLB takes two hands to open the unit and extend the antenna whereas my ACK E04 has a button that can be pushed in the cockpit to activate in the unlikely scenario you know in advance you're going down and have a second to activate it.

Your description is confusing only in that there are no ty-wraps used to secure the motor. Its secured by 4 screws & nuts to firmly attach it and tie wraps are used only to secure the wiring. Something must be amiss with your installation if a tie wrap is needed to secure the motor? I'd get it checked out by your A&P.

They are not interchangeable since the -513 has larger holes for the attaching drift pins than your older -505. That said, this is an improvement and essentially an upgrade to the original -505 motor, yet it will require drilling out the attaching the 2 lever arm pin holes to accommodate the larger drift pins (or roll pins) and installation of the larger pins. The exact affected part numbers are listed in my earlier post (that you commented on as well). See my earlier post and Lance's about whom to contact at Globe at http://mooneyspace.com/topic/8315-m20k-252-cowl-flap-motor/

I do that as well, (use the IR sat picture), but rather than estimate altitude via the adiabatic lapse rate (which really varies between dry and wet anyway) go to winds forecast to get accurate altitude vs temperature - fast and accurate estimate. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1 The piston maintenance group at CrownAir originally came from a Mooney dealer and service center on the field many years ago and they have been Mooney specialist ever since. Many of their staff have 20-30 years Mooney experience and know their way around the various airframes very well. They also have a guy that has 20+ years of engine overhaul experience. They're a very capable Mooney shop.

You all do realize that in order to use the 51 gal supplement you must have have the filler neck modified per a Mooney drawing - basically adding vent holes as well as add the updated placards. It might be more helpful to look at a newer supplement I've attached since it provides more details on where to fill to. 50gal_useable_fuel-rtn.pdf The required modification should also answer the question on legality as well. Without the added vent holes its very difficult to get the extra gas in consistently because of the air. It can be done yet it takes time to settle out as Jose pointed out. So unless are being super careful to the take the time or you start with a dry tank, you won't be able to be sure just how much fuel you really have. Otherwise the factory wouldn't of added the vent holes to make it easy.

You're right of course on the math - my mistake. Yet your POH is clearly very wrong on this. Mooney is obligated to follow TCM's technical guidance - they provide a Operations Manual and issue service letters to clarify and expand on many issues. In this case, TCM issued SIL03-1 back in 2003 for their detailed guidance which is really the authority on this topic. You can get it here: http://www.tcmlink.com/pdf2/SIL03-1.pdfYou'll see as Cruiser already pointed out, they advise using pre-heat from 20F and below but many pilots, especially those paying the maintenance bills, will be far more conservative and start considering pre-heating at below 40F.

Clearly a typo since -25C does not equal -13C. I'd check with the factories Pubs list to see if your POH has all of its updates/revisions. Then go from there to get a missing until date or ask them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking like a plug is cutting out. Using your engine monitor, do your magneto/ignition test and it should point to the problem spark plug. If it is normal on the ground, do the same ignition stress test in the air while preferably LOP to stress it more and you should see which plug is failing by a lack of an EGT rise while on one mag. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Most know about it and have for some time. But enforcement has not yet begun, meaning it is still not necessary to file. How longs that last is anyone guess but now that they are offering the alternative way file by email for free, there is little reason not to file IMO. But Mexico City has said they'll give notice of when enforcement is to begin. We'll see.

Indeed, but if it was a G500 it would go back at the first sign of trouble. I waited in denial for a few more flights till it became a distraction. But its not all that bad really when you have a pair of GNS430W that continue to provide GPS Data and a moving map - obviously not the quality of display I have on the GMX200 with weather. This what worries me frankly about the the fully integrated systems. Loose one thing and it can be a much greater concern. And don't assume even a 3 panel Aspen system is immune - just allow it to loose airdata, from say a blocked pitot tube and reversionary mode will be of no help.

Battertyminder has been selling an aircraft wiring accessory to enable your mechanic to make a quick install of a cable extension from the battery to a plug that you can plug the batteryminder in without opening anything up. The current version they have uses aircraft (FAA) approved wire and plugs and terminal, but the plug is pretty bulky and hard to fit in the usual locations - which have been the TKS or O2 port door, or APU plug door or even just on the Hat Rack by the baggage door with a small hole in the hat rack. Installation is generally a minor mod. Also as Teejayevans noted, they make different aviation specific models specific to the battery, thus for the Concorde Sealed battery, they want you to use the S5 series with thermal sensor. Theoretically they are voltage tuned and temperature sensitive so as to not harm the battery if left on continuously. Many folks have bought a Batteyminder without getting the aviation specific version for their battery type, and I recently noticed that they are now allowing you to send in your unit to get it converted to the aviation specific model. See their website for details http://www.batteryminders.com/ and send it end to get yourself absolved of all your past charging sins Maybe it'll even prolong the life of your battery which seems to be getting increasingly more expensive! FTR, I leave my charger on continuously going on now about 3-4 years and doing great. But I also got 6-7 years each on my prior 2 Flooded Gills which seems to be impossible reading any thread on Battery's here. They worked great for me, but they did take maintenance on a quarterly cycle unlike the sealed battery's to keep them going.

I trust your Fltplan Go with current latest V3.0.8 s/w on IOS 8 are now working again. Fltplan said the issue was a bug in IOS 8. Yet without seeing an update for IOS 8 or Fltplan Go, I saw the app start working yesterday. Not sure who fixed what or how, but I'll take it! I did see Fltplan.com took down the warning message about not installing the latest version on IOS 8.

I had something very similar happen with my unit a about 18 months ago, it cycled through a few different display issues. But it quickly went from intermittent to being full time unusable. I sent mine back to Garmin for repairs, they turned it around in a day or 2 max - very quick. As part of their flat fee repair price, they update the firmware to the latest and I believe all the data too (not positive). Give the Garmin Apollo division a call (they'll transfer you) in Salem OR and they'll give you the details on pricing and turn around time. If you know how to go through your configuration and save it before shipping so you can reset it to your settings when it comes back, I expect they'll let you send it in directly to them - or see your favorite shop. If you also have XM weather displayed on your unit, you'll also want to ask them where they are on the weather buffer overflow fix they have in progress due out before the end of the year - maybe you'll be able to pick that fix up as well; if its applicable to you.

I didn't realize that and why I asked. Is this something new that the FAA is doing for specific type of sim like the BATD? Or just specific to this one? I'll have to look at their website to see what authority they reference. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I assume you have a CFII for dual to be able to log the time for currency - yes? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk