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kortopates

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Everything posted by kortopates

  1. I take pilots all the time to Mexico, usually as a day trip to San Felipe to get their entry permit and go through all the procedures in both directions. Then after having gone thorough the process, the pilot is ready to take their family down without the stress.
  2. Not really, I am sure it's on every page of the STC to make it clear the STC is only valid for that aircraft and is not transferable to anyone else. Nor is it unusual that the STC is good for a lot a different TSIO-360's - as it is for many of the early TSIO-360's without wastegates.
  3. My wife and I love traveling with our Mooney and we're both pilots which really helps. We just got back from spending New Years down in Baja, visiting La Paz and Loreto. Cleared in La Paz and exited out of Loreto. We've flown all over Mexico and Central America - went to Panama last January, and I've been able to go down to San Salvador to give Mooney instruction. And of course flown in the Bahama's which is barely leaving the US since your still talking to US controllers most of the time anyway. And love to fly to Alaska via Canada. Even flown to Cuba back when it was easier. Every country has their own requirements that we must learn and meet, but Ken is right on. Of the all the minor hassles I've been exposed too, which have been very few, the biggest by far have been with our very own CBP. I've seen American's get into some trouble with Mexican authorities for doing stupid stuff they should have know better and for complaining they were some how being ripped off when they weren't. But I've seen first hand the Mexican authorities are far more forgiving with newbie Americans than our CBP folks. The talk about Mexico right now is the changes in the entry permit process. Its a bit more hassle and lots of folks complaining about the changes but a little paper works isn't going to slow us down! BTW, towered airports have just as good security in Mexico as the US, after all they're going by the same ICAO rules everyone is. But its a pretty novel experience to fly into a uncontrolled strip in Baja and park a few meters from your hotel room. Even then, there are few National Guard troops looking after the airport as there is in almost every licensed strip. Order the decal so you have it when you need it. You need the decal number to file your eAPIS. But no need to put it on your plane till you need it. I didn't put my 2024 decal on my till after I landed and was waiting in the customs box for the CBP folks to walk out.
  4. Rosie's restaurant has long since closed or in actuality moved off the airport to the down area but too far of a walk. This may have been even before the pandemic.
  5. I am pretty sure everyone flying a -KB follows this, but you're flying a -GB or -LB.
  6. It says no such thing. The engine is rated for continuous full HP. Full power climb is cooler for the engine but be sure to pitch for Vy+10-20 kts. if the fuel flow is set up properly it will climb cooler that way all the way to the flight levels. you may have been thinking of the TSIO-520 with 5 min limit at full power. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  7. If controls are heavy on landing, then the plane isn’t properly trimmed for hands off at approach speed. Until mastering trim your much more likely to prop strike it and will have very inconsistent landings as you hunt for the proper flare pitch. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  8. Well stated with the wisdom and knowledge of experience. But i think the biggest challenge for Mooney stems from the not so distant past when we saw the same issue with the waas upgrades for the G1000’s. A handful of owners pressured and convinced Mooney, while they were still in production mode, to provide the retrofit engineering to upgrade earlier G1000’s to WAAS. But in the end very few owners took advantage of it when Mooney offered the kit and probably more were updated using salvage or used GIA63W’s obtained from sources other than Mooney without allowing Mooney to recoup on their engineering cost. You have to wonder if you were Mooney why you would risk such a poor investment at a time when the factory is likely barely surviving. Seems they can’t really afford to be so altruistic at this time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  9. He was a big proponent of WD-40 as well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  10. Some owners go to great lengths to clean their engines before putting in fresh oil. Remember Jose aka originally Piloto? He filled the sump with avgas after draining the oil and swore by it. A half quart of MMO 30 min before oil change sounds pretty conservative in comparison Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  11. Watch out with this. When i attended Continentals school for A&P’s years ago they warned us all not to do this and told a story of an engine that failed in flight because some filter debris got inside the engine and then blocked an oil galley bringing down the plane. They warn that if you really want to puncture an oil filter to drain it, to only do it with the approved Tempest tool and then let it just drain by gravity and never use something like a screwdriver. An engine will keep draining out oil for week or so and you’ll never get all the oil out of the prop and oil cooler. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  12. LASAR used to offer these exchange and beefed up a bit. Don’t know if the new owners are. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  13. As a very active CFI, I’ve never been a fan of accelerated training for the instrument ticket. The commercial is perfect for it and many experienced pilots can pull off the commercial maneuvers in a weekend. But not an instrument rating in a week or 10 days and learn enough instrument survival skills. Of course people still do it and those that do and are wise enough to treat only as license to learn will probably do fine. But IMO Instrument training shouldn’t be limited to just flying approaches and holds. IMO it’s essential to ensure every one gets lots of actual IMC flown partial panel, in lots of less than VFR weather while learning about weather first hand and is mentored in aeronautical decision making. As an example of the pitfalls of accelerated training, years ago here on Mooneyspace we all learned about a new pilot that purchased a J model then got a 10 day instrument ticket just in time to fly to Jackson Hole for a wedding. He signed up for the training just to be able to make the trip IFR as he figured correctly he would need it. The pilot made a lot bad choices on his return trip that got himself and two of his kids killed exceeding the capabilities of both the plane and pilot. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  14. It’s a very fine line between compressing the springs to get the required pre-load and fully compressing the springs. I recall the MM calling for 1/4 to 3/8” gap in adjusting the mechanical down stop. That’s a big enough gap that when the limit switch fails it could still fully compress the springs and bow a tube. Because of the geometry, the left tube will be first to bow so you won’t necessarily loose both tubes. plus limit switches don’t necessarily fail completely but may require further throw and pressure to close. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  15. Just my opinion but an aluminum glare shield sounds too likely to result in a fatal injury in an off field landing. I wouldn’t want one. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  16. Indeed it happens a lot more than you'd think. But these tubes aren't that hard to source from the factory, same tubes are used by many models and I've been able to get them in 2-6 weeks. In fact I don't think it actually took upto 6 weeks.
  17. they don’t appreciably slow the plane but they make a major improvement in stall handling. One needs to experience it for themselves to really appreciate them. I don’t have them on my plane but have been very impressed by clients planes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  18. Exactly! 150K per person doesn’t go very far these days hence the desire for smooth limits. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  19. no sub-limits constraint. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  20. Glad Mike asked because i thought you had 1 mill smooth. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  21. It takes quite a lot till they give and bow, But Once they bow, they’re gone. They’re very thin. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  22. Apparently that’s without prop de-ice too which i assume is standard on every Bravo, since they say electric prop de-ice isn’t yet approved, just FIKI. Since adding the electric prop de-ice boots is going to cost a couple knots it sounding like a wash in cruise performance but significantly better climb performance. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  23. What makes you say they’re out of business? http://merlynproducts.com/blackmagic.html Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  24. Given the wait, I’d suggest considering the alternatives to factory engine and consult with any of the top engine rebuilders. There is nothing superior about a factory engine since several of the boutique engine shops rebuild them to better than just new limits in under 18 months. The one thing the factory can do for you is roller tappets which is a compelling argument. But otherwise boutique shops can out perform the factory in quality and timing. Additionally insurance pays for the prop strike inspection and rebuild allowing you to just pay for all the parts to turn an inspection into an overhaul with your favorite rebuilder - or put the inspection $ towards a factory engine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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