aviatoreb

Quote: jbs007

Quote: N4352H There was a AOA Indicator out a year or two ago that had an aural alerter....this seemed to enhance whatever value it would have for the user. Does the alpha do this?

Quote: allsmiles If we are precision "fly by the numbers" pilots then we know what the "numbers" are. They are nothing more than angles of attack! The trim and yoke are aoa selectors. And our airspeed indicator already provides us with the quantitative information of the selected aoa. Therefore a precision oriented pilot needs a solid understanding of airspeeds ("the numbers") and that obscure Performance section of the POH. I say obscure because it is abstract for some. An aoa indicator may not really be the best way to achieve this understanding. It may help someone try and avoid trouble. But then again it may not because it will not help them realize that they are putting the airplane in a dangerous regime. Another indicator in the panel will not compensate for the human deficiencies in the left seat. Much like the already existing airspeed indicator has not saved some unfortunate folks.

Quote: jbs007 Eh, might be useful for short field stuff, but for the flying envelope that standard GA aircraft do, I don't think it will give you any noticable advantage compared to just using airspeed. If I was landing an F-18 on a carrier or a Piper cub on a flat piece of glacier, it might be useful though. The only (but small) advantage it might have is that when using airspeed, you have to use different speeds at different weights to affect a consistent landing (because in reality, you're trying to get the same AOA). If you followed a value on an AOA indicator your landings will be more consisntent (in flare effectiveness and how much runway you use) regardless of your weight. This is theory, requires the pilot to be spot on every time, and how much is this really going to effect your flying anyway? my .02 cents. My AOA indicator experience is pretty limited though. (T-34C... years ago)

Quote: N601RX Here is the FAA letter. http://www.alphasystemsaoa.com/pdf/AlphaSystemsLetter-Signed_Dec2012-WMb.pdf

So I just received this months AOPA Pilot, March 2012. It has a very interesting article regarding recent rule interpretations for AOA indicators. Apparently the FAA small airplane directorate has just interpreted (or is about to interpret - I am not sure I understand which) that certain AOA indicators can be installed without an STC or even a 337 form, but rather just a log entry as a minor alteration. Even for non certified AOA indicators. The AOA indicator must follow some specifics that are outlined in the interpretation, but that I cannot see - but it seems to be directed at the Alpha Systems noncertified equipment as the test case. This is very interesting, as it brings <$1K AOA indicators available to a broad range of airplanes, Mooney's included I presume. Am I missing something here? Has anyone ever seen an AOA in a Mooney? Never having used such a system, but understanding the theory quite well, I am a big fan of the idea and I would think that it could be a great safety enhancement.

Quote: Mooneymite Does he fly? Only on Delta, as far as I know.

Quote: Mooneymite Neat! Al Mooney had a hand in many designs which didn't actually bear his name. If you look at the Culver Cadet, it's vintage Al Mooney sans up-right stabilizer. His wooden wings are a marvel to look at.... Al Mooney's son lives in Atlanta. I've spoken to him; he's a real gentleman....I suspect his dad was too.

Quote: Mooneymite Mooneyspace is a great resource for Mooney owners, but i did a search on the M-18 Mooneymite and did not come up with much. The M-18 is the "REAL MOONEY".......okay, I'm just throwing that out there for flame bait. However, I,m interested to know how many present, or former Mite flyers there are reading this board. Anybody? I once owned N70DV and I noticed it up for sale again on www.mooneymite.com. It was probably the most fun airplane I've ever owned. 125 mph on 4 gph. Talk about efficiency. It's "THE REAL MOONEY"! .

Quote: Mooneymite Aircraft ownership is not so much about "EXTRA MONEY" (I dont think such exists!)....it's about priorities. I live in a fly-in community where most of us make very basic incomes, but flying is a priority. We can do it; most people can, if aviating is a priority, or do I mean an adiction?

Quote: pjsny78 I find it interesting that so many people on here are avid sailors and also love flying. It seems that they are both on opposite extremes. Sailing you go 10knotts and in a Mooney you can go 165+ I’m not sure but maybe that in itself is the lure.

Quote: jetdriven Alright, we need to schedule a fly-in that culminates in a sailboat ride. I happen to own a sailboat....

Quote: PAMooney Wouldn't that be something - a GA airport hangar club with a bar, a pool, a fancy restaurant.

Quote: JimR We belong to a well-established yacht club that is located just a few blocks from our house. By aviation standards it is a vibrant place with lots of history and activities. We primarily use it for the pool in the summer and occasionally the restaurant and bar, although my children are working their way up the sailing ranks through the lessons that are offered there. One day I hope to avail myself of all that the club has to offer, but for now there is only time and money enough for one obsession. I do often envy the convenience of the place, as I have to drive over an hour to get to my plane and the yacht club is in my backyard. My life would be a lot simpler if my heart was in the sea and not the sky, as is the case for most of my friends and neighbors. Jim

Quote: pjsny78 I find it interesting that so many people on here are avid sailors and also love flying. It seems that they are both on opposite extremes. Sailing you go 10knotts and in a Mooney you can go 165+ I’m not sure but maybe that in itself is the lure.

Quote: fantom I'd sure like to see a video of that lesson, aviatoreb...hint, hint.

Quote: N601RX I'm a EE also. Unfortuantely there are many engineering professors that have never done anything but attend school for 10 years to get a PHD and then the only thing they are qualified to do is teach. They will spend an entire semester teaching very difficult math equations that are done by computer software in the real world. Unfortunately many of the students never make the connection between a bunch of math problems and how things really work. A while back I asked one of our engineering Coop students to hand me the adjustable wrench. He handed me a pair of pliars!

I have a unique opportunity next week to talk airplanes to a room full of young aerospace engineers. I am a math professor so I don't get to talk airplanes normally in my own classes (I am teaching graduate complex analysis this semester and I still am trying to figure out how to squeeze Mooney's, Cauchy's integral theorem, and the intracacies of an LPV all into the same sentence in class...). Since the university is only <2 mi from the airport, it is common for a trickle of our engineering students to enroll in flight lessons on their own time. And a few of them become aware that I am a pilot and pop into my office to talk airplanes... BUT! Next week a good friend of mine who teaches an actual class on the finer points of aeronautical engineering in the MAE department has to go on travel to a panel in Washington and he asked me to cover for him. These are students who learn the detailed engineering of flying but not necessarily the day-in-day out of actually flying. He says I should just talking about flying airplanes. He says I should just bring my iPad and show how I flight plan, with all my software, foreflight, weathermeister, etc, including the charts and weather, and talk about weight and balance. Not as a lesson, but just a demo. Then talk about altitudes, and speeds and engine ops and temps. Just an hour of talking out loud as if I were planning a flight somewhere fun like the coast of Maine and back. I will bring my O2 mask and make a show of putting that on and show some slides of fun places I have been, and with my kids and bikes. I am really looking forward to it.

I always wanted to fly, but it was not even a hint of a whisper of maybe in my family - so I had to "grow up" first. I should have started when I was on the (civilian) faculty at the US Naval Academy from 1997-2001. They had a great and exceedingly inexpensive program for the students at KANP that was also open to faculty. (And I should have learned to sail in the 44' boats too - that is a different shoulda-coulda! At least I learned to sail the dingys). But I was in the tenure track and had little wee kiddies and I figured I would do it "next year" until I left after a few next years and before "next year" came. I started flying in 2008 at age 40. After a few years teaching at my new job ( here for 10 years now!) PPL in 2008. IFR in 2009. After just a few months I was very unsatisfied with the selection of rental airplanes in my small-town airport, as they were older and less stylish and not as available as I wanted. And I liked the idea of having my own airplane where I could follow every detail of its maintenance and enjoy ownership in its own right. And 2009 was a good time to buy an airplane. In 2009 I bough a 2003 Diamond DA40. And I did my instrument in it. Its a really nice plane and I thought I would keep it indefinitely - but I soon learned that it was impossible to install an autopilot in it - no STC covers that install - and all the big shops said no way on a field approval, and the factory said they weren't interested in installing the OEM as they were busy trying to certify their new jet on a short staff. And I started dreaming of my next plane. I sold it in the summer of 2011 after having flown it 260 hrs or so. SO I went for faster, higher, autopilot and TKS. Enter my Mooney Rocket. (Actually I owned two airplanes for about 4 months and that is not very good politically on the homefront...) So May 2009 enter Mooney Rocket. I have as of today flown it 95hrs M/M and about 450hrs I have TT. I will do commercial this summer or next I think. It is good to always keep moving forward.

Quote: ndesai Yes, it is me. My wife has bruised legs and walked out. I had a fractured left thigh bone -required nailing and now home recovering. Thanks for all good wishes from you guys. Thank god we are alive and part of this community. Unable to share details on the accident while working with the regulatory agencies. The Mooney tubular steel frame held us in intact.

Quote: sellis We have not sold any machines, jigs, tooling, etc. Why do people start rumors that have no clue?

Not saying I want to see the Mooney become composite - I don't - but just for discussion I pointing out an interesting parallel story. Here is a company called Saravin that copied the Piper Comanche and turned it into an all composite kit with just a few minor aerodynamic modern twists. http://www.saravin.com/img/Image%20Gallery%20Planes/index.html

Quote: scottfromiowa THE BUDGET Mr. GRASSLEY: ....

Quote: Mitch Ok, I'm in a happy airplane mood this morning. The sun is out here on the Central Coast of CA [not too close to LALA land [ha!] and I'm headed to fly again today. So, I finally jumped into the high end, or at least high cost headset pool. I bought a new, well it's a one owner, never used Bose X off of Ebay last night. I don't know why I'm so excited about it really other than its something fun and new for my airplane activities. Actually, I have David Clamps that I converted to lightweight's using their lightweight cups, stirrups, new flexible boom, etc. In the process years ago, I implemented the ANR feature from Headsets Inc. too. This has been a great headset for me! In flying with both the Zulu and Bose X, I can say that attenution between the modified DC and the other two are really pretty close, with the high cost headsets having the edge. I suppose the real factor is the comfort, although I have no complaints about the DC's in their current configuration. So, maybe I just wanted to say "oh yes, uh, I'm wearing a Bose X" [can't really afford the A20 or a new Zulu2]. Kinda like I like to say "I fly a Mooney". Gives me a little thrill!!

Quote: Mazerbase It was a nice article but it would be nicer if Mooney started making planes rather than just making news on its 35 year old planes.