aviatoreb

Quote: Piloto So I had my APIA out today. We repositioned the gear breaker, and We put it on jacks and swung the gear. Looks good. But now the gear warning horn blares with the gear up (on jacks) but it didn't used to do that when on the ground. It is perfectly normal for the gear alarm to come up when retracted with no speed and back throttle. José

Quote: carusoam EB, Gear up with throttle out will give a gear up warning. Won't it? put check emergency gear extension latch on your checklist. My transition trainer did this for me. It seems like a good idea. It is one of the gumps. On at least one occasion, a mooney had difficulty raising the gear after the manual extension was performed. Best regards, -a-

Hi all, Advice from the collection mechanical knowledge appreciated. On Sunday I departed what was going to be some procedures practice. After a normal take off climb seemed a little sluggish. But not terrible. 900fpm on a cool day is not my usual climb rate at 35'' 2500rpm. SO I was quickly trouble shooting if something was wrong with the engine. But all indications were that it was good and it sounded great etc. After a bit I realized that my gear was still down despite that I had thrown the switch. So I continued to climb while I worked on debugging that. Floor indicator was indicating gear down but and so was the annunciator so I figured okay, gear down. So problem solved, right? Throwing the switch did nothing. Reached for the manual extraction just in case, and the cover was up - Last night I read the forum here and learned that the gear will not come up with that cover up. I didn't know that in flight though. There were still 3 pulls on the manual extension cable which I did. And as it turns out my CFI was in the area with a student and he was kind enough to give me a fly by to give me a visual that three gear were down. I was a bit worried with things being buggy that maybe one of the legs might not be right. Well all was good and I had a nice landing and taxiied back and put her away. All was good - emergency gear handle cover was the cause - nothing was wrong even if it felt like a real emergency. Maybe not so simple....But the gear breaker had popped. So I had my APIA out today. We repositioned the gear breaker, and We put it on jacks and swung the gear. Looks good. But now the gear warning horn blares with the gear up (on jacks) but it didn't used to do that when on the ground. I am confused what my problem might be and how this horn thing and breaker could be related to the emerency door handle - I presume that cover pulled up innocently maybe by a passenger on a previous flight reaching for seatbelts or something. Any advice would be appreciated. I have an M20K btw.

Quote: KSMooniac Hard to tell from the "journalism" I've read so far, but it could be that the engine was off during a passenger exchange, and then restarted before the young lady went back to the plane. We'll need to wait for the unfiltered facts to get published before making any conclusions.

Quote: jetdriven I bet for every airspeed indicator that sticks there are 100 pilots in the grave who simply got distracted and stalled the airplane. Distractions are the number one thing. Stall a laminar flow wing mooney below 1500 feet and you're dead it is as simple as that. It got Joel Smith.

Quote: PAMooney I'm the guy with the J with TKS out of PA. We are in the ADK's about 7/8 times per year... mostly into KPBG. Lots of family in Long Lake, NY and Burlington, VT. Thought about going to Clarkson before deciding to go to Purdue! ~Adam

Quote: Dale Does anyone know if the baggage doors are different between, M20C, M20E, M20J and M20K models? I thought they were all about the same. I like the idea of larger bikes to put in my Mooney, but I just didn't want to put the bike through the door and use the entire back seat. So I opted for a smaller bike (with 16 inch wheels) with the hope that I could get one or two through the baggage door and both into the baggage compartment without using the back seat. When I measured my baggage door frame and then measured a folded up 20 inch bike, I could not make any 20 inch model fit through the baggage door. Maybe if I took it apart, (i.e. separated the wheels, handle bars etc), but I could not make any 20 inch model that was folded up fit through those baggage doors. That is why I was wondering how some people were able to fold up their 20 inch bikes and get it through the baggage door unless their baggage doors were slightly larger? Mine is approximately 17 inches wide and just over 20 inches long.

Quote: Dale Does anyone know if there are any folding bicycles that will fit in the baggage compartment of an M20K? I have heard that the folding Dahon bicycles will fit. Also, if anyone has a model of a folding bike that will fit in the luggage compartment, can you fit more than one or do you need to put the rear seats down to get 2 folding bikes into your Mooney. Any information on this would be appreciated. My wife and I have been flying down to the Florida Keys more and more and having a couple of bikes we can take with us would be really great. Thanks.

Quote: scottfromiowa THIS BUG NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! I'm logging out now and back in as myself - flydave!

Quote: 74657 I've been eyeing an article written on the Missile conversion that was published in Aviation Consumer back in 2003. I'm back and forth on dropping the coin for a subscription to gain access to it. Funny how many AMU's I've spent on 888DF this year but I have spent the last several months debating the expenditure of .036 AMU's on a subscription for a magazine........ Any PIREPS on aviation consumer? Here is what I wouldn't mind reading..... http://www.aviationconsumer.com/issues/33_3/misc/5231-1.html

Quote: Jasper180 Brother graduated from Clarkson and lives in LKP, fly a Dakota up there often. The J with TKS in PA goes up to SLK and LKP often. Will look you up when I head that way. Talk Soon Erik

Quote: 74657 Not all of us have the kind of jack to feed the TSIO-520 AND the TKS!!!

Quote: Jasper180 Currently looking for a J or K with TKS, if you know of one PM me (already looked at one PAMooney has advertised) Thanks Erik

Quote: eldeano You poor poor man you. All you have is a missile. {;-) Chin up.

Quote: Mazerbase I believe Mr Gregwatts is incorrect. VFR on top is not loggable. Neither is really dark, moonless, VFR at night. You can log IFR when you aren't actually in the clouds only if your separation from the clouds is less than VFR required. A visual approach doesn't count either. I only log the time in clouds and really close to clouds. I have been advised that the FAA won't ding you for under-counting but will really come after you for over-counting. How important is it to log a few extra minutes anyway now that hours aren't required for currency, only approaches, holding, and course interception?

Quote: danb35 As it happens, you are (at least partially) incorrect, and are making the common error of confusing IMC with actual instrument conditions. IMC is conditions less than VFR minimums, while actual instrument conditions are outside conditions (typically, but not always, weather conditions) such that you need to fly "solely with reference to instruments." Though the two sound similar, they are in fact completely unrelated (similar to logging PIC vs. being PIC). If you're 1000' laterally from the only cloud in the state, in Class E airspace, you're in IMC, and legally you have to be instrument rated, equipped, current, and on an IFR clearance. Same thing if you're 400' under a solid overcast layer, with perfectly clear skies below. In neither case are you required to operate solely by reference to instruments, and in neither case can you log actual instrument time. As to actual instrument conditions, the FAA Chief Counsel has addressed that issue in legal interpretation #84-29, a letter of 7 Nov 84 to Joseph P. Carr. From that letter: "To answer your first question, actual instrument conditions may occur in the case you described, a moonless night over the ocean with no discernible horizon, if use of the instruments is necessary to maintain adequate control over the aircraft." In this case, there's no legal requirement for an instrument rating, currency, equipment, or clearance, though I'd go out on a limb and say you're unwise to fly in those conditions without those items. The letter observes that the determination of whether you need instruments for control is somewhat subjective, and that the final determination is up to the pilot. But it definitely leaves the door open to other similar scenarios. I wouldn't (personally) consider flying well over a cloud layer, with clear skies above, to be "actual", but a moonless night over the desert could be. What about if you're in between two layers?

Quote: danb35 According to FAR 61.51(g), "(1) A person may log instrument time only for that flight time when the person operates the aircraft solely by reference to instruments under actual or simulated instrument flight conditions." So, if (and only if) the outside conditions are such that you're needing to fly "solely by reference to instruments", you can log that as actual instrument time.

What is standard practice in terms of what you log for IFR time? I have been logging just the time in the clouds as IFR time. So on say a 1.2 hr trip, this past Wednesday say, I launched into 2500 ft cealings after filing and taking my clearance over the phone for a cross country. A few minutes later, I was over the tops at 6000 on my way to 15000 way over the top in clear bright sunshine. It was solid clouds way below me almost the whole way until the last 15 min where it broke up to "few" and easy visual conditions. But I stayed on IFR rules and positive control the whole way as I usually do when flying into busy airspace. I was given visual approach into my destination airport KHFD. So, as usual, 0.1hrs IFR actual in my book? At this rate it takes some time.... Or maybe I should record all the time from start up since it was an IFR operation to pick up my ground clearance over the phone, plan my ATC assigned path to the hold at PTD near KPTD, even if still visual, before clearance to climb up and over. That makes more like 0.3. What if it had not been visual on destination at KHFD - What about those flights that begin in IMC, then long cross country in sunshine over the tops and then end with a decent back into the mirk and with an approach. So do I record 0.1 time in clouds at departure only, (or 0.3) and then the whatever on decent (say 0.2 maybe). Or do you record the whole thing, 1.2, even the part over the tops. How about when it is down right not so nice out the whole way, turbulent, cloudy, but you manage to stay clear even if between layers for a good bit of time. Is that clear of clouds time VFR time or IMC time? What about those times when I file because it might be lousy, but it turns out to be just plain nice, but nonetheless I fly positive controlled IFR the whole way partly for practice and partly because I like the handling when entering busy airspace. So I usually record 0.0 for that. But I do that a lot. So recording 0.1 and 0.2 at a time, it sure builds IFR time slowly. Am I cutting myself short is this the usual way. What do you folks do?

Quote: Dale Does anyone know if there are any folding bicycles that will fit in the baggage compartment of an M20K? I have heard that the folding Dahon bicycles will fit. Also, if anyone has a model of a folding bike that will fit in the luggage compartment, can you fit more than one or do you need to put the rear seats down to get 2 folding bikes into your Mooney. Any information on this would be appreciated. My wife and I have been flying down to the Florida Keys more and more and having a couple of bikes we can take with us would be really great. Thanks.

Quote: donkaye The Ovation or any long body Mooney from my experience (Approx 7,250 Mooney hours and 24,000 landings as a Mooney CFI) should be flown in the pattern in a no or low wind condition as follows: Downwind is configured gear down and approach flaps at 90 knots (MP to maintain 90 knots; about 18-20"). When you're at a 3° angle to your aim point reduce throttle to about 14" MP, begin your base turn while adding full flaps and simultaneously trimming up to maintain your 3° glide path. Due to the added drag of the flaps your speed will be reducing. Maintain 80 knots on base and after turning final reduce speed to 75 knots (or less based on landing weight). Maintain 75 knots using the elevator to control your speed and the power to control your rate of descent. At about 8' simultaneously reduce power to idle while flaring at the same rate as you are reducing the throttle to idle. The plane should touch down on the mains with the stall warning going off. The nose attitude at touchdown should be such that you can still see at least 2 runway center line strips ahead of you. For every 300 pounds that you are under gross reduce you final approach speed by 5 knots. With one person and 1 hours of fuel remaining, the minimum speed will be about 65 knots. So with full flaps you should be going into the flare at between 75 and 65 knots depending on weight. For no flaps add 10 knots. Speed brakes are somewhat effective initially if deployed at touchdown. I deploy them at touchdown. If nothing else it looks "cool". I've made a landing video for those interested. Go to my website www.donkaye.com

Quote: edgargravel So I picked up C-FSWR from Brant Aero where my new PS 8000B has made communicating with my Narco radios a pleasure. Little test flight to Waterloo to drop the tech log entries at Tri-City where Clarence will put them in the appropriate log. All works great. Little bumpy between 2000' and 3000' but I am looking forward to a 25 knot tailwind for the upcoming flight back to Rockcliffe near Ottawa. Wheels up from Waterloo at 12:51 pm. Climb to 7000'. Drop the mixture back through 50 LOP and settle into a GREAT ground speed. Spent most of the next hour and 20 minutes enjoying 180 kts on 150 mph IAS. Unsupported claim? I think not. See http://flightaware.com/live/flight/CFSWR/history/20111125/1800Z/CYKF/CYND/tracklog. Just how capable is my Mooney? Well, after the real C-FSWR landed in Rockcliffe (14:19 local), a ghost C-FSWR climbed to 34000' and made 400 kts g/s out to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and partially back. Who knew?

Quote: jetdriven

Quote: xftrplt Thankfully, the following defies my imagination: Quote Aviatoreb:

I think a lot depends on your climate - on how cold it gets at night and how warm it gets during the day - to each of your questions. I have a full on real mcoy heating system since I live way north. Look at KPTD on the map and you will see. IN Georgia I would use a home made system. -Reiff has a nice chart describing how much of a rise in temp the oil and the cylinders will get based on each of their systems as a function of time plugged in. I have their middle system which is oil heat and medium cylinder heat - the standard system as they call. SO I can read right off the chart how much time it takes to rise the temp a certain number of degrees above ambiant. So if I want my engine cylinders and oil say 50F for a safe start (or 40 or whatever), and the OAT is 10F then read off the chart how much time it takes with my system. -I am a big believer in plug in all the time in the winter. First it makes sense to me that heat chases away moisture just like a heater in a gun case system. Also the avconsumer agrees with data as some of you have cited. It is important that the heater can raise the temps everywhere in your engine where there could possibly be water to well above freezing besides raising it well above ambiant. You do not want any thaw refreeze cycles going on. -I live at the same latitude as Burlington VT in the Adirondacks. In the coldest nights it has gone as low as -40F. On Reiff's site they say the standard system as I have raises oil and cylinders about 80F above ambiant. So above freezing still on the coldest nights. In a hangar without wind mind you. And with a cover to retain that heat. The turbo xp system will raise it by 128F. Well, I doubt the engine actually gets down to even 40F since while on the very coldest nights it may hit -40F I bet the heat inertia prevents it from getting down to 40F before the oat is already bringing it back up - the averaging effect of a mass with lots of thermal inertia. On a more typical Jan night, it may go down to -15 or -5F at worst with maybe 5F by the morning time I would venture out. So it is still nice and toasty inside my engine. I doubt my engine will ever go below 50F all winter. -The poor human pilot (me) never bothers to drag the airplane out of the hangar if it is below say -10F. My ears and fingers and toes get cold in the few minutes it takes to pull it out and preflight on such a day. Airports always seem nippier and windier on such a day. Not to mention the possibility of an off field landing is not so appealing on a day like that. Really colder days than that are not so common but they do happen. BTW, I carry a sleeping bag and survival kit in the winter. Even an evening in 20F could be unpleasant without. -I use a proper tanis cover. But wrong size....my last airplane was a Diamond DA40 and I have not sold that cover yet and gotten a new fitted one. So my old tanis cover still fits but only on 2/3rds the nose. It is nice as it wraps all the way around top and bottom and over the nose behind the prop. I also have a cheap walmart sleeping back I drape over the cowl behind the tanis and it covers up a bit along the windshield. I feel this keeps a tad of heat in the cabin by the instrument area. - I use a tiny ceramic heater inside the cabin since your gyro instruments can also be damaged I have read by a frigid cold start. Also to make it comfy. -Preheating is very important as they say it causes major damage to do a frigid cold start w/o good heating. -There is a thimble full of water in your crank case following shutdown that comes just from the fuel burning process chemistry from combining H from the hydrocarbons with O2. It burns off if your oil is above 180F but in the final minute(s) say short final of flight and in taxi, I believe your oil cools significantly and it is making water. Isn't that right? This is just what I believe. I have on occasion checked my oil at shutdown and found a tiny bit of water at the top of the dip stick screw area. -So on recommendation of Reiff and several other sources, I leave my dip stick unscrewed ever so slightly when I have continuous heat applied. If I return to the engine even a few hours later it is completely dry. -I believe on physics arguments grounds, but have no data for, that since heat rises and it is much hotter in my engine than outside, that it will draw air from below and pull it up through the top including through the now open topped crankcase and pull through dried air. Like a tabaco smoke house. This is my wives tail I operate under and I believe it will chase moisture and corrosion. YES, YES I know this a point of debate. I LOP too. {:-) -So heating has two benefits. Safe cold day starts. and continuous heating I believe chases corrosion. -My engine is 45k to overhaul so not investing in a preheater appropriate to the climate I live would be penny wise dolar foolish. Again I would have a different standard in Georgia. -I also use camguard and also I fly roughly at least once a week in the winter often two, but every winter there seems to be at least one, maybe two spells of a two or three weeks where all the days I am not working are always taken by mother nature's surprise blizzards. -Despite all my trouble and theories for preventing corosion etc....well my airplane did sit for 2 years several years before I purchased it, when it had 450 hours, then the next owner flew it between hours 450 and 750 in two years. So I am probably already screwed. It has 850 hours now since I got it in April. Seems to be fine for now and what else can I do but baby it rolling forward.

Quote: Cruiser and then the FARs and AIM. Soon we will be paying to see NOTAMs and TFRs as well.