Shadrach

I agree, it looks sketchy

I asked my agent about our partner directly and he said that there is no age exclusion on the any pilot policy (different company would be underwriting the policy). I then asked if there was any savings in dropping the any pilot policy and he told me that the almost no GA underwriter will write a policy with named pilots only. He said they all have any pilot coverage. It will likely never be an issue, I don’t think our octogenarian is interested in single pilot ops.

4000’ is more than a lot of active GA fields. It may not seem like much of an airport, but it’s better than most off airport options. Even if the airplane ends up bent and in the ditch off the departure end. I agree the descent rate seemed high. Would like to here his account. Glad it looks like he’ll live to tell the tale.

It vries by weight just like the rest. similar weight=similar Vbg. BEST GLIDE SPEED 3368 lb./1528 kg 91.5 KIAS 3200 lb./1452 kg 89.0 KIAS 2900 lb./1315 kg 84.5 KIAS 2600 lb./1179 kg 80.0 KIAS I'd caution against trying to derive too much from the flightaware track log ground speeds. With winds aloft, adjustment for altitude and other variables about the best that can be said is that he was in a range that could have been Vbg. What can be said pretty certainly is that he had adequate altitude at the onset of the failure to make two airports (P48 and DVT) with a decent margin if he had committed to one of them. I am curious to read his account.

Your mechanic quoted you $1042 for what? Where are you located? Why does it need to be replaced? Is the cylinder not a candidate for overhaul? New assemblies are $1,400. http://www.aircraftspecialties.aero/cylinder-piston-ring-assy-kit-0360-narrow-deck-lycoming-05k21102/

My kids are often out before I call for takeoff clearance. Those are some great pics...really! Anything above 8,000' makes for the perfect combination of white noise and reduced O2. No other way to explain how people sleep so soundly when sitting in those positions.

Horrible outcome but could have been worse on many levels. I hope he makes a speedy recovery. Would welcome his commentary on how he ended up in such an unfortunate scenario. Being that I am unfamiliar with the area, I can only speculate what he might have been up against. I am sure there is much to be learned that I don't understand. I imagine that P48 may have seemed too short for a deadstick 4200ft. Perhaps DVT initially seemed too populated for a dead-stick. No time like the present to practice engine out energy management all the way to the flare. I am hopeful for the pilot and very grateful there were no ground injuries.

A picture is worth a 1000 posts from folks opining about something with which they are unfamiliar and don't understand!

I'm not surprised. I have a 67 F with the same engine timed to 25 and my CHTs are always low. In the winter it's a challenge to keep them above 300 at some altitudes. Though I'd never retard my timing, I can imagine they's be even lower after doing so.

The engines were certified at 25. They run well at 25 degrees. Some applications ran hot and retarding timing helped make temps more manageable. It also reduced power to small degree. Does not make much of a difference in cruise (though may be more noticeable above 10K). It does make a noticeable if not significant difference in climb and take off roll. I don't think it has any bearing on engine life if temperatures are healthy.

So if both mags were set to 24 (odd number). You may notice a slight increase in take off roll and decrease in ROC. This may be contributing to your feeling that something is not correct.

If someone had previously set the timing to 25° on both mags, the new 20° setting would make for a lower mag drop. Retarding the timing will decrease RPM all other things being equal. retarding the timing and using a single ignition source (like during a mag check) will exacerbate said RPM drop.

It reads like your mags are well synced and within Lycoming's mag drop specs. I am not a fan of the 20° timing. I feel like it corrected a symptom and not a problem. I think you and your mx are reading too much into a simple mag check. It really does not tell you that much more than the following. 1) mags are firing somewhere near specified timing 2) Mags are reasonably well sync'd. 3) Ignition switch continuity 4) spark plug and harness continuity Hemming and hawing about which RPM to use to minimize mag drop is a waste of time. When you say the timing was off by 4°, was it advanced or retarded? As a data point for you. My mag drop is about 50 rpm from both to single with no differential. Definitely have another set of eyes put on the mags. You have a lycoming under the cowl you don't need Mooney specialist nor do you need to go to Texas. You simply need a competent A&P to verify proper mag installation and timing. When it's time to overhaul mags consider swapping to Bendix if you currently have Slicks.

People rotate because of wear from the camber in the mains, not because of the different camber in the mains. I rotate the tires on my car because negative camber (per factory specs) wears the inside of the tires first. A Mooney on level ground should show the same camber angle on both sides. If it does not, then something is bent or out of adjustment. It's not a "feature" that is unique to the airframe. My main tires both wear on the outside of tire center line. Rotating them will extend their already long life by a considerable margin.