Bolter

The Ovation's CHT's can get toasty on hot days. Generally speaking, you want to climb at 120 KIAS as your standard procedure. The climb rate is nearly identical to max rate, and you keep a lot more cooling air through the cowling. Depending on generation of Ovation, you will want to throttle back shortly after pattern altitude. You no longer need all 310 HP power, and it will reduce the CHT's notably to back the power off. I climb WOT, 2550, 120 KIAS, leaning as required to keep around 150-200 F ROP. Once I am at a "safe" altitude, like 500-1500 feet AGL. Like this, I can keep to 380F on the hottest cylinder in most conditions. YMMV, -dan

Several POH's are available to download, here on Mooneyspace. I got this one for a 280 HP Ovation: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/eu09nyn73fni43uf3ikin/m20r_ovation_poh.pdf?rlkey=p2m2h87tcl1b5bhk1rujtakat&st=sul51kqh&dl=0 And this is the 310HP STC: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/yqogk7imn7612526ik3k7/Ovation3-STC.pdf?rlkey=dc2tf8lluk2puq2o6yvkevn2x&st=75nnr00e&dl=0 I found these here or other sources online, and are simply passing them on for your REFERENCE ONLY. The download links will expire in a few days. FYI: put me in the happy with a 310 HP M20R with FIKI camp. I have one with 1100 lbs UL, and that is important.

If the problem is a lack of model, I can make the CAD model for you in Solidworks. You provide me with detailed measurements of the part, and I can whip it up quickly. Then you can send that CAD model to xometry or other online source for printing. You would be responsbile to set tolerances, material used, and any other manufacturing items.

Yes. I should have specified when there are so many variants of the IO 550 depending on model and year.

Usually someone includes a warning that 50ROP is a terrible operating point for the engine, depsite the POH's reference to operating there. Either be richer, leaner, or well down on power (I think less than 65% is OK). For my own practice, at 3500 MSL, I will be a little throttled back, ROP or LOP. It is rare that I am crusing that low, and it tends to be more fuel burn than I like. Above 5500 MSL or so, it is WOT, 2500 rpm and LOP at 13 GPH or so to get 62-64% power. This is 170 KTAS in most cases, but would be a little higher for a non-TKS wing. There are several recent threads on OVations/Eagles running LOP, including photos.

Gears can be very sensitive to how they are manufactured, as well as the dimensions. For example, wire EDM could give you the correct shape, but recast layer or other issues may leave a gear surface that will not last. There are also carburizing processes or other case hardening steps. Be sure to work with someone that machines gears regularly. I believe the teeth are typically broached or ground for high load or high speed applications. This is based on a vague memory from long ago, so you may easily find me examples are incorrect or out of date. For independent material specialists, I really liked Metals Technology Inc in Northridge, CA. (https://metalstech.com/) They have the capability to tell you hardness and the precise metal. They will do work for individuals as well as major customers. I also worked with Seal Labs in the SoCal area https://www.eag.com/about/locations/north-america/los-angeles-ca/ (they are part of a big corporation, now) and Pacific Testing in Valencia, CA. https://www.pacifictesting.com/ (a family business, good people) For super-precise measurements, easily within a few thousandths of an inch, search Metrology Labs for your region. CMM, optical, and other options.

Early morning sun just before engine start. She looks ready to go to the Bay Area and back today.

on this site: https://www.calspanairservices.com/fly-over-niagara-falls/ I found this referenced as the applicable rules: 14 CFR 93.71 Found this site from a Canadian group (free course): https://www.runup.ca/courses/how-to-fly-over-niagara-falls/

Worth noting that the Davies TKS is sold in 1 gallon bottles on Amazon for a fair price. Because of the ageing issue and the convenience of handling smaller bottles, I just use 1 gallon bottles. The small increase in cost per gallon is acceptable for my usage level.

You can tell it is a sunny day in Seattle when the short runway gets really full of trainers. Most were doing touch and goes. Took me 10 minutes of waiting before they let me cross the runway.

I would hope they would be reasonable about it, not require tracking the precise number of days in each hangar, but it seems you should be able to declare the aircraft primary location as either location. The other county will probably be happy to tell you how to relocate on paper, so they get the tax money from you instead of the current county. Additionally, I would think that OWNING one of the hangars would also help with defining your home base over the leased location, but I am no lawyer. Let us know how that goes.

I am not a turbo-pilot, so I think I am missing something. What is the advantage, with all we know now, of a converted J with Turbo and small power increase versus getting a factory developed and tested K? I understand the later Rocket conversions with significant increases in power over the J or K airframe donors. I do not see why anyone would want this over getting a 231 or 252 which would even be at a lower price point. -dan

My former SoCal pilot experience is that one day a year (or probably a time window) , the airport manager surveys and reports all aircraft on the airport. This will include hangared and tie down spots. Even if you did not have a hangar or tiedown lease, but parked in transient parking, you would get tracked and billed by the county for the property tax. If you were truly a transient pilot, you could challenge the tax bill, which I did when I moved from LA to Orange county (both wanted to tax me the year I moved airports), and later when I left California entirely. I always wondered if you had your own runway, would you then never be counted? Now, probably get caught by ADS-B! -dan

Agreed. For me, as a real-life cost, I use about 10 more gallons for my standard family trip (each way). I do not consider that a a big cost for the 30 minute shorter trip, though the ROP "speed demon" could say the same for going 180 at 18 gph (or so). Like George Carlin said, everyone faster than you is an idiot, and everyone slower is a moron, so your preferences may vary. :-) (those economy values are nmpg, vs cars typically giving mpg in statute miles)

More practically, a lot more useful load and cargo space. Plus, for my standard 600 nm family trip, shaving 30 minutes with the 20 knots speed increase brings more family harmony. If fuel economy is your primary goal, the J (or cleaned up E or F) is the optimum. If you need more speed and more cargo volume, you look to the long bodies at the expense of economy.