DrBill

No, not really but it's nice to have in the bag while walking around the airport. N4352H what Icom model do you have ? The A14s looks like a good one from all reports. Dr Bill

Nice story Austin and a good example why to get the rating.

When I had a friend on board and we were flying into a cloud I announced "HANG ON WE"RE GOING IN". Got some chuckles out of him with that. Dr Bill

I fly dogs for Pilots N Paws and use a LARGE kennel in the back seat. No problems. Most of them just lay down on the blanket I put in the bottom and doze off. We (my friend and I) slip milk bones every 20-30 mins thru the grate if they are awake. Have fun ! POst some pics.. Dr. BILL

I too am looking for a replacement to my ICOM A23. It's battery live was horrible until I got the Alkaline case and put 6 AA batts in it. Now the radio itself died. Will work on the charger but not on battery. It's not worth sending it in for repair and I took it 1/2 apart and it's a bear to get to the area of problem. Maybe when I retire... SO.. Looks like I'll go look at the SPORTYs 200. I like to use it around the airport. Dr Bill

I agree w/John. I was surprised at first that we were allowed to file IFR on a training flight in IMC but it was nice to fly whenever we were scheduled. Weather was not a option. Some things I remember like yesterday. The PAR into Florence SC with the rookie controller (she was learning too). The Back Course into Lumberton (one of the few around here). The first IMC Takeoff (barely see the end of the runway). Last but not least, coming out of the clouds at Asheville with a HUGE Mountain off my left wing just after I did a 90 deg right turn in the soup as commanded by the controller. Thanks for the correction, flyboy, Just mis typed it in my haste. Dr.BILL

I did mine a few years ago and completed it in 6 (sorry 8.5) weeks. I was flying 2-3 times per week. I created a doc of my checkride and I'll post it on my site and put a link here soon. Since then, every cross country flight I do is IFR. With my "new" Mooney it is so much more fun. Part of my checkout included an IPC and I had to fly everything by hand. 2.5 hrs, 3 approaches, holds, procedure turns... I was OK at the start but dead on by the end. Was a good refresher. The next flight was an approach to minimums. I was glad I had the practice the flight before. http://www.creativecomputersolutions.com/flying/MYIFRCHECKRIDE.pdf I took a ground school course at my local airport to pass the written. That was a lot of fun too. Dr Bill

I believe another airport in NC is for sale.. GOOSE CREEK.. Just East of Charlotte. Don't know the price but it's been for sale for a while. I think it was on Barnstormers. Another NC Airport , GOLD HILL, is a residential community (abt 20mi E) and is not sold out. Sugar Valley is WEST of WInston Salem and has both paved and water runways !! http://www.airnav.com/airport/31A Dr. Bill

Thanks for the posts. Some times it's dead and the last time there were like 4 in the pattern doing landings. I'll listen and if dead do the straight in, otherwise a WIDE berth! Dr BIll

Getting back on topic.. When I visit my Brother in law, I arrive at the local airport at or near pattern altitude (after flying over BIL house). The problem is that I am arriving at an ackward angle. Lets stay the airport has a N-S runway. And landing to the S is common. With left pattern, the downwind is on the E side of the runway. I always arrive from the NE corner. I could fly to the W some and make a straight in, or go WAY E and make a pair of right turns to get on Downwind. This is what I elect to do however, a lot of training goes on here and I've seen planes supposedly on Downwind 2-3 miles E of the airport and I'm almost head on. Should I go further East to be out of their way then make the turn toward the airport ? or buck the pattern with straight in or do a base entry ? DrBill

I've yet to be on a trip long enough to do this in my Mooney. Those long trips in my Beech Sundowner are now much shorter (timewise) however, back then.. I'd switch after the first 30 mins then run that tank dry. When it's dry, you know it fast and I can have the pump on, tank switched and motor barely skips a beat. Now it's run until my destination or the bladder indicates otherwise which is ALWAYS before I run out of fuel. I might have tanks that can go for 4-5 hours but my bladder says TIME TO STOP ALWAYS in less than 4. Dr Bil '65 M20E 8A6

On 8/9 I sent an email to them about the flash drive with the technical docs. Frank replied to me the next day. I"ve yet to order them but I will in the near future.

My last 2 flights were c140kts at 4000-7000 ft. I run 2400/24 . Burn rate is 8.5 GPH. Check the chart on FlightAware.com n5612q Dr Bill 65 M20E

I'll be there. Staying at thte Y-O. Let's get Trey to put our "tags" on the nametags !!... Like Lower Left corner..If not, I'll write mine in. Dr.Bill

I interviewed 4 instructors before I selected the one I used. A: I wanted to fly early in the morning. 1/4 said OK.. B: I wanted to fly in real IMC... 2 /4 said OK C: Fly 3-4 times per week.. 2/4 OK So I went with the only one that said yes to all. Some times we were up before sunup. 2nd flight was IMC takeoff. Every flight we filed IFR flight plane with "IFR TRAINING" in remarks section. One notable flight was to Florence SC. Upon getting switched to approach the controller said "30S would you mind a radar approach? " I looked at my instructor and said what the heck is that ?, He keyed the mic and said " 30s that will be fine"... " just listen to what she says and do it". That was my first radar directed approach.. all radar vectors to 1/2 mile. Was a good lesson. Another one was a flight to Asheville, NC.. IMC approach although with foggles it really does not make a difference.. On the way out tho. the controller says... "30s turn 90 deg right". I reply, "30s 90 deg right". .. My instructor says, after a few mins... "take off your glasses and look left...".. There, not too far from the wing was MOUNTAIN sticking up throught the clouds and we had JUST broken thru the tops... What a beautiful sight.. He sys... THat's why you turned right..... NO KIDDING. Lots of good stuff and that was 6-7 years ago... You all will have your memories too. Even Yesterday, breaking thu the tops at 5500, the sun, the cotton tops, just AWESOME.. Dr Bill

I took a ground school (2 nights / wk) at my local hometown like airport over the winter. Passed the written first time and started plane work in Feb and finished it in 8 weeks. (1.5 weeks the plane was getting a new panel). I flew 3-4 times a week. Most of the time from 0700-0900. I wrote an article for a magazine on my checkride. Let me know if you want it and I"ll dig it out. Dr. Bill N5612Q 65 M20E

I bought a Mooney for the recommendation of two owners at my airport and the affordability of the speed. Nothing else comes close. My mechanic recommended them too and he services 4 or 5 a year. So far I've got 12 hrs in it and my last flight I was up to 6000 and got 8.5 GPH for the 2 hr round trip flight at 140 kts GS. With my Sundowner, I got the 8.5 GPH but no where near 110 KTS. Compared to the other planes I have flown, the Mooney is the sports car. I drive a Mustang GT on the road course here and they are about the same handling.. TIGHT. I'm looking forward to my first MAPA convention. The wife suggested I go. It's a 6 hr flight in the Mooney one way so American was the cheaper choice. Got the room, flight and convention booked. I hope to meet many of you posters there. Dr. Bil 65 M20E Mint Hill, NC

I suspect the 3G part of the IPAD. Probably overpowering the sensitive GS receiver. You should be able to disable each radio in the IPAD separately like I can do with my IPOD Touch. That will indicate which one is doing it. THe 3G transmitter will vary power but peak at about 7 watts. Being shielded in your cabin is probably makeing it pump out the power to get to a tower. I don't fly wiht my cell phone on in IMC for that reason. Dr. Bill BTW Wireless is my specialty...

I had about 520. 366 of those in my previous plane, a Beech Sundowner. I felt it was time to move up in performance, speed and avionics. I'm real glad I did. Dr. Bill Mint Hill, NC '65 M20E

Well, I got a kitchen pass to go to my First MAPA convention. Delta wants $200 round trip and Mooney gas is $300 EACH WAY so Delta here I come. Given the schedule of events, I don't know when I'd get time to go anywhere for a dinner. Am planning to arrive on Thurs and leave Sunday morning. Dr. Bill

I had a 50/50 partnership with a now- friend. We were aquaintances before and now good friends. Ours were a little unorthodox. We just split EVERYTHING 50/50 except for gas. It worked great. We bought the plane and a hangar and when he wanted out, I said find, you sell it since I bought it. He was good with that and he advertised it and in a month it was sold. That's how I just got into a Mooney. Upon the idea of selling we agreed on a total price (w/hangar and golf cart) and when it sold, I took my half of the plane less the hangar/cart share so I ended up with the hangar and cart. My Mooney ('65 E) just fits (1 ft to spare) in the hangar. It's one of those white fabric hangars and although 9 years old the roof is still in good shape although the door needs some repair (good fall project to take off, and into an awning shop for repair). We added an IFR GPS, digital radio and some other minor stuff to it and all expenses other than gas was 50/50. No set-aside for majors. We were lucky, each of us had the same idea on repairs. Make it right. When we sold it a cylinder was low so we had it changed and we felt the new buyer got a good airplane. So, this is an option if you somewhat know the guy and know that he can afford to keep it up the same way you do. Now that I got the Mooney and I've taken him up, he's thinking about buying "in". I don't think his wife will let him ! Dr. BIll

I'm with AOPA and MAPA. I join EAA when I go to Sun N Fun or Oshkosh. AOPA for the lobby and magazine, MAPA for the MAG and their blogs but I feel their "service" is not as good as the Beech Aero Club I joined as a Beech Owner and BAC is all volunteer. I'd like to see more Southeast area "events" .. Hope to go to KEDE for their fly-in. Bill Mint HIll, NC