Mooneymite

1. Aviate. 2. Navigate. 3. Communicate... If in doubt, concentrate on #1.

Actually, I want a spare card. I have access to a reader.

If Hank gets one, and there's another out there, I'd like to get in line for it.

I don't think that there will ever be pilotless airliners in our lifetimes, but I do believe that we will see a push for single pilot ops in the 135/121 world. The ground computers, aircraft guidance systems and data-link are already in place. Pilots are doing less and less flying and more and more monitoring. At some point, the question will be asked, "do we need two pilots?" When I started, the raging question was, "Can a turbo-jet aircraft be flown by (just) two pilots?"

I have just completed the control shaft AD. I'm good for another 500 hours. Surprise! No cracks were found. [To prevent failure of the control wheel shaft due to cracking with associated crack growth, accomplish the following: (a) Remove the RH and LH control wheels and inspect the aft two inches of the control wheel shaft for cracks (particularly at the attachment holes for the wheel). Use visual and dye penetrant inspection methods. ]

Sleep apnea isn't specifically a pilot issue at all, but we are all affected by other pilots in the common airspace. Here's an interesting first person account: http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2014-01-01/tilton-right-he-could-use-good-pr-agent This excerpt may explain why there aren't better statistics supporting grounding pilots with SA: In the shower each morning, as I leaned against the tiles wondering why I was so utterly drained after a night in bed, all I wanted to do was curl up on the floor of the enclosure and sleep. I would pull off the road en route to work or returning home to doze for a few minutes and try to fend off the overwhelming urge to sleep. During brief forays into something resembling sleep at night, I would dream I was unable to breathe but told myself it was only a dream, when in fact I was indeed suffocating from lack of oxygen. A core reflex would yank me out of it and restart breathing until the next stoppage. This went on all night, every night, and I was unaware of it. BMI may be a poor indicator, but it may be the only indicator in many cases.

Hank, I presume you are referring to my post? This has to do with those "keep your speed up" situations....not a normal approach. I stay clean and can come down the glideslope at a speed above gear/flap speed, but when I start to slow, I prefer the gear first because it is pure drag with very little pitch change. I extend the flaps gradually as the aircraft slows and the trim changes are very manageable. I've found this works best for me, but obviously it is just one technique.

Welcome! Glad to have another 'C' owner to swell our ranks since we all know that that is overall the best of all the Mooneys. My 'C' is also a 74.

Short body: Generally, configured, and at approach speed at the top of the hilll. Stabilized from the FAF inbound. It all depends on the situation. Some of the airports need you to keep your speed up. If you're uncomfortable, say "unable", but what works for me is to stay clean down the glideslope until 500' above minimums, then put the gear down first and work the flaps down. The big caveat with this technique is you don't want to be caught faster than gear speed at 500 above....that would not be fun.

Great! Thanks. At first it wouldn't work, because I didn't realize I had to edit the very first post in the sequence.

Really? No one has ever found any cracks in their control shafts? What's the history of this AD?

Yeah....This is more than I want to bite off. I think I'll stick with my original control shafts.

That would be spiffy! I wonder how much paperwork would be involved in that switch? I'd probably have to re-certify the entire control system!

I noticed that I mispelled "Control Shaft" in a recent topic heading. I typed "Contol" instead. Is there any way to edit the mis-spell? The problem is that the topic won't show up in a search for "Control Shaft" under the bad spelling.

In my friend's case, it is a matter of incentive. After his sister had a stroke, she lost 80 pounds and is now off her blood pressure medicine and she no longer has to regulate her diabetes with medication. If genetics are involved, I bet he could do the very same thing. I'd very much like to see my buddy follow her example! One other difference is we're talking about a first class physical, not a third class.

Every 500 hours, I have to comply with the AD on the control shafts. I'm just coming up on doing it again. I'm wondering if anyone has actually found a crack? While I'm asking that question, has anyone re-chromed the control shafts? Can this be done without making the shafts more brittle, or is this a no, no? [77-17-04 MOONEY: Amendment 39-3006 as amended by Amendment 39-3258. Applies to Models M20, M20A, M20B, M20C, M20D, M20E, M20F, and M20G airplanes, certificated in all categories with over 1000 hours' time in service. Compliance required within the next 30 days after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished within the last 250 hours' time in service and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours' time in service from the last inspection. ]

I have a little different view of this issue. I fly professionally with a fellow who is also a friend. This guy's mother just passed from a stroke; his sister had a stroke six months earlier and my friend is always telling me, "I have to lose some weight". However, he doesn't. He just can't bring himself to do what he needs to do. I am very afraid that one morning, he's not going to be there for pickup and he'll be dead in his hotel room. If the FAA threatens him with losing his certificate he will lose weight and maybe live an extra 30 years. If that's what it takes, bring it on!

My 74 C has the "clothes-pin" latch at the top of the door. Mine began popping open at the top in flight at high airspeeds after a helpful passenger tried to slam the door closed. Inspection showed that the upper bracket had been bent out of rig. Easily fixed. I have no experience with the lower latch pins not holding properly as long as the door is properly, carefully closed.

I'm still trying to get my local Garmin guy on the same page with Trek. My GPS is still down for now. I really appreciate Garmin via Trek stepping in with some answers/solutions. Thank you! However, as a pilot consummer, registered owner, I would have really appreciated a heads up letter from Garmin before this happened so that I could have dealt with the problem in a knowlegeable fashion when my 430W quit without warning. It makes me wonder if there are other known, but undisclosed problems lurking. I hate being a test pilot.

Over the weekend, I had time to explore the antenna problem more thoroughly. My brother, who works for Northrup Grumman, was skeptical that my Garmin 430W could actually prevent other GPS's from working. We took off with a Foreflight iPad, an android tablet running the Fltplan.com app, a handheld aviation GPS w/external antenna and an eTrex hikers GPS on board. We were ready! With the 430 turned on, it displyed no satellites. The only GPS that locked on was the eTrex hikers GPS which uses both US and Glonass satellites. None of the other GPS's displayed any satellites in range. When we turned the 430 off, all other GPS's quickly locked on and navigated properly/accurately. When the 430 was turned back on, all GPS's except the eTrex immediately lost satellite data again. Lesson: if your Garmin GPS loses lock and you can't get your other GPS's to lock on, do not assume a RAIM problem, just turn off your Garmin. You'll lose the comm function, but you'll start receiving satellite data again. My brother is now a believer.

Seems like a good prospect to me. When were the tanks last sealed? Only problem I see is that as a C model, the price bumps up where people start looking at F's and older J's for close to the same money.

Even though the Garmin rep I spoke to seemed to be well informed about the failure mode, he acted like it was some mysterious secret. It seems to be something that "just happens" in certain antennas regardless of age. (That's scary!) Is Garmin worried about an AD? I later called the antenna manufacturer to get some info. The rep there was obviously uncomfortable throwing Garmin under the bus since sales of Garmin products are good for his antenna company, but he said no one really understands what's going on and that Garmin is telling everyone it's an antenna problem, but there are "other factors" involved. Meanwhile, I'm waiting for the new antenna I have to buy.

I had the same thought! Think of the guy counting on WAAS sole-source. He's filed to Rnav fixes and loses all GPS capability....now add on that he's ADS-B. While something like this can happen in any installation, it is remarkable that Garmin and all the techs I've spoken with are very familiar with this antenna wiping out all GPS capability, but no one thinks word should be spread and faulty antennas found/replaced!

Summary: Ya'll be careful and buy Mooney parts!

I installed my 430 in '04, upgraded it to a 430W in '06.....never, ever had the slightest problem until yesterday. Though it "seems" to be working fine today, I don't have the same level of trust in it that I did.