231flyer

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DUKES-FUEL-PUMP-14-VOLT-/120889594414?hash=item1c2594d22e&item=120889594414&pt=Motors_Aviation_Parts_Gear&vxp=mtr#ht_552wt_905

I built my Lancair IV and received a repairman's license (upgrading to AP this summer) that allows me to work on my plane. The experimental rules require you to build the plane in order to work on it without an AP license. You ,as the builder, are the designated manufacturer of the airframe in the Airworthiness Certificate. I assume since most of us did not build our Mooneys (per the FAA 51% rule) we would not automatically qualify to work on them. We would still need an AP for annuals, maintenance, etc.. The rules are less restricitive about Mods and Avionics but finding APs willing to install said items on an experimental airplane is tough. Many licensed APs don't like to risk their certifications working on experimental a/c ( insurance carriers have strict liability limitations for mechanics to boot). In an ideal world the FAA would loosen their reigns on mods and avionics etc. so the entire GA industry could actually flourish. GA is simply too expensive for most folks from a/c aquisition to operations and insurance. It is ridiculous that a Dynon glass panel costs less than a 1/3rd of a G500 panel especially since the Dynon is more capable. Its equally ridiculous that it costs 4 times the rate to insure my Lancair IV than my Malibu Mirage. The FAA and the industry groups continue to have dialogue on how to achieve this common end but progress has been slow to negative. I am sure you can attend any number of said forums at Oshkosh or Sun-N-Fun. The pilot population in the US continues to decline thus causing havoc with the economics of the industry. Its become a vicious cycle. If GA had evolved like computers (or automobiles to a lesser extent) we would all be flying around in nice little $50K airplanes burning CNG and require no more effort/training than the family SUV. As pilots we have a sacred reponsibility to pass on the passion to the next generation. Therein lies our hope!

Rob: Your current charger should work fine if it can maintain currents at or below 2 Amps. Just don't leave it plugged in for days on end. The cheaper float-types shut-off circuits have been known to malfunction ($4 Harbor Freight comes to mind). The float circuitry is very simple and highly dependent on the quality of electronics used. Its best to charge right before a flight so as to avoid any surprises. I remember having to get a ground cart in SLC and the fbo guy forgot to switch to 12 Volts even after my continued reminders. The 24 Volt Charge fried my battery and one of my radios. Now I check my battery condition before I get in at any away airport. I have an automotive 3 LED "idiot" volt-meter wired to my battery.

Under "normal" operating conditions you should expect your Gill G35 to last 3-4 years in service. The biggest variable to battery life is condition when asked to deliver cranking power and subsquent charge condition following startup. If your battery is fully charged before a start it will deliver a strong start (usually lasting less than 20 seconds) and need very little topping off by the ship's charging system (2-4 Amps) after startup. If the battery is not fully charged, it will have to work harder to deliver the cranking power required. After startup the battery will be relatively more depleted and will suck more Amps from the ship's charging system (could be 10 Amps if sufficiently discharged). Large current draws tend to further heat up an already heated battery (normal chemical reaction when discharging or charging) and can result in warped plates and boiled off electrolyte. A few cycles of this and you are assured premature battery death. Its best to keep your battery "top off" charged with a float charger (max 2 amp rating if you are using an automotive type rather than one of the more expensive aircraft types which sense battery temperatures and can automatically vary the max current). Flooded lead-acid batteries (G35 type) tend to be very hardy if maintained carefully. In addition the electrolyte levels need to be monitored closely. Each cell (6 in the G35) needs to be filled to the bottom of the filler split ring with distilled water on a regular basis. In Texas my G35 will need a bit of water every 3-4 weeks. If the electrolyte level is too low the top of the plates will be exposed to air and will oxidize rapidly. Extreme temperatures do have an adverse effect on battery condition but can be minimized by pre-heating at temps below 40 degrees or parking the airplane in the shade in temps above 100 degrees. I use a battery minder and top-off charge my battery the night before a flight.

If you are looking for a quick flight and some level of variety (nothing like Vegas obviously) try Shreveport. You can fly into KDTN in about 45 minutes from the DFW area. If you call one of the casinos ahead of time they will have a Limo waiting for you at the ramp and get you back when you are done giving away your money (the house ALWAYS wins). Limo services are usually gratis but you are responsible for your gambling losses . I flew out my father-in-law last year and he had a great time at the Eldorado Hotel and Casino. Winstar is across the border in OK but somewhat limited.

Injured model and fashion editor Lauren Scruggs, who lost her left hand and left eye in a Dec. 3 plane propeller accident, has reached a legal settlement with the insurance company for the pilot and the plane’s owner, according to a representative for her attorney. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/lauren-scruggs-reaches-settlement-in-propeller-accident/

I second Allsmiles. PLEASE SHUT DOWN EVERYTIME. We suffered a horrible accident just before xmas in the Dallas area. Fortunately the model/fashion blogger lived but she lost an eye and a hand.

Make sure the alternator and starter are well covered (saran wrap works great) brfore you spray. The copper wire in the windings is actally insulated with a kind of varnish. Mineral spirits can compromise the insulation if allowed to sit. Also cover the nose tire or wipe and wash down with water after spraying. Btw Avgas can be used in a pinch but make sure the ventilation is adequate. Mineral Spirits has a higher flashpoint than Avgas and safer to use but similar properties to dissolve grease and grime.

I would suggest Dayton, OH your first stop. KMGY is a nice GA friendly airport and the Air Firce museum is a must see (up close with a SR71, F/A117, Valcurie etc). Dayton happens to be the birthplace of aviation and a must pilgrimage in my book. The Wright brothers home is still preserved and MGY houses a flying example of the Wright B flyer. I second the KCOD stop and a visit to Yellowstone. Also Jackson Hole is a very short but fun flight from COD and gateway to Grand Teton NP.

Insurance was a pleasant surprise after the ridiculous rate for the Eclipse. The insurance rate was way lower than I had expected and quite reasonable for the hull value. I have been a lifelong Avemco client for my Mooney (>20 yrs) and had to find a different carrier since they don't insure Malibus. Howard Fry was able to get me great coverage. I was a 2200 hr pilot with less than 200 hrs pressurized time. I would suggest you first establish a budget and research a/c in the market. It's still a buyers market and nice deals can be had. Market values have dropped ~15% since I purchased my Malibu in early 2010. Contact your favorite insurance agent and get a quote. You are better off dealing with facts.

Two years ago I traded down from an Eclipse Jet (VFR, non-FIKI jet) to a Malibu Mirage. I am very happy with my choice so far. Although I seriously considered a Meridien/Jetprop I was not convinced of their fuel/payload capacity. The TBM 850 series is in a class by itself and compares closer to a light jet than a turboprop or VLJ both in acqusition and operating costs. The Mirage is spacious and comfortable at altitude and my girls (12 & 14) love the extra seats to bring friends on trips. We frequently fly into KGNB (8200 ft elev.) and the airplane is actually as easy to fly in as my 231. Operating costs are obviously higher given 21gph vs 11 gph in the 231 but maintenance costs have been reasonable. Annuals run about $500 higher. I bought a corporate owned a/c that had been well maintained so has a lot to do with my expereince so far. We flew through a huge line of weather last evening from CRP to DTO and the ride was delightful - my wife did not even wake up as we flew through. Worth a consideration if you are looking for extra seats and a little more speed. Definitely worth it if you need to fly through weather on a regular basis......we have not had to scrap a single trip in the last two years due to weather. I still enjoy flying my 231 when its just me though. Just got back from Sun-N-Fun

Looks like DFW and DAL (Love Field) bore the brunt of the damage (mostly hail and wind damage). The tornadoes did not touch down at any of the area airports and the GA fleet in the Metroplex seems to have come through given the circumstances. I was at our fbo in Denton (KDTO) and we had confirmations all Ft Worth and west airports (FTW, AFW, DTO etc) were spared. I have a friend based at ADS (Addison) and he too was fine as were the folks in McKinney. All in all the GA community dodged a major damage maker. Unfortunately home and property damage in Arlington, Lancaster, etc seems to be worse than first reported. Local stations are reporting atleast 650 homes damaged and the tally will go up. The Red Cross and other agencies are out in force helping people in need.

Brett: Please see my post below from Sept. I have done quite a few 4 hr legs with the iPad in that position and sunlight/heat has never been an issue. I also assume your built-in GPS works great (resolution of 20M or better) while in flight. I am really intrigued by the new Stratus ADS-B/GPS receiver and hope to demo one at Sun-N-Fun tomorrow. I have a iPad 1 with foreflight and find the app to be great. It has truly replaced all paper in the cockpit (backup atlas and app plates only). I have a Garmin Aera on the pilot yoke and tried all sorts of mounts and positions for the iPad. I have settled on a modified suction mount that is now affixed to the handle on the co-pilot "A" pillar. The location is great and keeps clear of all the engine intruments/breakers etc in my 231. Additionally it is part of my normal instrument scan and barely affects outside visibility. After paying $75 for a RAM yoke mount I ended up modifying a cheap ebay suction mount....$12 incl. shipping. I will attach a pic asap. « Last edit: Nov 8, 2011 1:25 AM by 231flyer» Attached Images

A video scope is a much better tool to inspect the huck bolts especially the bottom row. I assume most A&Ps will have some kind of video scope in their kit. Harbor Freight sells one for a hundred bucks and useful for most applications (although too big to fit the spark plug hole to inspect valves). Also as others have indicated the paint buildup on the hinge assembly may need to be removed to properly inspect the shim (spacer plate) and hinge assembly. It took my mechanic 15 minutes to inspect and another 15 minutes to complete the write up. I had already removed the fairing/cover and inspected the trim components. He also lubed (LPS 2) the entire assembly before buttoning up. IMHO this is an excellent chance for most owners to assist in the AD/SB compliance process.

I am flying in on the 29th and my brother-in-law is coming up from Boca. We will be parked in the camping area.

I concur. i usually ask for a top off after I land and then again before I am ready to go. Typically the difference is around 9-12 gals. The wing compartments have anti-slosh vents and tend to trap air. One of my flying mentors(20 yrs ago) advised me store the plane with tanks full to prevent condensation. I have lived by the maxim and the added benefit is the gas has plenty of time to settle and free up space for the last few gallons.

Wilson and MillionAir are good at Hobby (nice digs and friendly service both). Signature is good but premium priced as always. I do agree SGR (Sugarland) is GA friendly and sometimes faster into Downtown if thats your destination (59 and new tollway access). IFR clearances can be a little tardy during peak hours at Hobby. Lots of options if you need to go west or north of town (IWS, TME, DWH, etc.). Given the great GA options in the Houston area I generally tend to avoid Hobby and IAH.

Plane-side camping for me. I have stayed in a hotel room just once since 1993, camping just gets you closer to everything and usually lots of interesting neighbors. Although convinient be warned about the type of facilities. The bath/shower house is old (running hot water) and porta-potties are the rule. Plenty of food on field but night-time entertainment is nowhere near the level of Oshkosh. The big cafeteria usually has a live band at night and the bar is open till 10 (exhibits close at 6). I also think they have restrictions on bikes but everything is within walking distance and they do have trams. I usually go for 2 nights so I bring a well stocked cooler and a medium size tent(don't forget the rain flap). We used to do 2 nights at S&F and 3 nights at Disney when my girls were little.......a bit of fun for everyone!

Thanks for all the great info. so far. I plan to carry a jr shotgun (with all the appropriate paperwork etc) inbound and buy/rent a handgun once I get to Ketchican. Although I don't plan on camping much, I do expect lots of long hikes and prefer something more substantial than bear pepper spray. I was also contemplating renting a rescue digny (with a weather-proof tent top) as part of my emergency kit.

Take a look at the following to wet your appetite: http://philip.greenspun.com/flying/alaska www.alaskaairmen.com

I am planning a trip for our family of 4 to Alaska in April/June and looking for advise/experiences. Route: KGNB-KIDA-CYVR-PAJN-PANC-PAKT-CYYC-KBIL-KGNB. We expect to spend 10 days on the trip and also plan a helo flight to Denali from ANC.

Incase y'all missed this lovely gem from the FAA. You are affected if you had your engine/pump repaired/OH after May 20,2010. I recall reviewing this at annual time for my Malibu Mirage(not applicable since the TIO 540 AE2A was OH in 2009) but now has been expanded to include continentals as well (my 231 with the TSIO 360). [Federal Register Volume 77, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2012)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 6671-6673] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2012-2896] –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2011-0547; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-13-AD; Amendment 39-16947; AD 2012-03-06] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Superior Air Parts, Lycoming Engines (Formerly Textron Lycoming), and Continental Motors, Inc., Fuel-Injected Reciprocating Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule; request for comments. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– SUMMARY: We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Superior Air Parts and Lycoming Engines fuel-injected reciprocating engines. That AD currently requires removing AVStar Fuel Systems, Inc. (AFS) fuel servos installed after May 20, 2010, if the servo contained an AFS diaphragm, part number (P/N) AV2541801 or P/N AV2541803, from certain production lots. This AD expands the applicability, and changes the compliance interval for all affected Superior Air Parts, Lycoming Engines, and Continental Motors, Inc., fuel-injected reciprocating engines. This AD was prompted by an accident involving a Piper PA32R-301 airplane, and by the discovery of additional engines being affected by the unsafe condition since we issued the existing AD. We are issuing this AD to prevent an in-flight engine shutdown due to a failed fuel servo diaphragm, and damage to the airplane. DATES: This AD is effective February 24, 2012. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of August 16, 2011 (76 FR 45655, August 1, 2011). We must receive any comments on this AD by March 26, 2012. ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods: ?

We too had the rear-facing/detatchable base seat for our first daughter. I installed the base behind the pilot seat and took out the co-pilot seat (I ordered extra bases for our cars). I would jump in and my wife was able to strap in my daughter and settle in very comfortably with all the extra room. The setup allowed her to nurse in flight without any major contortions (we had a strap on jacket for the baby but only used it on commercial flights). With the co-pilot seat removed, getting the baby and seat in and out was a breeze. I checked with the local FSDO and it was perfectly legal as long as accounted for in the w/b calculations.

Our daughters have been flying in our 231 since they were 5 weeks old (12 and 14 yrs now). My wife researched and also consulted with 2 docs besides our pediatrician and settled on silicone ear plugs. They come in packages of 12. You break off a small piece and roll them to warm and then they mold to the exact ear dimensions without any discomfort like foam ear pieces (try them yourself for an hour). The 500 fpm up or down is an absolute. Although we normally didn't need higher than 9K ft, we did have the occasional 12k flights during spring tstrm season. Sipping warm drinks worked well although both girls liked to sleep with the roar of the engine (the 14 yr old still falls asleep in the Mirage within minutes of takeoff). Flying with children is great and lots to do besides the regular trips to Grandma's (once a month atleast when we lived in Dayton (MGY)). I am sure you will be headed to Disney soon enough (buy shares). Enjoy and congrats.

If your high boost runs consistently its probably the resistor value for the new pump/capacitor combination. The mechanic can try a lower value resistor or wire a potentiometer in parallel and try different settings. As long as the high boost runs reliably and the engine runs well on its own, I personally would consider a repositioning flight to Kerrville/Dugosh. If you are uncomfortable flying the 231 maybe you can pay a ferry pilot to make the short 20 minute hop for you. Lots of airports between SSF and KERV if you need to divert (including the long runway at Lackland). IMHO I would make a local flight above SSF to double check everything first - stay in the pattern so you can make a dead-stick landing if required. Also make sure you carry no more than 20 gallons of fuel on board for the short hop.