Z W

In a 262 - At 6,000, I plan 150 KTAS. At 10,000, 160 KTAS. At 14,000, 165 KTAS. All on 12.5 GPH. Some run LOP and do more like 10.5 or 11 GPH but my engine doesn't run well there. I've done a few 1,000 NM flights non-stop but don't like it and you shouldn't count on doing it reliably. The plane will do it with extended tanks but that's almost 6 hours in the air at 170 KTAS, no wind. I've only done it with a tailwind. A headwind can easily require a fuel stop. More importantly, when you go 1,000 NM, you will almost always encounter weather along the way, requiring detours or even sometimes that you stop and wait for it to clear. I believe a rocket may actually have worse endurance (range) due to it's higher fuel burn not being offset by its faster cruise speed. 1,000+ NM flights non-stop on a schedule is not a piston airplane mission. You need a jet.

I wouldn't do that. The guard is there because if you accidentally turn on the high boost pump when the engine-driven pump is functioning, it will flood the engine and the motor will stop. That's actually how you test to make sure the high boost function is working - you turn it on while the engine is running and the engine shuts off. Preferably on the ground.

This is how mine sits. It actually performs its function just fine, and you can still twist it out of the way if necessary to operate the switch. But it looks odd. Been thinking about going after it for a while. Concerned I'll break something without available replacement parts. If anyone has done the job before I'd be interested to know.

This poll needs an option for leaving the oil cap off after adding a quart.

Following. Mine looks just like that...

A tip that I didn't realize until I'd been flying IFR for a while - You can file IFR off any fix, not just an airport. So your flight plan can begin at a VOR, or anywhere else, and you pick it up from the nearest ARTCC frequency when you get there. Some possible use cases: Leaving Oshkosh this is recommended as you can't pick up IFR at the field. They give several recommended fixes to file from depending on your direction of travel. I should have done that this year and didn't, ended up having to call and get a pop-up clearance to get home when there were clouds where they weren't forecasted to be. Leaving a busy airport in VFR conditions, but headed into IFR conditions later in the flight. You can skip the "hold for release" delays and mandatory obstacle departure procedures you may not want to fly in clear weather. If you haven't experienced these, you will if you ever fly in Bravos, especially on the east coast, or in the mountains. Controllers seem to like it and will often let you skip the line and depart quickly VFR. Taking off somewhere where you want to do a scenic tour or circle around a bit, then head to your destination. Now with Starlink you can even file mid-flight off a fix somewhere along your route and pick it up when you get there. To answer the main question, I don't do much taking off in near-IMC conditions expecting to get a clearance. I'd much rather call ATC on my cell phone if I can't reach them on the radio and sit tight on the ground until cleared. Not much fun bouncing around below the clouds, staring at the ground not very far below you, looking for towers, and waiting for them to give you a clearance, while hoping no traffic comes along that you're supposed to see and avoid.

When we updated from a JPI EDM 930 to a G500Txi for engine monitoring, pretty much all the CHTs, EGTs, and especially TIT readings changed significantly. Of note, the TITs read significantly higher at the same power settings, I think, anyways. Fuel flow changed from being displayed on a Shaden digital fuel flow display to also being shown on the G500Txi, and we kept the factory manifold pressure and RPM gauges, and they always read slightly different than the new digital display. So the power settings are likely not exactly the same. My take away is that we're trying to measure with a level of precision never available nor intended by the designers of our 40+ year old engines. I think the probes in each customized installation may be in a slightly different spot and may come from different manufacturers. I keep this in mind when comparing my engine's performance to photos posted on the internet by others. Useful to compare but your mileage may vary (literally).

KCPS is good but KSUS is pretty much the same distance/time to most of downtown, depending on where you're going, and factoring in traffic. Million air at KSUS is my usual pick. I'm usually coming from the west/southwest, so that's a factor. If you're coming from the east or southeast, KCPS might be overall quicker and easier.

I've had several large annuals. These are 40+ year old airplanes and things are in a constant state of wearing out and disassembling themselves. They take a lot of work to keep flying. Your estimate does not look unusual to me, but the good news is, it shouldn't be like that every year, hopefully. If the plane needs an upgrade I try to do it in years where the annual came back on the low side. If you find a shop that will actually list the squawks and offer to fix them for a reasonable shop rate, don't let that shop go, and don't nickel and dime them down on their bill. Too many shops don't do a thorough list, trying to keep costs down, and a few years later, you have airworthiness issues that put you out of service or put your safety at issue. Or you end up with a plane that needs so many things fixed it should be scrapped for salvage value. Finding a good A&P to work on the plane has become the biggest challenge in ownership for me. Nobody wants to work on Mooneys and they say the owners are all "cheap". This is a problem that starts with us.

I've found Rustoleum high-gloss white paint, available at any hardware store, matches the white paint on my gear very well for touch-up purposes. I'd use a spray can for a larger surface like that. Multiple light coats. I wouldn't bother with more primer but maybe just a light scuff sanding on the green. Or, consider getting some paint stripper and removing the green primer, assuming the piece is aluminum and won't rust. You could use a magnet to check if you can't tell by its weight. A little polish would have a shiny wheel cover like you see on most Mooneys, if you don't want it white, or don't want paint that will get scratched and chipped. Those covers should come off pretty frequently to air up the tires and inspect the wheel bearings. A lot of wear and tear on a painted part.

I do the same but with Corrosion-X on most fasteners before they get re-installed somewhere exposed to the environment. Seems to give you a few more years before anything rusts or seizes in place.

I believe removing the copilot seats, front and rear, might be easier than removing the right radio rack, depending on your panel setup. Makes it easy to lay on your back on the floor and reach the starter relay. Your legs can lay up into the rear of the plane where the rear seat goes. Not too bad under there that way.

Here's how Continental says to do it, from their "Tips on Engine Care" publication. Works every time. Full documentation attached and worth the read. Lycoming people may have a different experience. Hot Start Procedures - Continental.pdf

In factory configuration, the avionics master is "on" by default meaning if its relay fails, the avionics stay on and won't turn off until the master goes off. When you flip the avionics master switch to off, the relay triggers and severs the connection to the avionics bus. You know the relay has failed when you try to power off the panel but it stays on until you turn the master off. If your avionics master relay in the tail fails, do your radios, flaps, lights, and gear continue to work? Or does your entire panel go dark? Where would you look to find the answer to the question, if you don't know?

If it were my plane, I would want that extra relay and 3-way avionics master switch removed and everything returned to stock configuration. There are reasons and failure mode considerations it's done the way it is, and what you are experiencing may be one of the reasons the factory didn't include the option to turn on the avionics with the master off in the first place.