cbarry

This is where my panel’s TOGA button was placed—maybe a little less likely to bump inadvertently, but also not as accessible.

Is it possible to upgrade your existing autopilot setup with one of the same brand. If you have the Bendix King AP, possibly their new Aerocruze 230 might be worth considering—retaining your servos, etc. Of course, you might be wanting to do other panel work that involves integration issues that necessitates going with the Garmin autopilot. I haven’t flown with the 230, but I have flown with the GFC500 installed in both mid and long body Mooneys. In my opinion, the GFC500 is a nice setup, but I believe is right at the capabilities limit on the long body Mooney. The GFC600 is more suited to the longer body’s performance envelope and has a more open architecture design for other product lines…(even though none of the Mooney lineup are on the GFC600 supported aircraft list at this time).

It sure sounds like a lack of grounding issue—possibly for both.

You are a part of a small number (relative to the population) of dedicated learners that became pilots and experienced a life perspective that cannot be matched or exceeded (except maybe by an astronaut…). Be proud of your accomplishment and wisdom to know when to settle into your next phase of pursuits.

I just had the GFC500 installed on an Eagle 2 without YD (the Eagle 2 does have electric rudder trim) and I don’t see a need for a YD. Of course, I upgraded from an Stec 30 (which I believe to be a solid basic AP), so I’m still enthralled by simple things such as altitude preselect.

I agree. Even though the avionics shop is on the list as a MSC, I’m more than likely going to reach out to a service center that serves mainly Mooney aircraft to resolve the issue.

I recently had the GFC500 autopilot installed in my M20S and have a trim indicator issue. With full nose up trim, the indicator doesn’t reach the top nor with full nose down trim, the indicator doesn’t reach the bottom (of the panel readout). I’m aware of the indicator adjustment attached to the trim wheel housing as well as the possible need to recalibrate the indicator itself. In addition, I’m aware of the possibility that the trim rod stops may be out of adjustment now. Also, I’m aware of the service manual’s trim and flight controls adjustment procedure. When I asked the avionics shop about the issue, they responded that they really didn’t change anything about the trim. I’m concerned that when the trim sprocket and servo were changed out, that the trim rod going to the empennage jack screw got adjusted (turned while disconnected) incorrectly to mate up the new autopilot equipment or that the trim rod stop nuts were improperly adjusted. Has anyone had this experience and, if so, how was it remedied. Thanks.

It all started in the garden and accelerated with the “selfie!” The self centered only understand rudimentary redirection. I used to say that Cowboy (before he passed), my border collie, was smarter that 95% of the people on the planet and, yet, he still wasn’t a biter.

That’s even better. That way there’s no confusion regarding what to step on since I was talking about placing a two step stool for easier egress to assist passengers. This approach is not Angel flight passenger specific. It’s for passengers that are just a little unfamiliar with aircraft in general and to simply help make the flight as easy and safe (for everyone/thing) as possible.

If your flaps are in the fully down position when loading and unloading, this mitigates passengers tendency to step on the flaps plus it reduces the distance to the wing walk area from the top step of the stool.

I fly Angel Flights and I think the easiest seat for the passenger to get into and out of is the right rear seat. You can slide the copilot seat fully forward and they can step down into the rear floor board with their left foot first, use the copilot seat to help brace with as they place their right foot in (the manner in which the top of the cabin door carves into the cabin helps a great deal…) This will have them in a position to simply sit down into the right back seat. Getting out is just in reverse. I also use a foldable two step, step stool that has the top step just about at the same height as the wing walk. This helps stabilize the passenger’s footing and avoid flap damage. With two passengers, I ask the less mobile to sit in the back rear seat and the more mobile to sit in the copilot seat. With a C model, I would think this approach will work just fine. Just keep the copilot seat mostly forward to provide a little more room.

I think the real question is not whether AI replaces the human pilot, it’s whether VR replaces travel (not shipping)?

On my 2001 Eagle the switch is in the hat shelf area.

Except if he needs to top off the brake fluid…depending on the location of the reservoir.

Don’t forget about the adverse effect of the excessive government spending on the real value of the dollar—this is the root of the inflation we’re facing today. We have one arm of the monetary system, the Fed, attempting to appear proactive in the inflationary fight while the economically illiterate in govt. think the answer is always in their hands. Free markets will eventually win out, but at what costs? The amplitude of expansion v. contraction is not being fueled by normal consumer demand from gained resources or lack thereof, it’s being fueled by monetary power in the hands of too few.

A theory is: If a person has to ask what others would do, that person is asking for permission to do something they probably are not fully comfortable doing on their own. Use the trainer/rental to knock out the basics and transition to your traveling machine as you advance. Part of the fun in becoming a pilot is learning the characteristics of various aircraft. By the way, flying the Warrior will really help you appreciate your Mooney purchase. Congratulations on becoming a Mooniac!

Don, I’m not passing judgement on anyone’s decision to load up a panel or go with the basics. I’m simply curious if partial panel training/practice is still a skill set that pilots hone. I agree wholeheartedly with your point as well.

With all of the gizmos available, does anyone still practice partial panel anymore or has it become simply a function of flying off of a full function backup when something “fails?”

A simple reason for a slightly depleted battery charge after a flight is the alternator likely will not be producing adequate output to offset the draw under low rpm operations—such as low power/rpm taxi.

How did this happen? IMO, it appears someone (some moron) thought they needed to seat a Phillips head screwdriver in the screw head by hammering on the screwdriver’s handle. OR at the very least they thought excessive upward pressure on their cordless driver would keep from stripping out the heads. I think we need an aircraft abuse hotline!

I realize the Malibu is pressurized (the Matrix version is not…), but other pressurized aircraft seem not to have an empennage separation issue such as this…

Just an observation, but it appears the empennage separate exactly at the rear bulkhead. I’ve seen this on numerous wreckages of the same make and model. I’m curious if the integrity of that joint has been fully sorted out? Fortunately, the integrity of the fuselage did its job!

One can only imagine the analysis paralysis that could set in if we had an manual timing advance/retard control lever to go along with our panel mounted gizmos!

I’m not an A&P and I realize you’ve posted the new fuel pump was set correctly, but are you absolutely certain the mixture control lever on the fuel pump travels freely from stop to stop? This lever is typically reinstalled when then fuel pump is placed back on the engine and could be off a spline tooth or so causing the travel to be limited. You know your aircraft and when it’s right you’ll know. When it’s not right, you’ll know. When it’s right, is when it would leave the ground—if it was mine.

This post may not be the best place to say this, but it made me think about the future of our panels. Wouldn’t it be interesting if Apple threw its hat into the certified panel game? It still seems with all of the bells and whistles being offered by the various GA avionics manufacturers regs still necessitate the need for reference material in some form for plates, charts... Thus, it seems most (including me) have the IPad with our favorite EFB app running as a core in our scan to serve as a backup and data reference. It wouldn’t surprise me that if at some point the panel itself will be one continuous customizable touchscreen, but hopefully topped off by the good old whiskey compass.