mschmuff

A lot of great info here!! I agree with Andy on the TKS topic. I always have the option of coming in a day early or trading a day with another pilot as to avoid known icing. I don't plan on launching in to it but too many times i've been at altitude and found it so I don't really care about the legallity, I just want to be able to get out of it when inadvertantly encountering it. Which works out well since I can't afford a FIKI a/c anyway! Shadrach - I totally get what you are saying about it's only 30 minutes why bother upgrading. And in other situations that makes sense but I can't fly commercially, I have no way to get from the airport to the base 1.5hrs away. I will definitely keep flying the F but if we make the move I gotta upgrade. With flying as much as I do, and that distance, I hate ice and also that puffy crap that goes up to 14 or 15K. It also opens up more travel options for vacations with the family. Everyone has given me great ideas - I think a TKS Rocket or a TKS 310 Eagle or O would be my first choice (If I can find one for the price). I love the performance numbers but also being able to throttle back and get some decent economy. Then a 231 or 252 with TKS. Like others have said it just depends on what I can find at the time, how it's equipped, how it was maintained and of course, what I can get it for. Thanks everyone for your input!

I like the TN idea, it is definitely the most cost effective but doesn't help with the TKS. Flying commercially isn't an option since the base is over 1.5hrs from a commercial airport. I can usually change my shift by a day with one of the other pilots to avoid really bad weather. With the distance only being approx 350 miles the difference between going 185kts (231/252) Vs 210kts (Rocket) is like 12 minutes. I agree that the real challenge will be finding the properly maintained and properly equipped aircraft and that all three would fit the mission.

Sorry - Question....Do I go with the NA and try to find a deal on something that has TKS? For the few times I would need it just suck it up and wait a day and go NA with non-TKS? Is the maintenance cost not that different and go turbo? DO I go 231 or 252 with or without TKS and save some $$. Buy a Rocket with TKS because it is totally badass?? Look for a deal on a Bravo - actually found one with TKS asking $149K....

I have a mission specific question. I know there are endless posts about turbo Vs NA and Rocket/Ovation/Eagle/Missile discussions. I currently have an awesome F model. New P & I, Cent III A/P, 430W, EDM730, HSI, Tanks resealed, new biscuits, etc. I fly 95nm to work. 152kts TAS at 4000ft burning 10.3gph. No brainer – the perfect plane for the mission!! I have an opportunity to move to SC but want to keep working in DC. I can’t give up being a GA guy and being able to fly up the Potomac at 200ft between the Washington Monument and the Jefferson, over the Tidal Basin and split the P’s!! So the mission would be KCHS – 2W6 (365nm). Every week - once up, stay the week – once back. Home for a week then repeat. All year - Winter/Summer. My budget is approx.. $150k. I like the simplicity of NA (Missile/Eagle/Older Ovation) but with the need to “have to go” I like the turbo to get over WX and TKS/FIKI would probably be a must. From what I have sceen, NA with TKS are $200k+ where 231’s, 252’s and Rockets are easily acquired for $150k or less! Rule #1 – I do not want this to get into a debate of FIKI Vs Non-FIKI!! I get it! I’m not going to launch into moderate to severe anything!! But I’d like to have the protection if I get into something inadvertent. 90% of the time it will only be me. The other 10% will be wife and daughter (an extra 250lbs combined). I know maintenance will be less with the NA....but saving $75K on the purchase pays for a lot of maintenance. Also, I have been at 10,000ft in my F and picked up ice and only had about 300ft/min climb to get out....pretty F'n scary!! Thoughts??

Good article!! Thank you. Ok - next question. I see that a sticky valve can cause the cam issue. How about the inverse?? Will a bad cam present itself as a stuck valve?? Again, I start up - runs smoothly. Go to take off and under full power the number 1 cylinder fails. I have to assume the answer is yes since I am being told that my cylinder is fine and my only problem is a bad cam........right??? I'm sure you can see my concern.....I replace the cam/berrings/lifters/etc, we don't do anything to the cylinder and we still have the same problem as when we started this entire excersize!!

Thanks for the responses. The engine is out and the cam is being replaced. I am told that the sticky valve could not cause the cam to make metal. Basically in a metal on metal fight the cam is definitely not the weakest link - something else would break. Bent push rod, etc. Coincidental that the lobe under the cylinder that was giving me trouble is the only lobe going bad. I don't know enough about engines to answer that. Hope to be back in the air soon - this driving to work sucks!!

I’m hoping someone here can give me some insight to my current issue. And I have read a bunch of other posts on this topic. For the last 10hrs on my ’67 M20F (500hrs SMOH) I have had what could be described as “morning sickness”. I start the plane (always preheated) and let the oil temp get up to 100 / cyl 275. No roughness on start up or idle. Sometimes when I take off the engine runs rough but within 30 seconds smooth’s out for the rest of the flight. JPI shows the #1 cyl not coming up to temperate and even sometimes getting colder until it stops running rough. We figured on a sticky valve. Sometimes it would run perfectly on take off – no roughness what so ever. Cruise flight and landing are always fine. My mechanic pulled the valve cover and inspected the #1 cylinder but could find nothing wrong. Continued flying it for 5 more hours but the problem did not go away. Climbing out on 3 cylinders is no fun so I took the plane back to my mechanic. He pulled the cylinder completely and said the Cam is bad and the lifters are spalling…….WTF? Now here is the kicker…….as some of you know, this plane had a deer strike and a complete Tear Down Inspection in December of 2013. If my cam was inspected and/or sent out for the TDI - how in 11 months and 100 hours could the cam/lifters fail? Is this even possible? Did the cam/lifters not get inspected? Were they not reinstalled properly? Was everything dome properly and I am seriously just that unlucky?

You're the man Seth!!!! Do you know everybody????

Well - Bad news...the plane is a total loss! Between engine cost, prop, paint, skins, etc - it exceeds the hull value minus the salvage value. So I am without a plane. - What now??? I'm not sure I want to buy another plane right now! It seems so many planes have been sitting around, not flying or people are in denial that values have come down........I was wondering if there is anyone out there who is under-utilizing their plane and would take on a partner? Anyone know of anyone in the MD/DE area. I guess KILG, KEVY, 2W6...... I checked AOPA and that was a waste of time. I figure I would be a good partner, I fly 4-6 times a month. ATP/CFII so insurance would probably come down..... Any ideas??? This 3 hour drive to work is killing me!!!!

I've heard good things about Aero as well....

Wow!! A lot of great information coming in - thank you all! I spoke to the insurance company and I can have anyone do the engine work.....Mattituck, PannYan, Columbia, Aero of Winchester, VA..........Any one better than the other???

It isn't close to TBO - 375hrs SMOH but it was a field overhaul done in 1993 I believe. I'm not sure if it is flyable - I need to get someone to look at it ASAP. I'm more worried about the gear doors than I am the cowling damage.

Ha Ha - Nice one Glenn! The fire dept actually came and hosed the blood off of the runway. I'm with QBE - through AOPA. AOPA said they have received great feedback on them. I'm being told this will be a full tear down inspection - does that mean I will have a zero time engine? With all of the dents and scrapes will they cover new paint? I hate being without my plane cause I fly it every week but if all of this stuff is covered.....I could be without it for a couple months!!

Hello Everyone - Sad to say but the Mooney took a beating last night from a 6 point buck!! I had just landed by myself at 810pm, was slowed down enough to make the turn off when it came running at me. It hit the prop from the right side, hit the right side of the cowling then the wing and landing gear. I have to say it was probably the scariest thing I have experienced in my aviation career. I tried to swerve left to avoid it but wasn't gonna put the plane in a ditch. Has anyone had to deal with the insurance companies on something like this? I am providing all of my info, certs, log books, photos, etc. What should I expect? I am in Maryland - where should I get the work done?

Great info!!! I flew to work tonight and everything worked. I left the satellite page up the entire time and shut things off one at a time; GDL, Comm2....no change in satellite reception. I didn't shut off the DME so I'll try that tomorrow. One strange thing was that I never got more than 2 bars of signal on any given satellite. I had 15 satellites but only up to the first or second line.....once on the ground and shut the aircraft off the bars got stronger?????

I have a 696 on the yoke and every time I spool up the 430 and don't get a signal - the 696 has a great signal. And yes, when I am on the ground and the unit is working I get a great signal on both....

My avionics guy removed the coax from the original install and replaced all of it, new ends and everything. He has spoken directly to his contacts at Garmin and they are "stumped". They said it may be an interference issue with the GDL-39 or Comm freqs. They also said it may be another bad antenna...... I'm going to remove the GDL39 for my flight back tonight but failing that I will probably end up send the antenna back for another new one.

Hoping someone out there can help me out with this. I just had an avionics install done - brand new WAAS 430, brand new antenna, brand new everything 340/327 etc....My avionics guy told me my wiring was in bad shape throughout and replaced everything so we were starting fresh. In the first month I started losing the satellites until finally I was getting none. The Comm and Nav work fine, it just won't acquire the satellites. I sent the antenna back to Garmin and they gave me a new one. Within 3 months I am experiencing the same thing again. I have pulled the unit, cleaned the connectors, tested the amps to the antenna and everything is as it should be. Today on my flight home from work everything worked great for the first 20min, next 10min - no signal, then final 10min everything reacquired...... Could I have yet another bad antenna? Is my 430 eating or burning up antennas? Is that even possible? Has anyone experienced this before? Thanks for your help!

OK - I definitely think I have a problem.....Placed the A/P in LOC Norm mode on a 45 degree intercept at 2000'. Everything sync'd up - captured the LOC and the G/S. Everything was good until I hit 800' and the nose just dipped and went well below G/S. Any ideas? I went around and did it again on a GPS LPV approach and it did the same thing......

Thats a good point Jose! I have a 696 linked to the 430 and didn't even think about the HSI mode on that. Going out at 1500 today - hope it works!

I would really like to fly an Ovation / 252 / Bravo / Etc. So anyone who has one and needs a BFR - PM me!!

It will capture an ILS glideslope - should it also capture the WASS LPV glideslope. I'm going to take it out tomorrow and try everything.