larryb

I had a shelter for a few months before my hangar was available. Yes, it is partially protected from sun but I thought the plane got dirtier in the shelter than it would have outside. The birds liked hanging out in the rafters and would poop all over the plane in the shelter.

It's more complicated now. USB-A (old style) or USB-C (new style) ? I just got an iPad mini6. It is USB-C. So all new adapters and chargers. But "USB-C Power Delivery" can provide a LOT more power. My mini5 would barely keep up with a 2.1A USB-A adapter. But the mini6 with it's USB-C can now rapidly charge while also displaying GP full time. It is a big improvement. Note that you won't get this improvement if you use an old USB-A charger with an A to C cord. The new USB-C Power Delivery chargers have a chip that negotiate how much voltage and current both ends can supply/take and pick the highest common setting. Without the chip the system will default to the lowest power setting. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08W1SVT1L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I once had an excessive mag drop on both mags when my idle mixture was way too rich. Pulling out the mixture a bit allowed for a decent mag check. But the real problem was in my just-overhauled fuel pump had a flaw in the overhaul and had to be sent back. Larry

There is like $5 worth of parts on that board. And so simple one could create the schematic from the board.

My very first airplane 30 years ago was an American Yankee with an O320. One day oil consumption went to 1 qt/hr. It ran fine but all cylinders had broken rings. Back then I didn’t know that you should not let the prop drive the engine. I used to do descents at idle into Truckee from 10,000 feet after crossing the mountains. I suspect it was my ignorant engine operations that caused the problem.

I’ve been at -40 degrees C and been comfortable in my encore. The heater is very effective. I’ve never noticed the built in O2 being cold. I have an O2D2 so there is plenty no opportunity for it to warm up on the way to me.

I’ve looked at bravos that were not FIKI. My understanding is that you cannot easily upgrade. So if you really want FIKI then that plane is not for you. Some will argue that it doesn’t really matter, you shouldn’t fly a piston single in ice anyway and both systems are equivalent at getting you out of trouble. I personally passed on a great looking Bravo because the TKS wasn’t FIKI. I figured that if I was going to take on the maintenance and expense then it should be FIKI. That said I don’t tend to intentionally fly in icing conditions anyway so maybe it doesn’t matter.

5 years ago I upgraded from an '84J to '97 FIKI Encore. I wanted more weather capability. I wanted TKS and a turbo. I had grown frustrated with canceled flights in the J that a FIKI plane could make without difficulty. I'm not talking severe ice, merely flights in the winter where you might come across a cloud below freezing. The turbo allows flying at any desired altitude, most long trips are 16K to 17K. Then came the un-anticipated benefits. The newer plane has more soundproofing and is quieter. The 6 cylinder motor is smoother. No yellow band and vibration on approach that was so annoying in the J. The newer interior is much nicer, no more thin royalite plastic that always cracks.

My TKS gauge will read up to around 6 gallons. So something is probably wrong with your float/gauge system. On other points, I have noticed that if I accidently overfill and the overflow activates, I lose around a gallon of fluid on the hangar floor. Once it starts flowing, it doesn't stop for a while. This makes quite a mess. So I now place an empty TKS jug under the overflow tube to catch the overflow if it happens. And I really try to avoid overfilling in the first place. I do notice the difference in gauge reading between ground and flight.

My dual vacuum system was removed 5 years ago in my FIKI Encore during my glass panel upgrade.

Yes, it can happen, and it happened to me. It was my first day of transition training on my new-to-me '84 J model 10 years or so ago. 2nd or 3rd takeoff, flaps up, feel a strong roll tendency. Look, out the window and tell my instructor we have an asymmetrical flap situation. He didn't believe it, but it was true. It wasn't hard to control and I never felt we were at risk of an accident. We cycled flaps but no improvement. The next day we flew flaps-down off to the local MSC. They had never seen it either. At the end of the day, and a couple repair attempts later, it was found that the flap skin had come up slightly and was catching in a wing skin in the wing root area. Probably caused a ton of torque on the system, but nothing else seemed damaged. The repair was to bend the skins back and apply teflon tape. Larry

I don’t do the torque method. I use the 3/4 turn past hand tight method.

Three years ago I ordered a 30 gallon drum from AccuChem and had it delivered right to the hangar. Then I ordered a bunch of 2.5 gallon jugs from Uline and filled them from the drum. It was only $104 to ship the drum back then, $124 today.

I think the OP is asking about just the metal part of the panel. In my upgrade that was a line item of around $1500. Almost insignificant part of the total. But that part does involve a fair bit of work. I know that my shop had two trial plexiglass pieces produced before approving the final design cut in aluminum.

I’m here now. Box A28.

I feel exactly the opposite. I don’t understand why anybody would fly in hot and bumpy weather when they can fly in cool smooth comfort above 10K AGL. With rare exceptions every trip is between 11.5K and 17.5K. The key is an O2 system that is comfortable and efficient to use.

Purposeful deep breathing makes a huge difference in the result. The flow is important but how you breathe is equally important.

Can you take your rental 182 for a 1 hour flight to your vacation home, stay for 2 weeks, and return? Can you take it on a 3 week 40 hour cross-the-usa trip? And it's nice knowing that you aren't really paying $5 / minute when ATC tells you "hold for release, estimated time 20 minutes." Nit-picking your costs, if you are really paying $1000 / year on oxygen a transfill system would make a lot of sense. But yes, that's what it costs.

Today TRK to RHV

Last week flying to San Jose from Truckee. It’s a bit better now. Back to Truckee tomorrow if it’s clear enough. Did an IFR departure out of Truckee and couldn’t see a thing 20 seconds after liftoff. Beautiful above 10K.

I also use the MH O2D2 with the built in O2 tank. With two people between 12K and 17K I use an average of 11 psi per hour from my 115 cu-ft tank. A whole year of flying on a single fill.

In 10 years of annuals I've never had one in 1.5 weeks. 2 weeks minimum, usually 3. This year was even longer.... As far as the trip itself, I like to pick mid-size airports with reasonable fuel prices, FBO's, and maintenance if I need it. I avoid deserted little strips. I don't search out the absolute cheapest fuel price, I just avoid the big airports with $7 fuel. I always call the FBO and verify pricing and fuel availability. I also find the FBO's get the best prices on local hotels, so it's best to let them make reservations for me. They often know of good, close hotels that have a shuttle and will pick you up. But, the person doing this work usually works weekdays, so best not to making these calls on the weekends. It's easier to be traveling on weekdays vs. weekends. If you want rental cars, that too is easier on weekdays. Many of the mid-size airports are served by rental car locations that are closed weekends, or perhaps only open Saturday morning.

I did. And I also asked for a separate sales contract for the extra equipment vs the airplane. Saved a tiny bit of that CA sales tax.

At my field it is common for ATC to ask for best forward speed on approach to synchronize with the jets at an adjacent field. I can do 150 kt until 5 nm. Then I pop the brakes to get to gear speed. With the speed brakes I can do this while staying on the GS. Without the brakes I would have to level off to get to gear speed and therefore rise above the GS. If the approach does not involve a slam dunk or best speed then I won’t use them.

Probably up and down drafts. I see the same thing. Look closely at the AI and you might see slight differences in attitude. I also notice slightly higher engine temps when AI is higher and speed lower.