larryb

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.

I am based at KTRK and KRHV and regularly fly between the two. I had an '84 J for 5 years and currently have had my '97 FIKI Encore for 5 years. Here are a few things I've learned over those 10 years. For the first couple years I did not have a hangar at Truckee. I learned that if I wanted to fly in the winter I needed to rent a hangar. The hangar keeps the plane snow and ice free and provides easy access to electricity for the pre-heater. Note that Truckee does not have a traditional FBO. The county runs the airport and provides FBO services, but there is no big heated community hangar that a transient can put their plane in. Truckee also does not have any de-icing services. My J did just fine at 11.5K or 12.5K to get in and out of Truckee. There is a flat area to the NE with a couple of reservoirs where one can gain altitude before departing over the mountain to the West. The IFR departures have a minimum climb gradient unless the ceilings are > 3000' where you can do the VOCA. I can meet the climb gradient with my turbo, but I cannot do that at the same time as meeting the minimum IAS while using TKS of 120 kt. So effectively I can't do an IFR departure into freezing clouds even with a turbo. While running TKS you must maintain at least 120 kt IAS to prevent ice from building on the bottom of the wings. What the FIKI does for me is reduce the days around a storm that I cannot fly. During a storm the winds over the mountains are typically 80 - 100 kt, so you aren't going to go no matter what. But FIKI can make a difference the day before a storm or the day after a storm where clouds are present and you can't guarantee you can stay out of the clouds. There are several flights I have made there where I would not have attempted the flight without TKS but ultimately didn't need it. In 5 years I have only done one IFR approach into TRK while using the TKS. Larry

The on/off switch mimics the master switch and circuit breaker in the plane. There is a clutch in the speed brake that is always activated when the master is on. If you turn off the master with the speed brakes deployed the clutch will release and the brakes will slam down due to the spring. The deploy/retract switch mimics the control relay in the aircraft. The relay is activated by the push-button switch. For simplicity I just implemented what I needed to get the speed brake to activate. There was no need to replicate exactly what is in the airplane.

Push button switch on yoke.

IMG_1590.mp4 This video doesn’t seem to play on Tapatalk but it does play on the PC.

So far speed brakes have worked fine. I created this bench tester for the day when I have trouble.

How do you plan to prime and start the engine?

It is pretty easy to have an expensive annual without engine work. Add up a prop overhaul, new donuts, new tires, new fuel pump and all the regular nit picking squawks.

The mixture or power setting does not matter. You are comparing total gallons used between the JPI and the fuel pump. The more gallons used the better. I kept records for a few fill ups but found the default K value was within 1%. The hard part is fueling to the exact same level.