chrisk

Alternate air would be used if there was something that obstructed the air filter. Ice/snow comes to mind. And the alternate air door should open on its own if necessary. At least on a 1981 M20K. I believe the very first K models had an issue with ice obstruction.

I'm curious on the install cost and time. I have an STEC-30 in my 231 that I'd like to replace.

Given you have stalled in your training a few times, I would suggest looking at an accelerated course. Get your ticket in something like a 172. Then find the Mooney specific instructor to get yourself comfortable in your plane. When I did it, I found two weeks and left my home so learning was focused and the demands of work and family were out of the way. Also, you may want to calculate the cost per hour in your Mooney vs getting your ticket in a trainer. Some folks discourage accelerated courses, but I would never trade what I did. I ended up with lots of real IMC and weather conditions.

Several years ago, at 17,000 I felt my engine stutter. It was very slight. An engine monitor was very useful, and I could see (after a down load) the stutter I felt (which happened twice) was not my imagination. The local mechanic couldn't find anything. I knew I hadn't imagined anything, so I had him pull the mags and send them back to the mag shop that had inspected and repaired them about 50 hours before. They came back fixed with no charge. Apparently something had not been done properly and they were leaking at altitude. --So, at the altitude you were flying at, mags can arc. If nothing obvious is found on your plane and you are close to a 500 hour mag inspection, then you might want to get one done. Also on the topic of mags. I was under the impression that early versions of the 231 did not have pressurized mags, but later versions did. Most have probably been upgraded. https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4147179/technical_documents/service_instructions/sim20-58.pdf?t=1536939446395

I have nose picker electric that I picked up used. It's nice when its 100+ outside and the sun is blazing. --I honestly just don't feel like pushing the plane anywhere under those conditions, especially after a long flight. My hangar is also slightly up hill too. Without the power tow, I would be tempted to get the plane rolling, and push it up the slight incline (which I have done on occasion). When I'm hot, tired, and ready to be done; pushing the plane up an incline at a fast pace is a recipe for a mistake and a case of hangar rash. --That said, I have painted stripes on the hangar floor for guides and stops that help avoid dings.

For those looking for the parts. You might try Aviall. https://www.aviall.com/aviallstorefront/p/641085=0H

I'm kind of curious how to manage engine starting after this is done. For a cold start, no issues. Just bump the high pressure boost pump instead of the primmer. What about a hot start? Usually priming is not required to get it to start, but after it starts, a quick shot on the primer keeps it going. Presumably using the high pressure boost pump could be used the same way?

I have to admit to being some what paranoid about this. Any time some one moves my plane, I check afterwards.

Last time I tried to start a car in -20C, the engine would not turn over unless the clutch was depressed. Thick oil and the cold sucking the life out of the battery is a double hit.

I'm a rotorcraft CFI, but not an Airplane CFI. I typically charge $50 per hour based on Hobbs. Lessons often include 15 minutes where we brief the lesson. I don't charge for this. For established students, longer ground sessions are $35 per hour. I charge $100 for a BFR, provided it doesn't go over 3 hours. After 3 hours, it $50 per hour. And I really need to find some time to get my airplane CFI and CFII.

I have simple tests for how cold it is. Breath in through your nose. If you feel it freeze, then it is cold. If not, its probably above 10F. Does your car start if you left it out over night and didn't plug it in? If so, its probably above -10F

I've got the same cable setup in my 1981 231. As I recall, the speed brakes are naked aluminum and have no extra coloring. I've never had an issue with them, other than a mechanic placarding them "Electrically Actuated --Do not manually operate".

For me, it is arrivals that catch me by surprise. Last time was into KAFW when they gave me the Slug Seven. It's when I'm glad I have an autopilot. At least with a DP you can sit on the ground and figure it out. --Of course I could have told them I didn't have the arrival.....

I very much recommend running a tank dry and seeing when the light comes on and how much capacity your tank has. I did this some time back and one of my tanks was significantly off. --Maxwell made some adjustments and the tank empty warning is now correct. In a similar way, I made a calibrated fuel stick by running a tank dry, then adding 5 gallons at a time. --And yes, I always had a place to land while I was on the near empty tank. And for those that have not run a tank dry, is your tank full when it reaches the collar or the top of the tank? You should know! My manual is rather silent on the topic.

The recent winter weather has me pondering procedures for a run up when the runway/taxiway is slick with snow. Maybe 2 inches before the plow has made it to the runway. Its been many years since I've had to do this, and as I recall the brakes would not hold on a snow covered taxiway/runway. I think we gave it our best shot while moving on the taxi way (or runway), but the details have faded. For those that deal with snow covered airfields on a regular basis, what is your run up procedure?

I got my commercial a few years ago. I should have followed it quickly with a CFI, but I didn't.

A few things come to mind that can be checked without much effort/cost Have you checked the accuracy of your air speed indicator? Temperature can have a massive impact on performance. I'm assuming an accurate measurement and correction to density altitude. Is your altimeter accurate at altitude? Other items that may effect performance (and are a bit harder to check) Is the W&B accurate for your plane? Is the RPM indicated accurate?

I generally when traveling to Durango I'm flying relatively low due to head winds. And if I'm flying low and I pass by an airport with cheap fuel (like KPVW), I'll stop. My wife appreciates the bath room break, I like having extra fuel reserves since the airports are further apart, and fuel is a bit pricey in the mountains. On the way home, its almost always a non-stop trip and typically 17,000 or above. My last trip home was right at 4 hours, and about 45 gallons. --That said, I tend to go direct and over fly over 13,000 foot mountains. In a "C" I might find a lower route, probably south, and then between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. --Though I believe there are some passes near KAXX if flying VFR

Mine was in a 172 with similar equipment. VOR, ILS and a Localizer Back Course were my approaches. --And timer stuck to the panel. No GPS and no auto pilot.

Easy. Something distracts your flow, you get focused on something else (like other traffic), and the next thing you know you have a gear up. Lots of videos with the gear warning horn blaring and the pilot selectively not hearing it due to task load.

I've had this happen before.

For me, I keep an eye on my tires. The wheels come off at annual, so if I need a tire, that is when it gets swapped out. Typically I will go with something like an AirHawk. The last time I bought tires, which was 2015, mains were $80 each, and the nose was $63. The tubes were almost as much, around $50 each. --All in, my aircraft tires cost less than my car tires, so I replace them when they look old. I'm hoping that will be 5+ years from now.

Not a millennial, and I will take an LPV approach most any time. For the airports I typically visit GPS approaches are the only options. Why do something different just because an airport has an ILS option? Often the minimums are the same. And my GTN650 simply has an atrocious interface for switching between GPS and ILS. Again, why do anything different? Its also been my experience that the minimums are similar (if not identical) for both, at least at the airports I visit. An example is KCOS, where LPV and ILS both have minimums to 200 agl. ILS gives me nothing but an opportunity to screw up. That said, if an ILS is available for the runway I am using, I tune it in on my backup radio/indicator.

The first thing I did when I got my hangar was to paint stripes on the floor and well out onto the ramp. Well worth the $100 it cost me to have the parking lot stripe guys spray it.

I pulled to lower cowling and took a quick look at the exhaust. Everything looks good there. No signs of any leakage. To see if it is the rudder pedal boots, I taped them to close the holes. I'll have to take another flight to see if anything changes. As for the readings, I was seeing 45ppm when full rich and in the landing configuration. During cruise and operating lean, I see 0ppm. Oh, and the heat is off (and has been for at least 6 months), so I'm sure it is not coming from the heater.