LOP & Flight Training Inc.

[KSMooniac]

I don't want to stir up another excrement storm, but I was wondering if any of the new Mooney purchasers on this board have been through Flight Training Inc. recently.  Last weekend I helped the previous owner of my plane explore the LOP envelope of his 2008 Ovation 3 by doing the GAMI Lean Test.  He has not taken the Advanced Pilot Seminar course, but has gleaned enough to become curious and convert.  During a trip this past weekend he reported running 184 KTAS at 14.0 GPH at 8500', vs. 187-188 KTAS at 17-18 GPH before. 

Today he told me that FTI has apparently seen the light and are now teaching/preaching LOP operations as part of their training, whereas before they simply parroted the sub-optimal POH material.  I would love to hear some first-hand accounts if anyone has been through their program lately.  He is headed down to Kerrville later this month for an annual on his plane and might get some more info from FTI.

[RobertoTohme]

Scott, I took delivery of my Acclaim on january 2, 2008, and immediately proceeded to SAT for the initial with FTI; at that time, I trained with Bob Cabe and we did explore the full envelope of the aircraft, including high altitude and LOP operations.  Now I'm due for recurrent, and I imagine we'll go briefly over the entire envelope again, although I'll use this recurrent as an IPC.  My Acclaim takes back about 7 kts when LOP but runs smooth, however, my Eagle is not happy at all when LOP, vibrating and shaking really bad, so no option but to run 70 degrees ROP.  I think that this condition can be cured with GAMI's but right now I don't want to put money into that, and rather get a new paint job mimicking the Acclaim to make them "Evil Twins"...   But your point is, yes, FTI has been teaching the LOP technique since early last year, as far as I'm concerned.