First solo in my Mooney

[Blake]

This morning I went for my first solo in my plane! After 11 hours of duel instruction! Everything went great preflight, walk around, run up, takeoff, then it got interesting, over the Everglades I switched to battery 1 and everything electric went out! So back to battery 2 no problem right? Well the radios worked and one screen on the garmin. Turned around and headed back to FXE and made a great landing I guess the other distractions didn't matter. That was a great lesson and landing! 

[201er]

Welcome to airplane ownership. Sounds like you were prepared to handle it.

[carusoam]

Nice way to handle the weirdness, Blake.  

The preflight checks include the battery test to select the stronger battery.  Was there any indication that a battery was not working?  

The battery switch is a relay type device.  Let us know what you find out.

Best regards,

-a-

[Blake]

That was my mistake! I turned on the master and did everything one the 2nd battery! I did not switch to battery1 that won't happen again that seem to be a great teacher! Like taking rudder trim out when in the pattern before landing! An other lesson learned with an instructor next to me! You never quit learning that is for sure!

[flyboy0681]

Welcome to the South Florida  Mooney family.

Your registration is similar to a famous South Floridian, Donald Trump, N757AF

 

[co2bruce]

Yes, welcome to the South Florida Mooney club. Experience is a great teacher. We had some problems with battery one, it turned out to be a bad ground. Before buying unneeded parts ☹️ (Don't ask) check the grounds.

[Yetti]

Forgetting to reset the trim to take off position will teach the next lesson.

[Blake]

I hope not setting it on landing will do the trick! Seems to be in the pre flight routine I think the landing drilled that in!

[Hank]

  On 4/5/2016 at 11:03 PM, Yetti said:

Forgetting to reset the trim to take off position will teach the next lesson.

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Yep! I won't do that again! It was even a full stop and taxi back departure . . . It's on the Run Up portion of my checklist, after mags and prop and before seatbelts and door.

[Blake]

Went for second solo today! Much better then the first! Learning to land a Mooney is interesting! Fle to FIN from FXE both times I had to go around on the first attempt to land. The second landing were much better. Can't wait to go again and just work on landings. Needed some time so made the longer flight today.

[carusoam]

That is the feeling of freedom..!

How was your airspeed control?

My landings on the second day were always better than the first day...  Rust sets in so quickly.

Best regards,

-a-

[Blake]

Airspeed was a little fast better then slow, and tried 10 flaps instead of full seemed to be easer not as much floating. Had full flaps at FXE had to go around a little bounce and didn't try to settle it down. Just went around seems to be easer of me in the pattern then joining left base and in.

[flyboy0681]

  On 4/12/2016 at 11:24 PM, Blake said:

Airspeed was a little fast better then slow, and tried 10 flaps instead of full seemed to be easer not as much floating. Had full flaps at FXE had to go around a little bounce and didn't try to settle it down. Just went around seems to be easer of me in the pattern then joining left base and in.

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The one thing that these airframe's just love to do is porpoise on down the runway if the airspeed is too fast. Fortunately for you, you have three blades, which gives you greater clearance from the ground. We two blader's have just 9 inches between us and disaster.

Edited April 14, 2016 by flyboy0681

[Blake]

I learned after the first mistake to get up and out. The second bounce is to many! And yes the 3 blades make the difference.

[Hank]

  On 4/15/2016 at 12:51 AM, Blake said:

I learned after the first mistake to get up and out. The second bounce is to many! And yes the 3 blades make the difference.

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Been there, done that. At night, too. Went full throttle on second bounce, and prayed myself over the trees at the end of the 3000' runway.

Learned to pay attention until the plane stops moving and the engine stops!

[Blake]

My teacher drilled it in me to bounce and go go go don't try to recover not till I am more experience.