Today's flight in the year 2020

gsxrpilot · April 6, 2020

In an effort to get some smooth air here in the Rocky Mountains, I was pulling the Mooney out before sunrise. Just a short flight in the continuing test program of the Aspen PFD MAX. No pictures other than the first one at the hangar.

Flying the RNAV 33 at FNL, the glide slope was spot on but the localizer was half a dot off to the left. I should have taken a picture.

I also notice that sitting on the ground, the AI is just a little to the right. Is there an adjustment or calibration that can be made on this Aspen? I need to do some research.

Scott got a picture of the Aspen for me. This is sitting on the ramp.

kortopates · April 6, 2020

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

In an effort to get some smooth air here in the Rocky Mountains, I was pulling the Mooney out before sunrise. Just a short flight in the continuing test program of the Aspen PFD MAX. No pictures other than the first one at the hangar.

Flying the RNAV 33 at FNL, the glide slope was spot on but the localizer was half a dot off to the left. I should have taken a picture.

I also notice that sitting on the ground, the AI is just a little to the right. Is there an adjustment or calibration that can be made on this Aspen? I need to do some research.

Scott got a picture of the Aspen for me. This is sitting on the ramp.

Is your ramp really on a slope of 2-3 degrees to the left as it suggest? You could put a digital leveler laterally across the seat rails and compare that to what your Aspen is indicating for a quick and easy comparison.

gsxrpilot · April 6, 2020

Here is the self serve fuel ramp that is much more level than the taxiway in front of my hangar.

**BaldEagle** · April 6, 2020

2 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

Here is the self serve fuel ramp that is much more level than the taxiway in front of my hangar.

That's what mine looks like on the ground; the Mooney sits slightly nose-up on a level surface. I've only flown mine twice since the Max upgrade and only done one precision approach (ILS). Nice smooth air and I was seeing a constant half-dot deflection on the localizer when doing a coupled approach (KFC200), but it did that prior to the upgrade anyway. All good with mine, except for background noise so I've got a warranty claim in already. I forgot how much fun avionics can be.

Nick Pilotte · April 6, 2020

19 hours ago, exM20K said:

Today was a beautiful early-Spring day in Chicagoland. Wife and I went for a flight from the west suburbs, down the Eisenhower expressway to the lakefront. It was really strange to see empty public spaces on such a day. I'm certain those cooped up were wishing they weren't.

1) Our neighborhood with Chicago in the background

2) millennium park and Lake Shore Drive, which should be teeming with people

3) Millenium Park and the loop.

4) United Center and approaching from the west.

5) Wrigley Field and wrigleyville. should have been hosting the diamondbacks today.

-dan

And, of course, the landing video.

Dan it was an excellent day to fly yesterday. I’m so jealous I didn’t get up. Beautiful pictures and I NEVER get tired of seeing the landings at LL10. I hope to convince the wife that we should be neighbors one day.......

**carusoam** · April 7, 2020

I believe...

Most Mooneys are 4° nose up on the ground...

...And LBs are 8°...?

or was it two and four...???

Where do I look that up?

Best regards,

-a-

**aviatoreb** · April 7, 2020

My son and I went for a really nice flight over White Face Mtn today - 45 min round trip. That's the site of the 1980 Olympic Downhill in Lake Placid NY - this mountain is just past there.

Lots of snow still there and ice on the lakes in the mtns.

Something interesting...! I realized today that my plane is now flying very well LOP - at least at 65% power. I need some more testing to see how much higher power it might take to LOP flying. What changed? I had the surefly electronic ignition installed. It used to be that I had to fly very very far lop to keep the TIT from being very hot. So at 30'' -2200 I had to go all the way to 12.9gph as 13gph would make 1600TiT. Today I was flying 14.8gph still 40deg Lop and Tit was ~1400. Wow! What a change - and it was very smooth. Hmm! AT that fuel fly I could be a bit richer and still LOP and nicely out of the hot box. I will do more testing and report back on this in the right section.

**carusoam** · April 7, 2020

Amazing how a stronger spark...

Can cause an effect similar to... adding more time to burn, without changing the actual crank timing...

Are your CHTs increasing with that at all?

Nice vid!

thanks for sharing it.

Best regards,

-a-

**aviatoreb** · April 7, 2020

Just now, carusoam said:

Amazing how a stronger spark...

Can cause an effect similar to... adding more time to burn, without changing the actual crank timing...

Are your CHTs increasing with that at all?

Nice vid!

thanks for sharing it.

Best regards,

-a-

The CHT's were surprisingly low - all below 300...in the high 200's...which honestly is too cold - I might need to run it harder! - it was ~48F on the ground - I forgot to bring my USB to download data, but everything was cooler from memory - lots cooler - CHT, EGT, and TIT - everything. I really should have been able to run it a bit richer and still be sufficiently LOP at that power setting but I was suspicious since every other time I needed to be even further LOP. I need a real testing flight.

xcrmckenna · April 11, 2020

First flight in just under a month. I’m glad to, since I’ve said if my plane flies less than once a month I give you all permission to kick me in the crotch till I sell it or go flying... Made a run to Redmond and back. It was almost a perfect flight.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**aviatoreb** · April 11, 2020

On 4/7/2020 at 3:37 PM, carusoam said:

Amazing how a stronger spark...

Can cause an effect similar to... adding more time to burn, without changing the actual crank timing...

Are your CHTs increasing with that at all?

Nice vid!

thanks for sharing it.

Best regards,

-a-

I posted a picture of my engine monitor readings over on the surefly thread for you Anthony - and all.

**0TreeLemur** · April 12, 2020

Yesterday my co-pilot and I flew a load of medical supplies from Fort Smith, Arkansas, (FSM) to St. Louis Downtown (CPS) for Aerobridge, an organization that arranges for volunteer aircraft to fly patients, medical supplies, and organs around the country. Our supplies were destined for Scott AFB and points unknown. 7.7 h total flight time over about 1000 NM. The winds aloft were pretty stiff at times . The first photo is after our delivery of the St. Louis Arch taken from downtown airport, which is across the river from St. Louis Missouri. The second photo is of the junction of the Ohio (left) and Mississipi (right) Rivers at their confluence at Cairo, Illinois. Interesting because it is rare that both of these major rivers are in flood at the same time, which they have been for the past few weeks.

**carusoam** · April 12, 2020

Archetypical MSer...

Word of the day! https://www.dictionary.com/browse/archetypically ar·che·typ·al, ar·che·typ·i·cal [ahr-ki-tip-i-kuh l] , ar·che·typ·ic, adjectivear·che·typ·al·ly, ar·che·typ·i·cal·ly, adverb

Word of the day, to honor the efforts of one @0TreeLemur and SIC!

Way to go 03!

Thanks for supporting everyone.

who did you bring along?

Best regards,

-a-

**0TreeLemur** · April 12, 2020

3 hours ago, carusoam said:

Archetypical MSer...

Word of the day! https://www.dictionary.com/browse/archetypically ar·che·typ·al, ar·che·typ·i·cal [ahr-ki-tip-i-kuh l] , ar·che·typ·ic, adjectivear·che·typ·al·ly, ar·che·typ·i·cal·ly, adverb

Word of the day, to honor the efforts of one @0TreeLemur and SIC!

Way to go 03!

Thanks for supporting everyone.

who did you bring along?

Best regards,

-a-

Howdy -a-. My life co-pilot went along. She helps me remember to do things like switch tanks, switch off the boost pump, watches the engine monitor that you so deftly encouraged us to install, and runs the iPad. She recently has started entering transponder codes and new frequencies into the radio! We did a lot of flying and it was good to use our Mooney help with the CV19 relief effort. Especially since we have no other mission right now. I'd encourage other Mooney pilots in need of a mission to register with Aerobridge and accept a mission that looks like they can handle. You can read about it here: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/april/08/aerobridge-calls-for-covid19-mission-volunteers?utm_source=epilot&utm_medium=email

For the portion of this flight that we were carrying the supplies, we flew under the call sign 'Compassion 1426'. My co-pilot was really good about helping me listen for our unusual callsign. Controllers were very good to us. It was an experience we won't soon forget. Maybe we'll do another one next weekend.

**amillet** · April 13, 2020

Installed new Plane Power alternator on Saturday. Hartzell that came with factory re-built engine crapped out with 440 since new.
I talked Sausage into a BFR at Renton where 737s are made, and he, Jeremy and I did some formation practice before I dropped the plane off at Troutdale fo annual, including new Surefly electronic mag.

Stopped at KCLS for $2.80 100LL, along with every other airplane in the PNW, and a guy filling two 50 gallon barrels in a little trailer.

**MooneyMitch** · April 13, 2020

Beautiful! You're in good hands with Greg and Ed.

**amillet** · April 13, 2020

In an email from Greg last month: “We won't see Ed around during this time, as he and his wife Sue are in their 70's and they are staying close to home.”

**MooneyMitch** · April 14, 2020

I wish them the very best of health.

Davidv · April 15, 2020

I was able to get up for another COVID escape flight today. Since there’s no one to visit and no where to go you have to get somewhat creative with these flights. I decided to land in Everglades city as a challenge in Bravo since it would be the shortest runway yet for me in the plane (2400X50). I know some others have landed there with their Mooney’s so I’m not looking for a medal but it was challenging nonetheless.

Winds were out of the southwest and I was landing on 15. For those of you familiar with the airport there are some very large mangroves on the west side of the runway. This proved to be an extra challenge since it meant a huge loss of lift starting about 20 feet over the runway. On the way home I headed up the beach and back into FXE and also got to see the cruise ship naval squadron .

**amillet** · April 16, 2020

@FlyTester took this photo. Notice two shadows

**aviatoreb** · April 16, 2020

25 minutes ago, amillet said:

@FlyTester took this photo. Notice two shadows

I'll bite - you have two shadows because....there are two suns? Two light sources would cause two shadows. So....now in the galaxy there are many options where you might be, but could it be Kepler-47? https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/multimedia/images/orbiting-in-habitable-zone-of-two-suns.html

Now I am still trying to figure out how you are flying straight down along the face of a sheer vertical cliff.

**amillet** · April 16, 2020

7 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

I'll bite - you have two shadows because....there are two suns? Two light sources would cause two shadows. So....now in the galaxy there are many options where you might be, but could it be Kepler-47? https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/multimedia/images/orbiting-in-habitable-zone-of-two-suns.html

Now I am still trying to figure out how you are flying straight down along the face of a sheer vertical cliff.

I tried 3 different rotations on the iPad. Still won’t post correctly :blink: There used PS Express

Davidv · April 16, 2020

Just now, amillet said:

I tried 3 different rotations on the iPad. Still won’t post correctly

The secret for me is taking a screenshot of the photo on your phone (or at least iphone, maybe ipad too). Give that a try.

**Skates97** · April 16, 2020

2 hours ago, Davidv said:

The secret for me is taking a screenshot of the photo on your phone (or at least iphone, maybe ipad too). Give that a try.

The other thing that I have found that works (most of the time) is to open it up in a photo editor and crop it just a little, for some reason that usually resets it.

**Skates97** · April 16, 2020

A very smooth flight after work through the LA Special Flight Rules, over KSMO, past the Hollywood sign, Griffith Park Observatory, Dodger Stadium, and a lap around LA.