231 Mooney

[hubcap]

2 hours ago, PeteMc said:

Along those same lines, less RPMs just means less metal parts grinding against each other. 

A tiny difference per flight?  True.   But how do those numbers work out over the life of the engine???  

 

I just had to do the math - 5,400,000 engine revolutions over 1,800 hours. Fewer revolutions means less heat and less wear, all other things being equal.

[jlunseth]

On 12/21/2024 at 8:40 PM, T. Peterson said:

You should post a picture of the leather jacket!

That's a story. I earned the leather jacket but never picked it up. I was supposed to meet with the woman from the Minnesota Department of Aeronautics, at the FBO at the MSP International airport. I and another pilot had arranged to fly together and land at MSP. I called the MSP tower and figured out how to do it. About a week before, I decided to go out and practice some rapid landings. I figured the chances were pretty good that MSP tower would want me to "keep your speed up," and with 737s coming in on my tail that would mean "really up." The practice day was very cold and I was in a hurry, so I did not spend much time on the ramp. I flew to an airport about 20 nm away, did a "speed up" landing there, immediately turned around and took off to do another. On takeoff I got very weird readings on the JPI 930. As I recall, oil temp was unusually low, oil pressure was just wrong, so I immediately turned around and landed. I had oil streaks about two feet wide and running the length of the aircraft on both sides, so I left the aircraft on the tarmac, got a ride home, and had a mechanic look at it. It turned out that because I had not allowed the engine compartment to warm up at all, and because the air temp was so low, the air/oil separator had frozen blocking the oil breather tube. The running engine caused pressure in the crankcase and the engine was spraying oil out of every available orifice. There was, fortunately, no damage, and the next warm day I was able to go out and fly the plane home. But because of that I never flew to MSP and never met with the woman from Aeronautics. Then I looked the jacket up on the internet and it was, well, nice enough, but just sort of a bag, no fit to it at all. I have several leather jackets, this one had no cool effect. I never did go meet with her and pick up the jacket, but I was pilot number 14 to land at the required 135 airports. The doing of the adventure was more fun than the trophy.

I subsequently landed on one of the three remaining airports, so I have 136, but I still have not landed at MSP International nor the airport in northern MN with the patch of swamp grass.

That's what happened.

[T. Peterson]

12 hours ago, jlunseth said:

That's a story. I earned the leather jacket but never picked it up. I was supposed to meet with the woman from the Minnesota Department of Aeronautics, at the FBO at the MSP International airport. I and another pilot had arranged to fly together and land at MSP. I called the MSP tower and figured out how to do it. About a week before, I decided to go out and practice some rapid landings. I figured the chances were pretty good that MSP tower would want me to "keep your speed up," and with 737s coming in on my tail that would mean "really up." The practice day was very cold and I was in a hurry, so I did not spend much time on the ramp. I flew to an airport about 20 nm away, did a "speed up" landing there, immediately turned around and took off to do another. On takeoff I got very weird readings on the JPI 930. As I recall, oil temp was unusually low, oil pressure was just wrong, so I immediately turned around and landed. I had oil streaks about two feet wide and running the length of the aircraft on both sides, so I left the aircraft on the tarmac, got a ride home, and had a mechanic look at it. It turned out that because I had not allowed the engine compartment to warm up at all, and because the air temp was so low, the air/oil separator had frozen blocking the oil breather tube. The running engine caused pressure in the crankcase and the engine was spraying oil out of every available orifice. There was, fortunately, no damage, and the next warm day I was able to go out and fly the plane home. But because of that I never flew to MSP and never met with the woman from Aeronautics. Then I looked the jacket up on the internet and it was, well, nice enough, but just sort of a bag, no fit to it at all. I have several leather jackets, this one had no cool effect. I never did go meet with her and pick up the jacket, but I was pilot number 14 to land at the required 135 airports. The doing of the adventure was more fun than the trophy.

I subsequently landed on one of the three remaining airports, so I have 136, but I still have not landed at MSP International nor the airport in northern MN with the patch of swamp grass.

That's what happened.

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing this story. Also good information on warming the engine properly when flying in the frigid north!

[geoffb]

I've had 2VF in and out of Ryan Field in MT.  2,500-ish ft of grass at 3,500 MSL.  I was light and it ended up being no problem.  Left early, don't know what the DA was but it was close to freezing.  Don't need to do that again.  Grass is no issue.  DA and weight are.  My E was a much better short field airplane.  My K is a pig, and still only 200 HP (OK 210).