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1. e J i 22 2 Patti o o 7 Gliders 23 lhter than Ar Why So Many Hours for Pilot Certificate Sometimes we just need to change our perspective 8 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Safety Alerts to Keep you Alive simpre In December 2013 the NTSB issued its five newest Safety Alerts These are aimed at helping pilots develop strategies to prevent accidents These alerts follow five that were issued in March 2013 which focused on the most frequent type of general aviation accidents Knowing these accidents can be prevented is why General Aviation Safety is on our Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements said NTSB Chair Deborah Hersman At a time when many people are putting together their list of resolutions for the coming year these five Safety Alerts remind pilots mechanics and passengers of the basic safety precautions that they can add to their checklists to ensure a safe flight for all on board The five December 2013 safety alerts are summarized below 1 Check Your Restraints Restraints can fail because they degrade with age UV exposure and use Prior to July 1978 aircraft manufacturers were not required to install shoulder harnesses You should consider installing shoulder harnesses because they can prevent occupants from impacting the interior during a crash Although restraints are required to be inspected annually it c
2. s applicable maintenance manual or Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 43 13 1B chapter 7 section 4 if there is no guidance on nut reuse in the manual e Confirm that the specified hardware is installed correctly e Ensure that adequate torque is required to spin the nut on the bolt Be aware that binding in the assembly may produce a false indication of nut effectiveness e Throw outa nut that can be rotated on the thread by hand e Ensure that sufficient thread protrusion exists 13 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 e Donotruna tap through the fiber or nylon insert because doing so removes the locking capability of the nut In case you missed em here are the five Safety Alerts that were published in March 2013 Avoid Nonoperational Use of Portable Electronic Devices PEDs Before and During Flight Nonoperational use of PEDs by pilots including cell phones smart phones tablets and laptop computers can divert attention from activities necessary for safe operations both in the air and on the ground READ MORE WHY THE CONCERN PED related distraction has played a role or at least been present in accidents involving improper fuel management loss of positional awareness loss of automation mode awareness collision with obstacles and loss of control NTSB HISTORY On December 30 2007 a Cirrus Design SR 22 impacted terrain during a low altitude fly by of a
3. Nose gear mechanism We do a lot of maintenance on nose gears There are several rod ends bushings bolts and shims that all wear at the same time The steering horn is the highest wear item Next is the large pivot bolt and bushing then the rod ends Worn nose shock discs can add to these problems and this is why Mooney does not allow any wear gap on the nose If you feel like the nose is squirrley doesn t track straight or maybe bounces too much you should check the nose for looseness B Tail looseness Many of you have seen Mark or myself walk up to the tail and lift up on the trailing edge of the rudder to check how much looseness there is at the tail attach point The book way we do this is to put the plane on jacks so it is solid Then we put a piece of masking tape across the nav lite lens or on the rudder We then measure the movement up and down Depending on the model we are allowed 08 to 10 movement As a rule the older models are 08 and the later are 10 l d like to stress that you should check the service manual for the year and serial number You cannot assume that even the same model will be the same I want to stop here to mention that in some places like the tail shock discs etc Mooney gives specific limits we must observe on other places like rod ends It is a judgment call on the part of an A P or IA Back to the tail If a limit has been exceeded we usually change the tail attach link bolt and bushing This
4. aviation battery manufacturers use a higher specific gravity SG electrolyte in their aviation batteries This hotter mix more H2SO4 sulfuric acid less H2O water means it will be overcharged whenever a non aviation charger is used Automotive chargers are set at a higher output voltage typically 13 8 14 6 volts That s more than aviation batteries can handle The voltage settings and charge rates for aviation BatteryMINDer models were chosen after conferring with aviation battery makers in the U S If you own a Concorde battery it s nice to know that BatteryMINDer is Condord s only approved maintenance charger BatteryMINDer aviation specific models incorporate a Plug n Run feature and includes full time fully automatic pulsed desulfation circuitry not high voltage designed to safely dissolve sulfation build up on the battery s storage plates This restores lost cranking power and extends battery life They also feature a temperature compensating sensor to ensure that batteries can be safely charged and maintained for extended periods of time in extreme temperatures Without this type of temperature sensing batteries will be under charged in colder temperatures and over charged in high temperatures Whether you use a battery maintenance charger or not never use a non aviation battery charger for your Mooney see above Here at The Mooney Flyer we plug our batteries into BatteryMINDers when we don t plan to use the
5. the runway leaving six puzzled Marines in his wake The Thuderbirds flew The Hun from 1956 to 1964 National Geographic 2013 Great Planes Episode 12 F 100 Super Sabre VIEW the YouTube Video HERE 21 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 The Ten Biggest Lies about Piston Engines We came across another great article from Mike Busch This was written a while ago but is very interesting and in keeping with our theme of engines this month Lie 1 Lycoming Engines are better than Continental Engines Here s what these engines have in common 1 Similar design and metallurgy 2 horizontally opposed air cooled designs with bolt together aluminum case halves and bolt on cylinders with sandcast aluminum heads screwed onto nitrided steel barrels 3 fixed timed dual magneto ignition systems and valve trains with overhead rocker arms shrouded hollow pushrods and hydraulic valve lifters 4 similar compression ratios similar RPM red lines and similar power to displacement ratios And both have comparable records of reliability and longevity Says Mike Busch Certain problems tend to occur more frequently in one brand or the other Continentals have a lot more crankcase cracks head to barrel separations and premature valve guide wear problems than Lycomings On the other hand Lycomings suffer stuck and broken valves and spalled cams and lifters much more often than Continenta
6. Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 sufficient information relative to the mechanics of the learn to fly process by any instructor We all learn differently and at different rates but the regularity and spacing of training periods is a major key to a successful outcome The occasional lesson is not time or money well spent for initial flight training The successful process has a rhythm and pace that makes it easier for both the instructor and the student to produce progress It is the responsibility of the instructor to actively conduct and control that rhythm and pace by establishing effective rapport with the student Revealing the learning style of the student is a major part of the instructor s task During the training process both parties experience a broad range of human emotions from joy and excitement to irritation disappointment and sometimes anger The pair will either become friends or in the worst case spend useless time and money expending negative energy In the latter the relationship should be terminated forthwith because it is non productive The cockpit is an abominable classroom particularly for the student incredible visual distraction too many things to do simultaneously sometimes with two people talking directly in your ear both at the Same time Most people can do two things at the same time but the poor would be pilot is now required to do at least four thin
7. Complex Aircraft The definition is as follows A complex aircraft has a constant speed propeller retractable landing gear and movable flaps So the fact that a Cirrus removes control of the 5 lik Watt constant speed prop from the PIC CFII FAAsteam Rep Mo has no bearing on it as a Complex Aircraft JALG SE THA Response from Gabriel To clear up a poorly worded paragraph the Mooney was the only complex airplane of my finalist three under consideration complex as defined by FAR 61 1 with retractable gear controllable pitch prop etc The Cirrus was the least complicated operationally with both fixed gear 6 The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 and no pilot controlled propeller pitch The Columbia was in between with fixed gear but a pilot controlled prop governor like the Mooney At one point used the word complex in a prosaic manner not as per the definition in the FAR What Can Help Impact The Decline A few things actually My 2 cents are 1 Convince Uncle Sam to provide a similar level of subsidy to Avgas manufacture like ethanol production thus reducing Avgas cost at the pump 2 Stop the export of cheap aircraft read C150 152 Ercoupe 172 etc Restore rebuild keeping the cost of ownership operation down 3 Modify Update FAR Sec 61 113 Private pilot privileges and limitations Pilot in command Allowing for compensation be it in fuel time etc to pilots for simple non
8. There were a few issues and now the Eagle starts like a charm When s the last time your Shower of Sparks or Impulse Coupler was checked Be nice to your starter Don t crank it too long The POH specifies thirty 30 seconds but think that is too long Your mileage may vary Lycoming O 360 Many think the venerable O 360 is the most reliable engine in the Mooney fleet It s the only carbureted engine we cover in this article For Cold Starts The M20C Ranger Owners Manual specifies Mixture Full Rich Prop Full Turn Boost Pump On Pump throttle twice to prime the engine Set Throttle to Open and crank An alternative procedure is Start the engine in Idle Cut Off and Boost Pump ON As the engine starts advance Mixture to rich but then lean the engine right away to prevent plug fouling and Turn the Boost Pump OFF These work well with a hot or cold engine For Flooded Starts the Owners Manual specifies Throttle Full Mixture Idle Cutoff Fuel Pump Off Retard Throttle as the engine starts Slowly advance the mixture to Full Rich Lycoming 10 360 For Cold Starts the POH specifies Throttle 4 Prop Full Mixture Rich Fuel Boost On to establish pressure then Off Mixture to Idle Cutoff Crank then advance Mixture slowly to Rich The above works well in practice but one tip would be to run the Boost pump 30 seconds before cranking in order for the fuel to vaporize For Hot St
9. amp IO 550 Before we start it s interesting to note that aviation fuel is also culpable The Save Your Engine with very qualities that prevent vapor lock at high altitudes and temperatures this one simple tip make the fuel unwilling to vaporize easily at startup All engineering typicall oe pees j gineering typicatY Do NOT let your involves designing around conflicting objectives very true in this case Duri Cold Start it s likely that th ill b little fuel in the li S SuGe TUN aD OVEIGIC uring a Co art it s likely that there will be very little fuel in the lines So l it is easy to assume that we should give the engine a little more fuel to start for the first 15 20 This is especially true for the fuel hungry 10550s In general it might also be seconds after start helpful especially in colder weather to prime a bit more and or run your low Most engine wear boost pump either while cranking or after it catches takes place during this On Hot starts the culprit is vapor If that is the case running cool liquid fuel time as the oil warms from the tanks through the lines especially injection lines can clear the vapor This is easy on the 10550 Simply set the Mixture to Idle Cutoff so that the fuel goes through the lines and returns to the tank thereby not flooding to where it s needed up and gets pumped 17 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 the engine Fuel injection h
10. and not just the 6 pack or for the more technologically advanced aircraft the big screen in front of you If had been distracted by music or reading a magazine or gazing out the window because the autopilot was flying me instead of me flying the airplane we would have had an off airport landing or worse Instead we had a nice controlled landing at an airport As some may already know there is very little beyond Clovis NM before you get to Santa Fe So include your engine instruments in your scan Do not let distractions of any kind get in the way of the successful completion of a flight Leave the XM radio and the CD music for home or in your car Enjoy your flying for what it is One of the most amazing things we can do in life And always remember to Aviate Navigate and Communicate In that order 25 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Learning to Fly by Geoff Lee CFII The capability to fly an airplane provides access to one of the greatest freedoms that one can experience in life The number of individuals on the earth that possess this skill is extremely minute These days only accept a few Private Pilot students each year They must be totally enthusiastic students that are experiencing various difficulties with their previous instructors and training They usually seek me out after abortive starts at the training process or subsequent to long periods of no progress
11. can enter X x 2 Establish secure areas around the airfield and harass anyone r MOONEY MA L BAG that stops to watch the planes 3 Expand class B airspace to include all metro areas 4 Increase fees fuel cost and cost of new aircraft X X John H LARAAAAAARAAAA Hi GUN Saree eene eteee Thanks again for the usual good read Line up and wait is in fact a recent photograph taken at my home town Gisborne New Zealand think one of only two airports in the world where a railway line crosses an airport The trains crossing the runway have to give way to us The control tower controls the trains as well The airplane is a DH82 Tiger Moth ZK BAL and is current Gisborne s claim to fame is that it is the first city in the world to greet the sun every day Enclosed a photo of my little buzz bomb from Kerrville Best wishes to all Granville J Regarding Gabriel Silverstein s Articles l m a MAPA Safety Foundation Clinic instructor and Gabriel attended our last session up in Owensboro KY OWB a few months ago Suffice it to say that he s not your typical Mooney pilot that attends these clinics so he stuck out just a bit That said the guy is sharp as a tack absorbed everything we put out like a sponge and asked all the right questions His description of the Customs incidents was alarming MooneyDude A Mooney Flyer Correction The article by Gabriel Silverstein brought some letters to us regarding the definition of a
12. commercial activity i e flying a friend to his relatives and letting them pay for all expenses if need be Or allow said pilot owner to without question charge his employer for expenses to move passenger s or equipment to common location required to fulfill common goal location etc as long a incidental to travel Non Commercial activity Once and a while 4 Develop Hold Harmless agreements throughout GA Rides Airport Public Private Maintenance MFG etc 5 Utilize Airport space more efficiently increasing tie downs hangars Low cost housing geared towards cheaper fixed cost of ownership bet somewhere there s a container ship full of surplus portable hangars no longer needed for the war effort Likely to be given away could go on for days One last point I m 40 yrs old and one those guys that knew had to be a Pilot in grade school General Aviation is an American Icon that will die if one thing is changed fuel cost Period Just like auto fuel if it cost more we use it less If that s not corrected and in a big way General Aviation is over DB 7 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 by a regulations revision No component manufacturer can add new requirements The FAA has specifically approved all batteries of the same size and weight for your aircraft via advisory circular and Mooney specifically added the recombinant gas batteries to their approval with an eng
13. friend s residence The pilot was speaking on his cell phone during the fly by when he encountered turbulent wind conditions and initiated a rapid climb the airplane experienced an accelerated stall resulting in loss of control The NTSB found that the pilot s diverted attention while using his cell phone contributed to this accident The pilot was killed What can pilots do e Recognize the potential for distraction arising from nonoperational use of PEDs e Avoid nonoperational use of PEDs during preflight planning and preparation to focus your attention on these critical tasks e Turn PEDs off before engine start if they have no operational purpose during the flight Ensure that PEDs that are used in flight are not used for purposes other than those intended to support the flight e Establish your own sterile cockpit procedures to reduce distractions Avoid the nonoperational use of PEDs when the sterile cockpit applies Pilots Need to Manage Risks to Ensure Safety Although few pilots knowingly accept severe risks accidents can result when several risks of marginal severity are not identified or are incorrectly managed These can compound into a dangerous situation For more information CLICK HERE What can pilots do i e Develop good decision making practices Recognize and cope with stress Understand the safety hazards associated with human fatigue and try to eliminate fatigue contributors in your life e Understand the risk ma
14. fun and rewarding endeavor as we all know It can also present with its own set of unique challenges to any pilot regardless of skill level Flying in instrument conditions is no exception and adds a higher level of risk but also in my opinion a higher level of reward Coupled with the growth in technology available to pilots and aircraft this risk can increase exponentially if we do not seek out proper re currency training to maintain a high level of proficiency L In today s age of technology there are quite a number Galt Lake City i of valuable tools available to pilots to help complete or Kansas Cit m0enver even the most extreme of instrument flights in some of the harshest conditions However submit that while some of these advances are truly helpful some can also be a hindrance and a distraction to even the most seasoned pilot Some accident reports show that even a highly skilled aviator can find him or herself in a bad situation 0k lahoma Clovis i eee Lubbock AA heroe Phoenix 0al las have flown with friends who have some of these distractions on board include in these XM radio iPads iPhones large MFD s CD or radio through the intercom etc While some of these devices are important to help carry out a flight others can be a serious distraction Even the autopilot can cause pilots to become complacent actually heard of a
15. notes on multiple approach charts and save those notes on the charts All these features will work online and offline FItPlan s current legacy app will remain available for use and the company will continue to support and maintain it company officials noted READ MORE HERE For more information FItPlan com AOPA Mobile Flight Risk Evaluator Download the Air Safety Institute s Mobile Flight Risk Evaluator to clarify the gray areas of making a go no go decision By taking into account your total flying experience including recent flight hours how much experience in a given aircraft weather terrain and runway information this app gives you an assessment of how much risk you may be undertaking for a particular flight helping you to be more realistic about your skills and proficiency t s free to anyone Great tool for students instructors and veteran aviators Offline and online access Store performance data for one or more aircraft Automatically download real time airport weather and runway information Objective risks safety recommendations and explanations Helps craft your own personal minimums Make better safer choices Watch the video HERE New Garmin Portable Transforms Pilot App into Backup Panel The Garmin Pilot mobile app just got a whole lot better with the rollout of a portable Garmin ADS B and WAAS GPS receiver with an integrated attitude sensor that greatly expands the 35 Back to Table o
16. operational de icing and anti icing decisions This includes private pilots as well as those who fly business corporate air taxi or freight operations in fixed wing aircraft Start Course j A Pilot s Guide to In Flight Icing A course primarily intended for pilots who fly aircraft certified for flight into icing With an operational focus this course provides tools pilots can use to deal with in flight icing H Start Course System Requirements for these courses Flash Player 6 or higher and a Javascript enabled browser Users should also disable pop up blocking software while using the course Copyright and Usage Information While some images and video from the courses may be dovmloaded and used for instructional or learning purposes they may NOT be used as a direct or implied endorsement of a commercial product or entity For a more complete overview of our copyright and usage restrictions regarding visual media please refer to our copyright notice These course are a little dry in the presentation but they contain valuable information regarding Ground Icing and Inflight Icing So these are pretty relevant for flying this time of year 5 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 BABABABAL SRA i m i 2 A y A Regarding And Then There Were None The handbook on A how to kill general aviation JN 1 Fence off the airports so that no one
17. plane for a while Remember that after it has restored your battery to a full charge it goes into a maintenance mode which desulfates the battery as well You CANNOT leave it plugged in too long It cannot damage your battery The Concorde 24V battery in my Eagle was installed in January of 2003 We started using the BatteryMINDer five years ago when we purchased her We have averaged slightly less than 90 hours per year over that period In our sample of 1 the BatteryMINDer pays for itself 37 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Mooney Instructors Around The Country California Chuck McGill Master CFl located in San Diego CA 858 451 2742 Website Click Here Don Kaye Maser CFI located in Palo Alto CA 408 249 7626 Website www DonKaye com Florida Mike Elliott CFII located in Tarpon Springs FL Contact 317 371 4161 Email mike aviating com Quality instrument amp commercial instruction transition training ownership assistance plane ferrying Georgia Jim Stevens USAF Col ret CFII Atlanta Ga area 404 277 4123 Instrument commercial IPC BFR transition training 20 year owner of 1968 M20F South Carolina Wallace Moran Charleston SC 843 822 9725 Email wallace moran gmail com A NAFI Master CFI with extensive Mooney experience He is also an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner and has been awarded the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award Wallace is a retired
18. power after the crankshaft fractured due to improper maintenance performed during the recent overhaul A private pilot was killed when his Cessna T210R lost power after takeoff Previously the pilot had experienced at least two engine power loss events in the airplane in the past 18 months During one such event the pilot had passengers on board when the engine lost power during the takeoff roll The pilot rejected the takeoff and taxied back for another takeoff which was successful The pilot attributed the power loss to a cold engine or a too rich mixture The accident investigation found debris in the fuel manifold valve which had interrupted the fuel flow What can pilots do e Don t let the desire to save time or money influence your desire to fly with a potential problem e Listen to your aircraft e Get it fixed completely not a patch For more information CLICK HERE Reduced Visual References Requires Vigilance Two thirds of these accidents are fatal They typically involve spatial disorientation or Controlled Flight into Terrain CFIT Even in VMC conditions flights at night over areas with limited lighting black holes can be challenging For more information CLICK HERE What can pilots do e Get an official preflight weather briefing and use all appropriate sources to make timely inflight decisions e Don t let external pressures influence you Be honest with yourself and your passengers about your skill level and
19. proficiency Don t allow external pressures such as the desire to save time or money or the fear of disappointing passengers influence your thought process 15 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 e Seek training and be proficient Understand the limitations of your aircraft e Don t allow a situation to become dangerous before deciding to act Be honest with the air traffic controllers Do you need help Ask for it e Manage distractions Fly the airplane For more information CLICK HERE Mechanics Manage Risks to Ensure Safety Mistakes while performing maintenance and inspections have led to in flight emergencies and fatal accidents Reference the Beech 36 fatal accident in 8 For more information CLICK HERE Prevent Aerodynamic Stalls at Low Altitude Use timely recognition and appropriate responses THE PROBLEM While maneuvering in VMC many pilots fail to avoid conditions that lead to a stall recognize the warning signs of a stall onset and fail to apply appropriate recovery techniques For more information CLICK HERE More safety alerts not addressed in this article can be found at the NTSB website http www ntsb gov safety safety_alerts html Interesting topics that were not included in this article include e Meteorological Evaluation Towers MET Mar 2011 e Child Passenger Safety on Aircraft May 2010 e Aircraft Inflight Icing Dec 2008 e CFIT in VMC Jan 2008
20. s gm _ ad t Aiai ie He POWER TO WUN nori L oo Fr wat It weed be verp diiss indeed tu And n fighteg America towa aoe ay ee piss ahars primery 1ming wes hel argquired mih Conrinesral Bed beal Ingines commerce engines tact picaesred the Eght eirieat ieductry and ls tergety rospansibis fer fhe imags at Meat ibaduviry Meteralip thie eutstending record hi setter of pride tet H le otro a reminder af hos there Momo Bad Sevi Mgina gt will portern fer civilicution efter the war Aewged te a Ree ntinental Motors orporation rere Ka Attia Faginge Division MUSKEGON MICHIGAN 28 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 February 8 Sebring SEF March 8 Fort Pierce FRP April 12 Flagler XFL LJIAIT ARE RAMONEN Cory iD April 5 A Vintage Mooney Group Fly In hosted by Mert Bean to beautiful Laughlin NV the Las Vegas on the Colorado River Fly in for the weekend or just drop in on Saturday morning for some ramp camaraderie followed by a BBQ hosted by Landmark Aviation Go to http www vintagemooneygroup com VMGWest index htm to register for this free fly in All Mooneys are welcome February 7 9 Mooney Summit Because of the generosity of Dr Ron Dubin we are holding the first Mooney Summit on Feb 7 9th in Panama City The purpose is to help better the breed and a social event for Mooney pilots and their spouses Wings credit seminars will
21. take place along with scheduled IPC s or BFR s shopping dining pampering and beach activities are available for the non flying partners The cost of the event is free but the space is limited If you would like to participate please send an email to sillyguestions aviating com look forward to seeing some of you Mike Eliott CLICK Here for details at TheMooneyFlyer com 29 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Send your questions for Tom to TheMooneyFlyer gmail com Question 1 What parts of a Mooney wear out faster that other parts This was asked because the owner felt he could keep an eye on these areas between Annuals Interesting question since we see as much as a 50 year spread of models each year As the fleet gets older we see new items of wear due to age and high flight hours will pick areas of high wear since there are many parts involved The first and most common to all models are the shock discs While they can pass minimum tests the best procedure is to jack the plane and see if you can move the gear fore and aft If so this shows that the rubber is getting hard and not expanding when the weight is off the discs While not a real safety of flight issue hard discs can result in harder landings a rough taxi transfer of shock throughout the airframe possible cracks in the structure maybe fuel leaks etc There are several areas of high wear want to highlight A
22. the training process a person will soend 3000 4000 on the instructor assuming the instructor has reasonable competency The resulting pilot will have an airplane to fly at the end of the training process and not be bound to the expensive rental involvement in order to use the certificate for any flying purpose The following is an example This Cessna 175 was purchased for 18 000 It needed some radio work a DG PTT and an intercom The 4 place plane has a 175 HP smooth 6 cylinder Continental engine with less than 2000TT and 500 SOH on the engine It cruises at about 115 KTS on 8 5 GPH It s not a Mooney for sure but a perfectly safe and usable craft for a new pilot and 2 3 passengers While a student my new pilot flew this plane for about 60 hrs He is currently searching for a machine with a little more speed and a useful load in excess of 1 100 Ibs Finding the right instructor can be a hit and miss process as evidenced by the history of all three of the private students that have trained this year One of them had over 40 hours of instruction and had not soloed The other two had given up after nearly 20 plus hours of dual and showing minimal progress prior to engaging me all had had more than one instructor The individual circumstances were the result of inadequate overall guidance from the instructor and their own inability to allot the necessary time to the task They are all intelligent busy individuals that were not given 26
23. 6 MHz ELT which the NTSB has long recommended be mandatory due to its superior accuracy when reporting position timeliness of alerts and ability to provide aircraft identification and other information 4 All Secure All Clear Forgotten and unsecured items within an aircraft can lead to accidents or incidents as they move during flight These items can include tools used on the aircraft before flight aviation related items such as GPS units clipboards and antennas non aviation related portable electronic devices PED such as personal phones and computers and personal items such as jackets or carry on items READ MORE WHY THE CONCERN The NTSB has investigated numerous accidents involving forgotten or unsecured items each of which serve as an important reminder about the critical need to ensure that items are accounted for and secured before flight NTSB HISTORY A portable XM GPS antenna migrated to the tail section of an Extra EA 300 airplane and jammed the elevator bellcrank which resulted in an uncontrolled descent into terrain The pilot and passenger died A tool which the pilot had used just before the accident flight and had not accounted for interfered with the control stick causing it to jam The Czech Aircraft Works Sport Cruiser collided with terrain during takeoff but the pilot was not injured The pilot s personal locator beacon became lodged in the bellcrank for the elevator torque tube and jammed the XtremeAir
24. D MORE A new nylon insert An old degraded nylon insert WHY THE CONCERN Fiber or nylon self locking nuts ability to provide a tight connection degrades with each use They may not meet the minimum prevailing torque value which can lead to loose connections or eventually liberate hardware and lead to accidents and incidents Trying to save money by reusing a fiber self locking nut has caused degraded insets to fail to hold the nut on the bolt leading to a crash NTSB HISTORY A P 51 Mustang airplane collided with the airport ramp in the spectator box seating area following a loss of control during the National Championship Air Races The investigation found that the trim tab attachment screws could be rotated through the nuts by hand and the fiber inserts were visibly worn and displayed the full thread form The degraded nuts allowed the screws to repeatedly loosen at race speeds and during the accident flight led to aerodynamic flutter of the elevator trim tab and the subsequent loss of airplane control The commercial pilot and 10 people died and about 64 people were injured An experimental amateur built Air Command Elite gyro copter collided with terrain following an in flight separation of a control system rod Post accident examinations revealed that the bolt and lock nut used to attach the control rod in the cyclic system were missing What can pilots and maintenance technicians do e Comply with instructions in your aircraft
25. Electronics Association AEA announced yesterday it has reached a partnership agreement with the NextGen GA Fund to help aircraft owners find quick affordable financial incentives for upgrading their avionics With the 2020 equipage deadline there has been concern within the general aviation community over the cost to upgrade current aircraft to meet the ADS B mandate The NextGen GA Fund was established by Congress as a public private partnership with the aerospace industry to finance NextGen avionics installations Read more at http www flyingmag com avionics sear nextgen fund will help finance avionics BgOeSr2ElvsPsBRq 99 34 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 FitPlan com launches free iPad Go app January 21 2014 by General Aviation News Staff FItPlan com has officially released its new free iPad app FItPlan Go The app adds many features for users of FItPlan com according to company Officials The new app features include breadcrumbs that leave a trail on the Nici screen to show where the user has flown rubber banding of routing in flight planning ability to Greate and edit routes offline and expanded FBO airport information including fuel prices In addition features include a downloadable world map both Clarity ADS B and XM WX capabilities free geo referenced airport approach and taxi charts and helicopter routes TAC charts SUAs for offline use Users can also write
26. Engines that run on automobile gas may be more susceptible to carburetor icing than engines that run on Avgas i ata tt ae nia ott 3 Armed for Safety Emergency Locator Transmitters ELTs can save pilots and passengers lives by helping search and rescue SAR personnel locate a downed aircraft after an accident and even minimize risk to SAR personnel during SAR operations However these lifelines can be rendered inoperative if the switch position is improperly set or if the ELT becomes detached from the aircraft READ MORE WHY THE CONCERN Several NTSB accident investigations have found ELT switches in the off position thus not armed and ELTs detached from the airplane which rendered them inoperable In these cases the inoperability of the ELTs delayed the aircraft s discovery and or the rescue of occupants The NTSB is concerned that these examples of ELT issues represent a more widespread problem that could endanger the lives of pilots and passengers who survive an aircraft accident in a remote area NTSB HISTORY An airline transport pilot and four passengers died and four passengers sustained serious injuries when a de Havilland DHC 3T airplane impacted terrain A search for the airplane was not initiated until hours after it had crashed because its overdue status was not noticed right away and no signals from its ELT were received The investigation found that the ELT which was secured by a hook and lo
27. The Mooney Flyer The Official Online Magazine for the Moony Community www TheMooneyFlyer com February 2014 The Mooney Flyer Editors Phil Corman Jim Price Contributing Writers Bob Kromer Tom Rouch Paul Loewen Geoff Lee Linda Corman Michael Riter Cliff Biggs To Subscribe Click Here To Advertise Click Here To Submit an Article Click Here Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Contents Features Safety Alerts to Keep You Alive Jim Price writes about 5 NTSB Safety Alerts that are easy to follow and just may save your life Gentlemen Start Your Engines Phil Corman writes about starting the 4 more prolific Mooney engines in Cold Hot and Flooded conditions Starting the F100 Super Sabre Jim Price adds an interesting follow on article to starting the venerable F 100 fighter The Ten Biggest Lies about Piston Engines Debunking 10 myths about Piston Engines Fly The Airplane not Vice Versa In the spirit of I Learned About Flying from That Greg Ellis shares a reminder to all Mooney pilots Empennage Free Play Mike Riter LASAR writes about free play in your tail This is important Learning to Fly Geoff Lee goes back to the beginnings In Every Issue From the Editor Appraise Your Mooney s Value Website of the Month FAA Courses on Icing Mooney Mail Feedback from Flyer readers Ask the Top Gun Tom Rouch answers your questions Upcoming Fly Ins Have You Heard th
28. They do need the ability to commit the time and the expense it takes to get the task completed One teaches for the Satisfaction and the challenge certainly not for the pitiful remuneration Referrals are my usual source of students Students must have the written test completed and own or have Carte Blanche access to a suitable aircraft This all sounds kind of choosey am sure but personally commit myself totally to only one certification student at a time That student has all my time and attention until the task is done with no scheduling issues The capability to fly at least twice a week is a necessity have found that weekend only students tend to drag out the process and they either quit for lack of funds or get discouraged by the slow progress of the training Sporadic flight training is not productive and rarely successful The three private pilots that have trained to certification this year have all purchased simple aircraft in which to learn They then have sold or are in the process of selling the craft after receiving their certificates One purchased a Mooney 252 after learning in a 1957 172 The financial benefits of owning as opposed to renting a plane will yield in the order of 6000 to 8000 in saved rental fees during the training process All three of the aircraft were purchased for less than 20 000 but needed some level of radio upgrade Depending upon the fervor and regularity with which the student engages in
29. airline pilot and Mooney owner Texas Austin T Walden Lubbock amp Abilene Texas 432 788 0216 Email AustinWalden gmail com PhD Specializing in Models C thru J www WaldenAviation com 38 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 39 ISU UMEN 7 xf gaie y Hitiee Check Hg Fy pug PENS Get yours at www JDPriceCFl com or www Amazon com The Biennial Flight Review Study Guide provides the right amount of information to help you prepare for your flight review It enhances your ability to deal with abnormal and emergency situations The Instrument Proficiency Check Study Guide is a must whether you re extremely proficient or need to dust off some cobwebs It s more than 100 pages are packed with concise information and helpful graphics so that you can increase your knowledge of FAA Regulations weather reports and forecasts IFR charts and the airspace system Flight planning takeoff departures holding STARs and all the approaches are thoroughly covered Aircraft Expen se Tracking is essential whether the aircraft is all yours or in a partnership two people or a club SEL or MEL reciprocating or turbine this tool is for you When is that engine due for an oil change You ll quickly find out in Aircraft Expen e Tracking It s designed to help aircraft owners keep an accurate record of expenses by simplifying your efforts Back to Table of Contents
30. airplane s pitch control minimizing the range of available movement The pilot was able to land the airplane but it bounced and ran off the runway The pilot was not injured What can pilots do e Inspect the airplane for forgotten or misplaced tools before takeoff Remember that even experienced pilots and aviation maintenance technicians can make mistakes If you have recently had maintenance performed on your airplane or if you have conducted maintenance yourself this action is especially important 12 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 e Conduct an inventory of cockpit items before takeoff including the number of PEDs GPS units and antennas on board the aircraft and ensure that they are secured This also helps to assure their availability throughout the flight e Account for all flight gear and personal items such as hats and jackets before and after each flight and ensure that they are secured e Incorporate all of these checks into your preflight actions e Remind passengers during the preflight briefing of the importance of item security and proper stowage of PEDs and personal items 5t Proper Use of Fiber Self Locking Nuts Some pilots and maintenance personnel do not adequately inspect or install fiber or nylon self locking nuts These nuts have fiber or nylon inserts incorporated into their construction to provide tight connections that will not loosen under vibration REA
31. alls in a high workload distracting environment is different especially when they are not broadcast to the PIC When is the last time you felt the onset of an accelerated stall in your Mooney We bet it hasn t been recent for many pilots Just our 02 Aviation Associations Sle Ta A lt e Sa We ve seen several forums including gt x Fay A MooneySpace our favorite discussing EA AL NE Asso the Pros and Cons of AOPA It s an E appropriate question since AOPA just got their new President Mark Baker and many things are changing under his leadership What we ve read has been lackluster support Light heartedly we ve seen comments such as I like the AOPA hat I like the AOPA pilot bag I like the magazine or it s the only association protecting me from the FAA AIRQAATT OWNER ANO POTS ASIOCIATION It got us to wondering What do our readers expect from our aviation associations Most provide the following 1 Magazine 2 Forum and 3 Convention Please tell us your expectations and priorities We will do an article on this in the future Long Body Two Batteries It s good For redundancy the long bodies have two batteries How does the charging work The battery selected is connected to the charging system The battery not selected is practice to trickle charged at a lesser rate There are fuses in the tailcone for the trickle charge make the through a diode bank There are a t
32. an be difficult for aircraft owners and maintenance personnel to detect degradation WHY THE CONCERN The NTSB has investigated several accidents in which restraint systems did not perform to their design standards because they had degraded or in which shoulder harnesses were not installed on the aircraft NTSB HISTORY On March 28 2013 about 1115 mountain standard time a 1960 Mooney M20A N6018X made an off airport forced landing near Wikieup Arizona The private pilot and his son in the back seat sustained serious injuries the pilot s wife in the right front seat sustained fatal injuries Shoulder harnesses were not installed in the aircraft azrentralcom A commercial pilot died when his Taylorcraft F 19 airplane impacted terrain after takeoff and his shoulder harness failed The passenger s restraint system remained intact and she sustained serious injuries 9 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 What can pilots and aircraft owners do e Know the history of the restraints in your airplane Have the restraints examined by a mechanic or the manufacturer to verify that they meet required specifications Replace the belts if the examination deems it necessary e lf your airplane was designed without shoulder harnesses prior to July 1978 install them if possible r CARBURETOR ICIO 2 Engine Power Loss Due to Carburetor Icing Pilots need to learn to detect and deal appr
33. ank For Flooded Starts owners report that this procedure works well Fuel Boost Pump OFF Throttle Full Miixture Idle Cutoff Crank Retard Throttle to 1200 RPM Mixture Rich Continental 10 550 For Cold Starts the POH is straightforward Throttle FULL OPEN Prop FULL FWD Mixture RICH Low Boost Pump for 5 10 secs Ina discussion with Tom Rouch of Top Gun Aviation he told us that those 550s love a lot of fuel on starts The POH procedure using the Low Boost didn t work for my Eagle so instead use turn the High Cranking Boost Pump ON for 4 8 seconds Don Maxwell says the Low Boost Pump is the little girl pump should With this technique my 550 starts cold every time So a takeaway here might be to err on the be side of giving this engine more fuel Remember that you must have the Mixture RICH or the fuel will simply recycle back to the fuel tank More on this in the Hot Starts limited to less than 30 For Hot Starts the POH specifies Throttle IDLE Mixture FULL Rich Low Boost ON For Hot Starts the pilot is generally vexed by considerations such as vapor locks On the IO 550 if the POH method does not work here is another method that works for many owners If vapor lock seconds is occurring Set the Mixture to IDLE cut off and Run the low boost pump This runs fuel right with through the vapor lock probably on the fuel lines from the spider to the cylinders Because you several have the Mixture in Idl
34. arts the POH specifies Fuel Boost Pump Off Throttle slightly open Mixture Idle Cutoff Crank and Move the Mixture slowly to full rich A useful alternative is as follows Throttle to approx 1000 RPM leave the Throttle and Mixture alone then Crank 18 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 For Flooded Starts the POH specifies Fuel Boost pump Off Throttle Full Mixture Idle Cutoff Crank Mixture Full forward when engine starts Continental TSIO 360 For Cold Starts the POH specifies Throttle Full while priming then Retard to 1 4 Open Prop Full Mixture Rich Primer On Crank Owners report that this procedure works well For Hot Starts Fuel Boost Pump Off Throttle slightly Open Mixture Full Rich Crank Advance throttle to 1000 1200 RPM We have two 2 owner reported alternative Hot Start procedures Owner procedure 1 Fuel Boost Pump Off Throttle slightly open 3 4 turns Mixture Idle Cutoff When engine starts hit the Primer Switch for a second and quickly move Mixture to Full Owner Procedure 2 Throttle full Mixture cutoff then Clear any vapors with 15 seconds of Low Boost Advance the throttle 1 4 Mixture Rich 1 2 seconds of Prime and Crank while advancing the throttle The engine should start when the throttle is about 1 2 open Reduce power and Voi La A leading MSC suggests Mixture RICH Throttle Cracked Prime a short burst then Cr
35. chase said Busch But they often run into problems like being unable to find a competent and unbiased shop overpaying for the examination and lacking a source of professional and objective advice throughout the process READ MORE HERE Unleaded Aviation Fuel Initiative Gets Funding Boost Congress passed a 1 1 trillion government spending bill which includes money for the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative PAFI an FAA plan to start the transition to high octane unleaded piston aviation fuel by 2018 READ MORE It is the loose ends with which men hang themselves Zelda Fitzgerald American writer 36 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Product Review BatteryMINDers Aircraft batteries are a pilot s best friend but can also ground your Mooney if you don t give your battery tender loving care That s where the BatteryMINDer comes in BatteryMinder 12V and 24V models are designed specifically for use on all types and sizes of Aviation specific batteries All of the BatteryMinders are designed for use with either Sealed batteries AGM non liquid or Flooded batteries liquid with filler caps as manufactured by Concorde Gill and EnerSys Odyssey and Hawker for use on non commercial aircraft An aviation specific battery is different than auto or marine types To maximize the cranking amps and reserve capacity while trying to minimize weight and size
36. d extracting the cartridge one could find two small metal tabs on the bottom of the cartridge These tabs were the electrical contact that fired the cartridge when the pilot moved the throttle outboard on start before bringing the throttle forward As soon as a tiny RPM registered on the tachometer the pilot would bring the throttle around the horn to feed fuel and engine ignition to the rapidly Sometimes the big metal receptacle that held the gas generator cartridge would get so dirty from repeated use that the metal tabs wouldn t make contact In this case the cartridge would refuse to fire and the crew chief would give the starter receptacle a good healthy whack with a wooden wheel chock usually curing the powder charge of any reluctance to detonate When on a cross country flight F 100 pilots would often take a starter cartridge along with them as an alternative starting means 20 Back to Table of Cont The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Let the journey begin In the early 70 s then Captain John Green flew his F 100 into the Marine Corps Air Station Naval Air Station Millington 16 miles north of Memphis NOTE NAS Millington was decommissioned in 1998 and turned over to the city It s now Millington Regional Jetport KNQA Captain Green was met by a couple of young Marine ground crewmen who asked what kind of plane he was flying When he told them it was a F 100 Supersabre this only generat
37. e News Relevant GA news amp links for the month Product Review BatteryMinders Click Here to Subscribe Click Here For Back Issues If you would like to donate to keep The Mooney Flyer healthy please send your donation via your PayPal account to sales TheMooneyFlyer com Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 rom the Editor Phil Corman We have not done any interactive surveys for awhile In the past they have been popular with our readers Below is our Book of the Month survey for this month Just Click on the Survey and let us know What are the main causes of declining Pilot populations Fuel Cost Insurance Cost Annual Cost Maintenance Cost FAA Regulations FAA Perception as Ant GA The Economy Changing Social Values In 1966 Rinker amp Kernahan Buck flew their Piper Cub from New Jersey to California landing at 30 airports enroute They did this at the ages of 15 and 17 This is a terrific book that chronicles their adventure It s one which most pilots would have liked to do Powered by micropoll CLICK HERE to buy it from Amazon On Recurrent Stall Training A mcompraviony A aah We ve had a lot of input from Mooney Flyer readers on stalling Mooneys Some say they are no big deal and others are not inclined to a amp do power on or accelerated stalls in their ia a Mooney It got us to thinking First no Moo
38. e Thunderstorm Encounters Oct 2006 e Aircraft Ground Icing Dec 2006 e Prevent Rote Callouts No date indicated e In Cockpit NEXRAD Mosaic Imagery No date indicated Ily Safe tim 16 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 CORMAN Gentlemen Start Your Engines Questions and techniques for starting Mooney engines run rampant The only piston powered airplane that we know of that was a no brainer to start every time was the M20L powered by a Porsche _ engine modified for aviation use A rT Mac amp __ It was always a cinch to fire up d x bd _ because it had basically the same D Gy electronically controlled ignition and fuel injection system as a modern car You can see posts all the internet about what works well when starting an engine It s aso a frequent source of discussion on the ramp Our POHs specify the starting procedures but they don t always work as advertised Moreover each engine is slightly different There probably is no single procedure that works for each specific engine It varies by engine engine wear ignition ambient conditions and more We ll focus on the three major start conditions gt Cold Start gt Hot Start within 15 minutes to 2 hours since shut down gt Flooded Start Further we will cover the more popular Mooney engines namely Lycoming s 0360 amp 10360 and Continental s TSIO 360
39. e cut off you are not flooding the engine but simply running cool fuel through the lines Then you can Start the engine If the engine is stumbling Turn on the Low minutes Boost Pump until it smooths out between For Flooded Starts the POH specifies Throttle to Open Mixture Idle Cutoff Low Boost cranking for 8 10 seconds Engage ignition and Slowly advance the mixture towards Rich until the engine starts This procedure is pretty universal with the exception of running the Low Boost pump which in our tests was optional 19 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 i 4 gt a i A N o Bg y Jim Price The F 100 Super Sabre nicknamed The Hun had a large chamber to accept a large gas generating cartridge When ignited by electrical current the expanding gas from the black powder like pyrotechnic cartridge drove a starter turbine which brought the engine up to a self sustaining RPM via a drive system This eliminated the need for heavy and bulky ground starting units There was a drawback The starter cartridge spewed out a characteristic dense cloud of choking black smoke which was often mistaken by inexperienced ground crews for an engine fire Five B 57s during a cartridge start You get the idea effective but lots of smoke building engine speed The powder charge for the ground start came in a big sealed can and upon opening an
40. ed puzzled looks One of the ground crew said Sir don t think we have tech data on this bird What do you need for start a huffer or just electrical Neither one John replied with his tongue in his cheek If can get oh about six of you guys to give me a push just to start me rolling l Il just pop the clutch and get the engine started that way That generated more and more doubtful looks but Uhhh yes sir was the final comeback What else would a young Marine say The Hun was a pretty finely balanced aircraft on the two main gear struts so when you tapped the toe brakes the nose strut compressed so much the nose would dip just like the hood of cars used to dip when being clutch started after a similar push from young friends Now six young Marines were standing at the ready still doubtful but not about to question a pilot on procedure Just get me going at about a fast walk John called down from the cockpit I ll wave you all clear when we re fast enough pop the clutch on this baby and be on my way And thanks for the good turnaround With six Marines pushing they quickly got the bird up to a brisk stepping speed John waves his arms and the Marines warily stood well clear The nose dipped as John popped the clutch There is a huge cloud of choking black smoke as the starter cartridge fired and the Hun s engine lit off spinning up Off went Captain Green to the end of
41. ed rivets on the forward upper stringer Up and down play is checked by applying an up and down force at the stabilizer tip If there is play here it s usually in the bolts and bushings where the empennage attaches to the airframe and pivots The picture on the previous page shows the kind of wear the bolt takes Any excessive movement should be investigated further and corrective action taken We want your aircraft in good safe condition for flight LASAR Celebrates 35 years in Lakeport CA EXPERIENCE is Knowing WHAT YOU NEED HAVING WHAT YOU NEED We re here for you for instant access to our experience Staff Phone or eMail for prompt delivery of the Parts and Mods you need 707 263 0412 Parts Mods lasar com Serving your Mooney Needs Since 1966 Mooney and Lycoming Service Center FAA Repair Station Parts new rebuilt used STC Mods Service Avionics Plane Sales 33 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 February 2014 ve You redid the News angad th iFly GPS introduces Hi def Charts AOPA FlyQ Compa rison Adventure Pilot manufacturer and developer the iFly GPS shown at left has introduced High Definition VFR and IFR Charts on the company s iPad and Android products Subscriptions start at 69 99 a fully loaded IFR option is available for 40 more READ MORE NextGen Fund Will Help Finance Avionics through Federally Guaranteed Loans The Aircraft
42. ere 5 miles past Clovis New Mexico and they have a very nice airport there actually said under my breath while passing Clovis that it would be a great place to land of we really needed to told the controllers what was happening and we immediately turned back and limped into Clovis as the engine quit running just over the threshold Tear down showed a lot of metal in the engine Turns out Turns out the engine was hungry for a bearing and just decided to eat one the engine Up until the point of being on final to the runway at Clovis the engine ran and sounded was hungry just fine Never skipped a beat until final when it started to run a little rough and then quit for a bearing over the threshold If it was not for the scanning of the engine instruments it may have been too late to get to an airport once the engine actually told me that something was wrong If had been distracted and not paying attention to the task at hand it may have and just decided to been too late eat one The airplane spent the next few months in Clovis getting a new engine Fortunately my wife and were able to finish our trip by car which afforded us the opportunity to see things in Eastern New Mexico that we would have just flown over and never knew existed What learned from this experience and what would like to pass along is how important it is to continue to scan your instruments and make sure you include your engine instruments in your scanning
43. f Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 application s capabilities Garmin says the new GDL 39 3D portable unit brings ADS B traffic and weather information to the Garmin Pilot app while the GPS and attitude display transform it into a backup panel The Garmin Pilot app is available for iOS and Android devices READ MORE Savvy Aircraft Announces Nationwide Pre Buy Program a im Savvy Aircraft Maintenance Management Inc Savvy now oe Ea offers a nationwide pre buy management program that AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE helps avoid the many pitfalls that can plague prospective MANAGEMENT buyers Aircraft sellers are typically represented by brokers and Savvy s pre buy program is designed to provide a similar level of professional advocacy for buyers said Savvy s founder and CEO Mike Busch For a fixed fee Savvy provides professional management through all stages of an aircraft pre buy The service includes logbook review selection of a qualified and impartial maintenance facility with expertise in make and model arranging a test flight to verify aircraft and systems are functioning properly specific guidance on the scope and detail of the pre buy examination review of the pre buy and test flight findings and coaching the buyer through the final negotiations with the seller Most aircraft buyers understand it s essential to conduct as much due diligence as possible when making a major pur
44. fold pressure which continued to fluctuate as the airplane flew straight toward the open field An examination of the engine and airframe revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation A carburetor icing chart showed that the weather conditions were conducive for moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at descent power Therefore data indicate that as with the accident described above it is likely that the pilot did not apply carburetor heat during the flight and the airplane experienced a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice What can pilots do According to AOPA you should check the temperature and dew point for your flight to determine whether the conditions are favorable for carburetor icing Remember serious carburetor icing can occur in ambient temperatures as high as 90 F or in relative humidity conditions as low as 35 percent at glide power The Danger Zone Although you may have heard that only a specific set of conditions lead to carb ice the truth is that most of us fly inside the danger zone on a regular basis Carb ice can form over a wide range of outside air temperatures and relative humidities While the word icing typically brings to mind blustery winds and frigid conditions carb ice can form when outside temperatures are as high as 100 degrees 10 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Fahrenheit with 50 percent relative humid
45. gs while trying to communicate in a cryptic style of speech or listen and understand some unfamiliar communication provided by a disembodied voice speaking at twice the normal rate in same shorthand style Welcome to multi tasking and aviation communication Mastering aviation speak is difficult for most people It seems to take about 10 hours for the new student to get a decent grasp of the jargon and realize most aviation communication boils down to stating who you are where you are and making a request Some students try to talk too rapidly others stuff in as many words as possible to convey a message and most people are initially daunted by the fact that everyone else in the air and on the surface is listening to their clumsy style It has the aspect of public speaking on a grand scale know that any controller can tell how long you have been flying just by your communication style That insight is actually a blessing because he knows when he needs to help and guide more than usual normally write down on flash cards what the controllers will say and what words the student should respond with for most situations this provide before any lesson that will involve communication with the tower or en route controllers Personality styles have always interested me They range from the very nervous student who will barely turn his head and grips the yoke as if to squeeze water out of it to the totally aggressive no fear go get em pe
46. imum RPM and maximum MP within the allowable envelope actually helps your engine last longer Low RPM operation provides numerous benefits better cylinder compression lower frictional losses improved propeller efficiency cooler running valves lower EGTs and TITs and a quieter cabin Lie 9 Continuing to fly an engine beyond the manufacturer s recommended TBO is dangerous illegal and could void your insurance coverage Published TBO has no legal significance for the majority of us who fly under FAR Part 91 Your aircraft insurance carrier could care less whether your engine is past TBO Your policy simply requires that your aircraft and its pilot be legal under the FARs Lie 10 A factory Reman is better than a field overhaul because only the factory offers a true zero timed engine A Factory Reman does come with a zero time Logbook When an engine is overhauled you essentially have the same engine with new parts where the old parts were no longer serviceable In a Factory Reman parts are picked at random from the factory You are only assured that they are serviceable In short the zero time logbook that comes with a factory rebuilt engine in no way implies that the engine is newer or better than a field overhaul Click Here to read the entire article 23 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Confessions of a Pilot Fly the Airplane Not Vice Versa by Greg Ellis Flying can be a
47. ineering drawing If you read the battery manufacturer s ICA again only the one item that is airworthiness limitations list mandatory items Concorde makes a circular argument to imply that capacity testing is mandatory but it is not except for a very small number of aircraft that have been certified in the last 25 years or thereabouts Having said all that battery capacity testing is a good idea You do not need the over 1 000 tester that the manufacturers sell unless you are flying for hire or are a repair station and the operations specifications on your operating certificate call for it You can approximate the load to what you must draw for day or night IFR nav and anti collision lighting one nav com perhaps transponder with either your landing light or other items do not use pitot heat as it can overheat without airflow on it Time how long until your battery drops below the specified minimum voltage If you have more than 30 minutes you meet the minimum required capacity by regs You do not need to have the 80 percent of rated battery capacity that the battery manufacturers claim as a minimum Yes having that full 80 or 85 the ICAs call for is nice but not required by regulation for the majority of Mooneys I ve gone on too long but just wanted to point out that what is recommended for optimal equipment and maintenance is not necessarily required by regulation Regards Kelly M TOTAL HOURS FOR ALL AIRCRAFT TYPES
48. ion panels on the tail of the aircraft and inspect the empennage attachment bolts Make sure they are tight If the bolts are loose further inspection of the attaching hardware and attachment fittings should be done You are looking for wear on the bolts bushings bolt holes and fittings Worn parts should be replaced To check up and down play at the rudder lift up on the bottom of the rudder or stinger and check for excessive movement Movement over 5 16 is considered excessive Lifting up on the elevator while doing this check relieves system pressure and requires less force to lift the empennage This play is in the trim system most commonly in the bolts bushing and trim link saddle fitting Play can also come from the trim jackscrew If you watch while someone lifts up and down you can tell were the play is coming from Play in the jackscrew is a lot more involved and it is recommended that a certified professional deal with this issue More often than not replacing the bolts bushing and saddle fitting will bring the play within acceptable limits Wear on Goll j f Or en a aa a o 32 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 We also need to check the stabilizer for play Fore and aft play at the stabilizer tip is checked by standing at the stabilizer tip and applying a forward force and rearward force Excessive play can also be the result of shear
49. is the link that attaches the aircraft trim mechanism to the tail trim screw jackscrew The jackscrew itself may be worn and sometimes we remove it replace the bearings and shim if they are worn On occasion we replace the jackscrew The other tail wear area is the upper attach points These are two small bolts and bushings Sometimes if worn we have to replace the attach points If you grab the outboard end of the horizontal stabilizer and try to move it fore and aft you are allowed 25 inch movement have repaired one that moved over 1 2 inch Very scary 30 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Finally the next high wear area is in the flight control system all the rods with rod end bearings The ones most exposed get the most wear After the aileron rudder and elevator attach points the next is the rudder and elevator rod ends inside the tail All rod ends are only lubricated with TRI Flo an excellent lubricant For all of the above go to your lubricant chart in the service manual for the grease and lubes to use In my opinion once a year is not enough lubing At least buy a can of TRI FLO and spray any rod end you can access about every three months and especially after flying through rain Rod Ends have gotten very expensive and they are not easy to find Question 2 hear about a jackscrew in the tail of a Mooney that can fail if not properly lubricated Can you educate this Moo
50. ity At the other end of the spectrum the risk doesn t go away until the humidity falls below roughly 25 percent and or the outside air temperature drops well below freezing In other words carb ice can form at pretty much any time in any phase of flight Icing is most likely to occur and to be severe when temperatures fall roughly between 50 and 70 degrees F and the relative humidity is greater than 60 percent As engine power is reduced airflow is restricted and ambient heat is lessened This makes low power operations like descents considerably more prone to carb ice REFERENCE AOPA SAFETY BRIEF What can pilots do REFERENCE FAA Bulletin June 30 2009 e Refer to your approved aircraft flight manual or operating handbook to ensure that you are using carburetor heat according to the approved procedures and properly perform the following actions e Check the functionality of the carburetor heat before your flight e Use carburetor heat to prevent the formation of carburetor ice when operating in conditions and at power settings in which carburetor icing is probable Remember ground idling or taxiing time can allow carburetor ice to accumulate before takeoff e Immediately apply carburetor heat at the first sign of carburetor icing which typically includes a drop in RPM or manifold pressure depending upon how your airplane is equipped Engine roughness may follow e Consider installing a carburetor temperature gauge if available e
51. ls Lie 2 Turbocharged Engines are troublesome inefficient and costly This might be true if operated incorrectly But if operated properly and at higher altitudes they are extremely reliable and cost on average 10 hr more than a non turbocharged engine Lie 3 Multi viscosity oils offer superior engine protection and longer engine life than single viscosity oils Multi vis does NOT provide better protection than single viscosity oil The reason is that multi vis oils are made by starting with a thin single weight oil stock and adding man made polymers called Viscosity Index improvers that increase viscosity as temperature increases However such VI improvers are not lubricants There s more oil in a quart of single vis than multi vis The best protection is to fly regularly duh Have you heard that before Lie 4 If you can t fly regularly at least turn the prop by hand every week Does this redistribute the oil Sure it does It scrapes oil off the top of the cylinders and accelerates its flow downhill The same is true of cam lobes and lifters Lie 5 The less oil an engine burns the better For a cylinder to make it to TBO it must be protected from metal to metal scuffing by the piston rings This protection comes from a film of oil that coats the cylinder barrel and causes the rings to hydroplane instead of scuffing the barrel 22 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 No
52. nagement takes practice 14 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 e Be honest with yourself and your passengers about your skill level and proficiency Don t allow external pressures such as the desire to save time or money or the fear of disappointing passengers influence your thought process e Be honest with yourself and the FAA about your medical condition e Plan ahead with flight diversion or cancellation alternatives Brief your passengers about the alternatives before flight Is Your Aircraft Talking to You Listen Some pilots do not pay attention to indications of aircraft mechanical problems which could lead to in flight emergencies and accidents Powerplant system or component failure is the third most common defining event for GA fatal accidents Non powerplant system or component failure also ranks high on the list For more information CLICK HERE OT LAN A NAN NTSB HISTORY A commercial pilot was killed when his Beech 36 with a newly overhauled engine struck a tree and then the ground during a loss of power emergency landing at night The pilot reported low oil pressure problems to a mechanic The mechanic told the pilot that it was important to have the problem checked because there might be a problem with the engine overhaul The pilot continued to fly the aircraft but continued to have the same problem The investigation determined that the airplane lost engine
53. ney owner on this issue Refer to the lubricant section of the Service Manual for the grease spec The only way to access this is to remove the vertical panel under the horizontal stabilizer which will give you access to the boot that covers the jackscrew Remove the screws needed to slide the boot back and extend the jackscrew as far as you can Remove the old grease with a cloth and then apply new lube by hand Move the jackscrew through a cycle and make sure that the screw has enough grease Once a year should be good for this jackscrew Now have told you how to reduce my income by extending the life of all those rod ends since we replace dozens and dozens every year See you next month Fly Safe Tom 31 S Specializing in Mooney and cirrus FAX 209 983 8084 Top Gun Aviation 209 983 8082 For Service and Maintenance ask for Mark or Tom 6100 S Lindbergh St Stockton CA 95206 orvisit our website at www topgunaviation net Avionics Repairand Installation Services now available on site thru J amp R Electronics Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Empennage Free Play by Michael Riter Service Manager at LASAR We see a lot of aircraft with excessive play in the empennage The empennage free play inspection should be performed every annual The most common area of play is up and down play at the rudder First solidly block the aircraft at the tail skid Open the inspect
54. ney pilot should have concerns about stalling their Mooney If they do they should find a CFI and practice them But our thoughts in this OpEd are focused on what s more important recognizing the onset of stalls and preventing them or recovering from stalls OK OK we know many will say they are both important but we think 3 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 recognition and avoidance are more important Why you ask Well the stalls that will bite you are Departure Power On and Approach Power Off Typically the PIC is low and slow in both of these scenarios plus he or she has a a lot of things going on These stalls are most likely going to bite you if you are low so recognizing and avoiding seems more important to us It seems to us that some excellent training would be to present the PIC with a high workload and or distractions as the CFI positions the plane in a near stall situation Think about an approach stall You are low and slow and then you have one or more distractions whether it s passengers a busy traffic pattern someone cuts you off etc It s this type scenario that might be very useful when doing a BFR or a FAA Wings flight The main point we are making is that in a normal everything s is fine scenario practically every pilot can recognize the onset of a stall especially when the CFI warns you OK let s do a Power On stall next Recognizing st
55. op style Velcro mounting mechanism was dislodged from its mounting tray and detached from its antenna thus the radio signals from the ELT were not transmitted If the ELT had remained attached to its antenna its signals likely would have been detected soon after impact and rescue personnel would have received timely notification of the accident and its location and could have reached the survivors hours earlier 11 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 A private pilot died when a Cessna 182D airplane collided with terrain about 35 miles from the flight s intended destination After the flight failed to arrive concerned family members contacted the FAA SAR operations commenced but the wreckage was not located until a week later The 121 5 MHz ELT switch was found in the off position What can pilots aircraft owners and maintenance technicians do e Confirm that the ELT unit is armed and properly installed in the aircraft e Follow manufacturer instructions for properly securing the ELT and inspecting the fasteners e Remember that ELTs secured to the aircraft via Velcro style mounting mechanisms can be susceptible to strap looseness and misalignment during installation and inspection Further the retention straps may degrade over time due to wear vibration temperature or contamination and they may not properly restrain the ELT during an accident e Consider upgrading to a 40
56. opriately with carburetor icing READ MORE WHY THE CONCERN ER Serot Om Dy ponti Montene kng maa pove A serene iag getoer power DEW Pow C 4 Serkan cing sceri pose From 2000 to 2011 carburetor icing was a cause or factor in about 250 accidents On average carburetor icing causes or contributes to two fatal accidents per year Ligii icing Cutie OF Gescertl power Scu E n E o a i Am TENP C Accident evidence shows that some pilots fail to recognize weather conditions favorable to carburetor icing and inaccurately believe that carburetor icing is only a cold or wet weather problem Some pilots do not use the carburetor heat according the aircraft s approved procedures to prevent carburetor ice formation They also fail to recognize and promptly act upon the signs of carburetor icing NTSB HISTORY A pilot was flying an American Champion 7GCBC airplane in the traffic pattern when the airplane lost engine power During the ensuing attempted forced landing the pilot failed to maintain a safe flying airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall and crash and the pilot dying Analysis of GPS and engine monitoring system data revealed that as the airplane was rolling out on the downwind leg the throttle was reduced and the airplane then continued on the downwind leg for at least 14 seconds As the airplane turned to the base leg the first attempt to actuate the throttle occurred along with an increase in mani
57. ot starts suffer from two main problems 1 Most systems particularly Lycoming s Bendix injection setup rarely found on the Continentals don t meter the fuel very accurately at low engine speeds 2 The fuel delivery lines reside on top of the engine directly over the cylinder fins Heat rippling off the just shut down engine boils the fuel out of the lines Moreover many of the Continental installations have the throttle body which also houses a pair of spool valves that meter the fuel to the injector spider installed above the engine That s just asking for vapor formation 3 At low engine speeds carburetors tend to meter fuel better than the fuel injection setups Here are a few things that might help with a Hot Start as well When you shutdown park with your nose into the wind Open your engine cowls and The culprit in Flooded starts is too much fuel in the cylinders Therefore the starting even pop your oil procedures specify cranking at Mixture Idle Cutoff and advancing the Mixture slowly panel All of these until the engine starts can help in dissipating the heat caught in your engine compartment If you are having any start issues consider these three key things before attempting creative start procedures 1 Battery Is it delivering starting current voltage 2 Are your Spark plugs operational 3 What about your Magnetos Recently my Magneto checks were perfect but at annual had them serviced
58. otal of three fuses battery selection Therefore it is a useful practice to switch to the other battery before before starting each departure You can read how If you should to keep both of your batteries tch b charged and desulfated in our switcn batteries Product Review this month of the enroute to a so that pilots BatteryMINDer can have heroes t iad God Created F battery that is dead that is NOT GOOD 4 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 Appraise Your Mooney s Value Don t forget about our cool new Appraise your Mooney s Value using Jimmy Garrision s valuation Jimmy is from All American Aircraft the country s largest Mooney reseller We have rapier the models for M20C M20E M20G M20F amp M20J Click on your model to simply complete the valuation You no longer need paper and pencil Just another benefit to our subscribers These forms are currently Beta test quality Please send errors to us M20C M20E M20G M20F M20J aircrafticing grc nasa gov courses html HOME COURSES RESOURCES COURSES Welcome This web site contains free icing training courses and resources for pilots who want to learn more about aircraft icing and what they can do about it To find out more please select one of the available courses listed below A Pilot s Guide to Ground Icing A course primarily intended for pilots who make their ovm
59. pilot who flew long cross country flights quite frequently It was his modus operandi MO to depart when he was at cruise altitude he would turn on the autopilot Then he would proceed to read a newspaper or magazine This is not exactly what would call flying an airplane On the contrary the airplane is flying him With this said would like to relate a story to you of something that happened to me a few years ago It made me realize how important it was to keep my head in the game while flying and not to let other distractions get in the way My wife and I were flying out to Santa Fe NM from Fort Worth Texas on a nice Spring Day Our ride was our 1963 Mooney M20C We have made this trip before and were familiar with the terrain and the 24 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 challenges this flight can present The plane was flying along just fine The engine was purring away and never missed a beat We were at 10 000 feet MSL on an instrument flight plan in VMC but about to be IMC While scanning my instruments did a cursory scan of the engine instruments and noticed the CHT s rising quickly and the oil pressure was falling rapidly told my wife that we had to turn back to land and fortunately one of my procedures do every flight is to continue to evaluate where would land if should have an engine failure Well this was one of those times when that procedure came in very handy We w
60. rson who wishes to hold the yoke with both hands and wrestles the plane as if taming a wild horse In between the two extremes is the very reserved very intelligent introvert who is not going to let you know that he does not know what the heck this is all about He has surmised that it cannot be much different than driving a car always look at the students hands on the yoke the grip intensity gives the first clue to their tension level my goal is to get the student to a two or three finger grip even when doing stalls The use of accepted aviation terminology sometimes requires giving the student some guidance to the verbiage prior to a lesson involving flight maneuvers learned that lesson a long time ago when was teaching a very intelligent and articulate lady During a maneuvering lesson casually requested a 90 degree right turn and that is precisely what she proceeded to do in a 90 degree bank am now careful when requesting turns My right arm seems a little longer than my left The extension occurred when teaching the fore mentioned lady how to land an aircraft The lady would consistently flare the plane 15 feet above the ground and would repeatedly request that she let the plane descend a little further prior to commencing the flare routine It led us both to a tense interchange gt After a long and minimally 27 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 3 Number 2 February 2014 productive session terminated the les
61. son We approached for landing and was determined to keep my teeth tightly clenched and observe We descended below her usual flare altitude and thought at last she s got it Within about 3 feet and still nose down my hand flew to the yoke and just barely managed to save the nose wheel from damaging the tarmac Upon inquiring about her thought process she informed me that she had determined to let the damn thing land itself We discontinued our relationship from that point The husband of this student later informed me that she was unable to drive a car and that she had similar communication difficulties with several driving instructors including him Also that she had a depth perception issue learned a great deal from the whole experience Aviation does not invite people into the flying community A person needs to have a specific curiosity a strong desire and a high level of endeavor to want to become a pilot Flight schools do not broadly advertise They seem to have little interest in helping a prospective pilot understand the total training process For the average small flight school it is more about renting aircraft than producing pilots Trying to penetrate and follow the vague path to becoming a pilot requires a guide and mentor We should all make an effort to encourage and assist interested individuals of any age to follow this path to the great freedom that we enjoy LYS s Continental _ T ES ee a
62. w if the cylinder barrel is properly coated with oil it s inevitable that some of this oil will be burned up in the combustion process That s why a certain amount of oil consumption is perfectly normal Lie 6 The cooler the engine oil and cylinder head temps the better Oil temperatures lower than 170 F present a different problem namely that the oil is probably not reaching the boiling point of water at the hottest point in its travel Why is this important Every time we shut down the engine a slug of water condenses inside the cooling engine and runs down into the oil sump If we don t get rid of this water the next time we fly there will be a progressive water build up inside the engine That water will mix with the sulfur and nitrogen byproducts of combustion to form sulfuric and nitric acid Regarding cool CHTs ethylene dibromide doesn t do its scavenging job unless combustion temperatures are fairly high That s why lead fouling problems tend to emerge when CHTs are below about 300 F Lie 7 Aggressive leaning results in burned valves and detonation Lycoming has long authorized leaning to peak EGT at any cruise setting up to 75 power TCM authorizes leaning to peak EGT up to 65 and its latest recommendations endorse lean of peak operation for many big bore engines provided the engines will run smoothly when operated that lean Lie 8 It s bad to cruise at high manifold pressure and low RPM oversquare Operating at min

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