February, 2013 - The Mooney Flyer
Contents
1. The Mooney Flyer The Official Online Magazine for the Mooney Community www TheMooneyFlyer com February 2013 The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Contents Features Phoenix Rising Could Jet A piston engines from Continental be a differentiator for a re born Mooney Aircraft Company Bob Kromer thinks so Compression Testing Phil Corman writes about the overall value of compression tests vs Borescope analysis oil analysis and engine monitoring Editors Phil Corman A Lake Tahoe Trip Lessons for Instructor and student CFII Geoffrey Lee shares the story of instructing an inexperienced pilot Jim Pri AEE in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Good info for all of us P When the Belly Scrapes the Runway Contributing Writers o A must read for all Mooney pilots except for mechanical issues there s almost always 1 reason for this Bob Kromer Tom Rouch POENE Did You Know These Things about ForeFlight Jim Price covers some oft overlooked and cool features of ForeFlight Linda Corman STC amp PMA Parts for Your Mooney Another must read article from Paul Loewen at LASAR To Subscribe Click Here From the Right Seat Linda Corman shares a Mooney Trip to Palm Springs To Advertise Click Here In Every Issue To Submit an Article From the Editor Lie Fleiss Appraise Your Mooney s Value Website of the Month SocialFlight Mooney Mail Ask the Top Gun Tom Rouch answers your questions2. Upcoming Fly Ins Have You Heard the News Relevant GA news amp links for the month Product Review Avidyne IFD440 and IFD540 FMS GPS NAV COM Classifieds Click Here to Subscribe Click Here For Back Issues 2 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 rom the Editor Phil Corman Batteries batteries With winter upon us here in the northern hemisphere respects to our wingmen in Australia the topic of Batteries and battery life has come up often Many readers have asked us our opinion and that is all we have regarding battery selection and battery care think battery issues become more apparent as the temperature drops There are Concordes and Gills 12V and 24V acid and sealed My own personal experiences have driven me to Sealed Concordes Why My two main reasons are 1 They seem to last longer than Gills 2 They don t spew lead acid all over my airplane In my old M20C the battery was in the engine compartment in a battery box Right after bought the plane needed to fabricate a new box since it had corroded with acid drippings over the years With my Eagle the two batteries are back in the fuselage opted to go with sealed Concordes The batteries are 9 years old and still producing cranking power In all fairness keep the batteries happy by flying often but also invested in the BatteryMinder designed for my battery plug it in most times when don t think wi
3. 25 F That is probably sooner than need to do so especially if believe the POH But I d rather err on the side of being nice to my engine Don t ever pre heat your engine except when you will fly Preheating without a subsequent flight is asking for trouble Think about it Your warm your engine don t fly it and then let it cool down and manufacture water in the internal engine Bad told my mom I want to grow up and be a pilot She thought for a moment and said You ll need to pick one 4 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 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 implemented 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 M20 updated September 2012 www SocialFlight com EES The Mooney Flyer Most of us Mooney pilots are familiar with a pee Fp ot ne Wenn Airnav com It s info supplied by pilots for pilots and is generally used to find cheap 100LL SocialFlight is also a pilot supplied information database Youcan list events in map FaVUSeTt VINTS
4. AA P VI A collar on the steering horn incorrectly will limit proper rudder travel Also the bolt retaining the collar if installed backwards will shear off when retracting the gear Articulating Steering Arm Assembly On top of the upper gear leg truss is what we call the dog house This is where the delicate and articulating steering arm assembly is mounted Historically this is a whole problem area in itself This steering system has gone through many evolutions to improve its function and durability The dog house itself has undergone several configurations to provide adequate clearance for the steering mechanism in the retracted position and provision for bigger hardware The steering arm assembly has basically had two designs from 1952 to present The Earlier Design The earlier design had more moving parts smaller hardware and used a Heim rod end bearing as an anchor pivot with 3 16 bolts to attach it It comprised of a body made up of weld steel tube pieces and a replaceable brass bushing for the non hardened T shaft and end collar and was centered with a combination of thin shims In the early sixties and before this mechanism was anchored to the steel tube cabin structure with a bare 3 16 hole drilled in a cross member and a skinny 3 16 bolt through the ball end of the Heim bearing Later improvements provided a welded bushing on the cross member since the old bare hole would wear b
5. Contents
6. Lycoming and Continental engines have really different specs for a compression check Lycoming the old tried and true 60 80 for a minimum but also a small a small difference between high and low between cylinders usually 15 between high and low Continental has done extensive tests and decided that compressions as low as 40 80 produce the desired power with absolutely no valve leaks We use a calibrated orifice to determine the shop value for the low side of the test MY shop is usually about 43 80 If you have a TCM engine you might be interested in reading their SB on compression tests In addition to the usual visual inspection of a cylinder for cracks broken fins hot or discolored spots rate the bore scope as the next most useful test It gives us a look at the walls for scratches discoloration etc and at the valves for cracks warping carbon build up oil laying on the bottom etc A number of years ago TCM aw a started the Top Care Top Gun Aviation program for yearly recorded Specializing in Mooney and cirrus inspections of a cylinder and 209 983 8082 offered a longer warranty if For Service and Maintenance ask for Mark or Tom FAX 209 983 8084 done per schedule It included 64100 S Lindbergh St Stockton CA 95206 all that listed above and also orvisit our website at www topgunaviation net the history of oil consumption You can get the Top Care l i ply lll program when you buy a TCM OTT TT cy
7. available eliminating the Bra 343 Dst 88 3NM Garmin 430 530 method of turning the inner outer knobs This makes TUY things a little more intuitive and faster The IFD even has some additional intelligence built in something they call GEOFILL This knows your last waypoint and guesses what you are entering for your next waypoint based on that It s like using Autofill on your iPhone iPad When entering your flight plans you can do so by typing in each waypoint or you can use the rubber banding capability that you find on iPad apps such as ForeFlight This is particularly useful if ATC re routes you or you simply want to divert around weather for example The dedicated PROC Procedure button allows you to quickly load Waypoint approaches at your destination airport by selecting from the pop Hold at CTY up list FMS Preview allows you to view each of the available approaches graphically prior to selection Unlike previous generation navigators the IFDs allows you to quickly load any V159 destination airports and multiple approaches into your flight plan V295 J151 The unique Nav Source knob in the upper right corner allows you to select between GPS VLOC i e VHF NAV or HDG as the output signal source from the IFDs to the moving map and to some autopilots It is also used to slew and sync the course or heading GPS is the standard operating mode providing roll steering commands to the autopilot and VLO
8. heard another pilot also announce his position at the same location The accident pilot visually identified the other airplane and that pilot reported that he would proceed behind the accident airplane to the runway The accident pilot stated that he became preoccupied with locating the other airplane during the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and forgot to lower the landing gear Focused on Spacing After you Sir Willmar MN MOONEYH M20K The student pilot extended the downwind leg of the traffic pattern on his third solo landing to provide spacing for another airplane He said that he forgot to lower the landing gear and inadvertently landed with the gear up What can you do to avoid a gear up landing You can start by promising yourself that you ll always Be consistent about when and where you extend the gear Sometimes that s not possible so you ll need to check your gear down at least three times Do it on downwind base and final Use your before landing checklist and employ a GUMP check Gas Undercarriage Mixture Prop Check the gear indicator for down and locked Talk to yourself It s a healthy way to stay safe in the air Make it a habit to physically touch the gear indicators and say out loud gear down Get your flying partner spouse involved in checking that the gear is down before you land don t know about you but I think losing my Mooney for several months while the engine prop and bel
9. perform an internal cylinder inspection to ascertain the reason for the weak compression The FARs do not define the term weak compression FAA Advisory Circular AC43 13 1B Acceptable Methods Techniques and Practices Aircraft Inspection and Repair suggests that compression readings below 60 80 are considered weak but this default FAA guidance is superseded by any specific guidance offered by the engine manufacturer Because both Lycoming and TCM do offer specific guidance AC43 13 1B is moot Some Stuff You Need to Know gt gt A compression test tells you very little by itself Compression will vary from test to test mechanic by mechanic the testing equipment and how you ran the engine before the test A Borescope will tell you a lot more about the health of your cylinder intake amp exhaust manifold and rings Lycoming amp Continental have demonstrated that your engine will develop full power at takeoff with minimal compression Lycoming Says Lycoming s guidance is that the inspecting mechanic should consider removing the cylinder if its compression is below 60 80 or if there is more than a 10 point spread between the highest and lowest cylinder Lycoming also encourages but does not require mechanics to use Borescope inspections to help assess cylinder condition Lycoming s use of the word consider appears to give the IA some wiggle room but most IAs will take the position that a Lycomin
10. pride ourselves on quickly meeting the needs of an ever demanding pilot population We encourage all our members to contact us if there is anything the iFlightPlanner Crew can do to help improve their iFlightPlanner experience and the same goes for The Mooney Flyer community Simply visit www iFlightPlanner com ContactUs if you have questions about anything you read in the review we ll be happy to help Thanks again for your interest in iFlightPlanner we wish everyone well in the New Year Andy Matthews Co Founder amp Director enjoyed Jim s article on the GCOs But how can find out whether one is available at a given airport 6 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Editor Note First the GCO is not part of the FAA Airways and Radio Facilities as they are purchased and installed by local airports This means that GCO units are not registered as part of the airways and radio facilities listed in the FAA documents and Jeppesen charts That said some GCO sites are listed in Jeppesen and other airport guides but there is no actual official procedure or requirement for such registration Joe Have you heard about Wide Area Multilateration Didn t think so and the name tells you nothing but it s rather useful for Mooney pilots in mountainous terrain WAM is an FAA service that has receivers transmitters in places that radar coverage is not available It provides performance that is equal to se
11. speed numbers associated with aircraft performance are the y A J a Runway 18 at South Shore crossing the shore line same at high altitude as they are at sea level Granny speed increases and over compensating altitude requirements will propagate difficulties with any approach The need to stay focused and ahead of the plane on the approach and landing task is always paramount but particularly in unfamiliar circumstances and attention getting terrain Subsequent to our discussion of the foregoing we departed for Truckee flying along the Western side of the Lake and passed Squaw Valley ski area The route was set us up for an almost left base entry to 29 at TRK passing close to NorthStar ski area Again distracted by terrain proximity we were high on final and went through a similar performance to our arrival at South Shore to get the craft on the ground even with much verbalization and prompting from yours truly We did have a great sandwich at the deli accompanied by my repeated litany We departed for E16 take off normal Freeway departure and climb out following highway 80 on the North edge of Donner Lake Contacted Oakland center at about 9 000ft and got advisories to E16 A little tailwind gave us 180 kts home at 8 500 We completed the day this pilot holding too much power on the downwind extending that downwind too far too high on the approach and flattening the attitude at about 100 feet such that the touchdown point wa
12. the cockpit Not only is Chuk lt spill resistant it won t explode at altitude either officials said Chuk lIt s gusseted bottom allows it to stand upright until you can dispose of it READ MORE f instrument Dat ae Aitcraf tee RIES PRzaHGeNty Check es e Study enge ne ate Lee se wr i 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 30 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 My Mooney Calendar February 9 Sebring SEF Carol Ann Garratt will be talking about her last trip around the world in her Mooney her third trip around and selling March 9 Fort Pierce FPR Airport Tiki Restaurant This is a change since the previously scheduled restaurant Honoluana Island Grill at VNC has gone out of business April 13 Flagler XFL High Jackers May 11 Winter Haven GIF Pappy s Grill June 8 Punta Gorda PGD Skyview Cafe July 13 Williston X60 Pyper Kub Cafe August 10 St Augustine SGJ Fly By Cafe September 14 Lakeland LAL Air Harts Cafe October 12 Flagler XFL High Jackers November 9 Winter Haven GIF Pappy s Grill December 14 Punta Gorda PGD Skyview Cafe really appreciate it if you can E m
13. years in Lakeport CA EXPERIENCE is 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 28 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Je Have Youl February 2013 hedid the News A amaan OF SEFC Amnon Name ACK 406 121 5 MHz ELT 406 ELT to be required for flights to Bahamas Feb 1 and Mexico Jun 1 The waiver for an installed 406 ELT for the Bahamas will expire Feb 1 2013 and for Mexico June 1 2013 The Dominican Republic will continue to waive the 406 indefinitely and The Cayman Islands waiver extends through Dec 1 2013 but will almost certainly be extended READ MORE FAA Certifies Garmin Dual Band ADS B Unit Garmin GDL 88 Still confused about whether you ll need an ADS B receiver that s capable of operating in the 978 MHz UAT or the 1090 MHz frequency band Garmin is making that discussion more or less moot for the vast majority of us with the introduction of the GDL 88 the first FAA certified ADS B receiver capable of receiving both frequency bands Announced last summer the product has just received FAA TSO certification and a blanket AML STC allowing Garmin to start ship
14. 5 ADD tY NI or list format and specify a distance from your home airport the type of events you are interested in and a range of dates You can filter the types of aviation events by categories such as Air Shows Open Houses Warbirds LSA Organization meeting FAA seminar and much more If you are a member of various aviation associations you can specify each of them in your profile so that you won t miss any of their events as well You can even specify your interests in your profile and then meet other pilots and make new friends Sounds a little like Facebook for pilots Best of all it s free Give it a run around the pattern The more pilots that participate the better the information There is an accompanying iPhone and iPad app as well 5 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 am interested to know how you can provide this great Magazine gratis think you should have a subscription service due to the excellent content and knowledgeable contributors ABABRAAABRABAAL amp Don Rowling Canberra Australia My husband and saw a friend s copy of your January Mooney AS A N N Thank you MOONEY MAI L BAG N Flyer You ve put together a stunning publication with loads Anuna YF great aviation information We both pretty much read it cover to cover and were wondering if it would be possible to get on your newsletter mailing lis
15. C is used when flying a VOR or ILS Localizer Heading mode HDG also known as FMS Vectors is Avidyne s powerful new guidance tool for GPS FMS navigation In legacy navigators the Vectors to Final approach transition was a separate procedure that the pilot performed by suspending the flight plan sequencing With the IFD Series the pilot remains flying the FMS while getting ATC vectors for the final This is achieved by adjusting the Nav Source Heading with the autopilot remaining coupled to the FMS the whole time The FMS uses this pilot set heading and presents a dashed magenta line on the map that is the projected ground track compensated for winds With this vectors line and the FMS you can clearly visualize the final approach course and how the aircraft is going to intercept it This line is drawn as a curved intercept to final if you are Armed to intercept and it is only a single button press to Disarm or Arm Intercept according to whether ATC has given approval to intercept final or not 33 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 The easily modified FMS Vectors line gives the pilot GPS FMS guidance for the entire route of flight from 200 AGL at departure to 200 AGL at arrival without the need to suspend or interrupt guidance to the autopilot enhancing safety and eliminating modes confusion 125 30 TT a LA For COM the IFD540 decodes the active and standby frequencies based on proxi
16. ail me at DaveanRuth aol com by Thursday night of the week of the event and let me know if you are going to try to make it so can call the restaurant on Friday with a head count No one is obligated to come if they told me they are coming and can t make it for mechanical weather health or any other reason Hope to see you soon Dave and Ruth February 2013 Po et Cw ee me GAOMI 1O March 15 17 Yuma Formation Clinic KNYL Click Here for the details 31 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 m n The Mooney Flyer AVidyne IFD440 amp IFD540 i Predinet Rosiow by Phil Corman We usually don t write about products that are not available but are breaking that habit with this product review These units might be available by summer 2013 It s important to realize that we have not put our hands on a working version of these devices But we think Mooney owners should be aware of what is coming during 2013 as these devices may compete effectively versus Garmin s GTN 650 amp 750 They will cost less than the Garmin units and also be compatible with Aspen devices ie they will communicate with each other This is made possible by Aspen s Connected Panel system This is an open system that is intended to facilitate the connection and communication between multi vendor systems It currently allows iPads to load flight plans tune radios record flight data etc As more avionic
17. ation North Las Vegas NV KVGT Size Four Place Retractable Price 48 900 If you re looking for a plane that will give you top performance at an economical price this Mooney is a contender Due to a prop strike this aircraft has a freshly overhauled engine and new Hartzell Prop A side benefit is that this new prop hub eliminates the recurring inspection A D Specification KY92 Com KNS80 RNAV KR87 ADF MX170B Nav Com KT78 Transponder For additional information please contact Carb Temp Gauge David Rubinger owner PMA 7000M S Audio Panel 702 683 9688 Phone Shoulder Harness 866 440 8297 Fax 20 SMOH by Western Skyways with New Cylinders transferable warranty DRubinger gmail com 20 SNEW Hartzel Top Prop 2 blade David DandRRealtyLV com Electric Flaps Leather Seats Annual Completed October 2012 Fresh IFR Certification Prospective purchasers are requested to seek independent verification of all specifications The information provided is approximate and may change at any time Listings are presented with no warranties expressed or implied Please inspect to your satisfaction prior to making any purchase Offering for sale is subject to prior sale or withdrawal which may occur at any time without notice will deliver to any continental state for the cost to deliver plus expenses for a return trip to Las Vegas NV A nonrefundable deposit to cover these costs is expected prior to delivery 35 Back to Table of
18. condary surveillance radar SSR in terms of accuracy probability of detection and update rate Accuracy varies as a function of the location of the targets vs ground sensors WAM is adaptable to interrogation rates output modes and output periods Update rates and probability of detection can be tailored to various applications such as precision runway monitoring PRM terminal maneuvering area TMA and En route surveillance Interrogation rates can be further reduced by passively processing replies to SSR or traffic collision avoidance system TCAS interrogations WAM operates with Mode A C Mode S and Mode S ES no equipage mandate is necessary For ADS B equipped aircraft WAM provides an ADS B target report as well as a multilateration target report WAM can complement ADS B by providing transitional surveillance for non ADS B equipped targets and can be used for ADS B validation Now you know 7 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Phoenix Rising Could emerging Jet A piston engines from Continental bring the Mooney factory back to prominence By Bob Kromer Mooney Factory Engineering Test Pilot 1983 1986 Mooney Executive VP andGM 1986 1991 It s no secret the Mooney community has been operating for several years now without the confidence of knowing there is a fully operational factory to support the fleet This statement in no way diminishes the heroic efforts of a handful o
19. crease spare parts output 2 Refurbishment services on existing M20J K R M airframes 3 Update and refurbish existing M20K airframes with 230HP TD 300 Jet A piston engines 4 Offer new M20K airframes with 230HP TD 300 Jet A piston engines and Garmin touch screen avionics 5 Offer M20R M airframes with upcoming 300 horsepower versions of the TD 300 engine and Garmin touch screen avionics With a return strategy like this there is no reason the Mooney factory can t give the composite airplanes arun for their money Our airplanes aren t obsolete They re just in need of updating Why surrender to the competition when you have an opportunity to leapfrog ahead Mooneys have been flying for almost 60 years There is no reason to think they can t go another 60 Don t Try This with Your Mooney But Enjoy Winter Flying 10 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Compression Tests What you don t Know but Should By Phil Corman Why do we do compression tests on our airplanes at every annual Because it s regulatory Most mechanics agree that it tells you very little about your engine The applicable regulation 14 CFR Part 43 Appendix D Scope and Detail of Annual and 100 Hour Inspections states that an IA is required to perform a compression check at each annual and 100 hour inspection It goes on to say that if weak compression is found the IA must
20. e cold clear air The 2 routes that normally show pilots from the South bay area new to this trip are simple One is to South shore the other is to Truckee Fly to Hangtown PVF and then due North on the 360 radial from PVF to Kingvale and highway 80 follow highway 80 to Truckee Kingvale is roughly halfway between Blue Canyon and Truckee on highway 80 Descent into TRK can commence at the top of the pass above Immigrant Lake The reasoning behind the Blue canyon route is that at an altitude of about 10 500 to 11 500 and positioned halfway between Blue canyon airport and Truckee one could probably reach either airport in the event of serious mechanical difficulties and at least one would be over the highway instead of over the Granite Chief wilderness area just South of Tahoe VOR From the North Bay area SAC then Victor 392 airway would be advocated to Blue Canyon and thence highway 80 to TRK never advise students or low time pilots to fly directly to Squaw VOR which appears to be the obvious route in these days of GPS Reason being that the VOR route takes you over the Granite Chief wilderness area and trip time difference is negligible but the risk exposure if in difficulty of any type is of much greater magnitude always recommend that the descent and climb out be made on the left or North side of Immigrant lake staying over highway 80 until positioned to make 45 entry into downwind for runway 28 or 6 I did notice that the govern
21. e mountain After getting some amazing pictures from the top and the ride up and down the mountain we decided to visit the Air Museum as it was on the way back to Palm Desert This is a great museum if you have never been We were lucky that at this time they had a commemorative event going on We toured through the different displays and happened onto a veteran talking about his time aboard a B 17 during WWII We stopped to hear him and ended up spending 2 hours listening to his stories about jumping out of a burning plane and being captured by the Germans The German people were beating him up despite his injuries He was actually rescued by soldiers This gentleman was amazing and there are so few WWII veterans left to tell these stories 21 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 The next morning we decided to take a drive around Joshua Tree National Park The drive is long but really worth it The stone outcrops around the park were as eerie as they were beautiful They seem to have distinctive styles like faces and forms It is fun to get out and try to guess what they most resemble After getting back to town we ate at another great restaurant called Village Pub on the main drag of Palm Springs They have Pub food and great brews We have hiked many times in the Palm Springs area and one of our favorites is the Indian Canyons hike You walk through Palm Canyon where there are old Palms l
22. e numbers will appear The Altitude Advisor r O KCHD KPVU O KSMO Procecture T KSMC Reverse Touch the ETD button to select your departure time Once you have selected your departure time touch the Altitude shown on the flight plan and the Altitude Advisor will pop up From there you can make a best altitude decision based on the terrain Minimun Enroute Altitude MEA 180 kts flight time enroute and the fuel burn Roules N257KW Departure 15 0 gph 16 000 lt Today s headwinds indicate that a lower altitude will be better so oe touched selected 8 000 as the best altitude for my flight l 73 ty vd tt Accuracy Altitude Advisor 6 xis eacarw 6 kts headwrud NOTE have elected to have ForeFlight use the local time However you can change the 7 kts header 11 ats eae Time to ZULU by touching More 17 kts headwind lower right of ForeFlight screen Settings and then flipping the Show Local Times switch to OFF 23 ts hesdwind 31 kts hesdwind 36 tts headwexd 3 ats hewn 24 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Announcing New STC PMA Parts Mooney Maintenance FOF Tae MOONEY with LASAR Precision SES ER ae apy r A ELENA OD Ne Se AS eee ee aes Supplemental Tupe Certificate Mooney Nose Gear ES TAS After 37 years of repairing rebuilding and replacing
23. escope is no longer expensive and an incredibly valuable tool to have in your hangar In conjunction with compression tests oil filter cutting and inspection oil analyses emphasis trends over time and an engine monitor Borescopes are invaluable Take a peak at the cylinder head and look at the valves This is a healthy cylinder head The exhaust This exhaust valve is in trouble because of the valve has a symmetrical red pattern that is absence of combustion deposits along the good The larger intake valve has brown bottom deposits which is also good Now let s take a look at the cylinder walls This piston has heavily scored the piston wall This is not good and may be considered for replacement 12 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Let s take a look at another concern All cylinders have a crosshatch etched into them at the factory In the top picture this honing pattern is missing This shows wear but does not mean the end of the world for this cylinder You can see the crosshatched pattern in the bottom illustration The bottom line is that Compressions vary wildly from test to test from mechanic to mechanic from tester to tester and is mostly useful as a litmus paper like test of problem no problem It is largely performed by mechanics to fulfill FAA regulatory requirements at annual The Borescope analysis along with oil analysis and analysis of your engine monitor wi
24. f employees who have been on station inside the factory in Kerrville Texas making much needed parts to support the fleet It also is not meant to diminish the wonderful efforts of the individuals who own manage and work in the Mooney service center network in the USA and abroad The service center network coupled with the few employees inside the factory making parts has kept the fleet flying during the past several years But let s face it sooner or later the lack of a viable and operational factory to stand behind the Mooney fleet will become a factor in the continued airworthiness and resale value of the airplanes we love and fly So is there a path forward for the Mooney factory to become viable and strong again Some would say no the market has left Mooney behind with composite airplanes available with equal or better performance glass cockpits roomier cockpits two entry doors and whole aircraft parachute recovery systems Some contend the Mooney design is now dated and can never be built in a competitive number of man hours compared to composite airplanes Still others say the market for airplanes like the Mooney is over in the future we ll be flying either simple slow airplanes or big turboprops and jets Hogwash to all of that There is no reason for the Mooney factory to wither and die There can be hope in a strategy for the future The manufacture of spare parts can be drastically increased at the factory adding profits There i
25. g cylinder with compression below 60 80 has to come off Continental Says TCM s guidance is very different from Lycoming s TCM s guidance appears in Service Bulletin SBO3 3 which in my opinion is the best guidance ever written on the subject of determining cylinder condition Every TCM owner should download a copy by clicking on that link and read it carefully If you do that you ll find that TCM says that the minimum acceptable compression reading is to be established using a master orifice tool hooked up to the mechanic s compression test gauges For most compression test gauges we ve checked the master orifice tool sets the no go limit between 41 80 and 43 80 However each gauge is supposed to be calibrated with the tool prior to each compression test Nowadays many compression 11 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 test gauges come with the master orifice tool built right in so calibration is done simply by flipping a valve SB03 3 goes on to say that even if a cylinder indicates a compression reading lower than the no go limit the IA is supposed to inspect the cylinder with a Borescope to determine the cause of the problem If the Borescope inspection fails to reveal a problem then the cylinder should not be removed Instead the engine should be flown for at least 45 minutes preferably a lot longer and then the compression test repeated Borescoping 101 First of all a Bor
26. iPad will receive your flight plan via email If he agrees that your flight planning is clearly better he just clicks on the hyperlink in the email Open in ForeFlight Mobile and your flight plan becomes his flight plan in his ForeFlight jaspriceaz gmail com ForeFlight KCHD PXR V16 BLH V64 SLI KSMO 180kts 15gph N257KW 16000ft Open in ForeFlight Mobile From To Heading Totals Leg KCHD 298 M PXR L3nm Lig 4m28s 13nm t 19 4m28s PXR AVONA 255 M 3Onm 3 09 Ohi2m 18mm 1 99 7m24s AVONA PERKY 255 M 380m 37g Ohi5m 7am O8g 3m s PERKY ALLIS 255 M 45nm 459 Ohim 8nm 0 8g 3m09s Your friend can then accept the performance speed GPH and altitude that came with your flight plan or he can simply click on his ALLIS BXK 255 M 550m 5 6g Oh22m 10nm 1 0g 4m10s BXK VICKO 258 M li2nm 11 6g Oh46m S6nm 6 0g Oh24m VICKO SODSE 257 M 13Sem 14 1g OGhS6 m 23nm 2 59 OhlOm SODSE JAROZ 257 M 138mm 14 40 OhS8m Inn 0 39 JAROZ BLH 257 M i53nm 16 04 thO4m 15am 1 6g N257KW BLH SHADI 255 M 203nm 21 69 1h26m SOnm 5 5g ontents SHADI TRM 255 M 223nm 23 89 1h35m 20nm 2 29 180 kts TRM CORLA 259 M 229nm ih3s8m sm 0 79 15 0 gph CORLA BALDI 259 240nm 25 7q 1h43m linm 1 2g 0 99 16 000 BALD HAPPE 258 248nm 1h46m nm E Mien Pi BM oe coe The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 aircraft number and his default performanc
27. ining the trail with a stream running through the middle At the entrance to the trail is mortar rock where the Native Americans ground their food This whole Canyon is an oasis and can see why the Native Americans made their homes there There is so much to do and see in Palm Springs that is a place to come back to time and again Enjoy your next Mooney trip Hope this gives you some ideas on where to go and what to do when you get there PIC Choices Palm Springs KPSP Absolutely the most convenient for location but fees and fuel will eat into your food amp drinking budget Jacqueline Cochran KTRM Furthest away from Palm Springs but uncongested and Thermal Aviation is the best setup cars cheap fuel no frills good service Bermuda Dunes KUDD Never been there but have avoided them due to word of mouth from other Mooney pilots that prefer PSP and TRM 22 Back to Table of Contents ee 2 Number 2 February 2013 Did you Know This About ForeFlight By Jim Price Sharing your flight plan You and a friend both use ForeFlight and you are both going to fly your Mooneys from A to B You want to let your friend know that your flight plan is clearly superior to his Email share your outstanding flight plan by clicking on the symbol in the lower right of the flight plan area That s the same symbol that you use to file a flight plan with the FAA EDO PER VOR R Vid SN verve Your friend s
28. inly that of any passengers Well back to my pilot did notice that as we crossed the shore line around Homewood we encountered a little turbulence even though the lake looked very placid This normally a smiling pilot his face was deadpan The pilot started the right turn as directed he seemed a little uncomfortable with the turbulence and his airspeed was about 150 kts altitude about 9 500ft am trying very hard to keep my mouth shut as we headed out over the water waiting for him to configure the plane for landing was not happening and we had about 3 minutes to descend from 9 500down to TPA at 7 500 and then turn to final with touch down at around 6 300ft A suggestion to slow to gear speed prompted a reaction akin to sleeping deer hearing a gunshot RINWAS 18 15 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 We were essentially on a wide right base entry to 18 at S Shore So speed brakes out power drastically reduced did not like that in sub zero temps we discussed that on the ground gear down flaps deployed and descending at 1000fpm ASI on the end of the white arc toward runway 18 at South shore We crossed the threshold at about 90 kts and used up the entire 8 500ft runway Our discussion on ground encompassed turbulence geographic distraction being ahead of the plane aircraft configuration before final engine management don t freeze crack the cylinders and the
29. itoring systems provided owners with a means to monitor and control engine temps which reduced engine wear and contributed to reduced oil consumption Today see many engines at a quart in 10 15 hrs even the big Turbo Lycs and it is a good improvement from 30 years ago and feel is about right get concerned when hear a quart in 20 30 since feel some consumption is needed to oil the cylinders This is rare though and could be caused by too tight a ring fit On average believe most Lycoming 360s get about a quart in 6 8 hrs the Cont 550s about 8 10 feel the most important event in an engine s life is the break in flight We follow the manufacturer Service Instruction as close as possible When we install an engine we hold to minimum ground runs just enough to make sure we have full power and then fly usually about three hours depending on the instruction and don t land unless we lose oil pressure or any other safety reason There is no way to redo the break in flight This flight will be the determining factor in the oil consumption of your engine for its life Seating the rings properly is a must You can t land and have lunch and finish the flight after lunch The oil will glaze the cylinder walls and game over Leaking Fuel Tanks What are the Pros and Cons of Bladders have fixed fuel leaks and resealed tanks for many years and if never do another tank reseal that s OK with me As a shop we quit re sealing entire
30. ive replacement of the part including more than 3 hours of labor An attempt to solve this problem was addressed and a nose leg truss with adjustable stops became available This has been an improvement but even the stops can break off in an improper towing operation 3 A little known problem is the bad wear areas This is where the single long bolt and bushing provides a pivot connection between the nose gear and the pivot truss Wear accrues on the bolt and around the bushing when torque on the bolt is not properly maintained by routine and frequent inspections in this area The pivot bolt is usually installed with a castellated nut and cotter pin which often tells the mechanic that this should be slightly loose not torqued tight but he d be wrong Wear also becomes severe in the bolt hole which is also due to this looseness and additionally end wear of the pivot stem and grooving on the mounting flange where all the nose weight of the Mooney makes metal to metal pivoting contact without a bearing surface in this area This problem area is addressed in the service Manual where it says to Check and maintain proper torque on the pivot bolt 25 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 4 Animproper assembly of the pivot bolt by placing a washer under the head will limit the S PECIA LUIZ NG N right rudder travel in flight when the gear is retracted Similarly installing the beveled end F
31. linder or engine lt 6 Ny Avionics Repairand Installation Services now available on site thru J amp R Electronics 20 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Palm Springs by Linda Corman Hello again from the right seat We have been to the Palm Springs area many times so this is a compilation of our trips there We generally land at Thermal airport where we pick up our car because the people are extremely friendly and always helpful It makes Phil s life easier as it is uncongested and the fees are miniscule compared to Palm Springs Usually the first day we get settled into a hotel and then find a restaurant for early dinner Of course have to walk El Paseo Drive in Palm Desert for my shopping fix This is a several blocks long street with high end stores for window shopping and great restaurants One of our favorites is Le Cafe des Beaux Arts on Paseo Road a very French style caf in the middle of the downtown area The next day we decided to travel up the Palms Springs Aerial Tramway The tramway starts at the bottom of the San Jacinto Mountains at Chino Canyon and takes you 8 500 feet to the top It gives youa Mooney eye view of the Palm Springs area Once at the top there is a snack bar and great hiking with about 54 miles of trails We chose the 4 2 mile hike on the Round Valley trail This particular time in Palm Springs it was May and there was still snow at the top of th
32. ll be flying for a while The trickle charge followed by the desulphation phase just keeps the batteries at the top of their game can t recommend them enough This is a dynamic duo It was easier to test the health of a lead acid battery with the battery turkey baster my terminology All had to do was draw some acid into the baster and it showed me the health of that battery With sealed batteries the process is more involved You charge it until the charger says its complete Then you put a pre defined load amps on it and measure how fast it depletes This takes too much energy for me especially when I can tell from the starting crank speed The Concorde owners manual informs State of Charge vs Open Circuit Voltage 12V battery 100 12 9V or above 75 12 6V 50 12 3V 25 12 0V 0 11 7V Anyway I m 9 years and counting on my Concordes For what it s worth 3 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Magneto Checks Almost all Mooney pilots know perform magneto checks during run up You know the drill Increase RPM to about 1700 and then switch to LEFT and RIGHT looking for an RPM drop You don t want more than the drop specified in your POH and you also don t want zero drop in RPM Some believe it is also valuable to check the mags after a flight because a failing mag will reveal itself then If you don t get a drop your 1 culprit is your P Lead bet most o
33. ll tell you a lot more 13 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 A Tahoe Trip Lessons for Instructor and student by Geoffrey Lee CFII recently had occasion to fly with a former student taught him how to fly in a straight tail 172 and subsequently checked him out in a Mooney 252 which we acquired in New York and flew it back to California kept him in the left seat all the way across the US Not an easy student argumentative and too busy with work to be consistent and regular throughout training was his second instructor prior to solo My notes on this person indicated his tendency to be easily distracted and somewhat ad lib regarding his style of operating his aircraft will qualify ad lib i e Alters his procedure for any given set of circumstances for no specific reason In other words rarely does the same thing twice relative to landing and departure He recently contacted me and asked if would fly with him to Lake Tahoe for some high altitude flight ops and a refresh of cold weather engine operation It was a crystal clear and windless day temperatures at or below zero at the lake The plan was to land at South shore Tahoe and subsequently proceed to Truckee for a sandwich at that great deli at the airport and straight home from there This pilot had never flown himself to the Tahoe airports previously Flight up was uneventful the 252 performed as expected in th
34. ly are repaired is Fly smart and be safe The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Send your questions for Tom to TheMooneyFlyer gmail com What are good oil consumption rates This is something that both Lyc and Continental are vague about and you can see why They usually just state a max per hour and it varies but generally about 1 quart per hour have seen oil consumption rates really improve over the last about 20 years will use the much maligned TSIO 360 GB engine as an example We first got that engine in the 231 in 1979 If we got about 1 quart in 6 we thought that was pretty good By 1981 we were seeing some at about a qt in 1 This was at anywhere from 700 to 900 hours on the engine and compressions were dropping remember re ringing engines at 800 900 hours There was a real change in1984 with the introduction of the LB engine but by co incidence TCM also introduced a new piston the same year for all TSIO 360 engines with a steel belt in the upper ring groove of the piston This eliminated ring wobble and oil consumption almost was cut in half with the new piston In the 70s and 80s about 1 quart in 6 was very good for a Lycoming and 1 in 4 was about average During this same period new synthetic and multi vis oils were introduced which also improved oil consumption rates along with some changes in cylinder manufacturing with different coatings to reduce ring wear The introduction of multi probe engine mon
35. ment approach plate for TRK reflects 28 for that runway 29 is painted on it A good amount of lift can be had if the wind is cooperative from the steep North side of Immigrant Lake 14 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Climbing or descending over Immigrant Lake in any significant wind out of the West can be a handful sometimes it takes two hand fulls Climbing out from TRK direct to Squaw VOR puts the aircraft over some formidable terrain usually in downdraft and with nowhere to go in the event of engine failure For South Shore same to PVF and the 40 degree radial to Homewood at which is a low point in the mountain ridge and gives an early view of the lake as one approaches the shoreline 40 degree radial will position you away from the desolation wilderness area that will be on your right side A slight right turn at the shoreline and proceed just short of halfway across the lake and runway 18 comes readily into view There is an intersection RICHY over the lake that will position you nicely for Runway 18 if you use GPS have students check overall weather at TRK and particularly the surface winds at BLU and then at 9 000 12000 and 15 000 If attention is paid to any significant skew change of direction and velocity at these different levels one can predict if uncomfortable turbulence may or may not be expected Pilots should be aware of their limits in turbulence and certa
36. mity in the database and display the names of the stations in plain English providing a handy reminder of the agency to which you will be transmitting when pressing the push to talk button To tune to any frequency shown all you need to do is touch it and now you are communicating on that frequency For Approaches the IFD540 includes CMax Approach Charts amp Airport Diagrams Utilizing Jeppesen s Jeppview charts subscription services CMax provides Worldwide approach charts and a database of over 6 000 airport diagrams most of which are geo referenced allowing for the display of your ownship and flight plan position right on the chart or airport diagram There s the usual Terrain pages with alerts as well depicted here At The Mooney Flyer we like the promises of the IFD family namely for its competitive pricing and its support of the Connected Panel being promoted by Aspen We are tired of the stranglehold that Garmin has Avidyne amp Aspen offer us Mooney owners the flexibility to purchase the best and most competitively priced components and know that they will interconnect and communicate with each other This idea is long overdue I d Like a Table by the Window Please 34 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Wii Model M20C Model Year 1964 c of a dated 12 1963 Tail No N1357W Serial No 2638 Airframe Time 20 SMOH 20 SNEW Prop TTSN 5 699 Loc
37. ooney pilot cases where they were distracted and found themselves outside the place in the pattern where they normally extended the gear See if you can find a common theme Focused on Sequence Bypassing the Normal Gear Extension Point Butler PA MOONEY M20J The pilot stated that when he returned to the airport after a local flight two airplanes were in the traffic pattern and a third airplane was inbound about 10 miles east To sequence with the two airplanes in the pattern and the third airplane on the extended downwind leg the pilot did not enter the traffic pattern at the midpoint of the downwind leg but entered the traffic pattern closer to the approach end of the intended runway He lowered the flaps but did not lower the landing gear He turned onto the base leg extended full flaps and then turned onto final approach While on final approach the pilot had a sense that the airplane was fast and that the sight picture was lower than usual but he did not detect that the landing gear was retracted or recall hearing the landing gear warning horn 17 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Focused on Avoiding a Midair Where is that guy Clearwater FL MOONEY M20M According to the pilot after entering the traffic pattern for landing he noted that there were two other airplanes in the traffic pattern As he announced his position on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern he
38. oth the member and the bolt This wear could be minimized if the pivot bolt maintained proper torque The extra moving parts of this design allowed for accelerated wear and looseness to occur so a new design was developed to simplify and beef up the arm with fewer moving parts The Later Design In about 1967 it was incorporated on production Mooneys It still used the same non hardened T shaft but the body was made of formed steel metal and steel tube chunks welded together It had eliminated the pivoting Heim bearing but also had no brass bushing to be replaced The bad thing was that soft steel parts wearing against each other would eventually require replacement with a complete new steering arm assembly The skinny 3 16 pivot bolt was changed to a healthy 3 8 and welded on stud to the cross member The thin centering shims were also still a part of the design and the critical alignment by pre shimming the assembly was not well understood by most mechanics Improper alignment of the body and T Shaft caused by misplaced shims would cause eccentric loads that would lead to accelerated wear and steering looseness 26 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Although the nose gear has been moved forward a little in current production Mooneys they do still use the same parts and leave out the shims completely This allows the components to self align with the variance of manufact
39. parts PPIE SISAS O EIS OLOTE R AIRTER in the Mooney Nose Gear we felt like we had the idiot fo omatt nye M081 protean experience to design and build a better system The design FERRO MIE of the landing gear system dates back to the 1952 design EA Am M of the Mooney M 18 Mite taonta arimen PUDINS i Basin AIrraNS Ay and 9 bertats a aenaran The Mooney design is very clever in ensuring substantial brizen Airplow Plight tapsa Fopplemes support for the nose in excess of 600 Ibs static It not only provides a trouble free shock system but also retracts and provides steering sly epprow Design Deficiencies EAS However there are specific design deficiencies that over the years of service have shown up in several common A Pht Jellisuadesec problem areas be holt Ot tes 1 An undefined castor angle of the trailing leg resulted in uncontrollable deviations from the rudder pedal input and a scary slide off the side of the runway when it had not been corrected This was addressed eventually with a 1 8 thick collar shim Mooney SB M20 202 or a collar with a retaining hole drilled off center to provide a choice of shock biscuit compressions that determined the castor angle 2 Amore widely known problem is damaged tubes on the upper leg truss This is caused when there is over steering while it is towed by a tug with a solid tow bar A dent of more than 1 32 would render the truss un airworthy This called for an expens
40. ping the 3 995 unit READ MORE Garmin introduces new series of aviation VHF radios January 15 2013 by Janice Wood GA News Garmin has launched a new series of aviation VHF ik 121 975 128 075 COM and NAV COM radios the GTR and GNC series aot EGLL ATIS As the replacement products for the SL 30 and SL 40 models the GTR series COM transceivers and GNC series NAV COM radios include new features to reduce pilot workload while also offering a solution to meet the requirements of the 8 33 kHz channel spacing mandate recently enacted by the European Union under the Single European Sky SES initiative company executives said READ MORE Watch the Garmin GTR and GNC series YouTube demo HERE 29 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 Yikes Garmin has stopped servicing the 28 volt 430 and 530 They will however provide a WAAS upgrade to the 28 volt 430s and 530s The problem seems to be a lack of Comm Boards Garmin will continue for now to service the 12 volt 430 and 530 Reference Garmin s Service Center Olathe KS Sporty s has introduced a 21st century barf bag for general aviation pilots and their passengers Chuk It is constructed of thick plastic with heat sealed seams It is extra large and can be used with only one hand thanks to Chuk It s stay open top according to Sporty s officials Once used Chuk It s zipper top seals securely ensuring no spills or smell in
41. s an excellent chance for success in expanding factory refurbishment services for many of the Mooney models we currently fly There are compelling reasons why buying a factory refurbished airplane is a good choice Spare parts and refurbishment services could get the factory back up and running ready for the next step What might that next step be There is also an opportunity for a new product from Mooney that could leapfrog the company ahead of the competition It would also result in an airplane with strong international appeal It s emerging from the engine manufacturer Continental right now and it s a game changer It s the availability of Jet A piston engines recently had the opportunity to receive preliminary engine data from inside the Continental engine factory on the first Jet A piston engine to be certified the TD Turbo Diesel 300 This engine looks tailor made for the short body Mooney M20K airframe both as a retrofit to an existing airframe and as a new production airplane rolling off the assembly line in Kerrville The TD 300 develops 230 turbocharged continuous horsepower from sea level to 10 000 feet density altitude critical altitude This horsepower output is perfect for the M20K The engine is managed much like a turbine with the pilot operating a single power lever for horsepower output The engine has electronic ignition with manual backup again just like a turbine Max prop RPM is a quiet and smooth 8 Back
42. s companies support The Connected Panel this could facilitate more interaction in the cockpit between any devices that support it The IFD440 540 lines up with Garmin s GTN650 750 Both are GPS NAV COMs and both have touch screens If you are upgrading from the old Garmin 430 or 530 38 25 PUSH SEL eS Thea 3 the IFD440 540 are plug compatible Avidyne says you KSAV TEL s cm just slip out i the Garmin and slip in the IFD and go flying This can save you considerable installation charges The unit features a super bright high resolution LED backlit 5 7 inch IFD540 and 4 8 inch IFD440 diagonal color liquid crystal MultiTouch touchscreen display the IFDs provide a simple user interface for full SBAS LPV approach guidance capability FMS Vectors advanced radio management including automated NAV frequency tuning and COM frequency nomination automatic frequency identification easy to modify graphical flight planning and Avidyne s exclusive GeoFill waypoint nomination 32 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 As you can see from the illustration to the left in addition to touch screen selections there are real buttons for many high use functions An example of this is LU DIRECT To When you need to OU 5 5 Fe p Cross City enter an airport ID Intersection SE ow Altitude VORTAC etc a touchscreen keyboard Cross City FL becomes
43. s covered and sink rate was over 500 fpm an arrival to be remembered This pilot had not flown his aircraft in many weeks too busy was his reason should have known We are in the process of going through the basics again am a glutton for punishment but one is obligated to students that one has certified ad infinitum Keep your nose low G Lee CFIl Dreams of a Child 16 Back to Table of Contents Whenthe Belly Scrapes the Runway w gt SV Jin It doesn t matter if you are a 16 year old student pilot or a gray haired and experienced ATP Military pilot airline pilot instructor or Mooney owner they ve all landed gear up No one is immune from making mistakes but sometimes wonder why pilots ignore the gear warning horn An Air Force pilot who landed gear up was asked Didn t you hear the controllers yelling at you on the radio to go around He answered that he couldn t hear the radio because of a loud intermittent horn blaring in his ears Here s a video shot from a Cessna cockpit The Cessna pilot manages to ignore the blaring landing gear warning and lands gear up CLIKE HERE FOR THE VIDEO You ve all heard the phrase There are those who have and those who will land gear up That s a load of horse pucky that somehow makes those who have landed gear up feel better about themselves Folks we all don t have to land gear up We just need to be pilots Here are a few M
44. t even though we fly a lowly C182 Camille Nelson Found you from one of the sites online VERY NICE magazine wow you really take some time writing this And like the flip book format too Kudos David Berelsman Congratulation on a full year of the Mooney Flyer You are doing a great job gave up on MAPA few years ago after years of saying no more when reading those articles and such Keep up a good work Igor Ucakar On behalf of the iFlightPlanner Crew would like to thank Phil Corman and the editorial staff at The Mooney Flyer for their product review of iFlightPlanner iFlightPlanner was founded on principles of safety and flight planning efficiency As Phil mentioned in the review there are countless electronic flight planning resources available to pilots and all of us who fly have developed a routine that undoubtedly involves a number of them Unfortunately such segmented routines introduce the risk of overlooking a critical step or information that can compromise flight safety We appreciate The Mooney Flyer highlighting the Flight Wizard our propriety process that intuitively guides pilots through those critical steps i e route planning certified weather briefs weight amp balance and flight plan filing to ensure that the duties as pilot in command are confidently fulfilled Every feature that is highlighted in the review including the Flight Wizard was the result of feedback from iFlightPlanner users and we
45. tanks many years ago because of the many hours it took re leaks which cost more money and unhappy owners which sure doesn t help business and to 19 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 comply with California EPA regulations While we still do spot repairs full re seals are out If needed recommend the few shops that do chemical stripping since that is what greatly reduces the man hours for a complete re seal My choice is bladders but cost is a factor and in some cases loss of quantity A plus for C and E models is an actual gain in quantity have had very few problems with bladders over the many years have been with Mooney Cost is a factor but they can be installed by any quality shop whereas you have to fly your plane to the few locations that have chemical stripping so the cost of travel should be factored in the choice What is the value of a compression test and are there other checks It s the most important test for an engine First it tells you if there is enough compression to produce power and second it tells you if there is valve leakage have seen turbocharged engines with one or two cylinders at zero compression and the owners had no idea they had a dead cylinder The turbo intake air fools the cylinder into firing but there is obviously a loss of power which will be more noticeable as the plane gains altitude A four cylinder Lyc will shake the engine with a dead cylinder
46. th here in the USA and abroad The world s economies depend on the availability of Jet A to power airliners for the masses It s a good bet it will be available for many years to come What is the future of 100LL or an unleaded alternative Who knows The availability of Jet A burning piston engines almost guarantee the resale value of future airplanes that use them independent of what happens to 100LL There are negatives The TD 300 engine weighs 450 pounds a bit more than a comparable TSIO 360 LB or MB currently installed in the M20K The engine will need a bit more cooling airflow since it has cylinder cooling fins The engine will require the installation of a lightweight and relatively expensive composite propeller Finally the TD 300 engine itself will be slightly more expensive than the TSIO 360 but not by much 9 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 During my tenure at the Mooney factory we had a product failure in the Porsche powered Mooney PFM This airframe engine combination was slightly ahead of its time but its primary problem was not enough horsepower non turbocharged and just slightly over 2OOHP installed for its weight We dreamed of a turbocharged version with more power Today some 25 years later it appears the TD 300 Jet A engine might just be the engine we hoped and dreamed for way back in 1988 So for the Mooney factory here is how a return strategy might look 1 In
47. to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 2200 The engine is expected to emerge with an initial 2000hour TBO Time Between Overhaul with an increase in TBO expected after a few years in service What a Diesel Cowling might look like on a Mooney airframe The projected performance of the engine is again perfect for the Mooney M20K airframe If the pilot elects to cruise at 230horsepower expected fuel flow at that power setting under 15 GPH gallons per hour Bringing the power lever back to 207 horsepower results in a 12 5 GPH fuel flow while a 157 5 horsepower power setting results in a fuel flow of 9 6 GPH So how would an M20K do at these power settings Looking at some airframe drag polar data have from my flight test days at the factory on the M20K 252 it appears an M20K airframe with a TD 300 engine installed with the associated engine cooling drag would result in the following cruise speeds at 10 000 feet density altitude 230 HP maximum continuous 15 0 GPH 180 KTAS 207 HP maximum continuous 12 5GPH 174 KTAS 157 5 HP maximum continuous 9 6 GPH 16 7 KTAS Seems to me these numbers could be attractive especially with the corresponding fuel flows But the biggest attraction of the TD 300 engine for the Mooney M20K is in the type of fuel it uses Jet A Less expensive especially in Europe where 100LL is now almost double the price of Jet A And most importantly Jet A should always be available bo
48. ubular cross member as the new steering arm components are placed onto the dog house of the upper leg truss The pivot stud clamp is then tightened and safety wired with the Allen head screws provided This system now provides perfectly aligned components without shims or free floating pieces that in the past have been subject to high wear and failure The Pivot stud is now a small item that can be replaced should wear occur as are all the bushings in the Steering Arm Assembly Redesign of the Nose Gear The next challenge is the re design of the nose gear upper leg itself We want to build this as a retrofit component with all the design flaws eliminated as decided in the first part of this article This is a remaining weak point of the Mooney and its re design should lessen frequent repair or replacement in normal use as it currently does LASAR STC s and Repair Processes The remaining nose gear pivot truss retract truss Johnson bar and rudder torque tubes do wear also or break LASAR has FAA Approved Repair processes and STC PMA for repairing rebuilding or over sizing with new bushings or beef ups The OEM early and later Steering Arm Assemblies are also rebuilt re bushed or upgraded by LASAR STC s and repair processes and will continue to be available as we develop and provide new retrofit components Our Marketplace worldwide has encouraged us to create better alternatives for the Mooney owner LASAR Celebrates 35
49. uring assembly of the airframe nose gear trusses the upper leg the pivot truss and the retract truss are installed They are all built in their own welding jigs Then add the Steering Arm Assembly which is built in its own jig too Manufacturing Tolerances Imagine all the manufacturing tolerances that must be maintained to allow all these pieces to come together and work in perfect harmony ideally When you consider that Mooney has produced over 10 000 hand built airplanes that have so many hand welded and heat treated components that change shape during the heating and cooling processes the manufacturing system has worked fairly well Spare parts still fit 50 year old Mooneys of various models LASAR clamp on Pivot Stud Assembly LASAR has addressed the variable tolerances of one critical part of the troublesome nose gear steering system the welded on pivot stud The pivot stud eventually wears too but has no provisions to replace it except to grind it off and weld on a new one Due to its critical placement it should be the last piece to be located after all the other nose gear and steering components are installed Hence the LASAR clamp on Pivot Stud Assembly This is included with the LASAR Steering Arm Assembly to provide perfect alignment This Pivot Stud installs easily after grinding off the old one It self aligns on 27 Back to Table of Contents The Mooney Flyer Volume 2 Number 2 February 2013 the t
50. uring tolerances However this too will lead to early looseness and cause wear to develop LASAR Steering Arm Assembly STC Through the development of designs at Lake Aero LASAR we have finally succeeded in being granted an STC and PMA to manufacture and sell a Steering Arm Assembly and Pivot Stud Assembly that work together in harmony to address most of the identified problems of past designs The LASAR Steering Arm Assembly is produced on a CNC milling machine that assures that each part is identical The body is tough 7075 T6 aluminum coated with a anodizing process that is durable scratch and wear resistant while providing corrosion resistance Its pivot areas are bushed with the very tough aluminum nickel bronze bearing material that could be replaced in the event of wear The T shaft which is part of this assembly is machined and welded of two pieces that are machined as a unit after welding to assure perfect alignment and close tolerances and toughened by heat treating to preclude wear The Steering Arm Assembly requires no routine lubrication or pre shimmying as the machining and assembly assures proper alignment keep mentioning proper alignment being important That is a difficult quality to maintain in the manufacturing process Consider the weld jigs that the structural cabin frames are built in for various models This is where the nose gear attach points are welded in and the steering pivot stud is welded on D
51. wners don t realize there are two things they are NOT aware of First if you have an Engine Monitor it is much more useful to look for increased EGTs in all of your cylinders Second perform an additional magneto check at cruise Here s the other thing about magneto checks You will get an earlier indication of a magneto on the decline if you perform the magneto check while at cruise altitude In this scenario a failing magneto will show its condition sooner than the 1700 5 AL RPM ground run up check Winter Flying You ve heard it many times that winter flying can be the best In the western United States the weather is cooler and the skies clear Desert convection is tamed permitting smoother flying in the afternoon The east coast well they know But even there winter flying can be spectacular Nothing beats a Mooney eye view of snow capped mountains There are a bunch of things that come into play during winter flying for most of us First is you should probably throw some survival gear in the back of the plane If you need to land off airport in the winter exposure may be more dangerous than your off airport landing Secondly remember a few things about your engine and accessories Colder temperatures bring out the incipient failing parts sooner Make sure everything is working especially the important stuff Third remember to pre heat your engine Out in California tend to pre heat if the temperature is below
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