Annual 2015

ANNUAL REPOSITION FLIGHT:

I can hardly believe it's annual time again, where did this year go?  After yesterdays dog rescue flight I was worried I would be really tired. Of course the chance to fly helped get me motivated this morning and the pets were wanting me up at 5am.

into the clag

Thankfully I did remember to turn on the preheats last night so I knew 08Romeo would be all warm and toasty. I opened up the hangar and swapped out the Cabrio (still for sale) and  tugged 08Romeo out into the chilly air.  The sky was looking dark to the north east but the forecast was calling for very good weather this morning, showers possible this evening.

breaking out

I taxied out for runway two and contacted Potomac Clearance Delivery. A slight change to the plan today from a new voice. SBY ENO as filed. I'm not sure why I got SBY since they always add in fly 270 heading once entering controlled airspace, this pretty much points you at Salisbury (SBY).

Layer thinning out and the open hole over Dover

I acknowledged and launched, climbing out on runway two and  turning on the 270 heading. I was requested to ident, as always, and did so. We confirmed my location and I was immediately turned to Smyrna (ENO), wasted ink. I climbed through a layer and road along for a short time until breaking out around 6200. It was super smooth and the view just gorgeous. The ride was short lived as Dover once again burst my bubble and had me descend to 5000, pilot discretion.

Looking at runway 31 at 58M

I found a huge hole, more like a bowl, in the now thin layer and worked my way below. The weather always seems to break up  over Dover, I've noted it on several occasions when flying north or south. At five I was handed off to Philly and reported having the weather and requesting the GPS 31 approach, the fog is not getting me again. I was turned direct CANUV which means no procedure turn :) and I continued on my way. No approach required today, I could see the field from 15 miles out. I canceled IFR and switched to Unicom at Claremont. A nice landing ended the fun ride and now it is time to get dirty and roll around on the concrete floor.

ANNUAL DAY 1

I talked with Roger and went over my squawk list. I wanted to replace the stabilator bolts as pointed out to me at BACFest. I also wanted to replace the left main and nose wheel. The main had some flat spots, it was showing its age. I had replaced it back on my first annual. The nose wheel looks ok but I see the rubber showing some age (the start of cracking) around the rim.

bottom old bolt

top of connecting rod shaft - old bolt

one of the new bolts installed

I opened all the inspection plates and pulled the wing tips as Stan and Jeremy started on the power plant. The plugs had some carbon build up but they checked out fine after cleaning. The tail was inspected and the stabilator bolts changed out followed by lubrication. The ELT was checked, control cables checked and lubricated and the wing inspections completed and lubricated per the service manual.

looking from behind the screened intake for the alternator

Where it attaches to the alternator

Compressions looked great, 76/78/78/77. The oil filter was pulled and was inspected  after it drained out. The filter looked clean,no metal or carbon. There was a hose replaced that forced air to cool the alternator and a single section of the baffle was replaced that didn't seem to stay in place on the pilots side rear of the engine.

Top right, you can see where the air is blowing by the baffle.

I had to pick up my rental car and head out by 3pm so I could get the one way rental to Ocean City on time. I bugged out and made it to OCMD in two hours, traffic was um...flowing. Enterprise gave me a ride to my hangar and I finally ended the day with a nice ten minute drive to the house. I swallowed an Advil with dinner, took a hot shower and got this first day entered.

ANNUAL DAY 2:

Another early start with the pets at 5am and I am on the road by 6am. Traffic, if there is any, should move along nicely despite the constant rain. I make a stop at Helen's Sausage House for a single with cheese, a chocolate milk and get right back on the road. I make the north run in two hours and twenty minutes.

When I got to the shop 08Romeo was in the air with her gear coming off. I jumped right in and finished replacing all the inspection panel screws, what a suck job. Once that nasty task was completed I managed to get in the way since there were three people already working on my gear. One changing the main and nose gear tubes and tires that I requested and repacking bearings, one rebuilding a brake caliper and the other cleaning each gear strut and greasing every fitting on the plane.

Somewhere along the way there was two new grommets installed; one on my fuel tank vent hose and one on the drain line that is attached to a collector in the cockpit that takes care of the fresh air vents in case they get water trapped, which they do, because some genius engineer made the opening facing the sky on each side of the cabin behind the top cowl.

The electrical system, batteries and lights, were tested. I must have pulled a ground loose on my Starboard nav light when removing and reattaching the wing tip. The tip had to come off again and a repair was made to the ground wire.

Old, with a soft spot

New

Once the gear was completed 08Romeo was lowered and taken off the stands. The lower and top Cowl was installed with a run up to test the two Airworthiness Directives; Precise Flight, Inc. Model SVS III Standby Vacuum Systems and the Bendix Ignition Switch. That's it for today.  08Romeo will be snug in the shop until I bring her home tomorrow.

New front tire, check out those whiskers!

Two hours and fifteen minutes for my trip home. I'm ready for a hot shower and another Advil.  I'll be renting from Enterprise in Ocean City for a one way to Elkton in the morning so I can fly 08Romeo home. I hope the weather holds, I'm not flying IFR immediately following annual.

ANNUAL FLIGHT HOME:

I didn't need to get such an early start like yesterday, instead, I walked into the Car rental office around 8:30. Todays ride was a red Honda that got great mileage, 3.2 gallons for 110 mile trip so 34.4 mpg. If only my ML320 could do that...it gets 18.4 mpg.

Enterprise ran me over to the airport so I could square up the final bill. I added a few quarts of 15W50 to the total in order to keep my hangar stocked. The weather was pretty much the same all the way to the beach so I filed just in case. Ceiling was 2,800 overcast so I ran south at 2,500.

The tail winds were 20 knots and it helped push my ground speed to 142 knots at its best. It was a bumpy ride but since it was just me I was ok riding it out.

The change in the baffle really fixed the temp issue. I had CHT cruise temps in the 330's and EGT's were leaned out at 1220 solid across the board, and both readings were stable.

KOXB over the nose on the coast, almost home

I canceled flight following with Dover and switched over to Ocean City.  I made my position calls and picked up the weather,  winds were 340* at 10 gusting 18, pretty much right down the runway. As I turned base I could see that my hangar door was open. Mary was sitting in her car waiting to take me over to pick up my SUV at Enterprise here at home. After a nice landing and rolling out, Ops said welcome home Gary and asked if I needed fuel. Not right now, I would be back during the week.

A fun annual and if not for the two new tube and tires($402)it would have been rather inexpensive. Here is the breakdown.

Annual Inspection 4 Place  $755

Additional Labor 4.9 hr    $333

Parts:                     $512

Pneumatic filter

Air Hawk Main tire

Michelin Airstop tube 

Air Hawk Nose tire

Michelin Air Stop Tube

Scat Hose

Brake Pads

Caliper Seals

Champion Oil Filter

Spark Plug Gaskets

Brackett Air Filter

Consumables (Shop)          $45

Owner Assist              -$100

Total $1545.00

Thanks For Your Service

Thank-you to those who have served, to those who stand watch today and their families at home. Thank-You for the very freedom you provide my family every day. 

WHAT IS GREENLIGHT A VET?

 

America’s veterans are some of our nation’s bravest, hardest-working men and women. However, it’s hard to show them the appreciation they deserve when, back home and out of uniform, they’re more camouflaged than ever. Greenlight A Vet is a campaign to establish visible national support for our veterans by changing one light to green.

Lucy Finds Her Forever Family

As previously noted on the Possible Rescue Flight post we wanted to fly this mission if all the puzzle pieces fell into place.  Well, Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue (MAESSR) did a great job getting the drop off moved to Wilmington's airport (KILG) and the new family was thrilled to meet us at Charleston, WV - KCRW.

 

We started out very early having to take care of our zoo then get to the airport.  I had watched the weather and it was looking fantastic for Lucy's flight. 08Romeo had her engine and cylinder preheats turned on last night so she would be toasty and ready to go once we opened the hangar door.

Mary and I were back to the well oiled machine. The Cabrio was backed out, the plane unplugged and pre-flighted then tugged clear of the hangar. I already had fifty gallons on board from a few nights ago, so we were ready to go.

I picked up my clearance with Potomac C&D, made my notes and launched. Cleared as filed with a fly heading 270* on departure so Potomac can ID me then turn us loose.  It was a smooth flight even with headwinds this morning, arriving at ILG just before 9am.

I took on ten gallons to bring me back to fifty total for the next leg. Mary and Eva made sure Lucy was ready and then we loaded up. Thanks Eva for getting Lucy to us at Wilmington!! I lifted Lucy up and set her on the wing, she climbed right behind the left seat and checked out the back of the plane. We had a moving blanket and a soft blanket on top of that in place of the rear seats and baggage area so she could get comfy.

I picked up my clearance with Wilmington ground then taxied for runway one. After start up Lucy wedged herself behind my seat against the wing spar, it was a tight fit but I guess she felt safe there. After take off I usually move my seat back a notch or two but today it was locked in place so our passenger was happy.

The flight was smooth at six thousand as we passed north of Baltimore and remained just south of Camp David airspace. Approach was great getting us direct Charleston as soon as possible, it helps to note dog rescue flight when you file. I was told to expect runway five for landing but at the last minute approach cleared me for runway two three, very odd. I was handed off to the tower and when I checked in with Sundowner 6708Romeo visual two-three, I was instructed to land once again on five. I entered a right base and was high on final but made a nice landing.

As soon as we landed Lucy popped out from behind my seat and jumped in Mary's lap, she was ready to get out, now.  Ok, I'm still rolling out and looking for the taxiway I was instructed to turn on and Lucy wanted to take the controls. Ah, no darlin' get back. Mary did a great job holding Lucy back as we made our way to the General Aviation Terminal. We had to plan getting out of the plane so Lucy girl didn't go first.

Once we shut down and things got quiet Lucy settled in and let me get out first so I could help her off the wing. The three of us walked in the terminal and were greeted by Lucy's new family. Diane, Jerry and their daughter Caroline each had that big smile on, and that made the rescue flight worth it for us. Lucy took to Caroline immediately and that just makes your heart melt.

Mary and I have done a few of these rescue flights and this was a first for us today. The family presented us with a huge picnic basket filled with great sandwich lunch goodies, local jams and preserves and a beautiful Rectangular Cobalt Blue Glass Water Bottle handcrafted locally that Mary and I will cherish forever.

The collector piece has already found its home with Marys collection of cake plates and collector pottery from various locations. It looks beautiful with the LED lights above our kitchen cabinets giving it a very soft glow. We can not thank you enough for your much appreciated gifts.

We said our goodbyes with handshakes and hugs and watched Lucy trot off with her new forever family....it felt right. Mary and I turned to each other and both said Lucy is a very lucky girl.

I settled up my fuel bill and then filed my flight plan home. I had given thought to heading south towards Richmond then swinging up the Delmarva peninsula home. Instead I would follow the route we took home from Mt. Sterling Kentucky and decided to file for Baltimore then home.

We tossed around some ideas for a place to stop and eat then decided to dig into the beautiful basket and just relax at the FBO and have a sandwich and cold drink. This would save us time and get us home before the magical one hour after sunset so we didn't turn into mice (I'm not night current).

Charleston was very easy to work with and we made the loooong taxi for runway five. After watching a regional jet and a Dash-8 land I was cleared to take off. 08Romeo climbed out steady to seven thousand and that's where we road along with approach. We were handed off to multiple approach controls as we enjoyed the view and smooth ride with tail winds.

Somewhere along the way we dug out the awesome cupcakes that were in the basket, they were really good.  Thankfully approach didn't bother me while we indulged.


We made our way to Baltimore, just south of the city and directly over the airport. We watched a few jumbo jets climb out, they were huge, it was like flying over Dover with the C5's. We crossed the bay just north of the twin bridges on RT50 north east of Annapolis, we were almost home. It was amazing to watch the ADS-B light up with traffic as we passed busy airports, it was like watching bees around a hive.

Finally we had Ocean city in view and I was gradually stepped down by approach.  I eventually canceled IFR about ten west and switched over to CTAF to make my position calls. I had to slip to loose altitude and really chop the power to make runway one-four.  Not my best approach but a nice landing made it feel better.

We are home and 08Romeo is fueled and ready to fly to annual bright and early tomorrow morning. 7.6 hours flying today, I'm beat.

Possible Rescue Flight

Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue (MAESSR) posted a request for transport on Facebook this morning.

Can you or someone you know help get this dog to his forever home this Sunday? Transport occurs Sunday, November 8, 2015. Lucy 9 is a sweet puppy that is getting adopted and needs a ride home.

Mary and I try to fly for this group whenever possible. The weather is looking great for Sunday, at least as of right now, so I will put together a flight plan and work the numbers.

ADS-B Review

Today Mary and I ground pounded north to Red Eagle to pick up 08Romeo. Fresh off her ADS-B install and ready to fly once again, 08Romeo will stretch her wings as I take advantage of the new wx and traffic available.

TALE OF THE TAPE...

Garmin GDL-88

Dual-link Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) ADS-B “Out” with optional SBAS/WAAS GPS

Receives subscription-free weather, advanced TargetTrend™ traffic and TerminalTraffic™ display

Displays on GTN series, G500/600 flight displays as well as other select compatible displays

Optional Flight Stream 110 or 210 provides wireless connectivity with tablets and Garmin portables via Connext™

Approved for installation in hundreds of popular aircraft models, including helicopters

Access Aviation Weather
The GDL 88 also features ADS-B “In” datalink technology that allows it to receive subscription-free Flight Information Service-Broadcast (FIS-B) weather broadcast from ADS-B ground stations on this same 978 UAT frequency. On a compatible flight display, this uplink allows you to view graphical NEXRAD radar, METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs, AIRMETs, NOTAMs, TFRs and more.

Spot Potential Traffic Threats
The GDL 88 can receive ADS-B position reports directly from other aircraft in your vicinity. Because the FAA permits ADS-B broadcasts on 2 frequencies (978 UAT and 1090 ES), the GDL 88 contains both receivers so you can see a comprehensive view of all ADS-B “Out” equipped targets. ADS-B provides the ability to provide air-to-air datalinks with other aircraft. The GDL 88 is compatible with active traffic systems and prioritizes multiple traffic inputs, removing duplicate targets by choosing the highest integrity source available.

ADS-B “In” technology also allows the GDL 88 to receive Traffic Information Service-Broadcast (TIS-B) information. On a compatible display, TIS-B allows you to view the same dynamic traffic picture that ATC ground .

FlightStream 210

Simplifies and streamlines your cockpit management

Works with the Garmin Pilot™ and ForeFlight Mobile apps as well as aera 795/796¹

Enables traffic and weather from your avionics to be viewed on your portable device

Easily load flight plans – including airways – from Garmin Pilot to your GTN™ 750/650 series or GNS 430W/530W series navigator (Flight Stream 210 only)

Provides GPS location and AHRS attitude information

ForeFlight Mobile Connectivity with Garmin
ForeFlight Mobile connects to Garmin avionics via the Flight Stream 110 and 210, Garmin’s Bluetooth wireless gateway, enabling convenient two-way flight plan transfer, and the display of subscription-free ADS-B weather, traffic, backup attitude, and GPS position on your iPad and iPhone.
Two-Way Flight Plan Transfer
Wirelessly transfer your flight plan between ForeFlight Mobile and Garmin GTN and GNS navigators when connected via the Garmin Flight Stream 210, and the Garmin G3X Touch display.

 

Load a simple route, as well as approaches, SIDs, STARs, routes with airways, and search and rescue patterns. ForeFlight Mobile also receives route changes made on the Garmin navigator, keeping your panel and iOS device in sync.

THE INITIAL TEST FLIGHT...

When I first got in the plane and fired up for the initial pairing of the iPad and FlightStream I had an issue. You have to physically switch to the AUX page on the 530 and pair the devices. With this first step completed the device list now displayed Garys iPad, I'm now connected. I had to try and push flight plans from the iPad to the 530, nothing. The iPad clearly showed I was connected to the Flightstrem in my settings bluetooth page. I shut down and went back inside the shop with the folks at Red Eagle to call Garmin.

Flight Plan notice when I changed to a direct flight

Garmin wanted to make sure the firmware was correct and updated on the FlgihtStream 210 for v2.2. Ok, it's a new unit, I'm a bit confused. Apparently some of the first units were shipped without the updated firmware. In order to check this I needed Garmin Pilot...ahh, I don't use Garmin pilot.



Garmin 530 traffic screen

I went back out to the plane to see if the pairing would display what version firmware was on the FS210. This time when I climbed aboard I had the iPad on. I fired up the avionics and it immediately paired with the iPad. I went to the flight plan page and the additional icon, a Bluetooth type symbol, was now in the tool bar.  Excellent! I clicked on it and a screen popped up asking if I wanted to "load from panel" or "send to panel". The flight plan I had for returning to OXB, V29 and all, was now on the 530 without having to chug and plug.



Garmin 530 weather screen



I worked through the message on the 530 asking to confirm the flight plan and tada!, it was ready to go. I went back in and confirmed everything looked good. I loaded up my Adlog with the updated W&B (-4lbs useful load), IFR cert and all the other additional stickies for the respective airframe and avionics logs. Mary and I climbed aboard and taxied out for departure. Once in the air I noticed I forgot to take my Zaon device, I'll have to make another trip north.



For the flight home I decided not to pick up my clearance and instead point direct Ocean City and once at altitude check out traffic and weather. I noticed that the traffic on my main Nav screen did not initially display altitude info but showed a boatload of traffic and the directional tails. Not knowingly when changing the viewing range I think the +/- altitude also showed up. I will have to investigate further.

iPad traffic and weather (photo taken on Thursday local hop)

The wx page loaded up but with clear blue skies not a thing showed up. I did not get the traffic to show up on my iPad but I think that is an iPad setting issue. I didn't want to be head down playing with that while flying home without a safety pilot. I'll work through the issue on the ground tomorrow.

It was a lot of money for the ADS-B solution I selected. However, I have no wires or extra boxes to plug in, charge or carry to/from the plane. In my opinion I have increased the value and usability of the Garmin 530 making changes on the go very simple for single pilot IFR operations.  For this evening I'll be reading the 236 page Pilots Guide to Foreflight Mobile.  I hope to have better pictures and PIREP after a second flight tomorrow.