That had to take a large set of kahunas!

Members,

In my research on Aerostars, I've seen several planes with dual transponders.

Why the duplication?

Every time I sit in MY Aerostar, I see dual transponders. I would like to know as well (it was that way when I bought it).

Glenn

Every time I sit in MY Aerostar, I see dual transponders. I would like to know as well (it was that way when I bought it).

Glenn

Dual transponders are very common in high altitude traveling planes, especially in the days when they had "cavities" that would fail unpredictably. No transponder keeps you out of the flight levels and a lot of busy IFR airspace.

Ten years ago I put in a GTX33 mode S Transponder (TIS Traffic), I kept the old Collins TDR950 mode C transponder with its separate altitude encoder.
The GTX33 never gave me any trouble. (the encoder always told ATC I was 200' low)

In 2014, I pulled the TDR950 to free up enough space to replace my SL30 with a GNC 255 (8.33).

2015 I upgraded the GTX33 to ES.

In 2017 I added a GTX345, and removed the altitude encoder (altitude data now comes from the Aspen EFD1000)

and

I'm back to dual transponders.

BECAUSE

Even though the chances of having a modern transponder fail are small, once ADS-B OUT is mandatory, (after 2020) the consequences of a transponder failure would be significant. With two transponders, if the GTX345 fails, I just switch to the GTX33/ES and just keep on trucking.

Only limitation:

The GTN650 controls both transponders, if it was to fail I'd lose both transponders and my GPS Navigation.

You need a 750 and a 650; otherwise you are flying in the old world

Eric,

Dang it, I was heading to bed. Now that I've seen your cockpit I won't be able to sleep.

Can I come by and wax your plane just to peek in the windows

You need two 750s or your flying in the old world.

Come on down to KHOU.

Brad,

You don't need an A* to have an invitation. I "know a guy" who can get you a BT discount on fuel even!!

The flying theory of "gaits" is not mine. I learned it after thirty years of flying from the publications of Ralph Butcher. Once learned and applied, I found it so natural and "predictive" that it became my normal approach to pilotage, to the point of doing it subconsciously.

My favorite example came in a flight in the A*. I was ferrying a friend, and VERY GOOD pilot, to the maintenance shop to pick up his airplane. There was a 600' overcast, and I was shooting a LPV approach. As we turned at the IAF and I reconfigured for final approach, he asked what my approach speed number was. I said, tongue in cheek, "I don't know". I let him think about that for a few seconds, then smiled and answered his question.

"In half flap landing configuration and 16" of manifold pressure, she will settle down on the glide slope at 116 Knots." I was letting the A/P fly and as it got us settled on the "glide slope", the speed kept easing down to, you guessed it, 116 knots.

I will have to admit that one of my favorite characteristics of the A* is its predictability of response to pre-determined flight configurations.


Jgreen

The flying theory of "gaits" is not mine. I learned it after thirty years of flying from the publications of Ralph Butcher. Once learned and applied, I found it so natural and "predictive" that it became my normal approach to pilotage, to the point of doing it subconsciously.

My favorite example came in a flight in the A*. I was ferrying a friend, and VERY GOOD pilot, to the maintenance shop to pick up his airplane. There was a 600' overcast, and I was shooting a LPV approach. As we turned at the IAF and I reconfigured for final approach, he asked what my approach speed number was. I said, tongue in cheek, "I don't know". I let him think about that for a few seconds, then smiled and answered his question.

"In half flap landing configuration and 16" of manifold pressure, she will settle down on the glide slope at 116 Knots." I was letting the A/P fly and as it got us settled on the "glide slope", the speed kept easing down to, you guessed it, 116 knots.

I will have to admit that one of my favorite characteristics of the A* is its predictability of response to pre-determined flight configurations.


Jgreen[/quote]


The Aerostar is extremely predictable and responsive to the application of those formulas. I have also been impressed how solid and stable the autopilot (C-IV) flies the airplane, even through configuration changes. It is genuinely the most jet-like prop driven airplane I have flown (not yet flown an MU-2 or Commander). The Falcon 10 is the only other thing I have flown that I thought handled as well.

"Pictures or it didn't happen"

A bit off the subject of the latest posts of sexy panels, but I thought some of you might be interested. One of the persistent problems I had with my A* was leaking wing fuel caps, allowing water in when it rained and causing uneven fuel burn resulting in the need to use double cross-feed to keep things in balance on long trips. The problem originated from the selection of simple steel for the cap receptacle when the plane was manufactured resulting in rust pits that prevented a proper seal.

A few years back A* was quoting about 1AMU each for SS units that eliminated the problem. I figured there had to be a better solution. After a little research, I chose the Aero caps same as used on the Cirrus. We made an adapter ring out of aluminium and installed with Pro-Seal and screws. Looks factory, easy to open, doesn't let water in, fuel burns evenly now and the numb-skull fueler can't fit the Jet-A nozzle in! (twice). And I spent 300 bucks, not 2,000.

Edit: Forgot to add, when we asked the local FSDO (Anchorage) they said just do a log entry. Nothing more, doesn't get better than that!

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... cfer=15430


Jeff

Jeff, I have had the same problem over the years with uneven fuel burn. Thanks for the tip.