BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 28 Dec 2016, 23:46

Username Protected wrote:

Improper radiation shielding for van Allen belts for radios that service the voice transmission.

That's why spot works. Same satellite.

Whoops

It worked great when we first started using 20 years ago but when it went bad it went bad in just a few months. We had no idea why it didn't work all I know in was a royal pain to deal with. We had a hard mount global star in our boat 400 miles out in the middle of nowhere so it wasn't as if we could take it to the dealer it have it fixed and you couldn't call tech support.

Iridium is a substainly larger company with a much larger user base. They may cost a little more but the service is outstanding and there when you need it.

Gary

Username Protected · **Posted:** 29 Dec 2016, 17:54

For anyone interested in the Iridium story (and it's a fascinating story!), "Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story" is a really good read.

Robert

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Jan 2017, 11:52

Username Protected wrote:

Adam,

There has been a long "debate" about the wisdom, meaning cost, of piston owners delving into the lower realms of turbine ownership. With a proliferation of $300,000 to $500,000 turbo props, the temptation is there.

Yours is a classic example and many hereon are following your journey; some from mere interest and others using your example as an excuse to follow or a reason to avoid. I looked into it 15 years ago and decided it was more monetary risk than I was willing to accept. It is not a matter of "he said, she said" or "I told you so", it is a matter of information. It is easy for those who make the leap to herald the wisdom of their decision but difficult for the same to admit bad experiences when they happen; just human nature.

I encourage you to continue serving up every detail of your experience; the bad with the good.

Personally, I have no direct interest anymore other than simply being "inquisitive". My use for an airplane even like the Aerostar is dwindling. For any trip under 400 miles, the C-180 will serve nicely and for anything longer, we choose first class airline tickets over 70% of the time.

So, please keep all of us in the loop. Yours will be a valuable source of information for a pretty fair number of BT members.

Jgreen

I intend to, JG. One of my good/bad features is that I'm not very competitive. Which means I'll admit when I'm being raked over the coals financially or encounter failures. I even ask for directions when I'm lost. Sometimes I'm not sure I'm even a man....

I did ask avionics shop to not order the GlobalStar system now, because of what I read. And also the new radar is going to push costs up, so need to save somewhere.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 14:43

Now that I'm back I thought I'd update my own thread for my fellow gluttons of self-punishment.

Long 8 month wait for this moment, so combined the avionics test flight with a cross country to get her pressurization fixed... As expected, a lot of the avionics things didn't work and as nice as it was to be back in the air, all the stuff they need to troubleshoot is going to be a drag. I was hoping to make our Commander fly-in, but without a miracle I don't think it will be possible. I don't want to sit and hand fly to Kansas dodging buildups without backups... But fingers crossed.

Anyway, here's what didn't work:

1. IFD cuts radio out in middle of transmission sometimes and displays in yellow comm failure warning or something (wish I'd taken a photo of exakt wording). In separate thread.

https://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=142403&view=unread#unread

2. Second Nav doesn't work at all, doesn't tune VOR, doesn't do LOC/GS. Amazed this was not caught by them. Page one stuff.

3. Autopilot inop. Could have something to do with not having any gyro pressure. That a/p has pneumatic servos. This one could be painful to troubleshoot if it's not an easy fix. I have asked about the H-14 in separate thread.

https://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=142404&view=unread#unread

4. All the flags on ADI all there still. Its a mess. And nobody knows these old Collins instruments it seems. They haven't been able to get a straight answer from any tech person, so they keep telling me to overhaul instrument computer. But I'm not sure that's the problem. We've overhauled everything else in that system and still the problem persists...

Otherwise plane ran fine, seemed pretty fast at 14500ft on a really hot day. Around 240kts. Once mechanic takes care of pressurization, I think she'll move right along up in the FL's. I'm hoping to see 250kts TAS.

Panel before everything got assembled.

All those flags... Nobody seems to know about these instruments. The experience pool is drying up for older avionics. Too bad, because it's actually a really good instrument. It has GS right next to AI, it's electric, so it's like a mechanical EFIS in many ways.

Standby L3 EI-500.

IFD540

You know they say turbines are twice as expensive, right?

Put new LED's on it.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 14:50

Welcome back!!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 14:52

Good to see you back! That panel looks great too.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 15:10

Welcome back Adam! I've been a bit down about BT since you ran into the challenges that you had.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 15:15

Welcome back Adam been missing the slumming in the TP world posts.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 15:16

Welcome Back! :cheers:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 19:15

Thanks!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 26 Aug 2017, 19:22

Glad to see you've got that Commander in the air and even better to see you posting again! I admire your patience in this ordeal, you've ended up with a very economical turboprop.

Here is to many happy slummer miles :clap:

Hilgard

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Aug 2017, 05:14

Quote:

As expected, a lot of the avionics things didn't work

You mean you paid a bonafide avionics shop hard cash for the panel install and EXPECTED a lot of things to NOT work ? :scratch:

Please do us all a favor and post the name of the shop so we can steer clear ...

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Aug 2017, 08:53

Adam welcome back! Missed your posts and reading about the resurrection of the Phoenix.
You may want to ping Martin, he works at Rockwell Collins and may have contacts there to help you troubleshoot and service. Large presence in Cedar Rapids, their HQ.
Two others who work there also on BT.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Aug 2017, 08:59

Welcome back Adam, now lets go burn jet fuel! Now fix that pressurization issue, TP needs to fly high.

Used avionics are always an issue, avionics shops will blame the used stuff or what they didnt install. BTDT.
It always end up costing you more and you wonder if you saved anything.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Aug 2017, 10:46

Thanks so much for the follow-up. I have wondered whatever happened to her. ...wish I knew about those old avionics and I would fly out and fix them for you for a test flight.

Thanks!

Bob

Turbine step up?