Still using NiCad in the Ultra, it works for us. There is a battery shop on the field to do the inspections and they have spare batteries for us to use if we need one. Our last battery lasted for over 12 years and I think we only changed out 3 cells. Current battery is almost 5 years old with no problems so far. Current battery cost just under $9,100 and a deep cycle every 100 hours, close to what we fly a year, cost $168.

I have a lead acid battery. Changed it last year after 3.5 years. I never start with a GPU, and fly 100+ legs per year.

Not much load on the battery when it just winds up rubber bands eh Clint

Flew into Bradford PA, then in and out of Erie PA during the blizzard. The II handled ice great as well as contaminated runways. Great utility bird.

True, but it’s still fun

Not much load on the battery when it just winds up rubber bands eh Clint

I keep my II's lead acid on a trickle charger/desulfator. 100% battery starts. I think this is a key to battery health.

I flew her to the Bahamas and back yesterday to have lunch with a buddy. Crappy weather and windy but she handled both well. These are sporty to fly solo; 4000+ FPM climbs is fun.

I had the left pitot heater breaker pop going through the rain. I reset it and it worked fine the rest of the day. I wonder if I should replace the probe with one of my spares?

Thermal breakers (like the common button style we have in airplanes) can creep over time and trip early.

Reset it and see how long it takes to happen again. If it does, then suspect something in the circuit. If it doesn't, no worries.

The rain probably cooled the pitot down and that causes an increase in current (colder wire is lower resistance). That might have been just enough to put it over the edge that one time.

Mike C.

I wonder how much difference the rain makes on the pitot temperature when flying a 150+ KIAS? IIRC it doesn't seem to affect my CHTs noticeably.

Thermal breakers (like the common button style we have in airplanes) can creep over time and trip early.

Reset it and see how long it takes to happen again. If it does, then suspect something in the circuit. If it doesn't, no worries.

The rain probably cooled the pitot down and that causes an increase in current (colder wire is lower resistance). That might have been just enough to put it over the edge that one time.

Mike C.

Could be a faulty breaker. Had one of those once, copilot pitch trim, would off the a/p. Turned out the only fault in the circuit was the breaker itself.

We had the same thing in a CJ3; bad breaker for the STBY ADI. Breaker was the problem.

Flew the C510 into KHPN today. Nice bird. Sporty winds 37 knots 40 degrees off the nose. Working it.

Plane is basically as fast as the 550 but burns half the fuel.

Video has some NSFW language.

Click the hyperlink NOT the thumbnail.

To get a sense of the turbulence orient the video as though you were looking at me from the copilot seat.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/X5OyL5fD5SQ[/youtube]

Isn't the cockpit where you work?

Why can't Garmin fix the altitude readout on Virb cameras? Makes them look like amateurs. WTF?

My Virb 30 does the same thing.

Mike C.

Isn't the cockpit where you work?

Why can't Garmin fix the altitude readout on Virb cameras? Makes them look like amateurs. WTF?

My Virb 30 does the same thing.

Mike C.