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Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 8:24 pm
by rwtucker
I love my tubocharged Continental powerplant. I had not heard about the issue with Continental valves that Erik mentions. I do know about a widespread myth about low Continental compression ratios. A lot of Continental owners have been talked into wasting $$ on a top job or a full overhaul on perfectly good engines that were reading ~50/80 on all six.

I had a better article on this from Continental but I can't locate it at the moment. This one covers the main points. Notice Continental's experiment with an engine intentionally tricked out so that all cylinders were 40/80. Full HP!

http://www.avweb.com/news/savvyaviator/188758-1.html

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:25 pm
by DavidS
CFIDave wrote:I can't see sinking $8000 into a pair of 20 year old GNS 530/430 units if you can afford to pay $20K for new GTN650s. There's also a nice resale market for used 530/430 units, so you should be able to make some money back by selling those.
Definitely agree here.

Also, Garmin runs frequent sales/rebates on 750/650 purchase combos. A few years ago, they ran a really good one on g500/gtn750/gtn650 that took nearly 10k off. Patience is a key on that one.

The experimental guys are still eating up the GNS530/430 units, so they're still very easy to sell. (Check ebay for ballpark pricing. You'll be surprised.)

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 11:50 pm
by Antoine
Erik yes you sent me the photos - awesome. I'm glad you still love the Rocket.
Thanks for the heads up to you and Robert. My engine has 800 hours, compressions all over the place from 55 to 72. I was planning on a TOH at least, maybe a full overhaul.
Dave, thanks for the reply. 430/530 fetch rather high prices on eBay. Mine may have a *small* issue: Europe databases...
But the best news is this: Garmin have a ($$$ 4500) piece of kit called the GAD43e that will actually let the G500 act as an altitude and VS preselector for the STEC 55, as well as display DME data (still relevant here...)
This is a big deal to me, despite the price.

The Flightstream 210 adapter Dave mentioned allows loading FPLs from iPads into GNS430/530Ws or the newer GTNs. But it also has an integrated AHRS, GPS which enables great features on the iPad.
So to sum it up, it looks like:
- G500 displaying on-board weather radar, TCAS and terrain.
- GAD43e interface to autopilot
- 2 GTN650 (maybe)
- FS210 interface to non-certified stuff
- iPad/Garmin Pilot for FPL, SynVis and Geo referenced charts.
- JPI EDM930 engine monitor

I need to find a way to get rid of the 3 backup flight instruments (same as DA40/42).
I was hoping the Sandia 340 solid state instrument would work. Unfortunately it looks like it will only allow removal of the attitude indicator, not the altimeter or airspeed indicator, if I read the FAA text correctly.

Comments much appreciated.

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:38 am
by rwtucker
Antoine wrote:Thanks for the heads up to you and Robert. My engine has 800 hours, compressions all over the place from 55 to 72. I was planning on a TOH at least, maybe a full overhaul.
In my experience, this is to be expected more with a turbocharged Continental. Also, there is a pretty significant issue with test/re-rest reliability. If you were to run compressions once a week for two months, you would be surprised at the variance. You will even see variance when you run through the cylinders twice at the same time, especially if two people do it. My IA and I never get the exactly the same readings. Being liquid cooled (unlike my hot headed monster that is difficult to keep under 425F CHT in any sort of climb), you might expect TBO in excess of 1,800 hours. As long as it is running smoothly, with appropriate and somewhat similar indications on plugs and CHTs, I would not pay too much attention to compressions . . . until you fry an exhaust valve and get 25/80 because you forgot to enrich in the descent (I just heard that can happen; no personal experience, mind you). Also, with that engine, I would not hesitate to replace just one barrel if needed. Chasing conceptual uniformity is an expensive game that may not return any benefits in that type of engine. Opinions will vary but so say the two Continental rebuilders around here.

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 1:33 am
by DavidS
Antoine wrote: So to sum it up, it looks like:
- G500 displaying on-board weather radar, TCAS and terrain.
- GAD43e interface to autopilot
- 2 GTN650 (maybe)
- FS210 interface to non-certified stuff
- iPad/Garmin Pilot for FPL, SynVis and Geo referenced charts.
- JPI EDM930 engine monitor
Given that combination, you might actually want to look directly at the G600. It believe that it comes with everything (at least two years ago) GAD43e, TAWS-B, SVT baked into the package price.
Antoine wrote: I need to find a way to get rid of the 3 backup flight instruments (same as DA40/42).
I was hoping the Sandia 340 solid state instrument would work. Unfortunately it looks like it will only allow removal of the attitude indicator, not the altimeter or airspeed indicator, if I read the FAA text correctly.
Pretty certain you can do that with the newest FAA guidance as of a couple months ago. Another option, if you can convince them to sell you one, is one of the Aspen backup displays. The advanced model is practically as powerful as the g5/600.

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 1:58 am
by CFIDave
The Mid Continent, MD302 Standby Attitude Module is now being used by Diamond to replace all of the backup steam gauges in the panel of new DA42-VI and DA62 aircraft. So I'm sure the FAA allows replacing the old backup altimeter and airspeed indicators as well as the old backup attitude indicator with an "all in one" glass backup.

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 2:34 am
by Antoine
DavidS - G600 seems to have the GAD43 not the GAD43e.
And I just realized TAWS is not standard in G500. I would then shift it to the iPad to save costs.

Regarding FAA Guidance, I think my aircraft specific question is:
If the aircraft was type certified with TWO sets of instruments, is the second set (copilot side) considered primary?
It looks like the best compromise is an Aspen Evolution 1000 VFR at $5K. It would also fit better than both the Sandia and MidContinent.

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 2:40 am
by Erik
rwtucker wrote:
Antoine wrote:Thanks for the heads up to you and Robert. My engine has 800 hours, compressions all over the place from 55 to 72. I was planning on a TOH at least, maybe a full overhaul.
In my experience, this is to be expected more with a turbocharged Continental. Also, there is a pretty significant issue with test/re-rest reliability. If you were to run compressions once a week for two months, you would be surprised at the variance. You will even see variance when you run through the cylinders twice at the same time, especially if two people do it. My IA and I never get the exactly the same readings. Being liquid cooled (unlike my hot headed monster that is difficult to keep under 425F CHT in any sort of climb), you might expect TBO in excess of 1,800 hours. As long as it is running smoothly, with appropriate and somewhat similar indications on plugs and CHTs, I would not pay too much attention to compressions . . . until you fry an exhaust valve and get 25/80 because you forgot to enrich in the descent (I just heard that can happen; no personal experience, mind you). Also, with that engine, I would not hesitate to replace just one barrel if needed. Chasing conceptual uniformity is an expensive game that may not return any benefits in that type of engine. Opinions will vary but so say the two Continental rebuilders around here.
I was speaking of poor lapping that was rampant in Continental factory new cylinders during an era that seems to have run from mid 80s until early 2000s.

See http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182155-1.html

if your engine was built after that, it is probably ok. If you have such cylinders, no matter how good the pilot techique or even how cool you can keep the engine in climb, it will probably need a mid time top, or at least some cylinders replaced - I agree with he concept of replacing only one or two if that is all that is called for. If you are after that period then you are probably good to go. Nonetheless, when it is time for my major overhaul, I will buy new cylinders, and I will definitely make sure a custom shop custom laps them to a high level of quality fit.

The cooling in my installation is quite good - it is very easy to run 350 cht at most in cruise (sometimes much cooler) and no more than 380-385 in climb even to the flight levels.

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 2:43 am
by Erik
Antoine wrote:DavidS - G600 seems to have the GAD43 not the GAD43e.
And I just realized TAWS is not standard in G500. I would then shift it to the iPad to save costs.

Regarding FAA Guidance, I think my aircraft specific question is:
If the aircraft was type certified with TWO sets of instruments, is the second set (copilot side) considered primary?
It looks like the best compromise is an Aspen Evolution 1000 VFR at $5K. It would also fit better than both the Sandia and MidContinent.
I planned to upgrade my steam gauge Mooney to glass when I got it - but never got around to it - I have gotten to grow quite fond of my steam gauge - with all sort of steam gauge/electric gyro redundancy. My king HSI is called a work of mechanical art by many, often referred to as a Swiss watch of instruments. It is very easy to use this stuff. And GNS430W. Trig ADSB-out transponder. iPad on the yoke running Garmin Pilot including SVT, and a GDL39-3d transmitting reliable GPS signal and AHARS.

Re: What comes after a DA40?

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 2:58 am
by DavidS
Antoine wrote:DavidS - G600 seems to have the GAD43 not the GAD43e.
And I just realized TAWS is not standard in G500. I would then shift it to the iPad to save costs.
Ah, I didn't remember that difference. Looks like there's a 2k upgrade to go from 43 -> 43e.

Keep on top of them, there's all sorts of license options that may or may not be shared. Just saw this jewel: "Garmin Altitude Preselect Enablement For S-TEC 55X, Altitude Preselect Enablement Option For The G500", a $2700 option. (SVT is 4300 on the g500, taws 6k, chartview 2k...)

... and don't worry, the g5/600 and gtn enablements are all separate for TAWS and chartview...

Sick thing is my friend has a dual-panel g3x in his rv9a he's building that costs a fraction of what we're talking about here. :(
Antoine wrote: Regarding FAA Guidance, I think my aircraft specific question is:
If the aircraft was type certified with TWO sets of instruments, is the second set (copilot side) considered primary?
It looks like the best compromise is an Aspen Evolution 1000 VFR at $5K. It would also fit better than both the Sandia and MidContinent.
No idea about that one. Maybe the POH has it laid out like ours does.

This was the Aspen I was thinking of: http://www.aspenavionics.com/products/e ... up-display. I think they're only doing OEM sales though, so the VFR for 5k may be the better idea. (That's vertical-mount only though. If you want horizontal mount, you have to use the "backup display" version.)

Much like all of this, it's a little expensive... (the sandia is the best value, but the aspen is the most featureful.)