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The Real Hunting for Lessons in Value of EMPs Hangar Space Pressurization FOR THE PILOTS OF OWNER-FLOWN, CABIN-CLASS AIRCRAFT NOVEMBER 2020 $3.95 US VOLUME 24 NUMBER 11 PILATUS PC-12 NGX AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT THE TECH BEHIND THE TURBOPROP Innovative Solutions EDITOR Rebecca Groom Jacobs NOVEMBER2020 • VOL. 24, NO. 11 [email protected] Contents EDITORIAL OFFICE 2779 Aero Park Drive Traverse City, MI 49686 Editor’s Briefing Phone: (231) 946-7770 2 Almost First-Time Owners 4 by Rebecca Groom Jacobs PUBLISHER Dave Moore 4 The Hangar Hunt PRESIDENT by Dianne White Dave Moore 6 Are Engine Maintenance CFO Programs Worth the Money? Rebecca Mead by Dale Smith PRODUCTION MANAGER Mike Revard PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR Jake Smith GRAPHIC DESIGNER 10 Marci Moon 10 Pilatus PC-12 NGX TWIN & TURBINE WEBSITE An Up-Close Look at the www.twinandturbine.com Tech Behind the Turboprop ADVERTISING by Rich Pickett Jenna Reid 1-800-773-7798 18 Under Pressure [email protected] Lessons in Piston Cabin Pressurization ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Betsy Beaudoin by Kevin Ware 1-800-773-7798 [email protected] GENERAL AVIATION ADVERTISING INFORMATION 22 [email protected] From the Flight Deck SUBSCRIBER SERVICES 22 MAX Effort Rhonda Kelly Returning the Embattled Kelly Adamson B-737 MAX to Service Jessica Meek by Kevin Dingman Jamie Wilson P.O. Box 968 Owner’s Corner Traverse City, MI 49685 26 Cheyenne IIXL: 1-800-447-7367 Up Close and Personal To change mailing address, by Jeffrey Brausch email [email protected] Twin & Turbine (ISSN 1945-6514), USPS 24432 is pub- lished monthly by Village Press, Inc. with advertising offices located at 2779 Aero Park Drive, Traverse City, Michigan 49686. Telephone (231) 946-3712. Printed 26 in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Copyright 2016, Village Press, Inc. Periodical Postage On Final Paid at Traverse City, MI. 32 Strategery SUBSCRIPTIONS: Twin & Turbine is distributed at no charge to all registered owners of cabin-class aircraft. by David Miller The mailing list is updated monthly. All others may subscribe by writing to: Twin & Turbine, P.O. Box 968, Traverse City, MI 49685, or by calling 1-800-447-7367. Rates for the United States and its possessions follow: one year $15.00; two years $29.00. Canadian subscrip- tions are one year $24.00; two years $46.00, including GST tax. Overseas subscriptions are one year $52.00; two years $99.00, U.S. funds. Single copies $6.50. ADVERTISING: Advertising in Twin & Turbine does not necessarily imply endorsement. Queries, questions, and requests for media kits should be directed to the Advertising Director, Twin & Turbine, P.O. Box 968, Traverse City, Michigan 49685. Telephone 1-800-773- 7798. Website: www.twinandturbine.com. MANUSCRIPTS: Twin & Turbine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photo- graphs, or art work. While unsolicited submissions are welcome, it is best to query first and ask for our Writer’s Guidelines. All unassigned submis- sions must be accompanied by return postage. Address queries and requests for Writer’s Guidelines COVER PHOTO: to the editor. Photo Courtesy of Pilatus Aircraft POSTMASTER: Send address changes and inquiries to Twin & Turbine, Village Press, Issues of Twin & Turbine are available Inc., P.O. Box 968, Traverse City, MI 49685. for free www.twinandturbine.com November 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 1 Editor’s Briefing by Rebecca Groom Jacobs Almost First-Time Owners In September we came this close to purchasing a Mooney father-in-law (who is deeply ingrained both in the industry – a story I thought I’d share here. I will turn it over to Jared and aircraft sales), in addition to calling numerous other aviation to summarize the experience, but spoiler alert: the search connections to gather all of the opinions and insight I could is still on. find. And, of course, I dove deep into forums and internet research. With the exception of the damage history, this Jared Jacobs: Shortly after Rebecca and I made the call Mooney appeared to check all the boxes. Rebecca and I to start our airplane search, a connection of my father-in- decided to make an offer. law’s alerted us of a Mooney M20J coming up for sale. The After a long wait over a holiday weekend (probably the J-model sits at the top of our wish list, and this particular longest five days of my life), the owner got back to us with one was in the process of receiving a brand new Garmin unfortunate news. Instead of negotiating, he had decided to panel and overhauled engine. For the price I heard being increase the originally quoted price and take the airplane tossed around, it sounded too good to be true. to market at that higher number. This effectively took the I quickly contacted the shop conducting the restoration airplane out of our budget and out of reach. I was disap- work and learned the airplane was a “fixer-upper” purchased pointed to say the least. in 2016. Upon arrival, it had basic avionics and a one-inch Since then, I have mentally replayed this “close call” crack in the crankcase. The shop bought it for cheap with and considered what I could have done differently. I’ll be the vision to overhaul and upgrade the aircraft but soon the first to admit that I let myself become too emotionally became swamped with ADS-B upgrades, leaving the M20J invested. It is also possible (likely) that my excitement to sit for four years. However, with the 2020 ADS-B mandate and pressing research off-put the seller. One thing that now behind them, the project was officially underway. I know I did right, however, was to let the airplane go when the finances no longer worked for our situation. This The engine received a new crankcase and a complete was a difficult move, but as I was reminded many times overhaul, but the real icing on the cake was the installation over by pilots much wiser than me, “There will always be of a completely new panel: Garmin G500TXi linked to a another airplane.” G750 and a GFC500 autopilot, all backed up by a G5 standby display. Truly a thing of beauty. But I knew we still needed to get the full picture, so thanks to a good friend who lives As Jared described, it was an emotional roller coaster for nearby (thanks, Zach!), I accessed photos of the maintenance a couple of weeks there. But I am confident we made the logbooks. And thanks to an A&P friend (thanks, Kyle!), we right call in our thorough research and ultimately staying started dissecting the Mooney’s history. true to our budget. Built in 1979, the aircraft lived in central Texas for most So, what is our plan now? We are still on the hunt, keep- of its life, seemingly maintained above and beyond the ing an eye on the market listings, but maybe with a little minimum standard. Then in 1999, the aircraft was involved less gusto. As the cold weather sets in (our first snow is in an off-airport landing that resulted in substantial dam- falling as I write this), it is likely we will wait until 2021 to age. A well-known and respected rebuild shop brought the amp our search back up. We are also entertaining the idea aircraft back to life over the next two years by completely of a partnership to cut costs and better allow the potential replacing a left wing section, firewall, belly skins and empen- purchase of a Beechcraft Bonanza or Cirrus SR22 – continu- nage sections, which were all built new from the Mooney ally the top two aircraft recommended for us. factory. There were also three welds made to the structural Thank you again to all who sent in suggestions or cage around the cabin of the aircraft. All of the 337’s were shared advice. Hearing your personal ownership stories is thorough, and the work looked to be top-notch. The aircraft valuable insight, and we absolutely welcome them as the went on to fly 15 years without an issue until the crack quest continues. developed in the crankcase. Every day for two weeks, the idea of this airplane consumed me. I held daily phone updates with my [email protected] 2 • TWIN & TURBINE / November 2020 Collins November 2020 / TWIN & TURBINE • 3 Position Report by Dianne White Northwest Arkansas is known for its backcountry flying experiences with 64 airstrips within an 80-mile ring. off the beaten path. Also nearby are several great airports: Rogers Executive, Springdale Municipal, Northwest Arkansas Regional and Drake Field in Fayetteville. This leads me back to my original dilemma: finding hangar space at one of these airports. One of our aircraft is used weekly for business travel by my husband or me. The other aircraft – which I have uick, what’s the toughest thing you’ve ever had to written about on this page before – is a Cessna 172M that do as a pilot? my mother bought new in 1975. With only 1,300 total time Master the NDB approach with a fixed card ADF and in mint condition, it’s a special little bird that I have Qduring your instrument training? Survive your first type no intent of letting go but posed a challenge as it needed rating at FlightSafety? Flight plan a trip into the Northeast a roof over its head, too. corridor without ForeFlight? Very much like every airport in America, hangar space Here’s mine: Move to a new city and attempt to find here is at a premium.