2022 Texas Top Aviation Fly In is in the Books!

A Proper Cross Country Flight Checklist (Part 1)

ByAndrew Robinson February 8, 2016February 11, 2016

I love cross country flights. Airplanes are designed to travel.  When I was instructing private students, my favorite lessons were always the first cross country flights. I looked forward to getting my students out of the pattern, away from the practice area, and showing them what they could really look forward to as a private pilot.

When I was in college, my friend and I borrowed his dad’s Cessna 150, did a cross country flight in it from Indianapolis to Kitty Hawk, then down the coast to Florida. We camped in the grass next to the airplane wherever the airport managers would let us and had our own aviation adventure complete with mechanical problems, unexpected weather, and interesting people along the way. These types of trips have produced some of the best memories and experiences that I’ve acquired during my aviation career so far.

Unfortunately, I know many people whose only cross country flight experience is what was necessary to satisfy their Private and Instrument training requirements. Some of them are nervous about the idea of venturing away from the familiarity of their home airport, while others are relatively new pilots who simply don’t know where to start planning a long cross country flight.

I’ve taken some notes on my preparations for an upcoming cross country flight that I’ll be flying in my dad’s Bonanza. I’m hoping this checklist might help others feel a little more confident that they have everything they need to get going.

Oil

Its always a good idea to bring a few extra quarts of oil. If you stop somewhere and find you need some, its nice to have the right kind on hand. Never assume that the airport you’ll be landing at next will have oil available.

Fuel Stops

I’ve learned the hard way that calling ahead to verify fuel availability can be extremely important. I landed at an airport in Ohio one beautiful Sunday morning to find that the FBO wouldn’t be open until much later in the day. Naturally, there was no other fuel available on the field. I hadn’t called ahead to verify the hours of fuel availability (I assumed they had Self Serve) and had only 2 options: wait a while for the FBO to open, or try and find somewhere else nearby that had gas. As far as price, www.100LL.com is a valuable tool for finding cheap fuel. Foreflight also has posted prices for 100LL and Jet A, but it’s still a good idea to call ahead and verify price and availability.

Batteries for electronics

It’s miserable to run out of batteries for a noise canceling headset with hours remaining in your flight. Bring spares, not only for your headset, but for your flashlight and other gadgets as well. Make sure your hand held GPS, iPad, and Stratus are charged (if you have them). I like to carry a charge cable and adapter as a backup so that I can plug things into the cigarette lighter.

Jumper Cables

We always carry the ground power cable in the back of the Bonanza just in case we ever need a jump. Last month, when I was flying down to Texas, I was glad I had them; we had a dead battery after our fuel stop and had to borrow some power from an FBO worker’s pick up truck. Don’t assume that wherever you are stopping will have the correct cable to jump your airplane, especially if it requires a specific plug.

Parking Fees

Every airport is different. I like to call ahead and find out how much the FBO is going to make me pay in landing/overnight fees. When I flew up to Buffalo last summer, I paid 25 dollars for parking at Niagara International (IAG). Had I parked at Buffalo (BUF), they would have charged me over $200.

Approach plates and charts

Make sure you have current approach plates and charts either physically available or downloaded before you blast off. Having a copy of an AFD is a good idea as well, be it digital or paper.

Rental cars

If you arrange it beforehand, many FBO’s will have the car ready for you upon arrival. You may also be able to drop the car off at the FBO when are finished, instead of taking it back to the rental agency. It sure is nice to have the car pulled up next to the airplane when it’s time to unload.

Hotels

Bigger FBO’s may have discounted rates with local hotels. If you call the desk and explain your needs they may offer to book it for you, or at least point you in the right direction. It may be worth picking an airport with more expensive fuel if it puts you closer to the hotels or restaurants you want to go to.

Come back next month for Part 2!

Andrew Robinson is a 135 Charter Pilot and flight instructor who lives with his wife and 2 daughters in Pennsylvania.  He flies Pilatus PC-12s and instructs in Beechcraft Bonanzas.

The Anatomy of a Hot Start

ByHank Gibson January 14, 2021May 24, 2023

Are you one of those pilots who hates fuel stops simply for the fact that the engine doesn’t have time to cool off?  You pump gas into the plane, hit the bathroom, get in the plane and the oil temperature is still up at 160-170 degrees, leading you to have to figure out how to get the plane going again with a hot engine.  For those without proper training, this usually means a lot of jockeying around with the throttle, mixture, and fuel pump to try and get the thing started without flooding it.  After coughing and wheezing several times, the engine finally comes to life, leaving you to only guess what worked and without the knowledge of how to duplicate it.

Let’s take a step back for a minute to see what is actually happening with a hot engine.  Once the engine is shut off, the fuel in the lines leading from the tank to the engine is vaporized, meaning there is more air in the fuel lines than liquid fuel.  In the engine block itself, there is still liquid fuel in the injectors, but only enough for the engine to cough then quit if started.

When a normal priming and starting procedure is performed, too much fuel is forced into the cylinders and the engine becomes flooded.  A flooded engine just means that the stoichiometric ratio is way too rich, meaning there is too much fuel and not enough air.  The prime does the trick of getting the fuel vapor out of the fuel lines, but it shoves too much fuel into the cylinders.  Once the engine is flooded, it’s a waiting game to allow air into the engine to get the mixture right.  All Lycoming powered high performance and turbo charged engines are notoriously easy to flood when hot.

So, what’s the solution?  By taking a step back to see what is actually happening, you can attack the problem from the source, which is the fuel lines.  You need to get the vapor out of the fuel lines and get some liquid fuel in there.  The procedure for this varies based on the make and model of engine, but I’m going to use the example of the Continental IO-550-N that is in a Cirrus SR22.  I found this procedure in the Continental Engine Manual and it works every time.

(Pilots of other airplanes, keep reading.  I have sections below for PA46s, Columbias, and Bonanzas as well )

• Mixture:  Full Lean (this allows fuel in the fuel lines, but prevents it from going past the mixture control into the engine, sending all fuel back to the fuel tank; a small amount of fuel leaks past the mixture control providing prime for the engine)
• Throttle:  Idle
• Low Boost Pump:  Run for 30-60 seconds (see note below)  (15 seconds in the Turbo Cirrus)
• Mixture:  Full Rich
• Throttle:  Open about 1/4 travel (not 1/4″, that won’t be enough)
• Boost Pump:  Off, but have your finger on Low Boost
• Starter:  Crank (engine will turn over a few more times before firing, this is normal)
• At the first indication of start, turn the Low Boost on, increase the throttle to ensure the engine catches,  then adjust the throttle for 1,000 RPM
  • The engine will fire right about the time you start thinking it isn’t going to work

A few notes regarding engine temperatures:

• If the oil temperature is above 150 degrees, a hot start will be required.  If oil temp is close to 200 degrees, run low boost for 60 seconds in a non-turbo.  If oil temp is 175, run low boost for 45 seconds in a non-turbo.  If oil temp is 150, run low boost for 30 seconds in a non-turbo.  Use 15 seconds for all temps above 150 in a Cirrus Turbo.
• If the oil temperature is between 125-150, skip the hot start procedure, don’t prime the engine, leave the boost pump off, and crank the engine, then boost pump on when it starts and slightly increase throttle to make sure the engine catches
• If the oil temperature is between 100-125, skip the hot start, don’t prime the engine, and perform a normal start with the boost pump on
• If the oil temperature is below 100, perform a normal prime and start

Piper Malibu (PA46-310P with Continental Engine)

• Mixture:  Full Lean (this allows fuel in the fuel lines, but prevents it from going past the mixture control into the engine, sending all fuel back to the fuel tank; a small amount of fuel leaks past the mixture control providing prime for the engine)
• Throttle:  Idle
• Low Boost Pump:  Run for 15-30 seconds depending on oil temperature…
  • Greater than 150 degrees: 30 seconds
  • Less than 125-150 degrees:  15 seconds
  • Less than 100-125 degrees, no need to run the Low Boost
  • Perform normal cold start below 100 degrees
• Mixture:  Full Rich
• Throttle:  Open about 1/4 travel (not 1/4″, that won’t be enough)
• Boost Pump:  Off, but have your finger on the Primer Button
• Magnetos:  On
• Starter:  Crank (engine will turn over a few more times before firing, this is normal)
• Engine should fire with the Low Boost Pump off, but…
  • If the engine starts to die, simultaneously increase the throttle a little bit and hit the primer button.
  • Only tap the primer button, don’t hold it as you’ll flood the engine if you hold it At the first indication of start, turn the Low Boost on, increase the throttle to ensure the engine catches,  then adjust the throttle for 1,000 RPM

Piper Mirage & Matrix (PA46-350P and PA46-350T with Lycoming Engine)

• Leave throttle and mixture idle
  • Before you turn the battery on, ensure the mixture is idle cutoff
  • If the mixture is forward and the battery is on, the low boost pump in the fuel tank will start pumping fuel to the engine and quickly flood it
• Ensure Magneto switches are on
• Open throttle 1/4 travel (not 1/4″ as this won’t be enough)
• Crank
• As soon as the engine begins coughing and wheezing (and this is what it will sound like), push the mixture 3/4 of the way forward
• Once the engine has a good solid fire, smoothly and swiftly push the mixture all the way forward
• Reduce throttle
• Note:  The Emergency Boost Pump can be used as part of the hot start technique, but I usually leave it off.
  • Pro to the Emergency Boost Pump is it can help suck more fuel in and purge vapor during the start
  • Con is that if the engine doesn’t start on the first try, you are flooding your motor

Columbia 400

• Throttle and Mixture Idle Cutoff
• Vapor Suppression:  Run for 30-60 seconds.  Reference above temperatures on the non-turbo Cirrus for run times
• Mixture full forward
• Throttle 1″ in
• Prime for 3 seconds, then off
• Crank
• Once engine fires, primer might need to be pushed momentarily to purge excess vapor
  • On Columbia 350s, the throttle should be twisted (or pushed depending on if it’s an Avidyne or Garmin Columbia) in while cranking
  • Be prepared to reduce power once engine fires

Beechcraft 36 Bonanza

• Throttle and Mixture Idle Cutoff
• Low Boost:  Run for 30-60 seconds.  Reference above temperatures on the non-turbo Cirrus for run times
• Mixture full forward
• Throttle open 1″
• High Boost until fuel flow peaks, then off
• Crank
• Once engine fires, Low Boost might need to be engaged momentarily to purge excess vapor

There are other “procedures” for hot starting out there, but most of them involve starting with full throttle, which can lead to the airplane shooting ahead on a ramp or taxi way if the brakes aren’t properly set.  This can lead to high repair costs, so always be cautious.  Figuring out what is happening when the engine is hot will give you a better chance of getting it started right away.

I Learn To Speak Seaplane

ByHank Gibson February 9, 2019February 19, 2019

From the time I started flying, I have always had the dream to learn how to fly a seaplane.  As I learned in November, it’s actually learning to land a seaplane, and the veterans call them floatplanes.

ProMark Aviation at the Burnet Airport (KBMQ) offers a weekend float plane course that is high on fun and low on stress.  The school has a Piper PA12 Super Cruiser on amphibious floats (amphibs as I was corrected at one point.  I mean, if you’re going to fly a seaplane, er, floatplane, you have to know the lingo) that will land and takeoff on water, but does little else with ease and grace.  At 150 HP with those big floats and all the associated rigging hanging underneath the airplane, you are lucky to get to 500 feet before you get to your destination.

We weren’t working on setting any speed records.  I was learning the lay of the water.  I learned about the step, the keel, pumping the floats, how to read the water, currents, ducks (yes, ducks and birds are important to know about when you are flying low on the water), buoys, docking, and ditching.  Step taxiing was fun as you are basically at 3/4 throttle screaming across the top of the water just below flying speed.  It’s the best way to taxi a seaplane (truly, it is.  You get more air in your engine, you can see better, and you are moving.  Just don’t try and turn sharp).

Floatplanes also don’t have any shock absorbers, so the higher the wave, the more you get knocked around, so wind velocity and, in turn, wave height is very important.

A very important nuance of an amphibious floatplane compared to a straight floatplane (one that doesn’t have wheels that come out of the floats), is at one point, you want to make sure your gear is down for landing (runway landing) and at another, you want to make absolutely sure your gear is up for landing (water landing).  If you land wheels down in the water, you will capsize, 100% of the time.  Thankfully from my good instruction, I did not capsize.

Ken Wittekiend, my instructor, and I spent the majority of the weekend landing and taking off on Lake Buchanan (I was informed by locals it is pronounced “Buk-cannon”, not “Bue-cannon”), which is more open and therefore has more waves.  We did one landing on Inks Lake so my kids could see me land, which they thought was the best thing since cheese sticks.

There is a check ride at the end of the training, but, as Ken reassured me, it’s the most fun check ride you’ll ever have.  I still hate check rides, but that one I think I hated least of all.

I hope someday I can put my floatplane skills to practice, but for now, I can vouch that I now speak seaplane!

Cirrus SR22 Owner Completes First Solo

ByHank Gibson July 31, 2014

Congratulations to Monte James who, on July 31, 2014, completed his first solo flight!  Monte is the owner of N565TV, a 2007 Turbonormalized Cirrus SR22.  N565TV is a G3 model with an Avidyne panel.  Monte was very excited to complete his solo flight.  He reported very good landings during the flight (he even said the last landing, which was probably his best yet, caused him to break into laughter!).  Texas Top Aviation’s Hank Gibson, Monte’s instructor, took pictures and continued the tradition of cutting Monte’s shirt tail to commemorate the flight.

Congratulations to Monte!

Cirrus SR20 vs. Diamond DA40

ByHank Gibson January 20, 2017

Note:  For this article I am comparing a 2008 Cirrus SR20 G3 and a 2008 Diamond DA40 XLS.

Aircraft shopping can be a tedious process.  First, a buyer needs to know what the mission is.  How far will flights typically be, how many people will be on board, and how fast does the airplane need to be.  Then, the buyer has to figure out what the budget is.  Finally, a prospective owner needs to figure out how much airplane he or she can handle.

Two very good airplanes for newer pilots transitioning from a flight school 172 who need a faster airplane to build experience in, but also want to experience a glass panel, are the Cirrus SR20 G3 and the Diamond DA40 XLS.

Cirrus SR20 G3

The 2008 Cirrus SR20 G3 is a good airplane.  The G3 is equipped with the 6 cylinder, Continental IO-360-ES, 200 HP engine.  Performance-wise, an owner can expect 135-140 knots true at 9 GPH (Lean of Peak) or 145-150 knots true at 11.5-12 GPH (Rich of Peak).  The 3 blade propeller equipped models have better takeoff and climb performance than the 2 blade propeller equipped planes, especially in high density altitude conditions.

The airplane is equipped with the Avidyne Entegra EX 5000 glass panel system.  Most models out there will have Avidyne’s CMAX (Chart View) and all will have the Avidyne EMAX (Engine Monitoring).  All came from the factory with the STEC 55x autopilot (though a handful will have the STEC 55 SR, which doesn’t have glideslope functionality).  They also came from the factory with dual Garmin 430s. Most units have been upgraded to WAAS.

Some owners have upgraded the autopilot to the Avidyne DFC 90, which is a nice upgrade.  The STEC 55x is a rate based autopilot which takes it’s commands from a hidden turn coordinator that is behind the instrument panel in front of the co-pilot’s seat.  The STEC has some crosswind limitations on approaches where the pilot can actually fly better than the autopilot.

The DFC 90, however, is an attitude based autopilot that  takes it’s commands from the attitude indicator on the Primary Flight Display (PFD).  It also adds a Straight and Level button as well as an Indicated Airspeed hold button, adding safety and functionality.  It does much better in crosswinds on an instrument approach then the STEC.

A select few SR20s have been upgraded to a single (or dual) Garmin GTN 650 touch screen GPS unit.  The GTN 650 is a very nice upgrade.  The Garmin 430 is a great unit, but the learning curve with the GTN 650 is much less.  The touch screen setup makes a little more sense to the new user.

Values on the 2008 SR20 G3 with 1,000 hours or less run somewhere between $220,000-$260,000, depending on total time and equipment.

Diamond DA40 XLS

A handful of 2007 XLS DA40s were made, but not many.  Most XLS models you will see are 2008 and later. These are equipped with the Lycoming IO-360, 4 cylinder, 180 HP engine with the Powerflow Exhaust STC. Due to the Powerflow Exhaust, the performance is equal to the SR20.  At 6,000-8,000 feet, you will routinely see 140 knots true at 10-10.5 GPH.  Higher altitudes will give slightly better performance and lower fuel burn.  Like the SR20, the Diamond DA40 XLS comes with either a 2 blade or 3 blade prop.  Go with the 3 blade as the takeoff and climb performance is much better.

Where the DA40 XLS has a leg up on the 2008 SR20 G3 Avidyne is in the avionics.  Diamond got on the Garmin G1000 train a little sooner than Cirrus did and the XLS is equipped with the G1000 and GFC 700 autopilot.  The Garmin GFC 700 autopilot is the best GA autopilot I have flown with.  It is an amazing piece of equipment.

Most, if not all, DA40 XLS models will have both WAAS and Synthetic Vision.  Cirrus didn’t get Synthetic Vision till they put the Cirrus Perspective by Garmin in their aircraft in the middle of 2008.

The DA40 has great visibility due to the massive amount of glass surrounding the pilot.  The big glider wings give it excellent pop off the runway, but quite a different climb pitch attitude than most other piston single engine airplanes.  The airplane does like to float on landing if the pilot doesn’t get the speed right.

Values on the 2008 Diamond DA40 XLS equipped with the Garmin G1000 are around the low-mid $200,000 range.

Comparison

Performance wise, the airplanes are about equal.  Rich of peak, the Cirrus out performs the Diamond, but uses more fuel.  Both have about 5 hour ranges (though the Cirrus has bigger fuel tanks, 56 gallons usable compared to the Diamond long range tanks of 50 gallons usable).  Useful load is slightly better in the Diamond due to the fact that the Lycoming engine has 2 fewer cylinders than the Cirrus.  The Cirrus does have a roomier back seat, a larger baggage area, and a side stick instead of a center stick, but the DA40 has a back door.  The Cirrus also has the CAPS system, though an owner has to do a $15,000 repack every ten years.  Airplane values are about the same.

I give a slight edge to the Diamond, though, and here’s why.  For about the same price, a purchaser can get the Garmin G1000 system complete with the GFC 700 autopilot in the DA40 XLS.  The Avidyne and STEC system is great, but the Garmin system is definitely above and beyond.  To get the Garmin G1000 in an SR20, you’d have to look at the Cirrus Perspective by Garmin, which came out in late 2008, and you’d be paying $300,000 or more for a single engine piston with 200 HP (though you do get Air Conditioning!).

So for my money, I would go for the Diamond DA40 XLS.  I believe you get a little bit more bang for your buck and you don’t lose anything with the DA40 XLS.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the Cirrus, but comparing the two, I think the Diamond DA40 XLS rates a little higher.