Are you still trying to master the Garmin 430 in your airplane? Is it giving you fits because you keep twisting the big knob instead of the small knob? Would you like a step-by-step guide to each and every part of the Garmin 430?
Pilot proficiency website PilotWorkshops.com has published a very thorough, step-by-step manual on how to use the Garmin 430. Want to load a flight plan? There’s a section for that. Want to load an approach? There is a section for that as well.
The Pilot-friendly Garmin 430 manual is a great reference to have for Garmin pilots. Pilot Workshops offers a guide for the Garmin 430 and the Garmin 430W, depending on if you have WAAS or not.
The hard copy guides are $44.95, but you can also download the PDF version of each for $19.95.
To get more information on the guide or to order one, you can visit the Pilot Workshops website. (Have another Garmin or King GPS unit? Pilot Workshops has guides for a variety of different GPS units)
The Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program is once again returning to Houston, TX the first weekend in November. Henrickson Jet Center at the Houston Executive Airport (KTME) will be the host FBO this year. If you are a Cirrus owner in the South Central US, the Houston CPPP weekend is definitely worth your while.
What is it? The Houston CPPP is a combination ground and flight training weekend. With ground classes ranging from engine management, to loss of control prevention, to avionics best practices, an attendee will not lack a better Cirrus education by the time he or she leaves.
The flight training side of the weekend gives an attendee several options. A Houston CPPP attendee can do 1 or 2 flights with a highly qualified Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP), one on Saturday and one on Sunday (if the 2 flight option is selected). The Cirrus Owner’s and Pilot’s Association (COPA) brings in exceptional instructors for each of the CPPP events, so the training is top notch. Folks who want to take in more ground school, but still want to fly a little bit have the option of just doing 1 flight, either Saturday or Sunday, in order to increase their Cirrus knowledge.
The Houston CPPP event will be November 2nd, 2018-November 4th, 2018, a Friday through a Sunday. The weekend kicks off with a welcome dinner Friday night, then ground sessions and flying on Saturday and Sunday, plus a dinner on Saturday night.
For those who want to challenge themselves, there are simulator sessions available with a challenging instrument approach that doesn’t quite meet up with the normal, ho-hum type of approach.
The Houston CPPP also provides a Partner in Command course for those right seaters out there wanting to learn more about what to do in an emergency situation.
Hank Gibson of Texas Top Aviation will be at the Houston CPPP as a flight instructor. For more information and to sign up, please click here.
Hope to see you there!
The Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program is once again returning to Houston, TX the first weekend in November. Henrickson Jet Center at the Houston Executive Airport (KTME) will be the host FBO this year. If you are a Cirrus owner in the South Central US, the Houston CPPP weekend is definitely worth your while. What is…
It’s winter time, which means it’s time to use those Piper PA46 de-ice boots a little more often. Most of us know the winter flying rules, don’t stay in ice, get rid of frost, etc. However, most of us aren’t as familiar with how to maintain those Piper PA46 de-ice boots. The do need some TLC every couple of months to keep them in tip top shape.
Below is the recommendation from Goodrich (the maker of the boots) on what to use to clean and polish the boots and how often to do it.
Steps 1-3 below are your twice a year items to make your Piper PA46 de-ice boots last through the lifetime of the aircraft.
Step 1-ShineMaster Prep
ShineMaster Prep strips all the dirt, grime, grease, oil, silicone products and old ShineMaster on the Piper PA46 de-ice boots to prep them for Step 2.
AgeMaster is your second step the in the Piper PA46 de-ice boot preservation and protectant process. AgeMaster is a rubber preservative that protects against weathering, ozone, and ultraviolet rays.
Make the first application when your de-ice boots are 6 months old, then re-apply every 150 hours (or twice a year) after that.
Step 3 in the Piper PA46 de-ice boot care is ShineMaster. As the name implies, ShineMaster shine’s the boots up after getting rid of all the old gunk & grime with ShineMaster Prep and after AgeMaster is applied. 2-3 coats should be sufficient.
During icing season, Goodrich recommends ICEX II. ICEX II is an ice inhibitor that should be applied every 50 hours during ice season. This will help prevent ice from sticking to the Piper PA46 de-ice boots. ICEX II can be found here.
Finally, for general cleaning of the boots after each flight, utilize Goodrich Aerospace Cleaner to debug, then follow up with Goodrich Aerospace Protectant. Goodrich claims their Protectant will resist dust, soiling, and staining. There may be less bugs to clean each time!
With just a few hours a couple times a year spent working on the Piper PA46 de-ice boots, owners will never have to worry about the hefty price tag of boot replacement!
It’s winter time, which means it’s time to use those Piper PA46 de-ice boots a little more often. Most of us know the winter flying rules, don’t stay in ice, get rid of frost, etc. However, most of us aren’t as familiar with how to maintain those Piper PA46 de-ice boots. The do need some…
When a pilot first glances at the title of this article, the first thought that probably goes through that pilot’s head is, well that’s easy.
And it is, if you are flying a high wing Cessna. On other airplanes, there are a few tricks to checking the stall warning horn. If you get them wrong, you’re liable to get a bill from your maintenance shop for an hour of labor for a problem they couldn’t duplicate.
Cirrus SR22
Let’s start with the Cirrus. On the pre-FIKI Cirrus aircraft, there was a small little hole in the wing that contained a diaphragm. That diaphragm sensed a change in airflow at a certain angle of attack just below the critical angle of attack and set off the stall warning horn. Unfortunately, the only way to check that is to suck on the hole during pre-flight.
I don’t. I verify the hole is clear and that’s about it.
On the FIKI Cirrus aircraft, there is actually a stall warning vane. It looks like a high wing Cessna vane, but if you turn the batteries on and try and get it to come on during your light and pitot heat check, nada.
Here’s the trick, and the checklist doesn’t do a good job of describing this.
Turn on the Avionics Master
Turn on the speaker
Put the flaps to full
Then move the stall warning vane and you’ll hear the horn
The speaker and the Avionics Master are so you can actually hear the horn (if you had the headset on while you were doing this, the speaker would be unnecessary). The flaps have to be full because the pitch attitude for the critical angle of attack is lower with the flaps down, so the horn goes off when at a different angle. You then don’t have to use as much force to push the vane.
Piper PA46
The early -310P Malibus are pretty simple and straight forward. Move the vane, get the horn.
In the -350P, you can’t get the horn to come on by moving the vane. So, Piper put a stall test button that’s hidden underneath the upper left side of the instrument panel. Push that to test the horn. On the G1000 PA46, it is located directly above the PFD. On the Avidyne, it’s below and to the left of the pilot’s yoke.
Testing the stall warning horn is a very important part of pre-flight. A pilot needs to know if the aircraft is close to a stall. The advent of Angle of Attack indicators in small, GA aircraft, have added a greater awareness to the angle of attack during all phases of flight to avoid those stall spins.
If the stall warning horn goes off or the AOA shows yellow, lower that nose immediately.
When a pilot first glances at the title of this article, the first thought that probably goes through that pilot’s head is, well that’s easy. And it is, if you are flying a high wing Cessna. On other airplanes, there are a few tricks to checking the stall warning horn. If you get them wrong,…
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!
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 Angelina County Airport in Lufkin, TX (KLFK) will be hosting the Angelina County Airfest on Saturday, October 10th. The airport will open up at 9am.
Prepare for a day of food, fun, and some great performances. There will be warbirds and many other classic airplanes on display, not too mention a number of aerobatic performances as the day goes on.
The Angelina County Airport in Lufkin, TX (KLFK) will be hosting the Angelina County Airfest on Saturday, October 10th. The airport will open up at 9am. Prepare for a day of food, fun, and some great performances. There will be warbirds and many other classic airplanes on display, not too mention a number of aerobatic…
Have you looked longingly at the Aspen PFD or Garmin G500, imagining those beautiful glass panels set in your airplane? Think it’s too advanced for your flying skills? Well, think again! Hank Gibson of Texas Top Aviation will be hosting a seminar at the Redbird Skyport FBO at the San Marcos Airport (KHYI) on Thursday, September 25th at 7pm to enlighten everyone on all the different glass panel and modern GPS options out there.
No panel is too complex! No GPS is too complicated! Come hear about how you can upgrade your steam gauge airplane to a modern, glass panel cockpit that will be the envy of all your pilot buddies.
The seminar begins at 7pm in the large conference room at the Redbird Skyport. Come see this beautiful facility which hosted the AOPA Fly In this past April. There will be two drawings for free flight training in your airplane, so make sure you get your entry in once you arrive. WINGS credit will also be given.
Redbird welcomes pilots flying in for the event. If you are flying in, please show your support for Redbird by purchasing fuel!
Signup is required for the event. To sign up, please click here.
We hope to see you there!!!
Have you looked longingly at the Aspen PFD or Garmin G500, imagining those beautiful glass panels set in your airplane? Think it’s too advanced for your flying skills? Well, think again! Hank Gibson of Texas Top Aviation will be hosting a seminar at the Redbird Skyport FBO at the San Marcos Airport (KHYI) on Thursday,…
Pilot proficiency website PilotWorkshops.com has published a very thorough, step-by-step manual on how to use the Garmin 430. Want to load a flight plan? There’s a section for that. Want to load an approach? There is a section for that as well.
