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  1. kmead

    Your most memorable XC

    My favorite trip was flying my father's old 310L from Kansas to Baltimore to see my sister. VFR both ways, perfect trip except for a near (very near) mid-air on the way back.
  2. kmead

    What did you do for a living before Aviation

    It's always been aircraft maintenance for me since the begining. My father would have signed me off for my A&P license while I was in high school but I wanted to go off to Spartan. My father and brother always thought I would be flying for a living but I liked the maintenance more. No regrets...
  3. kmead

    Your Second Most Expensive Hobby

    Old houses and old cars. This huge old house in MA should really be my last. They're both just like airplanes, nothing that money can't fix.
  4. kmead

    Found cracked and blown plugs during annual

    [QUOTE="Joshuajayg, Out the exhaust. Surprisingly I haven't seen any damage in the cylinders but I have found damage on the turbochargers turbine blades that appeared to be FOD. Both engines seem to be doing well with the Tempest fine wire and Champion massive electrode plugs.
  5. kmead

    Found cracked and blown plugs during annual

    I find the ceramic nose broken or cracked on the fine wire Champions all of the time on the Mirage and Malibu. Most of the time there isn't a mag drop issue. This has been a problem for well over 15 years with the fine wire plug, maybe longer. Originally they blamed the problems on detonation...
  6. kmead

    lack of former easy services

    Have you tried Skully at Beechhust cables? He's made me some modified cables for the PA46 and went out oh his way to help. Have you tried searching on ILS for a used machine? I've bought a lot of used Pratt tools on there a good prices.
  7. kmead

    Gaston's Brochure images interpreted for the illiterate.

    Good stuff. Have you checked out the blog named 15 minute lunch. His comments about the 1977 Penny's catalog are great. Parts 1-3 are great reads.
  8. kmead

    Which aircraft has the noisiest cockpit?

    A Paris Jet without a working intercom and airconditioning. Miserable!
  9. kmead

    Worst Annual Inspection

    I see a lot of lousy work on the PA46 fleet and the sad part is that it's only getting worse. It's hard to believe that some of the work I see on 1 mil $ Meridians looks like it was done by kindergartners. Don't trust the factory signs that these shops hang on the walls.
  10. kmead

    someone in Houston look at this plane

    Pretty crusty airplane. It looks like a lot of the airplanes that were tied out around Baltimore during my years there. There's always a better airplane out there. When you find it you'll be happy you didn't have this one. It's funny how I start out with a buyer looking at an old rundown...
  11. kmead

    How do you fund your flying "hobby"?

    I work on them to make money to own them and fly them. It always takes a lot of money.
  12. kmead

    Fuel Tank Selector - Picture Thread

    The Piper Meridian has no fuel selector. It automatically draws fuel from whichever tank is fullest. If there is an imbalance then you pull the CB for the fuel pump in the wing that has the most. It's a mostly reliable system.
  13. kmead

    Cheap Fixer upper or nice

    I've been looking at an early Malibu that is coming up. It's a total refurb, paint interior, avionics, probably an engine too. When I put the numbers to it I'm upside down. It's getting harder to sell the older models and make much money. If I do this this it will be more for the fun and less...
  14. kmead

    Teardrop Camper

    I finally got around to posting a picture of my old teardrop camper. It's a lot of fun. I wish we could get out more.
  15. kmead

    How does a pre-buy work for the seller?

    Most of what I do now is pre-purchase inspections anywhere on the PA46 series, sometimes other aircraft if I have time. The sellers are often nervous about me showing up. Some sale people will even throw the deal away to keep me out of it. My pre-purchase is no official inspection and I don't...
  16. kmead

    Syrup

    I'm making my own syrup now. After tapping two of my sugar maple trees earlier this year I boiled the gallons of sap down get about 1 gal of syrup. My boiling rig isn't very efficient and I went through a large amount of wood. We marked the trees well this summer so I don't go off and try to tap...
  17. kmead

    Teardrop Camper

    I have a 1946 Tourette in original condition. I'll dig up some pictures. All polished aluminum and sleeps two easily. I had a frame built to start a copy of the same trailer but something that I can trick out with all of the extras without destroying the original unit. I pull it with my 57 Chevy...
  18. kmead

    Nose gear actuator PA32

    Looks like a Gar-Kenyon actuator. Check the bearing attachment area for looseness on the aft end of that actuator. I've had many broken apart.
  19. kmead

    Buying used plane as is

    I have a number of my pre-buys that the buyer has accepted the terms of "as is". I have to be prepared to make an estimate for what I find. I like it because it's a take it or leave it situation. Most of the sales work out.
  20. kmead

    Pains of Selling an Airplane

    I used a broker ( Kansas Aircraft ) to sell my Malibu. The whole process was seamless. A great experience for me. The birds came home to roost when they presented me an offer and said the buyer wanted a pre-purchase. I sold the 172 last fall myself and didn't try at all. Found the perfect...
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