Magic Smoke in the cockpit over LM, Pulse Ox readings, Baron 58s

EdFred

EdFred

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So I had magic smoke in the cockpit over the middle of Lake Michigan Friday. Continued flight to 6Y9.

PulseOx reading at 9500MSL dipped to 89 (flight yesterday) normally is around 95 to 98 at 800MSL
I was still doing math in my head, just adding up numbers on the MVP-50. Didn't seem to be any slower on the calcs than normal. What should it be kept above?

Might be in the market for a Baron 58 NA model with the 520s, and ONLY THIS MODEL. No 55s, no 58P, no TC, no 300hp version. Only a straight 58. What can someone who OWNS/OWNED one tell me about them from mx/operation standpoint?
 
95%-100% is "normal". 90%-94% should be watched. 89% and under is considered low.

I'm not a pulmonologist. This is just what I've been told by doctors.

I have no idea what any of this has to do with the MVP-50 or aircraft performance. I thought the MVP-50 was an engine monitor.

Nor do I have any idea what "magic" smoke is.
 
It is an engine monitor. I was doing math with the numbers displayed on the MVP50 to see how quick I could add up the 4 different fuel tanks, or the 6CHTs in my head.

Magic smoke is the smoke that makes electronics work, because when the smoke comes out of them, they no longer work.
 
EdFred said:
It is an engine monitor. I was doing math with the numbers displayed on the MVP50 to see how quick I could add up the 4 different fuel tanks, or the 6CHTs in my head.

Magic smoke is the smoke that makes electronics work, because when the smoke comes out of them, they no longer work.
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I thought magic smoke was related to “automatic rough”, that thing that happens to your engine when you’re over open water. “Do I smell smoke? I think I smell smoke.”
 
Rushie said:
I thought magic smoke was related to “automatic rough”, that thing that happens to your engine when you’re over open water. “Do I smell smoke? I think I smell smoke.”
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Heh. This was visible.
 
Well at 88% you’d qualify for continuous oxygen according to Medicare standards. So that was a decent drop. The question is how did you feel? That kind of unexplained drop would warrant a drop In altitude for me. do you carry a CO detector?? I keep a digital one running
 
benyflyguy said:
Well at 88% you’d qualify for continuous oxygen according to Medicare standards. So that was a decent drop. The question is how did you feel? That kind of unexplained drop would warrant a drop In altitude for me. do you carry a CO detector?? I keep a digital one running
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I felt fine. I know when I've gone to 14k I was NOT feeling ok. Of course this PulseOx is just off the shelf from Walgreens so who knows how accurate it is. Also from what I understand since CO has oxygen in it, it will read as having oxygen in the blood.
Rushie said:
Are you sure? You were hypoxic after all.:)
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I was only at 6500 when the magic smoke came out on the outbound flight and was reading 95.
 
EdFred said:
I felt fine. I know when I've gone to 14k I was NOT feeling ok. Of course this PulseOx is just off the shelf from Walgreens so who knows how accurate it is. Also from what I understand since CO has oxygen in it, it will read as having oxygen in the blood.
Detecting CO in the blood would require a blood sample. I meant a CO detector in the cockpit.

I was only at 6500 when the magic smoke came out on the outbound flight and was reading 95.
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The problem with hypoxia is that you feel fine, but you are not. Get some oxygen, also make sure that you oximeter is accurate, that's a little low for under 10k
 
Negative on the CO detector, but I don't see the tie-in.
 
PaulS said:
The problem with hypoxia is that you feel fine, but you are not. Get some oxygen, also make sure that you oximeter is accurate, that's a little low for under 10k
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Ive gotten hypoxia before, I know when I start slowing down
 
EdFred said:
Ive gotten hypoxia before, I know when I start slowing down
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And you can still get hypoxia and know (think) you're fine.
 
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I’m curious which device let out the magic smoke and how that’s relevant to the possible hypoxia. Was the O2 reading momentary or sustained? Was it instantaneous or a slow degradation or completely unrelated.

But any excuse for a new plane is a good enough excuse.
 
I’m thinking the OP is still suffering from magic smoke…..o_O
 
I thought the upgrade path from the Comanche was to a Twin Comanche…
 
kaiser said:
I thought the upgrade path from the Comanche was to a Twin Comanche…
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It is, but at the same time isn't a whole lot of upgrade. It's the same fuselage, and not that much faster. The way the whole Baron thing came up is I currently have spending habits (including the plane) of X - which is a less than 25% percentage of my income. The majority of my income is getting dumped into retirement funds and accounts. My retirement income goal (without touching principal) is roughly 2.n * X. That number is reachable in 8 years for sure, possibly 6. But having lived the life I have for the past 30+ years, I'm not sure I can say, "hey lets double my spending!" But im looking at 6 years, because 30 years at my current gig is a nice round number. And the question came up this weekend, "what are you going to do in retirement?" Well, I want to do more Lifeline/Charity flights, and I could do more now, but a lot of the missions are "Agnes is 85 years old and has a walker." Well, sorry Agnes, would live to fly you but you aren't crawling in and out of a Comanche. So the next step for me was something with rear access and still have decent speed and high wings are just out for me.

That leaves the options of
PA32 line - that's a sideways move for me, and nothing really gained.
PA46 line - doesn't really fit the rest of missions.
414/421 - everyone says run away due to mx costs , and the yearly operating cost as a single owner eats too much into 2.n * X

Then Ted said, why not a B58, you get the rear door, and is easy access to the rear seats. Come in light, and 2600' grass still isn't an issue. So, BE58 is now top of the list (the only thing?) to replace the Comanche. Or if I could get a local partner, keep the Comanche (I was 11.x gph at 151ktas at 9500 coming back this weekend, I was getting 158kts, but decided to save some fuel since I had 20kts on the tail anyway)) and use the Baron for more Baron-like missions. However in 6 years, sole ownership of one should be easily doable.
 
EdFred said:
Then Ted said, why not a B58, you get the rear door, and is easy access to the rear seats. Come in light, and 2600' grass still isn't an issue. So, BE58 is now top of the list (the only thing?) to replace the Comanche. Or if I could get a local partner, keep the Comanche (I was 11.x gph at 151ktas at 9500 coming back this weekend, I was getting 158kts, but decided to save some fuel since I had 20kts on the tail anyway)) and use the Baron for more Baron-like missions. However in 6 years, sole ownership of one should be easily doable.
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Whenever I did the math on having multiple planes for multiple missions, the only reason I could find was because I wanted to. Which, of course, is a valid reason, especially if you could find a partner in a Baron. Your Comanche has a really nice sweet spot in terms of efficiency, performance, and fun, plus you've owned it a long time and have it well worked out and to your liking.
 
Magic smoke….was it nav2? Or the TC? That little TC seems so simple until one day the bearings on the ball wear out. Then the smoke comes pouring out.

If you had CO, your OX would read 99. With an 89, breathe more deeply and switch fingers to verify the reading,
 
EdFred said:
It is, but at the same time isn't a whole lot of upgrade. It's the same fuselage, and not that much faster. The way the whole Baron thing came up is I currently have spending habits (including the plane) of X - which is a less than 25% percentage of my income. The majority of my income is getting dumped into retirement funds and accounts. My retirement income goal (without touching principal) is roughly 2.n * X. That number is reachable in 8 years for sure, possibly 6. But having lived the life I have for the past 30+ years, I'm not sure I can say, "hey lets double my spending!" But im looking at 6 years, because 30 years at my current gig is a nice round number. And the question came up this weekend, "what are you going to do in retirement?" Well, I want to do more Lifeline/Charity flights, and I could do more now, but a lot of the missions are "Agnes is 85 years old and has a walker." Well, sorry Agnes, would live to fly you but you aren't crawling in and out of a Comanche. So the next step for me was something with rear access and still have decent speed and high wings are just out for me.

That leaves the options of
PA32 line - that's a sideways move for me, and nothing really gained.
PA46 line - doesn't really fit the rest of missions.
414/421 - everyone says run away due to mx costs , and the yearly operating cost as a single owner eats too much into 2.n * X

Then Ted said, why not a B58, you get the rear door, and is easy access to the rear seats. Come in light, and 2600' grass still isn't an issue. So, BE58 is now top of the list (the only thing?) to replace the Comanche. Or if I could get a local partner, keep the Comanche (I was 11.x gph at 151ktas at 9500 coming back this weekend, I was getting 158kts, but decided to save some fuel since I had 20kts on the tail anyway)) and use the Baron for more Baron-like missions. However in 6 years, sole ownership of one should be easily doable.
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Yeah for that mission I guess you need the 58. Mark took his mom in our 55 but she doesn’t use a walker and was able to crawl into it. His big problem was she wouldn’t shut up while he was trying to do the checklist. She kept asking where her purse was and he kept saying in the back seat. Ten seconds later, same question, same answer, and he goes back to item 1 on the checklist. After cycling through and restarting the checklist about five times, he finally reached back, grabbed her purse and put it on her lap, there’s your purse!
 
The Seneca has the rear door, FIKI. 170 kts it’s and only $35 k per year!
 
masloki said:
Magic smoke….was it nav2? Or the TC? That little TC seems so simple until one day the bearings on the ball wear out. Then the smoke comes pouring out.

If you had CO, your OX would read 99. With an 89, breathe more deeply and switch fingers to verify the reading,
Click to expand...

The magic smoke was from a USB hub charger plugged into a cigarette lighter adapter when I went to charge my phone. Plugged in the phone, smoke came out. Pulled the phone USB plug, smoke kept coming out, yanked the charger power and the smoke stopped. Got on the ground for fuel, retested, USB hub be dead.
 
Oooh, I’ve had one of those USB plugs fail on me with smoke. Took a minute to figure out where the smoke was coming from. When I pulled the plug, it was so hot it burnt my hand. Watch those things.
 
Will you fit in a Baron? I sat in my hangar neighbor's bonanza and was folded up like a pretzel with the yoke hitting my thighs. Made me appreciate my 32 that much more.

A pa34 would be more comfortable. I feel like the beech would have heavier gear and be more suitable for operating out of 6y9. Also faster. And you can wear a monocle.

Just don't forget about us little people when you move up to beechtalk.
 
EdFred said:
414/421 - everyone says run away due to mx costs , and the yearly operating cost as a single owner eats too much into 2.n * X
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T303 Crusader.. but mostly so I can be jealous of you.


Other than that, I’m with you on the Baron. I have a Baron fund myself… similar mission profile. Also I’m biased because my first ever GA ride was in an E55. Good luck!
 
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