Got one plane back, sort of

Went to pick up my Baron today, and was given a ride in my buddy's turbine
Bonanza (a great plane made even better). Cruised at 17,000!

OK, so I picked up my plane with the new Garmin 530W/430W installation,
which worked great. They communicate with each other, and the info displays
are much better than the older 530. However, the main nav page does not
display nexrad, as it used to, a software glitch by Garmin.

Halfway across Lake Michigan, in IMC, I noticed an imbalance in the
alternator loads, and switching the voltage regulators did not make a
difference.

Then, the red light comes on, and it becomes pretty clear that the left
engine alternator has quit. I cycled the switch as well as the voltage
regulators, but it was pretty clear that it was dead. Electrical failure
over the middle of Lake Michigan in IMC is not an appealing proposition.

I asked for and was given a direct routing toward my destination, and
descending below 5,000 it was again VMC.

The nexrad was showing a line of weather near my destination, so I turned on
the radar, only to find the box was dead (worked fine prior to the avionics
trip)

Called the avionics shop and did all of the usual items (checked plug and
breaker, etc) still dead.

Then called mechanic who had changed the belt less than two hours ago.

Result: need to go back to avionics shop to have radar checked. Who pays for
gas and two hours of Baron expenses for this?

Mechanic offers to make trip to fix belt, but since my other plane is
getting the prop replaced in two days, he said to send him the bill for the
replacement of the belt and he would reimburse me.

So, the plane is sort of back. The new radios are great.

"Viperdoc" wrote in message snip
Electrical failure over the middle of Lake Michigan in IMC is not an
appealing proposition.


It's nice to have two, isn't it? Last fall our right alternator croaked
just 2 hours into a 7 hour night cross country trip to FL. Thankfully it
was severe clear and after diagnosing the problem we limited our electrical
load and made the trip down and back without a hitch.

A couple years ago I had the vacuum pump of a R182 give up the ghost over
the middle of LM in IMC. I, like you, had VMC below and calmly requested a
clearance lower while the poor controller kept asking if we were declaring
an emergency. (well, if you don't give me lower I am). My wife grabbed a
couple post-it notes, we covered the AI & HI and I asked for vectors to the
nearest airport, he responded, and we descended into VMC. We cancelled IFR
and flew the rest of the way home VFR without any problems.

Glad you have at least "part" of one of your babies home.

Jim

You fly a single over LM at night?

Two different incidents. Aztec to FL at night, R182 over LM day.
Jim

"Viperdoc" wrote in message
...
You fly a single over LM at night?