Flew 2.5 hours today, just .2 shy of 18 hours total now. First leg from T67 to MWL to get 10 gallons of fuel @ $5.40/gallon and to use the compass rose to ground calibrate the magnetometer after moving it to the nose. I decided that the right roll isn't to bad and can be trimmed out. I was high approaching MWL so did a descending 360 to enter the pattern for 13. Wind was almost a direct crosswind at 7 knots. I've tended to land to the left of the center line in crosswinds from the right.
Departed MWL towards XBP and flew at about 5500' to do the in air calibration of the compass. The first 360, calibration made it over 40 on the quality number, then the next 360 in the opposite direction seemed to go down in quality. Then I flew West for about a mile and the quality went over 100 and green. Hit finish and save. Exited back to the map display, accessed the Auto Pilot through the panel (it's in the basic mode and the panel buttons don't work in basic mode). I selected Track and Altitude mode, dialed in 270 and the AP stabilized the altitude and heading. Changed the heading to N, E, & S and the AP acquired each heading successfully. There was a lot of traffic near XBP so I flew back to MWL and over to Possum Kingdom, Grayson. Practiced some slow flight and approached Mineral Wells. The ATIS was reporting almost constant wind changes. As I approached most traffic was using 31 but the wind changed and a Baron announced they'd land on 13. I announced I was going to do a 360 West of the field, join the downwind and got a radio call they couldn't see me on ADSB. My transponder had been in STBY since I'd left T67. Ooops. I'd thought I'd gotten the settings correct to automatically switch the transponder on so will need to read the manual and explore the settings some more. Also add "check transponder" to the pre-take off and in-flight check lists. When I returned to T67 I followed a student and CFI in a C150, they flew a huge pattern and since I was following them, also had to fly a huge pattern. I just can't help but think if either their engine or mine quits, we're landing at Walmart. My wife informed me of her displeasure that I wasn't showing on the maps. When I pulled the plane into the hangar and was doing post flight checks, found the copilot gas cap laying on the strake. Now I think I know what made a "tink tink" sound a couple of times on the way back, it was the anchor in the tank. At least the fuel cap tether works.
I pulled the cowls off and had some drops of oil in the bottom cowl and oil around the alternator and starter. Appears the sump leak isn't stopped yet. I have a plan to apply an ample amount of Loctite 290 to the four suspected bolt holes by making some plugs for the holes that go up from the bottom and stop shy of where the sump and case meet. A neighbor stopped by and thinks he has a spare sump gasket I can have. I may replace it during the next oil change if the Loctite doesn't fix it.
I've heard a little shimmy when touching down and suspect it's an unbalanced wheel causing it. - Update, I tried to install Dynabeads in a main tire and found there's a dark grease-like compound in it. The Leak Guard tires say they have a butyl rubber compound in them so the beads would probably clump up in the tubes. I did get some installed in the nose wheel which at this time is a Kenda. I do have an older Aeroclassic but was leery of running it since it's probably more than 10 years old. Update-The front wheel spacers needed to be milled down a few thousandths to increase the preload on the wheel bearings. I checked with Russ and he advised he had similar experience.
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