Thanks for all the kind and encouraging words!
She's running fine and we've been flying a fair deal. Been twice in two days to Las Vegas and back, which is a nice 250nm trip, one way. It's been very cold in California, so it was absolutely freezing up high - had to dress like a mountain man. The Janitrol terrifies me, so I don't turn it on unless I absolutely have to.
On the IFR return today in clouds, the left engine shuddered twice, but the carb heat and/or booster pumps took care of it. Can't say I loved it, though. She's done that one time before up high and cold, but it was 2 years ago and it has never happened again. I'm thinking it's some kind of fuel thing in combination with high altitudes or cold.
But more annoying, I now face an avionics upgrade if I want to continue training IFR in her. The single VOR/GS is simply not up to snuff. It's weak, barely gets a signal and is off by about 5 degrees. I have a Collins VOR in a box ready to go, but I really need an old Garmin 430 to replace the ancient 300XL as well. And then all of a sudden one is looking at a panel upgrade and tons of money and time..
Maybe I can just slap the Collins slimline VOR in there, wherever it might fit, and go really basic.
Last edited by AdamFrisch; 31st Dec 2012 at 03:38.