geoffb

clean and tighten the spade connector on the back of the ammeter field switch. Terrible application for a spade terminal.

I've been flying to my project sites for years and now do it in a 262 conversion, so I've got some direct experience. Can be a huge time saver and definitely a frustration reducer and increases the number of nights in my own bed. Did it in an E for many years in the Northwest crossing mountains. The plane didn't have the capability to give me super dispatch reliability, but if you need to go, you drive or fly the tube. The combination of ice and MEAs in my neighborhood often limited options for the E. I would not do my instrument or commercial in a 252. I did both in my E and that was no problem. As a practical matter, you spend too much time flying the engine instruments in a turbo and it would distract from learning instrument flying. Same for the commercial. Before I spent the money on a 252, I'd want some sort of guarantee from my employer that this was and will continue to be allowed. The next CFO could pull the rug out from under this in a heartbeat. Say airplane and people get weird. I say it because it has happened to me. New CEO, no more personal aircraft. Bam. Get it and any terms they want in writing. A decent letter of indemnity, liability insurance that matches the company auto policy and makes them named insured should address the concrete concerns. The emotional concerns can be harder to address. They can be expensive to keep up. I do most of my own maintenance, but for a single, these are pretty complex airplanes. I spent 3x the time on the K that I spent on the E. More "stuff" makes more stuff to maintain. My E was cheap to own, my K not so much. If you are looking at putting 300 hours a year on it, it will consume time and money. And, 160 kts average on 10 gph average on an average 3-hour leg? Not gonna happen. For me, flight in the mid teens, first hour is 17 gals climbing to 15,000 at 120 indicated. Following hours at 12 gph (average) 165kts TAS cruise @ 15,000. A little less fuel if it's below ISA. Mine's a couple knots slow due to the TKS install. For years my normal trip was Western OR to the N Cal, about 430 nm. For that, I bought an E and never regretted it. Cheap to buy, cheap to keep, honest 150 kts, and 10.5 gph block to block. If it wasn't for 10,000 FT MEAs I might still have it.

I've got quite a few pics from my various cylinder replacement exercises. If Grumpy doesn't have something you need, drop me a line and I'll dig through my stuff too. Geoff

but what's the status of the STC?

if that's the high-compression STC I recall something about ADs and manifold pressure limitations. Google this site.

That's lower than I would have guessed. Was pushing to pay off mine, but now I've got CDs and treasuries paying more than the interest on the plane note.

I used Dorr for both Mooneys. It's the easy button

No issue with landing with the brakes deployed. Can definitely reduce float if you end up coming in fast. Or if you come in high and don't want to slip. Does add an extra step to a go-around which is why I don't make it a habit. If you're on speed, you generally shouldn't need them.

expanded PTFE flange seal tape works awesome for this, I had a partial roll left over from a turbine job Sealed great, no mess, easy to remove panel next time. You do have to replace it when you disturb the seal.

RV dehumidifier that looks like the West Marine units shown above. I put it on the carper under the pilot's side panel. 20 years, no problem. It's to keep the gyros a little warm, not me.

Mooneys simply don't have the useful load of Bonanzas or Cessnas. I can't legally fly my 262 in my boxer shorts with full fuel. If you need to move 3 people and stuff, you need a 210 or an A36. T210s fit your budget and maybe a TN's A36. Neither is as fast as a Bravo. Mine is a business tool also and the reality of my mission is that 80% of the hours last year we me, briefcase, hardhat and maybe a light bag. Occasionally some light parts or test equipment. The other 20% were personal travel with my wife. She's only interested in sitting for 2 hours at a stretch, so that allows for both of us and anything she wants to bring along. Full TKS tank is only 54 lbs, doens't exactly throw the loading equation out of whack. For $300k, if you want to go fast, Bravo any day. They are nicer and faster than 252s and I prefer Lycoming engines. If you need to carry heavy stuff or really 3 people and stuff T210 or A36, either hauls like a suburban.

I just passed 500 and just came out of annual. I'm going with 50 inspections. I have a good clamp now, it gets a good look-see at every oil change. The risk of infant mortality of a replacement clamp is greater than 0. To follow on from John's post, the 252 cowl doesn't have access right at the turbocharger, but you can easily grab the end of the exhaust pipe and give it a wiggle, or hopeful not a wiggle. If the tailpipe came off the -MB, I suspect you'd burn through the right side firewall pretty quick.

My -MB doesn't run smooth LOP either. So, setting RPM and MP per the 65% power chart and leanest cylinder leaned to 80 ROP, which seems to be 12.0-12.2 gph mine is roughly 150 true at 10k 165 true at 15K 170 true at 17k up the power to 70% and add about 5 knots, go up to max cruise and add 5 more This is a fat (2,100 lb) 262 conversion with TKS and prop boots, so it's relatively slow. So for a clean 231, yours seems a little slow maybe. But there's so many variables.

Having bought into a similar situation and hoping I would get lucky, the OP should have been budgeting for an engine as a worst case scenario. Also, check Airpower quick for a number on a reman. Mine was 228 snew. Effectively parked for 10 yrs in heated hangars. In the first 120 hours it took 5 cylinders, mags and one alternator. Plus lots of little issues waking it up from a 10 year nap. If I'd have been paying shop rates for all that work, I'd be broke. If it's a clean airframe, then it might be worth taking home at the right price. But if you don't want a project, buying a plane that's been sitting isn't the best play.

Back to load. Any of them are great for two people and reasonable stuff and fuel. For me, if you have to travel in the West, turbocharging is close to mandatory and TKS is really nice. Otherwise it sits home and you ride an airliner or drive a lot. If it's pleasure travel and leaving 3 days early or getting home 4 days late is OK, than any of them will work and an Ovation would be expected to have lower cost of ownership. The combination of mountains, MEAs, ice and lack of "outs" during portions of the flight make me want lots of buffer built in. The climb rates at altitude that the turbo gives me provides a buffer. Some goo on the wings slowing ice accumulation adds a buffer. The hot prop adds a buffer. Even with that, I spent an extra night in Libby in August due to the overcast height, freezing level, MEA and lack of a decent out for the first 30 minutes. With a NA plane, I'd have spent another day. Maybe more of a reflection on my risk tolerance than the capability of the equipment. If I could afford one, I'd have an Bravo as I'd prefer a Lycoming. Until then, the 262 conversion does the job, just at 25 kts slower.