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On a go-around all the gear is doing is adding drag. The flaps decrease the stall speed and add some lift. So, yeah, gear first on takeoff, go-around, or landing.

Yeah, same here, gear then flaps.

"Legal" unless your navigator/FMS Limitations say no, although the truth is the GNS limitation is probably violated regularly. "Preferred?" Maybe. They do exist, but there are not too many airports in the U.S. where a VOR or LOC approach would be a better choice than an RNAV approach. In those cases, sure. Pink needles primary with green needles on a secondary CDI or a bearing pointer. But otherwise, it seems to me that the only time one would choose a VOR or LOC approach in real life is going to be during a GPS failure. That means, to me, from a proficiency standpoint, we are better off practicing VOR or LOC approaches green needles only, preferably with the GPS off or at least with the approach not loaded and on a non-map page. And if we're not going to practice that failure mode, don't bother practicing VOR localizer approaches at all.

Good to know that the drag is the same. I am a gear then flaps guy. Up or down.

I am fine, but pax may not be with excessive descent rates.

I'm also in the gear first camp. I treat it just like a takeoff--power up, verify positive rate, gear up; when I'm looking down at the obstacles, flaps up.

And your age.

Or the more traditional "$1 and other valuable considerations," in particular the unlisted right to in-hangar maintenance.

Insurance cost comparisons are meaningless unless you state the insured hull value and the liability limit including whether it is “smooth” or has a sublimit.

I'd be really tempted to sell the IA an ownership position in my plane for $10.00. Assuming they allow owners to be with their planes.

You may want to call @Parker_Woodruff. I believe my initial policy last year with 400TT, and zero in type (Ovation/E wouldn't count toward the J but it's 5 hours or so anyhow) was $2,400. It was about the same this year.

My experence is retracting the flaps will reduce lift and the airplane will dip a bit. This isn’t something I want during a go around. Especially close to the ground. I don’t touch the gear or flaps until I have a positive rate of climb and have climbed at least 100 feet. That usually isn’t a problem, by the time I’m done messing with the power and trim, the plane is already climbing and I can do the flaps and gear at my leisure. Another reason to do the flaps first, is that is where your hand is, right by the flap switch. Move your hand from the throttle to the flap switch and then up to the gear.

While ago the FAA (and EASA) made it easier to track changes in en-route charts, aip amendments and approach charts, they have AIRAC tag or time stamps. Jeppsen and Garmin rely on these tags when they make their edits as well... http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/acf/media/Presentations/08-02-RD198-Navigation-Data-Currency-WG.pdf This should count as "validation" or "confirmation" that no change happened, although, a careful pilot who is flying with expired database in IMC should have all the fun "comparing names, numbers and coordinates"

I've put together another system, this is a 2022 display with less than 60 TT along with a new 6 CYL harness and probe package to match your plane. (A new system like this has a street price of $3155). I also have a new 4 CYL harness and various new and used probes. What do you need? Aerodon

I have a C, 75k hull, ~$2500 last year. Renewal is coming up so I’ll be sending Avemco my WINGS records and sign-off on flight review. 775 hours and over 500 in a Mooney…

What are you paying? And what’s your experience and hull value?

Due to the significant pitch up when flaps are retracted in Mooneys, especially the long body Mooneys, I have taught to retract the gear 1st, trim down, then retract the flaps when going around. I always taught the student that the drag of both were comparable. While most POHs say retract the flaps 1st, in this case I think safety is more important in my opinion than an incorrectly written POH. Finally, in the Acclaim Type S the POH does have the gear being retracted before the flaps in a go around. I recently saw a YouTube video of a recent test conducted in a Bonanza on the given topic. For the Bonanza the conclusion was that the flaps should be retracted first. I decided to run the test on my airplane, a Bravo M20M. At 4,500 feet I slowed the plane to a steady 105 knots ( 5 knots below maximum flap extension speed), engaged the autopilot in altitude hold mode and extended the gear. The plane stabilized at 87 knots for a drag reduction of 18 knots. I retracted the gear and returned to a stabilized 105 knots. I then extended full flaps and waited see where the airspeed would stabilize. It stabilized at---87 knots, the same as with the gear extended. Demonstrated conclusion: Confirming my earlier statement, for safety reasons, the gear should be retracted while trimming down before the flaps are retracted in a Mooney go around.

I have Avemco, I participate in WINGS, get an annual flight review and complete WINGS phases, helps with my renewal. So far, they’ve been quite good… -Don

The EU rules should be our rules here in the states where you verify the points in the database with a current approach plate. Every 121 carrier I worked at, this is the procedure if caught out and the database goes out of date. I have flown to countries that were not in the loaded database and had to enter in all the Lat Longs of all the points on the arrival and departure. Just like the old days when we had 9 waypoints and had to keep loading them in as you went. We used to build are own approaches in the “Box” for VFR and low visibility. It is not acceptable to build an LPV approach so I would not do that, but verifying points for an approach that has not changed would be fine with me. Having a current database is no guarantee the points are correct either. Years ago United doing an approach into SFO almost had a major disaster because one of the points was wrong on the approach. So getting back to the original post, doing an approach with pink needles and monitoring with green needles for a non precision approach for me would be preferred and legal.

Be careful with Lithium battery packs unless they are LifePO4. If you must get a LIPO pack, be sure it has “good” batteries, I forget what they are now but they come in three grades I believe and you want one that’s CE or UL rated, in other words cheap Chinese packs are known to catch fire, good ones much less likely and LifePO4 AKA Lithium Iron etc is very difficult to make burn, Earth-X and many others are LifePO4. To emphasize the post above, there is no such thing as “cold” there is only the absence of heat. It’s like light, you can make a flashlight, but you can’t make anything that projects darkness as darkness doesn’t exist, it’s the absence of light. Ice absorbs heat in the phase change of melting, a vapor cycle air conditioner absorbs heat in the phase change of the liquid refrigerant evaporating, but that heat it absorbed has to be released in order for the cycle to continue, if the heat isn’t dumped outside you will actually heat up the space your trying to cool. Why your house AC is blowing hot air outside, and your refrigerator is heating up the kitchen as it just dumps it removed from inside the fridge into the kitchen.

Thank you for the replies, information, and advice. Also, I wasn't sure the aerocruze 100 was approved for the M20C; it looks like a much more practical way to go for the money.

The Southwest Texas windshield mod mimics the J speed slope screen, but retains access to the avionics through left/right panels. It is just ridiculous that this STC does not continue to be available. I HATE that so many great mods are locked up because of legal crap. To what end says I?

It's probably overkill, but I started using one of these with my arctic air cooler. It will run the unit for about 6 hours, which is a LOT longer than the ice will last!

Ready to fly smarter, safer, and together? Right Seat Ready! + Pilot Plus One are coming to Lakeland, FL and San Luis Obispo, CA! Pilot + Co-pilot education Redbird Flight Sim training Seminars you’ll enjoy together Limited spots — register today: https://jolielucas.com/pilot-plus-one.html We just wrapped up a Pilot Plus One event at AOPA Headquarters in Frederick Maryland. Of the 15 couples who attended, 5 were Mooney flyers. We had a blast with seminars, social events, and of course, time in the Redbird simulator. The event at the end of September [26-27] is at the ACE Center [ near Sun n Fun grounds]. This will be our last Pilot Plus One event of the year-- left seat and right seat education. Here are some fun photos from our time at AOPA, their facilities were awesome.

I was just curious what folks are doing these days regarding engine overhauls for IO-550s on Ovations. Air Power shows a price of $69K for a new engine and about $62K for an overhauled unit. Both on back order, of course. Has anyone used them recently, and if so, what was the experience like? Also curious what the overhaul shops are charging and how long that's taking these days. Last, how have costs been to actually get a new engine installed labor wise and for a firewall forward kit (hoses, mounts, etc)?