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If you like the shop and the quality of work, I would just accept it and not quibble over it. Mooney owners have a bad reputation for being cheap bastards and given the decreasing number of good repair shops and mechanics, I would want to develop a good relationship with a shop you trust. A lot of things on a Mooney are difficult to access and take extra time and unless you are standing there with a stop watch you really have no reasonable basis to question their numbers except a bunch of opinions from the internet. It looks like they noticed air leakage from the #1 exhaust valve during the compression test and lapped the valve. If it were mine, I'd run it for a few hours and recheck the compression to see that it came up, but that's just because I'm an engineer and like to verify results. I'm sure it's airworthy as is or they would not have signed it off.

What bothers me is the list intermingles annual items with discrepancies and provides no breakdown on individual item labor. That’s what I’d ask for: Please break down the labor for each item.

Just for everyone to see my final result - here's how my yokes now look.

concur, annual sounds about right, discrepancies are about twice what one would expect, I would go there in person and ask the shop manager to provide a verbal breakdown of the hours spent on the discrepancy items, there may be something hidden in there that sucked up 10 hours that you might want to know about, a good shop manager will sense it if things don't add up, thereafter write a check, useless to argue if otherwise happy with the shop

I haven't recieved a thing from you. Dick

If I was a betting man, I'd probably put money on the GSA 81 Roll Servo. We maintain the CAP AZ Wing aircraft (almost all G1000 + GFC700 AP), and I've yet to see a GIA failure for the autopilot, but in the past year have had to replace 4 GSA 81 servos (3 roll and one pitch IIRC, but they are identical servos... just the strapping is different). Typical failure mode is they stop talking on the RS-485 bus back to the GIA (had one that was still talking, but wouldn't actually actuate). Pretty easy to test in the config mode on the G1000, can then ring out wiring, make up a pass through cable to patch the wiring to another servo, or fairly easily swap the servo with another one from the ship to confirm wiring is functional but servo isn't talking. The GFC700 is nice for servo replacements, like the 200 series King servos, where you replace the servo independent of the servo mount, makes it pretty painless. The only other GFC 700 failures I've seen in the last year was a short in one of the two trim signal wires (there is a trim arm, and then a up or down command), the arm wire had chaffed and was continuously shorted to ground causing an AFCS failure in the PFT, and there was one broken wire in the connector for a pitch servo. These aren't what I'd call premature failures on the servos though, they all had several thousand hours of being in the aircraft, and their operations are pretty AP usage heavy.

For the yoke ball joints in the panel. I think that’s the only application for the C-model. When I did my yoke shaft service bulletin, I replaced the phenolic balls and applied graphite powder spray.

You're doing a great contribution to general aviation @mluvara My biggest concern with 100R is that it seems that Mr Braly is right about it not being able to achieve 100/130 (specifically the 130 rich mixture rating). I don't like how GAMI and specifically Mr Braly approach to all the documented compatibility issues, and how deceptive their are in regards of G100UL material compatibility issues, but I think in this case, sadly, he is right about 100R. I'm quite convinced at this point that there will be no "drop-in" replacement for 100LL.

I have the same feeling. The annual inspection and servicing seems about right, double for those smaller* discrepancies.... ? *I havent had any valve work done, not sure on #6.

I just spent last weekend at KMKC and would recommend it 100% unless your ultimate destination is much closer to KMCI. The city/transient parking is adjacent to Atlantic on the NW corner of the field with free parking and cheap SS fuel. Atlantic and Signature have full-service/full-fee FBO amenities if you need that, of course. I got a Lyft ride from the transient area (actually walked a short distance towards the street) to our hotel nearby and it was easy. Many, many years ago I went to MCI to pick up a commercial passenger and it too was easy as far as big airports go. It's not super-busy, but it will be more expensive. The Class B is not nearly as crowded as most, although this past Sunday afternoon when I departed it was a bit busy with traffic coming in for the Chiefs game. Every other time I've been around the area it was pretty tame.

Let me add, I just noticed that Aeroshell Fluid 41 is 5606H but which one is correct or are they all compatible? My 5606H is Phillips and they don't seem to have it anymore. Thanks.

I have a 63 C model. They share the same fluid for both the flaps and the brakes. What is the correct fluid? I have and have used MIL-PRF-5606H but I cannot seem to find that exact one now. I have found MIL-PRF-5606J and 5606A but no H. Are they all compatible and which is the correct one for my 63 C model? Thanks in advance for any help.

The only place powdered graphite is listed in the M20J service manual is for the locks. It is listed as an alternate lubricant for the starter drive and the control tube guide blocks, but in both cases it is mixed with kerosene (starter drive) or grease (guide blocks). Galvanic corrosion will only occur when water is present and the the kerosene or grease would most likely prevent any corrosion. Still, the alternative lubricants listed would be a better choice and don't require mixing.

Yes it has! Thank you!

Corroded like this. After I made the purchase in 2008, at the first annual I addressed this. My springs were still loose, but… wow. LASAR had new springs and I stripped and painted all the gear rods. And all the flight control rods, too.

25 hours to patch a baffle, clean the oil separator, generate a landing light 337, chafe protect a baffle, replace four exhaust gaskets, change an ELT battery, lap a valve, remove a bird nest, clean and paint some of the crankcase, and change a nav lamp bulb....everything else is part of the annual. It's about double what I'd expect, to fix those squawks.

Does anyone have a source of supply other than LASAR for the Heim bearing (F34-14N)?

Depending on your model, 20-25 hours for annual is expected. Whenever you change IAs, they have to research AD compliance, and verify it every year. Make sure you get a printed & signed AD compliance report after every annual. Welcome to the Mooney world. Sounds like you're off to a good start!

This isn't the actual STC. I've emailed Duncan Aviation, who hold the STC, for clarification, as they've repeatedly told me that they had to withdraw the STC for Mooney's earlier than the 'L' model - e.g., only 'Long Body' Mooneys are currently covered. To be clear, I'm REALLY hoping the issue with the brackets have been resolved and the STC is cleared for all models....

Mine was 3.1 down, 3.9 home . . . But we went the same direction, I stopped in central NC. Guess that's the benefit of altitude, you were twice as high as I was.

I’d pay it willingly with a smile on my face, but I’d ask them to show the work and explain what they did (and why). Explanation is so that you can be a better informed owner and you’re learning what to look for on your own. Unspoken message is that you’re not just a check writer, you are being an active participant in the maintenance of your airplane. I don’t think 25 hours is too excessive, anything from 15-20 would be very reasonable. As an example, replacing the exhaust gaskets could be a 1 hour job that blossoms into 4 hours if the nuts are seized or an exhaust stud breaks. (Just between you and me, I do question the necessity of replacing the gaskets “to provide exhaust clearance to bottom cowl”. I’d want them to show me that.)

You'd have to invest in engineering to do that, and that's doesn't appear to be happening. Does Mooney still fabricates assemblies where it would make sense to have pre-punched holes? I wonder if a change to pre-punched would require paperwork as a change to the manufacturing process.

Glad it let you know on the ground!

Swift Fuels granted me the opportunity to acquire some 100R to perform the same materials compatibility tests that I applied to G100UL. As part of this, I did expand some testing on fabric systems and compared that test with 4 different fuels. As I note in the video, I want to dispel any rumors and conspiracy theories that I am connected to any fuel companies or was put up to any of my past for future testing. The video is quite long (~30 min) and covers a lot of material.

Have a 6 HP PowerTow for sale. Currently set up for a Mooney or Beech Sierra/Musketeer with additional adapters for a Beech Baron or Bonanza, all fixed gear Cessnas (except TTx) with pants, and Cessnas and Pipers with 5.00 x 5 nosewheels. Comes with spares kit for the tow as well. Asking $1500 for all. Local pickup at KBOW or airport w/in 50 miles.