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Ahhh, I'm not sooooo sure that is oil on them there cargo pants... Urinating in a plane is a delicate activity...

There is NO way I would give up on the handheld GPS. Before I did my avionics panel upgrade it was my primary MFD and even with the G500 and GTN 750 and 650 it will stay on the yoke. I do a lot of ferrying all over the country and I would decline a trip if for some reason the 796 were not operational. The same could not be said for a faulty ipad. That goes for the 696 which I had previously. Everything in one place, easily accessible without switching programs like you have to do with the ipad. ADS-B weather is "adequate" but XM just outshines it with many more useful functions. BTW the regular Aviator version of XM does have freezing levels. For me the ipad is backup for charts. Although the aviation programs are nice on it, the Garmin handheld is all around so much better as to not even be considered a competitor from my point of view. Don Kaye, MCFI

$3.89 USD/Gallon avgas is the cheapest I've seen except for that San Marcos gimmick! Haven't gotten gas since Belize. Filled 80 gallons in Curacao for the Belize - San Andres - Aruba - Curaco legs.

RUN! The sad truth is that perfectly good, airworthy aircraft are selling at a huge discount right now. Aircraft Spruce is still selling the hardware you'll need at full retail. While some used parts are also cheap, new avionics and other essentials are not. Today, there is no monetary advantage in building/restoring. Buy the "perfect plane" at a low price and be happy.

Nope. See... you're wrong, and I can prove it. If what you said were true, nothing off topic would get a response. The comment would get tossed out into the aether and no one would say anything. But that's not what happens. A great many people apparently "give a rat's ass". They can't help it. Conversations drift. It's the nature of conversation. If you truely don't have any rat's asses to spare, don't comment.

Did you ever stop to think that on this Mooney site, that most don't give a flying rat's ass what you think about Obamacare?

There are plenty of mooney people in the South. Let us know when you get here. We'll meet up somewhere and have a $250 hamburger.

I can't wait for the next fly in. The PowerPoint presentation is going to be great! Popcorn and parrots, -a-

My first attempt was at night somewhere over Iraq... I recommend doing a test run with a piddle pack at zero knots and zero AGL. Then daytime before attempting with no light! There's a Dos Gringos song that captures the dilemma perfectly. Mike you're crazy, but we love living vicariously through your trips!

Hey, while you're out wondering about stop in the local market and snag a pair of pants for a $1.50 :-) Of course, maybe you're safer looking like that in some of those places.

these are great candidates for the new NON commercial category. Owner approved maintenance with low cost equipment.

18 years ago I bought total runout. I kept redoing things, I eventually ended up with is what I consider a brand new updated 1970 C model. Every nut, bolt, rod, wire, bushing, engine, prop, etc, etc,etc was replaced / refurbished. I added certain mods for my liking and to enhance its looks, I put a " LOT " of money into it knowing I would keep it never to sell. I think it's no different than someone wanting to have the Mooney Factory refurbish a old neglected runout C, E or 201. When I think of what a factory would charge for the re creation of what I did I feel like I got a deal. I enjoyed the experience so much that afterwards I got very bored and took up building a 200hp RV 7.

Have you considered getting the Brittain wing leveler back working and upgrading it? Is the Brittian Turn Coordinator still installed? Even if you have to buy a replacement turn coordinator and 4 servos, this will be the cheapest option by for. Other than those parts and the disconnect valve, its just a bunch of tubing.

There's a C and I think a G or F at W88 (Air Harbor, Greensboro NC) that have been sitting for 10+ years. One has a motor with only 20 hours on it. Sadly, the motor is most certainly garbage at this point. I went with an already flying plane, but would love to see someone snap one or both of these up and repair. I'd imagine that having two ACFT to start with you'd have enough parts to complete and fly one of them. JML

yeah...probably gonna have to block you.....

I think rats ass's are sexy...in a Willard kind a way.

O.K....Any other way that could have been phrased without making it all personal and nasty? Of course....... Like moths to a flame... I am going to choose to be a butterfly.

You're right. And without a trace of butthurt, I offer the following. Please (!) if you'd rather not read the occasional off topic comment from me, do this: At the extreme upper right hand corner of the page, next to "Sign Out", you'll see your login name. Click on your login name, a dialog will pop up. Click on the "Manage Ignore Prefs" link. On that page, in the box below "Add a new user to my list", type "Jamie", and check the "Posts" option. Then press "Save Changes". This simple action is all you need to do to never, ever see an off topic comment (from me, anyway). It's why its there and what it's for. Guys, really. I will make the random funny (to me, anyway) comment. I totally understand if that's not something you'd like to read. You can ignore me and I won't care. It's not rude, it's not offensive, you won't hurt my feelings, it doesn't cost anything... everyone wins.

So…concerning the younger generations and flying. It is true that there isn't a ton of interest in the younger generations right now. I'm part of them. I'm 26. But, I've got my license, own my own Mooney now (got it a few months ago), and fly as often as I can. And…for what it's worth, I majored in mechanical engineering. I think that the biggest barrier to younger folks flying is, actually, cost. Flying seems to be viewed as something that only the really rich folks can afford-even if (as some of you have pointed out)-that's not entirely the case. Perception can be reality. I think there's something to be said for video games making kids feel like their flying anyway, but I think it's a small thing. Even though I started flying 10 years ago when it was a little cheaper (I saved my money from working at an ice cream shop for lessons), operating costs are somewhat steep compared to airlines and even driving. I currently live in Seattle, but home is Denver. Flying my own plane round trip easily costs two or three times the price of an airline ticket both ways. Throw maintenance into the mix, and it isn't as cheap as we'd like. It just doesn't make a whole lot of financial sense to fly GA, especially for us younger folks who don't have a ton of savings or high paychecks. I have to move to Fort Benning, GA this spring, and I'm already saving just for the trip. It's going to cost a lot to move. All that being said, though, I think that there's more interest than we think. I get people almost every day that still ask if I really bought a plane, how much it costs, whether it would it be something they could afford too. I think it may take us younger folks a little longer to catch the bug, but it will come in time-especially when either (1) GA operating costs come down or (2) when we start making those better paychecks. For me, I'm going to be going back to school and plan on a couple of years of lean finances. But, I'm planning to keep my plane, maintain it well, fly when I can, and keep the dream alive as best I can.

Man... I could totally segue from that to Obamacare, but people get all excited when I mention the outside world.

There are a number of planes like that around the country. When I flew out to Alan's airport and he showed me the Piper Meridan sitting there in that condition, it just blew my mind. I think the reason it happens is, just like the rest of us, we have such a love and devotion to aviation that we can't see ourself separated from it. Letting go of the airplane, is letting go of aviation for many...

I got an example two years ago , that sat in a hanger for 10 years or so with a fresh engine , when parked , and still cant get my money and time out of it..... If you cant get it for free , or the value of the cores, Don't buy it.....

ten days to go. My guess is he will continue east to Grenada then north through the Lesser Antilles to Puerto RIco, Turks and Caicos, into the Bahamas.

If you enjoy wrenching and get one for as close to free as possible, I'd say go for it. The sad truth is, however, if you take the price of an otherwise airworthy and flying example of an E in today's market, and add up the cost of an engine + other things that don't like to sit (gyros, radios, rubber hoses and donuts, etc.) you'll quickly exceed the cost of buying an already flying plane that has been maintained. And of course your labor will be valued at $0/hr for this exercise... The other side of the coin is that you get the pride and satisfaction of bringing back a great plane from her deathbed, and get to make it into exactly what you want. If you're short of purchase cash and don't *need* to fly right now, it might be a viable way to get into ownership. We have a member on this board that took a couple years restoring his '77 J into better-than-new condition. I'd still thoroughly check each example out before considering it, though, especially for corrosion of the wing spar and steel cage for starters. Everything else can be fixed reasonably.

I dont think that either, but at rated power the stresses on the engine are safe, but there is very little margin above that designed in. It takes a lot of cylinder pressure to generate .55 HP/cu in at 2700 RPM. That's a cylinder pressure / torsional bending / rod stress issue. High pressure boosted engines can do more, the TIO-541-J2BD (The certified engine with the lowest detonation margin) can do .64hp/cu in but as a former operator of those engines, they run 56" at full rated boost and will melt down if anything is not just right, and even at more conservative settings they can still shred themselves. FWIW when they want to test 100LL replacements, they use the -J2BD for it because it is the most critical. Geared engines can make more, a 421 engine can do .72 hp/cu in but they can also be delicate. They overcome the high cylinder pressure with a higher 3,350 RPM at the crank, (higher RPM all else the same reduces cylinder pressure) but they have stronger rotating assemblies and an additional part, a gear drive, to do that.

It's time to change the oil in those cargo pants! 361H is probably good for another 30hrs... ;-)

What is the installed weight of the Edelbrock SBC ready to run? I betcha it weighs a helluva lot more than an IO-360. Apples and oranges, certainly. What is the BSFC of the SBC at 180-200 HP?

Excellent....as usual!

Whew, The article concerning C&BP FREAKED ME OUT. OUR FREEDOM IS NO MORE!

San Andres - Treasure Island

Simple: Phillips X/C 20W50 year round. Camguard makes a great product. Umm.....reminds me of a pilots rule of thumb for airplane engines and women: "If you're not sure then an extra layer of protection will prevent future ailments".

Very interesting question. In a normal market, I'd agree. But the economy sucks, fundamentals do not support current valuations, the fed is losing the war, and planes are getting cheaper. Taking on leverage to buy a -depreciating- asset doesn't make sense. His built in 20% profit is eroding out from under him and that's before considering the economic environment into which he's taking on debt. It would make sense if the inflation the fed is attempting to create would work, and affect airplane prices. But that's extremely unlikely (you'd have to believe that, into a 1980 style inflationary period, people are suddenly willing to pay more for airplanes. Meh.) Without going into the various scenarios I believe are likely coming, lowering the carrying costs of the airplane as much as possible (the amount you HAVE to pay, or you lose the plane) makes sense to me given my risk tolerance. If you wake up some morning, the market's 50% below where it opened last week, and you're laid off, liquidating investments to cover the loan is suddenly less appealing and good luck finding someone to buy the airplane from you at a profit... or at all. I'm tons of fun at parties. Hourly and daily rates available.

Unfortunately the cost of owning an airplane hasn't changed much. Take my comments below in the context of a 23 year aircraft owner and a person who has been married to the same person for 32 years. The important part about airplane ownership and your relationship with your spouse is that they need to understand that it is an integral part of your being. If that understanding doesn't exist, then every penny spent on the airplane in their mind is the same as being spent on a mistress or a gambling problem or a drug addiction. At a minimum they need to understand that aviation is who you are and in the best scenario share an interest or love of aviation. And beyond that understanding is a trust that your hobby is not going to result in financial hardship for the family. And that in itself can be a challenge considering the cost associated with aviation. My favorite line from my wife about airplane ownership is this: "Why couldn't you have had a cocaine addiction? It would've been cheaper."

The math is harsh... I'm just the messenger. Take a concrete example: Financed $94,000 (If you can't afford the plane you probably can't afford the sales tax, figure 4%). Interest: 4% Period: 20 years Monthly payment: $569.62 Interest paid: $42709.00 Now using my numbers (for my plane): Insurance: $2000 / yr Hangar: $210 * 12 = 2520 Annual: $2000 (min) Total fixed costs of 2000 + 2520 + 2000 = 6520 / 12 = 543.33 per month. Without flying. Fly 4 hours a month @ 10 gal / hour * $6/gal = $240.00 a month. With financing, he's looking at 570 + 543 + 240 = $1353 / month for not a whole lot of flying in a year, but it's average, apparently. 1353 * 12 = 16236. In a little less than 6 years at that rate, he could pay cash. Financing a toy is dumb. (that's harsh, but wtf.) ((Oh, and notice that this is -best- case. No maintenance, nothing broke, no oil change. The magic perfect airplane. ))

Somebody, please get this man a functioning camera phone. A trip this awesome should not be chronicled by a selfie with a tourism banner in the background. Weak. (I feel like I can be a little harsh here, because anybody with stones big enough to cross the gulf splitting the 100 miles between Cuba and Cancun equally can obviously take a little ribbing from some faceless guy on the internet who hasn't ever flown outside the continental U.S. )

THESE ARE SOLD! PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THESE AND ILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE GET MORE IN!