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Hi all, I thought I would share a photo of my new Bravo glass panel done at Aerotronics in Billings, MT. I certainly have enjoyed looking at the many great panels people have posted. I’ve owned my first mooney for about 8 months now. Love it. Ho

In a different thread I mentioned that I was going to be modifying my baggage door IAW an article I found in an old MAPA Log from January, 2012. I finished the work and ended up differing from the original article a bit. Please excuse the fact that part of my interior is out, part of it is grey, , and part is brand new (the baggage door cover, which I think came out pretty nice). Baggage door mechanism before modification: This is the door mechanism after modification. I replaced the 2 standard washers with 3 'L' washers that are half the thickness of the standard. I made a short pull mechanism out of 1/16" control cable and standard swages. This shows the latched position. This shows the unlatched position. The changes that I made to the original design were to make for a better looking installation, IMO, and having the pulling direction to unlatch the door to be to the rear, not forward. This will make it less likely for a child to see the pretty red handle and pull it. The baggage door must remain unlocked for this to operate. This is different from later model Mooneys. Of course, with the baggage door unlocked, it could also be unlatched, which will cause it to open in flight and cause damage. Use at your own risk, as always. The placards are simple Brother P-Touch, made using a very old machine. I trim the labels as close to the lettering as possible, and it sticks quite well to the fabric. The pull handle is velcro'ed to the fabric. The labels are actually the same as I did all of my placards, just smaller sizes. They look great from about 6" distance. My logbook entry will be as follows: "Modified baggage door by the addition of 1/16" cable to allow emergency egress in the event of main door failure. Operations check satisfactory, no change to original function of the baggage door. Interior placard installed. Weight and balance change negligible."

Great to hear Bob! I look forward to your feedback. We'll have to come up with a name for it like "Sabre Cowl"! David

I'll give a report on today's test flight, the first with the GDS cowl (David, if you want us to call it something else let us know). It was a beautiful day here but a little windy on the ground and much rougher when I got higher than pattern altitude. I flew for only 45 minutes going up only to 7500' where I only had to hit my head on the roof once to decide it was too rough to learn anything about tas. My preliminary info is that the induction seems to be fine. I was pulling 23.1" at 7500'. CHT's were fine, I have not done a careful comparison to "before" but I think there is definitely an improvement, #2 & #4 were 310F at 75% power. #1 was 260 and # 3 was 350. It was a cool day, OAT at 7500 was -9C. After the flight I added some temporary alum. tape in front of cyl#1 which should raise #1 CHT and lower #3. Oil temps are about as previous and I'll continue to look for ways to route more air back there. I hope to fly again tomorrow.

Nice Andy! Ever think about building a kit and selling them? We got the SabreCowl now. How about the AndyOut? Rhyming with HandyOut? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Hi everyone, I did some browsing around on Mooneyspace tonight and saw that there were no clubs in the club section on the dashboard. That being the case I thought I would start West Coast Mooniac's Club in hopes of reaching out to all Mooney owners and Pilots on the west coast in Southern California. Let's plan some gatherings and get to know one another in a supportive and friendly atmosphere. Perhaps with a strong and active membership we can get some vendor support with discounts and give away's throughout the year. Please go to the club section and join me. This could be fun.

That’s too bad. Those that have and those that will all right. I imagine it’s easy to get distracted at a big place like Spruce Creek. What’s worse than gearing up your Mooney? Gearing up your Mooney in front of all your neighbors.

I know some of you have joined already, but instead of filtering my list I am just going to tag everyone that I had on my list to let you know about what @MrRodgers set up. I know there are others out here on the west coast that I don't have tagged so if you think of someone please tag them. @Flash, @Steve W, @MooneyMitch, @jonhop, @wishboneash, @N803RM, @Bennett, @mooneyflyer, @Dan at FUL, @MrRodgers, @JohnB @bonal @M20FanJesse @Matthew @Joe Zuffoletto @StinkBug @mooneygirl @N9201A @SantosDumont @ilovecornfields @MikeOH @Simon @Niko182 @thinwing @kortopates @kmyfm20s @NotarPilot @3914N @MB65E @rdshave @TheTurtle @VetRepp @donkaye @M20S Driver @helitim @Sven @jrwilson @TargetDriver @Bug Smasher @aeromancfi

Probably slathered the doorframe with Vaseline and threw in a big bag of brownies.

I have been providing basic Med (as a physician) since it's inception. I have spoken to the legal folks and believe I have this figured out (if that is even possible). -There is no more liability doing basic med than any other medical assessment. -A physician providing basic med is not in any way "certifying" the pilots ability (medical or otherwise) to fly a plane. The responsibility rests on the pilot to know if they are healthy enough (free of perhaps minor and certainly major illnesses) to competently and reliably pilot an aircraft. For example, a pilot can have a major "health event" 1 hour after being issued a basic med exam. There is no way a physician can determine the future. The same holds true for a CDL as well. -The issue with many Docs is that they don't understand their possible "new" role serving pilots in a way that has traditionally been an FAA responsibility. Unfortunately, perception, right or wrong, is currently the guiding force. Give it time, things will improve as Docs learn and become more familiar with what is been asked of them. -Many retired AME's do not carry malpractice insurance and therefore will not act as a practicing physician (ie. no basic med). As an AME, they are acting as a type of consultant for the FAA and are making a recommendation to the FAA as to wether the pilot meets FAA flight standards-a different medical-legal arrangement. -As far as the eye exam....any Snell chart will work (the chart that has all the letters that 10 feet down the hallway). I actually use one on my computer that is adjusted for std reading distance. The basic med form only asks for vision (20/20 ect) corrected or not. There is no need for an eye specialist exam unless there is something unique and you would need to see a specialist....regardless as to the need for basic med. The same hold true for any medical specialist need. -If you have a significant health issue (heart, psychiatric, diabetes ect) and have never been granted a FAA special issuance (waver) for that particular issue, you will need to re-visit the AME as the basic med will not apply. You are no longer a basic medical candidate. Once you receive the special issuance you now re-qualify for basic med. If you have never had an AME evaluation (new pilot), you will need one first, then you qualify for subsequent basic med exams. I hope this helps.

Hello All, Most of you will remember my little mishap back in February of this year. If you are not familiar, here is a link to the tread. Most everyone here has purchased a Sensorcon or similar since my accident. For those that want a more permanent installation Guardian has also offered up a 20% discount on any of their CO detectors. I'm going to be installing one in my airplane and run the Sensorcon right next to it. I might be a little paranoid now. The basic Guardian model runs on ship's power but is basically a stand alone unit. The models above that have varying additional features. I'm planing on adding the AERO 551 to my panel. It has the ability to display on a JPI (also many MFD's) and has an alarm that can be wired into the intercom system. Guardian Avionics https://www.guardianavionics.com/faa-tso-certified-aircraft-co-detectors 20% off Discount Code: coaware The Sensorcon discount also is still active 20% off Sensorcon code: aircraft2017 Update on me. About a month ago I replaced 49V with a 1979 231. I tried to shop for another brand, but in the end I couldn't leave the Mooneys. Cheers, Dan

Mooney Summit board member Lee Drumheller just made a very nice video about Mooney International and the new Ultras. Check it out here Way to go Lee!

That gear up is just another reason I’m trying not to join that club. That’s why I just installed an AV17 voice annunciator to let me know the gear needs to go down.

Kind of a reinforcer to always have the portable ready to go at a flyin etc to keep a fellow pilot from having to call the insurance company.

I already tried numerous solutions and found the one that I think works best. You can find the discussion on the other Klixon Switch thread. I just finished making a bunch of covers, and they are ready for shipment.

Provide the shop with a full and legible set of logbook COPIES and an accurate equipment list so they can do AD searches. I would be willing to bring originals in on pickup day for a written logbook entry. Stickers usually suffice. I don't let anyone keep my logs that I don't know or trust. My AP/IA who pretty much lived in his hangar across from mine was an exception. Dorn at Henry Weber is another person I've trusted to keep the logs while the plane was in annual. There are two other MSCs on the east coast that I've used (in name only places - not usually mentioned on our site) that I got a funny feeling from and wouldn't let keep the original logs in their possession. Copies suffice. If the shop is making a fuss find another shop. Much of this is about two-way trust.

Static port is usually the leak point. The seat gets rusty and can be ground smooth and a new O ring installed. If it gets too corroded, you can replace it. Lasar sold me this one for $127. Came from Mooney. The second most likely place for the leak is the alternate static port. Mine was found leaking 2 or 3 times in the 27 years I have owned my Mooney. The third place is an actual split or hole in the tubing itself. Since this tube runs along the interior of the plane, if you had any interior work done, a misplaced screw could have punctured it or the tube split because of age. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Well done!!

When we re-did the panel in my 231 we replaced all the factory gauges (except vacuum) with a 930, and put the 930 in the same place you did. Smartest thing I did on that panel. It puts all the engine functions in the pilot's scan, so even when you are IFR you know what is going on with the engine, and if there is a problem it is detected immediately. That has saved my bacon more than once, and probably the engine also.

Very nice! It looks much cleaner than before. It makes sense to have a JPI-900 close to you. I have seen some 930's (bigger screen) way over on the right side. I like your set-up better. Were the Moritz gauges giving you trouble? I am guessing the vacuum pumps are gone now? Eventually I would like to do something similar to my M20M, although I don't have the Moritz gauges. Would you mind sharing what it cost to do your transformation and how long it took?

I would like to use the airframe interface kit, but like I've read on this post so far, I can't find a place on the outside of the airplane to put it. I don't want my baggage door open with a cord going through there while my airplane is in the hangar. (I don't want little furry animals getting in there, which happened to me once many years ago since I left an unopened package of cheese and crackers in the co-pilots seat. Not only did the little guy eat the cheese and crackers, he gnawed on my leather seat.) What I use now are is this setup so I can maintain two batteries at once. http://www.batteryminders.com/batteryminder-accessory-210-rt-smartechnology-multiple-battery-connector-w-ring-terminal-connector/. I have the cord zip-tied in place inside of the outside oxygen port door.

The drain would be the first thing to look at. They get FOD and don’t seal. Next, be sure the instruments are not at fault. Leaky glass on VSI. Check the baro knob on the altimeter. Check the encoder fittings. Instruments can also leak internally and need to be isolated. From there it is a matter of isolating the system to narrow in on the offending line or fitting.

Seems like a reasonable way to do it. Ultimately, the gauge is just measuring the overall health and integrity of the pump and lines. A serious leak or failure of the pump would be noted in your proposed solution.

Another thread with some ideas.

looks like you had a extremly similar thought process... Skin modification doesn't seems right to me. Ideal would be a plug inlet for the ground power port that contains the Batteryminder plug and the fuse. You could leave it in for daily operations and just pull it out if you need to use the ground power. The small door in the skin would still work. There is not a lot of space but maybe it could work. This would also work for quite some aircrafts..... I know I'm dreaming. Hendrik

David - what are Matt’s numbers now running? I started bencmarking with some J owners and the new norm for his F may in fact be what J owners are seeing. The days of running 330 as the hot cylinder in the summer may be gone. My understanding of the added fixed baffling in front of the cylinders was to address part of the guppy mouth backflow issue. Removing them sounds like a good next step. Another thing to look at is the length of the cowl flaps on our Fs as compared to the J models. I am going out to the airport today to measure a friend’s J cowl flaps and compare it to mine. They obviously may be opening much wider when opened, but may also be longer, moving the exit area when closed behind where our F cowl flaps do. Where is a good old fashion wind tunnel when you need one. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

The owner brings the logs and lest the shop inspect them and verify everything then takes them home when he leaves. Also, leave a full copy of the logs wirh the shop in a binder for them. Bring logs back the day the annual is done for them to sign. Those logs are worth 20-30k or even more. We keep them locked in a gun safe.

The Kiddie CO monitor is a great option for your home, but I wouldn't rely on it in my plane. It will not alert you to a problem until it is an emergency. CO levels that are less than 30 PPM will not even show up on the display. Further, with CO levels around 70 PPM it will take 1-4 hours before the unit will alarm. Below are the pertinent sections of the Kiddie owners manual. By contrast, the Sensorcon unit displays CO levels as low as 1 PPM and alarms instantly when the alarm level is reached. Accuracy of Digital Display: (Model KN-COPP-B-LPM Only) 30-999 PPM +/-30% when measured in conditions of 80° F (+/- 10° F), atmospheric pressure +/- 10% and 40% +/- 3% relative humidity. Display readings may vary slightly depending on changes in the ambient condition (temperature, humidity) and the condition of the sensor. Alarm Response Times: 70 PPM = 60-240 min., 150 PPM = 10-50 min., 400 PPM = 4-15 min. Your plane, your life, you get to decide the level of risk you are willing to take. I'll stick with my Sensorcon detector.

What puzzle me is that no parts of the plane like the engines has not been found on the island. Engines are heavy and more durable than bones and harder to be moved by the sea currents. Unless she ditched far away from the island and drifted on a raft to the island. José

And don’t forget about the treasure on Oak Island. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Tomato flames or 91.205 is not the end all list of your aircraft required equipment. In the absence of a KOEL in the POH, you’ll have to consult the required equipment portion of TCDS. You should consult your IA. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Was able to test the oil pressure with a T in the line. The pressure gauge is simply "off" by about a needle width at the high end. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Filed V23. Ended up getting direct EUG then UBG. Seattle Center was great. Gave me a block altitude 14-15k and let me divert around the weather at will. Portland is beautiful! I would post a picture but the ones already posted are way nicer than the ones I took! Thanks for all the help.

All of the stuff above, but a couple of thoughts. The trim is activated by switches in the servo when they sense a load. You can check the basic feature by engaging on the ground with the elevator held neutral. Now push or pull against the servo and see if your trim goes opposite. I don’t recommend doing this in flight unless you are really on the yoke, as you can get severe pitch excursions. This will tell you the basic health of the switches, but not if they are in spec. Another way to tell is when disengaging the AFCS is the aircraft generally in trim? It should be. If not, the elevator servo may need work. Friction in the elevator and links can also cause this issue. A common source of friction on early Mooney’s is the yoke panel feedthrough. If it is not smooth, the AFCS can chase itself and the trim and you can be in for a wild ride. A little lube can go a long way.

Last year TIGHAR published a picture claiming that it was Erhart and Noonan on a pier waiting to be loaded on a freighter. A week later others looked into it only to discover that the ship in the background wasn’t even launched until after their disappearance. I’ll wait on hard evidence. All this stuff out of TIGHAR is pure speculation.

@81-201 I'm glad you got one, and Welcome to Mooneyspace! Where are you located? I spoke with Sensorcon a few weeks ago and they promised to keep the discount code active for the time being. At that time 548 had been sold under the discount code. At least 549 now! Cheers, Dan

Crater Lake and a bonus photo of Mt. St. Helens. No where more beautiful than the Pacific Northwest

And in the mean time Geraldine "Jerry" Mock successfully flew her Cessna 180, the Spirit of Columbus, around the world. Her airplane now hangs in the Udvar-Hazy Museum.

Below is from pg. 5 of the 1967 M20C POH. It pretty clearly describes how the Ammeter is useful for diagnosing problems with the electrical system. I'd say that makes it primary, wouldn't you?

The organization that publishes a story about Ms Earhart every six months, doesn’t seem to be mentioned in this article... Best regards, -a-

Quick update for @Sabremech and interested kibitzers. The plane has been ready for test flights for a couple of days after trimming on some baffling for a better fit but the weather has not cooperated. I hope to fly tomorrow and if possible for several hours to get some speed and CHTs data as well as shoot 6 approaches. We still have to install the second landing light for symmetry which should be one more day's work before taking it to Hawk Painting. The cowl looks as good in person as the pictures above! I continue to be a very happy camper. May have to include some cheese head nose art.

10 miles out.. I’m going 190kts. 4 miles out I’m going 190kts. The airplane slows down just fine just give it a 3 mile level segment.

Well, how about that. All this time I thought I owned a 1975 M20F, according to the serial number (22-1322) I actually have a 1976. According to the logs is was manufactured and completed its test flights in December 1975. Today is the first time I noticed the "1976" written at the top of page one.

Really? There are quite a few Mooney Owners here...

Really sorry to hear of all your issues on a new to you plane. I'm a new M20F owner myself and, knock on wood, I've not had any avionics issues. I'm going to be the heretic here and suggest you get a quote on having the transponder fixed. And, at least have them take a look at the GPS issue. As a new owner we need to FLY our planes awhile before having them AOG for expensive upgrades Since I haven't had avionics issues I have no first hand experiences, but have heard Affordable Avionics at Chino is good.

We should have our GDS (@Sabremech) cowl installation complete tomorrow! I replace the rest of the baffle seals while we were at it. The baffling and fg duct is beautiful.

Once you go LOP there is no harm going leaner until the cylinder misfires. The power just drops off. The claim that the guy in the article went from 11 GPH to 7.8 GPH only because of the oxygen sensor is ludicrous. If he used the leaning method mentioned in the beginning of the article, leaning till rough and enriching till it runs smooth will get you as lean as your engine will get without misfiring. No sensor will change that. It would be great if we had electronic ignition with an oxygen sensor on each exhaust. We could have perfect mixtures in all the cylinders all the time. BUT, a current fuel injected aircraft engine with GAMIjectors, ran LOP by someone who knows what they are doing, can do just as good so there is no real advantage. With a higher power ignition system you could ignite a leaner mixture allowing the engine to run a little bit leaner than it will now. And if the ignition system could advance the spark while LOP it would increase the efficiency even more. The problem is a system that can control all those parameters can malfunction and destroy your engine almost instantly. It can do this by putting it in an overheating or detonation scenario. All that for less power and a little bit more range. Well, advancing the spark would make a bit more power while LOP. I've been designing and writing software for industrial control systems for almost 40 years. The more I work with automatic controls, the more I trust mechanical systems. Of course my software is perfect, its the other guy's that has the bugs.