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Decided time to start building a compound and preparing for the revolution....... The only picture that shows my property is Afton3, the rest are just views. This is located in Afton Wyoming, KAFO, which is about 2 hours south of Jackson Hole. Now for the fun times of house design, approvals and contractors. Expect a lot more questions on hangar design, etc. in the near future.

im just not seeing any deal breakers here with what is shown on photos....firewall damage ocurred 30 year ago and has been judged not to be an airworthyness issue in the past,the fuel leak appears to be from sump drain valve,cracked paint with question about engine mount tube easily checked by paint removal and penetrant dye inspection...these items are minor at this point...the real items are,engine condition with boroscope ,compression checks etc and proceeding with corrosion inspection of spar ,tubes etc,,,those are the deal breakers on a 50 year old aircraft...

So when are you hosting the mooney fly in bbq?

I have Dual G5s (plus 4 servo GFC500) with a IFD 440, everything works just fine, and as said above it should work just fine with the GI275. I would HIGHLY recommend bringing it to a shop that has done this exact setup before though. The only thing that doesnt work with this setup is VNAV, but the IFD still tells you decend to X in 5 seconds, so you just do it manually, not a huge deal. I know its easier to say then do but I would also highly consider the GFC 500 at this point. Your panel is already going to be in a million pieces and the AP integration already needs to be re done. I would bite the bullet if you can and future proof your airplane with probably the best AP on the market for GA at this point. Go dual G5 or dual GI275, my preference is the G5 I think the 275 is a silly looking device with too much crammed onto it.

So for science I hooked up a KC295 and trim servo to my bench tester and if you hold CWS and use MET it will run the trim servo and not disconnect. I even went and tried in in a 58P that is in the hangar. Personally I have never tried this in flight cause I know that you cant have both at the same time (auto trim and MET). In a normal operation without CWS being used you will get the system to disconnect 100% when using MET with the AP on.

There’s always next September.

Will definitely have an open door for any Mooney owner who wants to stop in. Thinking I will only live there in the summer time, till the 8' of snow start....... Right now just land, the more I think about it the more I dread the planning and making building decisions. First world problems. Guess will just have to do it, money is cheap these days.

@carusoam Alt hold is accomplished by multiple components working together as a system. Pitch servo, trim servo, Flight computer and attitude gyro. If one component has issues the system will struggle at maintaining alt hold. For example if the slip clutch for the trim servo is weak it will struggle to trim the aircraft in flight, it might work fine on the ground but with the added load in flight it will slip early and not properly adjust the trim. Slip clutches do wear, they are composed of spring washers, friction plates and carbon disks. With use the carbon disk will glaze the surface of the friction plate and slippage can occur. Most commonly when there is a excessive use of spray lubricant and it works its way into the assembly it will contaminate the disk and it will slip. Depending on the servo series 100 vs 200 the slip clutch assembly will be part of the servo (100) or part of the servo mount (200). Other things like high servo start-up voltage, broken trim springs, and faulty micro switch in the pitch servo will cause problems as well. If the OP knows they have a issue with auto trim I would start with doing a good ground test of the auto trim system. Depending on the outcome of the test that should lead them in the direction of the problem. One thing that has got me in the past with Mooney is if the trim servo is struggling to trim on the ground it will be worse in flight, things like added resistance to the trim system can cause oscillations in flight. Also, if there is a issue with the attitude gyro like stiff bearings causing slow rotor speed it will cause issues as well. Sometimes you can induce a vibration to the gyro in flight and if it starts to oscillate the AI might need to be looked at . Something to always look for on a mechanical AI is when the gyro starts to spin up is does the attitude card shake out or is it slow to erect? If it is slow to erect that is a sign the bearings are getting stiff.

Sometimes the cheapest airplane you can buy is the most expensive to own. Airplanes are expensive now, all of them. If you are determined to buy this one, pay to have a Mooney mechanic travel to the airplane. In all likelihood the current owner isn't going to like the deferred MX price.

There haven’t been many complaints from the IFD crowd… I think @LANCECASPER uses one in his Bravo… Lets see if @Fly_M20R is cruising by… He has installed a pair of GI275s in his M20R… I’m a fan of ousting the TC… so if you end up with an electric AI In that spot… I’m good with that too…. Let’s see if @bmcconnaha has anything to add regarding the IFD and the sale… or any tech details… Best regards, -a-

GPS is in different frequency spectrum than cellular services, and wants an antenna with a beam shape pointing mostly up, so its antenna and rf tuner and radio interface will always be different and separate from the cellular receiver. There are other reasons that they are kept separate, but these are reason enough by themselves. A cellular system can provide rough geolocation very quickly, more quickly than waiting for the GPS system to acquire a sufficient number of satellite signals to refine a position from scratch. The cellular system does this by knowing the direction and coverage area of the cellular base station antenna your signal is being received in, and by a ranging protocol that all cell systems use to improve efficiency (works like DME). That quickly provides a rough geolocation, that the GPS system can then use to know which satellites should be overhead, because they are tightly scheduled, and focus on acquiring those specific satellites rather than just waiting to figure out what satellites of all the possible satellites are currently in view and then slowly start to refine position as they are gradually acquired and identified. The rough geolocation provided by the cellular system is not adequate to determine exactly where you are, but definitely good enough to significantly accelerate GPS lock. Once the GPS fix is acquired, that can be shared with the cellular system to provide a much more highly refined geolocation.

And just to add to the conversation. I just saw carusoam’s post. He’s right. I am convinced there’s a large installed base of STEC autopilots in Mooney’s. In one of my conversations with Barry, I asked him if he did any research to find the installation records for Mooney’s. I thought Genesys would have maintained records as part of the STC process of which planes had STEC autopilots installed in. If that wasn’t available, I suggested that he search out the warranty records. Also asked if he approached the authorized STEC avionics shops for customer records and provide them marketing materials to position the 3100 to Mooney customers who they knew had STEC autopilots. After that conversation, I felt like I had attempted to sell a drowning sailor an anchor. Good luck… Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

FYI... Clarence owns and operates a Mooney Service Center. It's REALLY hard to get better advice on the internet than what he provides. With all due respect to Anthony (another great Mooney resource), I don't believe the color is a good indication to the size of the leak, but rather how long it's been since the leak has been cleaned up. The page from the manual indicates that the size of the stain is a better indication of the severity, and personally having tanks that seep, that has been my experience as well. From your picture of the leak, the bad news is you don't have a seep, you have a leak and a pretty bad one. The good news it looks like it's just the drain port that is leaking, which is inexpensive to repair. It may be worth paying your inspection mechanic to fix it just to make sure.

Two blade. I don't see the point of any more weight on the nose. I had the plane at 17500 today, and it climbed fine. Coming through 17000 was still 400-600fpm. I'd rather have the faster cruise of the two blade.

Repairing a fuel tank is normal for wet wings. A full reseal each time you get a small leak isn’t necessary at all.

CWS is used to release the solenoids so the pilot can control the aircraft as long as the switch is held. When released the system will sync to the current pitch attitude but the roll axis will try to follow the heading bug or course pointer if the individual mode is selected and the bug/pointer is not under the lubber line. You can not have autotrim and MET (manual electric trim) at the same time. If the computer is engaged and you move the left side of the spilt rocker it will disconnect the system. Things that will keep a KFC 200 from engaging are listed below failure of the power supply triggering the power monitor circuit left side of the split rocker not returning to a neutral position open current path for the holding coil in the control head compass valid missing when selecting a lateral control mode failure of autopilot disconnect relay broken engage lever switch The key to quickly breaking down the system is does the engage switch latch? If so do the solenoids engage? Do you get the AP on annunciation in the remote annunciator? If the switch does not latch can you hold it closed and the system try to respond to input changes?

No, it's entirely an Apple marketing gimmick to con people into paying more. Samsung includes GPS on all of their tablets, including wifi-only models selling for ~$150. But ForeFlight is only available in iOs, not android. So I use my cheap Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet, wifi model with functioning GPS [bought on sale for $109 early this year], and Avare [sectionals, WACs, TACs, enroutes, approach plates, airport diagrams--all free and all georeferenced; the approach plate changes automatically to the airport diagram while I am rolling out on the runway].

No post flight pictures, no fanfare, but I passed my IFR check-ride this morning.

Because they're fun, but also mysterious, sometimes unpredictable, and they require lots of attention, or they will give you trouble.

I'm about to pull the trigger on the first panel upgrade (other than an L3 transponder for ADSB compliance) in my 22 years of owning my plane, a 1993 M20J with KLN90B, KI256, KX165, KX155, KCS-55a, KN64, WX1000+, KFC150, Shadin fuel flow, old EI US-8A engine monitor. I plan to add an IFD540, which would be a WAAS upgrade (among other things) from my KLN90B (with which I've been perfectly happy). The only other thing I want to do is address the issue that I do not have a backup AI (though I do have standby vacuum). One way to do that would be to buy and install a GI275 (which would drive my KFC150) and keep my KI256 as a backup AI. Another, cheaper, solution would be to install a backup electric AI and keep my KI256 as primary. That's a little less good, as I'd lose my autopilot if I lost vacuum (and lost standby vacuum), and if the KI256 fails and I don't notice and the autopilot is engaged, all kinds of bad stuff could happen. So the GI275 might be worthwhile, and that's the direction I'm leaning. There's certainly more that I could do, but I'm not sure I see the need to do anything else. I'm posting this to expose myself to any counterarguments (but not counterarguments against the IFD540, which I like more than the Garmin GPS/NavCom alternative, and not arguments that I should get a Garmin autopilot, as I'll stick with my KFC150, which seems more than adequate to the task). Also, given the advice posted elsewhere on this board that the IFD540 will go up $1000 in price on Sunday, do I buy it now before knowing who will install it? Thanks in advance for the wisdom you share with me (and for the wisdom you've already shared with me through your posts on other threads).

Seeing another Mooney in there has to be a good sign!

If Garmin offered an Aspen Max-like G5 display swap to get the same resolution as the GI-275, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Love the form of the G5, wish the screen was better, hate the form factor of the GI-275, love the screen quality. I also think synthetic vision would look better on the G5 than it does on the GI-275.

Look up barndominium. Lots of hangar space! Yeah, somewhat lacking in street appeal, but you don't have road or runway frontage, so don't sweat it.

So, after selling my Ovation, I found something with "just a bit more" maneuverability that I just couldn't pass up, as I've always kinda' secretly wanted an aerobatic aircraft for a long time now. As of this afternoon, I'm the new owner of this Aviat Pitts S-2C...owned by a wonderful gent in TX. Formerly an F/A-18 guy in the Navy for many years, he's flying 757/767 cargo full-time. Came upon the opportunity by accident. Went down a couple weeks ago to meet and spend time with the owner. Although I've had tailwheel and aerobatic experience, this is better than a Disneyland ride...without the ropes. Although I'm still vetting out a C340A that's worth my time and investment, I'll enjoy the Pitts when I just want to get out in some clear VFR and enjoy pure stick-and-rudder flying without computers.

I love it! We bought a place in Pagosa Springs, CO back in June. It isn't on the airport but is a mile from the airport. Sitting on the back porch looking at the trees and golf course with the planes coming and going is wonderful. I would have loved to have a place on an airport in the mountains somewhere but everywhere we looked within a reasonable flying time I couldn't make it work.

Depends how the installer reads the equipment list for the IFD. It's certified to slide and be a direct replacement for a 430/530w. The equipment list in the manual says other equipment may work, but hasn't been tested by avidyne. The GI275 will work with the IFD, but it's up to your installer to sign it off. I did this with a pair of G5s before they were listed in the install manual. We are doing this with a g3X at the end of the year.

I have three David-Clark headsets: H10-13X nose cancelling, H10-13.4 and H10-30. All are in great shape. Just pay for shipping and they are yours. Thanks, Jeff

The G2 is using those locations for CHT (bayonet) - not sure about dual - I got the 18mm ring version just for backup use with the Mitchell only... I'll look at what's available for Mitchell... Mitchell has 12, 14, and 18 MM so I'll need to see what size I can get... Thanks! -Don

Welcome aboard JonD, Wow, that was a quick fix! I hope you can stick around…. There is plenty more where they came from… Best regards, -a-

I believe the B hub is the one that doesn't require the eddy current AD.

Apple Pencil with the pro is good. Always charged. Well worth getting. If having issues writing usually means need new tip on the pencil.

Thank you for the kind welcome. Those that I have spoken with already, have been a wealth of knowledge regarding the Mooney platforms. My MO is that I treat people with respect and operate with integrity. Aviation is a small community and I've worked too hard to become a part of it to compromise my own name. Like I said in my previous posts, I will do what I can, communicate honestly, and advocate to advance this effort.

Thank you Oscar, it has been a pleasure talking to you. I appreciate all of the information that you provided. While I am not in a position to make any promises and, in fact it would be foolish of me to do so, I will say that I am listening and will do what I can on my end. I understand and can appreciate the frustrations surrounding this topic. Zach

You can still get a good compression with oil leaking in around the rings as the oil will help “seal” the cylinder during compression checks. How is your oil use? Does the oil get black quickly after change? Does the belly get “a lot” of oil on it? All signs of blow by the rings. Not the end of the world though. Definitely recommend leaning very aggressively on the ground immediately after start and after landing as that pretty much solves the lead buildup issue.

I used Avare on my androids for years ( I was a very early adopter) but switched to IFlyGPS this year after OSH because "we" (the wife) like the interface better. For a completely free system for charts and flying Avare really is hard to beat.

I don't have to imagine. I was a DOD Systems Engineer and Test Engineer for 35 years. I'm sure the FAA is under tremendous pressure to get new cheaper systems through the certification process. Testing is always underestimated and underfunded and I'm sure the FAA is trying to do it all with other peoples money. The FAA needs to be accountable for issues that escape the certification process. ADs on aging systems nearing the end of their service life is understandable. ADs on newly certified systems need to be addressed transparently by the manufacturer and the FAA. So many of these systems seem to have had issues that someone needs to question the process (if we even still care about certification). Now if we're willing to be test pilots or fly an experimental home built, that's another tangent.

Just a little update for anyone interested. I ordered the Vintage Air drier and it arrived yesterday. The set-up is universal, so the binary pressure switch can be installed on either side, which solves one problem. However, the stock Enviro pressure with has different threads than the Vintage Air Drier. I am not really sure I can find an adapter. So, I ordered a universal binary switch and also the vintage air switch today. Since the compressor and drier are stock automotive units and the binary switch should not care about voltage, I believe it should work. If it does, I will post the part numbers for everything for a trail for the next poor soul to run into these issues. Talk about making a simple thing complicated - Mooney and Enviro sure made this hard.

Couple screen grabs from a video I took yesterday, coming home at 14500. Initial cruise was at 10500. It was 167kts true there. The bumps got bad, so I tried 12500, no change, so up to 14500. It was light, still seeing 700fpm climbing to 14500, 90-95 knots indicated. Nice tight CHT spread, this is 100 ROP. Just over 9 gallons an hour.

I believe most ‘wrinkles’ in a Mooney firewall are the result of previous repairs and tools. I’ve heard many mechanics point out wrinkles on a Mooney firewall like it’s a Cessna that had a hard landing, but that’s not how a Mooney is built. I’d like to see the pictures of this

HI Peter, how are you? Enjoying your new hangar home? You have indicated decent compression, which would indicate both the valves and compression rings sealing well. It does not indicate the intake valve oil seal's integrity however and oil could be coming from here. The lead balls indicate perhaps too rich of ops, particularly on ground ops or cyl temps under 280 in cruise, If this can be attributed to cruise ops, switching to a slightly longer reach plug or fine wire plugs should correct this. You could mess with the timing as you suggest, but the data plate is lord god of spark setting, be it good or bad.

People have what I think is a mistaken impression that the GPS receiver and the cellular radio in iPads are two separate components, and that Apple chooses to remove both of them in less expensive models for marketing reasons. It's more likely they're integrated in a single IC (even though they can be independently powered on or off), and that the architecture therefore doesn't support removing one without the other. The following link claims to be a block diagram of an older model iPad. While I can't confirm it's genuine, if it is accurate, it shows the GPS receiver and cellular radio as a single unit: https://datasheetgadget.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/ipad-3.png. I don't expect anyone to take my word as gospel. Apple doesn't publicize detailed block diagrams of their hardware, and I'm just guessing. But having spent nearly three decades in the computer hardware industry, I can attest that what consumers sometimes see as a dirty, back-room sales and marketing tactic, is often just an engineering decision based on available components and practical integration constraints. I'm inclined to believe Apple doesn't offer a WiFi-only iPad with GPS simply because it's too much trouble architecturally. All modern cellular transceiver chips have integrated GPS, so you get a GPS receiver for free when you commit to cellular. Leaving that component entirely out of the design is one thing. Designing and manufacturing a variant that replaces that integrated cellular/GPS receiver with a standalone GPS chip would likely be a much bigger hassle.

I have tried off and on to get away from paper and pen, but I find that having a knee-board with a pad for me to quickly jot stuff down on is the best option for me.

I just got mine delivered and I can tell you, don't wait, it is a great upgrade from the mini 5, the speed increase is obvious and the larger screen size is great. I'm really happy with the upgrade.

Exactly what I did, except I didn’t use a dedicated start button. I put two DPDT switches above the audio panel in the center stack (where nothing else fits). I modified a mag switch electrical schematic I found on a RV website. I didn’t use a start button, rather both switches need to be UP (spring loaded) to energize the starter relay and simultaneously ground the right mag P-lead. No more after-fire during mag checks with the lag time on the SureFly. In-flight mag checks are a non-event. I moved the master switch there, too, and put a cage on it to prevent the chances of bumping it in turbulence.

You could put in two toggle switches and a push button and be like a single engine twin.

I have this and like it. Would highly recommend. Just an FYI, its easier to leave the mags on with this.

If the F-16 pilot had a tab with an EFB and a Stratux for ADS-B-in it would be pretty straightforward to find specific traffic. It's not confidence building that an actual attacker in a GA airplane could be difficult for the defenders to locate when many civilians have the tech to do it.

Just keep in mind that not all A&P's and IA's are not pilots, they are not aircraft engine operators, and some of their advice can be kind of strange. I went to a shop one time and the guy's like "yeah lean of peak operation keeps my kids in college", and I pointed at the pile of cylinders over at the corner of the shop and I was like all those Cessna 172 and 182 pilots run LOP too?

PM me for details.