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The I'M SAFE mnemonic used to be almost a perfunctory exercise in flight planning for me. When was I ever not ready to fly? Hmm...? Now it is not so perfunctory. Since last summer (I am now 70), I have scrubbed two sorties because I knew I was just too tired to really stay ahead of the airplane. It may cut back my flying hours on those days when I have set aside the time because the weather is cooperating, but better that than the alternative. I really do not want to be "that guy." In the pattern, talking to no one and oblivious to a lot of the situation around me. I have seen it in others and read more than one resulting accident report. Even a fixed gear aircraft will not solve that problem. I think we have to be willing to tell ourselves when it is not a good day to fly because of how we feel. Pisses me off that age is creeping up and may be doing this to me. I was a warrior and we are indestructible!!!!! Then, but maybe not so much today. Still instrument current and still Class 1 medical. But I am ready to determine when my A game is no longer good enough. Then it will be time to hang up the spurs. But not today and not while I have the tools and QC checks to help me make good decisions. BTW: tomorrow is four practice approaches to local airports.

As Mike above well knows I’m in the twilight of my flying career, for the lack of another term, I changed my insurance this year due to age. My prior company warned I would have to go to fixed gear or fly with an instructor. My new company requires an annual IPC, which I do anyway. I attempt to fly at least 100 hours per year, raised my minimums and go over my POH and other guides more. It seems as though the years keep getting shorter

While I do have a dog in this fight, (im 72), I have to say of the people my age, pilots typically are cognatively better off than non pilots my age as a data point. Every week I self evaluate and daily my wife evaluates my mental capacity to be flying, realizing I am aging out and at some point, I will not be of value to the Mooney Community except for a nice party or 2, but enough about me.. Every pilot should fly often with other competent pilots and sincerly debrief the flights to stay tuned up. Notice I didnt say instructors, but it always better if you can find a competent, and in our case, a Mooney specific well qualified instructor as they will be astute in identifying correctable habits and issues that may compromise the safety or proficiency. Not always the case with the freshly minted CFI, but they will get this skillset in time also. We willingly spend a ton of $ on maintenance of our planes but so few on maintaining the most important system in the cockpit, ourselves, and thats just wrong as we are far mor perishable than an AP servo or a rod bearing. As Parker elludes, the insurance industry cannot use the exception to base underwriting on, but they can and sometimes do use known history and data, both good and bad to affect your rates.

Our society wants to govern by the exceptions, rather than generalizations. Yes, there are two people you know in their 80s that are better pilots than 90% of the fifteen pilots in their 50s that you do know. The truth is those are the exceptions. But there, generally speaking, aren't economies of scale for the exceptions when it comes to older pilots. It's rare when there's an accident that "hits home" in the type clubs that we see people talking about age when the pilot was, in fact, older. Let's not be in denial when these instances come up. And, in addition to age, we should talk about loss of control in IMC...there are real problems here across the age spectrum...but sadly these problems are likely worse as pilots age. I've had to have a discussion with an older pilot's friend to make sure he wasn't flying as sole PIC when I noticed he seemed mentally impaired. Thankfully the friend confirmed he wasn't flying sole PIC. These aren't comfortable conversations, but some of these conversations could stop accidents. By all means, the exceptions should keep flying. I give flight instruction to two pilots in their 80s. I've noticed a certain humility about them that is the opposite of the mentality I've experienced from other pilots. Those are the guys I will fly with (provided they also have well-maintained planes). I'm on the receiving end of the senior pilot "firing squad" at most airshows that I attend for Airspeed. I know what it's like to look at a pilot who is clearly in his 80s as he complains to me about insurance and be thankful he's not flying. It's the pilot whose wife steps away (and I get the impression it's because she knows he's already blasted whatever hapless insurance broker has been manning the previous 3 insurance booths he's walked up to that day and she doesn't want to hear it again). I also know what it's like to look at a pilot in his late 70s/early 80s and think: "Man, I can 99% guarantee this guy is an excellent pilot and I'd probably put my family on a plane with him. It's a shame insurance is a problem for him."

Ps. Moderator, should this be moved to the forum “Bug Reports & Suggestions”?

Definitely agree since I’ve had horrible work done at MSCs as well, but I’ve always had great experiences at Top Gun and would definitely trust them over most other shops, especially for Mooney specific items.

They are pipe threads. The tapered threads need to be tightened against the thread taper, there is no gasket. You need pipe dope or Teflon tape to seal the connection.

LittleDipper , I said that same thing two years ago. The crap hit the fan about a year ago when my agent notified me of what to expect and OLD Republic notified me I’d most likely have to fly with another pilot or get a fixed gear plane, we looked around didn’t like any other planes being pissed off I sold a beautiful Bravo only to later be notified Brown would insure myMooney if I got an annual IPC, I then bought an Acclaim. I’m 75this year, Terry didn’t misspeak. That’s where he came up with that. I used Mike for my IPC and transition to the Acclaim.

What did the bug say to the windshield? Thats me all over… -Don

All of the above said, I've considered an RV-12 while I save for a nice Mooney, Cessna 206, or PA32R...second baby on the way...and never know if a third might show up.

RV-12 all day!!!

LSA insurance can be expensive (sometimes even higher than 6 seat retractable gear aircraft rates). Be cautious about which plane you choose. A rule of thumb: The more common the LSA, the greater likelihood insurance rates will be good.

It’s good to keep things fairly well balanced laterally since the airplane will be more efficient. The GFC 500 has a fuel imbalance limitation of 15 gal. for the M20J/K. When flying in a crab (not a slip) to compensate for cross track drift due to a crosswind, the wings are level and the ball is centered, so there is no constant force on the servo clutches.

Single pilot old men are not the only people that forget to raise the gear...... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4739838/Air-India-pilots-forget-raise-landing-gear.html#:~:text=Pilots suspended after their aircraft,bring up the landing gear&text=Two Air India pilots have,to retract the landing gear. https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/03/qantas-cabin-crew-flags-pilot-forgot-to-retract-landing-gear/

Read the last 3 paragraphs I wrote above. If you're in your late 60s thru 80s, commit yourself to flying 50+ hours per year (80 or 100 would be better) and get a flight review (and IPC, if you're instrument rated) at least once per year. If you have skipped a month, grab an instructor and go fly a short cross country dual. Maybe do some stall recoveries or unusual attitudes on the return leg.

I found a Mooney in a field and bought it for $8,000. It’s a work in progress and this is the beginning!

Yesterday I removed the oil quick drain from my M20J, because I was going to do the oil control ring flush procedure and didn't want to get the o-ring damaged. To my surprise, after having drained all the oil (like overnight draining) through the quick drain, when I removed it, another quart (or maybe a pint) of oil came out. Inspecting the oil quick drain (picture attached), it's easy to see that several threads were submerged in the oil, so whenever the oil is drained through the quick drain there is 1/2 inch or a bit less of oil that is not drained. I don't like very much the idea of having a relatively significant amount of old oil getting mixed with the new one. So, my question is, do I have the wrong oil quick drain? I've checked and for the IO-360 this seems to be the right model: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/curtis_05-22973.php which surely doesn't look like the one I have. But anyway, it seems that the thread length is the same as the one I currently have, so I'm not sure if it would make a difference.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/bay-area-plane-intercepted-biden-visit-18163625.php

From the overkill department, I bring you a homebrew powered towbar run by a cordless drill. I couldn't stomach the $1,600 for a commercial version, so built this one. It's s bit on the heavy side, but gets the job done. Wish there was somewhere to fly to these days..... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Or just deflate the nose tire.

TFR was well publicized by aviation groups and was available on the FAA site and 1800wxbrief for a few days. It is really unfortunate that GA continues to take these self inflicted hits. Doubly bad that a Mooney was involved.

If an airport charges landing fees, it should have to make a sign saying so that is visible to anyone landing there from a distance of, say about 3 miles, and publish that fact in all FLIP.

Have I contacted AOPA? HA! I had a "conversation" with Baker years ago at OSH about ramp fees and just where has that gotten? AOPA can't actually do anything in this regard. They can only "ask". The FAA even said that the "free stuff" was put into ADSB so that the entire idea would be accepted by GA (and buy in with their own money) Without the "free stuff" they knew GA would baulk loud and clear and kill the entire idea of ADSB OR the FAA would have to FUND the entire cost themselves!! Remember this is/was a replacement for ATC RADAR and its hysteresis in target location. ADSB was designed for increasing the through put (movin' metal) at the big airports so airliners could be stacked together closer than they could with RADAR alone. It was never a GA thing but only ancillary to the bigger picture. They needed GA in the program to make the airline side work. Yet many in GA wanted the "fish finder". A "poor mans" TCAS. As a past Airport Manager of a Part 139 airline airport I can attest to the fact that many airports that "lose money" it happens because of poor management. And it doesn't have to be placed on the backs of GA for the total support of the airport. Many studies have been done showing the value of an airport to the citizens of the sponsoring agency whether it is a city or county. An airport is vital the economy of each entity. One only has to look at how many city owned airports there are in Texas that supply good pilot rooms with one or more Courtesy Cars for pilots to use to "live on the local economy" while at that town. They only charge tie down and a fuel price for the use of the airport. These entities see the value to the city for the airport. You only see the landing fees at airports in larger cities where they are trying to squeeze out every drop of blood trying to make the airport a profit center without taking into account the input to the economy that the airport provides. In my case we had a city manager who wanted to close the airport due to cost for the city. This is in a city that had one 2 lane road in and out and an airport to support the city coffers that was totally dependent on tourism for income. We got 1 MILLION dollars a year from the FAA for the airport so the surfaces were taken care of and only the terminal needed city funds. I proposed a ticket tax as we had 10s of thousands of passenger sales every year (allowable under FAA rules) but that idea was declined as "they didn't want to do that and closing the airport was a better solution". The city manager didn't last long nor did I. Many forget that we pay a TAX in every gas purchase for the support of airports around the country. THAT is our contribution the air infrastructure in the USA. The airlines pay on a different scale BECAUSE their usage is higher! Let's not forget this fact! We don't get off free anywhere in aviation. David Wayne Hooks? I was just there a few days ago. They don't charge a landing fee but they do have a ramp fee waived with 5 gallon fuel purchase. Quite reasonable. In fact I flew there from St George Utah KSGU and other than towers at KDWH and Double Eagle (ABQ)and on two occasions to verify activity in a couple of MOAs, I talked to no one in ATC. Monitored ATC but never communicated, never needed to. We need to understand that there is a difference between "landing fees" and "ramp fees". If an airport wants to charge a "landing fee" to use the runway they have that right and it should be published. BUT if the airport is 'FREE" to use yet the only operator charges a fee to exit the airport THAT is a problem with me. Again. I mentioned this many years ago right here. Its no different than someone setting up a gate on the interstate off ramp to a city and charging a fee to exit the highway into the city. The highway is paid with Federal funds that I can use buy paying my gas taxes but I can't get off the highway without another fee to a private entity that I don 't need? I don't need fancy furniture or cookies. Just a bathroom and a gate and many city run airports have just that and do fine. Big city ideas bring on big city fees. The biggest issue right now is the consolidation of FBOs around the country into one of the big three. They are interested in big iron jet fuel sales and don't really want to service GA. Its not a good trend for us.

It could be condensate from a secret government chem trail.

What's the last thing to go through a bug's mind when it hits the windshield? Its butt. I know, we all heard that in grade school, but I couldn't help myself!

Big ass bug... I once hit a bug at 14000 feet. What was a bug doing up there?

I have this oil quick drain. A bit different than the OP's. But I have never thought if it left old oil in the bottom of the sump. Never thought to remove it. Saf-Air Oil Drain Valve P5000 | Aircraft Spruce

I’m 74 and grew up in Texas. Didn’t grow up in an air conditioned house or was never in a an air conditioned classroom until I was in college. I dealt with it then, but it just kills me now. If I am going to just fly around the area when it’s hot, I do it in by 140 with a high wing. The Mooney is just a green house. I’m just a wimp these days. Can’t be due to my age though.

As an Aussie I've always found it fascinating the level of disruption that US residents wear around the travel habits of their president. Many years ago (1991) while backpacking in the US we got stuck in traffic heading out to JFK. Our taxi driver explained that the President was heading to the airport and all the roads and cross streets would be shut down for the cavalcade. We were staggered. A few years later in Nov 1996 as a brand new sub 10 hr pilot I was practicing circuits in Canberra when the controller asked me to do a few orbits over parliament house to give him time to get a VIP away. I had a birds eye view from 3 miles away. Later when back in the circuit I watched the big black cars loading into the heavy transport planes - C17s I think. Bill Clinton was visiting Australia. Different world now.

I’m sure it does. I added a named insured (retired airline pilot) to my policy that had accidentally clipped a presidential TFR a couple of years before (no intercept, no conflict) and he got a 30 day suspension. I can’t imagine the insurance companies would ignore the headbutt.

jeez

Truth! For many reasons beyond insurance terms too. Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

Thanks @Parker_Woodruff. Found a room at Comfort Suites .5 miles away. Looking forward to meeting you.

I used 4892 liters (1292 US Gal) for the trip from Belgium to Australia. Total flight time was 67 hrs for 10800 NM. I need to check but I assume that we need an additional 600 US Gal from Belgium to the East Coast of the US.

Parker, can a case be made in advance of age 65, 70, or 75 to continue coverage if a pilot were to do all of the recommended items, such that at least the current insurer, or perhaps any, would look at an application and say, yes, this is a diligent pilot doing all of the right things to be a safe pilot? Things like 75-100 hrs/yr, annual flight review and/or IPC, a good mix of XC, night, IFR (if applicable), etc. instead of just a breakfast run repeated over and over... It seems like the insurance industry could issue an "advisory circular" of sorts as a means to improve the odds of keeping insurance into this phase of life. Perhaps you can suggest something like that to the carriers?

I'm in my earlyish 60s. You guys seems to be making a convincing case to move to whatever aircraft you hope to fly at 70 sooner rather than later. I expect the next 8-10 years to go by in a flash. Heck even an LSA could be fun.

My daughter and I flew from F37 to ERV Sunday. When we got to ERV, it was 105°, I turned on my B Kool at about 7500 and it kept it comfortable in the cockpit. Yeah, it could have been a few degrees cooler but, we weren't sweating. I do mine a little differently, I put just enough ice water in it to circulate through the pump and then add freezer packs and frozen water bottles to fill it the rest of the way. I have the water dump on top of the frozen water bottles so it runs down it to cool off before being pumped again. Since we had 55° at 11,500 and the cabin was cool, I would rather have a longer duration of cool air that keeps us comfortable than a short duration of ice cold air. We ran it for about an hour through our descent, landing and taxi and the water bottles were still cold enough that they were pleasant to drink. The biggest thing is to not let the cabin get super hot to begin with. I don't have a hangar but I do keep my plane covered, which makes a big difference. I also just added the cling tint, which I think will help as well. I do what I can if the pre-flight before removing the cover and get the B-Kool running once I do. If I can get 30 minutes from it on the ground and another 45 - 60 when we land, it covers the critical heat. Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

Scan it and keep it in your FF docs? Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

Why would they do that? The regs don't even require a logbook at all. All you have to do is keep a record to show you meet the currency regs or whatever experience you need to apply for a new certificate or rating.

I agree that loading is an issue. I do NOT agree that a crosswind in cruise will have ANY effect on the clutches.

If you have the full Adobe PowerPoint, or something like PowerPDF, you can make any .pdf document searchable. Sadly I changed jobs and no longer have PowerPDF . . . .

@Parker_Woodruff, thank you. That was very thoughtfully written and informative. I’ve unfortunately been in the position to “take someone’s license away” after an event occurs for which I am a mandatory reporter. The person is usually very upset with me but at least one family member usually thanks me. It seems pilots could do a better job of owning their responsibilities - to themselves, their passengers and the public. When we don’t police ourselves, we compel the government, private businesses and courts to do it for us.

At first I thought it screwed up talking about wings made of carbon (thinking carbon fiber) but it must be a poetic metaphor meaning the carbon molecules which ultimately provide the energy for lift.

If you change to an Aspen that will still have to be aligned to the autopilot with the test box. On many Aspen installations this isn’t done and the result is porpoising. On a previous airplane I had Aspens, once I had the alignment done the only time my airplane porpoised is when I flew over SeaWorld in San Antonio

I don't think there is any truth to the implication that all older pilots near this age cutoff are in denial of getting older and aging. What is disturbing is there is no magic age in years, such as 70, that fairly represents the entire pilot population to suggest 70+ pilots should be forced out of flying complex aircraft. Its entirely subjective line drawn that can't really be backed up with data. But the age group is too small to make it worthwhile for anyone to do anything differently. Not that making such a determination based on medical fitness is the solution, but it would be far more objective and logical, if there was a reasonable way to do so, than pulling a number out of the air like we have now. Although whenever an older pilot has a fatal accident there is speculation that the pilot had a heart attack or stroke, yet the details from accident reports show us medical events leading to an accident are very very rare with the vast majority of times with it being simple pilot error and/or lack of proficiency. Soon we should see the FAA extend the ATP rule for airlines to 67 years from 65. That's a little helpful to aging pilots too.

The upcoming Textron/Pipistrel Panthera (2024) is more of a Mooney competitor and makes a lot more sense than the Diamond.

But first lay an old moving quilt on the seat, covering the seat back, too. You can likely fit a medium plastic crate (my dog travels in a small one that she sleeps in at home, too, so it's familiar). A larger crate may go in the door one piece at a time and assemble in pla e on the backseat. Note that the dorm opening is much, much bigger than the pass-through space to the backseat with the front seat leaning against the yoke.

You need an airport cat.