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I know some people here have much better machines, but my trip yesterday was an eye-opener to the capabilities of my E model. Took off from KRKS (Western WY) at 10am, and five and a half hours later landed at 91C in Eastern WI, crossing five states (WY, NE, SD, IA, WI). 993 miles non-stop at an average speed of 190 mph, burned 46 gallons of fuel at 13,500 feet. Of course tailwind helped (around 25kts), but I still feel amazing about it. I used oxygen all the way, and felt none of the fatigue I used to feel after flights above 10k. Here's a picture of one of the more spectacular buildups I had to dodge along the way.

He was absolutely correct in this statement. However, he should have also pointed out that there is a lot of WRONG information from maintainers. That's why we have to verify what anyone tells us. Good for you to delve into this.

I don’t want to infringe any laws!

What a pleasant time I had listening to all the details from the man himself. He is a new owner of a Mooney and took great care to tell me what an amazing plane it is. The plane had been flown 30-40 hrs / year for the last several years. He purchased the plane a few weeks ago and was getting instruction for his insurance. The engine is an IO360 with approximately 1000 hrs on it. He was flying with an instructor at approximately 3500 ft when the engine seized without warning. It is locked up. The propeller did not windmill at all. They found a nice place to set it down in a farmers field and there it sets. It is unharmed in any way except for the seized engine. They are waiting for it to dry out before pulling the engine.

Not that I am aware of, found the issue loose nut.

Thanks everyone. I agree 100% that the primary cylinder temp gauge is required equipment. My avionics installer disagreed after he threw out my functioning OEM temp probe with a supplemental EDM830 install. He also installed the crush temp probe I purchased for the EDM on the old gauge thinking it would read.He stated that if it is not in the TC it wasn't required. Said "there is a lot of WRONG information on forums". Now I have to fix his error to have a functioning cylinder temp indicator that is primary. Thanks again for replys. Hopefully they will help someone else someday. Scott

CAR 3.675 Cylinder head temperature indicating system for air-cooled engines. A cylinder head temperature indicator shall be provided for each engine on airplanes equipped with cowl flaps. In the case of airplanes which do not have cowl flaps, an indicator shall be provided if compliance with the provisions of CAR 3.581 is demonstrated at a speed in excess of the speed of best rate of climb.

The koch chart can also help where poh data doesn’t exist. This faa pamphlet is actually pretty useful: https://www.faasafety.gov/files/events/nm/nm09/2013/nm0951144/density_altitude.pdf

OK, as the OP I feel obliged to respond to some of the comments. In the end I had to go to Driggs -- I was not aware of the fact that Jackson Hole has extremely limited overnight parking, which must be reserved well ahead of time. (They said 5 tie-down spots total.) Takeoff from Driggs was absolutely a non-issue. Much easier than a takeoff I did years ago from Fremont County (1V6) in a fully loaded Piper Cherokee 180 on a hot (90+ degrees F) day. 1V6 stands at 5450 feet. My POH only shows information for 5000 pressure altitude and 80 degrees F. But @Shadrach's table for an F helped. Thanks to all who responded.

The OPP regulation is a very valuable path for owners like us in this situation. There is quite a bit of latitude on the "production" of said parts, and the owner does NOT have to literally make the part themselves. They only have to be involved with the specification and direction of the production, and only install them on their own plane. (ie don't make and sell them to get around PMA rules!) The specification can be as simple as "duplicate an existing part using the same materials and dimensions," and that is perfectly proper. In this case, the machinist friend can make a batch of them without worry and distribute to individuals. I would very much like to buy a set as well if you and the friend are willing. If he makes a batch, the price could be lower for everyone. If you want to create a paper trail, you could have anyone interested complete a simple form to create the specification and then everything is above-board. (This is how companies like MacFarlane handle making duplicate engine control cables or similar where they do not have a PMA!) If you need a scrap version for destructive test, I'd suggest talking to Maxwell or Top Gun or similar and see if they have any in their box of misc hardware that is used for show-n-tell.

It's easy to be fearless when you're doing the work in Dugosh's hangar. The stuff isn't actually all that complicated but, I knew if I did get completely lost I had the resources I needed to get it out back together. Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

It's a type certificate, not an inventory of every legal requirement. The TC doesn't mention an altimeter or compass, either.

I totally agree with everything you’ve said. However (), you know all too well that technological advancement far outpaces regulatory evolution. We live in a day and age when one can buy inexpensive instruments and be assured they will deliver precise, reliable information that is easy to read, download and share. I think there is probably room for a lighter regulatory touch here (as well as in other areas). If the goal of the regulatory body is to maximize safety, then regulators should be seeking to create a regulatory environment that facilitates maximal adoption of any well understood, reliable technology that contributes to safety of flight. I am not so sure that they’re doing the best job of keeping the end goal in mind. Experimental aviation provides a means to analyze and showcase areas where the certified, regulatory, framework increases safety and to also showcase areas where it generates almost no statistical difference in safety. If an area of the regulatory framework isn’t increasing safety…what is it doing? It certainly isn’t increasing availability and decreasing costs. The fatal accident rate in experimental aviation is much higher than certified. The precise stats might be fuzzy but the delta is large enough to be undeniable. More freedom granted and less regulatory oversight increases risk/decreases safety. However, I’ve not found a single instance where an experimental operator’s uncertified nav lights, strobe system, landing light or engine monitor contributed to their or anyone else’s demise. Regulators should be seeking to maximize the safety ROI from regulatory activities, yet there seems to be little interest in analyzing the areas where the FAA/PMA/TSO certification has no statistical effect on safety. I applaud the FAA for loosening the regs around AOA indicators. I would like to see that type of consideration more broadly applied. It would also be nice to see data on how many AOA equipped aircraft have been involved in stall spin accidents since the regs were relaxed.

Did it look like this hat?

The list of required equipment is in the Owners Manual, and in the FARs. Yours should look something like this: There's another couple of pages that cover Night and Instrument flight, each of which includes everything listed above plus a few more.

I have an original gear and original worm gear, they are getting scanned and drawn up, will let everyone know when it is completed as I need to get the original part back to the owner who was nice enough to loan it to me...unfortunately I have been unsuccessful finding a set of old, out of tolerance, gears for the destructive testing for the metalurgist

Here you go

You didn't say if you are replacing skins, but if you are, I'd check and see what they cost to get from the factory. I've found some of Mooney's parts prices pretty reasonable on parts it manufacturers. Some of those panels have stiffeners and by the time you cut up sheet metal and rivet stiffeners and drill all the holes in the right places, it might be easier to just get one from Mooney. Besides, making parts is about all that's keeping the factory in business these days and it's good if we try to support them when possible. Just a thought....

I redid my panel at my last annual, it was a huge job. I've got a great relationship with my A&P/IA and they were willing to sign it off. It's really not all that complicated once you understand how it all interconnects, assuming you've got good technical aptitude. I'm mostly retired and like doing my own work mostly because it usually gets done faster than if I have to schedule someone else to do it and when scope creep pops up, and it always does with me, it's not really affecting someone else's schedule. It's also nice to know how everything works, I trust the airplane more now because I understand it all. There are 2 issues though, the first is obviously finding someone willing to sign it off. The other issue though, is that some avionics are only available to authorized dealers. I put G5s and an GPS 175 in my plane, if I'd wanted to do GI275 or G500 and a GTN, it would have been more difficult to get the equipment and STCs. Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

Or, you could tape a ketchup packet to the backside of the tube...

As part of the DVD package I send, I include a very important document that complements the video. I, also, send out an email that discusses how best to use the video. I have sent a number of copies of the video out by WeTransfer and separately send out the documentation along with the supporting email. It adds a separate step with regard to playing it. The .cdr file doesn't just automatically play like inserting it into a CD player. On the Mac it plays with "DVD Player" or on both a Mac or Windows machine it plays with a multimedia player such as "VLC". The video is not long (but each type of approach can be played over and over again), is not a polished production as many videos might be, but is different than any videos I have seen in that it was shot and composited to show in one picture the approach perspective from both the pilot's view and side view from the ground. Since it was made with tape, there is no prop interference and the unintentional but beneficial low alternator noise demonstrates the proper use of power in the approaches, ie, the less power changes the better. One other thing, I unapologetically included an unintended go around to show that, no matter what your experience level, when the unexpected happens, a go around can be started with a quick decision with no anxiety. Bottom line, the video can be sent out as a download.

It is all about certification/qualification to a known standard: proof that the device is trustworthy, if you will. The factory gauge system went through certification testing and was part of the Type Certificate issued for the aircraft. An aftermarket device monitoring all cylinders may well be a more accurate and better device but without proper testing and documentation the FAA says "no bueno". So, naturally, those companies that go through all the certification testing can advertise as "primary" and charge a hefty premium. Those that don't...well, you do get a better price! IOW, the FAA doesn't want you, the owner, to get to decide what is 'good enough' and I can't say I blame them. Welcome to aviation

When I first started flying long cross countries, I picked airports with the cheapest fuel for fuel stops. After a few issues, I now choose airports with 1) maintenance facilities, 2) commercial airline service, and 3) nearby restaurants, hotels, and Uber/Lyft service. It's insurance for both aircraft maintenance issues and weather. Being stuck on the ground on a Sunday in the middle of nowhere with nobody staffing the FBO can really interrupt your trip. And I've had to use the airlines to get home once. For where you're going, fuel stops that meet those requirements would include Garden City, KS (KGCK), Liberal, KS (KLBL), Tulsa, OK (KTUL), Springfield, Missouri (KSGF), Little Rock, AR (KLIT), Montgomery, AL (KMGM), Tallahassee, FL (KTLH). I'd try to pick my way from one of those to another based on the weather that day, and be flexible about it. Any of them also makes a pretty good overnight stop if you need or want to break it into two days. Florida's airspace around Miami and Tampa is always a challenge. It's very busy and the controllers don't like dealing with slow piston aircraft. Their preferred method of dealing with you is to route you 20 NM offshore at 4,000 feet, which feels uncomfortable in a single engine. You will want to either stay VFR and outside the class Bravo as long as possible, or file IFR and try your very best to sound like a professional airline pilot on the radio and hope they work you in. It helps if you file an arrival procedure in your flight plan, in my experience. They'll usually give it to you and let you fly it. Good luck and have fun.

Landed today after an hour flight. Taxied to my hangar and the door latch wouldn’t move. So this is how it ends I was thinking. I called my A&P and he just happened to be around the corner. I handed him the key through the tiny window and he unlocked the door. Apparently the lock cylinder had turned in flight and locked the door from the outside. I’m guessing it’s time to remove it and take it to a locksmith? Lol

You should have opened with the limitations of your POH! I knew that some of the early owner's manuals are limited. Stopping at 5000' just is not sufficient for planning. We have airports here in Maryland that see DAs in that range in the summer time. Performance data can be interpolated, but it would be preferable in the event of an inquiry to have factory numbers to show as a reference. The truth is that a well sorted M20E is probably the best of the fleet for departing in the conditions that you have described. You're flying a light airframe that will be making >80% horsepower. I can't imagine anything other Mooney besting your E's runway performance with a 700lb payload.

According to the TCDS, on a M20F, ailerons are 8 deg down, TO flaps is 15 deg down.

Just to be clear, you are taking off with the flaps in the take off position, not the fully deployed position, correct? I only ask because I find the wording of your post a bit confusing. From the cockpit, the visual differences between flaps up and take off flaps are minimal. I would say the same thing about the differences in air loads. There may be some airframes out there that have never exceeded Vfe with the flaps deployed but they are in the minority. We have not performed SB M20-217 on our aircraft, largely because the kit does not appear to be available. We thoroughly clean and inspect both side of the stub spar at every annual. So far no cracks, in spite of a few known overspeed events in the last 50+ years... It's good practice to thoroughly inspect the stub spar every year, especially if the SB has not been completed.

I’m lucky David did this fix in the plane I bought from him. The doubler adds quite a bit of strength in that area… -Don

I'll second what Skip suggests... you might call Maxwell or your favorite MSC and inquire if they'll make a set for you. You might be pleasantly surprised at the cost, IF they can/will make them. Maxwell has a sheet metal wizard too and might whip some out for modest cost too. (He made a main gear door for me years ago after the Chinese tripled the factory parts prices!) I have a smooth belly conversion on my list, but unfortunately installation is a ways out for me, so you cannot have my original panels yet.

Pulling the BATT CB just reduces the load so you can get a positive charge indication at a lower RPM than 2000. If you are getting a positive charge with the STBY Alt on there is no need to pull the BATT CB. I do my engine run up at 1700 then increase to 2000 and check the Standby. If I’m showing a positive charge at 2000 I don’t load shed the BATT bus; No need to. You’re just checking that the Standby Alternator works. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On the ground whenever I pull the gascolator in pre-flight I visually check to make sure that it has stopped allowing fuel through. I've seen it a few times over the years when I had to fiddle with it to get it to stop. I would be hesitant to pull it in flight, not knowing for sure if the fuel has stopped.

Yes the frost on the bottom is from the super cooled fuel. Sometimes called hoar’s frost. I get it just about every time i come down quickly from the flt levels especially wjen the humidity is high like here in texas in the summer. jet fuel starts to freeze at -56c and jets fly up in the 30,000 to 40,000 where the temp is way colder than what you will be subjected to at 25,000 and rarely after a 5 to 6 hour flight we might be getting close to the fuel temp getting to -54c where we have to start doing something about it either fly faster to get more heat from air friction or descending to warmer FL’s so with AVgas being -57c it definitely wasn’t the gas freezing. You had water in the fuel that froze.

Thank you just did this

I bought Don's video when I first bought my Mooney and I am very glad I did. I would recommend buying a USB DVD player if you dont have one if you are new to Mooney since Don's video is that good and worth it.

Way off topic, but whatever... How about this as an idea to make it easier to spot the damage of a crushed nose gear strut tube? You drill and tap a small hole in the tube, reinforcing the area around it with another layer of steel to make up for the reduction in strength of the hole. Then you fill the tube completely full with a brightly colored dye. Make sure there is no air in it by applying a vacuum first. Then you insert a small pressure relief valve (Link to an example below) so if the tube is crushed at all, it will expel a significant quantity of the dye. I expect the net weight gain to be about 1 pound, which is unfortunately well forward of the CG. Install costs will be about $2,500 per aircraft ($50 each for the valves, $100 for the dye, and 20 hours at $110/hr to remove the nose strut assembly, drill, tap, fill, and then re-install, plus $100 for the STC paperwork) And to get my STC approved, it'll be... Let's see... destructive testing on 25 strut assemblies, at $500 each to purchase ($5,000), plus 10 hours of engineer time each at $250/hr ($62,500), plus 2 lawyers 25% time for 3 years at $450/hr, ($1,500,000) so I'll need to sell....16,7500 of these, plus 65 per month to cover the cost of the loan for this while I'm getting it paid off. https://www.central-lubrication.com/Bijur-Delimon-19139-Pressure-relief-valve-31-bar-for-SureFire?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsPCyBhD4ARIsAPaaRf3w4XIYqUJQUKM7uE_JXWfMr40NjHlmJ37PO-rq97LGdpv1S82CvT0aAov0EALw_wcB

I think that was Kevin's nice way to make a brand new Mooney owner feel better.

This is what @OHAEDO posted. I don't understand what broke or how something on the nose gear can get damaged by over steering in a way that can't be seen during preflight. I am NOT saying it can't -- I'm saying I don't understand how it can and I would like to learn.

You don't need to lay on the ground. Just reach under and run your fingers along the the back of the small tubes on the back of the nose gear truss - IF it was turned beyond limits, that is what contacts and either dents or bends. Us your iPhone reverse camera like a mirror and pan under the cowl and nose gear. You are making this harder than it is.

If there is a lesson to learn here, this is the lesson I want to learn. When I do a preflight, every preflight, I lie on my back on the ground under each main gear well and directly behind the nose gear well. I look very carefully for anything unusual, and I’m looking at every inch of the nose gear truss for any dents or missing paint. I assume that most of us do something similar. I’m not sure how this particular damage avoided discovery during preflight, but I’d like to understand how it was hard to see or how it might have been invisible to a pilot getting ready to turn the key - so I can try to catch something similar in the future. If there are photos of this or other incidents where someone knowledgeable can point out the areas of hidden damage, I’d like to learn.

Agree with both of you, but in this instance I ordered Don's video back when I bought my Mooney and am glad I did. It is very well done and was helpful. I shared it with a hangar neighbor when he sold his Cherokee and bought a Mooney and he said he found it extremely helpful too.

I know people like to toss around high heat and humidity numbers to make a point, but 100° and 80% RH requires a dew point higher than any dew point ever recorded in the US. I’m just sayin’…

You’ll be fine there. Couple of suggestions…. Make sure you fly in the morning when it’s cool and there’s less turbulence/winds around the mountains. Have a good technique for leaning for takeoff and know how to use it (full power runup or target egt). Lighter is better, so don’t take lots of extra gas (it’s $$ there anyway). Climb out might be more interesting than takeoff. You will climb out at a slower rate. You’ll need to lean, but keep track of chts so you keep the engine happy. ~120mph is still good. Terrain is to the east and west. Expect to climb for a whilst north/south before turning.

If you watch that video carefully, the gear wasn’t all the way down. I can’t understand why somebody wouldn’t have a gear down and locked indication or the floor indicator wouldn’t be showing the gear down either and still go ahead and try to land it.

LA native Staying with family off Mullholland - pretty much straddling between the three fields based on time in car. Earned my private flying out of SMO before the runway was shortened - used to live by SMC. Right turn at the shoreline plenty of times. Ended up avoiding VNY most of the time due to traffic. First flight over there with my CFI was the closest to a mid air I ever want to experience. Rented out of WHP last summer. Quiet field boxed in by VNY and BUR airspace. North/West departures basically fly through VNY approach GS. SMO MVFR/IFR is a consideration. Cautiously optimistic I’ll be a newly minted IFR before the trip which would take the marine layer out of the equation. If this all comes together ~6 weeks is a long time. Trying not to get fee’d to death for the privilege.

Not a Mooney but had to share this view off the wing from the trainer this week. Times like these make the hour drive to the strip after a long workday worth it.

Picked up the new bird and flew it home to Las Vegas from Indiana! What a machine! Still not quite comfortable getting the speed down on final but should get it nailed with some more CFI time! Had some nice solid IMC on the way west. What stable platform!

I had an extra pair of holes put in my seat rails of the pilot seat. The long bodies are the same in the seating area. They are longer behind the seats.

Just to update those who haven't checked, but the dates (from the website) are September 27th and 28th. My wife and I plan on arriving on the evening of the 26th so we don't miss the first half of the event like last year. Registration is open! -R

The Mooney part number for the shim is 720013- with dash numbers -007, -009, -011, and -013, etc., reflecting the thickness of the shim. You can get them on ebay. I thought sure there was a drawing in an SB or SI or something showing installation, but if there is, I can't find it. In the drawing below the shim goes between the 720020-501 collar and the steering horn assembly. It seems like kind of a stop-gap measure to take play out, but it works. Just checking play there makes it evident whether you need one, or a bigger one. It's best done on jacks or at least with the tail tied down and the nose suspended.

Precisely. I actually put my key in the hatch lock after every flight so I can’t miss checking it.