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This year has been a busy year! Arkansas to Orlando, Orlando to Destin to AR (Gulf Coast) Arkansas to Monterey, Ca via Abilene, El Paso, Wilcox Az, Palm Springs, Santa Monica, Monterey and return replacing Abilene with Lubbock Texas. (West Coast) Arkansas to WV to Lancaster PA to Philadelphia (via vectors over New Jersey) and return. (I'm counting this as the East Coast) 3 coasts in 30 days or so. Not bad for a 52 year old Mooney!!! These are personal flights in case anyone is wondering. Branson this weekend, St Louis next weekend then a short break before heading to OSHKOSH!!!!!!

N9201A...so was he six mph faster than me or do we need to check your prescription?

Please see MooneyCaravan.com for a listing of all things Mooney at Oshkosh. Sponsored by Mooney International, the Mooney Caravan to Oshkosh Safety Foundation is a 501©(3) charitable organization dedicated to safely aviating Mooney aircraft. The fun starts in Madison on Saturday as we pay visits to those "other" mass arrival launch airfields in an overhead, airborne salute. BBQ tickets available through the website. Come on by and meet other Mooniacs! Saturday, July 18 - Madison, WI 7:00 am - 11:00am - Breakfast 7:00 am - Briefing for Dawn Patrol Mission 9:00 am - 4:00 pm - Practice sorties, proficiency flights at MSN 9:00 am - 4:00 pm - Registration at Wisconsin Aviation MSN 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Shuttle to Pedro's Mexican Restaurante 6:00 pm - Mooney Caravan MSN Dinner at Pedro's (Sponsored by Continental Engines) Sunday, July 19 - Madison, WI and Oshkosh, WI Note: The annual meeting of the Mooney Caravan Tribal Council will immediately follow. 7:00 am - 9:00 am Breakfast 7:00 am - 9:00 am Shuttle to Wisconsin Aviation MSN 8:00 am - Mooney Caravan Flight Leader Brief at Wisconsin Aviation MSN 8:15 am - Mooney Caravan Ground Vehicle departs for OSH from MSN 8:30 am - Mooney Caravan Pilot Brief at Wisconsin Aviation MSN (pilots only!) 10:10 am - Engine Start for Mooney Caravan at MSN 10:30 am - Take-off Mooney Caravan at MSN 10:30 am - Mooney Caravan Ground Vehicle arrives at OSH 11:00 am - Mooney Caravan Arrives at OSH -- Sponsored by Mooney International 12:00 pm - Mooney Caravan Debrief -- Refreshments provided by Mooney International 5:00 pm - Cherokees 2 Oshkosh Wine, Beer & Cheese Social Gathering North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent TBA - Royal and Ancient Secret and Sober Society of the Single Malt North 40 at Camp Cherokee Monday, July 20 - Oshkosh, WI North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent 8:00 am - Mooney Pancake Breakfast (Caravan Registrants only) 10:00 am - 11:15 am - Mooney Owners Forum North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent Sponsored by Lasar (Lake Aero Styling) & AC Air Technology 4:00 pm - 2014 Board of Directors Meeting EAA Forum Pavilions - Forum 3 Join Mooney experts in the fields of aircraft operations, safety, aeromedical, maintenance, insurance, FARs. Hear from Mooney International. Learn about Mooney organizations that support you. North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent Mooney Caravan Educational Safety Foundation 6:00 pm - MooneySpace Forum Social Gathering North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent Tuesday, July 21 - Oshkosh, WI

As I wait for the actual new cowling pieces, I'm working on the new baffling and getting it to a stopping point. Here's a few photos of the baffle work in progress. David

Fairly common in that location. You can see there is an inspection panel below the wing walk material, and the leaks are almost certainly coming from that panel. I try to avoid stepping directly on the panel when getting in/out of the airplane, and I always cringe when a passenger puts the ball of their foot directly on top of it when boarding or exiting. If you were to whittle off the wing walk material above the seeps, you'll likely (hopefully) find inspection panel screws. If so, the leaks can often be fixed just by removing the screws, applying fresh sealant to the threads, and re-installing. Simple and cheap fix, and the wing walk can be touched up afterwards. Even if the leaks are from the panel seams instead of the screws, a top-side panel R&R isn't too bad. But whatever the case, I wouldn't take it lightly - fuel tank sealant repairs always require care. I'd trust a good MSC with experience in fuel tank patches to do the work, but not necessarily the local mechanic, especially if they've never done it before. Another option if you're tired of maintenance for now, is to do nothing and just keep an eye on it. The Mooney service manual specifically says "Slow-to-heavy seeps occurring in open areas, such as wing surfaces exposed to the airstream, are leaks which do not constitute a flight hazard and need not be repaired prior to flight, providing the condition causing the leak cannot result in a leak of greater intensity during flight." A heavy seep is defined as an area of 3.5 to 4 inches, and the wet areas in your photo are smaller than that. I understand it's disconcerting to see the wet spots, but it's not an airworthiness issue as shown.

I've been prepping my wife for the Bahamas but she has this fear of flying over water. I cut the corner between Orlando and Destin staying 8-10 miles off shore then pointed out we had flown over water as long as it would take to reach the first island. Next step is getting her passport. We have friends that invited us to go this year (they left yesterday) but just couldn't fit it into the schedule.

I want my 1:35 back. I thought something interesting might happen.

User fees/privatization is ultimately a question of control. The entities that pay the most in fees (airlines, military) will be entitled to the biggest say in how the system gets used. As the airspace gets more crowded, the little guys will be crowded out at every point. Fees will be used as a weapon against the small users. The government is big, expensive and inefficient, but it maintains (more, or less) the egalitarian idea of equal access. Make no mistake user fees will not help general aviation. Whether general aviation is getting an unfair subsidy under the present system is our Achilles heel.

Lacee, it was great meeting you at 5T6. Since that flight I have flown to PA and back to AR. We are in Branson this weekend and St Louis next weekend. I always enjoy hearing and meeting Mooney owners. Met one on a fuel stop in KY. He is in the process of selling N6535U and moving up to a J model.

My Johnson bar boot is a black foot sock. Every time this subject comes come up it makes me wonder if the previous owner wore the sock previously to turning it into landing gear lever boot. I can say the black sock has held up well over the years.

Without any mental gymnastics or any mathematical prowess, I'm proof that you can convert C to F by simply doubling the value, subtracting 10% from the sum and adding 32. Example: 44C x 2 = 88 -9 = 79 + 32 = 111 deg F or, as you put it, damn hot! That's EFFING HOT in my opinion. Got out of KPGA with a belly full of Southwestern Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs today before the forecast 101 deg (f) was reached!

My KFC 150 has no problem capturing from above the GS. in APPR mode with ALT off press the rocker arm down. At GS intercept the GS light will light and the GS will be followed. Not a good idea to intercept with too much V/S.

It was very kind of you and Billie to welcome us at your place. Diane and I had very good time in El Paso. Thanks again. Yves

Nice up here in WI right now, beautiful day today.

i too keep a running list of Mooney's in a spreadsheet i keep with me when I fly. Have some 60 Mooneys that i have ran accross or know on MS or flown a formation flight clinic or the Mooney Caravan or have stopped by 5T6 and stayed with us. Have had over 11 Mooniacs stay or been guests in our home over the past couple years on thier way to somewhere and met even more. Several from here on MS. 2 weeks or so ago Mooneychief, couple months before that stinkbug, Yves & wife, Ed & wife, Yoda & wife, Pinto, Sandman, CFII, Jim Peace, Cowboy, N9207A, and many others... i know there are several i missed but you get the idea... This group of Mooniacs have been such a blessing to meet and get to know! Any Mooniac in the area of 5T6 / El Paso let me know and if anyway possible we'll meet up! Fly safe all

Looks like one of my gals... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Please see MooneyCaravan.com for a listing of all things Mooney at Oshkosh. Sponsored by Mooney International, the Mooney Caravan to Oshkosh Safety Foundation is a 501©(3) charitable organization dedicated to safely aviating Mooney aircraft. The fun starts in Madison on Saturday as we pay visits to those "other" mass arrival launch airfields in an overhead, airborne salute. BBQ tickets available through the website. Come on by and meet other Mooniacs! Saturday, July 18 - Madison, WI 7:00 am - 11:00am - Breakfast 7:00 am - Briefing for Dawn Patrol Mission 9:00 am - 4:00 pm - Practice sorties, proficiency flights at MSN 9:00 am - 4:00 pm - Registration at Wisconsin Aviation MSN 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Shuttle to Pedro's Mexican Restaurante 6:00 pm - Mooney Caravan MSN Dinner at Pedro's (Sponsored by Continental Engines) Sunday, July 19 - Madison, WI and Oshkosh, WI Note: The annual meeting of the Mooney Caravan Tribal Council will immediately follow. 7:00 am - 9:00 am Breakfast 7:00 am - 9:00 am Shuttle to Wisconsin Aviation MSN 8:00 am - Mooney Caravan Flight Leader Brief at Wisconsin Aviation MSN 8:15 am - Mooney Caravan Ground Vehicle departs for OSH from MSN 8:30 am - Mooney Caravan Pilot Brief at Wisconsin Aviation MSN (pilots only!) 10:10 am - Engine Start for Mooney Caravan at MSN 10:30 am - Take-off Mooney Caravan at MSN 10:30 am - Mooney Caravan Ground Vehicle arrives at OSH 11:00 am - Mooney Caravan Arrives at OSH -- Sponsored by Mooney International 12:00 pm - Mooney Caravan Debrief -- Refreshments provided by Mooney International 5:00 pm - Cherokees 2 Oshkosh Wine, Beer & Cheese Social Gathering North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent TBA - Royal and Ancient Secret and Sober Society of the Single Malt North 40 at Camp Cherokee Monday, July 20 - Oshkosh, WI North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent 8:00 am - Mooney Pancake Breakfast (Caravan Registrants only) 10:00 am - 11:15 am - Mooney Owners Forum North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent Sponsored by Lasar (Lake Aero Styling) & AC Air Technology 4:00 pm - 2014 Board of Directors Meeting EAA Forum Pavilions - Forum 3 Join Mooney experts in the fields of aircraft operations, safety, aeromedical, maintenance, insurance, FARs. Hear from Mooney International. Learn about Mooney organizations that support you. North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent Mooney Caravan Educational Safety Foundation 6:00 pm - MooneySpace Forum Social Gathering North 40 Mooney Caravan HQ Tent Tuesday, July 21 - Oshkosh, WI

Wish you could all make it... Day 1 Poor Marauder didn't bring his women to the event so they had to tether to his truck! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

What difference does it make!!

They have applied but competition is stiff! We'll interview them if they make the cut!

Never marry the first girl to smile at you either...

Woo hoo! Great news. Looking forward to a shiny new 540 and 440 soon then!

I'm only 5'6" and can see all the round gauges over the top of my Air for the most part, but with the full-width iPad 2 it was hard to tilt it back enough. But I bet that if you used two short arms with a double-ball (RAM-B-230U) you could make it do anything you want. Like Paul mentioned, once in a while in direct sunlight it will get hot but can easily be remedied with a small cloth. I love the yoke setup and my wife devours Kindle books on the right side's mini.

Yes Oscar after 50 is downhill but after 60 is free fall with cataracts. José

Which S-Tec? Even the lowly 30 when combined with GPSS will do just fine. And the nice thing about S-Tec unlike all the King autopilots, is that they just work without milking you $2500 at a time here and there...Granted no vertical modes. I put about 400 hours of all kinds of flying on a s-tec 30 with GPSS and it never let me down. If it has the 55X then it's about as good of an autopilot as they come, other than Garmin's GFC...

The deal breaker for me on the Eagle would be the autopilot. The STEC is not up to the standards and speed of the airplane. That would be very expensive to change out.