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So while was polishing my Mooney today I was day dreaming about some nose art... What do you think?

Hi guys, I'm the poster child for who benefits from BasicMed. I'm the friend of Orion and Marauder whose experience was referenced here. I am truly the poster child for BasicMed. I am 67, have been flying an average of 175 hours per year for each of the past 19 years, mostly in my 67 M20F. Five years ago, after a sleep study, I was diagnosed with OSA and had occasional Afib. I spent six months going through the special issuance process, and have been flying since, I use my CPAP daily and I haven't had an incident with Afib in nearly 4 years. Part of the deal is I have to prove use of the CPAP and have a 24 Holter annually. My most recent Class 3 expired on Apr 30. On May 4 I had a very detailed physical with my longtime personal physician, a non-aviation person. She pronounced me to be her patient of the month. Every one of my numbers have improved. My BMI is 24.3, and I'm showing no risk factors for any potential debilitation, other than my 3 year old bout with Afib. I have a recent clean bill and Holter from my cardiologist. The BasicMed program will allow me to avoid the annual administrivia, and produce no additional risk to the public, so I was confident that she would sign right away. I was so wrong. She did not, and said she had to "research" it. Over the past week, she has researched nearly every FAA Reg she can find, and has concluded that, if I comply with all the requirements of the last Special Issuance letter, she will sign. I've invested a great deal of time getting to this point, so I'm going to comply. Truthfully, if I'd just gone to my AME, I would have been flying last weekend under a Class 3. I want to avoid the annual requirements, so it makes sense for me. My advice to anyone who will listen is - "Shop for a physician, beginning with local AMEs." BTW, I called AOPA for their opinion yesterday, and they tell me that the number one reason for incomeng member calls re BasicMed is this question, "My Dr refuses to sign the form, no matter what anyone says. Can you refer me to a Dr who will?" Jack ps. I know her sources refer to Medical Classification by AMEs, not BasicMed. Frankly, I'm simply not a credible source of information for her. It's not her fault. The industry should have published talking points and quick reference guides for physicians well in advance of the release of the rules. Instead we released scores of eager but misguided pilots like myself onto a wellmeaning, but unsuspecting physician population. In their shoes, I would also probably decline. Sad.

I predict it will be on Ebay a year from now and the Seller will be from Tennessee and the reason for selling is that he lost his medical.

Spoken like somebody that has never dealt with BK technical support. There is a big difference between Garmin quoting you a fair price and returning the unit on time, working, with warranty vs BK accepting the unit, fucking around for 2 months, quoting you a price of $55K to fix a 4" CRT screen while at the same time refusing to provide a timeline or any sort of warranty. Yeah, that's BK for you. The issue is that that are spring chickens. There is not a single person at BK who even remotely knows what they are doing. All experienced personal either retired, died or went to work for Garmin. What's left is a barebones operation incapable of certifying a single new product on their own for last 20 years. I would never in my wildest dream fly behind an autopilot servo serviced by BK after my experience with them maintaining the EFIS 40 and the KFC325 autopilot. Glad I wasn't the one paying the bills. How about $15K for a pitch trim servo? And another two months turn around time.

Walter White

All - we should probably hit Pause for a minute. I've read through every post here, and unless I'm missing it, no one has referenced or posted the actual note sent out. I've attached it below. Although there is truth that BK will require the items in the list to be sent back to them for repair/OH/replacement, what's notably missing are the KAP-150, KFC-150, KFC-225, KFC-325 autopilot computers, their respective servos, and other related components. I confirmed with my shop and through BK that these items are left off by design, and can continue to be serviced and supported in the field as they are now. Please take a read through the note, and although there is valid concern from many of us about items that ARE on the list, any of us with BK autopilots will be able to obtain services as we do today, hence, are not at-risk. Should your shop of choice not be able to repair or replace any component of an autopilot (due to lack of skill set, equipment, or other limitation), then that shop would engage BK as needed. Hope this provides a bit of clarity and perspective. Steve May 1 Bendix King.pdf

I'm not sure there are too many outright naysayers. For those (most of us) who thought we were going to be able to fly on a driver's license, it is a terrible disappointment. For some pilots, it is a good deal. For others of us, there is little in it that seems attractive to us. And with changes in our circumstances we may rethink our position. So, all told, there is some good here, just not as much as we hoped.

Yesterday there was a post on here where a new member was asking whether $30,000 for a 900TT J model that had been out of annual since 2007 was a good deal. This airplane was not advertised and it was a deal he stumbled upon. He concealed the N-number obviously not wanting anyone else to mess up his deal. All that is fine - we all want a great deal, but then he mentioned how the owner is in the hospital in the last stages of cancer. The more I thought about this the more I thought how the person in the hospital could be one of us and it sounded like he was trying to steal it from the family at a time when properly determining the value of an airplane was the last thing on their mind. Last night I took at shot in the dark and replied with what I thought was the N-number to the airplane (N201FA). It could also be N201CA, but I think it's N201FA. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N201FA To my surprise when I looked today the post was completely removed - I must have struck a nerve. Out of the blue a few minutes later I got a PM from the one who posted: I'm not interested in this airplane. My only point to this post is that the free market should determine the value of this airplane for the family. If others here are in the market for a 201 project I would suggest checking out the registration (http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=N201FA). Then going to whitepages.com (http://www.whitepages.com/name/Richard-H-Sherman/Milford-DE/1iu4mqu) and see if you can reach the family to look at it. The more people that look at it the better the family's chances of getting a fair offer. It may only be worth $30,000 but if it was your family disposing of your airplane you'd want them to have a few offers to consider. Full disclosure: I bought the airplane I fly now from a widow. It had been advertised for months though and many people had looked at it. She was treated with the kindness and fair treatment that I would want someone to treat my family. I realize this is none of my concern but we are all watching out for each other.

I thought you meant this:

I wouldn't fly it until those squawks are fixed.

An old Pilot sat down in Starbucks and ordered a cup of coffee. As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him. She turned to the pilot and asked, ‘Are you a real pilot?’ He replied, ‘Well, I’ve spent my whole life flying biplanes, Cubs, Aeronca’s, Neiuports, flew in WWII in a B-29, and later in the Korean conflict, taught 50 people to fly and gave rides to hundreds, so I guess I am a pilot – what about you?’ She said, ‘I’m a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about naked women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about naked women. When I shower, I think about naked women When I watch TV, I think about naked women. It seems everything makes me think of naked women.’ The two sat sipping in silence. A little while later, a young man sat down on the other side of the old pilot and asked, ‘Are you a real pilot?’ He replied, ‘I always thought I was, but I just found out I’m a lesbian.’

1 PWE(parrote work equivalent)=2 hamsters

No offense, but can I get a little more gravy?

I would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to represent the South.

Good information indeed. With this information, and this is just my opinion, I want to consider that our small Mooney shops around the country (LASAR, Top Gun, Advanced Aircraft Services, Southwest Texas, Maxwell, etc,) need our support to continue servicing us and for them to stay in business and make a living. I do, of course, shop prices when I need parts, but I try to keep all of them in mind as they compete for our business. My thoughts only.

I had the opportunity of touring some of the Cirrus facilities at TYS yesterday evening. Since this is my home airport, I'm used to seeing lots of Cirruses, but something looked a little out of place yesterday. Can you spot the anomaly? In case not, I also uploaded a zoomed/cropped version to really give it away. We sat through a presentation by the VP of, I think it was, customer relations. Cirrus really is going out of its way to be the luxury brand in general aviation. Considering the initial cost and operating cost of a Cirrus, I'm not ready to have one over a Mooney. But, if I were considering new planes at new plane costs, I'd probably be a little less concerned with operating costs.

Anyone wanna venture a guess how much power this Mooney Rocket has up front?

Andy summed it up quite well, mechanics (A&P's and A&P's with IA's) can do everything except for Major Repairs and Major Alterations to Propellers and any form of Repair or Alteration to Instruments. Only a authorized Repairman at a Licensed Repair station can do the latter. There are differences in documentation too. Primarily a Repair station doesn't need to put the details of work done in your log books but can reference their work order for the details unlike a mechanic, plus the repair station has to maintain those records for a period of time. With respect to mechanics, the IA adds the the privileges for performing an Annual inspection and for returning to service a Major Repair or Major Alteration. An A&P can do the actual major alteration or major repair but its takes a IA to sign it off on a 337. Plus the IA can not delegate or supervise the Annual Inspection- the inspection must be done by the IA and not just supervised. Yet the A&P can complete and return to service a 100 hr inspection for those fly for hire ops requiring it. At a repair station, though, a licensed repairman many be performing annual inspections that do not have IA's following the documented procedures of the Repair Station. Then their are some nuances about some special authorizations for Canadian rated mechanics to perform the same work as a rated US A&P, but I recall not annual inspections.

It very much is a box and both canyons become more narrow toward 2000 ft hills...You bring out a good point...was the Icon attempting to fly out by doing a steep turn 180 and spun in.gsengle...your google map doesn't match my boaters map...they are labeled "coves" and my map shows little Portuguese cove as the smaller of the two closer to the wires...I just finished the spring maintaince on my north river jet boat (both batteries and low pressure fuel pump blowing fuses) I need a test run and Berryessa is only 1/2 hr away cause I am curious now.

Difference between GFC700 and pretty much everything else short of the likes of ProLine21 and some upper end gear I've never had the pleasure to fly is that it reacts exactly as fast as it needs to with total, complete smoothness being the overall goal unless dictated otherwise. It can do that because it "looks" into the future as opposed to simply reacting. It just never missed the beat. It's the only GA autopilot that I do not disconnect at 1000' on ILS approach and in a pinch (0/0), I would allow to fly me into the runway. I have no issue what so ever flipping it on 10 seconds after takeoff in a busy airspace. Same software powers some very large equipment from Cessna's jet line where autopilot on after rotation and gear up is the norm.

I think the biggest issue is inability to certify autopilots with an AML. Each specific make/model has to be individually certified making it not worth it for Garmin at the moment. With different certification rules, who knows. I'm pretty positive that G500 can feed the GFC700 autopilot just fine as pretty much all of Garmin's gear runs on the same base software platform, which incidentally is why I would never use G5 to back up G500 or G1000. Software failure modes are probably fairly identical.

Roy, Try also sending Rob a PM. He may have the PM connected to his cell phone to better follow him around. Best regards, -a-

At the moment yes. That's why it's so important that TruTrak and others know how anxious Mooney owners are to install their autopilots once they become certified. I would expect Garmin to jump in one of these times, but it won't be cheap.

Seriously though, about those beignets....

Art needs less coverage to match the plane with minimal paint coverage. PP thoughts, I don't know much about art... Best regards, -a-

Thank you for all your years of service to the Mooney and aviation community!

Mouser has switches that can be N.O. or N.C. depending on arm movement. there are over 1800 choices according to their filter search. Pretty sure Mooney or Safe Flight is not making the switch. They are making the housing the switch lives in.

Since we are all confessing.... My most idiotic flight was in 1981. I had bought a C-150 with a partner. Neither one of us had any money to maintain it, other than scraping enough together for an owner-assisted annual. So it turned into a flying junker. (Eventually the other guy had the wisdom to sell me his half). My goal was to show my boss how I could use the plane for business. We had a presentation to a potential new client in Parkersburg WV. I was to fly from my home base in Frederick MD and join my boss (who was smart enough to drive) for the presentation. The weather forecast was for high overcast and a broken layer over Parkersburg. Needless to say, neither I nor the C-150 were "instrument rated and equipped". Leaving Frederick, I climbed to get over the mountains. Gradually the scattered to broken clouds below me turned into a solid undercast layer. I was now trapped between an overcast and undercast layer. My navigation method in this plane was limited to pilotage, since the only NavCom in the plane was unreliable in both Nav and Comm. On top of that, the whiskey compass had some kind of problem and was unreliable. You can see where this is going. When my carefully filled out flight log said that I should be over Parkersburg (based on timing), I was stuck in between layers, and could not even use my backup navigation method ("where is the sun?") to figure out which way I was heading. And with strong headwinds I was running low on fuel over the mountains of WV. The only radio on the plane that was somewhat reliable was an ADF. There were no NDBs in the area so I resorted to looking for an AM radio station in the Cumberland MD area to get myself turned around. Fortunately I picked up a station, and was never so happy as to see the needle turn toward the station. The clouds were broken over Cumberland and I dove through an opening to find the airport. After filling the tanks I estimated that I had about 20 minutes of flying time when I landed. I got a rental car and drove the rest of the way to Parkersburg, arriving just in time to see the presentation ending. My boss was not a happy camper, and we did not get the business. On the other hand, I was still alive. When I look back at this episode I can't believe how stupid I was. Never again! If any aspect of a flight begins to sound like something you might read in an NTSB accident report, I don't make the flight.

And don't forget, with every BasicMed exam, comes at no extra charge, a comprehensive anus exam.

OK...guess I will reveal my most stupid/dangerous time back in the early 1990's. Kept my original 201 in a community hanger at Austin municipal (prior to Bergstrom) airport. It was cold (for Texas) day about 10AM...called the FBO to get out my plane and leave it on the large ramp in front off the hanger . Hanger was the middle one of three about 200 yards from the FBO. Tried to start the Lycoming IO 360 and starter would only whir... starter would not engage. Previously I could move the prop a couple of inches and then could engage the starter. Of course I had a can of starter fluid ...just in case. Go out ( did not set brake because was only going to move prop a couple of inches). Just to help things I shot a little starter fluid in...you can guess what happened when I barely moved the prop...I dashed to the side and watched my plane go about 100 yards on the huge deserted ramp (no witnesses) and coast to a stop. I pushed it back to the hanger drove home went to bed...and did not fly for a week or two. I learned a huge lesson then. Bob

Mmmmm cafe du Monde. I could smash 6 right now I bet.

I prefer Cafe' Du Monde's beignets. They taste better and give you a superior ride over crispy cream and only contain calories on the 6th Wednesday of every month.

I guess this can go here too:

These are the only cheap ones I have been able to find.

And, Robert Brown is back out of retirement, and will be staying on as Service Manager, which is wonderful news for all of us who know him. Robert had been there for many years before he retired to Mexico. He was missed, but now he is back. I understand we can expect new products from LASAR. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's too bad this thing can't drive an autopilot- I'd be all over it if it could.

(Knocking wood) I haven't had a near miss, but my bird has. Several years ago I lent my M20F to a very experienced Mooney pilot (M20C driver) to pick up an equally experienced pilot at a nearby airport. They decided to come back low and slow during the 15 minute return flight to sightsee along the Delaware river. They were talking and forgot to put the gear up. When they arrived at my home airport, they went through the landing checklist, and put the gear UP (!) They had the radio volume turned down to facilitate conversation and didn't hear the several warning radio calls while on short final. The FBO owner ran out to the middle of the runway to wave them off - during the go around, the pilot realized the gear was up. The second landing attempt was successful and uneventful. Lessons Learned. LOOK at the Johnson Bar position and the indicator lights on takeoff and before landing. LISTEN to CTAF when in the pattern at an uncontrolled airport. USE your checklist. that's what it's there for.

The service here leaves a bit to be desired. They forgot the utensils. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You nailed it. Certainly I'm sympathetic to your case. For what it is worth, AOPA does have a webpage for physicians to review on the subject of BasicMed: https://www.aopa.org/advocacy/pilots/medical/fit-to-fly-physician-guide Of course the webpage states: "Pilots, in discussion with their physician, should consult available aeromedical resources to understand potential flight hazards associated with any medications being taken, such as whether the underlying condition the medication is being taken for makes flight unsafe, or to understand side-effects that may be unnoticeable before flight but could impair the ability of a pilot to make sound decisions." My point is that an aeromed doc knows which rhythm issues are considered to be customarily associated with providing a serious threat to safe flight, according to aeromedicine research, and which rhythm issues are not thought to be a problem. Like it or not, agree with it or not, the aeromed community has determined that the aviation environment is sufficiently different from the driving environment to merit different standards and rules. Again, in a malpractice case, claiming ignorance to the science of another medical specialty with which you've dabbled in is not an effective affirmative defense. As to creating alternative documentation in the same medical file, this runs afoul with other basic medical record principals that are actionable from the medical board, etc. Furthermore, the BasicMed form states: NOTICE: Whoever in any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States knowingly and willingly falsifies, conceals or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact, or who makes any false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or representations, or entry, may be fined up to $250,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. (18 U.S.C Secs. 1001; 3571) The 3rd class still exists, doctors are saying no (a phenomenon that logic tells us will get worse with time), pilots are finding the 3rd class easier, AOPA and EAA seem to be content, and you call this success?

Someone has some skills to be able to hand build sans kit.

I think it would look great on our blue and white Mooney.

Have we tried contact cleaner? Spray, work in, spray work in. test with VOM. Spray some more if needed.

Pilot (David Pace) will know--Premier Metals Recovery.

Ours was right above the front passengers feet, silver box maybe 4x4

We connected. His Stratus 2 will now be my Stratus 2. My Stratus 1 is on eBay and I'll post it here too...

In my J it's located on the front of the nosewheel well down low. It's just to the right of the pilot's right rudder pedal. If you can stick your head into the footwell it's easy to access. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

as the air catches the stall tab it moves up, the pivot is ahead of the button on the miroswitch. when the arm moves up, the tail moves down, pressing the button, closing the circuit. Note I lied and arm is on correctly.

I've been commuting in the 1964 E from California to Texas for 12 years --never been AOG yet. If I lose an alternator I buy a charger at the local auto shop and charge the battery it in the hotel room, and fly by pilotage. The cheapest stops for fuel in the nation are along your straight line route, which mirrors my route. I tried the Tuscon route but didn't like it--felt way more remote and the view was not as nice as sedona on the i40 route. I understand that the DHS/USCBP/DEA have stopped terrorizing us along that route--I haven't been tracked, barrel muzzled, served, cuffed and mooney dismantled over my objection (by a non-A&P drug cop) in 5-6 +years anyway, but I still must plan for that psychologically. I stopped flying this route route at night at the same time (they were tracking me IFR at night) because these engines do quit-the mooney io-360-a1a with 1200 smoh mattituck lost a cylinder (exhaust valve) one night (10pm) at 400 agl after takeoff. The original engine is up to 2700smoh 5700tt now with no problems since. Following I40 at night is a great view from above the traffic. Hard to imagine a worse choice a/c for your c1-c5 vertebrae than a mooney over new mexico & az. I slow the IAS down to 120 quite a bit. that wing just will not give and when you are low on fuel the airframe is sooo light, ouch.

When I commanded a strategic communication squadron in Quebec City from 1987 to 1989, I had my PPL, and would often rent one of the Piper Warriors from the flying school at the Ancienne Lorette Airport for pleasure and some business trips to Group Headquarters in St Hubert or to my communication detachments at stations like Bagotville (home of Eastern Canada's F-18 jocks). One of my Tech Sergeants was an owner of a 65 E model. During deployments of long term comms stations for the brigade rear links, I would often get offers from the local Tac Hel Sqn to fly out to see my deployed detachments - because the Hel Sqn was always doing LO flights between the deployed brigade and the base. One day, Sgt Panaski asked if I wanted to go with him because he had some maintenance to do on the det's radios. So I went with him to see my folks. 150 kts there and back. Try doing that in an OH-58 (Kiowa in Canada). I finally became an aircraft owner in October 2002 and the Arrow was ground looped the following March. I was the pilot. Some lessons learned here included not flying an RG in temps below -25 deg C. Others included not getting into partnership with 10 other people. The last one was about having a mechanical linkage between my right arm and the landing gear. Only one aircraft met that requirement. The following summer, I started looking for a Mooney and I looked at 2 C's and 3 E's. I paid a total of $500 for four good shops to do pre-purchase inspections on them. Three of them were declared unairworthy and one was given back because of non reporting of one of two gear up landings. The fifth one was looked at by Clarence in the Fall of 2004. The owner did not believe the list of things that needed attention until he went to see the aircraft and Clarence showed him the holes and other bits that no longer worked as they should. The owner swallowed the cost of fixing the airworthiness issues. I bought it in January 2005 and Clarence flew it to me in Ottawa in March of the same year. I have owned my E for twelve years.

The existence of a medical condition that would prohibit being issued a 3rd class medical is de facto evidence of the presence of a medical condition that the government believes "could interfere with the ability to operate an aircraft." Should anyone fly under BasicMed and God forbid have an accident, and anybody sues claiming medical impairment, any AME or aeromed doc (subpoenaed or hired gun) can testify that the preceding sentence is correct and the BasicMed doc will be toast. BasicMed isn't like a scuba or school physical. Try walking into any doctor's office and telling them that you have diabetes and high blood pressure and are looking to get a pre-operative clearance for bilateral hip replacement--and the clearance is to state that you have no medical conditions that, as currently treated, poses a risk to a successful surgery. See what kind of response that engenders. It's morally questionable to take advantage of a physician's ignorance on this new subject (BasicMed) that is fraught with genuine risk. To answer the blood pressure question: -If your top blood pressure number is still over 155 after three checks during the same first visit to the AME, then you have other problems besides just a bad morning -No visits required to your primary doc -No letters required from your primary doc -No letters to required to go to FAA -Assuming you didn't receive a 3rd class on the first visit, you should walk out the door of the AME's office with a 3rd class at a visit seven days later On a related note, this aviation insurance agent states that "some companies" will not accept BasicMed for "older pilots." The bottom line is that the 3rd class needs to go.