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So it's been four very difficult and expensive annuals and finally on number five we made it through with only a couple of minor issues. We replaced the vernatherm looking to correct my high oil temps. The old one came out looking quite worn. The test flight to 6500 on a 90 plus degree day leveled out at 204 degrees and dropped to 195 after level cruise. Prior was getting 220 and even hit 230 on one flight to only 4000 feet. Having Robert back at LASAR was like getting a fresh set of eyes on Snoopy since he had never seen it or my logs so he really gave it a close and thorough inspection. Won't know for sure how the oil temps end up until we have made a couple of flights to prove consistently that the temp is down. Three days and one morning to complete. And as for owner assistance the first question I was asked was are you going to help us because they were short one mech and they were happy I said I was going to help. I know all the jokes about owner assist making it more work but they know and trust my skill levels which allowed them to continue working on other planes in the shop. its been a challenge getting Snoopy back in shape but I think we're getting things all sorted out. No illusions about this being the case every time it's still a 53 year old airplane and will continue to need lots of attention of the coming years.

UpDate,,,,,, My Very Special Day!! the lead up is that i bought a cherokee south of boise on 3-14-17.it wasnt until 6-23 that i got back there to bring it home, it had some gas in it, so i flew it 25 mi to nampa for my 1st solo and landing in 28 yrs, to get gas,,, then i flew 375 mi to my home drome, kpwt.. it wasnt until 6-28 that i went back to My airport, to pay for my tiedown, and to sit in my plane, just for the heII of it. I finally went out again on 7-12, got her fired up,, taxied over and filled her up to the tabs,, i spent about 3 hours in the hot cockpit doing maintenance, it made me feel great! So for the special day part. 7-13-17,, I enjoyed a relaxed 20 min drive from home to My airport,, Then i walked like a pilot across the ramp to My Own Plane,, then,,, I went Flying!! For an hr., made an ugly landing,, but my best in 28 yrs.. It feels great to finally realize that I can go and fly anytime i want,, and you know what? I might just go out tomorrow and do it again!

Something just wasn't right with this this little trinket and so I fixed it. Now it's a proper flying machine. -Sven

Check this out. Whelen Chroma series. Supposed to be a drop-in PMA LED bulb to replace red and green nav lights. Better quality than the knockoff LED bulbs you see without the expensive price point. $115 each, $230 for both wingtips is very attractive! They currently are still awaiting FAA certification, per the ad. I doubt Whelen will have any issue getting it. AircraftSpruce is expecting 14v to arrive in their warehouse by July 27, and 28v early August: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/whelenchromaled.php

I wonder how much longer until they close the beach or make changes. Dumb people will always find a way to get hurt. http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/07/13/caribbean-tourist-killed-by-forceful-blast-from-nearby-jet.html Perhaps I didn't blow anyone away, but I bet that turned a few heads.

$115 is still a lot for a light bulb, but it's a whole lot less than $500 per wingtip . . . And the red and green are the same price!

OMG Peter Garmin! Someone is crazy enough to fly around the world relying on those pesky unreliable Aspens! [emoji38] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Is government more efficient than the best companies? Usually not. Are most companies the best companies? No. How do you get the best companies? Competition. Is there going to be competing ATC systems set up? No. Let's face it much of the private sector is pretty miserable too. If you've got a monopoly you're seeking to run, and ATC is a natural one, I'd prefer oversight and a public system. There is just no gain and lots of risk in privatizing a natural monopoly. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Should control of interstate highways be turned over to trucking companies?

I had the pleasure of riding jump seat in a Falcon 900. It was interesting to see the difference of approach angle & speed. IMG_0651.MOV

I've been trolling here at MooneySpace for many months now, and have recently made a few posts and received direct, helpful guidance. But I've never properly introduced myself and wanted to take a moment to say hello and share a little background. First, I have to echo the sentiments of so many before me and express how grateful I am for the contributions of the individuals who make MooneySpace the excellent resource that it is. The camaraderie here is palpable, and the occasional spirited debate and difference of opinion notwithstanding, the helpfulness and sense of community of this forum is unmatched, in my opinion. I've been an aviation nut since I was very young, and the first thing that I wanted "to be when I grew up" was a pilot. I was always putting those 75 cent balsa wood airplanes together and flying them, breaking them, frankensteining them back together in strange combinations, and flying them until there was nothing left. In my late twenties I had a tandem hang gliding experience that was amazing. About 20 years ago I was introduced to skydiving which gave me another perspective on flying (9 solo jumps before I moved on to other things), and then I got into the RC flying hobby. First a big gas wooden trainer, then collective pitch electric helicopters, then tricopters and quads, and finally remote audio/video piloting on all of the above (insert hundreds of hours of crashing, ordering parts, and rebuilding various flying things, oh and maybe a dozen hours of actual flight time :-). About a year ago, during one of our frequent family trips from central Texas to San Antonio to visit parents, my wife and I started talking - half jokingly - about how nice it would be to if we could fly that recurring trip and cut our transit time in half, not to mention improve the view along the way. Of course I had always fantasized about flying my own plane, and all of a sudden we were contemplating doing just that! A couple of months later we were meeting with CFIs, and in October of last year I started taking flight lessons from my excellent CFI based at ACT, about 15 minutes from my home. I started training in his J3C cub, hand-propping and learning the basics on the stick and rudder. At around 10 hours we transitioned to the C172. By this time I'd decided (thanks to all of you folks and a ton of other reading) that I wanted a Mooney. I started searching in earnest, and in May (and with my CFI's help and involvement), purchased N9440V, a 1970 M20E with ~200 hours SMOH and ~2600 hours TT. I had completed my pre-solo written test and was about to solo the Cessna when I took delivery of my E, and needed to insert 15 additional hours of instruction in the E before I could solo (per my insurance terms, not to mention my own peace of mind). So here I am, about 15 hours later, about to complete the pre-solo written again, and just around the corner from my first solo flight in my own Mooney. There is no way I'd be this far along and as informed as I am without the wisdom and guidance found on these pages. So thank you MooneySpace and MS contributors. I know I will continue to learn from you, and I hope I can give back in my own way to help others who land here, looking for wisdom and insight into these special flying things we call Mooneys. -Sia

The Moller Sky Car M400! The ORIGINAL copy. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Moller-International-M400-Skycar-the-Original-VTOL-Flying-Car-/152621790275?hash=item2388f7b443:g:PRQAAOSw3h1ZSDa1&vxp=mtr I'm thinking Jay Leno should buy it.

From the POH:

There is a limitation in my Accutrac book that specifically says 'No Approaches approved" We're talking enroute only use here. Will it track an ILS or VOR during a VFR test? YUP but it ain't approved. The other systems have some approach approvals.

Indeed. And any time I hear user fees, I question the sanity of creating a more expensive bureaucracy to collect taxes when we already have a naturally proportionate model in place that is so simple to collect. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The commercial crews who fly in the US are amazing. If we GA pilots were half as good we could all be proud. But we never will be. We don't fly every day, nor do we have training paid for by someone else.

. . . because MooneySpacers are not . . .

I have a TC-100 ready if my BI-805 ever 'craps out'. I would consider flying up to Tulsa and participating with Kevin on the install. I rarely use my Accu-Trak, but I use the Accu-Flite every x-country I take. If you already have a GPS the Accu-Trak is a nice solution. My A&P installed both. Brittain overhauled each. I put in the PC disconnect electric solenoid too. It was inexpensive and works great. Need a yoke upgrade to get the switch on the yoke and make the STC from Brittain a "go".

Call me a cynic, but I really question the idea of leaving the low boost pump on for the IO-550 unless there is a problem with the engine driven pump. If you have adequate fuel flow at full throttle and mixture rich, pumping even more fuel is going to reduce your power and seems like a waste...not to mention potentially wearing out the auxiliary pump. The IO-550 is designed to run with cylinder temps in the 400s, and while I wouldn't want to keep them there for long, I don't see it as especially dangerous in a climb. Keep your speed up and get to cooler air seems like the best approach to me. Even on a hot day, if your temps are still too high in cruise, maybe time to check your baffles too. Oh, and keep a little more oil in the sump than you otherwise do. I generally let it drift down to about 5 quarts on the dipstick and it's happy there, but in summer temps I'll keep it at 6 just to keep more cooling circulation.

It is hard to leave Texas. The rest of the world is so _____ up.

And an Avidyne . . .amazing he ever got out of Texas . . lol

Did you get to use your LASAR coupon as well???? I just got mine in the mail today. They are doing a lot of advertising. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh. I thought from the title you were going to announce that Trump and the US govt announced the end of ATC privatization or user fee talks, repealed basicmed in favor of sport pilot standards for all light airplanes, eliminated VIP TFRs, approved use of non certified avionics, and threw in ten billion into GA support.

As an airman in the military I have gone thru the hyperbaric chamber numerous times, it is easy to miss the signs of hypoxia until it is too late. while in the chamber doing tasks you feel fine, it is even funny to watch what others are doing. even in the chamber where you are hypersensitive you do not realize how impaired you were until you put the oxygen back on and your hear clears. the better shape you are in the longer it takes for hypoxia to set in but no one is immune. this is a great tool for all pilots, not just the ones flying high, if you have poor circulation or low pulse ox levels you can actually become hypoxic at lower levels. Brian

You have no idea what that picture cost me!

I was just getting ready to board my plane for a flight Saturday AM and looked up and saw a hot air balloon coming into the airport. I was floored he had that kind of control to make it to the airport, which the pilot initially said he "had planned it". Later he laughed and said his intended destination was a mile or so south, but the airport ended up working out. He had come from about 15 miles away in an 1:15 minute flight. The winds were so light on the ground he was able to keep the envelope inflated and sit on the ground without moving, My passenger, for my flight that day, and I carried the balloon basket over to the ramp for a better surface to drop the envelope on (with the pilot adding a bit of heat to keep the load balance just below lift off). Looks like I might be able to trade a Lancair ride for a balloon ride after talking with the pilot. That's always been on my bucket list.

You're awesome and way too kind!! Thank you!! I hope you enjoy it. May be one of my better videos to date...

Yep and I find the wing gauges accurate on the ground and the panel ones inaccurate in flight until approaching zero. I assumed the op had already checked POH-AFM for full fueling instructions.... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Impressive Diatribe. You lost me after the first sentence. Then the words had "that smell". Governments main function is NOT to counterbalance the corporate structure. Were there corporations when the Constitution was written and the United States was formed? The purpose of government is to: Provide for the common defense, Courts and civil liberty. Part of pursuit of liberty is defined by what the government can not (Limitations) do to individuals in their pursuit of happiness. Our country is based on Capitalism. Corporations are made up of individuals seeking their happiness. Of course if you don't like what executives make you can choose, as an individual pursuing your happiness, to not buy their stock or support their business. Suspicious electoral college? Funny. We are a Republic. We have the rule of law. We have elected representatives that we vote to impact our pursuit of happiness. Sorry that East coast West coast voting block didn't work out for you. I'm good. This "Chump" did indeed "win". Debatable? Most definitely. Enjoy your continued pursuit of happiness. I am.

I don't think he meant any offense. In the past, this was a well documented problem with airlines based in other parts of the world, including Asia. Because of the culture, the Captain was just short of a god. He could make no mistakes. There were several cases of accidents/incidents where the FO saw something but said nothing. They might hint, but they did nothing more than that. Recently those airlines have seen the benefit of cockpit resource management and have pushed to make sure that no longer happens.

$3500 for 3 axis AP including labor is crazy amazing. Well-done! I'd love to do it all myself and have an AI sign off on it. Problem is, this is my first plane, I've never worked on one before, and I don't have a relationship with an AI yet. Even if I did, I would not trust me (yet) if I were him/her. I would love to spend a day with a great AI, working from the nose to the tail on my E and learning as much as I could about everything in between. Maybe do a couple of service or maintenance jobs with them. Then I think I'd be ready for taking on something like installing an autopilot system. I guess I'll print out the documentation that Brittain sent and study up. Either way I go, knowing everything about the system will be a good thing. In the meantime, I've emailed Cecelia to get a quote for Brittain installing the B-11 and B-12, with me assisting. We'll see what they come back with. -Sia

If you have a trusting AI and feel you can do it, it's not a difficult install as long as you study the system well enough to know exactly what you are doing before you start. I have alt hold, accuflite and accutrack for around $3500 all in. The TC with integrated control valve simplifies install, but complicates paperwork due to involving FSDO.

While we were helping the pilot move the basket he asked where I was flying to. I told him Houghton (my first flight at 9 years old was there in a DC-3, which took 45 minutes). I told him in contrast to his 15 mile flight in 75 minutes, mine was going to take 22 minutes. He responded back I doubt you will do it with 10 gallons of fuel to which I laughed pretty hard and replied "you're right" (could do it in under 10 gallons with a Mooney though). Tom

@Guitarmaster, Thanks. My ailerons are so far off. that I can see more than half the counter weight on one side when the other is flush and level.

Matt, where did you order from? Please give us a full work up when they arrive. Pics/vids, before and after

MS is working at all hours! -a-

You're referring to the 650s and not the Chromas?

I will be there through Sunday. Might be fun to do something on Saturday before the night airshow or?

There is a procedure for making a paste using a solvent and similar plastic to our interior panels. I believe our panels are made of ABS. I just can't recall the resource for the solvent and ABS pellets... somebody had posted here a while ago... It can probably be found under ABS solvent gluing... Best regards, -a-

I was using a Garmin Glo for awhile. I had a flight where my tablet got too hot and the Bluetooth lost the connection. (Didn't shut down like an iPad but for some reason the Bluetooth shut down, odd...) Anyway, I also got tired of trying to remember to turn the Garmin Glo on and make sure it connected, remembering to charge it, etc... For the price it was worth it to just have the GPS with the Stratux and not worry about it. I do have a Garmin Glo with the friction mount for sale if someone is interested.

And I didn't know Don played! That's awesome! Practicing now

Lol, I would have waited to give it to him after he totaled up the bill. But that's just the trusting kind of person i an:) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nope, completely different color... and missing an Aspen screen.

Got my coupon yesterday and gave it to Robert but don't know how the bottom line will look until tomorrow. We both had a laugh about it we'll see.

Good eye! This ones a 42' though. Slow for sure but a helluva lot more efficient than many of the fuel-to-noise converters I've utilized in the past.[emoji846] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Some newly discovered pictures & papers of Amelia Earhart in Karachi during her flight around the world.

Yep, that's what I have. One rotary knob turns on those little red heaters aimed at the panel, the other one opens / closes the ceiling scoop for fresh air. They are up front between the two front air vents, maybe 5" diameter each. The two footwells vents have eyeballs in them, none in the ceiling

I'd actually like to have an MU2... with a pair of Garrett's that I certainly can't afford to feed or maintain. As I evaluate the budget for airplane ownership, there are two distinct categories, CapEx and OpEx. I briefly looked at Bravos as the CapEx (purchase price) was in my budget. But I decided the OpEx of a Bravo which includes fuel, oil, annuals, and engine fund, etc, exceeded my budget and was significantly higher than a M20K. And of course, the OpEx of an Acclaim or the MU2 is even higher. When comparing the 231, 252/Encore, the OpEx is virtually the same and only the CapEx is different. So it was an easy decision to make to spend the extra CapEx to get the best possible plane without moving up into the next OpEx category. And with the better resale value of the 252's, the CapEx is actually reduced and the ability to upgrade the 252 to an Encore will improve the CapEx number even further. Just my $0.02 on how I arrived at the decision on the 252.

Try @Alan Fox, he usually has a lot of that type of stuff.