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As many of you know, I lost my C model just over 1-1/2 years ago with my little run-in with CO. That was on the last business trip I took with my own airplane. Until Thursday. I replaced the C with a 231 just over a year ago. It had a long period of inactivity prior to my ownership, but I have been working the bugs out. I have been slowly upgrading It and it has been getting better and better. Oil consumption has been cut it half since I brought it home. I have changed the oil 5 times now and the Blackstone reports keep getting better. The first one was great considering its history. I finally really felt I was getting in a groove with this airplane. Thursday I took off on the first business trip since my fateful day. While cruising along VFR at 14.5K ft all was well. I was running lean of peak, 10gph, all but the #2 CHT’s were 340 or lower(#2 was around 365), TIT was around 1510, and I was showing 169kts true. Life was good. Then I heard/felt 3 little pops and everything returned to as smooth as it was before. But I noticed my #4 cylinder went cold(EGT and CHT). It was running so smooth I suspected I blew a spark plug out so I reduced manifold pressure to the low 20’s and hung a U-turn to divert to KPKD, about 16mn behind me. I advised ATC that I was diverting do to engine troubles. I told them it wasn’t an emergency yet but would keep them updated. Once I got over KPKD, around 10Kft, Center advised me they lost me on Radar and asked if I needed any assistance. I told them I was over the airport and should be fine. They then asked me to take down a phone number to call after I was safely on the ground. I copied it down and switched to CTAF. Some time just after this, the engine started shaking violently. I reduced power more and the shaking let up a bit but was still very uncomfortable. At this point I knew it was much worse than blown sparkplug. I pulled the mixture back to IC and that seemed to smooth things out a bit. I did a steep spiral over the airport and set up on a downwind about 1800agl. Much higher than I would have liked but I wasn’t in the mood to loiter around and circle one more time. In the back of my mind I was expecting a fire. I really wanted to be on the ground! While on downwind I pushed the mixture back in briefly and the violent shaking returned. So out it came again. I put the gear and flaps down on a tight, high base. I had to slip on final as I was a bit high and fast, I managed a nice landing and only used 3500ft of the 5,500ft runway. It turns out the #4 Cylinder had a classic head/barrel separation. I suspect it fully let go when all the shaking started. It broke the intake riser of #4 and #2, The injector fuel line broke, and the baffling got banged up good. The exhaust manifold kept the head from departing all together, but got bent in the process. We have yet to dig deep into it yet, I’m hoping there is no more damage. I only lost a quart of oil. I’m very thankful for Mooney Friends. Texts went out after I got the airplane back on the ramp. @ThorFlightand @lotsofgadgets both offered to pick me up. Thor rearranged his schedule and was pulling up in his J just a few hrs later. I was back home in time for dinner with the family. Mooney friends are awesome! Some lessons learned. I should have declared an Emergency when center asked if I would like to. It turned out OK, but no one on the ground was aware of my situation despite several “engine out” calls on CTAF. If I hadn’t made the field, search/rescue may not have been alerted. Be safe out there! Dan

One of my favorite airports to fly into for breakfast when I used to fly my father's Cessna 150 TD was Butter Valley. Since purchasing my Mooney at the end of March 2018 I didn't make it back until now. This is my first landing at Butter Valley since purchasing the Mooney. Runway is 1535'x24' with 900' of grass overrun. My dad and brother flew over first in his brand "C" and shot the video. You can hear my father in the background urging me to add power.

I like the color blue. :0)

Really nothing more to add.

The big question is how the previous owners flew it. The guy I bought if from was a sole owner but he was in a partnership with 2 other guys initially. After the engine was overhauled last they flew it a fair amount. 150hrs/year for the first 3 years. They could have been flying 50 rich of peak and did the damage then, who knows. The seller told me how he ran the plane and it sounded conservative in terms of keeping the engine cool. It sounded he was always below 70% power and he kept the FF high. I installed a JPI 900 50-60hrs ago. Before that I only flew rich of peak and conservative power and high FF. Mimicking those power settings after the JPI showed the #4 cylinder to always be lower than 360. After I started LOP ops it usually is 340 or less. I don't really now the history of the Cylinder. The OH shop log book entry just said 6 OHC installed. I'm not sure if they are first run with the engine or not. I can't seem to locate a work order with more info. The engine has 2980TT, 720 SMOH. It's unlikely that the original cylinders would go 2260hrs without overhaul. If they are original to the engine they would have most likely been OH twice and that would be the problem. I need to look for work order #'s stamped on the bases of the cylinders. I might be able to tell if these are 2nd or 3rd run. I'll get to the plane next week and dig into it more. I don't think "superstar" would be appropriate. I wasn't even awake for the first one. Thanks for saying "bad luck". I'm really getting tired of people telling me how lucky I am. Cheers, Dan

Wild Thang gave me my first flying lessons for Xmas 1968. It's worked out pretty well... 54th anniversary last month.

So at Oshkosh while renewing my Jeppeson database for my Garmin 430W (when you renew then you get credit for what you have remaining on your account, you renew, and you get a free two cycles plus the Oshkosh pricing - I think it was additionally $25 less but I'd have to check). However, I brought up the fact that I was about to go into annual (and my buddy who I was with was about to go drop off his airplane for a tank reseal AND annual) thus we were not going to end up using a cycle or two. The customer representative stated for us to call in, explain the situation, and we would get a cycle credited back to our respective accounts. It's not advertised, but if you call in and explain that you can't use your cycle update, almost universally they simply credit you an extra cycle. GREAT to know for bad weather, family situations, airplane down for maintenance, health, you name it . . . figured you all could benefit. I was VERY impressed with Jeppeson at Oshkosh. -Seth

Today, August 10, 2018, "escrow" closed on 95V. She is no longer mine. However, she is in good hands . . . she has a new family. Tuesday I will ferry her to NorCal where her new owner will prep for his trek home. Thank you all for your interest and inquiries, this sale has been an enjoyable experience! Ron

I considered it and did it. Years ago, although I have done a number of revisions since then - always making normal operations a bit shorter and the checklist easier to read quickly. In terms of the worry, it's not so much I worry about an over extensive checklist leading to items being skipped. I worry about an over extensive checklist not being used because it is a PITA. Got into a discussion with another instructor once. "Why don't pilots use checklists?" My answer was, "Because most checklists suck." The reason the suck is, too much crap.

After many months of searching, learning, scouring posts, talking to many people and making a couple offers ... I can PROUDLY say, I am now, finally, a Mooney owner. I ended up going with a 1965 M20C that was marketed by Jimmy at All American Aircraft Sales. Thanks, Jimmy for being patient with all my questions since it was my first aircraft purchase. I pick it up next week, so will post pictures and update my avatar once I have it. THANK YOU to so many people on this site that provided invaluable information that helped me narrow down what my mission was and how to match that mission with an aircraft equipped to support the mission. I hang out and read almost everything because I know I have a big learning curve. So although I won't mention the twenty regular posters that I have learned a lot from, I do appreciate you providing your knowledge daily. @AaronDC8402 and Wayne, thanks for going out of your way to look at a great Mooney for me in Tennessee. I believe that Mooney will be a nice purchase for the person that decides on it. A special thank you to my fellow Arizonan, Ken Reed, @KLRDMD for being a sounding board and spending a lot of time looking at data that I sent, hoping for solid feedback (by the way, I always got feedback). I guess 63 emails back and forth constitutes a lot of help. Now the real learning must begin ...

The PMA450a is the one and only piece of kit in my plane that my wife knows how to run. She is quick to isolate her headset and switch it to her iPad or other entertainment source. If she wants to talk to me or to hear me, she'll switch it back.

Much is beucause people put down flaps before the gear. Then forget the gear and go full flaps. The drag profiles and flight characteristics are similar. Putting gear down before touching the flap lever, helps avoid this threat. Another is practicing an engine out to a landing. Just commit to a go- around at the end of the scenario.

More to do with “creativity”...

Well done, so glad to hear you got down safe and sound! Time for another presentation at the Mooney Summit methinks Robert

I have several friends/acquaintances who have joined the "those that have" club. All are excellent pilots. All are competent and careful. All would have told anyone that they "Always...do such and so" before each landing, so they could never forget the gear. What chance do any of us have of "NEVER" forgetting the gear? It happens.

Hope I dont eat my words one day. However I just don't understand landing gear up. I call the gear my Mooney brakes. At 120 I drop gear and say aloud, "Mooney brakes engaged". Can't see slowing down easily without them activated. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Without a doubt. Unless one values a Johnson Bar or an engine that has been flown regularly...

Oh oh. I think this E just kicked Bob B’s E off of the perch. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Do the Flow then back up critical items with a checklist. I’ve seen pilot with a starting engine checklist. Reading each item. Fuel pump on. Throttle full. Mixture rich. Fuel flow. ICO. Pump off. Key-turn. Lightoff- mixture rich. (Engine racing at 1700 RPM with no oil pressure...still reading.... airplane is creeping forward ). Oil presssure , radios on. RPM 1200......... Just start the airplane. Check oil pressure and RPM, then go. Airlines and 135 operators do this. It’s fast. Accurate. Efficient. And safer. Its a CHECK list not a DO list. It’s a different philosophy and not often taught by pt91 instructors. Do the procedure, check it with the list. If you’re not familiar enough with the procedure, practice until you are. We don’t have a checklist for a turn..aileron-apply in direction of turn....rudder- apply half as much same direction....elevator-hold altitude....power-add to maintain airspeed. Clear the area..... of course not this is silly, it’s pilots doing what pilots do, fly. So take this a step further and apply it to your starting procedure, ifr departure radio setup, before landing... flying gets easier The important stuff is printed on a placard on the panel. No need for a 37 page checklist.

An excellent summation on the proper use of checklists and the way most airlines operate. I also use the KISS principle; Keep It Simple Stupid and add any 'gotcha' items that have caught me out in the past. Checklists don't have to be long and onerous. All that achieves is a high risk of missing an important item. Common sense!

I have the EI AV-17 system that has a "ack" switch. Something about pushing a button and the gal stops talking is oddly satisfying. -Robert

My all purpose checklist: 1. Landng Gear.......Down. (Everything else is a detail.)

No attorney in my cockpit... no checklist either ;-) Flows...

I just scrolled through these pics again. Dang Mooney’s are cool! This one is with my mechanic on the right and flight instructor on the left. Putting her in the hangar for the first time after getting her to home base.

Posting just for fun as I've already had my turn at "show-n-tell", but this is our business promo vehicle. We seem to have quite a few car guy and bike guys so thought I'd toss this out just for fun. There is a GM 350 under the hood. Not a daily driver, but fun for business promo events. Makes absolutely no sense, but fun at promo and charity events. -Tom

@Raptor05121 finally someone with their priorities straight... Airplane first, then car.

Hey! 3 of us Mooniacs are planning to spend the weekend of August 24-26 in Sunriver (S21). On Friday night, we plan to go to the Madras Airshow with music, fireworks and the extensive Erickson Aircraft Collection. We have no rigid plans for the rest of the weekend, but Sunriver overflows with fun stuff to do. All invited to join us. phil

Rod Machado once made the comment that there is only one difference between dialing in the wrong frequency on a handoff and a gear up landing - the consequences.

Spray it down with Tri-Flo. Work it up and down and wipe it off. Repeat until it is clean. The last step is to wipe as much of the lube off as you can.

That plane basically had a ground up total restoration, an absolute beauty.

The grass overrun is on the north end. I knew that when I consistently got off at the first exit at my home field I would have no trouble.

If that's not success... I don't know what is.

That’s probably because 121 world has learned a few things. Why is it that you never here of airliners gearing up? Crap still happens, but the stupid GA stuff is way less. Most line up or before take off checks are less than 5 items. The rest is done It’s done on the ramp parked in the chocks Gulfstream I believe has removed all memory items from their latest aircraft. Make it match your flows for instance. Make it clear and concise. All of the store bought checklist are way too long. There is some helpful guidance out there that will help develop checklists. I’ll try to find. When in doubt I’ve always backed up my processes with CIGAR. GUMP, 4 C’s. It works in almost any GA airplane. Controls, Instruments, gas/fuel, Attitude, Run up. GUMP= gas, undercarriage mixture props. Most airplanes I use... G,M,P, G. Less of an acronym but flows better....”Gas is on, mixture rich, prop is forward, Gear is down.” CCCC= Controls, Cowl flaps, Caps, Canopy. Most of the guidance now is set up to have a format that follows- before start, afterstart, taxi, before take off, aftertakeoff, climb, Cruise, approach, landing, after landing. Make your own, keep it simple! I was a firm believer in no checklists in light airplanes until I found myself missing items I should have remembered. -Matt

Nice looking C Pritch

I wish the 8000BT had that. I plug my wife into the back so that she could listen to her music uninterrupted. The arrangement works fine, but she can't talk over the intercom when there's chatter over the radio.

I just use the ones on the panel. They cover everything important.

I've got more to check now than 40 years ago, and need more reminders. Seriously, my landing checklist is very short: Fuel selector, fuel pump on, mixture, prop. Flaps and trim take care of themselves. Takeoff is where I want the important list to keep me out of the trees. I have another checklist for departing on an IFR flight that adds autopilot stuff: heading bug, initial altitude, flight plan entered in the navigator, and the transponder code entry buttons showing on the EFIS. Things that are needed. I have seen Cherokee 140s at the runway for 20 minutes going over a checklist.

The GT-50 clock / g meter is an option. All solid state. Made in California. $169. GT-50

Ok, how often do you see a man's wife knowingly and willingly embrace his mistress....???!

...and then there are those of us with one year olds.

https://aerovonics.com/av-20-1 1) How about a bunch of usable sensors to go with that...? Including a spare AI... 2) The challenge with a portable G meter... when you are getting tossed about in a thunderstorm... who is going to hold the phone in a nicely oriented fashion without cushioning the Gs? 3) There is no case for TMI. Having usable data allows you to understand how inside the envelope you actually operate... unless you are flying above Vna in really bumpy weather, regularly... 4) it is better to know, than not to know... 5) why people don’t have one... expense, Panel space, ... 6) It would be interesting to see how many Gs are recorded in a descending turn with a 30° Bank, from base to final... 7) The AoAi would be more usable, but the G meter would be nice to have.... for flight analysis. 8) probably not very useful as a flight instrument... but very useful to better understand the limitations of your plane, and how close you actually were to the edge when flying... 9) I have a chart describing accelerated stalls, but not very much on decelerated stalls... This was a Kosh product announcement I believe... PP thoughts, not a CFI... Best regards, -a-

It looks like Candy Man has an M20C, so the issue of 20° timing doesn't apply to him. As to resale value: after 500 Hours since overhaul, I'd say absolutely no difference where your overhaul came from. Less than 100 hours, you might sell for a bit more with a factory new or factory overhaul- but not enough to make up for what you pay. The Lycoming O-360 in the M20C is simple and about as bullet-proof an engine as any. I'd trust (nearly) any shop to overhaul it well. It might be a good idea to ask the shop about camshaft and lifter spalling, and ask for recommendations. The Lycoming parts seem to be hit or miss, but they might know of PMA alternatives like Superior that have fewer problems.

The smoke height will be defined by the mixing layer. Go to NOAA's website and get the location you are interested in. Here is the one for Santa Barbara: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=34.4194&lon=-119.699#.W2nnfNJKhEY Near the bottom of the page on the right you will find the Hourly Weather Forecast graphs. At the top of that page is a section for Fire Weather, so select the Mixing Height and hit submit. At the bottom of the graphs you will find the forecast mixing height for the day/time you are interested in. You will need to pick multiple locations to get a picture for your route. Here's a more applicable one for Reno: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=38.8935&lon=-119.9963#.W2npbdJKhEY

Thanks for posting this. It always surprises me when people look down on Field Overhauls by a reputable shop and insist that a Factory Overhaul must be "better". Almost like they think the overhaul was done by an old mechanic drinking Jack Daniels and dropping cigarette ash into the engine case. Reputable shops are nearly always Repair Stations, governed by CFR Part 145- a standard not easy to attain or maintain. The FAA has even been known to "encourage" shops that are doing a lot of overhauls to get a Repair Station certificate. And a little known fact is that the Lycoming factory will, at times, contract with select Repair Stations to produce their "Factory Overhauled Engines". Getting an overhaul from a reputable shop means you get to keep your Bendix magnetos and 25° BTDC timing, pay less, get the engine faster, and don't have to be forced into having a new Lycoming camshaft and lifters with questionable metallurgy. And the guy that actually builds your engine might be the same guy anyway.

When I was in college, I had 55 Ford with a bad battery, and didn't have the money to replace it. I would angle in to park, and put one wheel up on the curb. When I got ready to go, put in in reverse, turn on the ignition, and push in the clutch. As it rolled off the curb, pop the clutch and it would fire up.

Made the trip to Oshkosh from VCT... the airplane worked flawlessly and exceeded book numbers by 5 kts about anywhere I checked. Half the trip home was at 8500’ and second half at 12.5. Still running ROP but now have about 45 hrs smoh and ready to transition to LOP. Great gas mileage so far and saw in low 9’s ROP at 12,500. Good trip, lots of fun. Oil consumption was very low imo... used two qts round trip and maybe keeping at or above 7 qts causes some to go out the crankcase vent tube. The trip up was dicey because weather was crummy once we got past halfway...got my fair share of scud running as we got closer. Flying slow at low power settings to let the weather move east ahead of us...So not much else to know about that. Was my first time to Oshkosh... everyone said, if you haven’t been, you gotta see! I get it now.

Your plane should cost more than your house and car, right?

I was referring to the discount on a factory o/h if the exchanged engine was a factory engine from within so many years. When was the existing engine overhauled, by whom, and how many hours does it have on it? Unless there were signs that the engine needed to be replaced, I would discount the plane accordingly for having a timed out engine, but I wouldn't proactively replace it if it's still making good power, compression and not making metal.