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I finally got my baby back today after a long and extensive refurbish. N201JJ is the 51st 201 to come off the line in Kerrville. It’s been in the family since new in ‘77. Now she is ready for my kids. Special props to KSMooniac for the inspiration some years back. I’ve loved his airplane since I first saw it here on the site. We made a few changes to make it our own.

I am intimately familiar with grief associated with the loss of a loved one, and I would suggest you wait at least a month before approaching him about the disposition of the plane. A month will likely not affect the plane at all, and he certainly will have other things on his mind for a period of time.

It is so true. I followed my friend down to South Florida to get his Comanche 260 painted. I took off first, he followed 2-3 minutes behind me. We both leveled off at 8,500 and I watched my ADS-B as he slowly inched past me with him having 20 knots on me. I was 145kts over the ground, he was doing 165kts. After we traveled the 130 miles to Okeechobee, he landed 2-3 minutes before I did. 20 knots seems like a lot of speed, but overall, 4-6 minutes is a pittance in the grand scheme that is GA flying. This is especially resonant to Cherokee-owning friends who are looking at spending several AMUs for speed pants that claim a measly 2-3 knots.

I got mine in 2016 and it was right about $8,000 all in, materials, flight time, written test prep, and fee to the DPE, everything. As for popcorn, microwave just isn't the same. Grew up with Sunday afternoon after church consisting of popcorn and football or whatever other sport was on. When the Stir Crazy popper came out and you didn't have to shake it anymore to keep it from burning that was a game changer. (I did learn to make it on the stove and did so for two years as a missionary, couldn't afford to buy the popper and take it with me from one assigned area to the next). I still make popcorn almost every Sunday afternoon, I'm on about my 3rd or 4th Stir Crazy popper in the last 25 years.

Junction of the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers, 27 August, 2018.

Meteor Crater near Winslow, AZ, August 26, 2018. San Francisco peaks/Flagstaff, AZ, in distance.

You all are going to hate me for this: 5 knots doesn't matter. Save your money, buy avgas, use your plane, quit worrying about true airspeed. I fly at 450 knots for a living..... when its a long day and you're tired, that's still too slow! Enjoy your Mooney, enjoy the view outside, the freedom of part 91 flight in your own airplane. Screw the groundspeed. Even on a long trip, that 5 knots won't mean much depending on how long it takes you to dilly-dally to get the airplane off the ground or put away.

Before and after. Dilemma solved!!!!

Because with the new "1200 hours" ruling, these 21-year-old CFIs are needing time to get to the airlines. Are they milking students? I don't think so, but I do think its a combination of the fact of larger airports = longer taxi times, holding for takeoff, the flight out to the training area before you've even begun maneuvers, and then all in reverse. 2.0 logged with less than 20 minutes doing basic maneuvers and combined with the fact these CFIs are not intent on training, they lack the passion. It seems students average 2-4 instructors before receiving their PPL, and there is an overlap when a new one takes over. 2015 I learned to fly in a 152 on a grass strip with my CFIs hangar about 150 yards from the runway. The plane was $65/hr dry, he charged me $40/hr. Plus gas the airplane was about $125/hr all-in. When I flew solo, I paid the $65/dry rate in cash and then tried to tanker to cheap fuel airports as much as possible with my credit card. I considered myself a quick learner and once all my required dual was complete I just flew. I loved cross country flying. Got up high, leaned that little O-235 out and just pounced from cheap gas stop to cheap gas stop (CFI pre-approved XCs, of course). During my oral, I think I had 6 total cross countries and my DPE was astounded with only 41 hours in my logbook. I guess my CFI should've seen it coming that I'd be a Mooniac. Started Jan 2015, licensed May 2015. Total cost $4,500.

The year was 1967. The price of a Cessna 150 wet for training was $8/hour. The instructor cost another $10/hour. My Commercial Checkride in 1969 was $35. I don't remember the Private Checkride charge. While times have changed, where there is a will there is a way. It's just up to your imagination. Much of my airplane maintenance has been paid for through flight instructing. What could be a better trade if you love flying? Recently I traded flight instruction for aircraft maintenance. I built time in the early days ferrying airplanes, got lots of real world weather experience, and got paid for it. Later I was introduced into the world of huge audience rock band tours by being the flight instructor of one of the lead band members. I even got to meet and train with Victor on the Mooney "Down Under Tour" in Australia a few years ago. What a trip that was! You never know exactly where life will take you, but putting yourself into the "stream of action" can lead to some pretty exciting places.

If the system is working correctly, you should get immediate response pumping the handle. Lynn said it sounds like there is air trapped in the system somewhere. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

uhhhh.....they arent telling the truth. 1 RMU=42.7 AMU's back in the 70's and its worse now.

I agree with you Jim but only if those of us in that situation allow it to happen to ourselves and it easily can. I fly for a living and in the past had work colleagues comment to me that because airline flying is so procedural and mundane, they wish they could fly a GA machine for fun again. Others have done something about it such as getting into aerobatics and acquiring their own. Others treat it as just a job. For me, I have owned my Mooney for 16 years and hope to keep doing so past retirement provided my medicals and financials allow me to do so. At this stage it is looking good. The freedom of going when and where I want (within reason), improvements to my Mooney (notwithstanding expenses), the friends I have made throughout the journey and being allowed to participate on these forums, which I intend to meet some of you at a future Summit, make it all worthwhile.

Sounds like a wood wing, wo9d tail Mooney. You better know what you are doing before jumping into that one.

Nice! I'm partial to the early J models myself.

Nope, they should start moving with the first pump. About 4 1/4 pumps should be full flaps.

I have a Foreflight Sentry now, seems to work good.

My Mooney is part of the retirement plan. It's how I will get about to visit the kids and grandkids. The first thing my wife looks at as we think of different places to retire is how far away is the airport and what is the flight time to where the kids live.

The eroded volcanic necks near Indian Wells, Arizona, in the painted desert.

The Grand Canyon photographed by my co-Pilot, looking west from approximately the north entrance of the Tuckup VFR corridor at 10.5kf, August 26, 2018.

So, as it apparently happens frequently my King AP disconnect switch went out on my KAP 150. This is not asking for help, it's been replaced, but I wanted to provide the part number that might have been used for the replacement and what the old one looked like. If I were to have ordered the replacement part from Mouser.com it would have been part number 633-MB2061SS1W01CC and it would have looked like the below(new switch on the left). (check the cap size before ordering, there is a large cap -CC and a small cap -BC, some other sites have reported the small cap, in reality it doesn't matter as you can reuse the cap) But the most telling thing is what the old one looked like when disassembled. Notice the contact for the trim power side of the switch is basically totally gone as they run way too much power through it and using it to disconnect causes an arc. So, I've now learned(about $300 too late) to never use the Yoke disconnect switch except in an emergency and just disconnect from the autopilot front panel or by engaging the manual electric trim which might also be safe for the switches, although that unit is even more expensive to replace or rebuild. Edit: and one other thing I learned is that it's a fully sealed switch, so spraying it with contact cleaner probably won't hurt to try and make it work again, but if it still doesn't work the problem still may be the switch as there's a good chance none of the cleaner actually got inside.

When I did the plane power alternator conversation, they spec'd a "Field" switch , so mine has one too..... Nice bright yellow light to remind you after start-up

If I remember right the list price on the GFC500 including 2 servos is about $7000. Assuming you already have at least one G5, you just need to install the GFC. $4000 to install? That's $11,000. Add a servo for pitch trim and one for the yaw dampener and a bit more for the install and you might be up to $17,000 or so (just my WAG). Need a G5 to go with that? Another $2150 - $3000 plus install. Want two G5's? That's about $5100 + install. Anybody know anyone who has had a GFC500 installed yet?

If you run the fused cord supplied with the Battery Minder that terminates in the Male/Female connector to the Battery Minder, that cord will pass between the outer skin and the metal housing of the external 3-prong plug (Cessna Type Connector). When not using the Battery Minder and flying, the Male/Female plug can be secured inside the External 3-prong connector and the spring-loaded door closed. John Breda

If he needs information and has no one else to turn to my bet is he will approach you, at that time it will be appropriate and helpful

I've got a picture showing how far they open somewhere. This is what I can find right now. They are the same size on both sides of the nose gear.

What a cool trip!

"Well since I am sitting before you, whatever actions I took was the best course of action and I used all resources presented to get me and my plane safely on the ground so we could all attend this meeting." "What else would you like to talk about " "Thank you have a nice day."

My numbers are from my own experience. I got a loan for 2k and it nearly covered all of my training, but I didn't train at a cessna pilot training center. 12k now is based on talking to local cfi's on what it is costing average students now. My numbers for cars are based on simple research. Cars cost 10 times what they did in the 60s, but planes cost 100 times. I haven't researched fuel prices between then and now, but I doubt fuel has gone up much more than inflation. Microwave popcorn is older than me, but I cook on cast iron, grow vegetables, and raise animals. I feel what was common knowledge for survival was lost nearly a century ago. My own children don't watch TV, play video games, or spend all day on a computer. I cant control or know what my cadets do at home, but I can say the ones approaching college age are very hard working, dedicated to flying, don't drive nice cars, have put every penny they have into buying into the local flying club etc. Their passion is not lacking. The availability of planes and instructors is. 152s are mostly gone from the training fleet and 172s are running about $150 an hr, instructors are $60-75 per hour, and charge from the second they see you till they give you your bill for the day. Checkrides are back up to nearly a three month wait in many parts of the country which does end up adding cost for most people not at a "school" with their own DPE. Yes, it has always been expensive to fly, but the days of hanging out at the airport and washing planes in exchange for hours are mostly gone. Not all kids are video game junkies and expect everything cheap and now. The age of GA was probably in the 60s evidenced by when the greatest number of aircraft where probably built, and by the fact that such a huge number of pilots are hitting retirement age right now. I am grateful for the EAA and CAP providing an opportunity for kids to experience flight. It does get them to work hard and make them passionate about something. I am enlisted in the Air Force. I dont make a ton of money, but a huge portion of my income has always gone toward flying. Living within my means, not getting into credit card debt, etc... have made it possible for me, and it is still entirely possible for kids now, but to say the cost of flying has only risen with inflation I just dont buy. The airlines, the military are in a huge pilot shortage. Even the border patrol has visited me trying to recruit kids offering to provide some financial help for them to become pilots because they are hurting. It is not because no one is interested, it's because it is expensive! Pay for a college degree and flight training, or get student loans to do so. Then make a teachers salary or less for a few years while you build experience. An experience requirement recently tripled. Do you really think it is as easy now or affordable as it has ever been? That's why my cadets are working hard to get into the Air Force Academy. Tell me that is easy. Tell me that I really need to explain to them about hard work. I do preach hard work, but I'm preaching to the choir in my squadron. I'm excited that the days of furloughs are gone and there is a pilot shortage. Now pay will go up, pilots will stop paying companies to fly for them to build hours, and some prestige will come back to the career. Hopefully more changes will be made for GA that makes it more affordable too. I'd like a WASS gps, but I'll stick to my Aera 560 that gets me from point A to B just fine for now. The price of a 20yr old 430 with install is crazy for those some of us.

I would love to know where you're getting your numbers from. I learned to fly in the late '80s at a Cessna Pilot Center using C-152s. Cost was closer to $4,000. Bought a modest car brand new 2 years later for about $10,500. A comparable car today would be about $20,000. PPL today I've seen is closer to $8,000. All of that seems to jibe with inflation. Becoming a pilot was always expensive. What it takes is a commitment to aviation and putting some other things on the back burner- which nobody seems to want to do anymore. They want everything faster, better, easier, and cheaper. You're probably too young to remember how folks made popcorn in the past: 1.) put a small layer of oil in a pan, then put it on the stove 2.)heat the oil, when it starts to get hot put in one kernel. Wait. 3.)when that one kernel pops, add the rest of the popcorn 4.) keep moving the pan around on the heat so the popcorn doesn't burn. After about 10 minutes (not including clean up), you had popcorn. Today? Throw a bag in the microwave and push the button that says "Popcorn". You should tell your cadets to work hard, allocate all their free money and time to aviation, and in the end it will be worth the struggle. And I'll bet that the things you value most in your life weren't easy, but difficult. Tell your cadets that, too. Respectfully, A former CAP cadet

Definitely was not his friend, but I see the son nearly every day. But, you’re right, he probably had friends at the field that will look after it

Thanks Bryan. Those are two possibilities I didn't think about.

In my experience that’s a very temporary solution and will fail when you are away from home.

That's a very good question... When I'm solo, which is about 50% of the time, I'm up high. When the Mrs and the Pup are with me, we usually stay below about 15K. We have been up to 18K with an O2 mask on the dog. We have one of these. https://aerox.com/product/canine-o2-mask-extra-large which she wears very well. But she's a very calm and well behaved dog. So if we tell her to wear it, she'll wear it. She seems to suffer no ill effects from extended time at 14K or 15K so we often fly there and she's the only one in the cabin not wearing O2. Of course humans don't suffer at that altitude either. We just get too sleepy to reliably fly the airplane.

Yea I agree 6 months Or so Plane will be fine. -Robert

Hey Ziggy, Any chance you could drop it off Monday? I know Don's probably closed on Monday but it's easy to leave it parked on his ramp. Tuesday is still a possibility for me. But Monday would be a sure thing. Paul

First indication is the starter switch. If you had to "jiggle" it to make it run, start here. Most can be taken apart and cleaned and lubed. If its broken, replace it ($$). If the prop won't turn (starter dead) it ain't the SOS. Have your A&P jump the leads on the start solenoid to see if the prop will turn. Check battery charge (hydrometer check), start solenoid check for high resistance, all battery cables to starter for good clean connections AND make sure you have a good ground wire from the battery to the airframe.

This sounds like a science experiment. Undo the outer shroud that covers the muffler heat exchange only three screws in my case. Take a shop vac put the hose in the outlet with a towel around the end of the hose to make a good seal in the tail pipe and pressuring the exhaust start spraying soapy water around the pipes the joints and flanges the internal exposed muffler can and look for bubbles. No need to remove the lower cowl.

Gentlemen, I am still hoping to do this mod, but would really like to duplicate what someone else has already done. There are several different ways to mount the battery box and run the cables which is why I was hoping someone with an E model, or a C with the battery in the tail could take some pictures. Words are nice, pictures are better. I have already done W&B calcs to see where I would be after the Mod. I am also looking to the future (many years from now) when I replace the flooded cell battery with a Lithium battery that will be much lighter. I am also hoping to pull the Oil cooler back behind the baffling, so weight isn't my only concern. Thanks for your time. Last request. I and Jstickler76 have asked for people's opinions. Please don't slam folks who's opinion doesn't match yours. It is fine to disagree, but I see a lot of unnecessary insults tossed at folks. That's not helpful. This forum is better than many of the auto forums I participate in, so I appreciate that.

I had a relatively minor incident in my old M20D that resulted in a total loss due to the high cost of repairs. My insurance rates went up a few hundred dollars a year in spite of the fact that the FAA found that there was no pilot error. I had insurance through AOPA at the time and the rep told me that the only company that would insure me was the one who had paid my claim and they would charge me increased rates to recoup their loss. My rates have gone back down some and I have switched brokers but I have had to report that incident on my insurance application every year. I think I may have reached the time limit on reporting it this year.

Start of the first cap! Not a mirror finish but workable.

.... maybe that is why it is so fast.... the tweaked aileron slipstream interaction with the Coriolis effect causing a precession deflected sinusoidal pressure wave to impact the trailing edge of the elevator resulting in net thrust and a coincidental harmonic drop in induced drag... This video explains it all...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXW0bx_Ooq4

Because they are ***holes?

It will include GPS approches but NOT ILS/VOR as the autopilot utilizes GPS signaling only. We're looking at a basic A/P here with the ability to do programmed up and down, left and right, GPS tracking, alt hold and GPSS approaches. It won't be a full blown triple redundant, autoland A/P like in an Airbus 320. I can hand fly an ILS about as good as an A/P. Been doing it for 50 years even in Boeings. It ain't no big deal folks. $5000 vs $15,000 plus just to get an ILS? I'm willing to bet ATC will work out something for "track" vs "heading" when enough of them get out there. Lots of us want something affordable for basic VFR cruising. If you want a full blown A/P with all the bells and whistles for heavy IFR this might not be for you.

Don't drain anything. Heavy duty paint stick. Sharpie. Carry both with you. Fly. Stick the tank. I always put it against the inside edge of the cap. Draw a line. Fill tank. Subtract gallons added from tank capacity. Write number on the stick. Do this for a couple of months and you will have the most accurate gauge evar.

I'm sorry,..........did you say profit? I didn't think that the words Mooney and profit could be used in the same sentence.

The interest doesn't fade , but the expense dictates the market....when LSA and the Diamond DA20 types get a decent foothold in the fleet , you will see a shift to this type of aircraft.....and GA will press on.....I personally love the fact that the planes lost 50% of their Value....I got into a S35 Bonanza two years ago for about 43K , 8 years ago the price of admission was about 100K for that aircraft....As far as my Mooney , I will sell it for 20K less than I would have had to pay 8 years ago , and still hold a decent profit..... Like every facet of life , change is imminent , and time presses on.....