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I finally have gotten a chance to organize and post some pictures on my new plane that I picked up and flew home on January 16, 2019. Shout out to Paul Steen for his insight and advice. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to acquire this plane. N5901Q was factory demonstrator that was purchased in 1966 by Rudy Frasca. He kept it in Champaign/Urbana, IL and flew it as his personal airplane up until 2014 when he donated it to the EAA. It was flown to Oshkosh that year but was basically parked until this past fall. I believe that the paint and much of the interior is still original, but is in very good condition. The plane has been very well maintained and has had a number of nice upgrades in the past 10-15 years ( redo the panel in a standard 6 pack config., Garmin GNS430, GMA340, GTX327, and an S-Tec 30 w/GPSS). It also came with some interesting historical items, such as a Mooney color brochure from 1965, a Mooney PC brochure, and a Mooney Service directory list from 1965. I also got the original Mooney leather key holder complete with a screw driver. here are some pictures if you’re interested.

Gotta love the math! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Okay guys here it is !!! A special shout out to the guys at: Heath Aviation 5A6 Winona, MS 38967 These guys are fantastic...

Don't you feel a little cramped in the Hangar? Pritch

That's too bad. My ceilings where twice that high, but even the mountains where obscured all day and I much prefer IFR to navigate the Bravo. But even so it was an easy IFR flight, IMC to 8300' on the way out and then smooth sailing above the tops at 15000' with a nice tail wind giving us 217 kts over the ground. On the way back pretty much the same except for some nasty clear air bumps in the descent down to 10K as we approached JLI but that only lasted a minute or so. Then it was vectors to the final for the localizer IMC. Steve @stevesm20b was an excellent host and came out to greet us after arriving later than expected Unfortunately, not only did me miss getting Steve's girlfriend Julie and friend Sean in the picture, we also forgot to get another picture when Charles @xcrmckenna showed a bit later.

After attending the PPP in Lakeland this past weekend, Sunday morning's departure let us put to use the instrument work we did while we were there. By about noon, the weather had improved enough it looked like this: And after a brief 15-20 minutes in solid IMC, I was greeted by this view:

Yes and no... There is a resource that has put together a price guide for Mooneys... based on a collection of personal experience and data from selling Mooneys for a living... Is he a God? No, not technically... Find Jimmy... then you can decide for yourself. Think twice about market mechanisms... and how a market works... and statistics... our market is so small, there are very few statistics available... one person either buying or selling can change the market, where you are, or on that day.... Just when you think you have the seller cornered... somebody with more loose dough comes along... Market forces aren’t always friendly... Best regards, -a-

I don't know if calibration will fix it. I just forwarded your photo and message to my contact at Sensorcon. He isn't in their customer service dept but may have some ideas. I'll keep you posted. Cheers, Dan

I need a rain that's going up. The belly is what needs washed the worst.

I've got the same cable setup in my 1981 231. As I recall, the speed brakes are naked aluminum and have no extra coloring. I've never had an issue with them, other than a mechanic placarding them "Electrically Actuated --Do not manually operate".

A few years ago while visiting the wife's family in the Detroit area she asked if I was going to help her brother shovel snow off the driveway and sidewalk, my reply was I didn't remember him helping with the yard work last winter when they came to visit us.

That ain't right.

Someone needs to fix the flag. Tom

We were stuck under a low layer of crap pretty much all day. Would've liked to have made it out otherwise.

Not a terribly uncommon problem. Back to Precise Flight for a rebuild. Nice folks to deal with. Not cheap, but not horrible either.

There are no bladders for the K models- just through the J model. But don’t worry, a properly done reseal (not just a patch job) will also get you leak free tanks likely well beyond your ownership years. Check with Weep No More, or Wet Wingologist or the MSC in Troutdale OR - they all specialize in reseals plus a couple others do it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why? Blank off the removed speed breaks; pull and tag breaker and mark speed breaks as inop. Brian

Sorry I couldn’t get there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nobody here has seen that airplane and nobody here REALLY knows the answer. If the other party is ok with paying for half the annual, and it goes well, why not? Worst case sceneario as you posted it is it goes poorly and you walk away with whatever you have into the annual at that point. It's worth the gamble. Anything that has mentioned here that it was made sound like went out because it was sitting, has the same likelihood of going out in a flying airplane. Airplanes are expensive, if the bones are good, and it's what you say it is, it is worth the look.

Well I finally made it to the party. I missed one Mooney as they were leaving. But I got to chat with a few. Glad you guys came out and hope to see you all again soon!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just added Part 2: Eastbound to the original post

I liked the game outcome. Of course I'm an unrepentant New Englander. I watched the game by myself in a Lakeland FL hotel room but I had on my 2018 Red Sox Championship TShirt.

Harry, your budget should allow you to acquire a nice M20C, E, or F - any of which should nicely meet your stated missions - and have enough left to deal with first year surprises as well as some improvements your bird needs. There are many threads here on costs and values and the relative market for those 3 models but we'd recommend you keep your search flexible as to model, i.e don't pass up a nice C because you think you have to have an E. With all these "vintage" planes the status of the engine time, avionics, and the condition and appearance of exterior and interior outweigh the model and year.

I have an EFD 1000 and I like it. It has GPSS built in which is nice. Aspen takes care of their past customers and they try to play nice with all the other avionics vendors so you don't find yourself painted into a corner. I find their technical support folks very knowledgeable and helpful and easily reachable by phone.

@Bob_Belville's new paint job has really opened my eyes to the classic schemes! This one looks great as well. Congrats on the new bird

My airplane didn't fly much before I bought it, but I could tell it flew enough. It flies more with me. I intend it to be the last aircraft I own. I'll fly it until I can fly no more, and then I'll sell it for what I can get. I don't view it as my property. I view myself as its caretaker. It was here before me, and my job is to make certain it is here when I'm gone. If we don't have this mindset airplanes will disappear from the world.

Yes, perhaps I am being too harsh.. I have a friend whose a plane that has been sitting in a hangar for over 9 years, and he can’t let it go. The irony is that that is exactly what has happened.... they have ”let it go”. I suppose there is far more of an emotional component for some owners than there is for others. I fall into the latter group, as I would never be able to accept the cost of hangaring an unairworthy or never flown aircraft... I think that the PO of my plane had a much deeper connection to his plane than I first realized, as it took him many years to make the decision to sell. But when that time came, he was fully aware of what it would take to get it airworthy again, and priced it accordingly. We struck a fair bargain, and each walked away feeling good about the deal. In the first 4 months I spent more on parts than I did on the plane. So far, my estimate was about 25% low. I still have a ways to go, however. That said, I was not prepared in the beginning for the journey that I would create for myself- my need to clean and inspect every last inch of the plane, to go ahead and replace items that some others might have waited to address (But I cannot stand removing the same panels/components later to get to somethIng that I knew was questionable back when I had it apart the first time). I may feel a much deeper connection with the plane once I finally get it off the ground....but for now, it’s been an endless chain of “Well, I might as well do this too, since I have everything opened up right now”, and I have felt almost no satisfaction at all, working in a cold hangar for hours for days for months, not even knowing what it feels like to start it and taxi it... but we are finally getting close, and I remain hopeful that it will all be worth it, that I’ll be grinning from ear to ear when I raise the gear in the air for the first time.

Yes, I thought I'd get a few hours in a da 20 to get signed off and was surprised at how rusty I was and how hard the transition was. I figured that the time would be better spent in my own familiar plane without having to transition as well, but I do expect it to take a while.

No problem....”Because I was inverted.”

At least you’re world isn’t completely upside down. [emoji1787] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Since our planes aren't aerobatic, loops and barrel rolls are out. How about chandelles?

Sorry I missed it but it would have been a 5 hour slog out and back with mod icing till I got on top...just too much work for Sunday ,so I stayed home and watched tree branches crashing down on my porch

Well, this bird ranged far and wide back in the day. Back-and-forth to Vancouver and back-and-forth across the rockies to the LA area. Up-and-down the West Coast between mountain ranges. It's also nice to get on top and cruise at 195 knots at flight level 180 for 8 hours. It got annualed with a fine tooth comb, and I'm less worried about the airplane biting me than me biting myself, which is why I'd like a Mooney capable cfi.

My A&P and I installed mine in less than 5 hours - if you don't want the optional fault light and anonymous switch it's a power and ground wire, install a GPS antenna and splice into the transponder coax. I opted for the options.

that's a pretty bird, and yeah that hangar is a bit small.8)

Me to. But we just got back to Vegas before all heck broke loose.... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

100% agree that nobody here really knows the condition of the plane. That said, the OP gave enough important insight about the recent past to share some recommendations. Nobody wants another name to be added to Paul's running list of very similar stories. Once the plane begins to fly again regularly... the bugs from not being flown will come out. A PPI or a successful Annual cannot serve as a substitute to proper upkeep.

Dan, the sensor inside the particular device is typically life limited, and it's life is independent of unit calibration history. Typical life expectancy is 5-7 years but varies with the particular sensor and possibly also with the ambient conditions that the individual sensor has been exposed to. My home units ship indicating that they should be disposed of after 10 years in service.

I do not think they will certify their G3X anytime soon. Their new TXi is basically that system for certified aircraft with included engine monitor. I have had an 830 with steam gauges today and looked hard at their EIS offerings but ultimately decided against in favor for a JPI 930 for my panel re-do. I would have gone with the 900 but my panel layout is going to better align with the 930 sized display. All equipment has been ordered.

Doesn’t matter if it’s a cream puff, expensive parts will and can fail. It’s a crap shoot no matter what you purchase. Airplane ownership is not cheap. David

Tonight marks the 2nd anniversary from my little run in with Carbon Monoxide. Right now I would be getting loaded into the medevac helicopter. Despite having a bad cold right now I can say I'm enjoying the evening much, much more than two years ago. I'm very happy with the response from pilots over the past 2 years. A lot more airplanes have CO detectors now. But we did lose 4 people to Carbon Monoxide in a Cherokee in Iowa a few months ago. I would bet 95% of everyone who reads this post already has a CO monitor, but I ask that you all pester your pilot friends and hanger neighbors to get one. The discounts are still in effect. 20% www.sensorcon.com code: aircraft2017 20% www.guardian.com code: coaware Cheers, Dan

Just a quick update on my most recent JPI 900 issue - the display. Sent the unit for service and delivered to them on January 17th. Heard nothing from them for several days, so I called. Told me the unit needed a new display. A display that I had replaced under warranty back in late 2016. Told me the price would be $550. The “you got to be kidding me!” comment came out. She said she would speak to the service manager and get back to me. Heard nothing for a a couple of days, so I called back. She told me they would cover the cost of the repair and I would just need to pay for shipping. I thought that was fair. Never saw a charge on my credit card, nor did I see anything show up. Received a call from them yesterday saying they were covering everything under warranty, including shipping. The unit is supposed to arrive today. Disappointed the unit failed again, but happy that JPI stepped up to the plate on this. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

They are studying. Anatomy of the opposite sex and physiology of the liver during intense alcohol consumption. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

The coolest part of -40° weather...you have the right to drop the C or F... because at that temperature, they are the same! Saves a whole bunch of typing... Thanks to ScottD, i’m Getting a better feel for the Skewed T and the logged P... the light came on with that graph. Best regards, -a-

we were just in Minneapolis last night and this morning. The temp was -38C at 8000'. This morning it was too cold for Type 4 deicer fluid. I did the walkaround in the suit coat and it was physically painful.

I had a similar experience Friday. I took my Son in Law to an airport with a short runway where a Flight Surgeon does fly in flight physicals. I was worried about it being short although it was plenty long at 3300. I flew a practice approach so I had a nice straight in final. There was a plane in the run up box on the opposite end of the runway waiting for us. I was paying close attention. Put it on the very end of the runway and rolled out considerably short of the midfield turn off. I guess my 6000’ home runway hasn’t spoiled me as bad as I thought. BTW my SIL was on the ball. He wasn’t due his flight physical, but got it done because he turns 40 next week, so he’s good for five years.

Your wing tips have white position lights in the rear of the wing tip on both sides. That's why your tail only has a strobe which you need to maintain. I am sure you could get by with a UAT solution but it will reduce your Ovations service ceiling back down to under 18K which will prove to be a sticky point at resale time; i.e. considered a downgrade till fixed properly.

From the FAQ page of the Skybeacon.

I separate CapEx and OpEx. CapEx is the price of the plane and any upgrades I make or money I spend on improvements. OpEx are the recurring costs such as fuel, hangar rent, annual maintenance, other maintenance, nav subscriptions, etc. I flew approximately 250 hours last year. I have no idea how much I spent in either of the two categories last year. But all the bills got paid, so I guess we're ok for another year of this.