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They used the HUGE tow truck, like for jets which has the LONG towbar. They turned 45 degrees because that was what the kid was taught, well, it’s 11 and 13 degrees. So they sheared the gear and it collapsed immediately afterwards for obvious reasons. I’m sick to my stomach. And listen, I’m rated on the sr20’s and 22’s and can do compares but this is akin to boating. Hatters guys speak in biblical terms about Hatteras vs Viking and vice versa. So I say to each his own. Mooney flew a Company big Kajuna who was there with me and hand held me and they couldn’t do better under a sad and freaky thing for me. It’s an accident and you know, new engine and parts and we’re good. I’m changing FBOs and got a sidewinder tower by the way,... HA! No one touches my plane, like, ever, Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Folks, hi there, been busy and frustrated and sick to my stomach. No pilot error. The FBO made a mistake towing it and ruined the gear, as I was taxiing it collapsed, end of story. Mooney is ferrying it and I’m having a new engine and parts put in so I get my plane back as I had it, as new, I’m fine, shaken and distraught, but fine. Thanks to those who share their concern. It was KTMB not KOTF. FAA stated not pilot error, so that’s that, also, it’s an AWESOME machine and I’m proud of her, thanks, Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

...and she cooks too!! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

So I finally got the plane in to Southwest Texas Aviation and got the JPI 900 install. SWTA was amazing and highly communicative throughout and I'm pumped to finally have those old devices out of the plane. Also got the CiES units installed, so I can trust my fuel and flow finally! Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

It is outstanding that Mooney International would provide Omar technical assistance in person, take lead in getting it ready to ferry back to the Factory for a NEW engine and Prop, when they had no culpability for the incident. I wonder if competitive makes take such pride in their after sale support? You have a strong family behind you here, Omar. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I was thinking of me, too, as I've been reading this thread. Everything that was going through Omars mind went through mine, too. It took awhile, (almost 4 months for me) to get back in the air, as Lycoming had to build the replacement engine, but everyone associated with the issue couldn't have handled it better including the insurance company (not mine). I was able to get almost everything I asked for, (loss of use, new prop, new reman (I had to pay for part of that) and other things, including everything new firewall forward). The plane looks and performs like new now. Yours will, too, and with Mooney doing all the repairs, you are in good hands.

Hi Omar, Before you start insulting half of Mooneyspace, maybe you should take a moment to collect your thoughts. Calling someone you know nothing about “offensive and uninformed” is usually an “offensive and uninformed” statement by its very nature so you may want to use that more selectively in the future. Here is the study: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/4/772 Sorry you missed the towing damage on your preflight. Sorry your nose gear collapsed. Not a reason to go insulting everyone.

It’s an inaccurate headline. It should say FBO DESTROYS BRAND NEW MOONEY OUT OF OVERSIGHT. PILOTS BEWARE. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This isnt a matter of keeping it a secret, Chris, but more a matter of keeping the "It wouldnt have happened if it were a Cirrus", "what happens after the 3rd bounce" "lack of proper training" "Mooney's quality is SH&T" speculation from formulating facts out of opinion vs reality and out of respect for a great gentleman, Omar.

Thank you. You honor me with your kind words. I’ll post when done. Thanks again. This is hard as heck! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The APS power formulas and the JPI calculations are approximations, but seem reasonably accurate. Really, the only way to know for certain the power being developed is to have a torquemeter. Many of the large radial engines had one built in (calibrated as BMEP) and Roy LoPresti installed one in the airplane when developing the 201. That's why the M20J AFM power tables are very accurate. If you take Lycoming's published sea level and altitude curves for the IO-360 and create a power table similar to the Mooney table, you'll find that the Mooney requires 1 to 1.5" more MAP to generate the same power. This is the difference between running in a test cell and running on an airframe with it's less perfect induction and exhaust system. Here's the ubiquitous chart from Lycoming (also reproduced in some Continental publications) that gives idealized engine parameters as a function of mixture strength. Note that the BSFC is approximately constant during the "best economy" range from about 10F LOP to 75F LOP. It is higher, and therefore less efficient, anywhere outside this range. The curve most likely isn't quite this flat, and Continental in the second chart below calls the best economy range 25-50F LOP which seems reasonable. Despite what the APS guys say, power is related to fuel flow both ROP and LOP. I do not believe they are trying to be misleading - they are just oversimplifying. If you operate within the "best economy" range, power is easily calculated from fuel flow because BSFC is essentially a constant. If you are ROP it's more complicated. I chose the chart below from Continental to show this. Note that the best economy (LOP) lines are essentially linear, whereas the best power and full rich lines (ROP) curve up slightly. But, they don't curve a lot. So a first order approximation for ROP power as a linear function of fuel flow wouldn't be far off. The problem with coming up with a single formula is the vertical offset between ROP and LOP mixtures - not the linearity. Skip

DVD’s are yesterday. The popular course are all online and app based. Check out King schools and Sporty’s - the most popular 2. You want current material don’t you? IIRC about $200. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You’re offensive and uninformed. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Many of us have no idea what life with Raquel would be like. But you seem to have hit it out of the ballpark with Alice. There aren't many like her!

owning a Rocket is a lot like being married to Raquel Welch......Very few would expect her to cook also!

During our last visit to Marathon, I filmed the approach from the cockpit of the Mooney M20F. Most of the instruments, including my Aspen PFD and the Garmin GTN 750 are visible. Due to the later evening, and the low sun, the outside view is ok, but could be better. To make the visual approach against the sun easy, I selected the visual approach to runway 25 in my Garmin GTN750. With this setup, I got an ILS-like vertical and lateral deviation indication on my Aspen PFD. Also you can see on the Aspen the AOA function and the synthetic vision.

Off topic, but I feel an urge to chuckle when you read a post, not usually on MS but certainly in the political realm, when an author is wearing out his Thesaurus trying to make his/her point sound intelligent. Back on topic, Good luck and speed to the factory in repairing your bird Omar.

Mine is old and grimy and greasy. It’s pretty easy to tell if it’s touched something. Good on the sidewinder.

Hi - we just got a quote for the GNX-375 and the $8k includes all parts. It's broken out into two line items... the 375, rack, backplate, conn kit, config module, datacard are $7643 and the antenna is $352, for a total of $7,995. Ross

My 252 came into the shop while yours was there. I am having a complete panel upgrade but I wanted SWTA to do the CiES senders install and wiring before delivering to avionics. I just don’t trust others to go into my fuel tanks than I do JD and team.

The way this works is a) ameliorate damage and stop bleeding b) coordinate repairs - yes will be done at MOONEY so I get new engine and new everything. I have a new plane and I want back a new plane not a torn down engine c) go after FBO for DIRECT and INDIRECT losses (e.g loss of use etc...) - my carrier does that for me Hope this is helpful Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I still don't trust the level gauges on my EDM-900 as much as I do the dials on the wings and I still look inside the tanks before every flight. The totalizer on the M20F is dead nuts accurate, but the rocket always seems to take 3-4 gallons more than the totalizer said that I used after about 70-80 gallons have been burned. I've noticed the fuel flow will sometimes sit at 0 while I'm taxiing around when it's normally at 2-3 gph and I'm wondering if the location or orientation of the sender contributes to it. The install of my M20F was 30 hours and the Rocket was 40. If anyone else is interested in getting an EDM900 installed, the one piece of advice I have is to not install it on the right side of the panel with the remote "ENGINE" light in front of the pilot. Pull power to land and oil pressure drops into the yellow and you'll get a flashing light. Running at max RPM, but not past it (e.g. 2700 RPM), and you'll get a blinking red "ENGINE" light that is an unpleasant distraction. If the engine monitor is in front of you, the numbers turn red and does not distract you in the same way as seeing a light and having to look at the monitor and clear the exception.

Don't remove any screws except one of the three Allen head screws, the one closest to the bottom. Just loosen the other two and the retaining ring will be able to turn a few degrees and come off. Having some blue painters tape handy to keep the bulb in place on the retaining ring while you get the screws tightened doesn't hurt. You will have to hook up the wires the same as they were but getting the bulb secured in the retaining ring is the most challenging thing. You'll just about have it down by the time you replace the 4th bulb.

Oh geez. I guess there’s always someone. Try www.empathy.com before posting about Spongebob. Best wishes. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Get out the IPC and make a list of the parts you'll need to do the conversion. Call Corrine at LASAR and get a price quote. When you get off the floor, I think you'll decide to figure out how to adjust/lubricate/live with your present cowl flaps.

SOP for me is to run a finger down the two down tubes on the nose gear as part of my preflight. There are no dents or paint chips. If I feel something, then something potentially bad has happened, and I’ll look more closely. sadly, even if the tug had collapsed the gear, you’d be in the same position on needing a tear down inspection and prop. My prob always stops with one blade down, not two, and that one blade has only 11” of clearance. Im a big fan of the turntable type tugs which do protect the nose gear, but I’m too cheap to replace my 22 year old power tow with the BestTug I really want. .-dan

Thanks for all of the posts describing what happened. Your attitude is impressive. I hope you are made whole quickly and this unfortunate situation does not dampen your enthusiasm. I have not always been in the habit of asking line persons whether they know the towing limits of a Mooney. Oddly enough though, last week on the way back to MS from AZ, I diverted to Denton TX (US Jet Center FBO) and just as I was about to walk away from the airplane to catch an Uber, I turned around and asked the very "young" line person if he knew about the towing limits for Mooneys. He smiled and said, "Yessir, 11 and 13 degrees. I'll take good care of her for you." That young man was trained well! Unfortunately, the next morning, I was charged for 118 gallons instead of the 30 gallons I ordered. It turned out that the clerk confused my airplane with another. Both encounters were good reminders to check and double check everything, assume nothing. Alex

I obviously questioned myself - is there something I could’ve seen at preflight, the answer is NO. It’s unintentional internal damage so be careful when asking an FBO to tow any aircraft Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

RECALIBRATE THEN Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But him and Jerry W are my role models. Come on, you got to admit watching them is heck of lot more fun than watching professional pilots fly. It’s like a box of chocolate where you know everything you get will have a nut inside. [emoji1787] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I remember reading a study about kids watching Spongebob Squarepants and if they gave them cognitive tasks before and after the episode their performance dropped by the equivalent of several IQ points. I always assumed Nikko’s Wings was the aviation version of that. Nice plane, but clueless narcissist for a pilot. I had to stop watching because I could feel my brain cells commiting harakiri.

I’d like to know as well what the benefit has been across the fleet. I wonder if we created a poll for those who have the PF exhaust and allow them to vote what speed increase if any they saw might help. We would need to know the model it was installed on. Then again, like all Mooney speed mod topics, my F model does 210 KTAS on 2 tablespoons per hour at FL250. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Well, if were me, I would not be happy about the initial post with my tail number in the subject line, and would never follow up post this thread. Tom

??? I ran fine wire plugs in my first M20E. That was early ‘80s. And iridium or platinum plugs were not new then. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

simplify and strengthen the whole system - make it castering and steer with brakes. then i could be sure to replace my brakes at least annually! It is the nose gear that stands in the way of increased Max Landing (and probably all the others) weight. The M22 Mustang gear could be adopted/adapted to replace the mains, but that nose gear is too big to put away. -de

Very easy. This is a Mooney we're talking about, so EVERYTHING is close at hand

It was 40 hours for both the EDM and the senders. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Eric, What does your vacuum gage shows after the install? He might be right to reduce the regulator settings somewhat but I think it might be issue in blocking wrong hose(s). I'd like to hear about solution as I want to do the same at my next annual. Thank you.

Ditto. BTW, have you ever cleaned your JPI? Tom

I guess the answer is to stay away from KERI until they get their shit together.

Perhaps and his children Pilotoans? (Like how I combined the “o” and the “a”? [emoji23][emoji23] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

The LAST "Doolittle Raider" has gone west, last night Lt Col, Richard "Dick" Cole passed away at his home in San Antonio TX at age 103. Lt Col Cole flew as co pilot with mission Commander Jimmy Doolittle on April 18, 1942, this first strike at the Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. All of the Raiders volunteered for the "suicide mission", they trained extensively to fly the North American B-25 bombers off the pitching deck of the USS Hornet (roughly a 400 ft take off run). An amazing accomplishment by exceptionally brave and skilled aviators, the world owes the "greatest generation" a debt that can never be re paid. God Speed Col Cole, tail winds and smooth skies, thank you.