Leaderboard

I realized this morning that visiting Mooneyspace is like having my twice a month morning breakfast meeting with my retired airline captain friends, except MS is daily [if I wish!]. At our pilots breakfast, we talk about all kinds of things. And since one of my friends is a retired United 747 captain and long time Mooney owner/pilot, the conversations can quickly turn to stuff about our Mooney airplanes [we do have a Cirrus owner amongst us, so that's always fun!]. As with any passion, and the particular organizations of which we choose to partake, whether its airplanes, boating, sports cars, motorcycles, music, etc., it is the people that make it truly special. Admittedly a slow learner in some areas, it wasn't until my first visit to AirVenture in 2008 that I finally realized this. It was the like mindedness, the camaraderie, the respect, and the passion of it all from the people there that made AirVenture so very special to me. Just like my pilots breakfast friends and just like Mooneyspace ! As I continued to read the Vintage Mooney thread on the door handle replacement topic, and all the associated input from so many on how to skin that cat, it came to me again, just how valuable, fun and exciting our Mooneyspace really is..........such knowledge, information and creativity from everyone! So, it's the daily "pilots breakfast" for me in the morning, at noontime, during the evenings, late at night, or just whenever....... here on Mooneyspace. It is the people and I do love Mooneyspace !

There are several metrics I use to gauge risk tolerance before I fly. Some of them are the basics (IMSAFE, etc.), the MMOPA-Frat (thanks @Jerry 5TJ) and my 3-strike rule. 3-strike rule for me is making 3 simple, or not so simple, mistakes before takeoff. Get to the hangar and forgot my iPad? Strike 1. Start to taxi out and realize I left out something off the pre-flight check? Strike 2. Get down to the end of the runway and realize I was going to get fuel but passed up the fuel station? Park it. My mind is not in the game today, and I don't need to get up in the air and find out just how behind the plane I really am. I have had a lot of fun over the years doing adrenaline fueled hobbies where a simple mistake could get you killed. Quickly. Fortunately, I have learned from older and wiser participants to think about risk prior to putting myself into a situation which could have been avoided. Has not always worked (and I have not always followed my own advice), but I have been fortunate enough to come out of it all with little damage to myself and no damage to others, and I would like to keep it that way.

I am not suggesting you need it and understand your self-sufficient, but your assessment of what it provides is pretty far off. Savvy works to diagnose the issue first and does everything possible to avoid sending anyone to a shop away from home. When it is necessary to bring in a shop, Savvy manages the maintenance to do only what is required to get you home which saves our clients $. See https://www.savvyaviation.com/home/savvy-services/savvybreakdown/ for more on the specifics.

We are thrilled to offer the uncapped event. 2020 will be the largest modern Mooney Gathering in the world topping the precious well attended Mooney Summits. As we finalize plans we’ll disseminate information as quickly as possible. -Seth

Get your mixture done as well in case its still original.

i decided I was done flying a few years back. Then had four or five successive hellish domestic airline flights. Molested by TSA, tiny multitool stolen by same, seated between two very obese armrest hogs, luggage rifled, flights delayed for hours. A flight I could have completed door to door by Mooney in five hours took 17 on United. Arggh. So I went and bought the Beastie, a Screaming Eagle, for my 70th birthday. Still loving it, marveling at its comfort, speed, stability, and all, but I’m fully aware that it isn’t my long-term travel solution. Sigh... As for running, I didn’t willingly do that when I was a teenager.. Nowadays, if you ever see me running, please shoot the guy behind me.

But...did your wife know she was making something for your mistress?

I think risk tolerance is a very personal topic and should be set by the individual based on his or her own set of criteria. When I first started flying there were a lot of old time pilots that lived by the Yeager adage "It's the man, not the machine". I remember canceling an IFR flight right after getting my IFR ticket and having one of them say to me, if you can't handle 500 foot ceilings, you shouldn't be flying. Ironically, the same guy ended up running out of fuel and flipped his Pitts upside down on a snow covered field. My risk tolerance is balanced between a healthy respect for the factors involved and the experience I have. Sometimes it IS the machine and not the man...

Undoubtedly our planes are not suited to current automotive oil, which is optimized for the much tighter tolerances and temperature regulation of modern water cooled car engines. But ashless dispersant oils were originally developed for car engines and adopted into aviation in the 1950s, and tetra-ethyl lead is certainly no stranger to the car engines where MMO was originally used.

If you have to ditch at night, and no airport is in range, I would look for a lake on your gps map display: With gear up, good chance of a smooth landing. Power lines rarely are found going over lakes. Almost no chance of fire caused by the crash. This assumes you are a good swimmer or have a life vest. Tom

People have been pouring MMO into airplane crankcases and fuel tanks with great regularity for many, many decades. If it were causing great harm there have been multitudes of bundles of opportunities to discover it and note it and write SIs or SBs or ADs or whatever. Instead of that sort of thing, instead you have a lot of old, grumpy, grey-haird, experienced A&P/IA/pilot/builder/whatever folks sharing wisdom on how to use it properly to get it to do what you want to help diagnosis or save a ton of money on unnecessary maintenance. That's my take on it, anyway. But, yeah, it's not necessarily "approved" anywhere.

I've used the online free SavvyAnalysis system for years and really love it as a flight logging method and I have never found the need for Savvy's subscription engine analysis service. Mike takes all the data that we freely upload to him and does statistical analyses (he's a mathematician) on it that feeds his maintenance philosophy, books and talks. He is a total straight shooter and a master at his craft, bar none. I have his books, he is quite a heretic when it comes to maintenance. Oh, what's one of the hallmarks of a master? He's not afraid to ask for a second opinion. I like what @Junkman said: "Think of it as sort of AAA for your airplane". Great to have and really want to never have to use it.

Where else in LA can you park for $50/day?

hi all, i am the current proud owner of this pretty bird. N113TN. the auction was listed as "no damage" in error, by the webmaster (this is being corrected as i am posting this)... we are also in the process of sharing all the logbooks in detail (all pages) online via a web link online. i have personally flown this plane for a total 500 hours (300 hours since the last prop strike). i own and run a very successful medical practice with multiple locations across southwest USA and we are selling 7 of our current 9 planes to make room for the new eclipse jet N778VW arriving to our KGEU hangar on dec 1. we need space and we are hoping that this plane (and all other 6) will find a new suitable home. i know the auction is a strange way to sell a plane, but it is quite effective actually (lots of personal experience with this topic). we did try to sell N113TN via all traditional methods but never got a decent offer !!! the log books will reflect all the love and care we have provided this plane in the last 3 years and that it has a current annual and also, i will be happy to attest that i have flown it almost daily for the last 30 days, in addition to my friend / CFII who flies this plane daily for our business use and we maintain very low personal minimums because we fly doctors and nurses around the southwest AZ for our mobile medical practice.

Hi there,my immediate thoughts after reading your situation ,was to avoid night flying and instead try some creative time management to at least take advantage of what weather and daylight provide you.At the very least ,for this time of year.This isn’t ,what you want to hear ,but with a young family dependent on you ,low time pilot (assuming less than 250 hrs required for commercial)Assuming no instrument or very low time in actual,flying older C model with average equipment,late fall into winter In Northern location,fatigue from long work day,young family etc,night time preflight increasing chance of missing something,airports with closed night time towers and weather reporting,ability to see and avoid ground fogs as the temp decreases,loss of situational awareness occurring for the best of pilots.All pushing the risk factors to JFK jr level.Notice ,I have not mentioned the the loss of an engine ....others have pointed out how peaceful flying over cities at night...LA basin is so well lit up ,an emergency landing is practically a daytime visual affair.Others didn’t mention the time of year,summer with partial daylight or twilight at 930 pm?Lastly,you dont mention why you are pursuing a Commercial in the first place.Job transition to flying job?At 250 hrs,the only jobs I can think of are CFI,glider towing,banner towing,photography,ag work (Maybe)seasonal air taxi...If is the long term aircarrier requiring an ATP...than what’s the rush?At that ,level ,you are embarked on a multi year mission so that imo the risk to reward ratio for running night time ops in fall/winter just to build time is not worth the risk.Either way you decide ,fly safe

The Mooney Summit VIII will be October 16-18, 2020 and will be held at a new Venue! We have simply outgrown the space available at Panama City Beach and we cannot continue to turn away people who want to better the breed and attend the Mooney Summit. Tampa Airport authority sent a delegation to the Mooney Summit this year to put "eyes on" the event and have come up with a package that makes relocating the venue viable to Peter O'Knight airport. The Tampa/Clearwater area is stunningly beautiful and a fantastic place (I guess thats why I chose to live close by) with unlimited choices of activities for the whole family. Our processes and policies may change as a result, but we will always keep a first class experience as our priority. Stay tuned for more as we develop the program!

Anyone recommend a reasonable detailer at Blue Grass airport? I haven’t had a chance to give my J a proper bath and wax recently. Hoping to get it done while visiting Lex this weekend. Usually leave the plane with TAC Air. thanks in advance!

Mine was a pain to replace, but not all that difficult. Mainly just frustrating. I had airflow before I started the project, but after getting into it and taping closed all the seams on the plenum, I now have huge airflow and it makes a big difference. If you ever decide to drop the headliner make sure you tap up those gaps. Makes the summer all that more bearable.

I can fit a 3.125" device (or both, with any luck) in the left panel and I don't see how I could do it with a MVP-50 / EDM930. Redoing the right panel / avionics rack would be a major undertaking which I don't think I have the guts to undertake at this time (although I probably should). If I can fit two on the left side, which is likely, I could also do a EDM900, so I think it is down to those two. I'll post a panel picture and ask for ideas later in the week, in a separate thread. Thank you for taking the time to comment!

Pro Seal was what I used to seal the windshield and it's black. Actually I just removed it and my AP actually did the install. I purchased the tubes and he used a pneumatic gun to apply the bead around the window...pretty interesting process. I've attached the table I received from Mooney that covers all the various sealants you can use throughout the plane, not just the windows. I've also attached some photos of the process and a link below so you can see the sealant tubes. SkyGeek had the best price at the time I purchased. https://www.skygeek.com/flamemaster-cs-3247-aircraft-windshield-sealant.html SEALANT_CROSS.PDF

Latest Mooneys no longer use the straps but an embedded cavity on the door side panel were you insert your hand. The square handle on mine allows for all fingers to be inserted giving you a stronger grip than the strap. Because is made of aluminum it will last longer than the strap with no noticeable deterioration.

...well I would like to think it is a unicorn. I have heard that catastrophic engine failure ( catastrophic meaning the engine breaks into little parts blowing holes through the case, etc ...vs fuel starvation or otherwise some accessory fails), is supposedly very rare in cruise flight. Such failures if they occur I have heard are much more likely during take off/full power stress. But maybe - this is just false?

Better to have the throttle cable break on the ground...

The guys who go around saying crap like that are usually the same folks who have no insight into their own vulnerability and limitations. This attitude was once pervasive in my own profession, but luckily much of it has been beaten out of us. Luckily I don't run into it much in aviation, but it is easy to recognize as a red flag when I do.

Jon, they're probably the same but I would recommend pulling them out to be able to verify the dimensions. Fill out the forms and email to McFarlane. While the throttle and mixture cables connect to the IO360 the same it is possible the firewall holes might have moved. There is some slack so overall length is not critical to 1/2" or more. (They manufacture the OEM cables but cannot use the info they obviously have for direct sales. You are replacing the cables with "owner produced parts" and they provide paperwork supporting that.) I think they have STCs for some planes, Cessna, Piper, but not for Mooneys.

A competent A&P can do it no problem! Build the harness yourself and it will be cheaper and better quality, most likely. We just finished one for @Bob R and mounted the GAD and GMU in the rear accessory area above the panel. Be sure to isolate the Whelen box if you have one and run the ground to the Whelen box to the negative battery terminal. It will help. Also use Airframe ground for the GMU and GAD grounds. One last thing, use ONLY Stainless or Non-Magnetic fasteners within about 12" of the GMU.

I love Mooneyspace !!

McFarlane does a great job. The total for all 3 cables will run about $1000. (McFarlane recommends that the cables should be at replaced about 2000 hours - TBO for engines. We see a lot of panel pics here with what appears to be original, 50 year old cables. IMO that's asking for trouble.) It is not necessary to send them the old cables. Remove them from the plane to be able to measure a few critical dimensions to fill out their order form. Email them the forms and save several days of downtime while the cables are traveling to McFarlane. https://www.mcfarlaneaviation.com/section/services/custom-engine-controls/

Older short body Mooneys got some memorable ADs to comply with... 1) Valve diameters... all we’re swapped out before y2k... 2) oil pump gears... some were aluminum and needed to be changed to steel... done near y2k... 3) Aileron control parts needed a gusset... parts swapped in around y2k as well... a few hundred buck to comply. 4) Prop hub crack inspection came in around 2006(?) 1-2 hundred for annual inspection... (this one is a bit of a pain depending on where your prop shop is...) 5) There are many ways to comply with the prop hub one... annual test, or fill hub with oil, or get a B-hub, or get a new prop... Overall, ADs and Mooneys don’t happen very often... the most recent ones were for IO550s and LongBody tails... where inspection and log books review were the answer for most of them... Part of a PPI is checking the status of AD compliance. The plane should have a book of all the ADs it has encountered and how they were taken care of... find the AD history for the plane... PP thoughts only, not a mechanic... Best regards, -a-

The picture is not from my Mooney. I found it on Google image. My Mooney has a similar clamp. My IA friend saw the clamp and commented that it look like a patch job. A search on Google found the exhaust clamp is indeed from the factory.

Curious if airtex couldn’t do the 62 seats?

He has the short rudder, stopping abive the horizontal stabilizer; the old light / new tailbeacon is mounted below that, on the fixed lower portion. You and I don't have that option . . . . .

Don't worry, I won't rat you out for using MMO to un-stick rings. Considering all the unapproved lubricants I see A&P using all the time, I hardly think this is the top of the list for busting people. If I had a warranty issue with my engine, I wouldn't go telling the engine shop "It was working great until I put MMO in it" besides who puts MMO in an engine that is still in warranty? MMO is for old engines that you are trying to get a few more years out of.

+1 A&Ps were using Marvel Mystery Oil back in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s with good results. Our engines are 1940's technology. That's pretty much good enough for me. ISTM this falls into the category of, "If it's stupid, but it works, then it's not stupid."

I prefer to use other methods before I pull a jug! that includes compression tests and bore-scoping the cylinder. in most cases if there is no damage using things like MMO can free things up and avoid the expense and possible other issue associated with jug removal. Even the engine manufactures agree that removing the jug should be the last thing you do.

We do. It's a beautiful area too.

Save up to $1600.00!! https://buy-ei.com/civil-aviation-rebate/ Civil Aviation Day Rebate.pdf

i re-read your initial post. You can buy the G5 from Spruce or other The purchase includes the STC and you will need to get an authorization specific to your aircraft Anyone can do the install but an IA will need to sign off - who does the work does not have to be an A&P - but work is under supervision of the IA who will have to fill and sign the 337 and log entry Difficulty is a relative word. Difficulties include: knowing how to read manuals, understand what needs to be done and how to set the configurations. Wiring, soldering, crimping .... and running the wires to the wing or the back of the aircraft (lots of tools needed) the number of ports depends on what you have installed (ports already used), some can be spliced if the protocol is the same, and also depends on the GN530W software version

Actually, sorry, I disagree. I have found my guys have put connectors back into the backplate and not tightened the screws all the way either on the connector as it attaches to the backplate or on the backplate attachment to the rack and it does cause intermittent/hard failures. Now, I also totally agree with you and check the connections. The encoders have also been know to go south and did the GTX345 get installed with the GAE12 or tapped into the existing encoder?

Mark is right, the improvements they have made are simply phenomenal! Bottom line, like we tell all of our customers, PS Engineering, in my opinion, is the best in their niche because "It's What They Do". They do not try to put their hand into Nav, GPS, AP, FMS, Transponders, they are the best at what they do for a reason and they are more than happy to stay that way!!!! Hats off to you Mark!!!!! Keep up the great work!!! We appreciate all you have done and are doing!!!

Don't dismiss the value of your junk. I sold a KR87 ADF on EBay when I redid my panel in 2012 for $880 to a guy in western Canada where NDB is still common. In total I got $6197 for what we pulled out. That was double what the avionics shop would allow in trade.

Wise words. Always listen to mother's advice. I would love to run but can't as I underwent right knee replacement surgery 2 years ago, so I do the next best thing - bought a treadmill, elevate it to its highest level and make the speed a fast walk. I soon reach a high heart rate with an excellent workout to both legs. I do this as high intensity interval training (HiiTs) for 30 minutes and at 63, I feel fantastic at the end. Exercise is a must. I plan to fly my Mooney as long as my medical permits.

I installed Takair's kit on my 67F last month, very straight forward, very well made kit, arrived quickly, and you will be amazed at the small size. You will need 2 people for a few minutes, you will be twisted around in the hole. I wired mine to the beacon. I think I have 4 hours on the install, still a final adjustment and safety wire turnbuckle left, still working on radio install so no power. BIG HINTcover the top edge of your access hole or you will scrape your head(I use 1/2 inch pipe foam insulation)

So some followup on this situation - with a little help I pulled the top plug on the problem cylinder (#4), filled with MMO with it near TDC, reinstalled top plug and rocked prop back and forth a few times to try to push some solvent past the rings, and then drained the stuff out. We then added 1qt MMO to the oil, flew for 5 hours, and then changed the oil. So fast forward 40 hours and my next oil change - Oil consumption stabilized, reduced slightly at 1 qt per 8-9 hr. No more plug fouling events on #4. And no more oil found on either top or bottom #4 plug and only healthy tan deposits on them. Much less oil pooled inside cylinder on borescope. I'm gonna tentatively say that the MMO trick worked, and I am tentatively happy. It's best not to gloat here, lest the aviation gods strike me down for my arrogance at next oil change by shredding my cam into my filter

I do have a good percentage of night time in my books. I personally love it. Smooth air, different scenery. You can feel every ounce of the aircraft and every pulse of the engine. Getting IFR approaches are easier with the NAS much quieter (read: safety pilot on CAVU nights) But I would also warn, if you don't have your IFR, either limit your night flying or do a VERY careful weather breif before you go up. Maybe as time passes I'll share a story but lets just say my most recent flight at night graduated me from "invincible pilot" into "careful pilot". My minimums to night flying are limited to only over areas I know from daytime flying (ie no pattern pounding when out of home turf), brief and plan on runway departures that have the least risk if an off-airport landing is needed after takeoff, and higher-than-normal cruise altitudes, usually along major thoroughfares.

When Jacques Esculier was CEO, he got the factory ISO 9000 certified and then aggressively sought contracts with Boeing and others aerospace companies to manufacture components at competitive prices (due largely to low West Texas labor rates), and that got the company through one dry spell in airplane sales. I don't know if Mooney still does that or not, but I thought it was a pretty good idea back when.

Monster X-wind component... 57kts. Very interesting how the graphics display heading vs track... Getting adjustable rudder trim for the Rrrrocket would be coool.... have Siri step on the ball. PP thoughts only, not a CFI... Best regards, -a-

Silicone induction boots are gonna make me rich

A Mooney ready to fight the fires