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Dear Mooneyspace community I regret to announce the passing of one of our long time members and fellow Mooniac aviators. Bennett Bibel has passed away by natural causes approximately 2 weeks ago. I knew he was fighting poor health recently but he had not let on to me how bad it was. Apparently it was cancer. I wrote an email to him a few weeks ago as I do periodically as he has become one of my friends and penpals for a decade now, and a few times we met including sharing a house at Oshkosh. But this time there was no reply right away as usual. But then after a few days later his son replied from Bennett's email account to tell me the news. I have hemmed and hawed for several days whether to announce to the community here, lest I step on privacy, but I think many of us knew and bonded with Bennett and I would want to know, so I think this is the kind of thing I should share. Many will remember Bennett's amazing M20J, surely the nicest restoration in the fleet. Before that he had an equally no-expense spared modified 262. But of course there was so much more to Bennett. I don't know what to say. I searched for an obituary, but I did not find one. I did find this, which is a bit old, an autobiographical bio from his business. http://www.satoriassociates.com/bio.htm Bennett was in his mid 80's and in robust health until very recently, which I take as a blessing. Bennett lost his wife Carol of 62 years just this past May, and I did find an obituary for her. https://www.smdailyjournal.com/obituaries/carol-lee-grammy-bibel/article_7234aca4-82f9-11e9-97fb-8bc1132dbad1.html They were both very lovely people, and they will be missed, by us, and of course his family, local friends and business associates. Sincerely to you Mooneyspace, and Sincerely to you Bennett Erik

Passed my Commercial Multi-Addon. 5.6 hours I think total time. Not Mooney related other than I took my plane to the checkride location.

Ah, God Bless all Rocket Drivers! A thread for men (and women!) who get joy from a simple thing: speed. N305PJ was in the shop for fuel system setup for almost 3 weeks, but I got TurboGamis installed while I was at is. A quick jaunt today from I68 home base up to KLHQ near Columbus to pick up my son and his girlfriend for Christmas. 3 of us in the plane, about 70 lbs of baggage and 60 gallons of gas and I had 90 lbs of UL to spare. Climbing out of KLHQ thus loaded on the homeward leg at climb power of 35 in and 2500 rpm I'm climbing a little over 1500 fpm. Level off at 6500' for the 70 mile flight, throttle back to 65% power at 30" and 2200 17 gph, right up to 178 KTAS. Smooth as a turbine, quiet and comfy. Back seater had plenty of legroom even though she's about 5'9". A machine Santa could get very jealous of! Merry Christmas to all and thank you Rocket Engineering and Mooney! :-) PJ

I find that I'm not flying as many hours with the Rocket as I did with the M20F; I attribute it to my trips taking less time. I think ATC sees my speed and prioritizes based on that. I've had a King Air get relegated to #2 "behind a Mooney" and heard an "excuse me..." from the King Air driver. Then, there's the time an MD88 was called as #2 at Key West and says some smart-ass comment. I was at the FBO and out of the plane before he landed. Then there was the time that ATC verified that I wasn't a twin on departure.

This is on an E. I think the C uses carb heat as alternate air.

Get the Windy.com app or check out their website. You can get the "meterogram" at each airfield (set up airfields on the map). It will give you MOS data in a graphic form-but better. See cloud bases/tops, temps, precip, wind, etc. Have used it for about half a year and it is very good product. There is a lot of Wx data with the website/app. Play with it for a while and the map version will layer cloud coverage, bases, wind, precip, etc at any point in the US. The map can be set to use NAM, GFS, ECMWF forecasts. You can run a forecast time on the lower sliding scare and see the Wx progress. www.windy.com

That’s not a Mooney fuel tank, it’s not leaking!

You can't protect against all possible situations. At some point you just have to acknowledge that shit happens. And that's what we have insurance for. Even then, sometimes shit gets past insurance. And that's life. Nothing to see here. Our car was totaled by a 17 year old girl who stole a car, ran a red light and hit us. Our insurance covered most of the cost, but there was still some left that we had to cover to get back into another car. A year or two later we were asked by the prosecutor if we wanted to press charges and try to get compensation from the girls parents. We declined. They've got enough shit to deal with and didn't need us piling on. At the end of the day, we move on. It cost a couple of grand, but easier for us than the poor parents who were struggling with a problematic daughter. Shit happens, and we didn't give it another thought. Life isn't fair, but that's life.

Everything is easier to start than an IO-360

I would think as soon as you can determine it's not an approved mod, through a combination of factory input and review of logs, 337's and Wt&Bal updates you should have no problem pulling it and returning the planes tank vent to factory specs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've never done a video before, so not sure this will work. I flew a friend (Bruce St Onge) over to the MSP area after he covered an all day med flight for me when he should have been driving to MSP for his Sun Country job (737 pilot). Bruce helped me build the Lancair, back in the earlier years, and I covered the first third to half of his PP expenses which he completed (as well as his IFR rating) before he graduated from high school. I didn't realize until yesterday he had never gotten a ride in the plane yet. He video'ed me starting up and taxing off from KLVN (Air Lake) but his phone died after about a minute. He had intended to video the take-off too. He was pretty impressed with the plane, showing all his buddies in the crew lounge last night my trip back to IMT. After all the hours he put into my project, I'm glad he was able to enjoy our flight last night! Beware (and turn your volume up), it doesn't sound like your typical Lycoming or Continental when it fires up. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT 12-19-19 KLVN IMG_0495.mov

Well to celebrate my birthday I went skiing again...there was a notam for KPCO poconos mountain airport for ice on the runway....I figured it couldn’t be too bad...I was wrong....while I made a near perfect touchdown, the cross wind put me skidding on at lease a cantored 20 degree angle going straight down the runway until I could get it under control. If I knew the runway would be that covered with so much clear ice, I never would have made the trip. I was even difficult to taxi the plane with a 17 knot breeze. This was an experience that I will never forget. on the bright side the skiing was great as was the flight back to KESN Easton md

My co-pilot and I added these retro features to the tail and wing tip of our '67C. Just wanted to share. Vinyl decals purchased on eBay.

Here is my new glass panel, picked out by Brenda

eBay has them every once in a while too... worth checking there

Do you have a friend who likes to play practical jokes? Tom

I’ll take the warm summers and mild “winters” in TX. I learned how to fly in North Dakota and don’t miss the cold winters. After I moved to TX I learned that yes it is warm in the summer, but you don’t have to shovel heat.

These may be the same animals that said “I wouldn’t be caught dead on a Cirrus”.

Nice work Alex!! Survey and pipeline are still good ways to build time. Know a guy that flew 900hrs in 6mo. Another guy just got a mapping contract in a 172. They gave him a credit card, $535 a week, a 172, and said go for 8mo. Everyone keeps telling me how great the airlines are... it’s all good until you get to stand in the same line at Wendy’s at LAS. Maybe I’m in denial. But the retirement at the majors is starting to be insane. The math checks out after 30 years to have Over 3.0m given in retirement funds at the two big cargo flyers. That’s with a normal paycheck! Florida has some good AF Guard and Reserve units. -Matt

Erik. Thank you for posting this. Bennett. A wonderful man, never at a loss for words, nor enthusiasm. A perfect example in teaching us how to enjoy life while we are able.

luckily it happened at home but I made a sweet landing, then found myself putting in massive amounts of rudder to hold the centerline, then felt the plane being sluggish and wobbling a bit, knew it right away. it really was mostly a non-event, other than a high level of suck factor. I was able to turn off the runway and only held up a few planes for a few minutes while they did a quick runway inspection. then had the plane towed to the local rip-off mechanic to get a new tire. actually I can't really say that yet, they're under new management so I guess I'll find out soon.

And two jealous pilots ar the front of the tube!!

Lynn put out spike strips to keep him from leaving.

haha the other day I was told to slow down for a Phenom... had a 30 knot overtake on him on final.

+1 for Rocket Engineering and Mooney speed! Great drag race! Best regards, -a-

Love the sound of a PT6 starting. First the sound of the compressor then the ignitors ticking away followed by the light off.

I suspect Tom had it right. Police can operate under public use rules, so paperwork may be lacking. Perhaps they had a policy to top the planes off prior to hangar in. Then, when fuel would come out of the vents, perhaps they had no tolerance for fuel on the hangar floor, so someone came up with this solution? Might be a cool solution for that scenario. If done right, the fuel would always be topped off, even after moving it cold to warm.

Maybe it's the chemtrail tank?

She was stepping on the gas peddle and violently turning the steering wheel, but it still wouldn’t go straight!

Just picked up Lolita from Lincoln Skyways. Fantastic job by Byron and his staff. While there, had a new Hartzell Simitar Prop installed. They did a Dynamic Balance - smooth as silk, and, I picked up 4-5 knots. With the 2 new G5s, I've now over improved her for more than she'll ever be worth to someone else - but not to me. She's perfect! Thanks to Byron. I highly recommend them. Merry Christmas and safe travels to all.

As described above, it can be a Catch-22, the easiest means to escape from which may be to find a different IA. FWIW, the first annual my IA did on my airplane he found a bunch of missing 337s, STCs, etc. His solution was to tell me he would file them for me, which he did with zero fanfare, just did it like it was no big deal. Not all IAs are created equal.

I upgraded from a Diamond DA40 to my current rocket just over 10 years ago. A DA40 is comparable in speed to an M20F. Maybe a tad slower. I found the same - my hours dropped noticeably that next year even though I was largely doing the same trips and the same number of trips - I was just going faster and also sometimes getting more expedited routing. Go Rocket!

Tom, very cool video, would love to have seen the take off. Watching the video with you starting up in the dark and just hearing the sound, if I didn't know what your plane looks like I would have thought it was a much bigger plane. Still, even knowing what your plane looks like, just listening to it and then seeing the lights come on my thought was "that's a ton of engine for that airframe." That thought was followed immediately by "That's awesome!" I seem to recall years (decades) ago joking about the A-7 and the big intake on it, that they took the biggest engine they could find and built a small plane around it. That also crossed my mind watching the video. Truly an amazing plane you have built.

A beautiful flight today from MI to the mountains of NC - My favorite "Carolina on my mind" route to one of the most beautiful airports in the east: 24A. Locals call it the USS Cullowhee, cut out of the top of a mountain and ringed by higher peaks. And with a DH of almost 1600' AGL, the only approach makes it pretty much a fair weather destination. But it sure is beautiful. On the way, a GS of 185 kts at 13 GPH. What is not to love about that. What a machine. Tomorrow a BBQ run...

Obesity, tall height, any kinda aches and pains do make it harder to turn the fuel selector in the vintage birds, as does needing to focus urgently on flying the plane in an engine out. I am short and skinny but groaned the other day during the tank switch because my back was killing me after going on a long run the previous day. Sometimes needing to unlatch ones shoulder harness to bend over doesn't help either - not something you wanna do when in trouble out close to the ground, lest you have trouble relatching. I do wish the selector could be relocated. One thing I used to do when I first got the plane was sit in it while in the hangar and practice the engine out cockpit flow until it becomes motor memory and not cognitive. I should probably come back to this practice. For me the flow is MIXTURE->CARB HEAT->FUEL SELECTOR->BOOST PUMP->L/R MAG. It becomes like one sweeping motion of your body from right to left rather than discrete steps to think about, like a well-rehearsed dance move. A simultaneous move while reaching for the mixture and carb heat is to lean ones torso to the right to make the shoulder harness less restrictive before reaching for the fuel selector.

I think what @mike_elliott does is admirable and highly professional. He’s been doing it for a long time and, unfortunately, has quite a bit of experience doing it. I’m sorry about the loss of your friend, but saying “I know what happened but I’m not telling anyone” isn’t particularly helpful to anyone. Hopefully you have people you can talk to that will help you get through this, but don’t pick on Mike. He’s one of the good guys.

That’s already done. I don’t see that’s how they could possibly have gotten where they were. -Robert

It was GMs starting of putting plastic into cars Things moved around alot.

And then goes in and out of “Beta” as you taxi to the runway. At idle that beast puts 125HP to the prop (at a measly 18 gallons an hour) unless in Beta. Tom

Eventually the propeller starts turning...

Why not reach out to the Trooper's Aviation dept. 25 years isn't that long ago. Doubtful any of the current staff are familiar with the plane but maybe they can point you to someone who might be. I think Takair's theory is most plausible but it seems like a lot of work compared to just wiping up a small blue stain ever now and then.

I made a landing last year this time at KHFD -Hartford Brainard, on 100% ice - breaking action is nil it said- but zero wind and 4000ft. So fly it til it stops and don't touch the breaks. Slow motion taxi to the fbo. And the walk to the fbo from the plane was a slow motion and treacherous. Ever watch a hockey coach walk on the ice - slide your feet - don't pickem up and very short strides.

I was going to guess smoke tank, except it wouldn’t be tied to the main tank. There were a couple of air show Moonies in the 80s, one was a K, I believe.

I dont get it...Mooney is not out of business, Mooney Service centers are not going out of business nor are double/triple/quadruple prices,, at least the 4 or 6 I have dealt with in the past few years are not. The Mooney Factory only sells to MSC's...are you suggesting to become a MSC to buy parts at their discount? Do you know what their discount is? I do, and don't believe it would be worth your time to even begin to submit a PO the size Mooney would require to become a Mooney Service center, nor maintain a service center with trained A&P's for the paultry discount the MSC's get. Yes the prices are high for what amounts to boutique items they are liable for, but to eek out a measly 10% from the MSC's profit and commit to what you have to commit to, lacks economic substance from what I know. Perhaps I don't understand the problem entirely or perhaps you have recently been hosed by a MSC. Care to share details?

Three things make an engine run,,fuel, air and spark. Practice changing all three quickly. Dont forget alt. air...

There are a few options. Shuttle, cab and car rental. The shuttle used to be $15 per person each way. Cab was about $35 each way and car rental varies but could be as low as $50 for the day. I don’t know the exact amounts anymore because I have access to a friends airport car. Call Hot Creek Aviation and they can give you better numbers. They are a very down to earth group of people. Uber has been limited up there but is getting better. If you want to store a car at the airport it’s $80 a month.

See? Just goes to show, they should have followed through with the turbine Mooney! Woulda helped both companies . . . .

So you can hear the Morse code (identify the station tuned to)