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Fellow MooneySpacers: It's no secret that the insurance market has hardened. I am writing to advise of the strategy I would take when Mooney pilots approach various age levels as we are starting to see certain pilots uninsurable due to age. For Single Engine, Retractable Gear Aircraft: Before the policy renewal date which occurs before your 64th birthday: My advice is to talk to your insurance agent about which carriers are not non-renewing pilots strictly on a numerical basis. Then find out which of these carriers have been around for 15+ years and have shown a commitment to general aviation risks. If you intend to keep flying under BasicMed, ask your agent which of the above carriers are accepting BasicMed regardless of the pilot age. Pick the most reputable carrier and stick with them. At age 65: Some carriers are not accepting new business for SERG aircraft with pilots age 65 and older Before each policy renewal date before your 69th birthday: Check in with your agent regarding the steps at Age 64 (above) to see if the good carrier you selected is still staying the course. At age 70-72: Some carriers are not renewing pilots age 70-72 or older in SERG Aircraft At age 75: Some carriers are no longer allowing BasicMed. In other words, if you're 63+ years old, insured with a flexible carrier (per above notes), and your agent offers you a reduction in premium to switch to another carrier, don't just switch to save a few (or a few hundred) dollars. Be judicious. Blue skies! Parker 214-295-5055 (office) Parker@airspeedinsurance.com

I would add the 2 budgets together then proceed

You guys are WAY oversimplifying this , This is a project that can easily take 10 years to finish , if ever.... If you like to tinker , and have unlimited time , it may keep you young for a while.... If you are in it to fly , buy a cheap flying C

I took my '78 J out last Friday night to do a short night cross country and get my night currency back. After my first uneventful flight/landing, I ended up declaring an emergency doing pattern work. On short final I felt/heard a bang and the nose dropped about 5 degrees. I initially thought I might have done something silly with the flaps or trim and went around. Shortly after starting the go around, I realized my pitch control felt all wrong. I declared an emergency and landed uneventfully. In retrospect I realized that, among other things, I'd been pulling up with full nose up trim to maintain the proper go around attitude and airspeed. Usually this requires lots of forward pressure prior to trimming. I'd also had to pull back on the yoke to slow below 80 knots on final even with full nose up trim. In the flare I was able to keep the nose off the ground with half flaps, but only barely. It felt like I was landing a 182 with full flaps, not an M20J with half flaps. On the ground I didn't see anything visibly broken or damaged. The manual and electric trim both felt normal. The flaps and trim indicated their normal range and the empennage and flaps appeared visually to move the normal range. However, the elevator remained in a significantly nose down position, even with full nose up trim. Normally it ends up pretty close to level with the stabilizer, but in my case it still showed nose down. Here's a comparison of my airplane post incident with full nose up trim and a regular M20J with full nose up trim: https://photos.app.goo.gl/N6zpThBSttuuXP2R6. My mechanic took a look today and found the elevator assist tube attach point broken: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KWZDTawRLRJBxLv99. There's definitely some things I could improve on during the flight. I should have used no flaps on the landing. Get-home-itis was much stronger than it should have been. I'm glad I had a group of Mooney pilots to talk things through with in real time.

Panel update: modern left side, classic right side (for now). I highly recommend Byerly Aviation (KPIA) if anyone needs avionics work. GNX 375 is very capable.

No fuel leak is good or safe. Get it fixed no matter how small You're far better off sending it to LASAR BUT if you disassemble it do it ONLY over a clean white towel and be looking for the very small ball bearing used for the detent. It has a penchant for running away. Use only a brass oring seal remover for the oring inside the shaft hole. Its aluminum and a steel screwdriver will ruin it.

Eye wittiness reports fire before landing. On site inspection revealed that the engine did come apart, I don’t have anymore specifics other than it did come apart. As for the weather I was passing through the same area, approximately 20 to the east in route from KRBW to KOMN at 5500 at the same time as his accident and my G500 was showing a solid 21 knot direct cross wind out of the east. The sky was broken at 3,500 on the coast where I was at. Even with his experience accidents do happen. An in flight fire following a total engine failure would stress anyone I would think. I learned to fly and was based for the first 12 years of my flying career in central WV. There aren’t many places to go there if you had an engine failure, day or night so I always expected the worse should the emergency like this ever come up. A mutual friend is having a small get together to honor Bill this coming Saturday at his hangar at the airport. He will definitely be there, if only in spirit.

MS was so new at the time... This thread was started on my second day as a member... I found MS while looking to learn about Missiles... Roughly 31,657 posts ago... It took several months to gather just a few responses... I visited with one MSer selling his Missile, as he was traveling past NJ... About six months later... I had finished my IR and bought my M20R... Great memories... Go MS! Best regards, -a-

Well, at least now I know if that thing breaks, I can still land the plane. good to know!

That shell is worth negative dollars if it’s not flying. Even scrapping it for parts would cost someone time and money to cut it up. Maybe offer $1k for it. Otherwise put your money towards something that can actually fly.

I thought I'd post a little advance notice of a sweet Ovation about to come on the market. I ferried this one to Texas today from Pennsylvania. Jimmy Garrison at GMax Aircraft will be listing it soon. And for those who haven't already, contact him and get on his mailing list to receive notice of new planes coming on the market. Many of the nicer planes he sells never make it to his website and are sold from these mail lists. Anyway, this one is super nice! The previous owner spared no expense and took great care of this plane. It was painted in one of the new "Ultra" paint schemes within the last year. Complete specs will be provided by Jimmy if you contact him, but right about 1525 total time on the engine and airframe. Garmin GTN-750 and a solid KFC-150 AP with altitude preselect. The plane was an absolute joy to fly and I almost didn't want the ferry trip to end. Jimmy@AllAmericanAircraft.com

Sell it and buy something with the boxes already installed.

I still say run, unless your A&P is really cheap and has lots of free time. Those two rarely go hand in hand. If you want to fly, buy a flying M20c. You'll spend less in the long run. If you want to tinker, think about building a kit. Way easier than trying to patch together something certificated. There was another guy here who wanted to do the same thing. He said he had a metal brake and was a good wrench, "how hard could it be?" I don't think that ended well.

Autumn colors come on quick up here in Arctic USA. You see my picture from Sunday with just a hint of colors. Just flew at lunch time - and from about the same altitude but this time approaching RWY24 instead of the Sunday pic was approaching RWY06. Lots more color! I give it 2 weeks to peak color.

I agree, that number is very tight. Exercises that an owner shouldn't do, add up everything that you have bought over the course of a year... I didn't realize I had spent that much. I just finished overhauling my panel, I spent about a year buying the pieces up when things had rebates and I had the extra funds. Here's what I did, but it would put the OP over budget. These are parts only, I did all the labor. It brought my panel into this century and now I'm starting my IFR. Dual G'5s $5255 GNC355 $6295 PMA450B $2195 Harness $585 (You have to buy the harness pre-built for the PMA45B but that is some of the best money you can spend) EDM 900 $4475 That puts the total at $18,805 and figure another $500-1000 in circuit breakers, wire, connectors, etc... Plus a lot of time if you are doing the install. If he wants to replace the transponder he could do the GTX335 which is another $3200 (apprx). The dual G5's will likely allow him to remove the vacuum system. After watching my vacuum go to zero and then the slow loss of the AI/DG (while in VFR conditions) I wouldn't want to fly IFR on vacuum. Yes, I know people have done it and continue to do it on vacuum instruments successfully, I just don't personally want to do it.

A few points: First, great job handling a true emergency. Loud noises followed by controllability problems are scary -- especially at night. It's common to second guess your actions afterward when the adrenalin has dissipated. Just remember that no one handles an emergency perfectly unless it's been repeatedly practiced. This isn't something we can easily practice. The broken part looks like a casting that may have failed due to corrosion. The inspection panels between the tailcone and empennage should be removed at each annual inspection to inspect this area and lubricate the trim jackscrew inside the boot. This might be considered a "Flight control system malfunction or failure" reportable to the NTSB per 830.5 (a). It would not hurt anything to file a report. Also, I would make sure that your mechanic files a Service Difficulty Report and I would contact Mooney as they may want to inspect the part and perform analysis on it to determine the root cause. Mooney has used a couple of trim assist systems. All the models through the J had up springs and down springs and the balance point is dependent on the tail incidence angle, the latter being controlled by the trim system. On the ground in these models, the elevator sits in trail with the stabilizer when the trim is set to neutral. You can feel the springs when you move the elevator up and down during preflight. You can see the effect of the springs on the elevator position if you watch the elevator as you adjust the trim up and down on the ground. The part that broke is the attachment point for the up springs. When it let loose, it left you with only the downs springs which is why you had to pull so hard and the elevator now droops. The K and later models have a different system with a variable down spring and they sit on the ground with the elevator full down. Skip

I would send it to AGL at MRN. Great shop & people.

You know, I really didn’t assume anything, I still looked and saw the other plane in time (even though the nose was past the threshold) and avoided a possible disaster. I listened to and communicated my every move on the ground, and was surprised to see someone on a fast aircraft turning what looked like a really low base to a short final. Yes, I should have looked longer, waiting at each sector with my eyes for a few more seconds before moving onto the next one. I will not make that mistake again. I learned to fly at 7B2 just few miles to the west, also an uncontrolled airfield that even uses the same frequency as KFIT. I’ve been cut by a plane taking the runway while I was on final and had to go around more than once. I have also seen planes in a busy pattern who were not communicating. It’s an act of “courage” to hope that the three planes waiting to take off will see you coming in on final before going onto the runaway because you have the right of way. I wrote about my experience in here because I thought it was a valid thing to do, as I learned so much in this and other forums from others who wrote about their own experiences. I don’t post much on anonymous Internet forums because I see how quickly things turn into a series of misinterpretations and accusations. It’s ugly and I don’t want to put myself in those situations, there’s better things to do with one’s time. That being said I would be glad to have a conversation about flying any time. I love it, I do it to commute from home to work in and around every kind of airport in the country (mostly around NY class B), I do charity flights (really nice one into Boston Logan last week), and I often take those who I love the most with me in the plane. I wouldn’t do any of this if I wasn’t certain that everything under my control wasn’t as safe as humanly possible. Cheers! Eduardo

I have two favorite mechanics in the area. One is AGL, at MRN, Morganton, NC, a Mooney Service Center, and one is John Sanders, a meticulous A&P/IA currently in Elizabeth City, soon relocating to EDE. Both do superb work, both honorable and reasonable, with accurate time estimates, and call it like they see it. I’d have one of them do the pre-purchase and the other do the next annual, secure that you would get a thorough, expert, and entirely honest job in both cases. Best of luck to you!

I think that does look like it will do what you want. BUT, I’m already wearing a watch. So I’d have to strap that on as well. Or, I’d get “the look” from my wife when I strap that on and wear it to a dinner with her. It’s not a very good looking device to me. So I’d have to make sure it’s charged and in the plane with me, on my right wrist, or I’d forget it. So if I’m bringing another device along, would it be a $30 fingertip piece, the one above, or should I get an iWatch that does it all in one? Yes, the latter is more expensive, but it does have a Mickey Mouse feature too. Speaking of which, it is close to 17:00 Zulu so it’s almost time for a beer.

My understanfing is that long body tails droop, short- and mid-body elevators should be straight out on the ground.

I dropped her off wednesday.

Very sad to see her go, but she's sold.

America's Operation Thank You - Relay in the Sky has kicked off taking off from San Diego to honor Healthcare Heroes and First Responders with stops all across the country and culminating in Washington, DC. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/americas-operation-thank-you-to-honor-health-heroes-first-responders-for-pandemic-efforts/509-0a7627b4-2e30-4189-81d2-5054b02cd12b There are still a few slots available if you'd like to sign-up to fly a leg at the link below: http://spiritoflibertyfoundation.org/portfolio-items/the-relay-in-the-sky/

15 amps but National Electric Code (NEC) says 12 amps continuous is the limit on a single outlet. The box has a slow blow 15 amp fuse to comply but you should not run it hard per code. More than 12 continuous amps is a fire hazard for the building wiring. A vast majority of hangar electrical outlets are 15 amp but some are 20 amps. My Reiff preheated on my IO-470N pulls about 3.33 continuous amps. The engine block heater on my tug pulls .21 amps.

Here is a PIREP from a Beechtalker " Bought the Switcheon because the (new) FBO owner doesn’t want us fuel customers across the field using their WiFi. Guess I’ll be purchasing my 100LL elsewhere. Switcheon arrived today. It. Just. Works. And installation/configuration is delightfully simple. Dirt simple. - Plug-in the Switcheon - Install the app on the phone - Launch the app and press the + sign to pair the phone w/switch - Point the camera at the QR code in the Switcheon display - Done - It just works - Works inside the metal T-hangar with the door closed. - Positive On:Off control of the two (or four) plugs - No goofy SMS/text commands to memorize or mis-type - Programmable for future events/actions It is a 4G/5G unit. All the aggravating SIM card stuff is already done. $50/year beginning in year two. My AT&T iPhone does not work inside the hangar with the door closed - Switcheon DOES work. Perhaps it is because Switcheon has a proper antenna? If necessary, you could connect an(other) outside antenna to the SMA connector."

I'm glad I still have MS, I got kicked off the flat earther forum for asking if social distancing had pushed anyone over the edge..

Surely, it looks like a catastrophic engine fire, while in flight... Engines that are turning When the plane is in contact with the ground usually show scoring marks on the prop tip... At least a dirt stain... Soot and heat flow with the apparent wind... While on the ground, the heat rises, and stains are more vertical... Engine fires are a get down now! no waiting type of situation... note for Scott: No, I wasn’t there... but, when it comes to engine fires... it is hard to get on the ground safely/fast enough, in the amount of time that is left... It takes time to bleed off both altitude and speed... possibly, Several minutes... Emergency descents make great practice... PP thoughts regarding things we can learn from this awful experience... Not a CFI or a fireman... Best regards, -a-

Just to close the loop on this, the shop that made the mistake on the diode just sent me a check for all of their original work to install the alternator and troubleshoot the issue. Even though I spent a lot more, I thought that was very fair of them. There are a lot of shops/mechanics who would try to play the blame game and this wasn't one of them.

If you're looking for a project, then this is a great option. I agree with @GeeBee that you should get the shell for closer to $5K. BUT... if you're looking for a cheap way to get into a Mooney so you can have a Mooney to fly... this is not it. Spending the $44K on a flying Mooney with a current annual will be quite a bit cheaper.

I agree with your friend's A&P. At this point, the owner has three choices. Fix it, not likely. Donate it to an aviation school for a tax deduction. Sell it to you. Basically the highest value is the tax deduction. I can't see given the paucity of the owner's finances that the tax deduction can worth more than 4 thousand. So there is your value.

I guess you haven't been draining the fuel before each flight.

Happened on Sept. 15. Looks like a pushrod departed the aircraft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_iV7s-9IA https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N3275F Anyone we know? Whoever the pilot was handled it really well -- calmly and professionally. If you're the pilot it would be great to hear the first-person version. (Apologies if this is already covered elsewhere; didn't see it.)

Then if there is a claim, the insurance company would subrogate their losses against you and your assets. The open pilot clause, unless otherwise stated in the policy, simply means the claim will be paid, but then the insurance company has recourse against the unnamed open pilot to recover their losses. It is why I specifically require to be added as named additional insured with a waiver of subrogation on each of my clients policies. So far, this has not been a problem, has NOT diluted their liability coverage or have cost them any additional (with one exception). I also carry a large non owned policy that requires this and have even been able to umbrella another well known CFI under it once.

Different configuration on my D/C, but certainly worth looking at. Again, thank you for sharing this unique situation.

I sump wings every flight and fuel selector valve every few weeks or monthly. (never found water) If I was getting fuel from an unfamiliar pump, I will sump the selector after 15 min settling. Sump into mason jar sitting on a 5 gallon bucket upside down and use left over blue juice to wipe up messes. If you have found water in any sump, your frequency should be greater than 1 per month.

Long body attachment looks different.

This may sound weird, but in 2010 I stopped wearing a watch as a remembrance. I found I don't miss it. I have not bought another. My phone is more than enough. If I need to do something at a particular time I set an alarm. It is amazing however how accurate your internal clock remains. I am usually am only off by a minute or two. I also found not wearing a watch to be unbelievably liberating. Try it for two weeks!

ZZ, The switch cap being discussed is posted above... https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Electroswitch/SW53AA2?qs=5muX3C0yOnj5E%2FJxlK6wTg%3D%3D When you get to the site, there is a link to the actual data sheet... https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/128/minp17-5206.pdf And that gets you closer to the switch button cap... it gets mentioned in the data sheet... available in two colors red and black... Does that help any? Best regards, -a-

Correct. The very next payment after my prepayment term was up I increased it and pay as much as I can afford over the minimum now.

M20K. GFC500 installed $13,700 including pitch trim but not yaw damper. G5 AI installed $3500

If you have an A&P and lots of free time have at it. See if you can get the airframe in the low single digits, it's scrap and not worth a dime more. If any of these aren't in effect (A&P, time, minimal acquisition cost) run, don't walk away. There truly are no bargains in aviation. If you really want a project and you aren't an A&P scratch build an airplane from plans. It will keep you busy for years and might even give you enough legible time to get that A&P.

Thanks for all the advise. This has all been a learning experience. None of which has made me regret buying my first airplane. I love the Mooney and know its a great machine.

I fully agree with you. And this is how my panel looks now:

One really fun thing for next year might be to have a Mooney fly-in and visit to Piqua, OH and the Hartzell factory. I have had the tour some years ago, and seeing the history and the current manufacturing effort at Hartzell is really awesome. Their motto is "Built on Honor" and you really get the sense that it is way more than just a slogan when talking to the skilled craftsmen and observing the factory in operation. A true American success story, and highly recommended!

I'll be taking over the care of N2711W for the next little while. Looking forward to contribute here when I can

Hmm, I'm not one to believe a car salesman, but if he tells me it's used, I really don't need him to Certify it

Certified Pre-Owned. The car I bought last summer was a CPO.