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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/01/2021 in all areas

  1. Well I just signed the intent to buy. I'll be minority shareholder with my credit union on the 1985 Rocket that was listed on All American Aircraft. The pre-buy went well. Thanks to Chris @MIm20c and Paul @PJClark for their helpful input! This plane has had one owner since the mid-90s. It's been well taken care of although the panel, interior and paint are dated. The engine and airframe are solid with no major issues. First order of business when she's mine is to name her then install an engine monitor. The owner flew it for many hours using the Rocket Engineering suggested power settings. I'm super excited to start my Mooney ownership journey for the 2nd time.
    10 points
  2. I would run the other way. If you still want a Cirrus - great. Go buy another Cirrus. From someone else. The fuel bill for a test drive is a bad omen. I would walk away from a deal on that alone. Cheap ass Hundai interior on a $300 Ferrari wouldn't sell and neither should it on a $300k Cirrus. That is a premium price on that year model and so expect a premium specimen and premium sale person if you must deal with a sales person. I think if you want a 2005 Cirrus you can find a nicer one for a lot a lot less. And they will include the fuel in the test drive.
    5 points
  3. Not very impressed with the plane now that it's here at the airport for prebuy. Fit and finish of the radio job is not congruent with $330k. I'm not financing this so I've got big expectations for every dollar of mine that I'm handing over for this. Lots of little things that make me think otherwise. I've got an existing arm injury and just holding the side stick in neutral elevator position for a minute or two, my arm is killing me. They claim it will be better in flight because I'll have it in trim. We'll see. I'm a taller dude, 6'1" ish and sitting in the seat where I'm comfortable with my pedal /foot placement, I've got a glare shield and headliner in the top 35% of my sight picture. I'm thinking I'm going to reject this plane. Not sure brand C is for me
    5 points
  4. I’m not a CFII, but have nearly 2000 hours of Rocket time. I get to lower Michigan regularly so might be able to hook up if interested. I’m pretty sure you’ll find few people out there with the combination of flight time and maintenance experience I have specific to the Rocket. Let me know. Tom
    5 points
  5. 5 points
  6. My buddy sent this to me seems appropriate.... haha
    4 points
  7. It finally happened. We purchased our first Mooney today. This is our first airplane and we couldn’t be happier. N6413Q, is a 1967 F model that has been meticulously cared for by Ryan the previous owner. It’s taken a couple of years to get here but the ability to own this great Mooney makes today very special. We think it was meant to be. We’re hoping to attend the formation clinic in San Marcos and meet our fellow Mooniacs. Thanks again to Ryan for offering us this great Mooney. Tom
    4 points
  8. Have you guys heard the news? Cirrus announced that they are buying Mooney corporation and resuming aircraft production. They are going to modernize the M20 with all the latest and greatest including all composite design, CAPS parachute, Garmin GFC700 autopilot, 1250lb useful load. A 6 seat variant is being discussed. Cirrus is contemplating scrapping production of their popular SR20/22 lines in favor of the Mooney type certificate they are buying out as the staple of their fleet. Now you won't have to choose between 1950's era peace of mind like steal roll cage and one piece wing spar and impressing your friends with shiny composites and a parachute so the wife feels completely safe. The new SR-M20 will include: igital Engine & Fuel Monitoring Cirrus Perspective+TM by Garmin Cockpit Latest Garmin Perspective Software Upgrades 10’’ Screens GMA 350c Bluetooth® Audio Panel w/ 3-D audio QWERTY Keyboard Controller Dual WAAS GPS/Comm/Nav Radios Dual ADAHRS Enhanced Garmin GFC700 Autopilot featuring: - Fully Coupled Approaches w/ Vertical Guidance - TOGA w/ Coupled Missed Approach & Holds - Electronic Stability & Protection - Hand-flown Stall Protection though ESP - Hypoxia Check & Automated Descent Mode - Blue Level Button - Autopilot Stall and Over-speed Protection - Flight Director and Flight Path Marker ADS-B Out Transponder ADS-B In Weather and Traffic 406 MHz ELT triggered by CAPS Pull Garmin Flight Stream 510 Garmin Pilot (1 year subscription included) Garmin® FliteCharts and SafeTaxi XM Weather & Audio Cirrus Executive Adds Yaw Damper; EVS Camera Cirrus Awareness Adds Active Traffic; eTAWS Cirrus Advantage Upgrades to 12" Screens; Adds ChartView; 1 Year of Jeppesen Subscriptions; SurfaceWatch Certified Flight Into Known Ice (FIKI) Adds Full FIKI including Tanis Avionics & Engine Pre-Heater Carbon, Platinum or Rhodium Appearance Upgrade Adds bold Carbon styling, the luxurious elegance of Platinum design or the simplicity of a Rhodium scheme. Includes upgraded premium leather. GTS Select all Packages above to make aircraft a GTS and receive GTS package pricing. Air Conditioning Included in GTS without Ice Protection Cirrus Global Connect Tanis Avionics Engine Pre-Heater (120V) Included in FIKI package Safety: Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) Airbag Seatbelts (Front Seats) 26G Energy-Absorbing Seating surrounded by a Rigid Roll Cage All LED Exterior Lighting featuring Cirrus SpectraTM wing tip lighting Interior/Exterior Ambient Convenience Lighting Remote Keyless Entry Spin-Resistant "Cuffed" wing Built-In Oxygen for all Five Occupants Dual Alternators (#1 is 100 amps; #2 is 70 amps) Integrated Electronic Carbon Monoxide Detector Basic Terrain Avoidance and Warning System* Digital 4-in-1 Standby Instrument Lightweight Wheels & Brakes and Tubeless Tires Interior and Comfort: Dual Side Yokes Single Movement Power Lever with Integrated Prop Control Easy Access Doors on Both Sides with "Positive Latching" UV Protected Windows 60/40 FlexSeating™ allows for up to Three Rear Seat Occupants Center Console with Four USB Power Outlets & 12V Power Outlet Single Connector "Ships Power" Headset Outlet for all Five Seats Six Front, Two Rear Adjustable & Windshield De-Fog Air Outlets Two Front and Two Rear Folding Cup Holders Four-Point Harnesses with Airbags for Front Seats Three-Point Automotive-Style Belts for Rear Seats Rear LATCH Attachment Points for Automotive-Style Car Seats Standard Leather Seats with Recline for all Seats* Large Rear Cargo Door with Accessory Storage Compartment Rear Cargo Netting with Quick-Release Mechanisms Easy Rear Seat Folding Mechanism folds to Near-Flat Two Rear Coat Hooks and One Rear Coat Hanger Rail
    3 points
  9. I'm glad I'm not alone in this. That and $50 for the CFI's time really put me off in a big way. Thinking bigger picture, this is their MO. I don't want to do business with them as a maintenance company like this either, which was one of the draws to Cirrus.
    3 points
  10. And, I'll bet you didn't even have to look that up
    3 points
  11. From a VERY early age, I remember telling my friends & family that I wanted to be an Army helicopter pilot. I was born in 1969 so either I'm a reincarnated Army pilot OR I watched Vietnam footage at such an early age (I don't have any memory of it) that it imprinted on me. Either way, I went straight in to the Army out of high school and learned to fly the UH-1 at "Mother Rucker" in 1988 at the age of 19. Selected AH-1 Cobra's out of flight school and flew them in Germany, Korea, SWA and back at Rucker as an instructor before leaving the Army in 1995. I ended up branch transferring to the Navy, where I flew the T-34, T-45, S-3 and B707 (E-6 Mercury). My favorite and most exciting flying memory is getting my carrier qualification in the T-45. Family responsibilities intruded on life, I had a growing family, and I ended up flying 707s. I preferred the excitement of carrier aviation and never thought of, nor planned to fly for the airlines. After I did my 20 years, I got on with AirTran and was promptly furloughed 9 months later in 2008. It was a blessing in disguise. I ended up going to Iraq to teach the Iraqi Air Force flight program in Kirkuk. It was fun and I really enjoyed the challenge. At the time, the USAF was doing the flying in C172s and C208s, both with G1000 navigation suites and the 172s had Theilert diesel engines. My job was ground instruction and simulator training, which I enjoyed immensely. While I was furloughed, Southwest Airlines bought out AirTran. I was now (after integration) a newly-minted Southwest FO. I was based in LAS, BWI, MDW and back to LAS as a FO. In 2019, I upgraded to Captain and have held a captains seat at both OAK and LAX. In 2017, I bought a M20E and had a lot of fun learning to fly a small GA piston airplane. We were running a small business here in Michigan, and when we closed up shop, we decided to move back to Vegas. I didn't have a mission, and didn't feel comfortable flying a non-turbo plane in mountainous terrain out west, so I sold the Mooney. Last year, I started wanting to buy an airplane again. I always kept coming back to the Mooney for it's ownership value. Today, I got the pre-buy results back and am in the process of buying N58089, a Mooney Rocket. It's been a wild, fun ride and I still have 13+ years until mandatory retirement.
    3 points
  12. Yes he is. Denver based. I don't want him to buy a Mooney, we've already got one. I need him to buy a Baron, or a Skywagon, or a SuperCub... but you know airline pilots, they're all cheap. He figures he doesn't need an airplane as long as he can use mine.
    3 points
  13. Just my 1/50th of a dollar's worth - while mistakes and miscommunication (and assumptions) were made by several parties on my installation, I mostly blame the shop that upgraded the Garmin 430 to 430W (well before I owned this aircraft). During that upgrade, Garmin required the installer to change the antenna (which was done) and the coax to a low-loss type like RG400 or RG142B (those are specifically mentioned in the Garmin install manual), which they failed to do. Now, should my avionics shop that installed the IFD440 have noted that it was the wrong cable? Yes. We all know the old saying about "assume"... In the end, Avidyne came through with flying colors and I am happy to recommend them.
    3 points
  14. I am looking for a new home for my Mooney M22. Aircraft based in Australia but fitted with necessary fuel line to add ferry tank. Excellent condition. Always been hangared. 150 hr since complete overhaul of the TIO 541 A1A engine. 1600 hr TT. Two Nav/Comm. King 525a system with HSI and slaved compass. JPI EDM 900 engine monitoring system installed as primary. Garmin 330 GTX ES transponder. Please contact me if interested.
    2 points
  15. I don't blame you at all. That's not the kind of person I would want to deal with. There are plenty of good airplanes out there, and a handful of excellent brokers.
    2 points
  16. I wouldn’t even think about buying a plane from a guy that cheap. And yes, the interior looks a little too Hyundai for a $300k+ airplane
    2 points
  17. Welcome back good buddy! We thought we lost you there for a minute...
    2 points
  18. I am one lottery win away from purchasing it.
    2 points
  19. In the past I have had an insurance company allow a non-CFI pilot do my transition training into an airplane I had no M&M time in. It was only a checkout, no formal hours required and I am a CFI so maybe those were the differences. And of course my broker its awesome. That may be worth investigating. Alternatively, fly with a CFI as required by insurance then really learn the airplane from Tom.
    2 points
  20. Tom, I'm at Hastings 9D9. Mark Anderson from the EAA speaks well of you and your beautiful airplanes (Rocket and Lancair). Whenever you get down this way, I'll buy you lunch and pick your brain on all things Rocket. My wife has an aunt in Escanaba so I'm sure we will be up your way soon. I'll make it a point to call on ya at IMT -Roy
    2 points
  21. Stepping down from a Mooney is against all things natural. Also be advised or pay close attention to some of the issues with the IO-550-N. I have had personal experience with two of them. Balancing many aircraft propellers annually I see many different shapes an sizes, but I have run into two SR22’s that would not respond to weight. In both cases the crankshaft ended up being the culprit.
    2 points
  22. Some good advice here. I think if I was alone, I would fly along the coast one way and direct the other. The VFR route under class B does have a lot of pluses. Not sure it is any safer than direct (with altitude), but my passenger may feel safer seeing land and the sights should be nice on a nice day. Thanks Anthony for setting the stage, you are the best. Rent a car and drive - I thought this was an aviation group I will be flying into Toledo from F00 or TKI. Hope for some good weather next week!
    2 points
  23. I would at least consider going VFR, and use the VFR Flyway chart. It keeps you close enough to the shore to be safe and will give a great view of the city for your passenger.
    2 points
  24. Good advice above. I’d elect (3). if MVFR, you can file to Gary, shoot an approach, cancel and go VFR up the shoreline. -dan
    2 points
  25. Stetson has some prior experience... So getting additional value out of the transition training... it would be optimum to fly with a Rocket pilot... Focus on the specifics of turbo ops, and getting to the FLs... high altitude cruise, and O2 systems.... Stetson, you are in Michigan? We can invite @Yooper Rocketman to the conversation... Tom may have some suggestions... Go MS! Best regards, -a-
    2 points
  26. C'mon dude, it's 2021. Post some pics.
    2 points
  27. Yep, turned in the family truckster (National Lampoon's Vacation reference) for the mid-life crisis mobile! I have a local CFI who has flown Mooney's scheduled in a couple weeks for some orientation flights. I am also going to buy Paul @PJClark lunch & pick his brain as he took a similar path- he took a solid but dated Rocket and modernized it. I'm really excited to be flying a Mooney again!
    2 points
  28. Congratz!!! What part of the country are you in? And shortly after getting my Mooney I went to one of the MAPA Safety Foundation training events. It was a great source of information for flying a Mooney. Much more than a non-Mooney CFI can give you.
    2 points
  29. https://advancedaerotech.com These guys in Greeley, CO have done the GFC500 on a few Mooneys and seem to have the best rates. I'm hearing $17,000 out the door for the GFC500 and the G5 to drive it. @Warren and @PJClark are a couple of references. I know of a couple of others as well. If you came to Colorado, I might be able to help with transportation.
    2 points
  30. Hey - take a look at my post. PM if you want any info. Mine was an Ovation, but it may get you started. One thing to note - the internal g3x nav is not suitable for any serious navigation. So, you need 2 nav sources for any serious IFR.
    2 points
  31. I would trade my Mooney straight up for a Lancair 4PT or even just a 4P. I'd take on the operating expenses easily... except for the insurance. But then again, if I had no more money in the hull, because I'd traded for my Mooney, maybe I'd just skip the insurance.
    2 points
  32. Thanks all for the feedback. For now I’ve decided to just replace the failed CDI as I found a serviceable replacement for only $245 which buys me a little more time while I decide on the upgrade path.
    2 points
  33. Wow someone here please buy this incredibly cool and unique Mooney and fly it back across the Bering Strait to the US so we can all stare at it in awe.
    2 points
  34. I learned more last night. “Bob” was operating (for decades) out of a T hangar on the non-commercial side. He had the fuselage of an old Cessna hanging from the rafters to “satisfy” the “used primarily for storage of an airworthy aircraft” requirement. City found out about it, and is evicting him. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    2 points
  35. https://lasar.com/prebuy-check-list
    2 points
  36. Please don't!! You'll just get mad all over again. And if you do, please don't write it here--you'll cause untold misery and agony.
    2 points
  37. I had that happen to me. On approach and on the ground couldn’t get MP below 13” but the plane ran as it should. Turned out to be a crack in the line going to the MP gauge sensor.
    2 points
  38. Age 4. I am going to be a Milk Man when I grow up because he drives a cool truck and has a neat uniform. Then my parents take me to England to visit the grandparents. Bristol Britannia with BOAC. WAY cooler than the milk truck. I am hooked on airplanes from then on. Age 14. H-Ray RC model with OS-Max .35 engine and Heathkit radio. Bought it from a high school buddy for $20. Dream of joining the RCAF and flying fighters. Age 17. Accepted into Royal Military College. Chickened out and went to a local flying college instead. Found out years later that they had accepted me as a Naval Officer. (and no, our navy no longer had airplanes) so I guess my instincts were right. Age 23. Flying Navajos for a little charter operation after a few years of instructing and bush flying. Decision time. Do I keep doing this until the airlines open up or give up the airlines and follow my dream of flying in the RCAF? Age 25. Cold Lake Alberta. First low level trip in the F-5. 450 Kts at 100 feet. Holeee Craaap! Instructor is flying from the back seat and I am trying to figure out how you focus on anything when the world is going by in a blur. (It gets easier) Age 35. Two kids. Time to hang up the helmet. Local company is looking for corporate pilot for their Westwind and Falcon 50. I guess this will see me through to retirement. Age 39. Airlines are hiring even “old guys” like me, and wearing a pager 24/7 is no longer exciting. Joined Air Canada as Cruise Relief Pilot on the 767. Rejoined RCAF as a reservist and learned to fly helicopters. Age 50. Line flying is fun but need a new challenge. Moved over to the management side. Still get to fly, just not as often. Age 51. Hung up the helmet again after 11 years. Helicopters were fun, but the main job was taking more time. Age 55. Start lobbying the Minister of Finance about why we need a Mooney to travel to the cottage. Weekends are pretty precious now. Age 57. Minister of Finance approves my 252 purchase just to shut me up. Forgot how much fun it is flying little bug smashers. I am hooked again. Join Mooneyspace and start learning. Age 60. COVID hits and we go to 10% capacity. Parking airplanes, laying off pilots. I catch COVID on what turns out to be my last flight. Time to step aside. Age 61. I can fly my Mooney ANY TIME I WANT! This retirement gig is pretty good. Now if we could only travel..... Oh well. Tinkering with it is almost as much fun as flying it. Goals for the future? Age 62? Fly to Oshkosh, and anywhere else I like the look of. Age 70??? After years of trying, finally take the trophy at Oshkosh for best pimped out 252 after @gsxrpilot wins it 5 years in a row. Age 80??? Sell the Mooney and get a Champ for those calm summer evenings on a grass strip. Age 90??? Quit flying and start a novel new business delivering milk door to door by truck.
    2 points
  39. Once it was up in the air and trimmed out, it really did fly well, the side stick was honestly kinda nice - not better, but not bad either - and it didn't hurt my arm injury any more than flying my E in trim. The seating position was pretty nice, the glare shield didn't seem to bother me as much in flight. It has the DFC90 digital AP and the straight and level is pretty dang cool. I've never flown an autopilot and wow, that really is pretty sweet. Didn't know what I was missing. I've just got to vent for a second. I think this is so tacky. While I'm checking out the plane with the broker's husband, he basically throws a CFI at me and says take it for an acceptance flight. They ding me for 20 gals of gas and at the end of the flight, the guy hands me his venmo info and says he'd like $50. For crying out loud. They're looking at a 4.4% brokering fee on a $330k plane and they don't include that? Maybe I'm being irrational but we provide exceptional customer service at my company and I expect the same in return. This same guy seemed to think the condition of the interior for a 16 year old plane was pretty normal. In speaking with him, I got the vibe that the solution to most problems was simply spending some money. I suppose that's how aviation works but maybe Im more CB Mooney than I realized. Im on the fence about actually accepting it after that flight.
    1 point
  40. Clarence, could you weld another IO-360 onto the front of mine to make my airplane more like yours?
    1 point
  41. Nothing personal, but I get irked when people call my plane a hobby. It is no more a hobby than my car is. I bought it for work transportation and over 90 % of my 6000 hours have been work related. I have had a plane so long it just seems like something I need to have.
    1 point
  42. They built a nice plane but that UL is misleading. It only has a 54 gallon tank. At 54 gallons I have close to the same payload in my bravo. Since they also have a Lycoming 540, their range of 1000nm is LOP. I’d be curious to see real world cylinder temps on engine performance claims. For instance, the Bravo book performance is calculated at Peak TIT. I don’t know how long my engine would last flying around everywhere at peak TIT (which is about 1730 degrees at a normal power setting).
    1 point
  43. Annie Brogan owns Micro Aerodynamics, I’ve done quite a bit of work with her and her VG’s, First getting the STC on the aircraft we manufactured and then in testing as we noticed an interesting phenomena that hadn’t been noticed before, That is on an Ag plane the vortices seem to mix with the spray and more evenly mix it, making your swath width wider and more even, both very desirable. ‘Anyway, you need to understand why and how VG’s work and what they do. They create vortices of course and theoretically this energized airflow will stick to an airfoil in higher angels of attack before it separates and this separation is of course the stall. You see them very often on Airliners and other intensively studied and designed aircraft, but here’s the thing, you only see them in a few places and those are places that need “fixing”, you don’t see them across the entire wing, and you have to wonder why not? They do have draw backs of course, reference TANSTAAFL . They do increase drag, where do you think the energy comes from that’s added to the airflow? Icing is another consideration, I keep seeing icing systems referenced in this forum, and well if icing is any kind of possibility, you certainly don’t want VG’s accumulating ice. Another is that if three are missing, the aircraft is grounded, and line boys love to drag fuel hoses over VG’s and they pop off or get bent. ‘They make washing and especially waxing a real PIA. Loctite Depend is the “special” glue used to hold them on, there are green plastic sticky templates used to position them for the install, we found it better to not remove the adhesive backing and tape them in place instead, you use a scotch rite pad to roughen the paint, apply an adhesive primer from a spray can and glue them on with the Loctite Depend, which has a relatively short shelf life so be sure to check that, it’s plainly printed. The adhesive is really tough, but here is the thing, you glue them onto the paint, so it’s the paint bond that often fails, so to install them “right” it need to be on alodined paint free metal, which means stripping the wing of course but be careful when you spray the wing because the VG’s do work and if you not careful it makes for overspray. ‘If you install on a painted wing, pre paint the VG’s before installation of course, a very easy way to do that is simply stick them onto a roll of tape, that holds them in place and masks off the bottom where the glue goes so it’s not painted. They come in plastic boxes and there are extra VG’s, paint them too and carry them with you just in case you need to replace some when traveling. Also if you ever repaint the airplane, Annie will sell you a “repaint” kit that is just the VG’s and no STC paperwork for a small fraction of the original price, most of the price is for the STC and not the materials.
    1 point
  44. I believe you are not reading this correctly: J-7402-1 is a Mount assy intended for M20 C and D models. Our F models take three parts J-6212-8 + J-7766-9 + J7763-1 which, according to Lord is J-9613-12 assy.
    1 point
  45. The classic was Chevrolet marketing the Nova, named for the exploding star, in Central America. "No va" of course is Spanish for "it doesn't go" . . . . .
    1 point
  46. Find an Bendix King autopilot specialist with the necessary BK test harness. Without this gear and expertise you can spend a fortune repairing things in the system that doesn't fix the issue. But since it's failing the start up test with less beeps a BK AP specialist should be able to figure it out pretty quick. But not a typical A&P. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1 point
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