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Joined the Mooney community a little over a year ago, when I purchased N2767W a 1966 M20E. 67W had been sitting in a hangar for about 15 years with the engine pickled and the airframe corrosion fogged. The owner as of recent removed the airplane from storage and prepared to have the airplane annualled, before losing interest and deciding to sell the plane. I met the owner at a fly in at skypark (the airport I learned to fly at), while looking at another 66E on the ramp, where he told me that he was selling his E model that needed some work, such as the tanks resealed and a few other minor iss

I've been getting a lot of requests for an update on this Mother of all Annuals... But in my mind, there really isn't much to say about it other than it's still in progress... But I'm there are details that might help someone else contemplating this work or with it coming up, ready or not. I should get a couple of disclaimers out of the way first. This is a hobby, not a business and therefore time is NOT money. So I've opted for the slower/cheaper option over the faster/expensive path whenever possible. I keep an eye towards what increases the value of my Mooney and what doesn

Here’s a pretty good explanation: Flying an ApproachwithGTN750.pdf

Are we talking about saving Mooney as a company, or building cool niche airplanes? Mooney needs to produce an easy (low cost to build) airframe, that weighs less, lifts more and has the creature comforts and safety features people want and is affordable to own and maintain. While a Jet A burning diesel sounds cool,they're heavy and usually require liquid cooling which adds more to the complexity and empty weight. A Lycoming engine that can burn premium auto fuel makes just as much sense. Clarence

Since we're not using the airplane to actually go anywhere lately, I decided to catch up on some local flying. I took my wife and her father to see every single airport underlying the NYC Class Bravo airspace in my Mooney M20J 201. It's a flight I've always wanted to do but would keep putting it off cause it seemed so close and attainable. Well, now I went and actually did it. And I have the video to show it. Wednesday January 13, we departed Linden airport with the primary goal of landing at the 3 major airports and a secondary goal of landing at all the rest. I had one of the longe

A lot of the discussion above centers around how to avoid reloading the approach, when you get a late clearance change you weren't expecting. The commonly-discussed case is when you thought you were getting vectors to final, then you get cleared to an IAF or IF instead. Hence the "Never load VTF" strategy to avoid that particular case. I have a contrarian position about this. I teach students to practice reloading approaches to select a different transition, until they can do it quickly and correctly with little anxiety or stress. Then the guidance on loading approaches becomes simply

Done. Bought Yariv’s Ovation N43FM. Sent the wife out to get it.

Wow! We are all very passionate about the planes we own and don't own. It seems I made a bad decision to buy my 231 and should probably sell it. Maybe I should wait until my GB engine starts having all the problems posted here. So far no engine problems in the 5 years I have owned the plane. I wish the rest of the equipment on the plane was as dependable as my GB engine has been.

This post serves to post the 2018 Mooney Fatal Accidents so we can learn and discuss prevention methods in an effort to lower future fatal accidents for our community. I'll break down the info as best I can, and I will highlight possible causes if they are not identified by the NTSB. In 2018, there were seven fatal accidents resulting in 9 fatalities. 02/2018 - CFIT (final report) - The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during a visual approach in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. 03/2018 - Loss of air

Second flight of the year. Hope to fly enough to make a video or two a week. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just received my new Mooney hats from the MooneySpeedShop. Ordered from the MooneyInternational web site on January 14th, arrived at my doorstep just now [January 19th]. This is excellent efficient service and the hats are just terrific!

Gents, Try to be nice to Walter... He is a supporter of Mooney Summit... When you need a respite from the florida heat, his AC in a long body (display) is awesome... All the details have been laid out prior... https://mooneyspace.com/profile/18904-kelly-aerospace/ Walter had posted this last fall... “The All Electric AC system for the Ovation is 28,500.00 complete, installed. it takes 10 days in one of our facilities'.” 1) It is expensive 2) Requires sheet metal modifications 3) Is perfect for hot ground temps like in t

While I strongly believe, that over time, the market is always what determines the price. I do believe however that the market values the Bravo where it is because it's "misunderstood". The engine will cost about $20,000 more for a factory rebuilt than for a factory rebuilt for an Ovation ($65,000 vs $45,000, R & R labor should be close to the same). However if you do a lot of cross country travel in the teens, conservatively, you should have at least a 20 knot advantage, meaning that for every hour on the Bravo engine time you've traveled an additional 20 nautical miles. So you are

I think the thing to remember in the Garmin Universe is that the enroute flight plan waypoints and the approach waypoints can be considered to be in 2 separate boxes with the approach box AFTER the enroute box. If you are flying waypoints in the enroute box and have a dual waypoint in the approach box, you'll won't transition to the approach box when you cross that waypoint in the enroute box unless it's the last waypoint in that box. You will need to cross all waypoints in the enroute box first, then automatically proceed to the approach box. That is usually undesirable. An approach ge

The Encore conversion on N252AD is in progress and hope to be completed and flying in a few more weeks. When I first signed on to MooneySpace years ago, @Parker_Woodruff was talking about his Encore conversion... it's been a long road, but I'm excited to be so close to owning an Encore myself... finally.

"Loading the approach" doesn't activate it. Going direct to a fix on the approach or activating a leg of the approach activates it, "I just happened to go past it on the way to the active waypoint airport" does not. if you press "activate the approach," it will bring you to the IAF you chose when you loaded it, even if it's behind you.

You need to see "Magenta inside the approach" on the Flight Plan page -- If for example your Flight plan page looks like this JUGMO KMTN RNAV GPS 33 Approach JUGMO CINDI RWY33 and you are headed to the first JUGMO intersection in that list, no, the approach won't activate or sequence (at least not until after first proceeding to KMTN, then back to JUGMO). If instead your flight plan page looks like this JUGMO KMTN RNAV GPS 33 Approach JUGMO CINDI RWY33 where the active next waypoint is the second JUGMO

Clarence if you ever get bored you should write a book, "maintaining your mooney". I would buy the first copy. I have been working on mooneys for a long time and you still bring up new stuff I have not seen before. Mark

You have fans! @Jonny Serious question for all. When was the last time the CEO of Mooney used his own Mooney to literally go across the country? Thats some great advertising.

My youngest finally got a chance to finish his check ride. I was listening on liveatc and watching on FlightAware my heart was flipping.

I have recently acquired a Mooney Acclaim Ultra (I have an amazing wife who insisted we get another airplane!)and need to do a few things. I flew my last Mooney in 2010 and then a T206( a friends) until 2016. No flying since. We have relocated out west and will need to fly in the Northwest (Montana and Oregon specifically)for business and pleasure. I need a few recommendations: 1) Obviously I need to get current again (in the Acclaim) and I DEFINITELY need help getting educated and experience in mountain flying. Not just VFR in the mountains but also IFR and education in adverse weather s

That's called a "double winner"...a wife who supports such a large purchase / time commitment AND the financial means to make it happen. Welcome back!

Two important points... 1. You want someone to be safer? How about supporting them getting their Instrument rating no matter their equipment? That rating and the improvement in your skill is about the best possible investment a pilot can make. Sure, should we fly solid IMC to mins all the time with minimal equipment? No. We can certainly spend opm and suggest great panels for people with all kinds of instrument missions, but regardless of their equipment, instrument training is a great idea. 2. If we make our own “rules” about what is safe or not safe in general aviation and th

As someone who makes his living, and funds his Mooney habit in this very field (Data Security), I really appreciate @PJClark posting this. Everyone should be very suspicious of ALL things when online. Obviously this letter is legitimate and appropriate and we're all in to support Craig and MooneySpace. But scams abound in the online world and it's prudent to be suspicious. I'd say this is a good way of approaching the issue with caution. Don't respond immediately but be suspicious. Bring the question to the larger community. Reach out to the party supposedly orig

This is frustrating. You're not an expert, but you make a blanket statement about "The 231 has a problem engine as far as I'm concerned." Do you mean early 231s with the -GB engine? If so, yes, there were early problems, which have been largely rectified with the -LB engines. Add an intercooler and Merlyn and it's a fantastic plane. A low time pilot can't be trained to safely operate one? Jeez, tell that to the military, which routinely teaches low time pilots to fly jets. Sure, it only has 10 more horsepower than the J, and it isn't "...all that much faster." But by that logic,

Yes, it is legit. I just sent these out today. Thanks for checking! Also note that the membership expiration emails will go out to whatever email you used for PayPal and not your MS email on file. Craig

They look good, if I do say so myself.

Let's try again, then. I'll usually ask for the approach I want, and am either told to "Expect it" or given another approach to "Expect". If I don't like what I''m told to "Expect", I push nicely for what I want. Usually I get what I want. Once I know the approach I'll be doing, I'll 'Load" it. I usually ask for the "Full" approach because it shortens the final and has all legs as a part of it. If I'm given vectors, the whole approach is still there and when I see where the final vector will intercept the final approach course, I'll activate that leg. When I'm in the approach wayp

Big thanks to @Planegary for giving me a ride from Kennett to Memphis today. The aviation fraternity has some perks, just got to pay it forward.

Although the 252 is a superior plane, and I wish I had waited for one rather than buying a 231, the 231 is still a good plane, and if operated carefully, it will do the job. I don't fly very high every much, but the ability to easily get up to 14 to 17K, over most of the weather and a lot of the traffic is nice.

The Bravo seems to be the most under valued airframe in the fleet for some time now. It doesn't make sense IMO. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wastegate, Controllers, and turbocharger overhaul approximately 5K. Double that for an Acclaim with twin turbos. From my experience these need to be done mid-engine time. For the airplane cost difference and the extra engine maintenance I have heard on the Acclaim, for a little less speed, the Bravos are the bargains out there now in my opinion.

While I have no bravo time, I have a large amount of ovation and acclaim time. To say that they are basically the same plane below 10,000’ just is not accurate. They can be flown at near identical numbers if the acclaim is babied, and the 310hp ovation will absolutely outclimb the acclaim maybe to 2000’, but they are even at that point with the acclaim steadily pulling away. I also disagree that a turbo is useless below 12k. At 12k the ovation may squeak out 21” while the acclaim can produce 33”, or 30.5 at max cruise. This means better climb, and more speed. The acclaim can also

last year was a good year for Mooney's in regards to fatalities. Zero. There were 188 Total GA fatalities [1] Cessna led the way with 39 Piper 31 Bonanza 15 Vans 8 Cirrus 4 [1] Dan Gryder research

Boy that reminds me of another option... the MD80 magnetic compass. In back of the cockpit, seen with a rear view mirror. If its good enough for Douglas why not for us mounted in the hat rack?

AS&T changed names to CAV, so we are the same company. Original release for the FIKI was early 1995. Late 1995 updated the tail bracket assembly, 1996 we changed rivet specifications, 1999 added control panel option, 2004 added a two-blade propeller option and other minor adds through 2009. Admendments were added to the original STC for all these.

If their renewal application doesn't ask if you've received an IPC in the last 12 months, make sure to let them know. Also, confirm with them they checked that box in USAIG's quoting system before binding your renewal.

I would be interested. I get my first vaccine shot next Tuesday on the 26th. 3 weeks later the second shot. Then another 2 weeks to build up immunity. Sounds like around the beginning of March could work.

What I'm hearing is that the instructor and student heard a "bang" during cruise flight and initially thought they'd lost the engine! Once they determined the engine was making power, they figured out they had no elevator control. Initial inspection looks like the stabilizer spar failed....and corrosion may be the culprit. The aircraft was maintained by a flight school, but the corrosion was not in an place that could be inspected, or at least not inspected using normal methods. Seems kind of like the Piper wing spar debacle. The GA fleet is aging and we all need to be aw

Sorry about that... here is the pic. The Vent is on the "2"

Other airlines served LaPaz with 727s in the past. They were JATO equipped which was wired to the AutoPack Trip system. So if you lost an engine the JATO would light automatically. Mexicana had all their 727s equipped mostly to up their payload out of Mexico City. The real challenge in LaPaz is not so much aircraft performance, that can be penciled out to work. The challenge is the crew. Crew has to be on O2 going in and going out because they are above 10K. (You also have to modify the pax ox system so it will not auto deploy) Crew has to wear walk around bottles on the ground. If they l

Have you ever seen actuarial tables? I looked at some many years ago, and the contents are quite interesting. None of the following numbers are completely accurate, but the approximation is enough to give you the gist. First, it gave the average American life span as: 76 yrs 154 days 5 hr 12 min 36 sec Then, if you engaged in certain activities, you would deduct the following: skydiving 3 hr 8 min 54 sec scuba diving 3 hr 16 min 14 sec flying 2 hr 57 min 9 sec m

Clearly you're new at this.. I bought the plane a few years after that. usually there carribbean paint jobs are cheaper because they use off-brand materials and 12$/hr unskilled labor. Most recently a buddy of mine, got his done in El Salvador. His N-numbers were only 11", and they had to sand off the side of the plane and then fade and blend the base white and the stripes. it wont be the same as it would have been were it done once. But he owns it. And it wasnt much cheaper anyway. They didnt even have a paint booth, and neither does Manuel from the looks of it. So they put up pl

Let’s not forget that 10 horsepower gap rapidly grows as you climb. I can get above 10,000’ in less than 15 minutes and leave a NA 201 in my wake with more than likely a smoother and cooler ride. Treat the TSIO-360 right and she will return the favor.

Our system requires 28 volts so some of the older Mooney's are no an option yet. the ground cooling and no flight restrictions are great! the sheet metal modifications mentioned here are taken care of during the installation as well as the monor paint work. being a Mooney man myself, i made sure the Hat Rack is still available ! wd

Oh geez.... I am flying behind a 530W, 300XL and G5's....where does that put me on this list? A crawl, lying flat on the couch, using a walker....

I’d do nothing for now. What you’ve got is plenty capable. Get your rating, learn more what you like or don’t like. Talk with people about what they like. Think it through and do it when you really know what you want. The 430 will give you rnav approaches to non precision mins and ils to 200’. You shouldn’t be flying approaches that low in the weather as a brand new instrument pilot anyway. You’ve got time to think.

As Garmin mentioned in the initial release of the Xi, with the extra processor speed new opportunities would open up for more advanced features. This first software update added some new features not available on the legacy GTN. Another one is the addition of the glide range ring with an arrow stream pointing to the best choice of "gliding to" runways. Of course, Garmin Pilot already has that, but not the "arrow stream to the best airport for gliding to.

I bought an extremely well built RV-8 from its builder back in 2013. By far the funnest airplane I've ever owned. Climbs like a bat out of hell and handles like a dream. It feels like you're flying with your own wings. The gent who built mine spared no expense; the paint job and the fit and finish are definitely up to certificated standards. I rarely fly it on long trips, but I've done a few. Denver to the Bay Area took about 6 hours and two fuel stops. Sonoma County to Orange County took a bit less than two hours nonstop. For both flights I was sipping fuel at about 9gph. And you ca

Shouldn't be a concern if you have a 406, if so its only few minutes before Cospas-Sarsat is verifying and looking for you. But there has been no surveillance since 2009 for the 121.5 ELTs and it'll take more than a beacon going off and at least several hours before any one starts looking. A $500 406 ELT fixes that.