Jamie

According to the EAA, Avgas freezes at -58 -celsius- not farenheit (avgas specs). -58C == -72.4F. So, you still have some distance to go from -10F on the ground to -72F in the air. (aviatoreb is right, but the inconsistent units bugged me.)

I would totally do this, and invent my own classification. I'd continue to maintain the airplane to the old certified standards. Annuals by an MSC, only do the currently allowed owner maintanence, etc. Spotless, professional maintenance. All ADs complied with, etc. BUT. I'd start upgrading the avionics and other "plug replaceable" items (strobelights, landing lights, dash lights, etc) with the stuff I want but can't currently afford under the TSO rules. Modern panel, here I come!! If I were a potential buyer, what would spook me is maintenance of an unknown quality, NOT parts of non-TSO origin. So, by documenting what was done and by who, I'd be comfortable buying a "Mooney+".

If you have enough money to pay property tax / tie down on stuff like that, why not keep it flying and pay an instructor for "instruction". I know at least a few people who continue to fly legally by paying a licensed pilot to sit in the right seat. How's the saying go? "Every pilot will have a last flight. The lucky ones know it's their last flight." I hope when my time comes, I manage it a little better.

You're right. And without a trace of butthurt, I offer the following. Please (!) if you'd rather not read the occasional off topic comment from me, do this: At the extreme upper right hand corner of the page, next to "Sign Out", you'll see your login name. Click on your login name, a dialog will pop up. Click on the "Manage Ignore Prefs" link. On that page, in the box below "Add a new user to my list", type "Jamie", and check the "Posts" option. Then press "Save Changes". This simple action is all you need to do to never, ever see an off topic comment (from me, anyway). It's why its there and what it's for. Guys, really. I will make the random funny (to me, anyway) comment. I totally understand if that's not something you'd like to read. You can ignore me and I won't care. It's not rude, it's not offensive, you won't hurt my feelings, it doesn't cost anything... everyone wins.

Nope. See... you're wrong, and I can prove it. If what you said were true, nothing off topic would get a response. The comment would get tossed out into the aether and no one would say anything. But that's not what happens. A great many people apparently "give a rat's ass". They can't help it. Conversations drift. It's the nature of conversation. If you truely don't have any rat's asses to spare, don't comment.

There are plenty of mooney people in the South. Let us know when you get here. We'll meet up somewhere and have a $250 hamburger.

Man... I could totally segue from that to Obamacare, but people get all excited when I mention the outside world.

I'm sure everyone has their version of this, but.. Where I learned to fly a "twin" or some sort (didn't know planes then, so don't remember what it was) had sat there so long the tires were flat, and the rims had punched through the tires and "melted" into the asphalt. And then of course, there are these: Abandonded DC-3s Those have been there AT LEAST 23 years... (since I was in grad school).

Ok.. OK. FINE. Damn. I'll try camguard.

No, but it reaffirms the whole "lose weight, lift weight" thing. Flying is not a physically demanding sport, but there are some tasks that require strength (hangar door, moving plane), and I find I'm more alert and mentally capable now that I'm in better shape. Getting in and out is much easier now that I'm thinner. I took a "normal" american (no worries... no pictures) for a ride recently and watched how much harder it was for them.

lol. I'd never heard that before and yet it made perfect sense when I saw it.

I'm not doubting either one of you guys about the mag check, I'll probably start doing it. But... I seem to remember something from the far distant past about going to off and then back on being a serious no-no. Something about, I dunno.. it would hurt something. If this isn't it, what am I likely remembering? All I know is, for 20+ years I've been very careful not to go to "OFF" during the mag check.

Welcome to the internet. You must be new here. The guy's excited about getting back into flying, and is asking for loans on a great deal with built in upside. Sure, it's just a guess, but the probabilities are in favor of him not considering every aspect of ownership in his rush to be airborne. It's advice, it's free, and he's free to ignore it. He also got plenty of relevent answers and he can make his own decisions. Where are you getting a tax free return of 3.5% for 20 years? What do you invest in that, in the current market, you can refer to 3.5% as "moderately performing"? Don't say stock... that's not a gain until realized.

I should start doing that. When I bought the plane, the right flap was dinged up for 3" or so just about where a suitcase or briefcase would hit it as you step up. It was fixed as part of purchase, but I hadn't given it any thought until now.

The keys-left-in-the-ignition problem I solved by putting the hangar door lock key on the same keyring. If the door's open, the keys aren't in the plane.

ha! awesome.

You mean, replace the plastic holder with a stick on label? If so, that could work... subsequent corrections just stick over the top? (It comes off when me, or a passenger, reach in to grab the center post to get in / out.)

Compass correction card holder plastic thingy keeps falling off. I'd tape it, except that would look bad and get sticky in the summer. Suggestions for a fix?

Very interesting question. In a normal market, I'd agree. But the economy sucks, fundamentals do not support current valuations, the fed is losing the war, and planes are getting cheaper. Taking on leverage to buy a -depreciating- asset doesn't make sense. His built in 20% profit is eroding out from under him and that's before considering the economic environment into which he's taking on debt. It would make sense if the inflation the fed is attempting to create would work, and affect airplane prices. But that's extremely unlikely (you'd have to believe that, into a 1980 style inflationary period, people are suddenly willing to pay more for airplanes. Meh.) Without going into the various scenarios I believe are likely coming, lowering the carrying costs of the airplane as much as possible (the amount you HAVE to pay, or you lose the plane) makes sense to me given my risk tolerance. If you wake up some morning, the market's 50% below where it opened last week, and you're laid off, liquidating investments to cover the loan is suddenly less appealing and good luck finding someone to buy the airplane from you at a profit... or at all. I'm tons of fun at parties. Hourly and daily rates available.

I'd totally -borrow- his sim to practice some IFR stuff. I can see where that would be very useful. The sim at work is a glass cockpit helicopter with no VORs, no ILS, it has GPS but no nav database, etc. So it's no help (to me) for IFR practice. Scott, you have your instrument rating yet? If so, ever practice in your sim? Does it help?

Heh. no. The numbers are what they are, but sometimes we go flying anyway. The math would indicate either wait a little or buy less airplane, but the heart wants what it wants. Whatever you end up doing, I hope it works out for you.

Well, one anecdata point: Long story, but I had an oil change done away from home after 20 hours (just bought it). They put in 100W. My oil consumption per hour went up "a lot". I wasn't keeping track (I know, but I'm a new owner, didn't know any better) so I don't know how much, but it did go up noticeably. A few months ago, I did my first oil change and put X/C 20W50 back in there (it's what Wilmar recommended), and my oil consumption is back down to 1 qt every 8 hours or so. I remember reading an article about how some airplanes are just "happier" with a certain oil. I have no idea why, or if this will happen for you, but I thought it was interesting.

I do stuff like that for a living (flight sims), it's the last thing I want to do when I get home. that said, I got to fly over a famliar field in the sim at work and it's spooky. Strong deja-vu like feeling.

The math is harsh... I'm just the messenger. Take a concrete example: Financed $94,000 (If you can't afford the plane you probably can't afford the sales tax, figure 4%). Interest: 4% Period: 20 years Monthly payment: $569.62 Interest paid: $42709.00 Now using my numbers (for my plane): Insurance: $2000 / yr Hangar: $210 * 12 = 2520 Annual: $2000 (min) Total fixed costs of 2000 + 2520 + 2000 = 6520 / 12 = 543.33 per month. Without flying. Fly 4 hours a month @ 10 gal / hour * $6/gal = $240.00 a month. With financing, he's looking at 570 + 543 + 240 = $1353 / month for not a whole lot of flying in a year, but it's average, apparently. 1353 * 12 = 16236. In a little less than 6 years at that rate, he could pay cash. Financing a toy is dumb. (that's harsh, but wtf.) ((Oh, and notice that this is -best- case. No maintenance, nothing broke, no oil change. The magic perfect airplane. ))

congrats.