Andy95W

Please change your font. I got halfway through and decided I wasn’t in the mood for eye strain this morning.

I know from personal experience that the stupidest way to lose $20 worth of avgas is to forget your fuel cap. Stupidest way to lose $40? Do it twice. And those are pretty minor compared to the truly dumb things I’ve done over 30+ years and almost 21 months of flight time.

It’s all electric. Not a bad kit, I installed it on my first M20C. http://www.aerotriminc.com/id2.html

Actually, the Aero-Trim is installed on the left aileron per Norm Smith’s STC (but yes, it can be installed as rudder trim). I’m not sure what Mike has on his right aileron, but it looks like a riveted on ground adjustable trim tab.

Doesn’t look like a big deal. All it really means is that if you replace your battery, you need to ensure the software is updated to the latest version. If your battery passes its test, then you don’t have do anything.

Oddly enough, mine too! When the ANR died, I went back to the passive Peltor and it was my favorite headset. My QT Halo is a close second- but still second.

Erik- agreed. Here is an option: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/blulink.php There is also an adapter that is hardwired instead of Bluetooth. I got that one, it’s only $100 and works fantastic.

Genau.

Looks exactly like the QT Halo, but more expensive. And I’ll bet the owner of the company isn’t a Mooney owner like Phil @pmccand (yes, he’s also a MooneySpace member). https://www.quiettechnologies.com

*Sigh.*

Lance- thanks for posting and please keep us updated! I had one of these on a previous airplane and it was awesome. It sounds like a different company now owns the Bob Fields STC, which is great news for all of us. The previous proprietor was not helpful at all. Depending on your results, I may bite the bullet myself.

Alpha Aviation for seatbelts/shoulder harnesses. Give them a call, it’s a family business and they actually answer the phone themselves. If you have Johnson Bar landing gear, you’ll definitely want the inertial reel and push button release. If you have electric gear, anything will do well. https://alphaaviation.com/mooney-m20-front-fixed-strap-replacement-lift-lever/

“Darn, I can’t fly my Mooney Acclaim. I guess I’ll have to fly the King Air instead.”

Looks like the kind of thing @M20Doc would be interested in.

Jerry, above, is most likely correct. A lot of shops work on those older King radios, but the problem will probably be the availability of the gas discharge display itself. Try Gulf Coast Avionics, Bevan Aviation, or Mid-Continent to name a few.

Yes, very different design with no Camloc fasteners- but about 80 screws instead. (There are times when I long for my 67 M20C cowling.)

I had the exact same damage on my cowl closure before I fixed my engine sag. I fixed it with JB Weld. One of these days I’ll get around to sanding and painting it.

I love my Mooney, but I’d keep the Archer. It sounds like it does 75% of what you want for practically nothing. That is a deal you’ll miss when it’s gone and you’ll probably never see again.

What got me was the damage done to the steering stop bracket- that is supposed to prevent this type of damage!

You’ll do well. Plan for about 10 hours with a good instructor, preferably one who has vintage Mooney experience. You will probably be fine after the first 5 hours, but the extra 5 will definitely cement the complex sign off and give you a chance to practice instrument procedures as well. My additional suggestion- use part of the time to learn some Commercial maneuvers, such as the power off 180 and the Chandelle. Your insurance company will likely require at least 10 hours anyway.

Clarence, I think it’s pretty clear that Gee-Bee doesn’t care about the parts manual or what Mooney installed at the factory. And it certainly seems like he doesn’t understand the low-pressure supply side of the hydraulic flap system. He’s just trying to sell his stuff.

Wait, I was supposed to keep my DME?!?

5 hours actually sounds pretty reasonable to me. Removal and installation of the interior alone can take anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on how old it is. Running wires, removal/installation of the step mechanisms, and paperwork take up the rest of the time. Next time, negotiate with your shop so you remove and install the interior. Perfectly legal, they will appreciate it, and you’ll get a nice break on the price.

Hello John, The magneto points generally aren’t a problem once they’re set, although the assumption of contamination getting on the retard breaker points is one possible cause of your problem. More often, I’ve seen breaker point hold down screws that weren’t torqued properly or the retard breaker point wire getting pinched between the magneto case halves (there’s a lot crowded into a small space on that left magneto.) I had to look at the switch wiring schematic to understand what your mechanic was talking about with that wire jumper- but I think he’s really onto something there, and it seems like it should work to isolate the magneto from a potential switch problem. I think he knows his stuff. The reason I still lean toward a possible bad wire is that those things lead pretty hard lives. Vibrating on one side, anchored on the other, and hot as blazes most of the time. If the wire was starting to break down, it could have been helped by the magneto removal, and then over a few starts shorted again. If nothing else, it’s pretty easy to check once you have the top cowling off. If you do send the left mag back out, Aircraft Magneto Service in Montana gets very good reviews and seem very trustworthy Good luck, please keep us posted.

Check the retard breaker points p-lead. It sounds like it’s grounding on something (maybe even the knurled nut itself). After that, I would suspect the switch itself. What you’re describing is a fairly common mode of failure of the switch. When moving the switch to the “start” position, the switch grounds the left primary and right magneto circuits, activates the shower of sparks, and sends it to the retard breaker points which should open at 0° BTDC, thus enabling the engine to start at TDC. Since the problem started with magneto removal/installation, and the magneto appears to be sound, the next most likely culprit would be that the retard breaker lead finally broke down enough that it’s grounding on its own. What happens when you release the switch to “both” is that the engine has enough rotation speed to energize the primary circuits of the magnetos and enough inertia to start at 25° BTDC.