ottorecker

that was quick...No longer available...

I recently redid my interior and have a set (front only w/headrest) sheepskin seat covers that I'm not using anymore. Light gray. Decent shape especially if your interior needs a refresh. Free to good home but you will need to pay actual shipping. PM if interested.

We landed in Carrizozo about a month ago. Lets just be kind and say the runway needed a "trim". There was a good amount of up to 3+ feet tall grass tufts growing randomly through the cracks of the asphalt along most of the runway. Was it like that a week ago? I don't know, but my guess is it's probably likely. Bill, the airport manager and great guy was having some health issues and, if I had to speculate, wasn't aware of the the tall grass on the runway (his health issue is pertinent in this case but I'm going to give him HIPPA and not divulge it here). I'm not saying some scruffy grass caused the crash but It certainly would have been a distraction departing F37. It was for me a month ago. That area (and much of New Mexico) is susceptible to powerful dust devils which may or may not distinctly visible. There were at least two that were distinctly visible close to the airport the day we departed. Could there have been more stealthy ones? Perhaps. It's likely pilots would recognize a majority of them, but if they were concerned about the tall grass on the runway might they have not? I've been in and out of that airport a handful of times. It's not a particularly challenging airport for takeoffs even on hot days with proper procedures but an added anomaly could escalate a takeoff threat. Our New Mexico dust devils can be formidable. If there was one on or near the departure end of the runway that would likely have a considerable impact on aircraft performance. I'm just speculating here but if you are not familiar at flying in the arid west in the summertime realize that those mini-tornados can be a threat. I'm very glad the occupants are fine. Hopefully they are on MS and can give us a first person account. Watch out for those dust devils on departure (and arrival).

Had my interior recently done ceiling to floor in my Encore at UniCraft Interiors KLRU. Haven't had time to take some quality pics but these are the ones I had on my phone. They did a very nice job. The red accents look a little stark in the pics but translate well in real life (plus, now the carpet matches the drapes). Very economical and timely compared to the other popular interior shop. PM me with questions. I didn't want to hijack Bob's thread but thought I'd through in another example of UniCrafts work. (Bob's my friend and airport neighbor).

Hitching a ride on Kinzinger's Mooney from Texas (not my pics). Looks like a Rat snake. I worry a lot more about the Black Widows I find in my hangar that may find their way into my aircraft. still.. that's a little creepy. Had a scorpion bite my in ankle while a was in the pattern years ago when I was living in the Mojave. I'm surprised creature bites don't happen more often.

Powell Aircraft Interiors. Prescott, AZ. (928) 778-7827

As previously stated, operating in and out of mountain airports is not as much about landing as it is about taking off (and go-arounds). Leadville is a wonderful airport and IMO with normal planning a straightforward mission in any Mooney. BUT...if it is windy aloft and perhaps at the surface caution is advised taking off on runway 16 which is into lowering terrain and generally preferred. There is a drop-off at the end of the runway with large transmission lines that will get your attention if you encounter a downdraft. October in the Rockies can be windy. I won't discourage you from a great adventure but definitely check the wx/winds for your arrival/departure time. And if you plan to fly in the mountains more often take a good mountain flying course.

All engine temp indications where in the normal range. I was just a little puzzled that I've not seen this type of fluid out of the breather until recently. It's about time to change the oil anyway so I might try that to see if that makes a difference. Sounds like it would probably help if I flew the aircraft more often.....alas, life has recently got in way...unfortunately.

No water on the dipstick so far. Thanks all for the input.

About a month ago my airport neighbor was grabbing the tug from my hangar and noticed what he called 'dog puke' by my front tire. Sure enough, when I got to the hangar there was a nice deposit right underneath the breather tube. What I normally see at that spot is just a a spot or two of dark colored oil and not this color and amount of fluid out of our M20K. When my hangar neighbor noticed this it was after a 6 hour nonstop flight. This event was apparently not a one-off. The pic below was after a 3+ hour flight and very similar to the first occurrence. I'm not yet sure if this is a trend but it's starting to look like it. Are coyotes creating hangar mischief? Aliens perhaps? Most importantly, is this something I need to be worried about? Oil is Phillip's xc20w-50 with Camguard.

Looks like a recent purchase. Does anyone know if the owner is on Mooneyspace?

Thanks everyone for your help. Much appreciated.

I'm trying to track down a lighting issue on my panel (glare shield and backlighting) and have had no luck trying to trace the problem. It's driving me nuts. A wiring diagram/schematic would probably be really helpful. The 1997 and previous year models I think are a bit different as far as panel lighting goes but of course that data might also be helpful. Any help would be much appreciated.

Both SOLD.

PM sent.