mooniac15u

Electric DG or electric HSI?

I've never seen a trainer or entry level aircraft with an electric DG. My M20D had a vacuum DG, as does my M20J. I think you may be mistaken about the Cessna 172. For example here's a 1998 model with a vacuum DG: http://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-sale/1394301/1998-cessna-172-skyhawk-td Are you perhaps thinking of the TC? The standard partial panel in IFR training is to cover the DG and AI to simulate a vacuum failure.

Most standard DGs are vacuum driven.

$20 for a tool to put split ring retainers on a handful of fasteners? You'll get thrown out of the CB club if you admit things like that. I just replaced all of mine. I used needle nose pliers to remove the old retainers and my fingers to put the new ones on. I wouldn't want to do that every day but it's works ok for a small job.

The alternate air on the J does not have a manual control. It is controlled by a spring. If the main induction air is blocked the alt air opens automatically due to pressure differential. There isn't an easy way to test this on a routine preflight. It can be checked if you are willing to remove the cowl.

I seem to recall a post a while back where someone found their ram air seal somewhere in the induction system. It might have been an alternate air seal.

It seems like the most likely direction to lose that is into your air induction system. It might be worth trying to find it before it goes somewhere that you don't want.

They are talking about a quick-disconnect for the cowl flaps not the regular cowl fasteners.

Zero draw unless one of your passengers leaves something plugged into that port where you bypassed the master switch.

Is that 10A limit due to an inline fuse? I assume you don't have a circuit breaker on that.

Air-Mods in NJ had a wing they were trying to sell a couple months ago. It might be worth contacting them.

Have you read through that long thread? I think all of the options were pretty well discussed. It sounds like LASAR could fix it for $15K-$20K. What is your background? Do you have the skills to do the work yourself?

Didn't we have a long discussion on this same plane two years ago?

This one is listed at $70K with a 430 and only 200 hrs on the engine. http://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-sale/1433209/1970-mooney-m20f-exec-21 Or this one with a more minimal panel and 100 on the engine for $60K http://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-sale/1436655/1967-mooney-m20f

Are some of you trimming on final and not touching the trim during flare and touchdown while others are trimming for touchdown? It seems like the first group should not run out of trim and the second might.

It is pointless to debate bladders vs reseal on Mooneyspace. Everyone here is firmly entrenched on one side or the other. Just choose the option that works for you.

He asked and I clarified in the next couple of posts. I'm sorry if there was a misunderstanding. No offense was intended. Everyone has to decide for themselves who is best qualified to work on their plane. I do think there are probably some owners who overestimate their abilities relative to a trained mechanic. I think that's one of the reasons we see pictures of odd automotive parts posted by new owners on MS. Just so there's no misunderstanding, that doesn't mean I think other owners aren't capable of quality work. There are also some owners who recognize their own limitations and prefer to pay someone more skilled than themselves to maintain their planes. And that's ok too.

I'm not sure what you read into that post that has you so defensive. I was addressing the claim that everyone should do an owner assisted annual. If you have the skills and interest that's great but some owners don't. I did not in any way suggest that skilled owners weren't appropriately maintaining their planes.

Please show me where anyone said that or even implied that.

And it begins...

For me, personally, the issue is time. I don't want to spend my free time removing panels and applying grease. That seems to be the biggest component of owner work.

There may be a wide range of work quality that could be deemed airworthy. If your skill level supports the level of quality you want on your plane that's great. Some may feel that hiring a skilled individual to do the work results in a better end result. Have you seen the doghouse work that @M20Doc accomplished? That is well beyond the skill level of most owners.

Owner-assisted annuals work for some and not for others. If you enjoy doing that, great. Others prefer to have professionals maintain their aircraft and that's ok too.

I suspect there are a fair number of Mooneys out there that haven't had their preload checked for quite some time because the local maintainer doesn't have the required tools.

Do you ever get a Mooney in for the first time with the gear rigged incorrectly? Seems like A&Ps can be a weak point too. Present company excluded.