markazzarito

I opened the baggage door to grab a screwdriver while fueling. Im not sure if i simply didnt latch it or if i left it locked open. I think its unlikely it was left wide open. I would have had to pass it on my way into the plane.

I only have CG issues if i plan for four adults with baggage and to max out usable which is just over 1,000 lbs in my plane. I usually find i cant get more than 25lbs in the baggage compartment before CG is out the rear. I'll follow up with a sample weight and balance. with full tanks im typicaly around 40 to 50lbs shy of max gross weight to stay in CG limits.

Im not proud of this story but decided to share just encase anyone else finds themselves in flight with an open baggage door. Im based at john wayne airport in orange county ca. Last weekend i flew out to chino for fuel. fuel prices are usually about half of John wayne fuel prices. Its only about a 15 min flight. The flight there was uneventful. Weather was forcast overcast at 3900 but it was actually overcast at 3,000. I flew out at 2500 feet. Chino is 650 ft elevation John Wayne is 56ft. After landing i taxied to fuel right away worried that the ceiling might drop stranding me in Chino. Im not IFR rated. I waited while two other planes fueled than filled up hit the bathroom and started my taxi back to the runway looking at the sky worried that the ceiling looked darker and lower than it had on the flight over. Ceiling was still reported at 3900 feet. Ground handed me off to the tower and after a runup the tower cleared me for takeoff. I taxied by at least four other planes on the ground including two in the run up area. I started my takeoff roll and the noise in the cockpit sounded louder than normal. I have a very efficient bose noise canceling headset so i just assumed the batterys were running low. At about 200 ft AGL a pilot on the ground came over the tower frequency anouncing that the mooney taking off had an open baggage door! i looked over my right-shoulder and saw the wide open baggage door! My heart skipped a beat. I immediately requested to return to the airport as i thought about the POH and its warning that if the baggage door was to come open in flight the airplane would not be flight worthy. I wasnt sure what to expect would the baggage compartment act like a kite and cause the plane to yaw hard to the right? Would the engine be powerful enough to overcome the drag? I left the power setting full and followed the towers instruction to make a right crosswind. Another pilot came over frequency and reminded me to keep my speed up for stall protection. I turned downwind at pattern altitude reduced power and kept the speed 10 mph higher than usual. To my surprise the airplane was handling fine. I turned base then final and made an uneventful landing to a few cheers over the radio. After securing the baggage door i did a full preflight taxied back for takeoff the flight back went fine and the ceiling wasn't a problem. Im not sure if i simply didnt latch the door properly the first time around or somehow left it locked wide open in my hurry to leave i hadn't done a proper preflight. I learned four important lessons. 1) the plane will fly with an open baggage door 2) always do a full preflight even if it is just a quick pit stop. 3) if something dosent sound right during the takeoff role abort. 4) dont fixate! I was fixating on the weather and neglected my pre flight.

True but your going to have a tough time using that load and keeping CG from going out the rear! Useful load isnt the trouble CG is!

My C currently does not have strobes. Do you know if rewiring is required in order to power the strobes? Can the Whelen 650 lights replace the position lights using the existing wiring? After googling this is still unclear. I was also unable to find the threads you mentioned. Thanks!

I see a lot of older certified aircraft specificaly mooneys in other posts on this forum are installing the Sextan System they seem to fit as drop in replacements for the factory position lights. They also provide a strobe option. The documentation i can find http://deltaaviation.comnav%20page/POH/M20C%201966%20Mark%2021.pdf seems to indicate this kit is strictly for experimental aircraft and while it meets FAA requirements is not FAA approved for nor is it meant to be used in a certified aircraft. Can anybody elaborate on why or why not this kit can or cannot be used legally as a replacement for position lights on my 1963 M20C? Also what are the potential legal consequences for installing? Alternately does anyone know of another LED drop in replacment compatible with an M20C and approved for use in a certified aircraft?

I see a lot of older certified aircraft are installing this system. The documentation i can find http://deltaaviation.comnav%20page/POH/M20C%201966%20Mark%2021.pdf seems to indicate this kit is strictly for experimental aircraft and while it meets FAA requirements is not FAA approved for nor is it meant to be used in a certified aircraft. Can anybody elaborate on why or why not this kit can or cannot be used legally as a replacement for position lights on my 1963 M20C? Also what are the potential legal consequences for installing?

The M20E is a great choice you wont find a more economical bird on the field. Check out Airtex for interiors they have great kits for around $3000. Putting the upholstery in is no small task in a mooney. I did my interior under an A&P's supervision in about a week. If you are replacing cylinders i highly reccomend going with brand new lycoming steel. The chrome and the nickle cylinders are very easy to glaze on break in and once you do that you have to start all over. While your at it install an airwolf oil filter kit. An oil screen is no way to treat new cylinders. As far as avionics go a handheld panel mount aera 560 fits nicely you can find them used for around $1000. There is a plug and play replacement made by Michel for the old tube navcom that runs about $1800. I would definitely suggest upgrading your starter to a skytec and losing about 15lbs. Upgrade your landing light to led and your battery to gel. This airplane does not have an alternator and instead runs on a generator so a great battery is key. One more expensive but great upgrade is engine monitoring with fuel flow. JPI makes a great unit the EDM 700. The last tip i have is have your rigging inspected by an authorized mooney center with the original rigging boards. These birds are fast because of their aerodynamics. Flight controls slightly tweeked after years of use can cause you to lose significant airspeed. I had my plane re-rigged and went from averaging around 150 mph true airspeed to 175 mph it made such a difference i had to learn how to slow the plane down in the pattern all over again.