Ragsf15e

If you talk to Jimmy Garrison, as mentioned above, you will probably save yourself a lot of time. You might even save yourself money because he will save you from a bad airplane or at least tell you what you’re getting. If you explain to him what your mission is, he will validate, what type you’re looking for, and he will go find it if he doesn’t have one available.

New (to you) airplanes seem to know how to break…

I’ve had Old Republic for the last three years. I send them my check, they send me a document that says I’m insured. No other experience. I went through airspeed insurance. He’s here on Mooney space often. he said, old republic was at least as good as the one I had before, which was global. He knows the ins and outs of exactly what they cover, and how they handle claims.@Parker_Woodruff

You can check a few things like turning off the squelch to see if you hear them faintly or not at all and adjust volume based on static. If you don’t hear static, might also be a problem with your audio panel? Is there an “rx” receive indicator that shows when it’s receiving?

You’ll eventually find that O2 is a major issue in these small planes. One you never worry about in your jet. If you fly above 10k without it, you’ll eventually feel crappy. If you’re on it at 25k and it fails, will you know in time? And will you be able to get back down or do you have a backup? Does your wife like an uncomfortable mask for several hours? Also, it can be expensive to refill and maintain. Before i’m flamed, of course planes with O2 are good and I definitely use a portable system, but it’s definitely one more thing to consider, especially really high (above 20ish).

True, although either are probably enough for ~6 hours total, 5 hours flying with 1 hour reserves is more butt time than most people want. Not everyone feels that way…

Cliff notes: J-~150-165ktas 8.5-12gph Lean of peak (efficient) or rich of peak (slightly faster) easy No built in O2 Simple maintenance Will get you into the low-mid teens in altitude if you must, but best around 6-10k neither J or K are deice equipped (except a few encore Ks) so IFR is fine but no ice A k can get over some weather better

I’ve had my Mooney for about 10 years. No regrets on the F model that I got, but you really have to get your mind around spending as much as you can on the purchase (with enough in reserve for the engine, avionics and maintenance). Looking back, I almost wish I would’ve bought more airplane, because I could’ve spent a little more on the purchase at the time. If you try to save money by finding a “good deal”, it’s actually a bad deal. If you don’t want a project, You really need to find an airplane priced right but at the top end of your price range. if you must have a turbo, and all the turbo airplanes, you can afford, are on the low end of turbo in the high end of your price range, then there’s your problem. especially with the dogs, I might really consider an ovation or a J model. Either one might cost more than that K for a good one, but they can go plenty high to get over the mountains. Nothing wrong with the turbo if you find one priced right.

I really like using progressives and didn’t take long to get use to them after 45 years with no glasses. For me, everything is “far” except reading a map or phone, so the instrument panel is “far” and it’s easy to see it and outside.

Geez, @N201MKTurbo nailed that one from long range!

Welcome back!

Seen the movie Bat 21 though? Almost makes me want one… great (and little known) flying/war movie.

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/ntsb-fedex-plane-disabled-landing-gear-suffered-leak-104185678 make sure your backup system is working when you have the chance!

Yours was probably built with electric gear from the start so maybe better coordinated. Mine is a 1968, built with a jbar but modified at the factory (before delivery) with electric gear. the interesting thing would be to know if your floor gear indicator dims, but I don’t think it will. It may already be dim with a 24v light in it?

And even that is only on newer models. Mine has the “cat eye” manual closure to “dim” the gear lights on the panel.

Yep, just realized that. Mine took a 336. Here’s the thread with pictures if it helps anyone.

Some are moded with different light receptacles too, mine took a very slightly different bulb. I think a GE327 but I’ll have to find the old thread.

Im not sure the floor light dims. I could be wrong (and mine is led so doesn’t dim with the stock nav dimmer). It looks like the vintage airplanes have power for the light wired directly to the down limit switch with nothing connected to a dimming circuit. Maybe in newer ones? Another thing to remember is that it’s only on when gear are down. I still wouldn’t want it to be blinding at night though…

I recently replaced my bulb with an LED version in my 14v system. It is very bright, and I like it a lot during the day, however, I do not fly very often at night. Be careful removing the light socket, but it sounds like you already did. The wires down there are easily breakable.

If 1 sensorcon is good, 2 is definitely better!

Yeah apparently that one is held by mod works and is never coming back to life…

It will change quickly. If a plug wasn’t firing you’d also feel roughness. It would likely be pretty obvious. Try #1, maybe you have a partially clogged injector.

Another thing, where’s your battery? If it’s in the tail is there any way to warm the cockpit and or tail area with warm air? If the battery is in the engine compartment, probably fine from your warm air. Depending on your avionics, some people like to preheat to help out older gyros.

All that sounds ok and similar to my winter ops in slightly warmer eastern Washington. Are you able to get your oil temps up above 180 and keep them there? Mine does fine with that even in very cold air but some people cover part of their oil cooler in the winter.

Normally the j bar is directly connected to the gear… are you saying theres a jbar in the airplane but it doesn’t normally move with the electric gear?