gsxrpilot

Robert and I are always in disagreement here but I've just never experienced any issues with grass, dirt or gravel strips. I've only had my Mooney in to 10 or 11 of these strips and two of them were gravel. All were charted or published strips, but most were marked as Private. I've never felt that I came close to damaging my Mooney going in or out of any of them. And there are several more I intend to visit with the Mooney. For me the issue is generally length. With my 252 I like to have a bit more length than I needed with the M20C. Granted there are many other aircraft that are even better suited for grass strips. But since I live in Texas and the good grass strips I want to visit, are in Idaho, I need a fast traveling plane to take me there. :-) But once there, the Mooney seems to work well enough. Take a look at piperpainter on youtube for some grass strip Mooney action. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeV3nI-kcmpeSzrBYOnMcdw

Any Mooney Service Center can order the parts. SWTA, DMax, LASAR, etc...

To answer your question about engine value on selling... I agree with @Bob - S50 that I'd rather buy a runout engine and do the overhaul/replace/breakin/etc myself. But if that's not the option... I'm a lot more interested in an engine with between 500 and 1000 hour since... rather than a new 0 hour or low hour engine. If the engine's got 500 hours in the last 3 to 5 years, I don't care who, how, or what the engine is. I'm happy to buy the plane as having a fresh engine. If' it's got 100 hours or less on it, then I'm more concerned and would probably pass it up and look for a plane with either a runout engine or a 500 hour plus engine. To me factory fresh or overhaul by an engine shop (not your local A&P) doesn't make a difference.

I hope you can get some local help. But if you're stuck, give me a shout tomorrow (Monday) I might be able to help.

That's a bummer. I assume you left the plane in KSEP? I've changed a nose wheel with just a couple of full size guys pushing down on the horizontal stab. The nose comes up pretty easy... at least on a short or mid-body Mooney. No jack needed. Hope you can find the wheel/tire/tube you need.

I'm not an A&P but have researched engine monitors very thoroughly and wouldn't own a Mooney without one. The CGR-30C can be Primary for anything displayed on the main screen. And therefore those corresponding factory gauges can be removed. Just a bit on the basis for my information... I installed a G2 in my first Mooney and kept the factory engine gauges except for the CHT and EGT gauges. Later the tach failed and I had to replace that as well. With my second Mooney, I already had some failing gauges and didn't want to do the job twice. So I installed the EDM-900 which would do everything in one unit. It was cheaper than installing the CGR units as I would have had to had both the P and C to cover everything. Or I'd have had to go as you did, G3 for temps and CGR for everything else. The EDM-900 also took less real estate then having two gauges.

I'd missed the bit where you've already got a G3 to cover the CHT/EGT requirement. The CGR-30C can be primary for whatever you can display on the main screen. With CHT/EGT on the G3, you might be able to get everything else, including fuel gauges on the main screen. Basically if you've got it on the main screen of the 30C, you can remove the corresponding factory gauge. Does that make sense?

Are we talking about the CGR-30P or CGR-30C? Some posts in this thread refer to one, and some to the other. With both gauges, you can remove all the stock primary gauges. But with only one of the instruments, you have to choose which stock gauges it will replace. It can't replace all of them. The 30P will include MP, RPM, CHT, EGT and any 3 other gauges. The 30C will include any gauges except for MP, RPM. To replace all required engine gauges in a Mooney, you'd need both the P and the C instruments. Or you can replace them all with a single EDM900, EDM930, or MVP-50.

Have you tried flipping the stereo/mono switch on the Halos? That made the difference for me prior to upgrading my audio panel to a PMA450a.

Nope. You'll need to buy another one to be able to eliminate the fuel gauges. And exactly why I don't see the CGR as a good buy.

If you don't like the Halo's you'll sell them quick here or on Beechtalk. Phil can't seem to make enough of them to keep up with demand.

@Skates97 come out here to Texas and fly a few Mooneys with different panels. You're welcome to fly mine from the left seat and see what you think. Then over a few beers, we can talk through the pro's and con's and the decision process.... Just wait until October, it's too hot to fly in Texas right now. The DA here in Austin might be FL200.

Yeah, sarcasm, humor, and a whole host of other things are difficult to get across in an internet post. And especially when I'm a few pisco sours deep. They are particularly good in Lima Peru. I've changed headsets a couple of times. I typically sit in the plane and work out how they work. With the Bose and the Lightspeeds, there are lots of buttons and features and bluetooth to figure out. With the Halos, there is a stereo/mono switch and a volume dial. That's it. You can certainly try different ear buds. It comes with three different types. And then there is the mic. But regardless, I agree in flight might not be the best time to experiment, but certainly sitting on the ramp with the prop spinning isn't a terrible option for trying out a new product, technology, solution, etc. If I tried it out and it was terrible at blocking noise and was having to yell in the microphone, I'd assume I wasn't using them correctly and spend a few minutes to sort it out. There are countless posts on this forum and others claiming they are better than Bose/Lightspeed ANR's. Now whether they are or aren't is subjective. But it would seem to be safe to assume that they are close the same experience. And therefore if you're having to yell into the mic to be heard, it stands to reason that you might spend 30 seconds manipulating the mic with your fingers, different positions, rotate it around, etc. The Halo's are just super simple with very few options and so pretty quick to run through all of them and see what works best for you. Most people, (not all) love them.

Just bring your plane to Texas... :-)

Goals are important in aviation. Learn to fly Get a plane Fly out and land at the Chicken Strip These three steps might take some time... and a Mooney might not be the best choice of plane... but no reason it can't be done. I'm not confident I could get my M20K off the soft surface in the allotted 1300 ft. I'm pretty sure my M20C would have handled it easily.

Learn to use them... it might take another 30 sec.

There is certainly a technique to launching off a gravel strip that can minimize damage to the prop. I've launched my Mooney from the gravel strips at CYYQ, CYGX, and have been in and out of BurningMan (88NV) several times without any prop or other damage to my airplane. Just be careful, use proper technique and you'll be fine.

Hahahahah.... some people are just to ignorant to even know to be embarrassed.

I've been a loyal Spot user for quite a few years. And still think it's a very useful product for a lot of different activities where remote locations are the norm. I started using them when I was flying long cross countries in Australia in a Hang glider. I would often land in very remote locations and need a driver to find me. The Spot was very useful. But in our airplanes, there are just so many other options. I haven't used my Spot in some time now, and won't be renewing the service. Why pay for Spot when FlightAware will do it for free? The last time I used it was this summer flying to Churchill Manitoba. I knew I'd be out of radar coverage for hundreds of miles. But even then I was in contact with other pilots, and even ATC most of the time. So I agree, the Spot just doesn't make any sense for the type of flying we do, and the airplanes we fly.

Yes I have the molded ear plugs. I got a set from an audiologist in Austin and LOVE them. Then I got another set made at Oshkosh from Fit Ear. And they're even better, if that's possible. I've got a couple of 1AMU ANR headsets knocking around in the back seat on the off chance someone sits back there. My wife and I in the front seats haven't worn anything but our Halo's going on four years now.

That didn't take long.

http://www.jewellaviation.com/default.htm

You said it. I couldn't even listen to the whole thing.

Interesting... one of the reasons I love the Halo's is because I wear O2 so much. I can take the Halo's off my head and let them set on my shoulders with the ear buds still in place. It makes it easy to wear either the cannulas or a mask. When I'm on O2, I'm high enough that I'm not talking to anyone very often. I just pick up the mic and hold it to my mouth when I need to respond on the radio.

Correct, my mistake. Gross weight goes from 2900 to 3130. But there's no change in gear. Only brakes, doors and counter weights.