bonal

You might try getting hold of the folks at Top Gun in Stockton. You won't be able to fly but they might have some examples that you could look over. When I was there a while back they had at least five or six in the hanger. Good luck and congratulations on your PPL.

Glad it had a happy ending. Mooney's are tough airplanes seems like fire is the big worry and if it don't catch fire you have a good chance to survive. Perhaps the thing to do is role inverted before impact to keep the wings up. So happy he walked away.

God that looks awful you sure that wasn't just sitting under a drill press.

Mooneymite you speak the truth.

What I would like to do if it were allowed would be to install an automotive battery the dry cell type. I would install it in the back where the modern Mooney's have them. The problem is not the voltage but the capacity of the current bats we can install in our early birds. Modern automotive bats have well over twice the output and capacity . Installing in the back would move my CG further back might even pick up a bit more speed. It would also open up a lot of space in the engine area making service on the motor more accessible. One of the problems with certified aircraft is we can't install things that would improve them. Not to mention costs. I am planning on installing a fuel flow meter and the options for experimental are greater and cheaper. When I browse aircraft spruce and see all the things I could afford for my plane that are not certified it makes me angry cause I can't afford the ones that are.

I guess with winter on the way all the fuel costs are dropping and perhaps with an Election Day just around the corner as well. Whatever the reason I'm glad to see it. Fore flight still has my home field at 5.77 hope that is old data or that it will come down a bit soon.

Next time it's out west I would like to join. Was there one in Paso Robles not too long ago. I'm going to check out the web.

Before I got into a hangar there were a few times that i know fuel was stolen from my aircraft. lucky that most cars cant run on leaded gas. if they ever come up with a high octane unleaded av gas the thieves will show up in groves.

yeah what the heck did the dirt ever do to him.

if I ever get a chance to leave them on for an extended period I would have to consider a time frame on the cowl removal. Seems I'm always needing to get in there for something or other. any time they come off I look and check every thing i can get to.

Thats what I meant about big picture and details they are separate things. first thing I do when I put up the Hanger doors is take in the over all look of my airplane (damn thats nice) oops sorry does it look right then get into the routine that is my preflight and start dealing with the details. always check for stains on the floor stick my head in the oil hatch and take a big sniff (any fuel smell) check the belt look for loose wires any thing I have access to I take a look. up and down on the tail correct free movement of the control surfaces, do a fuel drain then double check that the sumps closed and no drips. I also hand prop a couple cycles feeling for compression. my list goes on. pehaps my inexperience makes me double careful. I just wish I could see a little more of the engine through those 2 hatches and the nose. I too have a creased baggage door but it was that way when I bought it still acts as a reminder to check closed and locked the list goes on. none of us is perfect all we can do is our best hopefully that will always be good enough.

No matter what I visually check the oil and tanks as part of my preflight even if i prepped the plane the night before. When I have made mistakes is when there is a situation where something is not right and my focus tends to be on that one item like a battery that starts acting up then my thoughts seem to get fixated and I have made mistakes. I have to concetrate on the big picture and focus on the details at the same time. Then factor in all of lifes stress the challenges of a complex flight plan etc. its good to slow down. some times I have been distracted during a preflight and when that happened I went back to my starting point and began again.

VERY COOL! Where do I sign up? I put one of the shots as my background here at work.

I agree Clarence, I'm not suggesting we not have inspections just saying things tend to happen after work is done. As owner pilots we have a big responsibility to keep our aircraft safe and the test flight is just one of those tasks that must be done.

I admit I don't know the requirements for the King air and I was only commenting on the info that was being reported. What I do know is that my personnel experience has been problems that have happened on the test flight following an annual. A couple of minor and a couple that resulted with lets just say close calls. When something like this happens I always feel a real loss even though they are people I don't know they are flyers and part of a community that I hold in high regard.

AARGH!!! Please be careful guys and gals. I was scanning through some different news reports on this (taken with a big grain of salt) and it was pointed out the plane had just completed some extensive maintenance. could it have been the dreaded annual or 100hr inspection. I HATE THOSE! I know, lets take a perfectly good running airplane apart stirr up all its vital parts put it all back together and hope the damn thing still runs. IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT. I have had most of my scares on my first test flight following an annual. God be with the families.

I went and got a visa gift card and had my wife run it through no problem she got the auto reply on her e-mail though. She is alot better with all that on line crap than I am.

Not much but every bit helps. Got to support my daily bread

I knew there were some out there that surpassed my first but add 1 and 2 years and I hit 22amu this on a plane that had been hangared and "meticulously maintained" I think as for the CA annuals being higher you may find the common denominator as Lake aero they are very thorough. I am ready for a no squawk annual next time. one can dream cant one. best of luck.

Just completed a 3 and 4 heading check @ 8100FT found ASI to be off by about 5 knots. I would do a GPS check before anything else. just a thought.

The sump drains, are they the same as the ones in question here if so I can check and see if I have the same concern with not getting all the water out when I sump my tanks.

My prayers are to the famiies and friends. I hate it so much when this happens especially when its a mooney. As we take flight we are elated excited and full of joy doing what we love then tragedy strikes ending in the loss of life. As people who fly we strive to achieve greater things in life so the loss to our community and culture is greater than the sum of the parts. As for the drain issue well we dont know if that was the cause. That being said, can any one comment on the drains when there are O&N bladders installed. God Speed

Like the pics looking forward to some videos make sure to include some "footage" old school, from inside the pit. By the way looks like you live on a pool table got any mountains down there?

Nothing more than a cowl closure flap gap seals and the all important landing light cover

I'd be to freaked to mount a camera on the outside guess I'll stick to hand held and enjoy all the pics and vids you tech guys provide for our enjoyment.