Bravoman

I understand that if you use an oil with comparable additives such as aeroshell it would be duplicative. I use Phillips which has no additive so I use it. Everything I've read and heard indicates it certainly can't hurt, particularly if you're not flying your bird a couple times a week. If you're flying several hours per week chances are you don't need oil additives.

A door popping open is never a big deal. It only becomes a big deal if it serves as a source of distraction. Fly the plane as you normally do and button her up on the ground.

I'm no accountant but I would think that for most of us airplanes are like boats in terms of buying new. In other words you can always find a well taken care of slightly used example for a much less cost. And the used one does everything just as well and sometimes better.

Heck, just cut to the chase and get an acclaim type s!

Only in the blue states! Down here you better be ready to eat hog and hot cakes!

It occurred to me today that perhaps the aircraft was over gross or loaded too far aft of cg. I was not aware of the mis fueling possibility but it is hard to believe that the line guys at pdk would mistake a toga for some type of turbine. This occurred to me because I know from experience that it is important to properly distribute the load and a heavy and tail loaded toga flies like an altogether different plane. I am curious how much fuel was on board because if it were full that would probably leave about 600 or so pounds of payload in a retract toga, and if it was a later model, particularly a TC, as little as 400 lbs. This possibility occurred to me because I hadn't heard anyone suggest the engine wasn't making power. There were 4 people and a dog on board and I'm assuming luggage. It was relatively warm. Lots of variables and unknowns which make it hard to know if weight or loading played a role, and I am assuming some of the missing elements of the equation will be made known as time progresses. I for one will certainly be following this one closely.

And the nice thing about bladders is that if they start to leak you can add cialis to the fuel because the ad says it controls BPH!

Absolutely! One of my favorite stops. You run a great airport!

Taking off out of PDK doesn't leave lots of options in the event of power loss. I am sure from the location of the crash site that he did not have sufficient altitude to return to the field. Probably trying what appeared to be the only viable option---putting it down on 285.

I've met you a couple of times when I've stopped in at BGF. Last time I tried to come you all had run out of fuel and I believe it was you who radioed me from your Lance and suggested THA. Always enjoy stopping at BGF, real friendly group of folks. I got the Mooney and a fixed gear Toga. You the airport manager, correct?

Hate when it happens, particularly out of home base. Anyone know N #?

A picture is worth a thousand words. You need to show him why you are the Resident expert on weight and balance!

For a useful load like that the only planes that fit the bill or even come close are the PA 32s, particularly the vintage ones, and the big cessnas(206, 207, and 210). All great planes. I have a fixed gear 82 Toga and love it. My wife likes it better than the Mooney because she can sit in back and comfortably work when we are traveling. As I have said before, mooneys, even the long bodies, are two persons and luggage aircraft. Of course, IMO the Mooney is the way to go when it is just you or have one passenger.

I used Fla Flight maintenence for pre purchase and annual in late 13. Dave Green, who had been on the field for years and was very knowledgable on mooneys ran the shop at that time and I understand he left shortly after I got my plane back. I think the place was in flux at the time because communication was very poor and it took over two months to get my plane done. To be fair though, one of the things they did was a complete strip and reveal of the tanks. I used this shop because of proximity to seller who was in ft Myers but had never used the shop so I figured they would be objective in their assessment. No complaints regarding quality of the work though.

I saw a commentator on CNBC a number of years back who talked about how paying for a child's college education was a poor investment toward ones own retirement. Can't remember all of the particulars but he had some interesting and compelling points. I do think it is rediculous for someone to pay 250k for a child to get an English lit or sociology degree or the like which have little or no utility. I for one insist that the program of study have utility, ie business, engineering, etc, if I am to make a contribution.

+1 on the toga. I have an 82 fixed gear and don't think I'll ever get rid of it. 1420 lb useful load which means full fuel and about 800 lbs payload. I flight plan for 145 knots. Handles turbulence really well and an excellent ifr platform. Pretty cheap to maintain too. Insurance probably a little more than 182 because of six seats. Probably more comparable to the 206 but I've always preferred low wing aircraft.

The one saving grace is that my oldest boy is on an Air Force rotc scholarship at auburn in the aeronautical engineering program(yes he has his ppl ), so my costs are real reasonable on that end of things!

I just annualed my bravo and went through everything with a fine tooth comb and replaced a bunch of stiff that was still working but original to my now 17 yr old plane. I fly a lot in imc and want the peace of mind. I don't even want to say how much this annual cost me but a lot of it was my doing and I anticipate the next couple of years being a fraction of this years cost.

Robb, just out of curiosity which attachment point do you use, the upper or lower on the back plate that holds the iPad? On mine, which is probably identical to yours, there are two options. I'm not looking at mine now, but I believe it came out the box with the neck attached to the upper attachment point. It seems to position the iPad a bit too high, at least on my Saratoga. May be different on the Mooney, I haven't tried it there yet. Regards, Frank

I just annualed my plane and decided to put in a new left alternator "prophylactically" since the old one was original to the aircraft. The old one was functioning properly but I figured all good things must come to an end since the aircraft is now 17 years old with a little over a thousand hours. Regards, Frank

You Randy's son by any chance?

Concur on Joe Cole. I'm picking my plane up from the annual tomorrow and can personally attest that he goes over it with a fine tooth comb!

I appreciate the input. I find the Mooney to be a fantastic airplane to land--like on rails and I grease it on consistently, more so even than the Cherokee. My approach speed is always 75-80 kias and I guess I need to keep practicing a little slower over the fence, particularly when the airplane is light Don, I would love to spend a few days with you later this year. I have a college buddy who lives in Santa Clara so it would be a dual purpose visit to the "left coast"! Regards, Frank

I love the 400. It is a real monster with that 8 cylinder Lyc!

I apologize if this has been the subject of a previous thread, but I was wondering what folks comfort level was landing the Bravo on "short" strips. I realize that there is some subjectivity in that definition, but for me it's anything around 2700-2800 '. I have done it at St Augustine and for me it is the absolute shortest I would do, particularly with any kind of obstacle at the approach end. I also fly a fixed gear Saratoga, which is nothing more than a big Cherokee, and I am comfortable down to about 1800'. That is a fairly big delta on my comfort level as between the two aircraft, but I figure it is in part due to my relative inexperience in the Mooney, in which I now have about 120 hrs. Regards, Frank