mike20papa

My favorite "picture" is the theory of a single vane pump, powered by either gravity or the prop, displacing air with a force equivalent to make gravity slightly less or greater than zero. Banking induces geometric forces acting less than 100% efficient of said force. Aggravated attitudes greater than airfoil optimum efficiency induce "PUMP CAVITATION" or airfoil flow separation - "the stall". My other applied memory is the feeling of being in the bay area waters off the Houston ship channel, an approaching ship, perhaps a mile away, sucking/displacing water like a vacuum cleaner, actually "mounding" water around the vessel as it approaches. When flying in the vicinity of birds, I think of them in this "field of displacement" struggling to get free. Hence, any in the approaching field of vision, I aid them in their escape, banking hard to "overshoot" their physically limited maneuverability.

Well, that's interesting. Thanks Clarence!

I found a source of slop in the nose wheel linkage can be associated with a #10 machine screw that if not tightened fully allows the initial movement in the stearing linkage to have no effect on turning. It is the only philips head fastener in this photo. I replaced it with a AN3 bolt of similar length and with the hex head you can properly torque it and remove the play. Made a big difference in ground handling.

What did you have to pay for 100LL at some of these remote fields? Looks like a fantastic trip!

I see lots of possibilities for probable corrosion related electrical connection failures. My IA thinks the most overlooked system of any light AC built since 1990's is the wiring. Thinks it's the FAA's most overlooked area to issue those hateful, sweeping AD's. I completely rewired my '59 A model, and while it was no simple task, it sure was worth the effort.

Without a doubt ... but what an absolute crying shame that builder/pilot & craft are no longer with us.

Okay.. a propeller expert! Tell me kind sir, I follow what is the recommended procedure for greasing my Hartzel prop and I typically see small amount of grease on the cowling opening. A fine mist of grease on the windscreen. The prop is newly OH with about 300 hrs. I'm coming up on annual and do I follow the manual and dose it with another six squirts of the grease gun or just what?

If it's this black residue when the fuel evaporates..I would suspect the rubber diaphragm is decomposing due to either age or exposure to mogas. My lawn mower engines will exhibit something similar..after hours & hours of operation, the clear plastic fuel filters turn black. I suspect it is from long term effects of minimal amounts of alcohol in mogas working on the fuel lines. You said this crap came out of the fuel system after running the aux. fuel pump, right? Did you sample the fuel before or after it ran thru the engine driven pump?

ok

The thing about the Power Flow exhaust is it looks like a "beat to fit" installation. One of the additional features of owning an A model..is ...besides the termites..I get to fit the 180 hp with a cross over exhaust system that actually fits the air frame and the carb heat system as originally designed. Until you've owned one, you never knew how simple the installation could be. Power Flow compares their performance numbers to a "standard" system. What does that mean. Lycoming claims that a cross flow exhaust scavenges better than a "standard" exhaust. The later model Mooney exhaust with the ribbed single muffler and single pipe is not a cross flow muffler and it is a "beat to fit" compared to the original dual muffler cross flow system. Acorn Exhaust Mooney Mark-20_20A.pdf

When they build 'em out of titanium, I might pay $4K.

Economizer Jet - Marbel Scehbler shows the fabled Economizer Jet or what some pilots claim as an WOT enrichment jet/circuit only on the model MA4-5AA not the MA4-5 that is applicable to our 180hp O-360's. I don't know if the Bendix fuel injection is set up with one, or not. I've carefully watched fuel flows as I've back off WOT and never noticed any step in the fuel flow indicating I backed off some enrichment circuit or jet.

To me, the retractable gear is a design feature that cuts parasitic drag where parasitic drag needs to be cut. You don't, for airframe fabrication convenience, cut parasitic drag by utilizing some highly theoretical airfoil, that leaves the gear hanging out, that when miss handled bucks your ass off head first into terra firma. Give me Al's laminar flow airfoil, as lightly loaded as possible, gear up and with all the HP I can put in front of the fire wall - that's what makes a Mooney a winning ship.

I have this conversion too and with two separate switches on the "split master" one controls the alt field, the other the battery master contactor. The STC lists a "don't" that says never to open the battery switch when the alternator is running. I don't have this "placard" on my panel, but rather in my head..like don't engage the starter when the engine is running, don't confuse engine controls while operating & don't imagine there's fuel in the tank when there isn't.

Are you referring to "shunt" as travel? And that the replacement cable assemblies from McFarlane don't have the travel/shunt you need? Why not replace the whole cable? These new cables are so much superior with nylon inner tube. Replace the attachment at the carb heat lever with one of those superior designed connectors, move on... There's a guy in the hangar next to me with a Cardinal, he's an A&P and has been up-grading the panel...going on over a year, he's a very "by the book" fellow and employed a DER to approve a mod he made to his panel. This DER would never give him any answer for OVER A YEAR. Finally called another DER and the guy told him the mod in question.."..WHY?...that's not a brace (as structural) but a stiffener (as in non-structural/minor modification)...get on with it" Even this answer wasn't good enough, he called the FSDO and they danced around as usual, he called Cessna and some other FAA office up in OK City and finally got party A to email the second party of the opinion of the first party,, on & on and BS till you can't take another word of it. This entire FAA, current state of government floundering and circular dilemma formulation of a solution is gona drive us all insane.

This what my A model performs at. About 500hrs on newly OH carb & engine. Yes, the fuel flow maybe +/- depending on if the float needle valve open or closed, but these are one hell of a (certified) economical, engine/airframe combination. I need to pull & hone the cylinders on left bank and replace rings. Comp. still in the 70's, but pulls through cold with "truth be known". Fly on.

Anyone who has put in the single piece windshield or the 201 kit can attest to the work required - just fitting the windshield in place. The thicker plastic takes a lot of shaping to get to fit at the bottom inside corners and everywhere else. It is as much an artistic effort as a mechanic's exercise. I would advise anyone thinking about the job to expect to have their patience tried to the limit. All I've been brave enough to attempt is the single piece upgrade and you can see some of the "sculpting" required to get a descent fit. A pneumatic die grinder fitted with a small sanding drum is the tool I found most useful.

20 inches...! Cruise descent in my A model is 16 inches, keep the same mixture at cruise power till you approach pattern alt. Set the trim up for 500fpm descent and earn back all of that climb energy. Now I know flying in Texas is not like the UK, but coming down thru the condensation level I 'm primarily worried about the yellow arc, then gear extension is never a problem. Also, if you're having problems reaching gear extension speed, trim settings for a descent landing are never going to be achieved. If your fast & high on approaching the pattern, pull the power off, pull the nose up like you mean it, roll the airplane into a steep turn and lay off the elevator. Do it left then right and level off when you get to pattern altitude & 120 mph.. By the way, I'm usually around 12 in at pattern...20 inches and I would be in the next county! I religiously use 100mph gear extension in my A model, and it's never a problem getting to it. I tell other pilots that the most difficult thing about flying a mooney can be to simply get it to quit flying!

When working on your Mooney from the "inside" wedged with your shoulders between the wheel well and the cabin skin, your head ringing from banging it on the bottom of the panel trying to decide if it's best to work on your back, or on your stomach, you'll be wishing for the "mini me" available down at Harbor Freight, unfortunately he only speaks Chinese and is completely clueless when it comes to AN bolt designations, but patience with your new "little buddy" will pay off big time.

Yes, I'm the same when it comes to wooden aircraft structures. I went looking for an A model, only to find later that the "experts" looked down their nose at them. Here's a photo of the Piel CP328 wing I built.

I have both a KLN90B and a KNS80 in my A model. It's fun to turn them both on and see just how accurate the old KNS80 is. The KNS80 is so easy to use and I think drives the CDI more precisely.

I fly a '59 A model, N8335E. If you own a wood wing you don't have to worry with tank reseals as the fuel tanks are removable/repairable. But, at every annual, you are required to remove the aft tank under the back seat in the fuselage. Not an easy job, but you or your A&P can get the hang of it. Insurance is found through select groups, only. Don't even try with AVEMCO or equal. I use Sharpe Aviation Insurance (Pam Sharpe) and the premium is around $800 a year. I haven't flown another Mooney, but the A model performs very well and is economical as hell. I can cruise around down low at 6.5g/hr at 120mph IAS or climb up and it'll true out at 155mph at about 7.5 g/hr. @ 2400rpm/20in. At under 12lbs/ft wing loading, it handles well and I feel comfortable slipping it, flying "unusual attitudes", in/out of shortgrass strips, it has a lot of great attributes.

I think Mooneys ground handling is unique for a couple of reasons. First, the nose wheel is always directly linked to the rudder, it never disconnects like a Cessna nose wheel. Xwind landings are different, to say the least. Second, the aircraft sits with considerable weight on the nose. When landing full stall, the nose rotates thru and comes down with a distinctive "suredness" Then, it will "over steer" due to the weight, especially if you relax the yoke. For me, take off is the same, keep the yoke back or else it's over steer tendencies can get to be an aggravation. Now, that said, I would check the linkage, it's all very short coupled and any play can cause excessive nose wheel steering issues. Next annual, raise the nose and by hand move the nose wheel right/left and check for play at center position. There are several places to check for wear. For now, just enjoy the airplane where it belongs..in the air. The ground taxi is just an inconvenience.

With the AC up on jacks, you could disconnect the links from the gear and see if that allows the bar to go easily into full lock down position. Or, you could also check to see if the preload is set to high. This can be easily done by simply checking to see if you can rotate (by hand) the gear actuation tubes that you adjust for the preload. Typically, if the Heims are so stiff, you can't rotate them by hand when the gear is down, then the J bar will be difficult to get to lock full down - without "slamming" the bar forward when the gear swings down. If this is not the problem, then you probably do have an issue with carpet or the boot not providing enough clearance between the j bar and the nose wheel well. Joe