RLCarter

Airport manager brought it up at an airport board meeting, I have a meeting with him on Tuesday, will ask if he has documents from the FAA I could see

Yep, I tell my pax before they even get seated good, they still manage to try and shut it several times before I have time to remind them......

Heard that all 3 character airport identifiers will be getting changed to K??? To get aligned with ICOA...

Current AC If management can't get it corrected give your FSDO a call

Once the door is open and the handle released on mine both rods are exposed, no way it closing no matter how hard you slam it

Doesn't sound right, even in a C-150 you wouldn't have enough time 1 mile out, IFR would be damn near impossible

I haven’t really found anything, and I’ve searched multiple times, most are doors opening in flight or not sealing. I guess my question is this the normal way to have to shut the door? Looking at the 2 rods # 43 & 45, it seem that if the door is open #45 “lock, pin should be retracted fully so the door would shut with out having to rotate either handle, #43 “catch” is beveled leaving me to think the door should be able to be closed either by pushing or pulling until the “catch” is engaged, then rotating the interior handle would engage the “lock pin”

I believe my door latch might need some looking into, my door has never come open in flight and seals very well. From the outside with the door closed the handle doesn't lay parallel with door, while latching from the inside it doesn't seem to go over center but it does rotate and pull the door tight at both latching points. The one thing that is prompting to me to take a look at it is closing the door requires either handle to be rotated to the open position or the lower rod that pulls the door in hits the door frame. I wouldn't think this is correct but I'm just not sure.

For some reason twins seem to be 3 times the maintenance cost, then the added fuel cost just isn't worth it for me. Had the chance to buy a C-310 a few years back that was just annualed but the props had roughly 250 hrs left (AD), typical older panel, could have picked it up 15k

Congrats!!!!!!...maybe

Maybe some motion lotion is in order?

Seeing all the wires, plumbing, avionics, control rods and all the other stuff that is crammed behind the panel all exposed can make you think twice about even having someone else do it. One thing that I saw somewhere was an owner doing his own panel and he used plexiglass or lexan so that he could see both sides at the same time, once everything was where it needed to be and clearances was good the plexi was used as a template, seemed like a good idea to me.

Not sure why you think you did something wrong. You mention it had the wrong tube, who installed the wrong one? Why was it wrong.....size, valve stem, both? Pinched tubes generally show up as soon as you try to air it up. I assume the cut is in the tire and not the wheel. Tubes hold air, flat tires come off wheels, my guess is you had an old fashion flat... Walk around on ramps, taxi ways and runways, you'll be amazed at all the hardware and crap the fall off airplanes, I have found 2 dipsticks and a bunch of hardware, a buddy recently found a tail wheel assembly complete with yoke.

I'm a steam guy as well (but I do love my iPad), neither my Mooney or the 172 I fly have a std 6 pk, will probably change the Mooney then the 172 with in a year or so. Will probably cut my own panels seeing how I have the CAD/CAM software plus access to a digitizer and a water jet.

Dan, If it was me I would fix it. A very large percentage of re-sealing the tanks is getting the old sealant out (not hard work, just a lot of work). If the aircraft is at your home field, taxi it back to the hangar and get busy stripping the old stuff out of the tanks under the guidance of an A&P, if its not at your home field, have one tank and the fuel system cleaned (not re-sealed) of all the crap that has come off and fly it home on that tank (ferry permit if needed). If you don’t have a hangar to work out of, find one, you wont be flying so the money you save on fuel should pay for the hangar, also once in a place and it looks like its going to stay for a while call your insurance company and drop the “Hull in Motion” coverage seeing how it wont be flying. Care needs to be taken removing the access panels so you don’t bend them getting them off, once they are off the work begins. I’ve watched a local A&P/IA do several Mooneys, he has a grunt that can thoroughly strips & cleans both tanks (52gal) in about 75 hours. Once the A&P is happy with the cleaning, he preps and seals the tanks. The prep and sealing is a 2 or 3-step process, which is another 15 hours or so. There are several people on here (MS) that have or helped seal their own tanks with very good results. There are chemical strippers that speed up the process but also add to the cost and risk of damaging the paint, all he uses is 3 or 4 plastic (NO METAL) scrappers (modified shapes), small (toothbrush size) stainless steal brush, scotch-brite pads and some MEK and/or Acetone. There is a Service Bulletin SB M20-230A and AD 85-24-03 dealing with sealing the fuel tanks that need to be complied with. I would think working just 5~6 hrs a week you would be back in the air in by the end of summer. There are a lot of aircraft besides Mooneys with "Wet Wing" fuel tanks and the materials needed are readily available.

§ 3.672 Fuel quantity indicator. Means shall be provided to indicate to the flight personnel the quantity of fuel in each tank during flight. Tanks, the outlets and air spaces of which are interconnected, may be considered as one tank and need not be provided with separate indicators. Exposed sight gauges shall be so installed and guarded as to preclude the possibility of breakage or damage. Fuel quantity indicators shall be calibrated to read zero during level flight when the quantity of fuel remaining in the tank is equal to the unusable fuel supply as defined by § 3.437.

I've heard (according to the FAA) that the only time the gauge HAS to be accurate is when it's empty, so I would assume there is a way to adjust it, more than likely by bending the rod the float is mounted to?

As the disks age the rubber gets compressed and becomes harder than Chinese arithmetic, with new disks the rubber is compressible, add that to the trailing link system and you get a "bobbing ride", just my theory......

Two types of bonding (primer/paint), the best is a chemical bond where you prime and paint within the given time. If for what ever reason you can't get the paint on in time then it's a mechanical bond. Looks to me both photos was either the wrong paint for the primer or piss poor prep. I would tell them to completely strip and redo, also never wax or seal any new paint for a minimum of 120 days, sealing traps the solvents in the paint and you get what is called "solvent popping" (go figure) which looks like air bubbles that show up days/weeks later.

Saw this a while back, might be of some value

The plane is in McAllen Tx? I'm based in Weslaco (T65) 20 min drive, pm me if I can help, I know several good A&P/IA's in the aera

Weights & Arms are in the Type Certificate Data Sheet on the FAA's website HERE

Had Champions in a 0-300 (172 rental) would foul out in 75~100hrs and fail in 200~250hrs, switched to Tempest (massive) fouling all but went away. They did get cleaned and checked at the 100hr inspections, I replaced them at 800hrs when it was taken off lease. Tempest for me on both plugs and oil filters, for now I can't see spending the money for the fine wires

The national avg for ppl is 60hrs (40 required), IR can be done in the required 40. PPL took me a year due to work, I would go take an introductory flight and see how that goes. Two other things come to mind, are there mountains between you and your customers? Also check with your accountant to see what can be written off. Other than than get your ticket and enjoy flying, great way to forget about long hours of work

Coming from the motorcycle industry I half way enjoyed bringing my E back to life. I really don't think there will be a time when there isn't something to tinker with but at least it's a flying project now. MS is an awesome place for information, find an A&P/ IA that will work with you and get it done. Oh, welcome aboard.