xrs135

I'm with everyone else. I, personally, wouldn't be able to own a plane if I didn't have a hangar. It's a pride of ownership thing. In the big scheme of things, $325 a month is nothing! Personally, I think that's actually a pretty good price for a hangar (but that totally depends on where you live.) You can't look at in terms of "I could get a paint job every 3 years!" Remember financial rule #1 in aviation - you can't look at anything too closely or logically because it never makes sense!! In all seriousness though, I'm with Mooneymite in that I believe hangaring plane really cuts down how maintenance intensive your plane is. I believe not having your plane exposed to the elements with huge temperature swings does wonders!

My vote is the 10th! I don't have a preference where it is, but I'm all for a big turn out, so we should choose a place that has the highest probability of it being VFR! Is marine layer an issue that time of year in SBP?

I deleted my last post saying I can't make it. Plans changed again... If it's the 10th, I'm good to go!

Exactly! I'm aware that they have their flat cost for the annual... I'm just looking to get an idea from others what they "typically" end up spending by the time they are on their way out the door. I realize it can be a highly variable number depending on what has to be done, but I'm just looking for a ballpark figure from others.

That'd be cool to have a heads up next time you fly up there! I've never skied Mammoth before and I have always wanted to! The fiancee doesn't ski, and has no desire how to learn... So it's always nice to have somebody to go with! The conditions have got to be amazing with all this snow we've been getting!!

I've got my annual coming up in a few months. I'm thinking about taking my M20C to Top Gun in Stockton this year. I was just wondering who has experience with them and how much I can plan on spending for an 'average' annual. Obviously, I know there are cheaper avenues to take... But just wondering if someone has actual numbers from a Top Gun annual?

Unfortunately, these guys are rarely caught... and it's starting to become a very common occurrence. Even had a police helicopter hit by a green laser once and they still weren't able to catch the guy. People don't realize that it is a federal crime... My guess is that it's usually just unknowing kids.

Just an update, KMCC is down to $3.71 and I think is now the cheapest around here now!

Just curious, when you fly into MMH, how are do you get from the airport up to the resort? Do you bring your own gear or rent?

It's almost directly between the two front seat-backs when they are in the full back position - stuck to the ceiling with a flat sticky mount.

Watsonville sounds cool to me! I'm totally up for some cheap gas, and would probably just end up hopping over to MRY and making a weekend out of it! Of course, if SBP works better for people I'm good with that too!

I'm in! Weather permitting, crossing the Sierra's. Later in the month would be better for my work schedule, but I'll see what I can do!

I didn't really capture any spectacular footage during this flight, it was more or less just a "practice" flight using both of the GoPro's and also recording ATC/intercom audio for the first time. It's a 20 minute video, which is WAY longer than I prefer, but again, I was just practicing the splicing together of now two audio tracks and two video tracks. It's definitely exponentially more work editing footage when you have more than one camera! The new Hero4 Session was mounted on the tail, and I found out it has a bit of vibration compared to my old (bigger Hero3+) GoPro. I think it's because I tried using the flush mount. I will try the standard mount next time, and I expect it will get rid of the turbulent airflow that was making it vibrate ever so slightly. I also forgot to remove the neutral density filter in the cockpit as the sun started to set. For this reason, once the sun starts to set, the footage gets really really grainy and fuzzy. Lesson learned. Enjoy!

I use the Costco special $199 GoPro Hero3+ Silver. I just recently got one of the new Hero4 Sessions (super small) and I'm going to give that a try sometime in the near future. As far as mounting, it's the supplied 3M sticky mount on the left, forward, underside of the horizontal stabilizer.

I had no idea what you meant by referencing the theme song of Where Eagles Dare... but after a little bit of YouTube familiarization, it all makes sense now!

I'm not really sure... it was a King Air, and they kept saying how the runway was going to shut down, and that they were going to need to be towed off and into the ramp. It looked like they rolled out just fine though... Maybe some sort of nose wheel steering failure? Or maybe something that required them to shutdown both engines immediately after landing?

Just a short video from cruising around this afternoon. Since today is Black Friday, I was able to get another Go-Pro at a really good price... so my videos will soon have ATC audio and a cockpit view. Looking forward to that!

So speaking of plastic replacements... I ordered a foot panel as well, and I'm just wondering what's the best type of paint to use on these plastic panels?

I fly high in my C. Typically 9,500 - 12,500ft. I'm always WOT since my engine isn't producing much power up high, and 2300-2400RPM for smoothness and low fuel flows. I'm all about getting 7.5gph! On the rare occasion that I'm down low, I stick to the 23" 2300 technique or keep the sum of the two at or below 46.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/rca2600-3.php#review_tab This is probably a silly question... but I plan on replacing my old vacuum AI with a new RC Allen electric AI sometime in the near future. When I look at it on Spruce there are 3 options for tilt. I don't know anything about tilt, and just want to make sure I order the correct one when I do. I have a stock shotgun panel in my 1968 M20C... do I need to order this with tilt or not? Also, 3" is the correct size for replacing a standard attitude indicator, right? I noticed they have both 2" and 3".

Flew from Reno down to Half Moon Bay (with a stop in Cameron Park). Before we headed South down the coast, we did a quick bay tour at 800'. Visibility was extraordinary everywhere. From over the top of Sacramento, we could see clear to the Pacific Ocean, and North to Mt. Shasta! No fog anywhere to be found. Transient parking at KHAF was EMPTY on the south side of the airport - I couldn't believe it! Got some fresh Fish/Chips/Calamari and Barbara's Fish Trap, and then headed home. Great day!

13.5k in my M20C!

I often wish that I had a horn as well! Haha. The only plane I know of that ACTUALLY has one, is the BAe146. At any rate, I'm excited for this announcement as well!

They have an RNAV approach into Shelter Cove?!

Awesome! Yeah, I'd like to see that! Did you guys hit that massive updraft just southwest of the lakebed on departure? We were climbing at almost 2,000fpm with 135IAS in the C!