Sfcrusscanter

My turn to jump in... Hi, my name is Russ and I'm suffering from Mooney-itis... My current bird for the last 10 years is a Tripacer. It's mainly good for the local fly-ins at short grass strips and hauling the five year old grandchildren (getting them hooked early in life). I pulled the cylinders off the engine to send off for overhaul, then promptly had foot surgery; so between the two, I can only read about flying until spring time. I keep seeing older Mooneys for sale but I keep coming back to at least an F model. I figure the grandkids will only keep growing and I'd need extra legroom eventually. One of the other criterial would be electric gear, my right shoulder has been rebuilt twice and since I'm a farmer i can see me wearing it out again... I was really considering a Super Viking for a while after I did a couple ferry flights for a doctor in one, however it's a heavy bird to push in and out of a hanger by yourself and I'm not getting any younger... Right now I'm just following along everyone's Mooney stories and dreaming the fast life. I still figure I'd keep the Tripacer, I just don't see dropping in on my friend's 800 foot strip in a fast mover... Thanks for all of your postings and letting me ramble... Abilene, Kansas area Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

My doctor said I was in great shape for a 65 year old, except that I just turned 54.... Every now and then I feel like a 35 year old, but the wife won't let me chase them. So, I take the grandkids flying with me in the hoopty. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Finally getting to look at the logbooks and the plane tomorrow. Still will be waiting for the estate to be settled but getting closer.

One of the late model Beech 18's. I know this one is still out there, I just haven't found her yet. I found my old U-21A that the Army sold off, but I think the Beech 18's have more style.

I'll try to get hold of Mark Wiebe in Halstead, KS between the holidays and get idea of what to look for when doing the annual. The sons will want to sell, but first the court will need to designate the executive for the estate. Then I'll deal with that one. The son's are all older than I am and none of them fly. It will pick up in a couple of months, once the estate starts getting the bills for the two hangers from the city. I always seem to find deals, so I can take the time with this one. Might try to make it a two for one special... His other plane is a 1960 C172A. Would annual it an sell it, then buy better radios for the M20A.

A lot of good comments and more for me to look into. Here are some pictures of the M20A, and one of the Super Viking I passed on buying this past summer.

Wow, a lot of quick replies since I typed this last night. The log books should be found eventually. I did swing by the shop that did the annual in 2010 and the owner gave me the file with his copies of the last annual and 337's for the tail replacement. So I have a starting point and the engine time was at 1845 hours. I'm thinking that it would pretty much be the aircraft time since it still had the old tail that should have been replaced decades ago. My IA does a lot of old Waco's and mono coupes, he has several birds that he restored for people that placed well in OSK, so I should be covered if needing woodwork. The interior is original, ie... shot... I've replaced the interior of a Tripacer before, so I figure I can do this one as well. I will have to work out a deal with the IA so his son would install some decent Nav/Coms. I hate chasing sparks... I went through the Lycoming engine school several years ago and I'm not worried about the firewall forward area. I wouldn't be selling it for a while. I just want something faster than my hoopty for visiting family back east. But the hoopty is good for local flyins and dropping into 1200 foot grass strips my friends have. Thank you guys for the feedback. I'm going to like this site. Russ

I'm looking at a 1959 M20A that is now a two time estate sale. The last ower had also bought it at an estate sale, had it ferried up here, replaced the wooden tail and annualed. It was flown once after that, then his health went down hill too. The annual expired in 2011 and hasn't moved since then. His sons are still looking for the log books. I have my A&P and do most of the work for my own annuals with my IA keeping track of me. Most of my maintenance has been on military aircraft, and my Tripacer. My question is about the about landing gear bungees. How often should they be changed out? I'm looking for service manuals and researching the M20A. Hoping to make it into a XC bird for the wife and me. I have time in F33A's, BE-58's and a Super Viking. I almost bought the Viking... But now I'm thinking the M20A will do what I need for a good while.