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We all have different comfort levels when it comes to risk. Just be sure you understand ALL the risk factors you are accepting before departing on a flight. In aviation the term “You don’t know what you don’t know” can be all too true.

Glad everything worked out and you finished the flight safely. I realize I will probably get some “pushback” for the following “armchair quarterback” paragraph, but here goes. Personally this flight would have been a bit too “sporty” for me. Too many risk factors. Moderate ice, single engine piston airplane, mountains, and lowish ceilings make for a bad day unless everything falls exactly your way. Any small problem or change in conditions can easily become a big problem.

My suggestion: Put the engine on a 100 hr insp schedule and just do the airframe annual as normal. You will need to review chapter 5 of the maint manual for all the other items that are suggested at regular intervals like lubrication intervals, mag service, hoses and the like.

Commuting 1000 miles by Mooney: Part 2 One thing to keep in mind during this exercise is that N144BY IS NOT a “Forever” plane! It’s strictly a “work truck” or a tool to safely get me from my home in Arizona to my job in East Texas, plus the occasional pleasure trip with my wife. When I fully retire in a year or so, the plane goes up for sale. Therefore, anything done to the plane must be with an eye to preserving or enhancing the future value of the aircraft for re-sale. I purchased N144BY December 16th 2020 after an annual/pre-buy inspection with a local Mooney knowledgeable mechanic/ IA who happened to have been previously employed by the local Mooney dealer (Maxwell Aviation). The seller agreed to fix all airworthiness squawks to my satisfaction and the deal was completed. As mentioned previously, at the time of sale there were numerous non-airworthiness squawks that prevented me from extracting maximum utility out of the airplane. I considered the aircraft suitable for day VFR flight only, a limitation I knew I had to correct ASAP since East Texas is frequently IFR or marginal VFR for days on end. I was often forced to leave the plane in the hangar and make the one way drive to or from work, 19 driving hours away. Sometimes it worked out to drive my own car and sometimes I was forced into a one way rental. An inconvenient process indeed. My first trip from East Texas (KGGG) to Arizona was to occur on December 17th, the day after closing but low ceilings prevented my departure. The next day looked a little better with clearing later in the afternoon, but with another approaching weather system from the Southwest threatening the next several day after. I therefore had a window of opportunity on the 17th and took advantage of it. The problem was that my desired path to the Southwest towards Pecos Texas was closed by the clouds and high winds of the afore mentioned weather, so I departed in clear skies Northwest towards Lubbock where I spent the night. Anticipating an early morning departure, I had the FBO put the plane in the hangar to keep it warm and headed to the hotel. I woke up the next morning to clear skies, calm winds and cold temperatures hovering around 25 degrees just after daylight. When I arrived at the FBO I discovered that although the aircraft had indeed been in the hangar all night, the hangar was NOT heated, in fact NONE of the hangars were heated. A quick look at the logbooks and aircraft flight manual revealed that the best time for departure would be late in the day if at all! The aircraft was still running 40 wt mineral oil! I delayed as long as I could so as to arrive in Prescott Az by dark, so 1:00 pm was my best departure time. The aircraft was cold soaked and the oil was as thick as honey, but the sun was up and the temperature on it’s way to the maximum for the day of around 55 degrees. I pushed the plane out of the hangar and into the sun and waited in the pilot’s lounge till 1:00 pm, checked the oil (not nearly as thick), and left for Deming. In Deming I discovered that the windshield that I knew was a little cloudy, was actually much more of a problem than I thought. I was landing in late afternoon in Deming New Mexico and found that the sun in certain situations made it impossible to see anything at all through the windshield. Fortunately, I had some experience with iced up windshields causing the same problem, the solution is to fly in a slip, looking out the side window for reference until just before touchdown. I discovered another problem or two during the 8 hour first flight in my “new to me Mooney”, the first was the King KCS55A HSI was not sensing compass direction properly, it worked adequately as strictly a DG but something was not right with the flux valve system. It’s been a long time since I had to reset the DG heading every few minutes, very annoying. The second issue is related to the lack of an autopilot and is more opinion than anything else. Much of my previous piston aircraft experience was gained in Beechcraft Barons and Bonanzas which are controlled with cables, wheels, and bell-cranks which tend to have a bit of slop, while the Mooney utilizes no-slop pushrods and bell-cranks. The Mooney system provides a wonderful “connected” feel, but there is a potential disadvantage (you never get something for nothing), even the slightest movement of the yoke will move the flight control surface. The Beechcraft type system, allows for a slight bit of play between the wheel and flight control surfaces, which means that either can be moved just a little without causing movement in the other, this allows the surfaces to streamline themselves a tiny bit in flight and is most noticeable in cruise. Trim the aircraft for straight and level in still air and it will sit there for a bit without any tendency to change attitude. The Mooney is equally as stable but without the slop it is much more difficult to trim the surfaces exactly right to allow it to maintain attitude, not a huge problem but it occasionally makes the process of reaching in the back seat for a sandwich an exciting endeavor! Priority squawks for the first commute: 1. Change the oil to multi-viscosity. Oil was changed in Prescott and filter checked, no issues noted. 2. Replace windshield - To be addressed ASAP upon return to KGGG

The GPS was installed for VFR use only and not connected to any indicator. The HSI was marginal, no working localizer, glideslope or marker beacon and no autopilot. It does have bladders but an old installation that reduced fuel capacity by 9 gallons. The good news is no airframe corrosion, new landing gear doughnuts, new motor mounts and a fresh IRAN on the prop. Everything under the cowl is in good shape having only 60 hrs (11 yrs) since overhaul. And it’s a J!

No doubt some may ask, "why the heck didn't you just retire 2 years early and forget the commute?" Great question and one I have asked myself hundreds of times. The fact is that the combination of taking Social Security early, drawing from my 401K early, and 2 years of NOT contributing to my 401K, would have cost me, by my calculations over $300,000 over the course of my lifetime. Makes an airplane seem like a bargain! I had to find a way to make it work as long as possible, it may be a horribly boring flight but it's an even worse drive. With a 40 year old airplane, marginally equipped, that has been sitting in a hangar in humid East Texas for 11 years, and using it to fly 1000nm several times per month over hostile terrain, what could possibly go wrong?

Here are a few BEFORE pictures:

Thanks for the replies so far gents. Brandt- Sorry no car chase or shootout, but the story is still unfolding so you never know! Lance- No 7 day trial or subscription. My skill as a writer is mediocre at best, who would pay anyway? Rags- You are not far off the mark! N201MK- More like 6 hours Eastbound with one stop, and 7-1/2 hours Westbound with 2 stops. So far I have only flown the Southern route which is about 30 min longer than the Northern route but with somewhat less hostile terrain and less ice. Yes the winds seem to be as much a problem in the West as Thunderstorms are in Central and East Texas. Fortunately my schedule is somewhat flexible.

Dear Mooneyspacers: I’ve had an interesting adventure in a Mooney purchase, ownership and usage that I think some of you may find amusing and hopefully useful. I have worked in the East Texas area for 20 years as a corporate pilot. In December of 2019 my wife and I purchased a new home in Prescott Arizona for retirement, with a completion estimate of August 2020. I planned to retire in July of 2022 requiring a 1200 statute mile commute for 2 years. My pre-covid plan was to commute as required between East Texas and Arizona via the airlines as tickets at the time were under $100 each way. In February 2020 Covid reared it’s ugly head and threw a wrench in my plans! My wife is diabetic and thus at high risk of Covid complications so the airline plan was out. It’s a 19 hour, two day drive each way, I needed a new plan! And fast. Why not buy an airplane for the commute? I posted this add on Mooneyspace: https://mooneyspace.com/topic/34497-looking-for-a-mooney-c-model/?tab=comments#comment-588098 Several folks responded and I even traveled by car during the dark days of Covid to look at a few. I drove as far as Detroit enduring shuttered hotels and restaurants to look at prospects but found nothing suitable. I finally ended up with a locally available, but marginally suitable early J model. It was nothing like I was looking for! The plane was sound mechanically but was woefully inadequate in the avionics department, strictly a VFR only aircraft, and no autopilot. But the big gamble was the engine. The previous owner had overhauled the engine at Western Skyways only 40 hours prior to my purchasing the aircraft. The problem was that the overhaul was 11 YEARS prior! The good news was the plane had been hangared the entire time and had been annualed semi regularly. Paint and interior were less than ideal but serviceable. With my move in date in Arizona approaching, Covid travel difficulties still an issue, airline travel out of the question and no strong airplane prospects on the horizon, I bought the J and hoped for the best. So the adventure began. Anyone interested in the story so far? Shall I continue?

I have one on the wingtip of my “J” model, works great, no issues.

During my airplane shopping adventure I examined more than one aircraft that had recently been re-sealed, but still had fuel leaks. Although they were still under warranty, the hassle of taking the plane back to the shop prevented the owners from doing so. I would say that it is very important to have the work done as close as possible to your home airport or give more consideration to bladders.

Just flew with Travis Hancock in my Mooney for an insurance check out. Very helpful, flexible and seemed knowledgeable and he lives in Longview. Great guy. Send me a PM and I will give you his number.

Those are manly radios! Big solid knobs, sturdy switches, even a couple Mooney “press to test” gear lights! Awesome find. Junk now but undoubtedly quality stuff in it’s day. I would bet some would still fire up and work!

Many jet operators have complied with ADS-B with solutions that DO NOT involve a complete WAAS navigation lobotomy. A WAAS GPS might cost $10,000 installed for a small general aviation aircraft but for jet aircraft with multiple FMS systems you could be looking at $250,00 to $350,000 or more. Is the ability to descend another 100 or 200 feet lower than what your current LNAV/VNAV system offers worth that expense? Unless you frequently NEED that capability, the answer is often no, particularly for legacy jets worth under 3 million or so. Many jet operators find themselves frequenting airports with an ILS and are rarely, if ever inconvenienced by the lack of WAAS navigation. Piston aircraft and turboprop aircraft on the other hand visit non ILS airports more frequently and can usually equip for WAAS for much less. It’s all about the cost/benefit ratio, even on multi million dollar aircraft. I often wonder how often the average general aviation aircraft owner really NEEDS the full capability of his WAAS GPS, in other words just how often is a single engine aircraft owner shooting REAL approaches in weather less than 400 and 1? I’ll bet most never do, yet spent the money for the capability.

Most of the LSA aircraft I have researched are manufactured overseas and final assembly of the modules are performed here in a couple of days by relatively small companies/dealers. All the major manufacturing facilities, engineering and labor are cheaper offshore. I suspect product liability and legal expenses are all but eliminated by offshoring. Any remaining liability is borne by the small business performing the final assembly. It would be difficult if not impossible for an established manufacturer to compete on that level and still make a profit. Cessna and Piper both tried and failed. They have deep pockets and everyone knows it. I believe a large percentage of the cost of every new airplane is product liability or legal expenses which a US manufacturer can not escape.

I understand your point. Just trying to avoid “rubber stamp” annuals which seem to be common with all older airplanes. It’s nice to see an occasional annual by a shop that specializes in the model of aircraft I am looking for. Especially if the plane is not local to me. Driving for hours to see a plane that is not as offered is frustrating and expensive. About 1/2 of the sellers I encounter are too lazy or technology challenged to figure out how to take pictures of their logbooks with a cell phone and email them to me.

First thing I do is check the FAA Aircraft Registration Website to check for possible damage history and ownership issues. Watch out for partnerships as they can sometimes be awkward to deal with. Write down any damage history and be sure the plane you are interested in is the same one you are reading about online. Next, I visit flightaware to see how much the plane has flown the past couple of months, 10 hours per month is good, 2 hours per month not so good, no flights at all could be a problem (depends on ADS-B capability of aircraft). Next, I visit the FAA AD database and print all the ADs that exist on the aircraft model I am looking at. I read each one and make notes about what they are and which planes or accessories they apply to. Note the recurring ones and their frequency. Realize one important thing about airplanes, owners and annual inspections. Owners are cheap and IAs have to stay in business by not making owners mad. Trust but verify. I find errors in logbooks almost every time I look at one. IAs DO NOT usually research logbooks and ADs back to the beginning. When they sign off ADs they are just signing off that no ADs have slipped through since the last annual. If an IA skipped an AD 20 years before it likely will be missed from that point on. When you buy an older plane you are buying it’s history and it’s flaws, as well as it’s future so next I spend a good 3 hours or more going over the logs, sometimes if I find problems, I may spend 8 hours or more on the logs. I read every single entry from the date of manufacture forward and write down on a piece of paper every significant event like AD compliance, SB compliance, 337 creation, STCs, modifications, damage, corrosion, painting, equipment changes, engine change, prop change, change of aircraft structure like skins and flight controls etc. I also check to see that every STC and 337 called out in the logbook is present and then I read all of the 337s. Missing 337s can be a problem but sometimes not, same with STCs (any change or addition to the aircraft should be recorded in the log and usually generate a 337 or STC). These SHOULD be available from the FAA by ordering online for $15 (takes 2 weeks though). It’s a lot of trouble but it will really give you a feel for how the airplane has been cared for and how involved the current owner is in the aircraft. Now you will be ready to talk to the owner and his mechanic about the airplane and how it has been cared for. Paint, avionics and interior flaws are easily fixed, decades of rubber stamp annuals and shade tree maintenance are not easily fixed and will guarantee an expensive problem down the road. Never fall in love till AFTER the PPI and NEVER be afraid to WALK if you get a bad feeling about the plane, owner or mechanic. https://report.myairplane.com https://flightaware.com https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthiness_directives/

This particular airplane has been actively flown for years (75 hrs/ yr) and appears from the log books to have received better than average maintenance. Certainly not a “forever plane”. But for someone looking for cheap transportation, who knows?

Don’t worry. It will buff out! I read about repairing similar dents on much more expensive airplanes. One technique involved a large ball bearing on the inside and a very strong electro-magnet on the outside. Sounds quite interesting.

Thank you gentlemen for your opinions. It appears that most of you think it is likely to continue to pass inspection as it is.

Former Tiger owner here, and professional pilot and most of all a pragmatic type. If the mission is cheap transportation then a Tiger fills the bill. It’s very close to the C in speed (135 kts true), carries the same load, has more back seat room, and does it all with a fixed pitch prop and fixed gear. It is cheap to operate, my insurance was just over $500 per year and annuals are cheaper because it takes less time to do one (no swinging of the gear). I flew mine all over the country in both VFR and IFR conditions. Sold it in preparation for retirement. However, if the mission is to build time in complex airplanes then the Tiger is not the one. The Tiger, like the Mooney is STOUT despite it’s appearance to the contrary (to some). Virtually no in flight structural failures to my knowledge. The problem with Tigers is they are hard to find and expensive when you do. They just didn’t make that many of them compared to Mooneys. Grumman was late to the “Golden Age of GA” game which fizzled in the late 1970’s to early 1980’s. If you have Tiger questions, a quick PM will net you a quick reply. I prefer to talk about Mooneys on mooneyspace.

Thanks!

Hmmmm. Working on my end. It’s a jpeg file.

Had a little trouble with the picture. I think I got right now.