MisfitSELF

I know this topic is a couple of years old but I was hoping to move it forward at least just a little. Or maybe just stir up more fodder for discussion. To recap my personal interest: I'd like to install the low-profile landing gear doors on my Mooney. I have the physical doors in my possession but I have not purchased the STC for my serial number. Two years ago I wrote to Timothy Coons at the address listed in the FAA database to get his permission to use the STC but have gotten no response. Does anybody know if he is still alive? I am going to attempt to get a field approval but that may take some time (mainly because I'm lazy). I'll try to update this forum as I move forward with this process. I have spoke with the FAA (VNY FSDO) about 4 years ago about this processes and I'll try to give a quick and dirty summary. 1. Coons (or Mod Works? It could be complicated but it really doesn't matter) owns the STC. 2. You can attempt to have it declared "abandoned" but that only helps the current owners of the STC to perform MX on the STC and keep their A/C airworthy. IT DOES NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO ADD THE STC TO YOUR A/C. 3. You could get written permission from the owner of the STC per FAR 91.403 (d) 4. You could get a field approval, or get your own STC or PMA for the part.

1984 M20J My A&P and I, in a fit of "recreational maintenance" removed the curved fairing that goes between the fuselage and the wing, right at the leading edge. We noticed that there was some red "gasket like" sealant along the inner edge of the fairing -- right along the rivet line. Does anybody know what this stuff is? Could it be Loctite Aviation Gasket Sealant? Thanks, Bruce

1984 M20J. Lycoming IO-360-A3B6. My SCAT tubing is due for replacement (I'm at the point I'm putting RTV on top of RTV to fill the holes). Unfortunately the Mooney Part book calls out a special Mooney part (640001-027) and I can't figure out the equivalent SCAT size. I'm specifically looking for the diameter of the tube that goes from the muffler shroud to the cabin heat. I think it's 2.5 inches (or a -10?) but the previous tube (thats 2.5 inches) looks like it was flared out to fit on the attachments. So is a 2 3/4 inches (-11?) a better fit? While we are at it I'd love to get the dimensions of the other tubes if someone knows. I've been "practicing" with the tube I've removed to see if I can cut it and fit it probably but I can't quite get it over the attachments on either side as easily as those youtube videos make it look. Sorry for the story and thanks, Bruce

Yes, I am interested. Please send pictures

Here's what I have: 1984 M20J, IO-360-A3B6, McCauley 2 bladed propeller, and I don't know if the spinner is a Mooney manufactured or a McCauley. 1. My IA discovered some ovaled attachment holes in the spinner with one in particular having some missing material that has us concerned. 2. Can anybody tell me a good spinner / prop repair shop in the So Cal area who can tell me if it's repairable? 3. Does anybody have a good source for a new spinner if I have to go in that direction? Thanks, Bruce

I got a cigarette lighter USB plug from one of the aviation web retailers that includes a bus voltage display and two connectors. Easy peasy. https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/mgfmicrocharger13-15538.php?clickkey=6431

So what vacuum do you use? (and I don't mean the one to power your instruments ) Bruce

I own a 1984 Mooney M20J and the Oil Pressure Transducer failed. It has a Rochester XD0311-02001 with the legacy engine cluster gages. I looking to see if there is a suitable substitute that may be new, certified; and, hopefully plug and play . I have found used ones online and may end up going that route but would like a new part if available. Thanks, Bruce

I may need to message Bob Weber as another poster suggested but here's my "pitch bobble" -- often when even the autopilot is on, whether in climb, descent, or altitude hold, my airplane will start a low amplitude oscillation or bounce in pitch at about a 1hz rate. I can arrest it with some yoke pressure but it will return. It seems to be "filtered out" or doesn't develop if I'm in turbulent air. This behavior existed before I installed the Garmin 275's and 750.

My LEDs came in today.

OP -- don't be so hard on yourself. I wouldn't call this complacent at all. You're cruising around and there's something small - almost invisible that's not even suppose to be there that surprises you -- sounds like a normal response to me and it's not your fault. I've flown past little mylar balloons by less than 100' before that I didn't see until I "cross overed" and it still took about 2-5 seconds to process WTF I just saw. Bottom line that drone shouldn't have been there at all and I'm afraid not much will be done by the FAA until they have a stack of dead bodies to highlight the problem.

The parts manual says it ought to be the 12V bulb -- the GE330 as referenced in my post.

It wasn't the wire, but the tiny rubber gasket that protects it came apart. You know the one that protects the wire as it goes threw one of the metal holes up to the socket? Now I'm considering whether I try to track done the OEM gasket or just fashion my own out of some careful dabs of RTV.

1984 M20J -- 14V Electrical System Since I've had the aircraft (about 6 year now), the landing gear indicator on the floor has been hard to read during the day. At night the light illuminates the indication adequately. For a couple of years now, I've been promising myself that I would either clean the transparency or replace the light bulb with a brighter light, perhaps even an LED version. My bird is an annual right now so it's on jacks with the belly panel off, so now is the time to fix this problem! So I remove the bulb and it turns out that its a 28V bulb (the GE 327) rather than the 14V GE330 that is specified in the parts book. That likely explains why I couldn't see it during the day, but would there be a reason for the 28V bulb being installed? Is the 14V ones too bright at night? Was some previous owner or A&P just lazy and put in a random bulb that fit? Could it have been installed that way at the factory? Is there some advantage such as longevity to using the 28V bulb? So many questions. Bruce

I currently have an Air / Oil Separator on my airplane but was wondering what the tribal knowledge was on this topic. I'm sure it has to have been hashed out in detail so if you have link to the thread, please link it. BTW: M20J, Lycoming IO-360-A3B6 Bruce

As far as I know, no. I'm not sure how the Mooney's circuit works for the overhead lights...is it 6V on "dim" and 12V on "bright"? All I know is there is now no difference between dim and bright with the LED I had installed. Regardless, the light is sufficiently bright without being stupid bright so I'm happy. If I were being picky, I would have been nice if the "DIM" was really dim to not impact night vision.

These have been working great for my "friend". And it's a direct fit in my "friend's" 1984 M20J. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WF5RCKR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hmm. Good question. I have a "friend" who's replaced the cabin overhead lights with the little led bulbs. They work great except now there isn't much difference in illumination between "dim" and "bright". The big advantage is that it takes longer to run down the battery when they are accidentally turned on by a passenger and it's not notice by my "friend" for a couple of days. After the fact, that "friend" wishes he would have also tried the red bulbs -- or ideally if the system could somehow be modified to give red light in "dim" and white light on "bright" -- but that's a tangent, sorry. That same "friend" would love to put LED bulbs in for those same indicator lights as the OP mentioned.

If I understand you right that may make sense, though I'm still scratching my head (I'm no EE) as to why the transistors are there in the first place. I had them set to pretty much as dim as they would go -- so if they (the transistors) are current limiting then they are doing their "thing" and getting hot. If I get a chance, I'll see if they cool off at max bright. Bruce

With your dog habit you may want to consider a Caravan or King Air

I've been doing a lot of night flying lately so I've been running my lights a lot. Last night I noticed that the panel was warm to hot around the co-pilot yoke and I traced it up to the two potentiometers (rheostats?) that control the interior light level. Turns out the two transistors on the back of that module were scorching hot to the touch. Is this normal? Bruce

I just checked out the Aveo wingtips website...those look amazing. I'll have to remember that should I ever have this happen to me.

+1 for Knot2U wing tip lenses. Good time to upgrade to LED lights too...

I shopped for years to find that "unicorn" 1967 M20F with the Johnson bar and "all the 201 mods" -- low engine time and usable panel. Came to the conclusion the the best M20F with "all the 201 mods" was a M20J. At the time (2017), you got a 10 year or newer airplane for the same price - and it had "all the 201 mods" built in. Ended up buying a 1984 M20J. It has the single piece belly and the blended wing tips. Previous own had installed after market speed brakes. You also get a wider airspeed envelope for the landing gear with the electric gear (133 kts gear extension and down) which is quite helpful. Bruce

I totally get how both sims would still operate even with the master off. That part that creeps me out is that I don't know how long the battery(or batteries) are REALLY going to last once that alternator dies. I've had a "fully charged battery" die after maybe 30 minutes flying in the day with one radio and transponder running.