AF M20J

Great shot, I love it. Thanks for sharing.

@Sue Bon Your avatar shows a great sectional livery on a tail, is that your plane? I love the livery! Also, is it a wrap, or paint?

My experience was that it cost me about 2x as much to own/operate in EU as it does in US. Regarding ACG Air-Craft, I realize that there is only one drawback that I could think of (reverting to previous topic): If they work on your plane for a while, it will sit outside in the damp German weather. My plane sat out for a very long time, with no chance to be hangared because the local hangar was full at that time. The service is great, I appreciate how they operate and they let me participate, but my plane experienced some heavy weathering due to Germany's humid/rainy climate.

True! I guess the easiest way to put this, is that there are no charges for IFR flights in the US. No landing fees either, unless you're using jet-level services. On a typical cross-country flight (Coast to Coast), I'll plan on about $100 for parking fees and facilities costs. The rest goes to fuel + lodging + meals. I can fuel up at any time, arrive at any time and leave at any time from nearly any airport here. Not so in Europe... remember operating hours PPR, Customs, local flight patterns, etc. Brutal flight planning involved. Again, I agree, it is worth it. Especially, when flying to places like Vannes, Croatia, or any cool area in Europe (there are so many!).

IIRC, it was over $100 for the stickers. (obviously just printed stickers, nothing fancy...) It may have been more... tbh, the memory was bad enough that I don't want to go back and look ;P

Interesting angle. Never heard of this before, would you be willing to elaborate just a bit more? Thanks a lot, I really appreciate your input!

Not yet, great idea, I'll get on that!

@GeeBee, unfortunately not. Another contact pointed out Continental Motors outside Mobile, AL, but they just stopped doing EASA inspections last week as well. If anyone else has any suggestions, I'd be really appreciative.

Just contacted them, thanks @GeeBee UPDATE: Unfortunately, they no longer provide EASA inspections.

Thanks @neilpilot I started here, and called a number of orgs, but repeatedly encountered the issue that they are primarily certified for parts mfg and overhaul. I'll keep digging in, thanks a lot!

Hello fellow Mooneyites! I have a J which is now in Florida after I flew it across the pond last fall and I'm searching (now urgently) for a US-Based EASA airworthiness shop that can inspect it for the annual. Do any of you know anyone who might be able to help? I've called all the major shops I can think of, but no-one does this anymore is what I've heard... I'm hopeful that's not the case! Thanks for any and all tips/help, it will be greatly appreciated.

Right on all counts (as usual), Mr. Kaye I would gladly fly with you any time, any where. I'm so grateful you made the trip to elevate my competence, thank you! I've learned so much from MooneySpace by reading. Thanks to everyone who makes this a phenomenal resource!

Instruction from @donkaye is the best I've received. I credit his instruction with saving my life several times. Highest recommendation I can give.

Indeed, it has an in-wing radar system, that I think is ineffective due to the absolutely tiny aperture... It does work, but again, not in a way that is useful to me. It is definitely *not* a strikefinder. I also have a strikefinder. The Radar system has an ancient monitor which was surprisingly light, given the tech involved. The radar antenna was not. IIRC, only 6 J's from '81 were delivered with the option (can't recall the source of that info though)

Flying in Europe is a slow game. It is incredibly cool to be just about anywhere in Europe within 4 hours, from Croatia to Sweden to France and Poland. The downside is that everything is ticky-tacky. There are a million rules for everything, airspace is choked to death and the system is incredibly legalistic, theory-driven and downright expensive. Flying in the US is indescribably different. Easy, fun, and so open. Don't want to talk with anyone today? Don't. Want to zip over to wherever? Go for it. Not so in Europe. Every trip is planned like an IFR flight, with full details, times, communication and so on. Sweden, Norway and the northern regions where there are still wilds, are different. There, they, like us, care more about the aviator than the regulator. So, I can highly recommend these two fantastic countries for the American pilot to have fun in. The rest... just work, more work and nothing but the work. The destinations make it worthwhile though. Oh, and speaking of maintenance: I took my 'J in for an annual at last minute b/c I was pressed for time one year. $7500 for the annual. They replaced the gear harness (for no reason, it had just been replaced) and slapped stickers everywhere "Do not push, etc." and then a regular annual. Seven. Thousand. Five. Hundred. Dollars. yeah. ACG isn't like that. They're German, so it isn't as cheap as the US, but I trust everything they do. Great guys in the hangar, they're Mooney experts, can source parts and generally like flying. They have flown in the US and appreciate what aviation can, and should be. I do recommend flying in Europe if you have too much money and time and don't know where to put it all... Get either a fold-up bike (Quiggle) or an E-Scooter (what I do) and you can fly just about anywhere and have fun.