EricJ

Albatross do that, too, and fly for very long periods without stopping. Very interesting stuff.

Ick. Those guys and geese do fly at night, which is pretty scary. I think I read that story a long time ago. Very interesting.

My last medical expired in 2018. I've had several checkrides and flight reviews since then, and renewed my insurance many times since then, including changing underwriters. The FAA says I'm legal. I have not committed fraud.

I have a J model and it's definitely 1" ID on that tube. The difference between 1" and 3/4" is significant, so just putting a tape measure on it should tell you what you have between those two. If they gave you a towbar with a 1" tube and it doesn't fit, but it's close, you can try removing any paint that may have gotten applied too thick on the gear tube, or take some emery cloth (or something) and file down the tube on the towbar.

Ouch, that's pretty brutal.

Most PAR46 lamps will work. A "spot" beam has a narrower illumination than a "flood", so consider that whether you want distance for landing or spread for taxi. PAR46 LED tractor lamps have been popular for landing lights, but what's available seems to change frequently. I bought one of these about seven years ago and it's been good. There are many other options, some new ones are nicer. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LQG64S

They're a pain to get out and put back in in a Mooney. Worth checking once in a while if there's a potential issue, though. I don't think a blocked suction screen would increase output pressure, but it's an excuse to take a look. If there's a new restriction somewhere (slight blockage in an oil passage), the temps are lower than usual (potentially if the vernatherm is behaving a little differently), or the oil thicker than usual (unlikely unless it's colder), or the regulator has changed behavior slightly, the gauge or transducer has aged a bit, any of those could increase pressure indication a bit. The temps changing could do it, even from the air through the oil cooler changing a bit for whatever reason. Since it's a small change it's worth monitoring. I'm a bit envious of people who have airplanes that behave consistently enough that such a small change is noticeable. My temps and pressures move around a lot, apparently depending on a lot of different things.

I'd tend to agree that unless it does something really outrageous to just keep an eye on it and see what it does after the next oil change. If it goes back to what it was, ok, if it stays with what it's doing now, maybe that's just the evolution of how the engine behavior is trending. Engine monitor data and oil analysis may be useful.

Pushing or pulling on the blade root should be fine, but the MT owner/operator manual should tell you what you need to know. There should also be a tolerance spec on any play in the blades, but it sounds like you're not really seeing any blade play.

Yes, it's doable, but not trivial. The one we had at A&P school was basic and functional. You may have seen it...if not remind me next March.

The airplane is still around.

I think the aileron/flap boards are the same. I've seen them marked A-...-J-K-L-M-R. I'd guess the same for the elevator and rudder since the F and J airframes are very, very similar. Worst case you can use the boards and just verify the measurements using the references in the SMM and TCDS. You can do rigging without the boards, but they make it a little easier.

No, an A&P with the overhaul manual and appropriate tools can do the work. It does not have to be a repair station. Repair stations are required for instruments, propellers, and propeller governors, but really that's about it for our airplanes. If you find a reputable shop that you and your A&P want to use, it does not have to be a repair station. Many good shops (like Maxwells) avoid getting repair station status because it limits what they can do, adds a ton of paperwork and requirements, etc., etc.

No. An A&P can overhaul mags, but they need the overhaul manual and all required tools and equipment. For repairs just maintenance manual (usually the overhaul manual) is needed.

The IPC just says, "Chain, master link, #25 pitch." I don't think there's anything special about it. A bike shop or hardware store probably has one.