Grandmas Flying Couch

We've been together for 8 or 9 years, I'm waiting to get to know her before I pop the question. We do everything together, she bought me my first RC plane for my birthday 3 years ago and they got bigger and more expensive every year until it was a 1967 M20F. We bought and restored a couple of jetskis, lifted our pathfinder for off-roading, We go shooting together, she's definitely awesome. We have matching MTN bikes, and soon we will buy folding bikes for the Mooney and go travel! It's been a great time. Her and I own a business together too! Hard working woman! Wouldn't trade her, even for an updated panel, new interior, paint job, an Stec 30 with GPSS, and 201 Windshield.

I'm going to try this, also good soft field landing practice to keep that nose up.

I read that the E and F have different numbers of ribs. Then they went to the corrugated elevators

I am aware of the go-around, I do tons of touch and gos Trim wheel like crazy, raise flaps to take off and hit the throttle. I've also had a go around if I was approaching wayyyy to high, apply power while pushing forward on the yoke, continue holding forward on yoke trim like crazy, gear up pos rate, flaps up at about 95 (Flap speed 105). I'm 6'3" 225 and move 900 lb vending machines for a living, so pushing on the yoke is not too much trouble, I do like to hit the trim wheel a few times ASAP. In-Fact this last weekend I opened up the jack screw panels and cleaned a ton of hard grease and scrubbed it clean. Then Added new grease and had the girlfriend cycle the trim back all the way down and then back up, clean old grease that got pushed out and re-apply new, for about 10-12 cycles until grease ran opaque (old stuff was black). I owe her a nice diner. I know it's better to remove the screw completely, but it will have to wait until annual. This helped with the go around and touch and go. Thanks Again Guys!

Another one

Thanks for all the advice, met with my instructor yesterday, he has calmed down alot, I went for a solo flight afterwards with the info gained from this thread, and have had 4 perfect landings, back at home base I had long roll out approved since my hanger is at the end of a 8500' runway. I used the 80mph appraoach (1.3Vso ) full flaps and full up trim and adjust power for glide slope. A foot above the runway, I got an itch from reading Don Kaye's website and added a little power and then a little more and kept her in ground effect at about 65 mph IAS all the way just short of my taxiway and then pulled power and she settled down. This is what I took from all the advise This is working perfectly: I use 45 degree past abeam since it is not wind dependent vs time (I don't descend until turning base) 100-90-80 MPH in downwind, base, and especially on final. Full Flaps on final Adjust power and pitch as necessary for aiming point. (Usually don't have to keep fiddling with this once stabilized) Runway assured, power to idle make sure trim is all the way or nearly all the way back for easy flair. Plane slows to about 75 in the round out Soft field landing, fly it down to runway, shortfield hold it off to full stall about 1 ft off. It's cake after all that, I know I could reduce speed more when light, but aircraft only floats for about 2-3 seconds as it. This is working perfectly and I can land shorter than most of the C172 students at both fields.

I have a 67F as well that the pilot side elevator is just about junk, the co-pilot one is not the greatest either. What do you guys want for a good pilot side one?

I say if the engine quits in the 10 second window where I could have landed back on runway, That means I'm pitch up with low airspeed, I don't want the drag from the gear, and my electric gear extends in 3-4 seconds. I think usable runway is an old dangerous practice that tries to save the plane over the humans. You are VULNERABLE during early climb phase, gear up or down, I want to get out of the phase as quickly as possible. If the engine quits after pos rate gear up, I'll get nose pointed down and trimmed and then drop gear for extra drag (3-4 seconds), or not if there's no time, then I call insurance company. Leaving gear down compromises every single takeoff for the one in a million you may be able to save your belly/prop and it compromises your chances in my opinion. Most importantly it looks cool

I have done the power chopped abeam, it worked out fine, in-fact, maybe better than my normal approach. Lol. I will start getting the feelers out for a new CFI, first let me ask him to cool it. I can fly the plane fine, I just need him to relax. I love my solo time since, I can deviate 3 or 4 seconds without getting an earful. Here's how it goes, we are midfield and we are 125mph, he says your gear isn't down, I say I just reduced MP I'll put it down at 120. I put it down soon afterwards, he says now you're late for your flaps, I say I'm waiting for 105, soon after I put them down, he says you're late for base turn, its not procedural etc etc. Then I'm sweating and afraid I'll miss something else by 4 seconds, then the landing is just fine but it didn't happen at just the right sequence at just the right time. It's alot of pressure. I may grin and bear it for times sake and learn the rest on my own during solo or after ppl, I'm safe, I just need to dial it in better.

The champ instructor had me chop power abeam too, made you better at judging energy and it also meant you could lose and engine and it would be a non-event.

Slip was a standard landing procedure in that plane. Stick, rudder, throttle, that's it, I miss that kind of fun! I flew off dirt mostly but there was a little paved section that was 22'x 2000' in a with a straight out cross wind sock. I had so much fun, especially solo, 1/4 mile final etc. Slow as a dog for cross country, cars were faster underneath.

I'm based out of KGYR. Is he nearby?

On another note, I have a 50 day old Stratux with external gps (also includes internal gps chip!) for sale, works great! I'll sell it for $125 already built. Has AHRS! Seriously nothing wrong with unit, just shows ADSB disconnect on ipad and stops sending gps info, common problem right now with stratux. Cycle power and bam back in business!

Steingar, I have the make it work mentality, that seems to work out, usually I have a go around trying to follow all these procedures that are given to me, lol. I have to do what I have to do, I've already got rid on an instructor for my PPL, I don't want to keep getting new ones! I want to go out and fly places dammit! I have 20 more hours to go since none of the champ training transfers as the instructor was a CFIS. I think I'll be ready after another 5-10 more dual. My instructor will show me something once the way he wants me to do it, and if I deviate even on the first try he's mad. Perhaps I can slip him something for his nerves when I give him a bottle of water from the hanger fridge.

Hank, My instructor won't let me start descending untill turn to base, i used to descend on downwind past abeam with old instructor in champ. My approaches now are a bit high, I will have to read more from the airplane flying handbook.

Thanks for all the input, at first I was just landing the plane, I have done all the landings and takeoffs since instruction began as I have hours in a champ when I was going for an LSA then when I was supposed to take my LSA checkride I bought a mooney!. At first I had it alot simpler and would use the 45 past abeam and all that but my instructor wants me to time the legs, I use the clock on the yoke. He wants more consistency and procedure. If I stray, from it he gets frustrated. When I'm solo on final I'm 80mph, I don't know what I am over the numbers or fence or whatever since once I start round out, I'm looking out the window. So maybe I'm already at 75. 80mph on final feels great, below that the stall horn will chirp from time to time and it's pretty mushy. In the video I used 80 on final. You guys are right, when I used to much speed and not enough trim, I got into a bounce but I added power and flared again as the runway is quite long. In the video, is that too much float? To sum it up, i have to do what my instructor wants for training and I will simplify afterwards. He's a navy pilot and wants it exactly the same every time. I like to "Make it work" as it allows for compensation for a gust or botched approach. I'm not the one making it rocket science. I prefer a power off approach the plane seems to like near zero power full flaps and full back trim at 1 mile final. Smart Ass!, 100mph downwind for 36 seconds gives 1 mile! after the two turns there you are 1 mile final. I use the clock in the yoke, winding it is on my check list. Thanks, I am beginning to like the bird. With my instructor, when he was harping on me about being a few seconds late with gear or about not putting in the two notches of flaps abeam, etc I asked him to just relax and watch as I had done 20 solo landings the day before and he was delighted when we turned off the first taxiway. I gotta get him to take a chill pill, he's stressing me the fu out. Thanks everyone, I feel like I should be further along after 20 hours in the plane.

17 Inches gives me 100 Mph downwind with gear and half flaps. I will have to buy Don Kayes video, everyone raves about it. I wanted to buy it but you gotta wait for a dvd in the Mail! I want instant gratification!

I used the latest stratux with AHRS and the whole 9. I even bought the remote mount gps antenna and removed the magnet and put it on my dash where it got great reception. The two whip antennas had a clear view out the window, worked great for a few minutes at a time, some issue with the latest foreflight update. Tried it on 3 flights and it sucked always disconnecting and read the forums and it seems to work for awhile then foreflight updates then stratux updates awhile later and they are compatible again until foreflight updates again. I ended up purchasing a Stratus 2s from sporty's for $900 stuck it in the window and it just works over 3 flights no hiccups and will continue to work since foreflight will test it before releasing update. I need reliability. Found myself mucking around with resetting the stratux and foreflight in flight every 5 of 6 minutes. Tried to save some money and ended up spending an extra $280 on top of the stratus 2s. On top of that I had to carry a seperate battery for the stratux and spent several hours 3d printing a suction cup mount for it. Buy the 2s or have intermittent problems with foreflight compatibility.

After having a very rough start with a gaggle of squawks I have finally been flying N9623M regularly. I appreciate all your guy's help in the beginning. She is consuming money at a lower and lower rate now and it is a blast although tricky to slow down at first. I have about 12 dual and 12 solo in it so far Best landings were after reading this forum this is how I have been landing it: Descent: Cowl flaps closed, Lower manifold to 16" then prop to 19" manifold will rise to 19 and you get 19 squared. Then lean and descend at about 400-500 fpm at about 150-160 mph. I lean to keep cht at 300F got this from an article, I'll get the name later and amend post. Down wind: MP 17" Prop Full, Mix Full, Gear Down, Two pumps of flaps (my flaps are exactly 4 pumps to full), this gets 100 mph. Base: Before I turn base I fly past abeam for 36 seconds this gets me set up for a 1 mile final. Then I lower MP to 12" add one pump and turn base aiming for 700 FPM loss in the turn. Then I level out and trim to 90MPH Final: When I turn final I again try to lose 700 FPM in the turn so that I do not load the wings at this slow airspeed. Then I level out and have to pull almost all the power full flaps and I trim out to 80-85 mph depending on gust and trim all the way back ( I used to not do this and the flair was heavy!). Pull power all out when runway is assured and the result is in the video. Instructor got freaked out at 80, I told him I had done a bunch, he was worried about a stall so I raised it to 85 but it floats with a higher risk of porpoise. I was lost with final at 100 mph and float city before I came back to this forum. Now I land shorter than alot of the 172s. I have about 50-60 landings in the plane. I have done a ton of go-arounds and touch and goes, trim before adding power in touch and go or get ready to bench press your own weight, lol! Any tips or advice is appreciated, these numbers are still raw except on down wind those are pretty good. The power settings in the rest may need more dialing in. Adam Mooney_Landing_BXK_2.MOV

I've been learning in my F model for my private. I took a bunch of lessons and soloed in a Champ but that was with a CFIS at a dirt field so, no radios or procedure. I'm basically starting over. Learning energy management in the Champ, was a bear, the mooney is like a dream compared. So far every landing has stuck, I have no problem holding it off until full stall just above the runway. That is one of the positive transfers from flying a tail dragger. I have done all the flying since I started taking lessons, my instructor tried a landing and it was alot smoother touchdown but it started to bounce and then again, I hollered since I know what my prop clearance is and we went around and I did the landing. I'll take that 3-9" drop over a porpoise any day. I do final at 90mph for now. That is a bit conservative but my home field is 5000' and I don't use too much in the float. I think a little extra time in the float helps learn how to fly in ground affect anyway. I did not have a good landing in the champ until I added 10 mph and spent some time flaring. One flair was too high and the stall horn came on (I don't use Noise Cancelling because my stall horn does not sound through headset) I quickly relaxed on the yoke and let her glide down and then flared again. I know there is a good chance I will break my plane one day, that's why I pay that insurance $. I wouldn't worry about it too much maybe start with a higher speed and then let her sink down into ground affect and keep making approaches pulling speed out until you find an acceptable amount of float (maybe 2 to 4 seconds?)will give you an approach speed independent of your airspeed. Any extra float is a little buffer (as long as runway permits it) for wind gust, more control, etc. Thanks for your confession, learning (Especially radio work has been daunting) it';s comforting to know everyone flying did start out perfect. Adam

Mlm20C, I just replaced the ignition switch in my F, it's the same as yours. I was having starting problems too and replaced the switch and SOS. When the key is turned all the way to the right you should hear a squealing sound that is the shower of sparks. I used to not hear it and would have to get plane cranking and then let key go to both to start. The SOS box always has Positive, when the key is pushed in it completes the circuit with the secondary retarded points in the left mag. If your engine cranks at this stage, I do not know what they did wrong! It is definitely a wiring issue most likely at ignition switch as other have said.

Thanks Yetti, what spray do you recommend? I tried simple green but it does not break down that stuff. Thanks for clarifying, Hank, I haven't seen a C in person yet. Just an E and my F.

Well, most issues are resolved and the plane has been returned to service by the mechanic. Took a lesson today, 2.2 hours and the only lingering issue was an intermittent gear up light. Fun times! The frustration was fading quick when we climbed out of the heat to 5500' and then 7000' Thanks for all the advice, I'm putting the purchase behind me now, and in the future if I go through the buying process I'm more educated and better know what to expect. As a side note, I was cleaning the air box and the oil from the bracket air filter is a bear to clean off ( I cleaned it off the plane not the filter, hold the comments about me being retarded)! Also if you look at the pictures of the plane it has a kind of air scoop attached that comes off with the filter, it's not factory. Thoughts? This plane used to have a Ray-Jay, but has been returned to factory, except the ram-air stayed deleted ;( the book said it increase the speed by mach 2.27. Should I keep the little scoop on there, do you think it helps with positive air pressure to intake kind of like C-models, or do you think the extra drag would remove any gain?

Hey PTK you are invading my safe space, All correct. I have taken responsibility throughout the thread and begun to work through all the issues. I sent an email to Mark at skywagons (along time ago), he said things break (as if I had the plane operating and they broke) I asked him to fix the registration and he did. I should have taken it to a Mooney service center for pre-buy. I should have done even more research before buying. Maybe you guys are right, they didn't know about any of the issues and said "Everything works great" and I was a dumb ass. I fixed up the thread title. I wasn't escaping responsibility, ask my wallet, I was pointing out the likeliness that they knew of some of these problems when they said it was all good. The great news is my next plane will be a vintage Mooney and I know what to look for, I can do a sort of pre-pre-buy. ANYHOW, I'm moving on from the buying, I don't want to be like Hillary and Trump stuck in the 2016 elections! The purchase is over, I own her, she's mostly fixed and now I'm mostly seeking tech help from y'all.

Godfather, Got pre-buy, asked seller repeatedly about issues, even about wing leveler, was told it worked great plane delivered by seller with 9 or 10 issues, some airworthiness issues. I know what as-is means, I also know you dont fly a plane 3+ hours to me wothout noting some of the issues. I'm not being unreasonable here. I'm saying beware as they either don't go through their planes or withold issues and I thought others should know. If I had flown the plane at all and the issues came up, I would own them. I think the title was fair. Some people purchase from a dealer (and probably pay a premium) thinking in part this would make a smoother transaction. I was a novice to the plane world and went to a dealer to avoid these exact issues. It's an old plane, but these issues didn't develop on day two of ownership! On the bright side I got my registration yesterday, FAA was waiting for a bill of sale from previous owner to skywagons, so at least that's not grounding me anymore temp reg is expired as its been well over 90 days. I have used 2 mechanics already and haven't had issues yet. When you sell something these days without doing your due-diligence you risk exposure on the internet. As a dealer you should be able to tell prospective buyers about issues with your product, not play a game and hope customer doesn't find it. With that in mind, I would not hesitate to call anyone out on bad ethics, I would think that is one of the points of MooneySpace. At the end of the day I did think hard about the title before posting it, perhaps I should soften the wording and I don't want to alienate you or anyone else on the board. Hank, KLRDMD, I'm working woth an IA who teaches A&P and he is helping alot, I ask him questions over the phone and he charges me for his time, which makes me feel better about calling. He came out and inspected and signed off on everything after he had me make a few small changes.