Schllc

I have a highly favored shop for my Mooney and my A. I would gladly pay a higher shop rate, if that is what it took to keep the service as it is now, and I tell them as much. Their business was much like mine. I charged enough to provide the service my customers had become accustomed. You have to kiss some frogs, and fire some toads along the way, but the stress goes down, employee morale, aka quality, goes up, time frames are kept, and everyone is happy. Good, fast, cheap, pick two. I take good and fast every time.

Hangar talk is worth what you paid for it.

My guess is just lead deposits. Looks like someone left those in for a lot longer than typical.

This is just not correct. I’m not an attorney so I’ll stop there, if someone wants more clarification they should look at an estate planning attorney. I am also not saying to avoid insurance, I’m saying insurance is only one of the tools available.

Insurance is not the only toll in the toolbox, there are other ways to protect your wealth besides insurance.

His only reference points are his work at Aerostar when he was a young man, and what he has been told about mooney’s. He says Aerostar applied sealant before assembly. Whether this is true or not, I do not believe it’s particularly relevant. Mooney wing skins are not structural. At least not like an Aerostar. The skins on an Aerostar are maybe three times the thickness and are a large part of the structure. it was explained to me that the sealant between skins is not as effective when the material flexes, as it does in the Mooney, because it is squeezed out unevenly under pressure, and deforms the skin. The only Mooney fuel leak I ever had was under the nonskid material on the top and only leaked when it was topped off so I didn’t fill up until leaving and never had staining. I have actually had more nuisance leaks with the Aerostar. To think the assumption that wet wings should never need servicing is a bit silly. If you think about the movement they all have, it’s amazing they don’t leak more! I think it’s a valid argument that poorly maintained tanks, or tanks that have been repaired improperly may be more vulnerable to any new solution of aromatics. Failure of the components of the fuel system as a result of the fuel is a whole other issue. Have any of those gami planes been monitored for o-ring or fuel hose failures? seems like there has to be a chemical or perhaps paint solution to the staining. Coming up with a better fuel nozzle and cap seems easy, the venting areas are a bigger challenge.

I was a member for a few years, and had very unpleasant experiences with everything I was looking for help with, like insurance, financing, and vref. I could never really get a human on the phone at the AOPA to even explain my concerns, so I cancelled about three years into this journey, and it looks like they are only getting worse. They have seven years of revenue to wait you out. Realistically, they have at least 10 years because it will take several years for most member to figure out the ruse and stop paying. There may never be enough people canceling the auto payment, which probably looks like to most, like an expensive magazine that reminds everyone they are pilots or plane owners.

Truth

This! Unfortunately human nature dictates this outcome. No grassroots organization maintains its autonomy and mission forever, and that duration is dramatically shortened when large sums of money come into play. I read their fiscal budget for 2024 (couldn't find 2025), and they reported 70 million dollars in holdings with a 12 million dollar budget. They were also touting the return on investment of the holdings. Im sorry but WTF? Is the purpose to make returns on investment and accumulate money, or is to protect interests of GA?. Some reserve is absolutely prudent and responsible, but what is the purpose of 7 years of operating expenses earning returns? Plenty of answers to that question are available but they all equal one thing. The organization is much more concerned with its own existence than the mission for which it was founded. Action brings attention, and while I am sure AOPA does some things for GA, they have lost their way on what really matters. There is no coming back. Support them if you disagree, but they will never see another nickel from me.

All the influence, and access in the world won’t help if they are not used to advocate. and by advocate, I mean serious basic things that are fundamental to our future. innovation would have fixed the 100LL issue, and likely a lot of the affordability of the genre in general. It is a 100% regulatory induced problem that isn’t necessary. The FAA has a pillow over the face of GA. No rules is not what I am suggesting. There needs to be a new set of rules for 91, perhaps just the pistons or not used commercially. Once you stop improving, you’ve started dying. Something has to give, so all the safety seminars, raffles and magazines won’t have anything to support.

It is not possible to alter any entries in an Electronic log, without having the entries deleted, rewritten and the signed again by the instructor. It is not something that I am at all concerned about, I doubt I have any more checkrides in my future and I am certainly never going to be a pilot for hire. Outside of ferrying a plane for someone I know, I will never “work” as a pilot.

I did read that for the typical install, but wonder if that’s required for two batteries?

I am not a cfi, nor do I ever care to be one, so I am not challenging any assertions. But what does What does that mean? “Sole manipulator of the controls?” If I understand correctly what you are saying, is that when someone is training and does not have an endorsement to “solo”, they cannot log that time as PIC? If they have an endorsement to solo, but fly with an instructor is that PIC? is there a sign off for “solo” in a multi? I went back and looked at my early entries, and all of my hours from start to checkride were marked at PIC. No way to go back and change since they are signed.

I was told the battery could be installed with an IA sign off. if the STC isn’t through when I am due, I will do it this way. I installed a prop that took almost 20# off the nose, I will have no cg issues with the lighter battery and my UL will be in the mid 900’s

This is a point of contention with a lot of CFI’s, and or the schools which they are employed. when I was doing the balance of my multi training, my instructor said I was not allowed to enter any of the dual time as pic. My first instructor insisted on me putting myself as pic before signing. it didn’t matter for me, so I didn’t argue, but he would not sign the log book if it was pic… both were adamant that the other was incorrect…