BillBarton

Its a shame they are about half as sexy as a Mooney...

Ok, that made me laugh. Doesn't happen often, but yes, that's which way I was thinking. Just couldn't put my finger on it.

So I bought, and brought back to service, a vintage Mooney. Its my 2nd one and I'm very proud of this kind of work. The more old Mooneys we can pull from hangers and return to flight the better the world is for it. I registered it with the FAA, shocked that the federal registration was only 5 dollars, but that seemed about right since all it can possibly be is a couple key strokes inserting my name in place of the previous owners name....done. Now I stand at the mail box with a form in my hand from the state. They would like to have $60 to also register the aircraft in my state which is apparently not part of the country since I already satisfied that requirement. They also have in place (4561.18) an additional $500 fine if I don't. Hmmm....2 questions immediately come to mind: What could I possibly be doing to this state, by owning an airplane, that would cost 60 dollars to cover their expenses? And what, pray tell, are they providing to me since the same investment would get me 300 miles away in my little airplane if I spent it on something real....like fuel! Honestly does anyone know what the state needs with separate registration fees when there is already a national registry that provides nearly everything a person might need to assume your identity?

What a great thing it is to have that data! Mine is too old, I didn't even think about having data to download. Well good luck my friend and if you need another set of hands out there let me know. I'm going downrange right after Christmas, be back about first of the year. Can't wait to see you back in the pattern.

How's the airplane coming Chris?

"2" Ya know there are only 3 rules....sound cool on the radio, look cool on initial and don't hit lead....

Chris I just talked to Sarah. You call the day and i'll bring the truck.

Just returned from a downrange trip. Thank-you all, that information is priceless. DXB - I laughed out loud going through your 15 steps. That hasn't happened in a long time. I am already working on the basic design. Trying to go simple. I am completely surrounded by magic at my day job and frankly when I get in my own time machine I don't care if I talk to anyone. Actually prefer not to. I want simple and reliable. I'll post progress as it happens. Thank-you again

In the interest of not repeating a subject worn thin, I searched this forum for "custom panel" and associated tags and didn't really find what I was looking for. I have a wonderful straight flier whose panel can only be described as a 1964 time capsule. If I wanted to execute a complete do-over can anyone recommend a particular shop that could start with a new blank panel and build up/install the custom panel in my airplane?