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The "strobe only" on the tail seems to be the rule of the day. Perhaps the best way to deal with the problem of the individual white bulbs at the wingtips constantly burning out would be to use the LED replacements Clarence mentioned. $28 bucks each and readily available, with a 10,000 hour expected life span.

Great review Don thanks for posting it. My plane had ADS-B out when I bought it so I put in a GDL 52R for ADS-B in on 2 Aera 660s. Will be putting in a GTN 750 and two G5’s, and plan to use an Aera 760 to round things out. It really seems like the functionality it’ll add will be substantial. Now I just have to figure out the best place to mount it!

This can be a really easy and fun "hanger elf" job, that should only take an hour or so. First, go to the Brownell's gunsmithing supply web site. Buy Alumihyde paint (sp?) in whatever color you want.....silver, black, flat black, desert tan, etc. When you spray this stuff, use a respirator. It is nasty. Simply sand down the chrome surfaces on the ash trays with production paper, finishing up with about 400 (maybe 600) grit. If you want to polish up the plastic parts, maybe try buffing them with super fine polishing compound or something. Then, mask the plastic parts, wipe down with acetone, and paint the ashtrays. You may need to do one pass for the interior and undersides of the lids, and then one coat for the tops. Should be easy enough to figure out. They will look just fine. Yes, Virginia, you can paint chrome!

I suspected as much. I plan to go down there this coming week, I’ll eat outside, they have a nice big patio.

We’re they open indoors?

Don Kaye’s video is great. I have combined his techniques with the Jacobson flare with excellent results

I think I’d go with the Garmin engine instrument display and save the panel space required for the JPI, then you can easily fit the 10” G3X, maybe save a little with a G5, and find a way to swing a GTN 650, even if only a used non-Xi.

You are right 1980 Mooney. We had an 83 year old guy crash a Malibu I believe on the freeway just short of the runway here at KCCR a few years back. Killed the better part of two families. Eight major lawsuits resulted. I cannot imagine he has sufficient limits. But I think the question is how often awards exceed limits. What are our chances of having to pay out of pocket? It depends of course. Personally, I only put one potential plaintiff in my plane at a time. That’s part of my risk management.

The Mooney Flyer web site has a list, and I’ll bet Jimmy at Cole Aviation can hook you up.

Just read somewhere, perhaps the WSJ, a trial lawyer said in 30 years he’d never seen a payment over limits. And an Avemco underwriter told me they find claims usually settle for limits at the most. But some do go over. A local guy paid $300 k out of pocket, and there was a young CFI that got hit with a $1.5M award. I think this is the most dangerous part of GA.

Thanks all for your excellent feedback. It seems that including a good GPS is important. Perhaps we can sell the 430 and the KX 155, get a new nav/comm, and find a good used GTN 650 to go with the GFC 500 and the GI 275s. That sounds like the most economical way to get the good stuff. I'd prefer not to go through this twice, that is not the most cost efficient path for sure. It's funny how mission creep enters into this process, "for just this much more we can have this!". As I learned from a book I used to read to my daughter when she was little, if you give a mouse a cookie, he's gonna' want a glass of milk. Alas.

We are trying to decide what upgrade work to do now, hoping to stay within a budget of about 40 AMUs, can go higher if we twist our own arms. The primary decision is whether to emphasize an added GPS (and if so which one), or go with a GFC 500. As background, two of us are doing IFR training now, and additionally we don't know when we might be able to pour more money into the plane. We will probably have to live with this decision for a couple of years. None of us do or will do a lot of extensive IFR flying. The relevant list of equipment we have now is: 430W, KX 155 (ID inop and the diodes get blinky sometimes), KFC 150 that works fine (no altitude preselect), CDI, Castleberry, ES 330 with ADS-B out, GDL 52R for two Aera 660s for ADS-B in, JPI 830, WX 1000, GMA 345. Alternatives in the running are: (Prices are educated estimates) Dual GI275s, with GFC 500: About 36k (AP over the GPS) Dual GI275s, with a GTN 650Xi: About 36k (GPS over the AP) Or, ways to get both the GPS and the AP, but either sacrificing on flight instruments and/or the GPS, and/or stretching the budget: Dual G5s, with a GPS 175 or GNC 355, and a GFC 500: About 40k -42k: (Both the GPS and the AP, close to within budget, not the best equipment). Dual GI275s, with a GPS 175 or GNC 355, and a GFC 500: About 44k -46k: (We blow the budget but I suspect the GI275s will be worth the extra cost here). Dual G5s, with a GTN 650Xi, and a GFC 500: About 48k Dual G275s, with a GTN 650Xi and a GFC 500: About 52k I realize the correct answer to the question is how much do we really want to spend, and buy the best if you can stomach the price. But I guess the real questions boil down to: Should we really consider buying G5s in lieu of GI275s to save money, or is that too penny wise and pound foolish, and, is considering the GPS 175 or GNC 355 over the 650Xi too much of a compromise? I am not sure I get the value of the advantages of the GTN 650XI, but then that's probably because I don't know enough about them. Any thoughts will be appreciated!

I just took my apart to fix it a while ago. It is just held on by little screws, looks like it is made to be easily ripped off by hand to get to the wire. If you can find one to look at, it will become instantly clear how it works.

I had a similar issue, bought an 830 to save a few bucks over the 900 and now wish I’d bought the 900. I virtually never regret spending a little more on something better.

When I first rented a plane with sheepskins, I thought it was the dumbest idea. But they are superb. Inexpensive, and as has been said cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. I plan to put them in the Mooney some day soon. Try Rocky Mountain Sheepskins in San Jose CA.

All true what they say about Don. I don't know if he is working yet due to COVID, but if he is, he's your guy!

Hey Don thanks for posting about this. You are our test pilot!

Have no fear of a Mooney as a first plane. Just get good training and enough of it. You cannot beat the combination of speed, range, handling, payload, visibility and comfort of a Mooney. As stated, they are great to fly. Absolutely terrific for two people, unless you are both 6'4" and weigh 225 lbs plus. Then you might want a bigger plane that will be not nearly as much fun!

Got it. It seems that the advantage of the GI 275s is cost. (And I neglected to mention that with a G3X one would absolutely want a back up AI like a G5).

I’ve been told the cost of cutting just that part of the panel isn’t that much, but was by the guy who wants to charge me to cut it.

I am curious why most recommendations mention 2 GI 275s as opposed to one 7" G3X, for example in Don Kaye's Lincoln and Honda packages. I'd think the G3X would be bigger, easier to see, and if I am not mistaken can provide terrain. I don't think one of these is much more expensive than 2 GI 275s, if at all. Are the 275s a lot better for some reason? And why no mention of a simple GPS 175 (or a GNX 375 or GNC 355 depending on other instruments that are available) with the current 430 as a back-up, instead of a GTN 650Xi? Might that be an economical solution, and suitable for the OP's intended use? A GTN 750Xi and a GTN 650Xi is one heapin' big lotta' dough. Would those two admittedly better units really be worth the money? And as a radical notion, how about an Aera 760 mounted somewhere using ship's power, for a bigger map, charts, and plates, for less than 2 AMUs? I am considering a similar type of upgrade (with a GFC 500), and am leaning toward the single G3X, so this is a question of particular interest.

I had the same problem finally found the thing way to the rear of the oil filler door, it took me 20 minutes to find it with a good flashlight.

I went with a GDL 52. It’ll support 4 display devices at once like an Aera 660 and iPad. Or two of each!

Sidewinders are great. I've seen them advertised for 1 AMU. Check the MAPA online magazine adds. Or, if you decide to just spend the bucks for a new one, I don't think you'll be sorry. It will change your life.

I made a simple mount out of plastic for the tie-down and used it for a cheap camera. Shows all of the landing gear perfectly so I can see how bad my landings are. Pointed down a bit, I'm sure it'd just be an eagle eye's view. And no, I never ground it off upon landing, but there's still time.....