skydvrboy

FWIW, my prop was zero time overhauled with new blades 3/2000. It was then IRAN'd 3/2010. Finally, the hub was inspected and blades dressed 8/2013. Those were 1325, 425 and 330 hours ago respectively.

Sure, it’s well known that the #6 will leak by the seals. Most times that can be fixed by switching back to #5. However on the inside of my spinner there was both a thin smeared oil like substance, #6, and a thicker grease buildup. Once the prop starts leaking #5, it’s time for a reseal. That alone doesn’t mean you need an overhaul though. The leading edge of my prop also showed white oxidation which he said work hardens as the prop flexes. That can develop a crack that can propagate. During the overhaul, they grind off this oxidation and repaint so you have malleable metal at the surface. At least that’s the way I understood it. Perhaps one of our more mechanically inclined members can explain it better or confirm this.

So I called around to a few shops for quotes on my eddy current inspection. First the bad, Yingling quoted me $450 - $550 depending on what they found once the got started. WTF, this is less than an hour job... I guess they just didn't want to do it. And the good, I called Redline Aviation in Akron, CO. He quoted me $150, but said they were backed up for 3 weeks. When I told him I would by flying through the area to attend a funeral, he told me they could squeeze me in since I lived far away. Just asked that I call and remind him the day before. OK, that's more like it. When I showed up Mark, the technician, got started on it right away. I asked if I could help in any way and he said "Sure, come on out." I didn't do anything to help and got in the way more than anything, but he was happy to answer my questions. He explained that I would need an overhaul soon and thoroughly explained why. When I asked about Aeroshell #5 vs #6, he showed me what the difference looked like between the two when they leak out on the inside of my spinner. He also made a point of showing/instructing me on how to properly put the spinner on so I wouldn't damage it or the prop. Less than an hour later, it was time to go see Dan, the owner and settle up the bill. He said "Since you helped, I'll only charge you an hour of labor." That's pretty generous using the term "help" since I mostly just stood in the cold and got in the way! I also asked him for a quote for the overhaul and was impressed with the number he gave me. He then took the time to go through how to package and ship the prop so that it would arrive undamaged. I know @Cody Stallings in Arkansas has a great reputation around here (if I had been going that way, I would have stopped there without hesitation), but if you find yourself in Colorado and need prop work done, Redline Aviation seemed to be a top notch outfit.

So to add a little closure to this thread, I called the tower supervisor yesterday and explained how I screwed up Saturday night by not understanding the big picture and how I bitched at the controller for 1)trying to help me out by squeezing me in and 2) keeping me safe when that didn't work out as planned. The controller happened to be working when I called, so he had me talk directly with him. The controller was still apologizing for putting me in a bad situation and insisted that I didn't need to do anything to make amends when I offered pizza or cookies and wouldn't even tell me when he was working so I would know when to send the goodies. So I asked to speak with the tower supervisor one more time and he provided the schedule info I needed. Pizza will be delivered Saturday night! I'm glad I shared this experience as I have learned a lot from this thread. I hope others have learned a lot too. If you thought the same way I did about my situation, please go back and read @GeeBee's explanation of why the little guy gets sent around. It makes perfect sense once you understand the performance capabilities and limitations of both aircraft. Unfortunately, I now feel a bit like a little kid who was pissed at mom for making me get a shot at the doctors office... who now just got a cram course in immunology.

I look at some of these before pictures and think, man, I'd love to have a paint job that nice. Of course looking at the after pictures, I just think "WOW!" @Joe Larussa The only thing you missed was updating your avatar!

After reviewing the recording yet again, I have no doubt the controller was trying to do me a favor by squeezing me in front of the arriving traffic. The jet first contacted the tower 3:30 after I first contacted the tower. However, it's obvious that the controller knew he was coming has he told me to keep my speed up only 50 seconds after my first contact and made 3 attempts to call the arriving jet before he got an answer from them. I guess it's true that things happen MUCH faster in a jet, he reported a 2 mile final only 1:30 after his first contact with the tower and was exiting the runway 1:35 after that. I think this makes sense, but I want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly. Since the jet is faster, I would/could be right under it if I had to abort. It would seem though that the jet would/could be right under me if it had to abort. However, I think you are saying that since I'm more maneuverable, I can turn crosswind before there is a conflict. I'm pretty certain the controller was worried about this vertical separation since he asked me to sidestep to the east of the runway during my go around. Now for my questions, could the jet just as easily sidestep away from the runway to provide this vertical separation? Also, how does the jet's higher climb rate (angle of climb) factor in? Couldn't the jet just climb fast enough on a go around that they would be far enough above me that they would be no factor if I aborted my landing?

I totally agree. As many unfamiliar sub 2,000' grass strips as I fly into for get-together's and camp outs, I'm well practiced at go-arounds. This was most likely a Part 135 flight, perhaps a Part 91 flight, but definitely not Part 121. I don't feel like there was anything unsafe about having me go around. Undoubtedly, it added an additional element of risk, but so did my acceptance of the instructions to fly direct to the numbers, keep my speed up, and exit at the 1,700' turnoff. My question was more around the justification of sending the #1 plane around that was about to touch down, instead of #2 who was still a mile or two out.

That makes more sense. I guess that's the difference between KNOWING the regulations and only being familiar with them. Thanks. @kortopates I completely agree that it's reasonable for a controller to expect every pilot to be capable of going around at any point. I'd like to think I'm skilled enough to accommodate any of the requests I was given, short approach, keep my speed up, exit the 1700' turnoff, and a go-around while in the flare. In reality, I'm probably just not experienced enough to know I couldn't handle the first three sufficiently, thus I was given the fourth instruction, GA. I sincerely appreciate the feedback on this. When I originally posted, I was looking for two things. First, what could/should I have done differently, and second, is there any protocol that ATC is supposed to follow on who goes around in a situation like this. I think we've covered what I could/should have done differently well enough... calmly execute the go around and discuss it with them later when on the ground. As for ATC protocol, it seems like it's just their decision based on whatever they think will be the easiest way to deconflict the situation... little VFR guys move out of the way for bigger IFR guys. If that's the general rule, I'm OK with that, but I may request to be sequenced behind faster traffic in the future.

I'm not sure I really understand this sentence. Just as we have to accept a clearance, wouldn't we have to accept a cancellation of that clearance? Also, we aren't able to accept any clearance that would cause us to violate a FAR. In my case, had a been even 1 gallon lower on fuel, accepting the go around would have caused me to violate the minimum fuel reserve requirement for night VFR flight, 45 minutes. In that case, i believe I should have told the controller unable and if asked why... low fuel. Besides, I don't think I would have been landing without clearance, I already had clearance to land. I know I don't have near the experience of many (most) of the pilots on here, which is why I'm asking these questions. However, during my relatively recent private training, my instructor talked about 5 hazardous attitudes, one of which was resignation. One of the examples of the unsafe attitude of resignation was blindly following ATC instructions. Of course, that also has to be balanced with the unsafe attitude of anti-authority "Don't tell me to go around!" In this situation, I didn't feel I was able to take my time going around. The urgency in the controllers voice along with the instruction to sidestep to the east made me think the jet was rather close and I needed to get out of the way NOW.

I have no doubt this may be true, but those pilots also have much more training and experience than many of us, myself for certain. I would argue that the accident statistics show that there is a much greater danger to life and limb by sending the small GA aircraft on the go around. Of course, that may be selection bias. I probably read and remember more GA accident reports than reports of executive jets. It could also be that the executive jets are rarely sent around, thus they rarely have go around accidents. Some people pay big money for 5-color paint schemes... some of us just have a few mismatched replacement parts! While we do have F-16's occasionally at this airport, this was a Challenger 600 stopping for fuel on their way from Teterboro to Van Nuys.

A little more background details that will answer a few questions that have come up. Conditions were night VFR. There was a solid overcast, but it was at 10,000 with excellent visibility below. I was flying solo with low fuel, so I was very light. My fuel was low enough that it was on my mind, but not low enough I was worried about it. I knew I had about 8 gallons on board for the first landing attempt. This is a really busy airport M-F 8:00-5:00 with very little traffic evenings and weekends. Being late on a Saturday night, no other planes came in during the 1/2 hour before I left the airport. I thought about saying unable and landing anyway. My struggle with this is that a go around is a normal procedure that any pilot should be able to execute, yet it obviously adds additional risk as evidenced by multiple accident reports. My mind immediately flashed back to the ASI Accident Case Study of the Cirrus at Houston Hobby. She had the same beginning to the chain of events that led to her going around 2 more times and eventually stalling and spinning into a parking lot. Her primary failure was retracting her flaps with inadequate airspeed, so I was ultra focused on keeping my speed up throughout the go around and making a good second approach. I do know the tower supervisor, so I may call him tomorrow and discuss the situation, apologize for loosing my cool, find out when the controller works next, and arrange to send him a pizza.

I thought for sure I'd hear these words from a controller long before I'd be issuing them TO a controller, but I found myself doing just that tonight. So about the time I was turning base, the controller cleared me to land and asked me to keep my speed up to the numbers as he had a jet on a 12 mile straight in final. At this point, I was still doing 160 mph and I'm thinking OK, I'll do a no flap landing with an approach speed around 95 -100 mph. As I'm turning final, just a bit high, the controller asks me if I can exit Bravo (1,700 ft from the numbers). Sure, I make Bravo all the time, I'll just have to slow down on short final, adding in flaps, and maybe use light braking to make the turn. So as I'm just starting to round out, the jet calls 2 mile final and says he still doesn't have the traffic in sight and asks if I'm on the runway. Controller tells him I should be landing in about 10 seconds and will be exiting Bravo. Just as I start my flare, tower says Mooney 441WS go around. I hesitate a bit thinking, did I just hear that right? Again with a bit more urgency... Mooney 441WS go around. OK... less than 10 feet off the runway... I go around. Next call from the tower, apology to the jet for the close call. Then calls me, apologizes for putting me in front of the jet and clears me to land #1. At this point I'm pissed, but I have my hands full with full power, full flaps, and full nose up trim, and getting everything back into a climb configuration... just fly the plane. I run my landing checklist, realize my gear is still down, green light, double check the handle is in the right position. Uneventful landing... off at Bravo. After I clear the runway, I call the tower "Tower, I have a number for you to call... advise when ready to copy." I give him my cell and tell him to call in five minutes. I then spent the next 10 minutes chewing him out for sending me around while in my flare to give priority to the following jet traffic. I'm proud I was able to keep my cool enough not to use any curse words. So flame away... what would you higher time pilots have done differently? Obviously, put the gear up on the go around , but what else?

I made my fuel stick over multiple fill-ups. I think this method came from @gsxrpilot. First, I ran a tank dry and filled it to the brim... 33.2 gallons. Then, every time I fill up, I stick the tank before I start pumping fuel and mark that line on the stick. Once the tank is full, I then subtract how much is on the pump from 32 gallons and label the line (I'm keeping that extra 1.2 gallons as usable reserve). Over the last two years, I have created a fuel stick with a lot of random lines on it it, each noting the gallons of fuel remaining to the nearest 1/10th of a gallon. The game I like to play now is to guess how much fuel it will take to fill the tank. I can't remember the last time my guess was off by more than 1/2 gallon. If I can stick the tank and know within 1/2 gallon how much fuel I have on board... I'm happy.

I had the same experience at Colorado Jet Center this weekend. They asked if I just needed it plugged in, so I’m guessing that’s how most preheat around there. They offered to put it in the heated hangar at 3:00 AM for $37 which I gladly accepted.

I don't understand this statement. The market is at an all time high and has been on a bull run for the last 4 years. To me, that's a great time to sell (buy low, sell high). I know a lot of people worry about losing out on future earnings when the market is on a roll. They wait until the market drops, then get mad and sell everything cursing the market and swearing to never invest again. Obviously, I don't know your tax situation and that can play into the timing on when to sell. However, whenever I ask my dad (economics professor) about this he reminds me that you only pay taxes when you make money and it's hard to go wrong with making money.

Not saying it's the right way to do it, but I watched a few guys lift the nose by pushing down on the stabilizer while the owner removed the nose wheel and put some wooden blocks under it. Changed the tire and put it back on the same way, no jacks, no hoists, no problems (that I'm aware of).

That's funny. When I landed at KCOS on Saturday, ATC had me follow another Mooney on final. I wondered if it was Don, but I guess it was just a good weekend for flying to Colorado!

How good is your balance? Electric unicycles easily fit in the baggage area. Each model varies, but most have a range of at least 10 miles and can go 20 mph or more.

330 nm across the great Plains yesterday and the view never changed.

I know I'm late to the party, but I have family in the Springs and visit regularly. I wouldn't go to FKLY unless I was just stopping for fuel. The main runway and main taxiway are nice, BUT the rest of the taxiways are ROUGH. By rough, I mean they are worse than the cow pasture grass strips I land on and you will be repeatedly worried about a prop strike. I always use Colorado Jet Center at KCOS. Tie down fees are $6 vs $10 at Cutter. They are also open 24/7 whereas Cutter is 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM. I don't know about the Denver airports, but you have several suggestions on those already.

@TexMooney I know Mooney owners are cheap (me too), but is it too much to ask that you donate the $10 so you can post these in the classified section and not clutter up the vintage forum?

I think this is the post he is referring to http://www.mooneypilots.com/mapalog/M20C Evaluation/M20C_Evaluation_Report.html Anthony, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Must be owned by a Mooney pilot!

This ^^^. I was chastised by a veteran CFI pilot for only knowing the book numbers and not MY numbers for Vs and Vso at various different weights. Go up, stall the plane, record the results... repeat for different weights and build YOUR table. I can now make the 900' turnoff whenever I want if I'm light and the 1700' turnoff when heavy with minimal braking. It's not because I'm some great pilot, it's because I'm on-speed for MY plane. At Mooney Summit this year, Bob Kromer said that if we fly the plane the way it was meant, we should be able to hit book numbers. Book for my plane says I should be able to make that 900' turnoff at gross weight and 5000' density altitude and I'm no where near that yet! That said, when I was first based at a 2000' field, I chickened out and went to a bigger airport about a dozen times before I was confident enough to land there. Practice on the bigger runways until you are consistent.

I don’t know about a ‘66 model, but I have a ‘67 built in ‘66. Surprise, flap speed is most definitely 105 mph. It went to 125 mph in ‘68 as I have that POH too.