skydvrboy

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... or in this case, the checkbook holder. If you like the lines the way they are... great, it's your plane. If you don't... just tell the painter what needs fixed.

Not my A&P, though my IA probably would. My F was terribly out of alignment and needed rigged. I talked to D-Max about it at Oshkosh and he gave me 3 steps to take, in order, with a test flight in between. I told my A&P to do the first step and he looked at me like I was nuts, because it didn't involve using the travel boards. When it was complete I asked him if he wanted to test fly it with me to see how it handled. His response... "NO WAY!!!, it might roll over right after takeoff." So, I took the test flight solo. It flew beautifully, hands off, steps 2 & 3 were not required. Thanks D-Max! I think this is a lot like owner maintenance in general. I didn't know what to do, so I reached out to an expert to learn, but I sure wasn't going to blindly trust the A&P with limited Mooney experience.

Meh... When I asked if I could do some work on my plane under my IA's supervision, he told me "I find that owners do much better work than newly minted A&P's, probably because it's their life on the line." I know what I'm capable of working on and what I'm not. Most of my repairs go straight to the A&P. However, if I know I have the skills, knowledge, and expertise... I see no problem doing the work with my IA checking it when I'm done. Also, what you see on the internet, does not always reflect reality... I know, shocker right! I ask a lot of questions about how to repair various items and then end up taking it to my A&P anyway, sometimes checking his work and catching issues only because someone on MS pointed out to watch for that pitfall.

This is the statement that would bother me. Charges going a bit (within reason) over the estimate, no big deal, I've done this kind of work and I know how easy it is to go over an estimate. But working on something he was told specifically not to work on is too much. If I didn't want to try to save the relationship, which it sounds like you've already decided, I wouldn't pay for these items. I'd make a check out for the remainder, draft up a letter that states that amount is payment in full, and make him sign it if he wants paid. You simply have no obligation, moral or legal, to pay for work that you specifically declined. As Anthony says "Private Pilot only - not a legal, moral, or financial professional"

Congrats on your new Mooney purchase! We'll have to go flying sometime. Do you have a hangar yet?

I'd venture to guess there's not a Mooney driver out there who hasn't done this at least once... though we may never admit it!

Total heresy I tell you... Banish him at once!

It looks like I have my homework assignment.

I hardly ever file a VFR flight plan, but I'd like to make sure I have the right surveillance code set up if I do. I'm using a KT 76 transponder, a Sky Beacon on my wingtip, and a dual band stratux. I think that makes my code SU1. Is that correct or should I be using SU2?

How do you know their level formation flying skill if you don't participate? Have you gone on a ride-along and decided the pilots weren't skilled enough for you to join? I don't understand.

Man, that is one nicely modded F and it seems to be priced right. But I'd fire my mechanic if he gave me the compression numbers listed! • Compressions at last annual: #1 74, #2 75, #3 66, #4 74, #5 72, #6 72

The anti corrosion spray I bought at the auto parts store says it may destroy rubber components. I’m guessing these two would be similar.

The two squared off ones go on the pilot side where the clock is. The two with the angled ends go on the copilot side where the triangle logo is. The ones I have don't have the PTT switches and are meant for use with those strap-on PTT switches. My pilot side PTT is mounted on a custom bracket that fits around the clock, so the grips, less the center cover would work on my pilot side. On the copilot side, I may try to mount a PTT in the grip cover with some epoxy. That's how they install the PTT if you buy them with the PTT already installed. I'll take them out to the airport next time I go and see how compare to my $10 bicycle handlebar wraps that I have in place now. Which, by the way, are EXTREMELY comfortable. I figure I should at least give them a shot since they cost $340 after shipping (not to me, but somebody paid it).

Looks like we have a winner! I think what was throwing me off is there's no accommodation for either PTT switch, the PC button, or the clock. Perhaps that's why they were never installed?

Well at least I don’t feel stupid now. Here are some more pictures that may help. The skinny ones would Velcro around something small like a rod or a pipe. I’m thinking maybe they are yoke covers. As for the larger ones, I’m pretty sure they are for the plane. Either that or the previous owner is just messing with me. In the bottom of the box of spare parts I found an old one. On the inside it’s labeled “copilot” and “top”. You can also see where it’s worn or burned through and how it goes together for whatever it fits over.

These came with my plane and I have no idea what they are. I know someone, perhaps nearly everyone, here will recognize these. They are leather with some light foam padding and Velcro. Since I haven't figured it out in two years of ownership, I thought I should ask. What the heck are these?

My instructor was flying with a student when the student did something similar. They took out a fence and fence post with a wing at a private grass strip and destroyed the wing. Neither noticed the impact or damage until back at the home base airport after departing the aircraft.

Serious question. Why do you fly? If you are flying to building time... rent. It will be MUCH cheaper to rent a C-152, C-170, or Piper Cherokee than to own a Mooney. If you are flying to go places, the extra speed of the Mooney may make up the difference. I was renting a Warrior for $120/hr cruising at 105 kts ($1.14/nm). My out of pocket owning and operating cost (not including reserves) has been $147/hr cruising at 140 kts ($1.05/nm). Add in $15/hr for engine reserve and I'm up to $1.15/nm.

I try to keep pretty good tabs on what I'm spending for the plane... and yes, I cringe a little when I see the numbers. Fixed Costs Insurance $1206 (no IR) Annual $1200 (inspection only, no repairs) Hangar $1,116 (Nice T-Hangar, concrete floor, electrical) That will be one of the cheapest on here, but I'm still bitchin' that they raised my rent $4/mo this year. Total $3522/yr ($35.22/hr) Variable Costs Fuel $36/hr (planned, but I usually beat that just slightly) I plan 9 GPH and average about $4/gal for fuel. $36/hr (planned, but I usually beat that just slightly) Oil and oil changes $2.15/hr. I fly about 100 hrs/yr, so 2 oil changes, which I do myself. Oil and oil changes $2.15/hr. Maintenance - This one makes me cry, mainly because I bought a plane with some "deferred" maintenance items that weren't caught in the pre-buy. First annual was $8200 (not including the inspection), second was more reasonable $2400 (again w/o inspection). In between I replaced the gear discs and main tires/tubes and installed a new starter $3300. So far, about $70/hr. Eddy Current Inspection = $2/hr Total $111/hr (rounded up due to stuff I probably forgot to include) Upgrades This one is entirely up to you, but some upgrades NEED to be done. The sky's the limit, but here's what I've done or have on my immediate radar. CO Monitor $200 - I went with the top of the line Sensorcon... no regrets! LED Landing Light $100 (used) Not needed but nice to have. Shoulder Harnesses $400+Shipping (Hooker Harness) Just ordered today! I spent forever trying to convince my wife we needed to add these to the plane totally being ignored. Then just this week she tells me out of the blue "I'm not flying with you again until you order those shoulder harnesses!" Engine Monitor $TBD

On my first trip to a towered airport my instructor told me that a clearance to land and a clearance to take off were two separate clearances, so I should never do a touch and go when cleared to land. I don't know if that's in the FAR's anywhere, but it's served me well so far.

Wow! I thought my F had a good full fuel useful load at 683. I realize I'm hauling around 64 gallons instead of 52. but that would mean your total useful load is 1062, and your empty weight is 1513. What mods have you done to lighten that bird up?

Is there a reason you picked this route other than staying over lower terrain? Sightseeing, stay friends & family, etc.? If not, by the time you're much past Glacier, you're out of the mountains. Fly home direct after that. Spend the night at KCUT, it's beautiful. If I were flying it, I'd want to do some flight seeing along the way and would definitely fly over Yellowstone on my way to KCOS (I have family to stay with there). I'd also recommend when you are in the mountains to ignore the magenta line and fly the route IFRR. As in, I Follow Rivers and Roads. Going just a bit out of your way to stay over rivers and roads keeps you over lower terrain and ensures emergency landing options. Also, when you are over a valley, be mindful of the wind direction. You want to fly on the downwind side of the valley, not over the center. This keeps you in the updrafts and shortens your turning radius if you find yourself boxed in. Finally, make sure you check out Bob's thread referenced above, there are a lot of great information and resources linked in that thread.

Regardless of the embarrassment it may have caused someone, I appreciate this thread. I operate out of an airport with an ANG ramp. For the next couple weeks they are conducting "Jaded Thunder" a live fire, joint operation utilizing the local weapons range. There will be lots of military planes on the airport and I wouldn't have thought twice about taxiing right up next to them for a good picture. Now, I'll at least make sure they aren't parked in the restricted area (that I didn't even know existed before this thread caused me to look it up). For the record, if I ever do something embarrassing, stupid, dangerous, or that would in any other way reflect poorly on me as a pilot, PLEASE TALK ABOUT IT OPENLY! If there is the possibility of keeping someone else safe or otherwise out of trouble by learning from my mistake, I'll deal with the embarrassment.

I installed my own with the approval of my IA. He looked at it, gave a slight tug to make sure it was solid, asked if it worked, and signed it off.

Raggedy Anne. She has a few patches on her from a previous meeting with a hangar.