RonM

Thanks all for the Videos, and the helpful commentary on this topic. So much appreciated! Regards - RonM

Thank U A64Pilot and 1980Mooney! Much appreciated! RonM

Thank U Art! Much appreciated! Best - RonM

Friends: I have the Mooney 1991 MSE / 1997 Missile Conversion. The other day I was in my airplane. I pushed down on the front passenger side arm-rest and the plastic about maybe 4 or 5 inches below the arm-rest cracked. A nice 7 or 8 inch crack in the plastic. (I assume the interior door trim is plastic?) Anyhow - any suggestions for repair? Can it be "plastered up" some-how? What would be the solution to that issue? Sure, it is purely cosmetic, but appearance is important. We all take pride in the appearance of our airplanes, I think. I am the original owner of the airplane, so this fall I will have owned it 30 years. Much thanks for any commentary. RonM

V1VRV2: My mechanic commented today that due to the shape of the cowling of the Ovation, it may be normal for the TKS fluid to drip down the cowling and out the nosewheel door. I have the Missile Conversion which I guess must be a different shape cowling than the Ovation. Perhaps what is normal in my airplane is different than what is normal in your airplane. Just passing along relevant commentary on this issue.

Thanks, carusoam!

VIVRV2: You asked me to keep you updated. My mechanic just took my airplane in for the annual. He found "the engine baffle from the flex hose to the hard line loose. That was why the fluid was leaking out of the cowl near the firewall." My airplane is still in the annual, but presumably when I get the airplane back and run the TKS system, the fluid will drip from the prop and not through the nose gear door. I have had my TKS system for about 16 years and I never remembered seeing the fluid drip through the nose gear door, but always from the prop. Regards - RonM

Thanks VIVRV2. The thing is, I have been running the TKS system on the ground as a test for many years. It always dripped at the prop. I don't recall seeing it dripping out of the nose gear. My airplane goes in for the annual next week and my mechanic will inspect. RonM

Very helpful, dogbocs! Thank U so much!

Thank you for your comments, alexstone. Much appreciated. RonM

Thank you Cruiser. Your comment much appreciated. RonM

Thank you, G-SLOT. Very helpful. Regards - RonM

Hypertech: Thank U for ur thoughtful comments! I am very impressed with ur technical knowledge! Regards - RonM

Thank U Carusoam! Much appreciated Best - RonM

Thank U GeeBee! I was told TKS fluid is corrosive, so I was un-nerved to see the fluid dripping from the nose gear door. I have a beautiful recently overhauled engine from Penn Yann. Regards - RonM

Thanks Cruiser! Best - Ron M.

Colleagues: I have a 1991 Mooney MSE / 1997 Missile Conversion, and I am based at Caldwell NJ Airport. I added a TKS system in about 2005. I regularly exercise the TKS system once per month. Anyhow, I had my plane washed and waxed at our wash rack. I taxi-ed back to my tie-down spot and decided to run the TKS system. TKS fluid was dripping heavily through the nose gear door, not from the prop like usual! Not wanting to have TKS fluid dripping through my engine compartment, I shut the TKS system off. I then started the engine and ran at idle for 20 minutes, figuring any moisture in the engine compartment might evaporate. Now the person who waxed my airplane knew to only use alcohol and be gentle on the TKS panels. However he was oblivious to the rubber mounts on the inner part of the prop and I saw wax residue there. I explained the rubber mounts on the prop were part of the de-ice system. I explained this after the job. I did not watch the job. The wax job and waxing the prop may be totally irrelevant to the issue of the TKS fluid leaking out of the nose gear door. Pretty rapid leak too, almost pouring out of the nose gear door. Any commentary appreciated! Thank U - Ron M

Hmmm. I've had my Garmin GTX335 for quite a while too. I thought it was ADSB In & Out. I also remembering my avionics installer telling me I had blue-tooth in that unit. Then the Foreflight Customer service tells me the Garmin GTX335 does NOT have blue-tooth. So I don't know. It sounded like the Flightstream 210 would make the Foreflight Mobile work well on my IPad Mini and with the Garmin430w's. I am certainly quite confused as to all this. I had been flying quite nicely with paper charts, but the electronic maps are so wide-spread I know I am a dinosaur. The last straw was when the VFR sectional charts are now only good for 56 days! This is only recently and some of you might not know this.

Fellow Mooney Enthusiasts: I have dual Garmin 430w's. i just subscribed to Foreflight Pro Plus mobile. I have the Garmin GTX335 ADS-B transponder with no bluetooth. My understanding is I must now install Flightstream 210 in order to use Foreflight on my IPad Mini. I have been using paper charts even up to now, and seek to slowly transition to the electronic charts with Foreflight. My question is, is this a simple thing for an avionics shop to install? I see Aircraft Spruce sells the Flightstream 210 for $949 with free shipping. I have a Mooney Missile and I also have two Aspens - a PFD 1000 and an MFD 500. Any comment or advice appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Thanks all for the replies on this topic! Much appreciated! Regards - RonM

Dear Friends: Does anyone know where I can get a Wash & Wax for my Mooney? In the North-east, East Coast or maybe near-by the North-east? Up to a 3 hour flight from Caldwell, N.J. works fine for me. My airplane is based in Caldwell, N.J. near NYC. I am willing to fly in the northeast, even if it means me over-nighting in a hotel, to wait for the job to be done. Even as far down the east coast as north or south carolina might be okay. The way I see it, I have the airplane to fly places, so I don't mind flying to get the wash and wax. Very important to wash and wax the airplane. We have a wash rack at Caldwell Airport, however it is a lot of work, and hard for me to finish the job. Worth it to me to fly somewhere and have it done. Thanks for any suggestions - RonM

Thank you all for the very thoughtful responses! Much appreciated! I have read each message and forwarded them all to my friend who has the 92 year old father. You are all quality people and very generous with your time and your knowledge. One of the great things about being a pilot is the quality people I associate with. I definitely did not think a Mooney was a good solution, but this Mooney Space was the only resource I knew to ask the question, although someone mentioned the Beechcraft Blog. Certainly my friend now can weigh his options including hiring a pilot / aircraft to transport his father to Long Island from Florida. I hope everyone stays safe and healthy! Regards - RonM

Fellow Pilots: My friend in Florida has a 92 year old father in Re-hab. He may want to transport him by air to Nassau County New York at some time in the near future. (Not immediately.) To my knowledge the father does not have any Covid-19, but of course that can be followed up on. Also I assume the father is not in great shape given he is 92 years old and in re-hab, but of course we can follow up on the specifics of that too. Does anyone know a suitable pilot/ aircraft who would be interested in this type of mission? I am sure my friend expects to pay but I did not discuss that with him. I told him I would inquire on Mooney Space. Much thanks for any comments / response on this. Best - RonM

Carusoam: Absolutely! The people on Mooney Space are very generous with their time and knowledge. I always learn so much and I enjoy the thorough discussions on each issue. So great to be a Mooney pilot and to have the support of the Mooney Space members!

Thanks all for the great comments. Of course my mechanic will troubleshoot/ diagnose/ advise. However it is so much better to understand what is going on. I have learned tons on this thread from U Mooney friends and I am very grateful.