PT20J

Good idea to try the bolts first. Make sure you use the right ones - they are close tolerance bolts.

For me, I wanted to replace the legacy stuff and only tear up the panel once. I wanted the best integration of equipment for both operational and failure mode considerations. Garmin has several different design teams that make different equipment at different times for different markets. You need to fully understand what you are getting when you mix and match because not every piece of Garmin equipment plays well with every other piece. I went with the G3X, G5, GFC 500 because these have everything I needed and they were all designed by the same Garmin engineering team (Team X) to work well together. The G500TXi is a newer and slightly nicer instrument than the G3X. The GI 275 is nicer than the G5. But there are advantages to the G3X, G5, GFC 500 combination. First of all, either the G3X or the G5 will drive the GFC 500 so if the G3X or its ADAHRS fails, you still have an autopilot. The G500TXi will not drive the GFC 500 so if your backup instrument (G5 or GI 275) fails, you lose the autopilot. The G5 also has a much longer battery life as a backup instrument than the GI 275. Also, the G3X, G5 and GFC 500 all use CANBUS which greatly simplifies wiring. Skip

I visited a private strip today. It's 3500' long and paved, but it is very bumpy with a hump in the middle. So did I use the "Mooney pull" on takeoff? No. If I had done that the first bump or two would have surely launched me into the air prematurely. Did I hold the nose down for a higher takeoff speed? No. If I did that I would risk the airplane skittering around the runway on the verge of LOC (did I mention this strip is also narrow?). What I did was use the rough water seaplane takeoff technique and "flew" the elevators to maintain a constant pitch attitude as nearly as possible as it accelerated to the point where it could lift off. The airplane was fully under control during the entire takeoff run, and though it was bumpy, it did not leave the ground until ready to fly. I think the point of this whole thread is that no one technique works in all situations. Sometimes more flap is better; sometimes less. Sometimes the Mooney pull is appropriate, sometimes not. Skip

My 1997 M20J POH shows a glide range of 16 sm from 7300' which works out to a glide ratio of 11.57 My 1994 M20J POH shows a glide range of 16 nm from 8500' which works out to a glide ratio of 11.44. Note that the older manual lists range in statute miles and the later manual uses nautical miles. Both are listed for propeller windmilling. Best glide occurs at L/Dmax angle of attack. So the glide speed (and corresponding sink rate) will vary with weight, but the glide ratio (which is numerically equal to L/D) does not. Skip

I never could understand a good rationale for putting the flaps down in increments. In a normal pattern, I put the gear down midfield downwind because I want some time to ensure that it is down before doing anything else, and then I reduce power to the top of the yellow arc on the tach on my M20J, hold altitude and put down full flaps and trim for 70-75 KIAS and begin a descent. As the airplane slows, the RPM usually falls to the bottom of the yellow arc. If I have the G3X altitude bug set to pattern altitude, I usually get the 200' alert about the time I turn base and I get the "Five Hundred" callout shortly after turning base. I use that as a "check gear" indication. On final, I adjust speed slightly to final approach speed based on weight and wind gustiness and use whatever power is needed to maintain the PAPI glidepath (if one is available). My final speed wanders a bit unless I really work at it. When trimmed for 65 KIAS (1.3 Vso at 2300 lb) my airplane has a trim speed band of 63-68 KIAS so the workload is high to maintain exactly 65 KIAS and I don't bother until very short final. Skip Trim speed band info, for those interested. Even though I replaced the eyeballs where the yoke shafts penetrate the instrument panel, there is still some friction in the controls which causes the airplane to be equally happy maintaining any speed within a band around the trim speed. To test this I used a method suggested by Ed Kolano. I climbed to 4500', and configured the airplane for approach and carefully trimmed for 65 KIAS. Then I slowly raised the nose to get 55 knots and let it slowly come back down (slow is important to avoid exciting the phugoid -- you don't want the airspeed to overshoot for this test) until the airspeed stopped changing. I noted that it held 63 KIAS. Next, I lowered the nose to get 75 KIAS and let it slowly come back up until the airspeed stopped changing and it held 68 KIAS. I repeated this three times with results within half a knot.

I've always thought the aft limit would be better.

OK, now I understand your point. I think you were originally referring to the folklore advice to not hand your certificate to an FAA inspector during a ramp check or some other official inspection request. I agree this is a myth. The FAA has a right to inspect your certificates and impeding this will only set up a needless confrontation that, in all likelihood, will not end well. This is different than walking into a FSDO and handing over your certificate. For that, paperwork should be generated to clarify the intent. In the case of an actual surrender, as you point out, the FAA is required to make this clear. Frankly, I am skeptical that this ruse would work. Even if you handed in your certificate to the FAA for “safe keeping”, if you subsequently were involved in a flight for which the FAA later determined you acted as PIC, it would now have evidence that you did so without the certificate in your possession — another violation. Skip

I cannot think of a reason that the FAA would accept someone’s certificate other than a surrender, so my point was that if you give it to the FAA to hold temporarily, it would be good to have documentation clarifying the situation.

All my friend was saying is that the FAA reserves the right to make a determination of who was PIC based on the circumstances.

Once Canada gets on board, I’ll go basic med.

Had an interesting conversation with an airline pilot buddy recently. His airline SOP is minimum flaps required for weight and field length. Less flaps = higher approach speed = less fuel burned on approach = $$$ savings. Tubojets burn a lot of fuel at low altitudes. Not really applicable at all to Mooneys, but I found it interesting nevertheless.

I would be careful with that. If you give your certificate to the FAA, they could view that as a voluntary surrender and you might not get it back.

What paint and pre-treatments did you use?

Looks that way to me. On my M20J, there is a shelf behind the circuit breakers accessible from the top with the glare shield removed and the shunt is on that shelf. It's cramped, but possible to get to it without removing the whole circuit breaker panel (which is really a nasty job). Skip

From the Cleveland Technician’s Service Guide…

On a Mooney, it’s at the bottom of the panel and I use to just reach underneath the panel and tap the case.

One reason that I like the G5 as a backup is that it has a long battery life. I've never had the patience to run it down entirely, but may try that on a long VFR flight. Recently I ran it on battery for one hour. At the beginning of the test, the battery was showing 90% with a time remaining or 3:21. After an hour, it showed time remaining of 2:15. I doubt these times are exact, but they are indicative that the thing should last at least 2+ hours. It would probably last longer if the display brightness were reduced. Skip

From the wording of the press release, it sounds as if there was a limitation in the AFM that can be removed by installing a kit. https://www.piper.com/press-releases/piper-announces-unpaved-field-approval-for-m600-sls/

Not sure about the full nose up trim since in my J that’s quite a bit more nose up than a normal full flap approach. Also, I don’t think flaps have much effect on stability and stability generally decreases with airspeed due to increased tendency of the controls to float under lower dynamic pressure. But, the general technique is sound. Trimmed for lowest possible airspeed makes a crash more survivable. I might leave the flaps up for a higher nose attitude. Hands off the controls and keeping the ball centered with rudders will prevent entering a spiral. Skip

Sounds like the person doing the inspection caught the items. Repair estimates vary widely depending on who does the work. You classified the fuel leak as a seep which according to the Mooney Service and Maintenance Manual is not an airworthiness item. Cost to repair could be small or large depending on a lot of factors beyond the scope of a pre-purchase inspection. You characterized the aileron as having minor trailing edge damage. Even if it has to be replaced, used ailerons can be had for a few hundred dollars. I would say that the pre-purchase inspector correctly identified the issues but perhaps underestimated the cost to rectify and it sounds like your current IA isn’t very familiar with Mooneys. Finding a fair and capable mechanic you trust and can work with is one of the more difficult but crucial factors to successful ownership in my experience. Since you are new to all this, you might find SavvyMx a worthwhile investment https://www.savvyaviation.com Skip

Might be a good option if you need something now. When I was at the Lycoming plant recently, they told me they have a year backlog. Perfect storm: They brought cylinder head machining in house and had start up issues + shutdown during Covid + demand skyrocketed because during Covid a lot of people decided to overhaul and buy homebuilt kits. Vans is now Lycoming’s largest customer. Skip

The M20R rear seats are only 2.3 inches aft of the rear seats in the M20J. Most of the extra length is in the baggage compartment which is about 5 cu. ft. larger.

The local flight school got tired of replacing tie down rings and repairing rear bulkheads and installed these https://middleforkmods.com Skip

Ah, old school! No power changes implies no acceleration or deceleration compass errors on easterly or westerly headings, so those headings would be best. Worst choice would be northerly or southerly headings due to lead/lag caused by northerly turning error which is worse the farther north you are.

And that’s the point: It’s no use being overly precise about something which is fundamentally inaccurate.