Minivation

I think owners of these kinds of planes largely fall into three categories: 1) Didn't realize how involved ownership is, couldn't handle it and ended up burying their head in the sand 2) Used to fly it actively but life got in the way (family, business, etc) and they just don't have the time anymore 3) Have both time + money but no interest but wants to keep it as a "financial investment". The first group are usually found in the rural airports where tiedown fees are dirt cheap or don't exist, thus keeping the airplane "there" doesn't have immediate costs. The third group is rare but I've seen them before. It takes them a few years until they finally dig into the numbers and realize their mistake. I've ended up becoming good friends with some in the second group. Basically, as an A&P, I offered to restore them to airworthy condition and keep working on them on my spare time (they pay for the parts), and in exchange for my work, I'm named insured and fly the planes whenever I want for oil + gas as long as they're not flying. And whenever they want to fly, they have a turnkey plane. As a result, I'm babysitting three 172's which is more than enough to keep me busy. I'm not an owner yet but it is my hope that I'd find one of these kinds of planes and make one my own.

Ugh, I've had to deal with this issue with the Continental IO-360-ES on the Mod Works converted 201 I fly. After the rollout, I'd turn off into a taxiway and then the engine sputters a bit then dies. Not a common occurrence, but more likely during hotter days. Same thing with a Baron 55 I flew for my multi training (IO-520-C). My quick workaround is to hit the LO boost pump after landing rollout. However, as others pointed out, the real issue is likely improper idle fuel metering. I'm not a powerplant expert but from what I'm aware of, the Continental fuel injection system requires some serious tinkering to get just right, and the average A&P doesn't have the proper equipment to do that as the tooling costs north of $2000 as far as I know. I'd recommend taking it into a knowledgeable shop with good Continental knowledge.

By "college teams" I assume NIFA? I used to compete from 2013 thru 2017. I recall there was one college that used PA-28's and SR20's for the message drop event (Purdue?). There also was a Mooney in the mix one year (don't know who), but I don't think their team used it for that event. Whether or not the object will hit the horizontal stab will depend a lot on the air resistance of the object and the airspeed of the aircraft. On the NIFA events the containers we threw were roughly 6x1.5x1.5" boxes weighing 2.5 ounces. On the 172's and 150's we flew it at 80kts at 100' AGL, and the bombardier threw it directly at the landing gear leg, and the wind would end up pushing it "backwards" (relative to the plane) so that the box passed underneath the stab. I don't think this technique would work on low-wing aircraft as the item would just hit the wing. Maybe throwing it towards the trailing edge might be better. One experience on the M20 I *do* have is spilling some coffee on the floor, soaking it up with a wad of tissue and throwing it out the window. When I landed an hour later, I found the tissue still stuck on the leading edge of the LH horizontal stab. I started bringing a small plastic bag on my flights to take care of my waste disposal requirements after that.

My friend is getting his second annual done at Freedom Aviation at Lynchburg VA. They may be a bit too south compared to where you're looking, however they're detailed in their work and do a good job at communicating.

Green - lived there -or- flown to many, many parts of the state Blue - flown in a few times across multiple places Orange - flown in, looked around a bit (in AK's case, I flew a Citabria around the Matanuska Glacier area) Red - fuel stop

Turns out I posted slightly incorrect information. The autopilot works okay in lateral mode but cannot seem to hold altitude. So it's an issue independent of the GI275. (He did mention though that the GI275-STec connection worked a lot better when the GI275 was set to emulate the KI-525 rather than the NSD360 - The S-Tec can take either)

I was involved in a very comprehensive annual on a 24-260B a few years ago and had the opportunity to get to know the plane inside out. Mechanically the airplane is solidly built, with the only real focus points being the stabilator and MLG structure. Others pointed those out already. One thing I will say with confidence is working in the engine compartment (and avionics) is A LOT easier than the Mooney! Early examples come with hand brakes which I'm not very fond of, but later ones come with the pedal brakes we're all familar with. Commanches are not as efficient as Mooneys but they make up for that with cabin space and better technical support IMO. Handling characteristics are a lot more forgiving, especially during landing, but you still want to nail your airspeeds. My hangar neighbor at KPVG used to own a PA-24 and he loved it.

Let us know how things go after your tests - I'd love to know how other setups work (or not). As for the autopilot - the GPSS functionality of the GI275 teaches some serious new tricks to those old A/P's. Glad to hear it works with your Century. The owner of the 201 I've been flying has since installed dual GI-275's as well but it doesn't seem to play nicely with the S-Tec System 60. He suspects it's an issue with the A/P though.

Mooney Manual #202 covers the M20B thru M20E made between 1961 and 1964. I have attached a PDF to this comment. Mooney M20B-C-D-E IPC 1961-1964 (Manual 202).pdf

I've tried this in a Cessna 172 with a dual GI-275 setup, GNS430W as Nav/Comm/GPS #1 and KX155 as Nav/Comm #2. I wired the KX155 Composite Nav output to a KI-209 CDI and GI275 (HSI) in parallel as Garmin's IM at the time made no mention against such a setup and the KX155 IM implies the ability to do this in its sample wiring schematics. However, this did not turn out well. The KI-209 did its job okay on its own but whenever the GI-275 was configured to accept the KX155's composite nav data, indications on both units went haywire. (Simulated LOC/GS outputs were OK) I'm not a real electrical engineer so I can't comment on the exact reason why, but I speculate that the KX155 output impedance is unable to deal with both units. In the end I deleted the connection between the KX155 and GI275.

I wish! I used to fly a friend's M20J before leaving for Korea at the end of 2021. I've been in here for a year and will be here for at least another to serve the mandatory military conscription that applies to all Korean citizens. Hopefuly I'll find my way back Stateside after this. Speaking of Mooneys in Korea, I believe there is one M20R based in Taean Airport (RKTA) registered as HL1108. Not sure who owns it or if it flies regularly at all since ADS-B Out is not mandated here. There also used to be a fleet of at least five 201AT's based out of Seoul before they were crated and shipped to Canada. One of them is now C-GLNP and another C-GLNI. A big bucket list item is owning a Mooney and flying it back to Korea just for kicks and giggles.

Ah, just about everything in GA maintenance has two answers - real and legal. In reality, bumping the record by 24 hours 99.9999% won't mean anything. But legally? Oooh. I agree with EricJ in that I have a feeling the work and logbook signoff was completed and marked as 31 January 2023. At that point everything is finished and it would be very fishy to go back and bump the date. The thing about 91.411's and 413's is that they not only involve logbook entries but an entire set of cert documents based on Part 43 Appendix E and F of which one copy usually gets appended to said logbook entry and the other kept with the CRS for a few years. Chicken shit? Maybe, but CRS's get visited by the FSDO quite often and those inspectors look at this stuff. I've seen repair stations get SLAMMED with ridiculous fees and penalties for the smallest stuff (a CRS near me was fined $5k for forgetting to note the ELT battery expiration date on the logbook entry) so I wouldn't be surprised if they're just trying to watch their six. I'm sorry to hear about your situation though. If I may add my $0.02, I suggest next time around explicitly mentioning that you'd like the IFR cert inspections performed and signed a specific date - most avionics shops would be happy to accommodate that for you if they're given a heads up.

If they're flat then they're likely MS20426 series rivets. Not sure which size and length though. If I hazard a wild guess, probably AD4-5 or 4-6 depending on the panel thickness.

I am my own A&P Most pilot-rated mechanics I know (including myself) are usually OK flying types that they personally have experience in. I myself am rated ASEL, ASES, and AMEL, but I'll only offer to fly the types I have a full checkout in (i.e. I know the full range of the flight envelope and how it feels) if the customer really needs me to fly it. Recently I flew a Cherokee 140 from SC to VA for avionics work because the customer, a new owner of the plane, didn't have the time to do it himself. Even for Mooneys, I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable flying someone else's Mooney purely because the 201 I flew is one heck of an oddball (Mod Works Continental IO-360 conversion with composite panel and a encyclopedia-worth of speed STC's) compared to a standard J model.

Up until very recently I worked for a European technology firm that made everything from transponders for gliders to vending machine computers. Starting in the first quarter of this year, our CPU lead times from NXP Semiconductors went from the standard 12 weeks to an astounding 54+ weeks. I in particular worked in the industrial motors division, and what used to be my standard lead time of 4-6 weeks followed that trend and went up to 25+ weeks this last quarter. That said, it is only a matter of time until the supply chain crisis hits everything aviation. As Baker Avionics said, Garmin issued the lead time dealer memo last Thursday. I would not be surprised if this extends soon to other products, particularly those with color touchscreen displays and advanced RF components such as the 2in. slimline units and the GI-275's. The one saving grace for Garmin is that a lot of their equipment is manufactured in Taiwan - where TSMC is located - so this fact may contribute to Garmin being slightly more resilient than other electronics manufacturers. On the BendixKing side of things, Honeywell has been delaying multiple shipments to their dealers a great deal multiple times; I am currently waiting on a KX155A display replacement and the shipment for that has been delayed twice. I do have my own political inclinations, but having witnessed what I saw in my previous work, I am convinced the supply chain crisis isn't going away anytime soon even if whoever the right people make the right moves. As for me I've been stocking up on supplies, inventory, and tooling to lower the chances of me running into a situation where I can't get what I need on short notice.

Two experiences: The Mooney I fly has an older Garmin MX20. I have seen this unit get the BSOD on two occasions, one of them when I was on a solid IMC instrument approach. Thankfully the navigation and all the "brain work" is done by the GNT650Xi, so there was no danger. I have had the G3X GDU460 (10" display) lose its touchscreen functionality in an LSA. It had just been installed, so it was covered under warranty.

The dimensions (namely, diameter) is my main concern, especially for aircraft with tight wheel wells. At least that is the case with a friend of mine who owns a 182RG, who prefers not to use retreads for that reason. However, you bring up a good point about the TSO standards including dimensional criteria, so I would love to stand corrected and I see amazing value behind quality retreads.

Heck, if you can afford a plane, then I suppose it wouldn't hurt to grab a CFI to give you a few pointers on the trip to AVX I've flown into AVX just once, and that was during July when I did a big flying trip from Denver-Telluride-Sedona-Lake Havasu-Catalina-Bakersfield all in one day. One thing that got my attention at AVX was just how steep the runway slope is. Runway 22 is a distinct uphill, and Runway 4 is a noticeable downhill. When I was taxiing out for departure, it almost seemed as if all the other planes were only looking at the windsock and not taking the slope into consideration - one Skyhawk decided to take off uphill with a ~5 knot headwind ... by the time he was off the departure end of the runway (which is where I was, holding short of Rwy 4), I reckon he wasn't more than 30ft off the ground. Of course, no harm there because both ends of the runway drop off down to a cliff, but it certainly struck me as odd. Given the fact that my experience with AVX was in the context of hitting all the other "plateau" airports that day (namely, TEX and SEZ), I made sure that I briefed the airport elevation well before arrival and set up a game plan on what kinds of "gates" I wanted to pass through during the traffic pattern inbound, with each gate being defined by a specific geographic location, target altitude, airspeed, and configuration (e.g. turning base to a 1.5-mile final for Rwy 22, 1900' MSL, 75kts, full flaps, gear down). For each gate, I'd have an "escape plan" where if my targets weren't achieved, I could initiate a go-around and rejoin safely.

I've recently done a few trips around the country in the mid-teens. I don't have a dedicated pulse oximeter, but my Galaxy S7 has one built-in. It might not be as convenient or accurate as dedicated ones, but it's good to know I'm at least carrying something around with me all the time.

Retreads and retractables generally don't mix well. Normally I'd recommend new Michelin or Goodyear tires, but the M20J I fly has been doing well with Condor tires (IIRC they are retreaded Michelin tires) for both the mains and the nose. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about the Condors being retread Michelins.

I think this list is good to go. I did have to double-check if the G5 is allowed to be used as a backup to the G500TXi, and yes, it is authorized. I haven't flown the G500TXi as a pilot, but I have done installation and maintenance work on them as an avionics tech. They are incredibly powerful devices and I am confident they will serve you well. Just make sure you spend the time to get used to the interface because they can get overwhelming!

Before hopping in the plane, I usually download a few Spotify-curated playlists enough to last me the flight. A typical flight for me lasts anywhere between 1 hour and 8 hours (gotta love those Monroy tanks) so sometimes this means A LOT of music to download. Things to do: Read the POH. Quiz yourself on the V-speeds and various limitations of the airplane. Read the AFM supplements. Discover the mind-boggling features your backup vacuum pump system affords you!!! Listen to those Damn Youth™ meow on guard. Find out how disagreeable your two Nav receivers are during an airborne VOR check. Did you remember to turn off the bathroom lights on your way out from home? Boot up your Garmin GPS into configuration mode and start messing with the settings. (Okay, please don't) Reach into the depths of the seat back pockets and pull out a candy wrapper from 1975. Set your Comm #2 to destination ATIS/AWOS and use it as an alarm clock for your nap. The alarm rings when the frequency breaks the squelch. How convenient!

I realize I'm pretty late to the discussion, but when I was flying from Cour d' Alene to Oshkosh via the northern states (Montana and N Dakota) during late July it was pretty bad. I was cruising 11500 in hopes of getting away from the smoke somewhat but instead I was greeted with ... smoke. Visibility when departing Cour d'Alene was around 6nm vis, but once I got anywhere above a couple thousand feet above ground, it was like playing a 90s video game - the ground and everything in the distance would just fade into a white wisp. I consider myself pretty healthy but with the smoke being so thick at the time, combined with the relatively high DA, I ended up donning my cannula and using up what remained in my bottle, which at least helped me avoid a pretty bad headache at the end of the day. Eventually I made my way back home in coastal Virginia shortly after Oshkosh and even out in the east coast you could see the far-reaching effects of the smoke coming out from the west in the form of thick haze. Since then we've had our classic coastal Virginia summer weather pattern of afternoon thunderstorms play out just about every day, so it appears the haze has subsided somewhat. However, from reports of others based out west, it certainly appears the smoke situation hasn't gotten much better since.

BQ1 was my go-to place whenever I could round up a couple of my friends to do a group-fly. Quite honestly I've never really been too fanatic about their food (one does not out-BBQ the Texas Mesquite brisket) but the camaraderie and atmosphere will be greatly missed.

Wow, cool! JGG is just up across the bay from where I fly out of. Lovely airport. While I don't have nearly the years under my belt as you do, I worked most of my career so far in Charlotte, where I know the inspectors there are more allowing of these matters (or at least so when I was there ... this actually isn't the first time this particular type of work was done). That said, I do know different FSDO's have different temperaments, so I wouldn't be surprised if the local guys have a different take.