Eduleo

Hangar elf will be very happy he can fix this himself! Non-hardening Permatex and a screw driver, got it. And I'll make sure to fly a bit from the right tank before hiring said hangar elf to do the job, so that gas doesn't gush out of the tank when the screw is removed. Thank you for all the quick responses! Eduardo (hangar elf without a hangar)

Dear all, I topped off both tanks today after an oil change, to take advantage of the lower fuel price at the pump. After flying back to my home base I saw Avgas coming through the screw right next to the door, and if I run a finger on it, it would get wet. Haven’t seen this before, even when topping off, which I do often (no gas at home). The idea of gas on top of the wing, on a plane that lives outside, during summer, scares me a lot. Otherwise I have not had any drop of contamination since I bought the plane in November, except for when I didn’t close the fuel gasket properly (nice lesson learned that day). Is this an easy fix? Should I try to tighten the screw or would that make things worse? It’s an 87’ J by the way. Any other ideas? Thanks!

The thing that is hard for me to understand in all this is that the beaches were not empty. There are reports of people swimming in the water while the plane flew just above their heads. At cruise speed and less than 50’ agl all you need is to be distracted by one gauge or another for 2 secs before it’s too late. And there are people right under your high speed meat grinder. Can’t understand that.

This could be so helpful. Please add me (if I’m not in yet) and please send me the link. best regards eduardo

Hi Bob, The PFS was installed in 2006. The maintenance logs indicated that the system had been maintained regularly, but Weber MSC didn't think that the problem had developed recently, so someone might have missed something at some point. There was also a dent on one of the large 180º pipes that makes it look like someone had used a rubber hammer to try to get the joints to fit after lubbing. PFS said that they thought they could weld it back since the crack was only 3" long, but a new crack kept appearing as they welded so I had to get a new assembly. PFS seems to try to help with the problem quickly and responsively. The new part does cost $1350 + shipping, it comes with a 1 year warranty. Best E

Will do!

Haha! I'll have an updated picture the day I get the plane back.

Quick update: I ended up buying the plane for a fair price (at least I hope so), after the pre--buy at Henry Weber (Lancaster, PA). Converted the per-buy into a two-months-early annual that took longer because of a crack in the Power Flow exhaust that went down to Florida for repairs and ended up being replace for a new one. it should be ready sometime this week. Otherwise the plane looks nice, no corrosion, engine looks good with clean oil analysis, no fuel leaks, new pucks and tires. I'll finally be starting my transition training by Friday, and I can't wait! About Henry Weber, I couldn't be happier. They have been very thorough, not minding my biweekly visits to the plane (feels like visiting your child at the hospital), and my endless questions. They seem to be reasonable expense-wise, and I'd be happy bringing the plane back there for future annuals. Ownership remains daunting, but there also seems to be a real community that is rare to see outside of aviation. Hope I am as positive a few months from now...

I'll be in Gettysburg, PA. Small airport, no fuel, a few T hangars, all occupied. Harrisburg manages it and they have expansion plans, but who knows for when... Town is nice though!

Dear All, I am about to get our plane out of its first annual after purchasing it a few weeks ago. For the moment our new baby will be outside while we wait for a hangar to free up. The idea of having it outside in the elements (PA winters can be harsh!) gives me nightmares, but the waitlist for any hangar within 50 miles is long... It comes with a full canopy cover, cowl plugs, and the tail "diapers", but I think we need to protect wings, elevators and vertical fin as well.Google gives me: Bruce:https://www.aircraftcovers.com Mac covers:https://www.airplane-covers.com/wingcovers.htm This Canadian company:https://www.aerocovers.com/prod01_wing_cover.shtml Kennon is apparently not in the covers business anymore. Any suggestions on cover companies that are reasonably priced but offer good quality covers for all seasons? Thank you!

Thank you, Larry. It's a M20J that has most of its annuals done at Freeway, that's why I was looking for a different MSC. Otherwise I would be going to Freeway.

Thank you all for your kind replies. Plane is going up to Lancaster for its PPi.

Dear Mooney community, I am in the process of purchasing my first aircraft, and one of the options for a pre-buy inspection is in Easton, MD. I see that it is an airport often flown by members of this forum, but I don’t see anything about Trident Aircraft. Has any of you worked with them before? Any information you could share would be greatly appreciated. This is my first post here, but I hope it is the first out of many. It is an invaluable resource for those of us who are rookie owners. Best Eduardo