Mufflerbearing

This has been an interesting topic, reading from the beginning. Last September, I put money down and placed an order for the Mustang Mach E GT with the performance package. The instant power was intoxicating, coming from a guy that spends a ton of time at the track. I was interested in free home made fuel (solar) for a vehicle I could enjoy. The car is now built and in transit to Idaho. Looking at it, timing couldn't have been more perfect with what has happened lately concerning fuel. I wasn't thinking green, just fun. I have since learned that it takes 500,000 lbs of ore to create a single electric car. I don't have the data to know what it takes to create an ICE vehicle but would be surprised if it was near as much as this. Next, I recently read an article from the Idaho Statesman on mining Cobalt. Salmon Idaho has the largest cobalt mine in the USA. It was a functioning mine years ago but shut down. When it was closed, it became a 100 million super fund clean up site. The local Indian population had to be moved because of the toxic waste from the mining. Fast forward to now. There are 4 companies that have pulled permits to reopen the mine for the cobalt for the auto industry. These companies have to put up a bond for 100 million for the clean up after they are done. I think that is a correct move. But wait! How many total electric cars can be built with the cobalt in this mine? A whole whopping 190,000. That's it! This is the largest mine in the USA and it will produce just a pittance of what is needed. Yes, most of the cobalt mines right now are in Africa. I don't have data on how much those mines can produce, but we have seen how much they care for the environment. I have come to the conclusion that unless battery technology changed dramatically, this is unsustainable. Nor is it green. Windmills are the single most expensive and least ecological way to produce electricity with nuclear being the cleanest and most ecological sound. Anyone want a red Mustang Mach E GT Performance car? I don't think I will be picking it up.

When looking at buying my first plane while still working on my ppl, I intentionally looked for a FIKI plane. For some, safety means a parachute. For me and more importantly my wife, FIKI and a roll cage checked the boxes for safety. Having since earned my IFR rating, this system is used regularly and is important, especially in the NW.

I love Mooney Space because it's civil and a place to learn. There are so many wise owners/pilots that are so willing to share their point of view. Do I agree with all of them all of the time? Probably not, but I learn from every one of them. Being civil will give your thoughts and feelings validity and others may even listen and may even agree. On this point, I happen to agree with your premise. I learned how to fly, took my ppl test and my IFR in my Mooney. Incredible plane. Is this way of doing things necessarily the best way? For some, you bet. It did for me. For others, maybe not so much.

Thanks Parker for all you do for us in our insurance needs. Down to earth genuine guy.

Thanks Anthony for the invite. We have been out visiting the grandkids in Georgia. My experience was a little different than most. I started learning how to fly years ago but took 25 years off because of life/injury. So, I started up again with a huge break with a local flight school and a 175 taildragger. While I was learning how to fly again, I constantly studied on this forum and identified what kind of Mooney I wanted. Yes, I always wanted one, but which one? With amazing guidance and opinions here, I identified what I wanted to fit my mission and lifestyle. One day, another student ground looped my training plane and bent it. Just then, I found my unicorn plane. At that time, I paid my instructor to fly it home with me to Idaho from Michigan and finished, took my test, and promptly started my IFR in this plane. It has been an amazing ride and I would do it all over again. It's hard to beat this plane in speed and efficiency. It flies like my Porsches drive. Now that being said, I have since finished my taildragger endorsement in a Champ. Though it was incredibly painful to fly it anywhere as it is so slow, there was an amazing perspective I never got flying the Mooney. I also think this made me a better overall pilot. My suggestion is, go fly. While you are beating up someone else's airplane, identify and locate the one that checks all of your boxes. That way, when it shows up, you are ready to buy it.

I believe Don's cautions is not necessarily because of the electrical system, but the on board electronics. I remember him saying these spikes in the electrical power when switching batteries can damage the electronics.

Excellent information! Thank you for the update. Next annual, I'll take a look at my contacts. Once they hit the armature, the alternator is done. One question I have is why did the secondary alternator die? You said that the shear pin sheared. This would tell me that there may have been a load on the alternator that the shear pin couldn't handle. Was this the case?

I'm with the majority here. Pay the 2K and move on.

There are several of us here in Coeur 'd Alene / KCOE. It's beautiful here and the flying is great. I may be able to give you a call in a couple of hours. Tom

What @GeeBee said is what I do and as he stated, it has not failed for me either. However, as he also stated, a great ignition system is important. After installing fine wire plugs my hot start issues became a thing of the past and my lop is excellent.

I'll double your money right now for that extra stall strip! I lost one and as you said, sourcing is near impossible.

Yes, that is correct. The difference between a clean wing vs TKS/FIKI. My understanding is the difference between TKS and FIKI is not in the wing installation pieces, but in the redundant systems such as alternators, batteries and maybe the dual TKS fluid pumps.

The 1085 is certainly possible and is probable. My plane with FIKI is 1024.

The speed differential in the O between non FIKI and a FIKI plane is roughly 8kts penalty. I love it, need it and use it. It was one huge defining feature I looked for in a plane. My wife loves the security it brings more than a parachute would. I do have a FIKI equipped Screaming Eagle that is amazing. It is a unicorn plane with the addition of the new 2500 Evolution Pro series and dual waas 430's. I may be willing to sell it for the right price which I feel is around $580,000. That is what it is worth to me.

I personally like the 1000' at 2 minutes calculation. 500' descent is comfortable for my passengers and the plane. At cruise/altitude, my plane is at 21" mp. During descent, I just keep it at 21" which keeps my speed reasonable and keeps my cht's good as well. When I hit the midfield downwind, out comes 16" mp and drop the gear/gumps. Abeam the numbers, out comes 11" mp and 10 degree flaps. Turn to base is full flaps and final is a simple last gumps check. IFR is totally different. Your CFII can go over those things when you start your IFR training. You can also reach out then and I'll be glad to go over that with you. No need to confuse the situation now. Flying a Mooney is all about energy management. The plane flies like my Porsche drives. I wouldn't change it for the world. Just stay ahead and love it. Mooney is a special plane. Glad you are here and I have learned so much from this incredible group of people.

Coming into Provo Utah about a month ago, SLC left me at 9,000 when handing me over to tower. Tower said I was number two, I had to drop 4,000' about 3 miles out and do not exceed 120 kts. Out came the speed brakes, dropped the gear, and full flaps, pointing to the ground. I started doing ss's to burn up some distance when I got the call again from tower to slow down as I was still gaining. I replied that this bird can't get any dirtier and offered to do a 360 which they replied, it'll be fine! I died that day.....

Doc has it exactly right. Run the fine wires. Sell the brand new massives. You will thank yourself in about 100 hours of use.

You could always call it a Cirrus!

Welcome to this incredible group of aviators. We love our Mooneys and what's not to love? They are amazing and so are the people here.

It appears that those posting times here are blowing the average time out of the water! Excellent! I'm only at 144 this year.

I love that people actually think Mooneys are hard to land. That's cute. Just stick to the numbers and it's butter! I just finished my tail wheel endorsement flying a 1946 champ with huge off road tires. Landing that plane with a 15 knot crosswind is a hand full. The Mooney really doesn't fight in a crosswind.

I own a 1999 Screaming Eagle, which is basically an Ovation 3. I can't imagine flying anything else. In the world of airplanes, the 1999 is practically brand new. The 1960's, not so much.

The LED's are a really good way to go. I purchased one set for my screaming eagle for the landing lights. They are amazing and I do leave them on all the time as they burn very few electrons. My plane has FIKI and there is a spot where the light is where the titanium strip is missing. To address the issue of potential icing, leaving the stock taxi lights, which do create quite a bit of heat, helps when icing is an issue. Best of both worlds.

There are many iterations of the quote, I'm too poor to buy cheap things. You purchased an incredible plane and it deserves to be well taken care of. Spend the money you need to keep it in good shape. That will pay dividends in the long run. I am a little jealous that you get to work with the Doc. He has great insights and is willing to share his experience.

Well, if they didn't have water in the fuel before, they certainly do now!