Gagarin

Later long fuselage Mooneys are sealed the same way is done on Jet planes. Sealant is applied to the tank parts just before assembly so the sealant is sandwich in between the structure creating a very strong sealant bond.

Most likely is leaking through the fuel cap adapter ring perimeter that is riveted to the wing. Best way to check this out is by blowing air into the tank vent (by mouth no more than 5 psi) and checking for bubbles at the filler cap using spray soap. It will point exactly to the leak source. If it show bubbles apply tank sealant to the adapter ring rivets.

To prevent accidental speed brakes deployment just pull the brakes CB out. Or relocate the speed brakes switch to the panel or the opposite arm on the yoke. BTW I found the flaps to be more effective for a steep descend than the brakes. I found the VSR very effective for planning the descent than trying to correct a botched descent.

DO NOT DEPLOY SPEED BRAKES IN ICING CONDITIONS . They will get stuck in the extended position. Lubricate them with WD-40 yearly. The speed brakes switch is next to the PTT switch on the yoke making it prone to be depress by accident specially during icing conditions when you will be wearing gloves. Some of my friends had them removed for an extra 6 gallons of fuel in the long range tanks.

Try earplugs, they are very effective. In the front most of the noise comes from the glareshield reverberation. A friend of mine covered it with carpet cloth and it made such a big difference that he recovered all the side panels. It is so quiet that you can hear his mother in law praying with a rosary on the back seat.

This was in winter time at 13,000 ft coming from Virginia Tech after dropping my son not much heat on the rear seats. No need for headsets on the back seats is not that noisy she and I talk directly. She doesn't like listening to the ATC chatting over the headset.

Unlike the Mooneys on the A36 all rear passengers are seated behind the center of lift and there is no recliners like on the M20J. On my M20J my wife (90 pounds) prefers to seat on the back seats because of the recliners and less noise.

What's wrong with your pilot big wrist watch? I had this Citizen for 15 years and never needed to replace the battery. A very good watch.

A friend of mine interested on getting a high performance single asked me about the M20J and A36 Bonanza. Here are some my findings. An M20J of same year is about $100k cheaper than an A36 and cost less to operate An A36 have six seats capability but the rental cars I get at destinations can only seat 4 On my 1982 M20J the back seats recline all the way for a very comfortable long trip. On the A36 they do not recline. The A36 needs twice the runway length for take off and landing vs the M20J. These limits the accessibility to many GA airports, especially on an emergency. M20J specs https://www.globalair.com/aircraft-for-sale/Specifications?specid=60 A36 specs https://www.globalair.com/aircraft-for-sale/Specifications?specid=35

Very true. It always breaks the one you do not carry.

On my old 1966 M20C I had a 45deg circumference crack on the steel part of the Lycoming cylinder. I first noticed due to the oil mark on the cylinder between the fins. I pulled the cylinder and look inside and the crack was visible to the naked eye. The engine had 1700hrs since new. The plane was based at TJIG (next to the San Juan Bay) and all the cylinders showed signs of corrosion on the fins. I was lucky the cylinder did not separated in flight.

WOOW Who needs an airplane to stay current flying this simulator. Any idea what the selling price is at Best Buy or local stores?

A stronger reason to get new cylinders instead of honing them.

A cracked head

Switch to an alternator. Generators brushes are very noisy when worn out.

For another 12 hours to go what you need is a pilot relief tube not another expensive screen. Believe me a pilot relief tube will give you more comfort than that extra screen.

I found that these PC based flight simulators like Microsoft. Are very useful in keeping you proficient as you age. They are very realistic and can be set to real bad weather conditions at night. I strongly recommend them.

Cylinders have a tendency to crack after 2000 hrs. I would go with new cylinders or engine overhaul. On every power stroke a cylinder looses a few molecules due to tensile stress on the wall, at 2000 hr operating hours this would lead to at least 120 million molecules lost. If they are in line it would lead to a crack that could lead to cylinder separation on the next power stroke.

And before engine start? Engine fuel pump pressure reading is with the engine running.

What was the last fuel pressure reading?

SOLD to Donald for his 2020 campaign

To revive sales Mooney has to come up with susbstantial different model like a six seater. All the current models are four seaters same as the other brands.

At $800K on the new planes is a hard sale considering that you can get a similar Mooney (Bravo/TLS) plane for $200K. Maybe not with an extra door but with a pilot relief and long range tanks. The used Mooneys market is a strong competitor because unlike a new plane you can sell your old plane for the same value you bought it. I bought my 1982 M20J for $65k and now they are selling for $100K.

Well, maybe a couple of tire inner tubes. If you happen to have a flat tire you can pull the tube from the wing

Mooney Ceasing Production Closes Kerrville Plant, furloughs hundreds of employees Plane & Pilot Published November 12, 2019 3K The Mooney factory assembly line in Kerrville, Texas. Courtesy of Mooney International The Kerrville Daily Times is reporting that Mooney International has ceased manufacturing operations at its Kerrville Airport factory at Kerrville Municipal Airport (KERV), Texas. In the move, a company spokesman said, the company laid off 229 employees, bringing Mooney employment down to around 90 workers. None will be producing aircraft parts, however, which is certain to concern Mooney owners. At the same time the company, which is owned by the Chinese investment company Soaring American Corporation, says the move is “temporary” and that it will restart production when the market for its singles returns, though prospects for that don’t look promising. Despite best-in-class performance, a recently updated design that includes larger windows and a second, pilot-side entry door, the aircraft have sold poorly even at a time when sales of some competitors’ planes have held steady or surged. The company had operated research and product development facilities in Southern California until 2017, when it closed that facility and relocated all operations to Kerrville. Mooney was founded in the 1920s by the Mooney Brothers, produced planes in Wichita, Kansas, for a time and moved to Kerrville in 1953. Since then the company has changed hands 11 times by our count. Subscribe today to Plane & Pilot magazine for industry news, reviews and much more delivered