WeldWade

Spring pressure problem, valve guide problem, lash problem possible. Too late to check lash but I would be checking spring pressure on every spring and the guides. Do you have a bent push rod? Don't rule out a valve train issue. I'm not an aircraft mechanic but I've worked on engines all my life. Looks like a possible loose lash situation to me. Poor heat treat or metallurgical issues usually aren't just one lobe in my experience. Just my .02 from my experience with racecar stuff.

I will shoot him a message for sure. I have not ruled out buying a C to train in, gain hours, experience and ratings. If I did it right it could be a smart thing to do. Wouldn't be a wash when I would be ready to move to a Bravo but, it is an option that I think needs to be considered. It would sure help with insurance I'm guessing. Springerville needs to build some hangars! Wind is the issue here most of the time for me. A calm day is a rarity around here.

Every camshaft with beginning lobe failure that I've ever seen looked like that. If it were me I'd replace it.

Yes the back up. I watched a couple of videos on YouTube that showed its operation. Looks easy enough. I will definitely be looking for flights in Mooneys. I have a year or more before I get serious looking for a Bravo.

Fuel burn is not an issue that is most important to me. Less fuel usage is in no way a bad thing either. From my home airfield I depart at 7k+ so climbing to 15k in a Bravo would not be too hard. DA is the challenge here. Peaks south are 11.4 and 10.9 respectively. So FL15, or higher, is perfectly fine with me. Humphreys is 12,637 to the west. O2 will be a must for me. The Bravo has enough fuel capacity and useful load for me. I am not ready for a twin and wouldn't consider it at all at this point. A Bravo is a giant step up from the 172 Im training in. A properly equipped Bravo would be hard to beat for me. The Bravo checks off every box and then some for me. Safe, fast, and more than capable A NA twin at my airfield in the hot summer would have to work to FL15. A pressurized turbo twin would be the only thing I would consider in the future. Apples to oranges anyway.

That is funny! If I do purchase a Bravo, and I most likely will... At this point I don't see myself getting into a twin in the future without major changes in my life that are unlikely. A pressurized cabin, useful load, and twin safety are the only real benefits I see at this point. That aircraft would be big money! The Bravo will certainly give me Smiles Per Mile! The more I learn about the Bravo, the more I like about it. Must have equipment for a Bravo? What are everyone's thoughts? IFR, TKS/FIKI, three axis autopilot, smooth belly panel, speed brakes, tank bladders, LED lights, wired for ANR, etc.

I agree the Bravo is my best option. It is within a budget that I can afford and I will not grow out of it anytime soon. 17-18 in a Mooney at those speeds is far under a twin. Fuel cost and usage in any Mooney is not a huge concern for me at all. I'm feeding each of my Peterbilts 500+ dollars a day in diesel/DEF and fuel prices continue to rise... so I am no stranger to fuel costs, high cost of equipment, and maintenance costs. The later models are outside of my budget at this point I believe. Transition training with the best Mooney specific flight instructor will be a top priority. Whatever it takes is what will happen.

Another good reason to take my time in my search and explore different options for finding a great aircraft for me.

Too bad they don't offer a similar kit for the Mooneys! I didn't see anything on their website.

I'm sure I will run into a few and hope I do. I've got some time to make up my mind and I am not in a hurry to do so. I am enjoying the experience!

What would the price tag be for the TAT WWIII? Just curious.

I honestly figured that out on my own last night while digging more into the models. Regardless, I am still a fan of the non strut Mooney landing gear and the gear design and operation. There is so much to like about the Mooney! But yes, I did have a misconception that all early models had a Johnson bar and manual hydraulic flaps. From what I've been able to learn so far, the Bravo has a "ripcord" like manual gear deployment system? Reminds me of starting my chainsaw after the winter. From what I can see it looks like it works easier than starting my chainsaw after a long winter!

I worked in mining for about 25 years. I spent many of those years as a crane operator as well as all sorts of various heavy equipment and machinery. I worked for Tucson Electric Power after mining and I have owned a trucking company since 2000ish. We haul propane in the lower 48 but do not get east of the Mississippi often.

The Bravo will most likely be what I choose. I will not rule out an aircraft that is not TKS equipped to begin with, as it can be added at a later time when I am rated and experienced. I am keeping an eye on the market and watching what is available to gauge what I will need to save for a purchase. I don't want to rush into anything and feel like I made a bad decision for me. Experience is invaluable! I appreciate everyones thoughts and guidance.

Thank you for the welcome! I have at least a year before I buy. I am in no hurry at all to make the decision or buy. It would be foolish for me to be overconfident. However, I have operated complex and deadly heavy equipment my entire adult life without incident. I am confident that I will gain experience and ratings in the future safely and responsibly. I am not the type to push beyond my limits. I will not be financing my purchase. So it may take more than a year to have the cash to buy depending on what model and equipment I decide on.

There are a couple of options for added fuel capacity if needed and slowing down is the easiest and cheapest option. I'm glad this forum exists! I am grateful for all the advice.

The V35 is a beautiful bird!!! I am also looking at the Beechcraft's for sure. I am more of a Mooney fan though. I had no idea that there was an STC for turbo normalizing a Beech. Now I am really scratching my head...

FIKI would not normally present a useful load challenge for me at this point or within the next several years. It was not something I was considering due to being new and completely inexperienced. I will not be flying when icing would be remotely possible at this point or for a while to come. An IFR rating and or flying into known icing will be down the road for me but, I would much rather have it and not need it! I can see that FIKI should be a requirement for any aircraft I am considering. It will be a long time before I am able, or would, fly in those conditions. Buy once, cry once, right! The Lycoming in the Bravo is not as fuel efficient as the Continentals from what I am reading. The 252 has a lot of things I like. Looks like a 60K price tag to add FIKI... I have not seen a 252 for sale that is TKS/FIKI equipped. I am thinking an Acclaim is looking better now!!! I'm rambling... but I'm starting to understand the give and take a lot more now. I am just a fan of the older aircraft and the entire process of making it into something that is exactly what I want.

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. I am currently working on my PPL and it is going very well. I am 49, kids are grown and I am divorced. I live in NE Arizona at 7300' elevation. I also have a home in Tucson AZ. My business is growing and I would like to be able to fly back and forth as needed, weather permitting. I am planning to purchase and airplane within the next 12 months and I am trying to educate myself as to what aircraft would be best for me for the next 6 to 10 years. This is what brings me to looking for a Mooney M20(?). I live at high elevation in the west and all of my flying will be in the mountainous west. My youngest lives in Utah, I have family in Colorado, New Mexico and Idaho. My sons live in Mesa AZ and I also do business in many states all west of the Mississippi. I am not trying to fool myself that I can just jump in and go and everything will be just peachy. I have three mentors that all have extensive aviation background. One is a retired airline pilot with over 30 years of experience. One is a CFI and the other is a RV pilot with 5000+ hours. All have been invaluable with their help and experiences. I am truly lucky to have them to help me! Is the Mooney M20(?) right for me? I love the aircraft, the value, styling, speed, economy, community, and the safety of the Mooney M20's. The simplicity and reliability of the manual landing gear and hydraulic flaps is what draws me to the M20's. And the tail! IMO the Mooney tail is a masterpiece! The airplane will fit my mission and will be a great platform for me to become proficient in. I am not ready for a Twin and want to have a capable aircraft that will allow me to transition to a twin in the future. From the little I have learned so far, the J or K would be right for me. Probably would be best to get a K. My future plans will be to get into a twin that can operate into IMC but that is honestly years away. Since I am just staring into the GA ownership, I feel that the J or K would be a great place for me to start. I can afford either model and build hours and ratings in either. Having a turbo at my elevation would be best but my questions about the K, at this point, are concerning temps, CHT's and oil temps. Is the K my best option or would a J and slightly different flight planning be a better option. Or should I be looking for a M? I eventually want to purchase a twin and I think the M is far out of my experience zone as a first airplane. I would rather put that higher cost towards a twin in the future. And the last consideration I have is that I will most likely keep the Mooney as long as I am a pilot. I am a collector and I know within the next five years I would have way more into my Mooney than its worth. I am perfectly fine with that and look forward to it. My business keeps me extremely busy through the fall, winter, and into early spring. I would probably only get about 4 to 6 hours a week on average during my busy season, if weather cooperates. So at this point I think the Mooney would be a great aircraft for me to purchase. Is the J or K right for me? Or should I be looking at another model or a different airplane? Thanks in advance!