canamex

@Janat83 yes it seems the short body Mooneys are missing out on the AP and it'll only be the F, G, J, and K models which they're pushing forward with although who knows... @Mooney Dog my thoughts exactly. The idea behind getting the SL30 is that I'll need a backup radio regardless and in the future although I'll most likely go with glass in some form I would still want a backup CDI. I'm only leaning toward the IFD440 because after flying around in New Mexico I found that buttons are really nice to have. Garmin seems to be moving in the opposite direction. Sounds like you've got a nice panel there!

Hello All, I'm looking to expand the IFR capabilities of my Mooney and could use the collective brainpower of MooneySpace to logic-check me. I've also reviewed this thread, in which @par seems to have been grappling with the same questions. I currently have a more or less VFR panel, save for a couple of integrated Narco Head Units, one of which has glideslope. There is no DME. I'm IFR rated and I've flown a couple of IFR approaches which don't require DME but they're few and far between and I would like to be able to access more DME approaches, legally. I do have an iPad with the fancy ForeFlight subscription so I have all the situational awareness goodies but I also enjoy turning it off sometimes and flying the needle. Eventually I'd like to put in an IFD440 and most likely the Dynon system once the autopilot system is approved (I spoke with the guys at Oshkosh this year and they said it would be next year...and yes I've also read all the threads on here about missed deadlines but this isn't urgent for me so I'm happy to wait). For now however I'd like to install that which is going to ultimately stay in the airplane which is: Garmin SL30 Nav/Comm: One of my old comms just quit and this item seems to pack a huge punch with nav and comm as well as DME display A nav head compatible with both the SL30 as well as the IFD440 (to be installed in the future) And for now that would be it. If I have any extra money I might try to find a used engine monitoring system so if anyone has any recommendations, please let me know what would be the best bang for the buck. Video-still capture photo below (apologies for the poor quality). Thanks in advance!

@FlybyNite I might have overstated the landing fee on my previous post. Here is the website from the airport authority with the landing fees and according to this website one must be flying IFR in order to enter the Benito Juarez airspace. The tricky thing there is that because of the volcanoes surrounding the city you have to be able to fly above 18,000ft in order to meet the MEA. So, if you can perform a hold at 175kts and fly above 18,000ft, it might be possible!

Hi FlyBy, Unless you can fly 200 kts you will not be allowed to fly in to Benito Juarez/MMMX. Even if you are able to land, I believe the fee is something like $5000 USD. Most people use Toluca (MMTO) or better yet, Atizapan (MMJC). I would be happy to help you get set up with the local FBO (Monarch) in Atizapan. They've been good to me in my time in Mexico City. GA in Mexico is not cheap however, so I would plan on spending $150-200 for hangar space for the week, or half that for a guarded tie-down spot. I keep my F model on the ramp for about $120/month. Fuel is in most cases less expensive than in the USA, with prices at about $4/gallon. I'm sure you know about eApis filing requirements when flying south. The first time you arrive in Mexico you'll have to purchase an entry permit (the single and multiple entry permits are the same cost so I'd just get the multiple if I were you), and it will take the better part of an hour to get through all of the different immigration, customs, airport operations steps. I've entered Mexico in Ciudad Obregon, Reynosa, Leon and Tampico and have had positive experiences in all of them except for Leon. I joined Baja Bush Pilots for the ability to file eApis easily which has been very useful. Their airport information however is centered around Baja and Sonora and not really useful or up to date for the rest of Mexico. I'd be happy to help once you get closer to departure, feel free to give me a call at 2oh2 4six0 three05five. Hope you make it!

@Niko182 I'll be doing the trip again in August/September so I'll make sure to hit at least some of those on the way up. Thanks for the tips! @carusoam I read somewhere (probably here) a PIREP about the baggage door opening mid-flight. I've been thinking about how to install an interior handle for emergency water exits but maybe it could also come in handy for an accidentally opened door?

Hello All, I've been a lurker here for a couple of years. Back in March traveled to Durango, CO to do a pre-buy on a '67 F model. I ended up purchasing the aircraft and have put 100 hours on it since then. I have a bit of a unique situation - I'm Canadian, live in Mexico City, and do business between the USA and Mexico. Because my life is so spread out, I wanted an aircraft that could carry a decent payload, make it from the US border to Mexico City non-stop, and be fun to fly to the beach. The M20F beat out everything else I was looking at on price, simplicity, and pure fun. After signing the paperwork in Durango, I flew to Sandpoint, Idaho to visit friends, followed by a trip to my US base in Portland, Oregon, and then down the coast to Los Angeles where I picked up my mother (who got me interested in flying as a kid) and flew to Mexico City via Bisbee, AZ, Alamos, Sonora (I highly recommend the pilot-owned Hacienda Los Alamos as it has a semi-private strip), Zacatecas, and finally Mexico City. In Los Angeles I got my first taste of flying in a Bravo and even flew in IMC over the top of LAX on the way to Whiteman. Heading south through Mexico we flew over the famous Copper Canyon, a complex of six canyons covering 25,000 square miles. At first I was concerned that there wouldn't be anywhere to set down in an emergency, however I was pleasantly surprised to discover more airstrips embedded into the hills than I could count! I wonder what they use them for... I'm now on the tail end of a two week round trip from Mexico City to Bellingham and back during which I've had the opportunity to land in the Alvord Desert Playa, a must do if you're passing through Southeastern Oregon. The last 100 hours hasn't been without its challenges; the oil probe at the back of the WOLF oil filter relocation kit came loose at some point before arriving in Bellingham and started leaking about a quart of oil per hour. Advanced Aircraft in Troutdale got me sorted pretty quickly. On my girlfriend's first flight, I didn't close the door properly and it ended coming open mid-flight. Luckily we convinced the door to behave and my girlfriend still wants to fly with me. I'm attaching some photos of my adventures and will hopefully get a chance to meet some of you here on the forum or at one of the Mooney meetups this summer!