Red Leader

A lot of information presented here and all with good reason. What hasn't been brought up is why you want such a performance machine as your first plane? As mentioned previously, insurance is a large chunk of cost when operating any aircraft. Starting out with a big-bore Mooney might not be the best idea for a newbie (no offence). My last plane was a Grumman and I miss it SOOOOOO much! The handling was nimble, like nothing else - it felt like a go-kart for the sky. In comparison, my Turbo Mooney is faster but handles like a '70's pick-up truck. Many are talking maintenance - my smaller Grumman was relatively inexpensive (as airplane go) and performance was adequate. Insurance was less because of the fixed gear but my retractable gear Mooney is worth the extra expense. Realistically, it all boils down to mission. It was asked, though I didn't see an answer, what your mission will be. With that big picture in mind, that should be your determining factor for deciding which way to go. If you want speed above all else, and there is a lot to consider, the Bravo or Rocket will be a good choice. My recommendation is that you make a more reasonable choice before trying to buy the performance beast that some of our aircraft can be. Get time in a Grumman, then perhaps a Commanche - your experience and insurance premiums will thank you when later you decide to go Mooney.

I've got an extra I can sell for less than that. PM for details

Here is one in Pensacola, a complete kit; SCHAUER JAC2024H 24 volt Battery Charger Air Plane - aviation - by owner - airplane aviation parts - craigslist

Sold!

And I appreciate all the great efforts put forth by those who organize these events. It is a lot of work and takes real dedication from those few who donate so much of their time to arrange this great experience for the rest of us!

It is a combination of storage and treatment. If the plane was left outside near the coast, even with treatment, corrosion would find a way to appear. My plane lived a chunk of its life in Myrtle Beach but was always stored inside. Because it's been treated (and stored in a heated/cooled hangar) I have had little to no issues with corrosion. Purchasing a costal plane is always risky - a good prebuy is key.

Just to update those who haven't checked, but the dates (from the website) are September 27th and 28th. My wife and I plan on arriving on the evening of the 26th so we don't miss the first half of the event like last year. Registration is open! -R

Any pictures? I am interested - You are talking about the split folding rear seats, or not?

In my case, the issue was not a probe. I recently had the entire engine monitor system replaced with a new Insight G4 with similar readings.

I have the same issue. It won't hurt it to run cooler so I didn't think much of it. Never had any lead fowling issues and my borescopes look perfect. Sometimes the temps get up to something more normal but it is typically as much as 90 degrees cooler than my hottest cylinder when in cruise. My #5 is also cooler but not as cool as my #6. I will look to see if there is a baffle on that cylinder when I next get to my plane.

Brandon at Executive Helijet in Myrtle Beach did a fantastic job on my Mooney!

That makes perfect sense. Several years ago I was looking at an Arrow II for sale and was serious about buying but never could get to start. The symptoms were the same - the starter was just too weak to spin the prop around. Changing the battery to a new one did not help. Thinking it might be an expensive fix, I didn't purchase the plane (now with some regret as it was a great deal), but had I known it might be something as simple as a poor ground, I might've gone through with it and been flying a nice Arrow all these years. Of course, had I done so, I likely wouldn't have purchased my Mooney and been in this forum to allow all others to enjoy my sad stories.

I was just in another chat where one of the posters suggested a meet-up in Kerrville during the next eclipse (April 8th, I believe). What would be the possibility of the presentation wizards being able to put together another summit at the Kerrville TX airport around the time of the eclipse? If I understand correctly, the eclipse should go right over that area during that time. That would be super-cool and make this next Mooney Summit one for the record books! Possible?

My wife and I have a couple of Segway Ninebot scooters (with the extended battery). Each will run a good 19 mph and is good for at least 15mi of range (book says 19 but we have yet to achieve that). They are light, about 33 lbs/ea. The rear seat in my '81 K does not fold so we just slide them up on the handlebar (folded, of course) and the front wheels fits nicely in the left-side scalloped ceiling. These Ninebot scooters both fit with lots of room for bags, plane supplies and tools. We would live a nice set of folding e-bikes but have yet to find a pair that will fit in the baggage compartment.

Yep, that's how it's done! (on a "K")

I'd be down with that! Would it be possible to make it an impromptu Mooney Summit? I can't think of a better place for one.

Wax the underside of the wings. Clean and waxed, you will notice a nice improvement in performance.

Do the rear seats in newer models fit older ones? I have a "K" but if I find a set from an "M" or an "R", would they fit without alteration? If not, what needs to be changed to get them to fit correctly? What about paperwork - isn't there something required for a modification of this type?

And very fuel efficient - At altitude, speeds are in excess of 180+ Kts at a little over 11gph.

Just had my annual completed and the A&P indicated the clamps will be available in the next couple of months - he has ordered one for me. Mine is fine but would just feel better having a backup.

To answer your question, yes, there is a guy near Knoxville, TN, who rebuilds crashed or otherwise damaged Mooney's and gets them flying again. I met him a couple of years ago and was impressed with what he could do.

The "K" is slower than the "J" by several knots below 8000ft, but above that, it is a real performer. I typically fly my 231 above 10 for any flight over an hour and have been very pleased with the speed of this bird and smoothness of its engine. You mentioned that a "K" would be more expensive to maintain, and you are correct - but only by a little. The extra component that might generate a need for extra maintenance is the turbocharger, and if you take care of your engine, repairs will be few and far between. I also enjoy a low fuel burn (something else to consider when crunching numbers) by my smooth 6-cylinder Continental engine. I cannot speak to the idiosyncrasies of the Lycoming, but I have heard the "K" will likely need to be topped at least once before overhaul and the turbo probably the same. One really positive aspect of owning my plane is that frequently, at altitudes above 13.5, I typically see +175 - 181kts true, burning less than 11 gallons an hour. Let's see a "J" do that.

For those of us who fly in late Friday morning, will there be food or should we bring our lunch with us?

My mechanic called last Friday with an update, and I asked about the borescope results and was happily informed that the cylinders look great - no corrosion, no scoring, the valves have good pizzas, great compression and even the crosshatching is still visible! With the information provided above by the knowledgeable members of MooneySpace, and the update from my mechanic, I no longer have any concerns about my engine. Thanks guys!

Beautiful aircraft - and since no one has mentioned it yet, Welcome to the MooneySpace Community!