T. Peterson

I have not had a problem with over-temp, but that may very well be due to the droop. Also hot summer has not yet arrived. Furthermore, since I am brand new to GA and piston airplanes, I am trying to be very conservative. I can’t get any better than about 12.4 gph at any altitude from 6000 to 13000 feet. My TIT is about 1550 and cylinder temp 340 to 380. The belly of the airplane is filthy, but that is going to be remedied on the 28th. I thought that maybe the dirt and cowl flaps were costing me, but I guess not. TAS runs between 157 and 162. The former owner said he got 11 gph at 11000, and I suppose if I pulled MP back I could do better. I cruise at 2500 rpm and 28 inches.

Gentlemen, Thank you very much for your knowledge and advice. I had no idea that was the factory setting. I certainly won’t deviate but I will ask my mechanic to ensure they are measuring IAW with the specifications. Once again you fellows impress me. Thank you! Torrey

Good evening all, I recently purchased a 1979 K model. I have noticed that in the fully closed position the cowl flaps are not flush with the fuselage but still droop about one inch. I called the previous owner to ask if he had the flaps rigged that way to provide better cooling, but he said he had not done so and didn’t realize they were so rigged. I am tempted to have my mechanic rig them flush, but am not sure that is wise. Is it possible that this one inch droop is factory set and should not be disturbed? I welcome your informed insight. Torrey

Hopefully our beloved Mooney will someday yet again be rescued from the ICU ward. There are a lot of fellas on this forum that impress me with their engineering and business acumen. Who knows, it may be one of our very own that rises up to restore our favorite brand.

Good point.

California is an incredibly, stunningly wonderful place to live! I urge all the Californians that emigrated to our miserable, dusty hot and humid Texas to reflect on the luscious vegetation, warm breezes and soothing oceans of your homeland. Perhaps you might consider a return? We will help you pack! ( just a little humor!!)

We moved to Texas from Michigan in 2013 and love it! we get our steers butchered at a small butcher facility run by a Mennonite family. Whispering Pines in Emory Texas. They are excellent!

I bet you can relate. Even though you know it’s a part of having cattle, it’s still painful to lose one.

To get an ILS I also have to change out the CDI and there are also wiring changes that are well above my pay grade. I can operate a 3/32 Allen wrench, pull one radio out and plop another one in, but if two wrenches are required I may be on thin ice! Haha!

ATC was complaining, so it is definitely on the transmit side and not just my side tone. Maybe an antenna connection or something. Airplane had sat unflown in a New Mexico hangar for 6 years so I expect to have to work out some gremlins!

A64, You are right on all counts! “Creeping elegance”, what a great term. Eventually I will succumb, but right now I want a quick fix so I can just go fly and learn the airplane and the 430W which is the primary nav. A back up ILS is completely desirable and it will happen eventually. I also have to deal with an oil leak and a scratchy #1com, so I have to have some funds saved back for those issues. Right now I have to go dispose of a dead calf that I didn’t get pulled in time. I love having a few cows, but there are sad days. Thanks for all your help and sound advice!!

Hello Alan, Thank you! I will certainly take you up on your offer! Torrey

Thank you! My wife and I just got back from our first trip. We had a family event in Alabama. Sure beats pounding down the freeway in a car!!

That’s hilarious! At least your 53 has ILS. Mine does not. I would need a new OBS as well as a GS equipped 53. I really like the idea of ILS and VOR backup, so that is another variable to throw into the mix. I am so new to all this that I don’t even know which avionics shops have the best reputations. Another question is could I buy an ILS equipped 53 right now and upgrade the OBS later? In other words would the ILS 53 talk to the OBS in VOR/Localizer language or would it not play at all? Would the ILS 53 even plug into the panel or are the pins different? Wish I had as many answers asI do questions!!!

Good point, Thank you for your response. I am very inclined to take the same route. Torrey

Hello all, I just took my first trip in my new to me 1979 231. Unfortunately the digits in my #2 Nav, a KN 53 are scrambled. My understanding is that this is very common as the radios age and the displays are no longer manufactured. I can buy another KN 53 used but no guarantee that display won’t fail in 6 months. The 53’s are selling for 800 to 1300 dollars, which I guess in aviation dollars is cheap, but not if the display fails in a short time. A GNC 255 at 4700.00 plus the HSI, installation and probably a bunch of other stuff this rookie knows nothing about is a non starter for a backup radio. My question is, Do I have any in between options? Your thoughts are appreciated. Thank you, Torrey

Vance Harral posted a link to the Garmin drivers and I believe that was the solution. Of course I had to set up and follow the steps as prescribed on the Garmin website regarding database purchase and download. I also noticed that when setting up my profile on the Garmin website (required) I missed the model year of my Mooney. Therefore it defaulted to 2022. It was after I downloaded the drivers and fixed my clerical error that I was successful in downloading the update to the card.

Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate your help.

Yessir, I just ordered from Garmin. I had to do download the Garmin drivers to make it work.

Good evening all, I am about to take delivery on my first airplane, a 1979 231. I am setting up the profile in ForeFlight, and am wondering how some of you 231 owners have set yours. Particularly as regarding airspeed and fuel flow for climb, cruise and descent. Thank you, Torrey

Thank you very much. I am not sure exactly how I did it, but it is finally updating!

Thank you very much, gentlemen. I will try those options.

Good evening, I just bought a 1979 K model. I will take delivery on March 3rd. The airplane has a 430W and I want to insure the database is updated so I ordered a new Garmin data card and a new card reader from Garmin. I installed Database Manager on my computer and bought the annual subscription. I get as far as the instruction to insert the card, but after doing so, the continue button remains dim and has no effect when pushed. I don’t want to take much of your time, but have any of you been through this and how did you resolve the issue? Thanks, Torrey