Sue Bon

I don't need J experience! I have that. I know my airplane. I need someone who can help me navigate summer weather at lower altitudes (FL 80 - FL 100). I just need help with all that goes on outside.... Plus, it's nice to share cool experiences with other Mooniacs. There aren't so many over here....

So... I'm looking for a safety pilot... A good friend of mine is going to the midsummer rally in Sweden next year. I met him in Sweden last year for some other car-related event and he wants to meet again next year for this. Here is the link from this year. I can only expect that the dates will be similar. https://www.midnattssolsrallyt.com/content/en/index.php The flights would be from Switzerland (LSZG) to Sweden (ESSB) and then back home, staying in Sweden for a week or so (scenic flights totally possible). I know that Americans don't have the luxury of long summer holidays like we have here in Europe, so I'm not optimistic about someone joining me for the entire time, but maybe someone would be interested in flying to Stockholm with me, or maybe meeting me in Stockholm and flying back home. I have all the experience necessary for flying in Europe, so that is not a factor. Where you can help me is weather. I can't climb that high (unless @EricJ comes and shows me how to climb to FL170 in my J), but it is flat, flat, flat between CH and S. In the best case, there is high pressure all over Europe... happy days. In the worst case, you help me navigate thunderstorms, CBs, and/or landing in gusty, rainy crosswinds. There is room for a +1. If any of you are interested in maybe coming out here next summer for a week or two of cool Mooney flying at only the cost of a normal European holiday, please hit me up.

Shhhh.... don't tell @Ragsf15e He'll out-cool me with a few keystrokes....

I will be chasing that high for a while

You should swing down to Switzerland for a few days. You can log some international flight hours with me in my J (Note: I don't think you can fly PIC with an FAA license, but that is just a detail...)

You can also look at planecheck.com for the European market.

I love flying in Europe! The regulations are SOP, so I guess I don't know any other way to do it. It is spectacular. Expensive, yes, but IFR flights going country to country is usually super easy and the experiences are amazing.

Awesome!

May I ask why this is a thing in the US? I've been rerouted, but only in CH and only on routes that I know well. I think the controllers know that I know the two airways that they might interchange for me. I've never gotten multiple new waypoints on a filed flight plan, especially while already airborne. I've been dreaming about flying in the US, but now you guys are making me nervous.

I actually found the story funnier from the other side. Imagine scrambling US fighter jets to force down a Cessna, only to find out that it's Cutie McHandsome from Canada (Not that our presidents are as important as that....)

Yes. For sure. When I am flying in France, I am always in the minority on the frequency with a HB registration. If they get four out of the five letters, with, most importantly HB, I would definitely ask if they are calling me.

As a bit of comic relief, I thought you guys might appreciate this. Especially you active and ex-military pilots. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/switzerland-s-alain-berset-is-no-teflon-man/47783698?utm_campaign=teaser-in-channel&utm_source=swissinfoch&utm_medium=display&utm_content=o TL;DR We have seven presidents in Switzerland. In July, our most scandal ridden one was forced to land by French fighter pilots for flying into restricted French military airspace. He rented a Cessna from a local airfield and was on his way to western France.

Go J!! Congrats. Beautiful airplane. I bought my J about a month before finishing my PPL. It was intimidating at first, but so exciting.... I'm still excited six years later

Me too!

Mooney of the Month? One more try....

It feels like it! Portugal is next forecast is up to 36C, but we will see....

I'm so glad you asked this question! FYI, I just had a couple of hot starts in Spain at 32C+ weather after shutdowns that were between 30 min and 1.5 hours. I tried all the tips I learned here: opening cowl flaps during descent, opening oil door on the ground during shutdown, not too much throttle during the start. I had the boost pump on, but didn't touch the mixture until starting. My engine started right up without any fuss to maintain the desired rpm. No problems at all. Thanks a lot for all your help on this. It was a timely thread for me.

Hello from Gibraltar! I can't believe this all worked out. In Swiss German this was what's called a Mwurks - like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole through asking, begging, coercing, forcing... I got so lucky! Of the five available parking spots, EasyJet and British Airways are taking four. At the very last minute (one hour before arrival from an airport one hour away) they let me have the fifth and then said, "Well, your plane is so small. If we have to, we can just move it somewhere."

I'm heading out tomorrow on a two-day mission to Gibraltar. During the trip there and back home, I will have fuel stops in very hot places, and for varying amounts of time. I will check for a click and try starting at less throttle than usual. Thanks for the tips!

Yes, I agree. The thing about the hot start for me is that my throttle is relatively open, almost half way. As soon as the engine catches and I go to full rich I have to be mindful to pull back on the throttle to not let the rpms go wild. I was taught 1100 but I'm not at all saying I meet that number every time. With a cold start, the throttle is not as open so it's easier to coax the engine to the 1000-1200 sweet spot.

Oh my gosh. I was so nervous saying anything about engines at all! I will sleep well tonight

I was just taught not to let the engine rev over 1100 rpm during any start. Apparently it's not good for the camshaft...???

I open the throttle a touch more than for a cold start and turn on the boost pump. I just have to be careful to reduce throttle while going full rich to make sure RPM doesn't rev above 1100 during the start. This works for me whether the shutdown has been a few minutes or a couple of hours and in any temperature.

My first reaction to this sentence was a defensive one, but you are absolutely right. 100%. Situational awareness includes anticipating potential problems that might currently be ten miles away. Thank you for that.

Yes, but the 340 was twice as fast as he should have been. There was no way for the 152 to know that. It took the 340 two minutes to go from 10-mile final to 3-mile final. That is over 200 knots... I deleted my comment earlier, but I still don't understand how the 340 planned to land when he had the accident at 1-mile final, 182 knots, and flaps one speed is 160 knots and gear extension is 140 knots. I don't have much experience at all (especially compared to you guys), but I don't know how concerned I would have been with a 10-mile final call. However, after the three mile final call two minutes later, I would have searched for any escape route I could find.