C.J.

Referring back to the OPs thread title, there's nothing Mooney operationally specific to this story. It's more an embarrassment to general aviation pilots and to those with an instrument rating that act responsibly, know their aircraft/personal limitations & maintain the proficiency required to match the weather they're planning to launch into. A better title might have been "how to get in over your head flying in IFR conditions & live to tell about it".

@gwav8or Watch this video of Don Maxwell doing repetitive hot starts in a J. It should eliminate 99.99999999% of your hot start issues. Cheers, C.J.

Yah, I get the rationale and my install team whined big time at my choosing a RCA22-11F but I also chose a GI275 AI/HSI so I do actually have two sources for attitude and am glad I do. As far as a G5 I flew a rental C172 with one and hated the thing. It's like 10 pounds of kaka in a one-pound bag iow too small a display for all that info. The GI275 is pretty much the same but I got the unit for the HSI display with a GMU11. Its attitude display will be there if the vacuum pump craps out or the AH fails on its own. I prefer the much larger & instantly readable old style horizon as part of an overall 6 pack. I flew my last 5 airline years with an ADI with all the features of a G5/GI275 and more, but the PFD screen was huge in comparison. The A320 also had a standby horizon called the ISIS (integrated standby instrument system) - nice unit but I had one fail on a flight into DTW. There one second and gone the next with absolutely zero warning - just a blank screen. I'll post the picture if I can find it. Call me a dinosaur but I'm happy with my set-up.

@Echo & @LANCECASPER I retired Part 121 in 2020 and operate VFR mostly now, but my soon to be upgraded C will have a new RC Allen vacuum horizon, GI275 AI/HSI, GNC355 GPS & GNC255a. I like independently redundant systems but I'm ok with a single engine provided I have 3000/5 in day IMC.

Completely agree. Why are so many eager to eliminate their vacuum powered horizon? In 1980 I had a complete electrical failure in a Navajo - 2 alternators & the battery gone in less than 40 seconds; just long enough to tell the NY TRACON I'd soon be NORDO. I descended from 7000' in day IMC to about 300 agl over Long Island Sound & ded reckoned to BDR in 3/4 viz successfully. Murphy's Law was alive and well that day but so was I, my copilot & eight passengers. I personally know two other pilots who owe their life to the much-hated vacuum system when they had their complete electrical failures - one in an Aztec & the other in a Bonanza.

If the old gunk is a black asphalt type of adhesive like was on my 65C, use mineral spirits, a stiff nylon bristle brush and a lot of paper towels to mop up the resultant mess. It took a lot of effort to get most of it off. For what didn't come off I removed with a grey scotch-brite wheel pad on a DeWalt drill. Afterwards I applied zinc chromate in a rattle can to the now, bare aluminum floor. If the old gunk is a yellow/green adhesive, acetone is very effective and removal near immediate for thin patches of adhesive. For thicker patches of gunk saturate a thin piece of cloth and let it sit on that area for a few minutes. In either case I strongly recommend using a respirator, safety goggles, neoprene gloves and knee pads.

It would depend on which particular 1960's vintage M20C you're looking at. Some are a good value while many will be dogs. I hangar next to a MSC and most of the C's I've seen over the past 2 years are in pretty sorry shape. If the seller & all the previous owners have maintained it properly, then you won't have much to be overly concerned with. Check the logbooks - a 55 plus-year-old plane should have more entries than just oil changes and pencil-whipped annuals. I've seen Mooneys that hadn't had a prop overhaul in 30 years. The interior plastics will more than likely be yellowed & cracked. I'm currently repairing & painting mine. Old avionics can be a problem - any repair on a vintage Narco MK12D will set you back at least $500 and you'll still have an old radio. Fuel tank leaks are a problem - your choices are a tank reseal or bladders and they are a significant expense. My 65C has a Johnson Bar which I believe is a better option than electric landing gear. Best of luck in your search. You've come to the best place for advice. Welcome to MooneySpace.

Has never happened. I use the red PVC tool and it doesn't take more than 2 seconds to change tanks.

@John6831 Great idea & design with a proven effective track record. I'll have my shop fabricate these asap. Thanks. Great timing on your post given I just found a mouse nest in the right wing during annual.

Absolutely no idea, I wondered that same thing. Possibly previous lessee painted them, or the county did. I'm just happy the center stripe is there so I have 2 references.

BIG X for the tail & the stripe for the nose tire. Hangar lights are a huge plus. The wife watches the stab/elevator clearance. Way easier now since getting the Sidewinder.

Summer Conditions - 120 MPH Climb 200*/ 65% Cruise 195*. For the rest of the year subtract 5*F off each of those figures. My oil cooler is 18 months old. When I first bought my C - CHT was 450* after T/O, decreasing to 420* after 5 minutes with a 120 mph climb & 400* in cruise @ 65%, 100* ROP. After sealing the gaps in the doghouse with RTV - Summer conditions, 400* after T/O, 400* in climb & 380* in cruise @ 65%, 100* ROP.

@cliffy Decided to go another route than drilling. Since the PC system is inop, I'll utilize the opening directly above the clock that the PC trim knob used to occupy and install the PTT there. It's easier to operate the PTT there than the other two options that were originally considered. The paint shop is stripping the yokes, filling the opening where the PC disconnect originally was and repainting the yokes black. Kind of a unique solution given I've never seen it done before, but it works for me.

Thanks, I'll give them a call.

The avionics tech's other idea is to drill the yoke near the hub to provide access for wiring to the control shaft and then fabricate a plate for the PTT to be mounted with adel clamps to the left of the hub. I believe the yoke is magnesium & drilling it would generate enough heat to start a fire. Anyone know for certain if the yoke is magnesium or aluminum?

Has anyone tried this? Avionics tech pitched this product as the least costly of two possible solutions. Running wiring through the PC access in the left yoke horn is no longer an option. Leather Yoke Handle Grips | Aircraft Spruce

My mechanics do not recommend Triad and stated this last year during annual - "Triad is definitely NOT one of the better shops for overhaul". I don't know a thing about Watson pro or con. My choices would be Poplar Grove, Zephyr, Bolduc, Penn Yan.

Right wing just outboard of MLG.

Make mistaken assumptions much?

@Ragsf15e Do you know who did the leather-wrapping on your yoke? It's the best quality I've seen on the older style yoke, especially at the PTT & the cover plate around the clock. I'm debating whether to just repaint mine versus splurging $1750 for leather. The repaint option keeps winning the debate. The price difference is substantial and could buy a lot of gas instead.

Great suggestion and I did just that 2 weeks ago. They do excellent custom work, but their quote was just too high and at least for me, SCS provides very good quality for price. The local shop is actually reupholstering the seats. They had some leftover leather in the color I wanted from a Citation job, along with a gap in their schedule to accommodate my project so despite the substantial $$$ I felt it was totally worth it.

I wish I'd had that info 2 months ago but hey, no problem, the glue removal process is finished. As far as fumes are concerned, I wore a respirator and goggles. Without them my throat & eyes get extremely irritated accompanied with a headache. Even just a whiff of orange or yellow degreaser makes me nauseous Solvents & I just don't get along - brake cleaner being the worst. I find it amazing the mechanics in the shop breath those fumes on a daily basis totally unconcerned with their likely long-term health issues.

When I read the online directions to fold the pie pieces under, it did seem an odd solution, so I'll cut those off too. I'd be concerned the edge of the circle would eventually fray. Maybe super-glue the edge to bind it, although the webbed carpet backing seems strong. I'll try it without velcro first and see how it goes. Thanks for the pirep. I hear you regarding the glue. Spent countless hours removing the old asphalt/tar-like glue off the floor. Acetone had no effect, but mineral spirits worked fairly well. Definitely nasty work. In the end I scotch-brite wheeled off the remainder. I didn't bother with nosewheel well - I'll just glue on top of the OEM glue.

@Joris Just got the carpet samples from SCS two days ago. Outstanding customer service. Far better-quality carpet than Airtex IMO - provided you choose wool. For a M20C they provided two patterns, so I'll need to measure tomorrow to see if either will work or if a custom kit will be necessary. @Z W How did you go about measuring for the fuel strainer cut-out (or did SCS cut it) and did you glue down all the carpet down or use velcro strips?

@Mooneydreamr Sent you a PM re: rotating beacon