birdofjoy

Hey folks, I need to buy a few things for a panel remodel that don't need to be brand new, so what is your trusted source of used avionics? I know of skymanavionics.com from my mechanic, who knows and works with them for a few years now, but they don't have what I'm looking for at this moment, so I'm exploring other options. I know there's eBay but I don't trust it that much either. I'm looking for an FMS/GPS but I'm intentionally not saying what I need to avoid all the spammers - which I'm sure I'll still get them anyways.

Thanks all for the input, keep 'em coming!!! "Less might be more" - At the moment that's where I'm leaning as well @DCarlton @KSMooniac I'm actually hoping I'll be able to get a small "glovebox" on the bottom right somehow. We'll see how it turns out. @Pinecone I'll have 2 ADHRS with the 2 screens + the D30 for backup + likely the IFD 550 (ARS only but should do the job) in the future, so I don't think the AV-20 would be adding much here. It's kinda the same as my Tach/MAP backup idea, basically adding a 4th/5th back up solution, so I don't think it's worth the money. @Rick Junkin I like the CO Detector Idea, but I have a fantastic handheld that permanently lives on my plane and is part of my pre-post flight flow plus these are coming in headsets now as well. @EricJ thanks for all the suggestions. I can't afford the PSE450B this time around but definitely keeping an eye on that for the next few years. My PSE8000B is the very first version of that radio with almost 15 years now but it's working like a charm for now. The mag/start switches are at the bottom left, just by the red switches, they were just not available in the mockup software. For the folks worried about structure and fitting, I hear you but I'm not too worried about that atm. I'm working with @Baker Avionics on this remodel and they too have done many Mooneys, which is why I decided to go with them. We are about to get started on the actual designs which will have precise measurements instead of my mock ups here and will see if I will be able to actually keep that left column of round gauges.

This thread is a minefield and I have been avoiding posting here because of that but I believe I have relevant data to share. I am one of the Mooney owners based on KRHV that has the STC and have been using G100UL since its inception there on 11/2/24. I am just a normal guy with a Mooney so I don't fly it every day but rather on most weekends or nights if weather/wife allows. Since getting the STC I have flown 24.1 hrs according to my logbook. Out of those I'd estimate at least 2~3 full tanks on G100UL. So far, I haven't had any issues with paint or sips in the aircraft but I am very dilligent about cleaning spills after refueling and also after sipping tanks on pre-flight. I have seen more of the black powder in the exhaust, as expected, but those are easily wiped away. For context, I only have this plane for the past 2 years so I don't know all the details from previous work other than what has been documented in the logbooks. My paint looks fairly new as the plane was completely repainted in 2017 and it also had O&N fuel bladder cells installed in 2011, so I don't expect to be subject to wet wing issues. If fuel leaks on my plane it'd have been from corroding or leakage of the cells. I'll continue to use the fuel whenever I can as I have seen the other expected benefits in performance and wear. My latest oil sample for example came cleaner than usual and the only variable that has changed since my previous one was the fuel. One more interesting statistic: on the latest KRHV news letter the airport Director, Eric Peterson, mentioned that they have sold over 3K gallons in the previous month. [First paragraph of page 2 of link above.]

Hey folks, my M20J is about to go through a full panel overhaul with a dual Dynon HDX + autopilot + Avidyne systems. I already have spent the money on those so please save me from your Garmin advice on this thread as I'm past the point of no return and quite happy with my glass choice. I may still have the space for 3 2.25" round instruments on the left side of my panel, 2 of which I also already have: a clock/charger and my compass card. I have been thinking about what else I could add to that empty space on the bottom left that would add functionality/backup and won't cost me another kidney. Any suggestions? The only one that looked interesting to me so far is a Tach/MAP backup like this one but with the dual Dynon screens, it seems pretty overkill and not worth the money. I thought about a backup turn coordinator as well but I'm hoping to upgrade my IFD 540 to an IFD 550 in the future so that would give me ARS + Synthetic Vision on a third screen. So, what would you put on my empty space? Attaching the current panel and my current design mock. Notes on the design: The ignition is by the left of the red switches (the design software just didn't have the electroair ignition I'll add but they're the same size). One of the ELTs by the CBs is actually for my Eagle AOA (the design software just didn't have the latter to add but they're the same size). The gray knob by the CBs is my cigarette lighter.

I see this is a contentious topic, haha. I quite enjoy the discussion folks, thanks for adding. I appreciate the advice on trying it out before pulling the trigger @takair, I'll check my local FB pilot group to see if anyone has this one specifically. For the folks that have and don't like the Vernier, do you have the McFarlane or a different brand? In theory, the McFarlane solves the "having to press a button for pushing/pull" problem, while giving you the option to twist for finer adjustments. So, in theory, it's the best of both worlds, but I wonder if it works out well in practice. @1980Mooney thanks for the tip, great advice when re-engaging on older threads.

I'm circling back to this thread to say I went to Absolute Aero a few weeks ago and quite enjoyed the service there as well. I basically spent the whole day at the FBO by their facility which was very welcoming. My prop was really misaligned at .6 IPS, and they got it down to .04 if I remember correctly. Made a huge difference on a recent 2hr+ XC flight I've done. TLDR get your props rebalanced and - if you're a new owner like me - start doing this at a cadence as well.

@jtager did you end up installing MCFarlane's vernier throttles in your J? How do you like it? I want to do that on mine but my serial number is below 24-0378. I'll give them a call to see what the exclusions are about. My aircraft has a push/pull so maybe I could be covered but let's see what they tell me.

Been there, done that! All my experience before buying my J was in 172s. I also have a J at Reid and I'll be around until the 9th so if you didn't manage to catch @katzhome before he left send me a DM and we can coordinate something there @masouds.

Thanks for the pirep @kortopates, I'll check them out. @201Mooniac yeah we should meet sometime there. I met another Mooney pilot at the Gami event too. I think there's at least half a dozen of us at Reid. Sent from my motorola razr plus 2024 using Tapatalk

@201Mooniac did you get yours done? I'm based in KRHV and need to get mine done as well. Sent from my motorola razr plus 2024 using Tapatalk

Somehow I lost 1 of my hub caps on a long flight I did recently on my - new to me - M20J. I think I may have misaligned the screws when I inspected and one day the left one was just not there after I landed. So, I am trying to buy just one of them since they're ~ $300 new for a pair. Does anyone have one of them available? If anyone is on the same boat we could split a new pair as well .

Correct. Prineville, Oregon. S39 is the airport.

Lasar has these now, I just got one installed there last week.

How's the install going @Aerospace? I'm currently flirting with an HDX to clean up my Frankenstein panel

I was at KRHV Friday and took this pic of their prices for you. This says Santa Clara county airports so it's unclear if these prices apply to both KRHV and E16 or just the former. Sent from my motorola razr plus 2023 using Tapatalk

Dang OP, I was there Friday for lunch on my J. Hopefully you find someone else around to let you check them out. Sent from my motorola razr plus 2023 using Tapatalk

I think that's one on row Juliet, pretty much in front of my hangar. Breaks my heart every time I see it.

Hey Russ, thanks for sharing this. I'm a new Mooney owner in KRHV and also looking for some reliable shops in the area. I would love to meet y'all in person some of these days. I went to Byron this weekend for some fuel but to my wallet's despair the price went up to $6.50 [emoji24]. Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

I'm a new owner and still working on my transition but if I'm proficient by then I'll stop by. Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk