Matthew P

Mooney doens't seem to have those concerns or problems making parts for other manufacturers, which is what I understand is keeping them afloat...Still begs the question, if they aren't willing to do it, why not license it out?

Understood, but if it is abandoned, then the FAA could release the Manufacturer data, or whomever purchased the Type Certificate for the M20 series, might produce parts for the aircraft. The problem is, as you are aware, there are NO gearsets to get in the event one has the old 20:1 gearsets or an improperly maintained 40:1 gearset. there are only (3) alternatives: 1. Convert to Manual J-bar 2. Take chances buying a used actuator not knowing the condition of the gears 3. Get with Maxwell in regards to a conversion.....seeing how 2 of the 3 are $10K or more, makes the alternatives less than appealing....I know (1) individual that has a new set of the original gears still in the package, he was nice enough to lend them to me to get them measured and scanned, I'm just waiting for him to sell his Mooney in hopes that he'll sell them to me. I would think 115-120 sets would have been enough for Mooney, the minimum required to make a run is less than that, but apparently not. I'm still waiting to hear back from the company that acquired Dukes (Aero Fluid Products) to see if they still provide the gears sets, I did find the manufacturer of the gears (Avon Gears) they wouldn't tell me who their customers are that they make that same gear set for, assume Mooney and Cessna, I asked them to provide my information to their customers and their response back was that they don't deal with individuals and aren't interested in providing parts... I've heard that the same gears are used by cessna, but no one has provided me any information on what the part numbers or actuators are.

I've found out, when contacting the 17 MSCs that they aren't interested in discussing the issues with me because they have all heard it before when dealing directly with Mooney leadership, Mooney knows the issues yet REFUSES to do anything about it....might be better for Mooney to just go defunct, get someone to take over the Type Certificate hoping that they have the wear withal to address the issues. I just wish I knew the Chinese Company that is licensed to manufacture Mooney in China, I'd reach out to them....

Just wanted to provide an update as I received a reply from the FAA regarding the FOIA request I made to get the metallurgy report for the landing gear actuator gears. The FAA stated that the type holder will not provide the information and that the FAA has no means of requiring them to do so, nor does the FAA have a means of requiring the type hold to provide replacement parts in order comply with ADs or SBs, even if the type holder has the capability to produce the parts, which they do. The FAA also stated that the landing gear actuator gears are considered Category Type 1 parts (Critical) and therefore, are not eligible to be produced under the Vintage Aircraft Replacement and Modification Article (VARMA) program, otherwise known as Owner Produced Parts (OPP) and therefore we are dead in the water. So, UNLESS the Mooney CEO follows through, we are screwed and I'm not very hopeful as he hasn't responded to my last inquiry as to where they are at with the effort to license the parts out in order to get them manufactured. Makes you wonder as to the actual financials of Mooney, (if they can't front $20K to have gearsets made, knowing they will get their monies back, plus markup, or license the part out knowing that they will still make money without the initial investment risk,) whether the individuals making the decisions ever took a business 101 course....they say they are in a money crunch, yet have means to make something more than they are currently, yet they don't. Oh well, sorry guys, I tried....will be interesting to see how my aircraft will be affected come annual in February, all I know is that Mooney has the ability to rectify our situations but actively chooses NOT to do anything about it.

Sorry to trouble you, searched POH, AFM and MAPA references and only see reference for 52 gallon total fuel, don't see anywhere that lists usable fuel, checked a few comments online and have heard everything from 48 gal usable to 52 gal usable, but no reference for 48 gal and the absence of usable reference to state that all 52 gal is usable. Doesn't really matter in that I NEVER go 6 gallons in either tank, just curious What an I missing? TIA

Where are you located, maybe I can fly to you

Hope you have a speedy recovery, currently located at KMDQ (Huntsville Executive Airport, AL)

Who are you using to insure your Mooney, currently paying $3600 a year, looking to finish up my Instrument and Commercial add-ons as I'm already a Commercial Rotary wing /Instrument rated pilot..had hoped to complete it before April (policy renewal) but having trouble finding a CFII that meets the insurance requirements to conduct the training....so looking to shop around.

Thanks, how much are you asking?

Original Ignition Switch going bad, the wafers in the tumbler are worn, new switch is $700, looking for alternative, as I understand it, for the age of the aircraft (1966) it's form, fit and function and a field approval 337 to use the following switch, can anyone tell me if they currently use this switch (with the start position) ACS Keyed Ignition Switch With Start Position A-510-2 FAA-PMA https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/igswitches.php Aircraft configured with SureFly on the left, Mag on the right, SOS removed.. TIA, Matt

MAKE SURE, you tell the seller that he needs to completely top off the tanks BEFORE you start the pre-buy so that you can check for leaks, I got hosed on this as the leaks were at the top side of the tank (Right Side) and I didn't find out till after the sale when I topped it off to fly it home.

Thanks, may take you up on it if the locksmith can't do anything with it..

And yet, when you buy a used aircraft you assume that the ones doing the maintenace...do the maintenance and don't pencilwhip it, but we know that's not the case, I bought a plane last year that had come out of a $10K annual from one of the best known MSCs, and it is amazing what was missed on that annual....so I'm a little skeptical and concerned.

Well, you are lucky thus far, but gears and motors don't last forever

I understand there is a rebuild kit for the Bendix Ignition for the Contacts, etc. But is there one for replacing the tumblers that are worn to the point the key can be removed from ANY switch position? NOT looking forward to forking out $700 for a new one as the used ones seem to have the same issue. TIA matt

The FAA has assigned a case manager (engineer) to our request, awaiting word back from him/her. To answer your question, probably more than I'm willing to spend as an individual.

Some good news. I heard back from the FAA this morning, they have agreed to assign my (our) request to an FAA Aerospace Engineer to look into and assist with a solution, I made them aware that there is a company that states that they are making that gear set but that their "customer" isn't interested in making those parts available, so maybe they can persuade the "customer" to make the parts available to us or provide the original drawings and metallurgy report needed to verify that the gearsets we are wanting to have produced under OPP meet/exceed OEM.

So, involving the DER is premature at this point until I am able to determine the material and heat treatment (if any) that is used, once I have that information and can show that the parts will meet/exceed OEM then I can get the DER to review/approve. Unfortunately, the process isn't as easy as one would think, I haven't been in contact with a single gear manufacturer that is interested in dealing with an individual, they only want to deal with a "company." I've texted Mooney's CEO" ...crickets....but I'm still working the issue...I DID find a company that is willing to do a Rockwell Hardness Test and determine what material and whether they used a heat treatment on the gears, so once I get that report we will have the CAD Drawings and Materials Specification...just a reminder that I only had access to a 20:1 gear set, I'm sure someone knowledgeable could take the CAD files and render a 40:1 drawing as i would prefer the 40:1 if possible. If anyone has any personal contacts in the gear manufacturing business, please let me know..

DER not needed until I get the drawings, which I have, and the Material Specifications to show that the gearset will meet/exceed OEM, then it would be looked at by the DER,

I asked them if they would forward my contact info, hopefully they will call...My thought is, if the gears aren't going to be used in their "brand aircraft" they won't sell to us to use in our Mooneys...

That vendor will no longer work with me due to COI concerns in that we are trying to manufacture gears that compete with an existing customer, yet they refuse to provide that customer's info so that I can reach out to them, would rather buy from the customer than continue down our current path..

So, it appears that the 20:1 gear set use Steel for both gears and the newer 40:1 uses steel for the worm and brass/bronze for the circular gear...would be better to have one softer than the other in hopes that the wear would be relegated to one part as opposed to both, or that one would last longer...

So, trying to get this old set of 20:1 Actuator Gears tested to determine the materials used, but once again, since i am an individual and NOT a company, none of the companies that do the testing will do so. Does anyone know anyone that can do the Rockwell Hardness Test? V/r Matt

Yes, they produce the same gear set however, they reached out to the company that they produce them for and the company said that they were NOT interested in speaking with me in regards to us ordering the gears from them, nor would they tell me who the company was....Avon also said, since they make the identical gear sets for an existing company that they could not use the drawings I have to build gears for us nor could they recommend anyone. I'm really surprised, that whatever Company it is, wouldn't be interested in selling 100 gear sets...just wish I could find out who the company is.

Thanks, I'll reach out to them as well..I appreciate your time.