mmcdaniel33

I love my squared off M20J tips!

When Sarasota Aviation put in my JPI 900 in my 77 M20J with two inop original fuel guages we put in 4 CEIS fuel senders.

1980 Mooney….spot on! Any competent company lives in the present, but plans for the future. Short term demand does not equal long term payback!

+1 on the Aerocruz 100. Had it installed in my Piper Warrior II and it was wonderful and flawless. When my CIIB and STEC 60PSS cashes in I would prefer to move back to the Aerocruz.

Scott, thanks for the comment on my plane! I just heard from Kirk yesterday. The plane is finished and I can pick it up hopefully on the 22nd. So I will be flying down commercially on the 23rd. I plan to take some time to learn the ropes for the new stuff (Aspen Pro Max, PAR 200B audio panel/radio, CH93 digital clock with USB ports, JPI 900 with CEIS fuel senders, new 406 ELT, Surefly, and fixing the rigging that was horribly out of rig, and unexpectedly replaced a cracked front truss). I flew the plane down there after transitioning, so I only have 14 hours in a complex retractable and now 5 weeks out of the saddle. Going to fly a couple of hours or so with one of their Mooney CFI's to get back in the swing and learn the new stuff. His plane is similarly equipped. Excited to get off the ground. Sarasota Aviation made it through fine. Due to Helene and Milton they had only about 3 fully productive days in 3 weeks. I feel for all the folks in Florida and in the devastated areas of North Carolina. I'm a senior pharmacy executive for the large health system here in northern Alabama and like all facilities that relied on Baxter fluids are reeling from the shutdown of their plant in NC that produced 1.5 million IV bags a day. Lots of extra work going on in the 60% of the market that they supplied. First their Puerto Rico plant fiasco and now the "redundant" new plant in NC. Sigh. Fly safely.

So, August 20th I, as a newly minted Mooney M20J pilot, flew N82KL down to Sarasota Avionics in Venice, Florida for some work and upgrades. As a Mooney Service Center I figured I could kill two birds with one stone so to speak, get some great deals stemming from AirVenture installed and take care of the awful trim issues it had. So, its still down there. Ground Zero for Milton. As nervous as I am for my airplane, I am really, really feeling for those folks who live and work there. If my plane is destroyed, I have insurance. If their livlihood, or lives, are disrupted, there is a distinct limit to what insurance can do. I'm hoping for the best while fearing the worst. But overall my heart goes out to all of the folks at Sarasota Aviation right now, and their families. Just wow!

I was the near miss guy! I'm very happy that "F" found a new home. It showed promise. My own search came to an end 5 weeks ago with a 77 Mooney M20J from Huntington, WV. Two happy new to us Mooney owners.

Having been in the market to replace my Warrior II with something faster (to shorten the visits to our first grandson, coincidentally being born as I type this) I have found lots of overpriced airplanes out there. People seem to think the COVID/Pilot Shortage driven market is endless. I think the insanity is past, and future market pressures will be the continued decline of flyable vintage airplanes. But I've been searching for at least six months, and some of the airplanes I looked at 6 months ago are still on the market and still at the same price, and NOT flying!!! Should close on my 1977 M20J in the next day or so. Owner was involved with the airplane, flying the airplane and realistic about selling it. Having bought a Cirrus he was a little more motivated not to continue being a 2 airplane owner! So we agreed on what I do feel was a right price. Lots of boats rotting away in marinas, back yards, storage places. Lots of motor homes too. I don't understand it. If Ihave it, use it!

Wow, thanks guys!

Hoping to close on my new M20J in a week or two. I have a lead on doing transition training where the plane lives, but if I could find a qualified CFI here around Huntsville that would be great too! Thoughts?

It would be worth checking with the shop at HTS anyway. That's the shop that the owner currently uses. So trying to avoid it...It would be worth checking with the shop at HTS anyway. Checking into the A&P who did the annuals up until 2019. Fred Riffle. He is apparently still in the area.

Thanks for the tips! The Mooney awareness is the reason I'm having a hard time finding a shop to do the work in a reasonable time. I've found one in Kentucky, but the physician owner would have difficulties getting the plane there and getting back, plus what if a serious issue comes up. He is in sports medicine so has a crazy schedule. So closer is better. I plan to use Cole Aviation in Georgia going forward and they can do this in 5 weeks, longer than we want to wait, plus still the distance issue and the awkwardness of a gotcha. I have firm reason to BELIEVE that the plane is sound, but believing is not knowing and even the most fastidious owner can be shocked by a finding on the older airframes. Concerning the autopilot, I want it to be working so I have time to plan and budget the replacement. I have my heart set on an Aerocruz 100. I have one in my Warrior and love it. It's a bargain and has proven to be very reliable. But its still problematic in mid length Mooneys. My other option is a Garmin GFC 500, but then I have to go with G5's and I much prefer the AV30's that I put in my warrior. Plus the additional $$. My wife LOVES the speed of the Mooney option (she gets ansy after more than an hour) and the ramp appeal, but would faint at the cost of the Garmin option! If the autopilot is not fixed, or fixable, then a renegotiated price will be agreed on or I will have to pass. Truthfully, it is still zero fun shopping for a new airplane. Lots of losers out there. I'm NOT in a huge rush, I have a well equipped and pristine 78 Warrior II, but would like to "get er done" as we say in the south.

I'm back, after a failed look at an M20F in Hartford, my search has lead me to a 1977 M20J (N82KL) in Huntington, WV. Unlike my last couple of candidates this one had zero red flags, and the in person visit went very well. So, now looking for a prebuy guy. The plane is due for annual next month, so really looking for a combo prebuy/annual thing. Both shops that I would plan to use down the road in ownership are weeks out from being able to do this, so will look elsewhere. The owner is a physician and is eager to work out something, but with his schedule it needs to be a close trip for the delivery to the inspection site. So thoughts, recommendations? Also, his Century IIb/STEC 60PSS autopilot combo has developed a severe list to the left (immediately turns about 30degrees left and just stays there). That needs to be addressed, so hopefully his shop does it, or the prebuy/annual place can. A functional autopilot is on my must have, or we renegotiate the sales price. Logs looked great, the plane has been active. He has purchased a 2007 Cirrus and wants this one gone!

Thanks! I wondered about that.

Niiice!!! So what is the deal with the panel cowling on many of these Mooneys? It appears that the left side is often a bit wonky!?!

FYI, it is currently listed at $106,500 but they accepted my initial offer of $101,500.

I dd not know the status of the insurance other than the insurer knew the original owner had died and it was owned by his estate. The insurance was in effect still. The concept was that since it had not been flown for 3 years and was only moved by the on field shop that perhaps they would cover it. Who know??

MikeOH, the A&P suggested to the family that they consider at least trying to claim that on their insurance.

Amen to being ready to strike. That's how I snagged my wonderful Warrior, by being ready and it being local!!

I did. We did a basic prebuy. No showstoppers on the 2 hour inspection. We did find two screws into the main spar done by the folks who redid the interior. My A&P (experienced Mooney CFI and A&P) was not sure if that was an airworthiness item or not, but was concerned. The nose gear had been turned too sharply and was "significantly" damaged. I would be glad to send you his full report. All in all, a nice plane. For me though, was the fact that it has not flown in 3 years, is missing 20+ years of logs and the paint was significantly more sun damaged than I thought. The plane will fly with bad paint, but my wife WON'T!!! Jerry and family are exceedingly nice folks, but not airplane people. There were unwilling to further discount their already lowered price further.. I did not know about the missing logs until the day before I went up there. All in all, two many question marks and the paint lost my much preferred spousal support for a Mooney. Like I said, send me an email and I'll send you the report they A&P did. mmcdaniel33@gmail.com

I'm booked to go to Plainville, CT next weekend to see the aircraft and hopefully do a test flight. I'm getting ready to peruse the listings shared for local CFI's as well as prebuy shops. Key concerns is the lack of flight time in the last 3 years after the pilot/owner died and it was tied up in probate, outside storage for quite a while. Going in with my eyes open and my heart somewhat distant. I have my eyes on a couple of J models as well, but if this plane works out it is an excellent deal with no money out of my pocket at all.

Right on Avemco. Although there were only about 5% more than my existing insurance. Glad I made the change.

As far as insurance goes, I'm with Avemco and they have already quoted me. That's one reason I moved to them last year. I was concerned, plus zero retract time too!

OK, thanks for all the help guys! I'm so used to my Piper site telling me I got a reply I did not realize the robust responses! Yes, 651RK is the correct number! My bad. I've spent time talking to the seller. It was his brother's plane and he died of COVID quickly in 2021. Jerry is not a pilot so this has been a journey for him. I've spoken with the AI who did the last annual (1/24) so got some comfort from his hands on the plane, but prior annuals were done elsewhere. As a Piper guy, who learned on a Beechcraft Sport, I tend to LOVE the throttle quadrant. What you learn on.... Plenty of time in Cessna's as well so I can go either way. At 70 I'm reluctant to go the Johnson Bar route, although I loved the Johnson Bar flaps on the Sport and my Warrior. Definately worried about corrosion and the outside storage. The engine does owe me nothing. But great compressions and prebuy will look deeply into that. I'd rather have the annual done by my shop, and its only 25 days out of an annual..... Eyes wide open, have a buyer for my plane who is willing to wait for my next plane. The paint is faded and hopefully can be remediated.

New guy here! I currently fly a 78 Piper Warrior II but with the first grandchild on the way am looking to speed things up. Currently 69 and I already have an insurance quote. I've found a 68 Mooney M20F (N561RK) in Hartford, CT that caught my eye. The brother of the pilot is selling due to the unexpected death of the pilot and the plane has been in probate for some time. It's now ready to "go". It has been kept outside (tie down) with a Bruce's cover. Last annual in January, and zero flight time in the last year and a half. So, planning a prebuy and a trip to look at her. Talked with the AI who did the last annual, but that shop did not normally handle the maintenance. I've been told that Mooneys do two things, fly fast and leak. Tanks a fuel bladders, but somewhat worried about it being outside, but the Bruce cover seems to protect the windows from leaks. Paint looks recoverable (painted in 1991). Anyone in the area interested in giving a first hand opinion of the plane? Also anyone know of a good Mooney instructor for the test flight and for my required 10 hours of dual? FYI Avemco is my insurer. Other thoughts? I've done a TON of reading and research on Mooneys, but owners are the best source of up to date suggestions.