Hank

Live long and prosper, both of you!

Sorry, can't take a picture of that . . . . Just the cockpit indicator

Flying was nice today, very smooth above ~2000msl. Visibility wasn't so hot, winds are blowing from ESE bringing humid Atlantic air, with afternoon thunderstorms supposed to begin building tomorrow. ASOS was calling 7 miles visibility, but on the ground I didn't notice anything. But I could identify the runway from 9 miles out, not just the field but the actual asphalt. (Not shown in this photo taken on the way out).

Here's where the flaps in my 1970 C move to at the Takeoff setting. I only use it when loaded heavy, or on a short runway (i.e., a 2000' grass strip i used to visit; taking off from my obstructed 3000' home base was no flaps).

I've heard and read that a lot, but have no data. No engine failures in my group of pilot buddies up in West-by-Gawd, Virginny or down here in Sweet Home.

That you've waited 25 years so far mitigate a lot of that, so you may be able to retain your card. Do you have an approximate timeline for installation? Another few years should assure that you can keep your card!

Don't worry about the resale value of anything you do with or to the airplane, worry about its usefulness to you. Trying to set up your plane to appeal to the desires of an unknown future potential buyer is wasted effort and worrying. If you want it, do it! Just like when you first bought your Mooney . . . A good strip and reseal will have a waiting period and generally take 3-4 weeks. @DCarlton can give recent bladder installation time, but expect variance depending in who does it and how much recent experience they have installing bladders in Mooneys. As always, fly like your life depends on it, because it does!

I've been doing full power climbs to cruising altitude in my C since July 2007. But no recording devices hooked up to engine instrumentation. Does that count? P.S.--that's when my post-purchase annual finished up so I could start transition training, complex endorsement and insurance dual. By then, I'd flown off all 60 hours of 172 time I'd bought in 10-hour blocks. Had to learn about the mysterious red knob that my CFI had ignored in the illustrious Skyhawk, too . . . .

Fuel stains. It's leaking, see above.

Lack of evidence for damage is not evidence of lack of damage. Similarly, lack of evidence for no damage is not evidence for lack of no damage. So, in the lack of evidence either way, each of us has to: think for ourselves; read the authoritative positions of reputed experts based on their personal experiences and and knowledge; and see what believable anecdotes we collect for each position. Then make up our own minds, and operate our own aircraft accordingly.

There seems to be an appalling lack of data for shock cooling to harm our engines to be true or false . . .

Sometimes??? When I went to Cody, terrain above me was constant, until well east of my homeward fuel stop in Gillette . . . Then again, I was in my C with my wife's baggage and a couple bags from my friends in a 172.

I've found tools on my car engine several times, days after much simpler jobs were done.

That's why we, as PIC, study and train to remain "one step ahead" of the plane. I can't recall off the top of my head anything on a missed approach that could go wrong in 20-30 seconds, as long as I know where I am now, what I'm doing at this time and what the next step is. But I've not had to deal with navigation failure, which could make me forget while I recall what to do. Then again, I did my PPL and IFR training in the mountains of WV, not near as dramatic as the mountains out west, where I flew down a valley 40-50 miles wide at 9500 msl and looked UP at the mountains on both sides.

If only it was 1400-1500 nm closer to home . . . Looks like lots of fun!

Too many armchair experts debating with experienced CFIIs, all going off course and into the weeds. Special procedures for turbo 6-cylinder Continental engines descending from the flight levels, when the OP had questions about flying his F model, descending from 10K through 6K . . . But that's life on the interwebs, isnt it?

I've got almost 18 years in my C, 15 since getting serious about IFR. Slipping in the clouds is nit something that I would either try or recommend. Reduce power (throttle and RPM), hold speed steady and you will descend; slow down by raising the nose a bit and you will descend faster. The slower you go, the faster you'll descend, just keep well above stall speed. Adding drag (flaps and gear) require lower speeds, but will also increase your descent rate. Practice first! Get good at making these changes, write down what you do and the results, then practice again. When you're comfortable doing this, then you're ready for that next ATC request.

I used Teflon because they're cheaper, and because there's less friction than taking them out. Primarily to protect the paint . . .

I use Teflon washers under screws that go against paint, but it's difficult keeping them on the spinner--whenever I remove a screw, the washer seems to drop to the floor and roll away. And with a 3-blade prop, there's a LOT of screws on the spinner!

Then Don Sunvisor Muncy @DonMuncy is your man!

This is how i do it, too, but my outlier is a square tail 172 in Juneau, Alaska. My training was in Ohio, WV and KY, in two 172s, then a month later I bought my Mooney and began to add more states.

But it could have tax benefits from business use. Then he only needs to agree on rental prices to himself.

It'll go right under the mask & pistol sticker on my Ranger!

The plane flies just fine with the door open. It's not like it will open very far (slow planes excepted).

Someone here flew their Mooney to Burning Man in the Nevada desert. I think he spent some time with masking tape before the trip. Google may find the thread for you. Don't think I'd try landing on either wet sand or very powdery sand. Both are quite unstable.