Hank

But check for repaints . . . My plane has 2-part epoxy or urethane, I haven't looked and don't remember exactly what I was told.

Before you can really assess the oil burn rate, you need to find the oil level that the engine normally settles at. Sure, capacity is 8 quarts, and the numbers on the dipstick go that high. But many engines will rapidly spit out oil above 6 or 6-1/2 quarts, then stabilize for a while before dropping. Mine likes 6 quarts; when changing, I add 7, then a half quart when it hits 5-1/2 unless traveling far when I add a whole quart. Enjoy your new plane!

In that case, Tim, get the most memory available. Apple isn't interested in letting us upgrade their products. But I enjoy my iPad mini retina. Buying memory upfront will extend the service life of the iPad, as applications multiply and you add some for convenience, to say nothing of reference documents (POH, Parts Manual, Maintenance manual, Garmin handbooks, EFB application and ever-expanding data as you travel, etc.). The actual chart files also seem to be getting bigger over time, and it's nice to keep them all updated. Just make sure you have a way to update the applications and data in your flying-only tablet.

I wouldn't spend much time or money fitting a piece if consumer electronics into my panel. The lifecycle is far too short, and next years' product will be 1/4" wider and 1/8" shorter; then the next one will be 1/8" longer than the first and another 1/8" wider, while reducing the thickness by about a millimeter, so even if you can whittle away on your existing mount, it's now too thin front to back and will rattle. Or it will get 0.060" thicker and not go into the mount in the first place. If you've got to fly with a consumer-grade tablet, put it in a consumer-grade mount and hang it from your panel or the window beside you, pushed low in front of the yoke. There are many discussions here about now people do this, complete with photos of what worked, what didn't and why. Best of luck with your panel redo!

Sounds like someone got a really nice Standing O! Or Screaming O or something, it's 310 hp. Zoom zoom!

That's what I have, too, but without the blue paint. Notice the lack of anything preventing the screwdriver from slipping out . . . I'd love to change to Phillips head, but not at the price they sell for! At least my belly is held on by 48 No. 8-3/4 Phillips head screws, and five No. 6s.

It would makes sense to me to drill the holes first, while it's still 90° and easy to hold in a vise. Then squeeze it so the angle changes. Drill press or milling machine would work, or even a hand drill if you're careful. Make the hole big enough to get your rope through, and leave a nice edge around the inside so it doesn't chafe.

Deja vu all over again . . . "There are absolutely no absolutes!" To which I politely reply, "Balderdash!" What goes up must come down. We've had a perfect record for over 100 years--we haven't left one up there yet. When landing, in the pattern and on approach, it's pitch for airspeed, power for altitude. If im low, maintain pitch and add a smidgen of throttle.

You're right, there are absolutely no absolutes! That's why I even make occasional landings at or near Flaps Full Down. More so than with Flaps Up.

Congratulations! Sounds like a good trip in a great plane. When you've had a chance to rest, we'd all appreciate hearing about it. That's probably a trip that few of us will ever make. My furthest trip was west to Cody, WY KCOD.

I've been licensed in only four states, but every time I either get a new license or renew, I've had to take the vision test. My opinion is that a periodic driving test would probably be good for all of us. My last driving test was in 1979 . . . Thanks for the suggestion of giving me another one in 2048. Maybe after age 16, get a driving test at ages 40, 60, 80 and 100? Those who pass Drivers Ed can skip the retest at age 20. One of my flying goals is to qualify for the UFOs. Just need to stay healthy, strong and flexible. I tell people that my workout program is pulling the plane in and out of the hangar, and that I need to stay flexible to get in and out of it! When I can't do that, then it gets tricky--maybe a Cardinal is lighter, it certainly has easier entrance /egress. But we already fly with an instructor at least every two years, they should be a resource of unbiased outside opinion. When to stop IMC, when to fly shorter legs, lower altitudes, no more nights, etc. Flying isn't all or nothing, it is possible to back down the ladder just as we moved up it. That's my plan, as long as I can hold onto fair weather, day VFR for short legs as long as possible . . . Then the next step is to stop flying alone, put another (younger) pilot in the right seat. Then find another pilot to fly me around, and finally sell him the plane.

No need to alter your routine, bonal. Just land, taxi in and don't reset the trim when you shut down. Then take a picture. Going by memory, usually from getting ready to takeoff, I don't move the trim up much to reach just above Takeoff. Not down, I move it up. And I generally get a stall horn on landing, search Vimeo for "mooney landing KHTW" from several years ago; I had to add a little power to hold altitude (150' agl) to clear the trees on short final, then resume descent. Touchdown looks like the third stripe (of 13) at my previous 3000' home field.

I've only hot-started an F model once, less than 10 minutes after shutdown. It was a bear. Other times after thirty minutes, it wasn't hard. But search here and on the MAPA lists, hot starting the IO engines is a frequent topic, with many versions of the secret sauce to make it run again. It has been overtaken here by LOP discussion, and I don't spend a lot of time on the MAPA lists anymore so mom not sure how they are going anymore.

I have that, too. My 201 windshield is offset by the Hartzell 3-blade. Reading all of this makes me rethink the F as just a C with extra backseat legroom, hauled around by the hard-to-hot-start IO engine . . .

Wow, great story! Some things to think about, and points about forced landings that I've not heard mentioned before.

I followed a friend in an F model once for almost an hour. Had him in sight until he descended near pattern altitude, lost him in ground clutter--it's a pretty small target from behind . . . My C is pretty much a 140-knot machine.

I put a Concorde in my C model with O-360. I'm thinking hard about changing it now, but discovered slight corrosion on the negative terminal. I'm now in observation mode--clean it up, spray it to stay clean, how well does it perform. Original installation 12/2010, never even seen a Battery Minder. Moved the plane from the OH/WV/KY border to Lower Alabama in April '14.

Memory says that it matters which way the shims are installed. If your nose wheel was removed, maybe it was put together backwards. Don's article explains it all.

The recommended device for a Concorde battery is a credit card. Buying two, ask for a quantity discount. Can't help you with an extra power outlet, I just have the panel-mounted cigar lighter that almost never gets used. Running wire from my firewall-mounted battery to the back of the plane would be a PITA, haven't checked into the options.

Me, too Vance, both on the OH/WV border and here in AL. But it's about time to replace my Concorde, installed 12/2010. Guess I can't complain about the life . . .

Mine idles on the ground closer to 800. Can't tell you what is in the flare, I don't have time to look over that way, I'm eyes outside. But it makes sense that descending at idle, the prop drives the engine and RPMs are higher than idle. Full flap landings will float longer. Higher speed landings float longer. I come in with Takeoff flaps, and with 2 people and almost full tanks shoot for airspeed in the low-70-mph range; this generally has me touching down around the third stripe, plenty of room at the 3000' field I was based at for 6 years, and plenty at the 3200' field I'm at now. The flaps are just another flight control, I put them wherever needed to land where I want--if I'm high or the wind is calm, I'll add a little more, if it's really strong or gusty I may raise them a bit. The stall horn usually sounds just before or as the mains touch. Search vimeo for "mooney landing KHTW" for an old video shot with my wife's point-and-shoot camera. But a lot of it is being at the correct speed. I shoot for 85 mph on final, slowing down to (75 - 5 mph for every 300 lbs below gross) on short final, and being mid-60s by the numbers.

Good looking plane! Enjoy the great cross country going home with Dad. Hope you enjoy her as much as I do my own C.

You mean they aren't just dzus fasteners? Spruce carries them.

See you there. I'll bring my own drool rag, my panel is very full but kind of boring.

Brad, I agree with you and your neighbor..