Hank

So where in the panel of your C did you find room to put it? I would love some engine monitoring even more than fuel flow, but right now all I have is the single factory row along the top of the panel, right side, and Carb Temp and EGT [small dials] on the lower left.

Enjoy the ride!!! You'll get home when the weather clears. There is nothing like the severe clear after a hurricane goes through, they are giant low-pressure vacuums that clear everything out . . .

Quote: N601RX

Austin-- I've lived in various places around NC from Durham to the coast. High Point is far enough inland that few hurricanes will reach you. Most will be headed NNW or so at landfall; most of the ones that track in your direction will come ashore in SC and weaken considerably enroute. Of course, there is tremendous variation in hurricanes--witness Hugo that hit at Myrtle Beach and still walloped Charlotte back in the 80s. But I would rather be in hurricane country where you get several days' warning than in tornado country where the warning is measured in minutes! It's looking like Irene is going to hit a glancing blow along the coast, and it will be bad in the Outer Banks as it hopefully heads north. Expect some rain and some wind, but I would be surprised if it's very bad without a significant course deviation. Those do happen, though. Congratulations on your purchase! Enjoy the learning process, and work to make your new plane an extension of yourself in the air. Practice a lot early on, and learn how to land in varying wind conditions. Watch your speed on final, fly the numbers, and you'll do fine. Avoid flying near hurricanes, though--think "super thunderstorm" and avoid them by at least one state . . .

Quote: jetdriven Yeah Hank I keep forgetting you are carb'd. In that case do you keep it leaned to edge of smooth on descent?

When I try to go LOP, it makes the carbureter burp, and that makes the engine stumble repeatedly. Neither I nor the installed GPMS care for that. I fly near peak at 10K, a little richer belwo that, and richer yet below that.

Quote: Parker_Woodruff . . . in just the right timing, I can paste my text into it.

Quote: Hank Same for the mixture--as the air thickens, the mixture has to go forward to maintain cruise EGT.

Quote: JimR HiIt goes with out saying, I know, but keep an eye out for the restricted and warning areas and MOAs. There are a lot of them just west of the Outer Banks.

I typically cruise at 7-11K when crossing the Appalachians, where MEAs run to near 9000'. Shock cooling is not a concern, and I happily let gravity repay some of the fuel burned to reach altitude. 500 fpm is nice, the speed will build, and I pull the throttle back to maintain cruise setting until I level off. Same for the mixture--as the air thickens, the mixture has to go forward to maintain cruise EGT. While I have been higher than 11,000 in my C, I don't cruise there often, and the climb rate is pretty abysmal. For short feed runs at 3000 msl, I don't usually do much of anything beside push the yoke forward and retrim, then at TPA I pull the throttle back and slow down. Gear is actually 5 mph slower than flaps, so no help there . . . throttle back, trim for level, and if I'm still too fast, I have a 3-bladed speed brake out on the nose to push forward [and a note to self, don't wait so long the next time].

I have been unable to post using either my iPad or my new Droid phone [Motorola Atrix]. Yes, I can open apps and write all the text I want. I can even copy it. But here on Mooneyspace, I cannot paste the copied text, nor can I enter any. No keyboard for typing, and the Paste button above does not paste the text. last night on the phone, the text box would briefly turn yellow when I hit it; the Paste button would turn yellow and stay that way, but no text would appear.

There are two costs--the cost to own, and the cost to operate. Your ownership cost difference will be mostly the acquisition price, unless you have to pay state property tax based on the value of the aircraft. [Here, it is $15 per seat, so no difference.] Insurance will vary, too, and the annual will increase with more systems to inspect/repair. GPS & weather cost do not vary between aircraft unless you have multiple units, each requiring its own subscription. Either plane will obviously fit into the same hangar. Some people like to divide these costs by the hours flown to arrive at an "hourly cost" that fluctuates tremendously from year to year. [i've logged from 84 to 127 hours per year since I bought mine four years ago--no, I don't include these costs in my operating expense nor compute the hourly cost of them. I try to not add them up, not even just in my head.] Operating expenses are fuel, oil, tires and engine reserve. You can search this board and find many discussions [some with actual costs] for overhauling/replacing engines. Allow some extra for maintenance as things are used, plus the biennial pitot-static check. My last check ended up replacing the static tubing, the ASI & Alt [it was close up to 10K, then diverged wildly above that]. This will be more critical in a turbo, and you will require an Altimeter rated to higher than the 20,000 msl unit that I have, which will certainly cost more to purchase/overhaul/repair. Turbos also require an oxygen system, O2 refills, and every few years a new tank. Oxygen tubes, cannulas and masks have short life spans [12-24 months]; check on things like flowmeters and regulators. What about the microphone in the mask? I don't ever go that high, so I'm just guessing. High-altitude flight is a whole different subject, talk to the turbo drivers about the different addons that you will need to buy, maintain and replace. A back-up O2 system is also wise to have, so more disposable costs for it, too. But you will get to outclimb much of the weather. Don't forget things like TKS fluid, alcohol, fuel additives, etc.

I'm in AOPA because I fly. Joined as a student pilot, and keep on renewing. They work a lot with the FAA and the Federal Government, and with state governments as needed. I joined MAPA when I bought my Mooney. There is just too much valuable information there, it's a great resource. I check their Forums daily to keep up with what is going on, and to research any problems I experience. Just joined EAA last Friday, but not for Oshkosh [although I hope to go next year]. Membership is required to fly Young Eagles, and we are hosting a large event at our airport next month. Taking people on their first flight is always fun, it's got to be even better with kids! It's a great way to introduce children to aviation, and their parents to the local airport and utility of "small" planes. We really are not deathtraps waiting to fall out of the sky and into their living rooms . . . I've worked at our annual Airport Day, but without the 500-hour FAA requirement, I have not been able to fly. I'm really looking forward to next month! May hit 500 by our community even next summer if the winter weather isn't too horrible.

This is a good thread to get you started: http://www.mooneyspace.com/index.cfm?mainaction=posts&forumid=2&threadid=9 You can also try the "Search" function at the top, but you have to choose a Forum to search through. "Vintage" would be the first choice . . .

Quote: Magnum No 3 is the most important. We had a Mooney gear up at our field because the gear down limit switch wasn't working. White selector was down, green light for down was there, mechanical indicator showed nothing as the bulb was burned (btw: the pilot admitted that he never checked the manual indication). If the switch stays in the "down" position, you can raise the gear without problems, and when you put the gear lever down the gear stays up and you get a green light immediately.

Quote: Hank But we are all vulnerable to the Mooney-equivalent of PEBKAC--what would that be? PEBPAC??

Austin-- Love that interior! I'm jealous!! Gorgeous does not begin to describe it. I may have to create some tire pressure stickers now, too--my A&P has written "30" on all of my white wheels, with black magic marker, not near as refined and smart-looking.

But we are all vulnerable to the Mooney-equivalent of PEBKAC--what would that be? PEBPAC??

Quote: Shadrach Make that 4 other Johnson bar drivers, but I'n not sure this a point for electric gear...It's no more difficult to forget and you have one less visual clue.

There are a couple of threads under General and Misc about headsets--check them before writing multi-AMU checks. Personally, I love my QT Halos.

Woo-hooo!! We want pictures . . .

Quote: sleepingsquirrel So is it possible that a Mooney could break the sound barrier?

Ain't nothing wrong with 'lectric gear. They help keep your arms the same size! :-)

The Halos are not only comfortable to wear on long trips [WV to Sun-n-Fun], but they are easy to get on and off, don't give me clamping headaches, don't interfere with changing into/out of sunglasses, AND they sound great! I also have not let my wife try them, as she is happy with her DC's. Makes it easier taking people to ride, too, since I don't have to swap headsets around on the right side. Oh, yeah--the Halos are easy to store when leaving the plane, too. there is no bulk and no weight . . .

Quote: rbridges is there any reason the short body had a slower yellow arc?