Hank

In the right seat back pocket, I keep the following items: Owner's Manual Autopilot supplement Alternate vacuum supplement G430W quick reference booklet G430W fat book airsickness bags plotter most recent Weight and Balance Us vintage drivers don't have anything fancy like a POH or AFM, just the little bitty, thin Owner's Manual. Mine is less than 100 pages, and virtually useless as far as the Emergency section goes.

Well, the next time I'm out, I'll try running both and set to 'Hi.' Maybe we can achieve a consensus on G-430 operation: with or without the heading bug for crosswind drift.

I have the Accu Flite and Accu Trak both, but fly most of the time with the heading bug. Reading the above, do I need to use the 'bug when using the auto pilot also? I thought it was either/or. "Heading bug off; AP on; Sensitivity Low; NAV 1" is not the correct setup??? I can never remember which name goes with which--one is just the heading bug, one is the autopilot. Apparently the bug is Accu Flite, and the one that will fly the approach if I want it to [the "auto pilot"] is Accu Trak? And when is the proper time to select "High Sensitivity"??

Wash & Wax All is definitely the way to go. Quick and easy, but there's enough sheet metal to equal several cars. Renew whenever it looks bad, no longer feels slick, or it's hard to get bugs off the leading edges. I use wipes called "mirafiber" for my post-flight bug elimination. Uses only water, and will last for at least two years of my use. Rinse it out occasionally. It travels well in a sandwich bag when you're on the road so you can keep her clean. No chemicals to buy . . .

Gee, the Acclaim's got 90 extra horses plus a turbo--he'd better be faster! I'm surprised, though, that it's only 30 knots faster than the C. Mine doesn't usually run quite as fast as Henry's, though. What are the two columns of numbers? Presumably speeds, but what/how? AND, at least the FAI puts the fuel-injected planes in a different category from us'n's with carbs. There may be hope yet.

Don't fuss at me--go back a page and talk to the 300-knot club.

Quote: GeorgePerry Fellow Mooniacs...I though it might be fun to post pictures of your fastest recorded ground speed. Here are the rules, honor code of course: 1. Must be Straight and level (decents just don't seem sporting)

True, flying at the Carson number is the cheapest way to go. But 138 mph = 120 knots less wind, and I've recently spent enough time flying at Skyhawk groundspeed into the wind . . . A quick math check: 318 nm to my brother's for Christmas. Base travel time at 165 mph = 2:16, 9 gph => 20.25 gallons. At Carson cruise, 138 mph = 2:38, ~7.5 gph => 19.75 gallons. So is 20 minutes worth ½ gallon or ~$2.00-$2.50? Along with not-so-crisp handling? What about a 20-knot headwind? That takes either 2:38 or 3:10, using 23.7 or 23.75 gallons, so at Carson cruise I use more fuel . . . Methinks Carson's calculations were in the pre-Mooney days, and would probably work much better for a 182 or a Piper or some other gas-hog . . . . . .

For a quick answer, Vg varies slightly across the vintage fleet. In my C, Vg = 105 mph indicated. Max Endurance = Vg/1.316 = 80 mph indicated, way, way too slow to even think about. My charts show 1950/20" as the longest range at 10,000 msl and below [speeds are 128 sea level to 149 at 10K, still too slow . . . ] Vopt. cruise = Vg x 1.316 = 138 mph, which is around 1950/20" in the 7-10K range. Personally, I'll burn the extra gas and run WOT-½" or so, and 2500, for speeds in the 160-165 range. I usually descend around 20" and cruise RPM. Why buy a Mooney if you want to fly slow????

Quote: carusoam I was in town with some friends who flew in commercial.....we compared notes [1] I carried as many bags as I wanted and didn't pay extra. (none of it would fit in a "normal" overhead compartment) [3] I brought a few bottles of water with me from home. I didn't have to share it with anyone. [4] We ate as many snacks as we wanted, whenever we felt like it. [9] Nobody X-rayed me or my stuff, there was no inquisition or uninvited fondling of me or my wife. PS, on the following day, I flew commercial to Mexico City. TSA took my can of shaving cream......

I still get a thrill going where I want to go, and not whichever way the roads go. BTDT, had no fun. From western WV to central and western NC, you have to drive around 3 sides of the block, but my Mooney goes straight. There's always something interesting to see, too, even if its just the changing weather. Now armed with IA, when there's nothing to see out the window, there is the challenge of getting through. I've only been flying for 4 years, but I'm still amazed and thrilled that I have the opportunity and ability to climb into an airplane and go whereever it is that I want to go. It's like the freedom of first getting your driver's license, but so much, much more!

My gear light decided to not stay on, resetting itself periodically one night. Twice it reset my COM@ King radio to 120.00 when it went out, and then on base to land, it reset my 430! Turned out to be cracked insulation on the landing light wire intermittently grounding out on the cowl, a quick and cheap fix.

Quote: fantom A drop or two of Tri-Flow works every time. I haven't heard on "dry" Tri-Flow.

I hate to sound like a smartass, but I'm starting to dig into my own PC issues that I originally thought were from my Brittain heading bug. Found some good information in the Service Manual, Section 6, complete with locations of servos, valves, hoses, etc., and a diagram of the whole mess. Hopefully it will help. Do you have access to the Service Manual for your aircraft?

Frank-- This is one of the best threads about things to look for in a vintage Mooney: http://www.mooneyspace.com/index.cfm?mainaction=posts&forumid=2&threadid=9 Lots of good information there! I really enjoy my '70 C, which is the same body but a little less engine than an E. If you're ever down towards Huntington, WV, feel free to stop in, we are on the Ohio bank of the river. I only need half an excuse to fly!

A friend just took her PPL checkride last week. When she returned to the field [the DE isn't based there], her husband and friends were waiting for her with cake and champagne! Me, I just waited a while then took my wife on a ride. [she had a once-a-quarter Board Meeting that day . . . ]

I just hit it with a short burst from my can of Tri-Flow. If I have it around, I will sometimes use the little squirt bottle of "dry" Tri-Flow that came free with my last big spray can.

Be sure to read this thread all the way through: http://www.mooneyspace.com/index.cfm?mainaction=posts&forumid=2&threadid=9

This Spruce product is very nice. My wife bought me a set in red last Christmas. Great product! Even fits in a Crown Royal bag to stow in the back.

How close is the Pumpkin Drop to the Punkin Chunkin' contest in Delaware, where they see how far they can throw/shoot a pumpkin? Seems like the catapult record is 2500+ feet, and the air gun folks are pushing 5000' . . . Just be careful flying past their large empty farm field . . .

I highly recommend contacting someone in VMG directly. They can send you the CORRECT set of books for YOUR airplane, all on one CD. I'd send you mine, but your 62 model is considerably different than my 70 is. . . Trust me, it is both: 1) the cheapest airplane-anything you will ever buy; 2) the absolute best value for dollar you will spend on your plane.

Quote: Sven How much do a thousand ping pong balls weigh?

Ashe-- Just a quick reminder: C's were made up through 1978, and all of them had electric gear and flaps starting in 69, I think. My '70 has both, and I really like the fast gear movement. "Affordability" of maintenance will vary more by individual aircraft than by model or engine type unless you go turbo [at least for B-J models]. The key is to find a plane in good shape with a solid maintenance history that has been taken care of and is still being flown. Search through the older topics here, there are some good threads about the pros and cons of various models, and some general and specific items to look for and avoid when considering a Vintage Mooney. It does seem, though, that if you buy a Mooney in good shape, that you will really enjoy it regardless of which model it is. Be advised, though, that back seat passengers are happier flying in anything other than a short body, although they do seem to run ~3 knots slower.

I don't even fly full rich TO altitude, much less AT altitude. Since I have a carb, I usually back off the throttle ~1/2" for better mixing, then lean away per my "Owner's Manual" to 25º rich for best economy or 100º rich for best power. I'm usually in the 50-75º rich neighborhood depending on how closely I squint at the little lines on my factory EGT. When I climb high, I pull back gently on the red lever in the climb, too, adhering to Mooney's insistence on 200º rich and CHT below 400º.

Our friends in the Vintage Mooney Group can help you find such items as POH, Parts Manual and Service Manual. They were a tremendous help to me! And now, they aren't just on the West Coast but have chapters covering the whole country. Do a quick search and reach out to them. They're good people!