fantom

Welcome to MS. You will meet a bunch of Mooney folks, some of whom have J's and will be willing to offer their secret tips, if you fly into Bartow, KBOW, on Saturday, December 14th, @ about 11 or 11:30. Answering -a-'s questions will help. Good choice....the J is a wonderful plane!

Sorry to say, but the Mooney new production saga may finally be coming to an inglorious end

Great airport, cheap fuel, and all the pancakes you can eat for $6. What's not to like???

PANCAKE BREAKFAST SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16TH! Our Pancake Schedule Every 3rd Saturday Through March. Mark your Calendars! PANCAKE BREAKFAST FLY-IN NEXT SATURDAY NOV.16th! STARTS AT 9:00AM WE SERVE UNTIL 11:00AM ARRIVE EARLY AND PARK AT AVIATION CITY CAMPSITES. CAMPING RESERVATIONS FOR FRIDAY NOV.15TH ARE IDEAL. WAKE UP TO PANCAKES UNDER THE PAVILION. FOR CAMPING RESERVATIONS GO TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE FIRST TAB, CAMPING FLY-IN RESERVATION. QUESTIONS CONTACT AIRPORT TERMINAL 863-494-7844 FUEL $3.69

"Whether you think you can or think you can't you are right." --Henry Ford A smart pilot will know when it's time, and it should have much more to do with health, than with age....and nothing to do with false pride (ego).

"Mooniac’s gloating"??? I'm sure you meant to say, Mooney PRIDE!!!

Of course, and the number I wore many years ago, playing high school football.

Welcome Sara....the superb work Joe does at Hawk is (should be) well known on MooneySpace, as it is throughout the southeast. My plane, above, was painted by Joe almost ten years ago, is aging magnificently, and as you can see, was copied by Parker. Many of the Mooney Luncheon people proudly exhibit their new and old Hawk paint jobs. Mooney knowledgeable, great quality, attention to detail, honest and straightforward, very reasonably priced, and superb follow up. Give them a call, guys, if your considering a paint job, to get specific answers about your unique plane, and your plans.

Here is some excellent B-17 history.....enjoy it. https://youtu.be/OjRQXjcY6u0

From David:

The engines are complex as are the flight control systems, and weren't designed to last for more than 75 years. Stay under your bed ;-)

J3 Cub complexity (like a 50 year old Mooney) is just a bit less than a WW II B-17, you're not 75 years old like the B-17 pilot was, and you weren't carrying paying passengers. The Fortress was a handful, even when new, and in the hands of a couple of 21 year old AAF pilots. Not at all, 'ne c'est pas', and taking this dissuasion to ridiculous extremes is silly, but very popular these days. I'm far from surprised that my opinion isn't popular among a number of old pelicans Yes, I'm one also.

WHY?.... The B-17 that crashed was over 70 years old, as were the pilots, both of whom perished. One, 75, reportedly had over 7,000 B-17 flying hours. Without the, 8th Air Force, the Flying Fortress, and the over 50,000 American airmen that died over the skies of Europe, the world might very well be a much different place. The few surviving warrior Forts deserve a better fate. "Today, a total of only 39 surviving B-17 bombers are located in the United States, plus several in other countries. Several B-17 planes are still airworthy today, including "Memphis Belle", "Sentimental Journey", "Nine O Nine" and "Aluminum Overcast". More aircraft are undergoing restoration or are in storage." At some point, neither planes nor pilots can make up with experience, what the ravages of old age have diminished. None O Nine couldn't convey that point, although she had crashed at least one other time. Smart and ego-less old pilots should, IMO.