dlthig

1969 Cherokee 180 1993-1998. She got me from IFR - CFII. I only subbed the Arrow when I had to. I keep warning my boss that a mistress is on the way, but we keep kicking the can for a number of reasons. I'm thinking 12-18 months out to start the new affair.

They are all over at Beechtalk. They ain't called V-tailed doctor killers for no reason.

1989 models and newer?

I'd rather have an elk, but I don't think those antlers would fit either. I'm a once removed vegetarian, I eat things that eat vegetables.

The Aviator bar in Montgomery, AL has a lot of nose art photos and models hanging from the ceiling. It's a cool place to have a beer.

Yep, I agree. The landing a Mooney for the first time reminded me of landing a Comanche. Neither are particularly fond of fast approaches and they will float 2000' while you are trying to flare if you aren't careful. Comanches are quite different than Cherokees. The parts count and quality are substantially different. I've read that even if Hurricane Agnes hadn't made a mess of things, the Comanche's days were numbered. The Cherokees were there to compete with Cessna.

Clarence, I dearly love Comanches, but I am concerned about MX. From what I've been told I'd expect about 3Kish for a M20 or about 5Kish for a PA24.

Does anyone know anything about Precision Air in SC? They are listed on Mooney as a service center.

To Wombat, it's like the "TruCar" commercials you see on TV. As buyers, we all want to have as much meat left on the bone as possible to stay above water in the event your new 6 figure toy chews up an exhaust valve or pick your pain.

Because we're pilots. I was at work talking to an engineer. He was sharing stories of cheap pilots. I asked him if he was going to finish his coffee. He laughed, but did bring his cup a little closer.

Welcome to the club.

Looks great! I painted the leading edge of my Cherokee gloss black. It was easier to touch up when necessary and the bugs didn't show as bad and cleaned off easier. Mine tapered off at the back of the fat Hershey bar wingtip. I thought it looked good. Still not a Mooney though. The low pass picture is beautiful.

How was the cross country?

It was on sale on TAP last year, but from what I recall he lowered the price on Barnstormers. I know that the J's lost useful load as they got older. That, combined with the fact that I keep consuming useful load as I get older, gave me pause. Owners with realistically priced airplanes will be able to sell quickly. Enjoy it.

Congrats! I'm still looking. That's a beautiful J.

Why to the Brits drink warm beer? Because Lucas makes their refrigerators as well. My dad gave me a MG Midget when I was in high school. He had an A when he was single and I guess he was trying to live vicariously through me a little. It lasted a little over a year and ended up with an electrical failure. I still have it 30 years later, but the rats have eaten everything that wasn't metal. I digress........

Wow, took a little longer than 25 minutes in a C-150 back when I was getting my PPL.

Welcome to flying in the African bush.

Has anyone contacted Rocket Engineering?

You done good cousin.

You have two planes and I have two houses. Wanna live in CHS?

Chris, I assume that you checked the spreadsheets in the download section here. George and some of the others have posted them and the fixed costs listed should be fairly close to what you could expect. One thing to realize is that the hours you put on the engine will directly correlate to reducing your selling price, if you sell it. If you think that you'll fly 100+ hours annually, go for it. If you don't think that you'll be that busy, I'd stop and pause. Also, a way to reduce your rental expense is to fly what you need to get the job done. A C-150 will build time just like a new C-172. Alternatively, find an owner that doesn't use his airplane too much and see if you can rent it. Go to AOPA's vREF or another calculator to estimate operating expenses and you'll know about what you should pay. Good luck with your decision. Owning an airplane is great, but can get ugly in a hurry.

You need to take a ride before you buy. I doubt that you've purchased a car without driving it first, same with airplanes. I probably have a lot less Mooney time than most on this board, but I have flown a bit in the others. I don't know that a $80K 182 will do 145kts. Similarly, 1000lbs is all of a J's useful load, as they get in the mid-80s you'll see 900. Some are advertised with less. I do like Comanches, but the last one was built in 1972, MX and parts may become unpleasant. Also, where will you be flying it? Grass, paved short or long? I've flown some STOL equipped 182s that don't need much runway and the gear is welded. Something else to consider. Continuing the confusion... there are several airplane cost calculators in the download section here on Mooneyspace. They have an annoying way of displaying reality. Depending on how many hours you fly, you may want to stick with renting. Sorry about that.

I knew a guy who said that he kept a spare on his Cherokee. Apparently he had it safely wired and out of the way. I doubt the FAA would approve, but it made him feel better.

F-16s?