Amelia

One more thought on cabin size. Seat position makes a lot of difference in comfort. I am short, and even with rudder pedal extensions, I fly with my seat all the way forward. Larger, taller right seaters have their seat at least some notches back, so there is no problem with shoulders rubbing. The back seats are really snug until the front seats are pulled forward, but then, I am told, they're very roomy and comfortable. You won't confuse this airplane with a Bonanza, but that is true at the fuel pump, too.

Hello! I did remove my factory-installed radar, because I didn't trust it. It really didn't have the power to penetrate anything but the leading edge of precipitation. I could see a narrow band of green straight ahead, and then nothing behind, due to attenuation. Thus, I couldn't tell if I might've headed into a bit of light rain, or real imbedded ugliness. Besides, I wanted that panel space for a Garmin 530. It was quite a while ago, and I don't remember the cost, but seems to me the avionics guy who did the work did manage to sell the thing for $300, before he skipped town.

Hi, Josh, Sure, come on up! Meet you at EDE? I would be delighted to share the joy. and thank you to Jolie for the heads-up. She is absolutely right, you know. Other airplanes are fine, but Mooneys are truly special. Do give me a call. Same area code, 339/0287. Mimi

Some of you might recognize yourselves, if you happened to be at the Mooney gathering at Panama City Beach a while back. The article in General Aviation News, March 5 issue, has photos from that fun gathering, as it covered type clubs with an admitted bias toward Mooneys. This might be the link: http://issuu.com/flyermedia/docs/gan_5_web/1?e=1075890/6999847 If that doesn't work, the electronic issue can be found at generalaviationnews.com. And the print version is very likely near the coffee pot at your favorite FBO.

The mechanic says he knows a feller who's a purty good aluminum welder down the road a piece. so, maybe that question is answered. Now I need a new air filter, a tail strobe, and a nose tire. Spruce? Or other ideas?

Thank you both! LASAR refurbished my engine mount last year and did a nice job, so I'll give them a call on Monday. It is the original manual alternate air box.

Urk. It is annual time for my 1980 231, and it was supposed to be reasonably painless, but I understand my shopping list includes a tail strobe light and an alternate air filter and alternate air filter box, which apparently has cracks in it. Who should I call? Is looking for a used one a bad idea?

I am still totally delighted with the interior done several years ago by Aero Comfort in San Antonio... Hector was a joy to work with, the price seemed reasonable, and I didn't have to do it myself!

I didn't set out to buy a turbocharged Mooney. In fact, I didn't set out to buy a slick high-performance retractable at all, but the pretty, sophisticated airplane with three splendid partners was what was available at my flatland airport when I decided to replace my just-sold Skyhawk. Turned out rentals were very limited, and these guys made me an offer I couldn't refuse. The 1980 231 has been a wonderful airplane, not only for crossing tall Western mountains, but for climbing through bumpy, humid, murky southeastern summer air to clear and cool on top. It is great for swiftly climbing over surprise icing conditions to sunshine above, and I really appreciate those 30 to 50 knot eastbound tailwinds at altitude. The fuel burn is generally 11 to 12 gph, and 165 TAS at 12,000. Landing it on a nice grass strip is the smoothest, most forgiving touchdown ever, but I pick my sod fields very carefully. Temperatures stay fairly cool the way I fly it, but you will want an engine monitor, I think. I am spoiled rotten by its stable handling and the nice autopilot. Fly one before you decide on a lesser beast!

So many little airplanes in Panama City last week with the tails on backwards!

My little kids, ardent Dr.Seuss fans, loved the book, Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now, and knew it by heart. Since our new-to-us airplane was a 20-K Mooney, they dubbed it Marvin.Somehow as they grew up, Marvin K-Mooney didn't really stick... now it's just 58Hotel, unless I'm giving Young Eagle or grandchildren rides. Then it's Marvin K-Mooney again. The littlest ones think that is wildly funny.

What a grand gathering! The Mooney-specific speakers were excellent, the social gatherings great fun, and I hope to be high on the list for the next one. Thanks for everything, Mike, and all involved! Amelia (Mimi) Reiheld Edenton, NC

Oh! I just found this, and I want to come! Do you suppose there is any room for one more Mooney driver? Please? I will be delighted to help with the party fund.

Turbos have some lovely advantages, even here in flat country. climbing out through summer cumuli and 95 degree haze to smooth and cool on top, say, 12,000, is really quite nice. Headed home from favorite westerly destinations, it is usually a matter of zooming up to 15 or higher, handing out the nose hoses, and saying TYVM for the 250+KT groundspeeds.I usually figure on 10-12 gph. I am worth it!

I really have no excuse these days for being, er, momentarily disoriented.. The Garmin 530 panel mount is still spectacularly accurate, and has all the SIDS and STARS built in; the 'old' iPad3 with built-in GPS and any of the favorite EFBs keep up with the IFR-certified box precisely. The iPads both hitch seamlessly to the Dual170B's WAAS GPS for even more back-up. As soon as this mucky wet and wild WX clears out, I look forward to going out to see if the Mini in flight is worth all the hype. It will be good to find that the smaller footprint works well. I tried to download EFB software on my son's new Nexus 7, but couldn't get it to run without crashing. It IS a lovely size, fits nicely in his pocket, has a bright and razor-sharp screen, but I'm not impressed with any of the Android EFB offerings yet. I do use Garmin on my Note II android phone, and though not as elegant as the iPad version, would do the job adequately.

Necropost: I have flown for the last nearly two years with an iPad3, back and forth across the US, and love it. It has had to live balanced on my right knee, or on the lap of my copilot, aimed my way. I have romped through five different EFBs, and find each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but each is a huge advantage over The Good Old dead-tree Days. Now comes Jolly Olde St. Nicholas, with the new retina screen iPad Mini for Mama, and so far, even these presbyopic eyes can read it with ease, at least sitting on the sofa in a sunny window. I haven't tried it in the Mooney yet, except in the hangar. Industrial strength Velcro keeps it nicely on an old-old AnywhereMap yoke mount. Only problem is that my very short legs make full-back yoke a bit of a squeeze. Also tried a repurposed Garmin highway gps window mount to stick it to the side window, but the little openable window is in the way. Can't have that here in the South! Next idea is to try to mount it to the front-center post.

I have found FlyQ EFB to be simple, intuitive, and fairly full-featured. It is also less expensive than most of the competition. SIDs and STARs would be a very helpful addition, though. I especially like the fact that it isn't tied to a specific ADS-B box. I like FF and Garmin both, but the proprietary ADS-B hardware for each have led me to back-burner both apps, in favor of those apps that allow a choice, including the nice little Dual170b ADS-B unit I am using. I really like the format of the airport information page, with everything you could ask for at a single glance.

Failing that, GAI and the $20 taxi ride makes as much sense as any other alternative. Everything else is at least an hour away, with awful traffic, and the car rental and parking hassle.

If you have any reason to fly into DC on a regular basis, and have the opportunity to do so,arrange, somehow, to blow a whole darn day to get your Secret DC-Decoder Ring and PIN. It makes College Park, KCGS, a very good DC access airport, as it is only an easy 3 blocks from a Metro station. The runway is short, but the hospitality is great, the self serve fuel as reasonably-priced as any in the area, and parking is $10/night... Match THAT for parking a car anywhere in the District. I find that being on an IFR flight plan makes the whole thing entirely seamless. And the world's loveliest granddaughter will be at the top of the escalator five stops south waiting for us, jumping up and down with glee. Makes the whole silly security theater entirely bearable.

Oh, dear. Looks as if my engine mount is too far gone (yep, left front corner pitted beyond acceptable limits, and many layers of paint on the rest of it, hiding who knows what) and I'll have to find another one. Anybody know where a decent one can be found? Thanks for the thoughts!

Sigh.... Looks as if the engine mount is corroded beyond acceptable limits on my 231. Anybody have a spare one in good shape? If so, I'd be most grateful if you could email me with details. Thanks! areiheld at yahoo.com.

My 1980 M231 is in the throes of an annual inspection, which was to be a relatively straightforward and painless affair, except it seems the motor mounts look rather ugly....rusty, flaking paint, etc. The engine itself, being relatively new, (6 years old, <700 hrs, TSIO 360 LB, factory reman) is in fine shape. So, what wisdom might y'all share? Wonder why the steel tubing seems to be so unsightly in such a short time? Should I find a new one somehow? Get this one sandblasted and repainted? Put the cowling back on quickly? Natch, option3 is my favorite, but might be unwise. Mechanic says he will give it a very close look today, but I would appreciate some insight.

Ours survived quite nicely in its own hangar this time, but we lucked out, and it was a non-event for us. Last year we expected a direct hit from Irene, so we accepted the insurance company's nice offer to fly out of harm's way on their dime.

Oh, yes, this Mooney machine is magic! We had made much of this trip before, but every time it is a whole new adventure. Late last May, we left our coastal NC home and followed the big W until we got to water we couldn't see the other side of. it took us 17 hours to get from Edenton to Davis, CA, with stops near St. Louis to visit grandsons, here and there for gas, an afternoon in Sedona, AZ, breakfast the next morning at Mojave Spaceport, and to Davis by early that afternoon. Aerial tours of SF Bay and the Marin coastline, a fabulous family wedding, a day in Sonoma's vineyards highlighted our California stay, then we aimed eastbound toward Colorado Springs over totally amazing geology, and stops for fuel in OK and AR just to color in my last two states of the lower49 on my landings map. Enjoyed ground speeds of up to 245kts, and the joy of stopping wherever we had a notion to do so... It was a very fine adventure, and though airlines would have been faster and cheaper, we would have missed out on landing downhill on Sedona's exciting mesa-top runway, a close-up of the White Knight II, the great meteor crater, Canyonlands NP and other scenic aerial amazement, and two great visits with the world's cutest grandsons. There were opportunities to meet Internet forum friends all along the way, which was icing on the cake. Now I want to hit Alaska and maybe the Caribbean... Looking around for a good spot to drill for oil in the back yard.

What a truly great offer!! We flew to PVC to spend a weekend with an "imaginary friend" (internet buddy) at a house he rented last month at Truro, and had a perfectly wonderful time, so we are eager to get back there again. Might just have to take you up on that. And when the cold wind howls up yonder, Mooney friends are hereby invited to take advantage of the southbound push, tie down at KEDE, and then come sit on our porch swing and enjoy our town's quiet historic charms and mild days overlooking the Albemarle Sound.