Seth

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What is the best Avaition Branding / Logo / Image that you remember, have seen, or just think is really cool? I'm curious as to what you think works and doesn't work aviation wise. If you can, attach the image or link so we can see it. Take care, -Seth

Strip and Polish. Some people send them out to be polished. If you Chrome them, technically the metal becomes slightly brittle and usually is not allowed on the plane, even though many members have gone this route. A shiny spinner polished or chromed adds SO much sparkle to an airplane. If you simply polish it, know that you'll be polishing it every ______ (period of time). For me to keep mine nice and polished, two to three times a year of really polishing it helps. I used Mothers but may use flitz or something else next time. Take care, -Seth

Nope! Got a forward from a buddy and figured I'd post it. Love the Missile

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954-Mooney-Mite-/170862384941?pt=Motors_Aircraft&hash=item27c831172d It's a yellow Mooney Mite. Noticed it on ebay. No relation to the seller. -Seth

Good luck with this process. I overhauled the engine in my Mooney Missile at purchase. It was making metal a the prebuy from part of the cam and almost all the lifters - two were in pretty bad shape. I used Bolduc in Minnesota to overhaul the engine and though they delivered late by about a month, their work was top notch and the engine is running well. I've put close to 80 hours on the new engine since October. I am based in Maryland, but purchased the aircraft in Minnesota and had to go pick it up when it was ready with the fresh engine. Good luck! And make sure to factor in other costs outside of the overhaul itself. -Seth

John I also have Monroy tanks and it's rare that I fly with more than two people on board. The Missile useful load is 1068 lbs, so even with 98 gallons I've got the useful load for many missions. I often will top of the inboard tanks but not always top off the outer Monroy tanks for shorter flights and to open up possibilities. I fly to short fields often and will only depart with full tanks when I'm the only one on board, otherwise for performance, I try to not have the aircraft weighed down when hot or heavy. Also, I don't always keep the tanks topped off as tanking around 7 hours of flight time is sometimes in my mind not efficient even though I know it is important to keep the tanks "wet" to asssit the sealant. My former F model had bladders which I tried to keep topped off, but they were the smaller 50 gallon capacity tanks, so keeping them topped off made sense for most flights anyway. The Monroy tanks are wet wing, so I'm trying to do as much as possible to ensure I don't develop issues with the sealant. It is nice though to top off with less expensive gas when I want to and then use it for a while. I have never had to defuel, and if I did, I'd probably just go flying (always will take that excuse). I know there are the pumps availalbe and tanks with 14 gallon capacity I've seen in Sporty's. Maybe a hand pump like that could be used? And Mike - I hope to make it to anothe fly in soon! It's been far too long. Take care, -Seth

It's always fun to see an old thread be reborn. Especially since I originated the thread two years ago! Update: I sold my 1967 Mooney M20F and now have the 1983 Mooney M20J Missile 300. It's equipped with a KFC 150 system and I admit having an autopilot is amazing. It allows you to manage the flight. I hand flew my former F model accross the US from coast to coast, got my IFR Ticket, flew approaches to minimum in hard IFC with no autopilot, and now that I have one, I'd figure out a way to get a system into the old plane. In fact, the new owner, who is a friend of mine, just purchased a Britain system and is looking to install it. I let him know for the functionality it is the best bang for the buck. I did a lot of research and I was planning to retrofit the aircraft with one of the Britain models. However, I would only reccomend doing so if your PC system is working properly. If your PC system is not working and you don't have the hardware, then plan on installing a newer system. Otherwise, if it's simply repair or overhaul, get it done. You won't regret it. -Seth

Bennett- Again, really like your setup. When/If I have lights burn out, I'll look at the cost to have simlar wintips created. What is the visibility like with just the wingtip landing lights at night and not using your HID boom beam? -Seth

Has anyone tried the Teledyne Alphabeam? Also, Bennett - NICE setup. After looking at your pictures I now want to get the AVEO 6-in-1 system and put them in my wingtips. Where did you have the work completed? -Seth

I thought about upgrading last time my landing lights went out, and I just put in basic sealed beam lights again. 70 hours later, they're both out. Time to revisit the question. I've now made two dark landings in the Mooney Missile. I've never made a single dark landing in 500 hours of flight in my former F model, and that was a single regular lamp too (maybe quartz). It was size Par 46. What is your current setup? Do you have a taxi light? If you have a taxi light, please let us know that in your reply. If you are using a different type of light for your taxi vs landing light, mark combination (LED Taxi, Boom beam landing example - two LEDs for taxi and landing would simply be LED). My current setup is Par36, two lights in the lower cowling, one circut, both on or both off. My least expensive option would be to continue replacing the landing lights, or I can get an LED taxi and LED landing light from Whelen, install both, and then have a taxi/landing light combination on whenever the switch is on. I can also put a new switch in for a taxi light, put the whelen taxi light in, and then install an HID, leave the incandesent in, or still put in an LED on the landing side but have two different modes to operate in. Let me know your thoughts and current setup. I'm worried that the Par 36 lights do not throw as much light as the Par 46 lights, and thus, even if I put in two LEDs, it won't "light" up the runway enough for safe operation. I am currently leaning in the direction of two LEDs, not changing my wiring, and having one taxi and one landing light. I'd do the install myself. Please let me know if your landing light size is Par36 or Par46. Thank you in advance! -Seth

The Par46 is bringter than the Par36. More LEDs and more surface area.

Bryon- Do you have two separate swtiches to turn off one light vs the other? My setup currently is one swtich for both lights. Once circut. It is a parallel circut so that if one landing light goes out, the other will stay on, as opposed to a series circut, like a chirsmast tree, where if one goes out, they all go out. I'm worried because of the mismatch in currnet/voltage/whatever power wise (don't remember from high school physics at this point) I can't turn just one off. So that would be two different types of bulbs requiring two different power levels/draws on the same paralell circut. I remember that not being a good thing way back when studying cicrcuts. I could again, be mistaken. Also, then when I leave the tasxi light on, I'd have to leave the landing light on. However, now might be a good time to upgrade the wiring, and install a taxi light swtich in addition to the landing light switch. The negative . . . added expense. That should be a small modification however, and potentially a good reason to install two different typs of lights. Look for a separate thread in the near future with a poll as I'd like to see what other people have in their aircraft setup wise. Also, to the original post author - Mooney 1401 - DId you get your question answered and did you make a decision on which light to purchase? Sorry for slightly hijacking your thread. -Seth

Good catch! I don't fly Turbo but good warning for everyone with those systems.

Bryion- This may simply be my lack of understanding of an electrical current. Let me clarify. To have one LED and one regualar bulb at the same time setup next to each other; I'm worried about what what the different bulb draws would do to the circut. Also, the heat of the usual bulb vs the lack of heat of an LED may have a negative impact on the LED light. If I'm going to make the switch, it will be both, not one and then the other. I can always fly with only one light in the plane, but if I have two sockets, I'm going to put two lights in. I'm currently leaning toward to possibilites: 1. Getting two regualr bulbs with the Q for Quartz that evidently last longer, and then figure out the LED issue next time, or; 2. Getting one taxi and one landing light, for a total of 2 Par 36 Whelen LED units. -Seth

You know, I was thinking about that, but then I got worried as to the uneven draw on the circut and didn't want to creat other potnetial electrical problems. Also, the heat from one lamp, would be bothersome. Also, I don't want to open up the lighting area cover, to only replace one bulb instead of two, and then have to go through that process again. I figure if I go ahead and put in LEDs, I'll replace both. Does anyone see the price of the Par36 Whelen lights falling any more in the next year or so? Or if anything, do you see a price hike coming? I know they have dropped a good $40 the past year or so (just from memory, didn't check, coudl be wrong). -Seth

My Moony Missile has two landing lights on the lower cowling accesible through lense and retaining rings similar to Jim (but there are two lights!). I had a discussion brewing the last time my landing lights went out and had pretty much decided to go with the Par 36 LED Whelens - one taxi and one landing light. However, I didn't, and simply replaced with regular bulbs for less than $20. However, they are both out again, 70 flight hours later, and I'm thinking about going LED again. Simply to not have to change, and properly "aim" the lights over an over may be worth the $450 on two LEDs. Also, the price has slowly come down a bit. I realize I don't have to remove the cowling, but it is still a pain that doens't have to be as much as an issue in the long run should I switch to LED). I know Mulro is unappy with LED landing lights he installed and is switching back. Is anyone else unhappy enough to change back? Does anyone think I should put in two landing lights as opposed to one tax and one landing light. I knew one landing light was dead, but the other one went kaput on Tuesday night during a night landing after flying through weather after an angel flight. I can deal with the no light landing, but it's the no light taxi that you have to be very careful about, especially in rain. -Seth

That's too bad to hear. I had heard good things about Whelen. Anyone happy with their Whelen landing lights?

My 1983 Mooney M20J Missile 300 has no step. My guess is it was part of the Missile conversion. It may have been an option not installed originally. My former 1967 Mooney M20F had a step that automatically retracted due to vacum pressure when the engine was running. I have a small plastic step that I keep at my hanger to help people on or off or to help me pack the airplane (I'm short 5'6"). I bring it with me unless I have too much cargo (volume) when traveling with people and instruct the person in the co-pilot seat when muletiple people are on board as to not step on the wing flap. It is only an issue with people that have a mobility problem of some sort (age, injury, height, weight, balance, etc . . . ). Most of the time, I just take a "big" step from the ground to the wing. -Seth

John- Great article, great lesson! Mine is the electronic copy - just switched recently. Otherwise I'd mail it to you! Read it on a commercial flight from DCA to DEN on Tuesday morning. Take care, -Seth

Congrats on your purchase! Have a good CFI and as Parker said, learn in your own Mooney! I'm sure someone in SoCal will want to give you a feel for a Mooney - maybe see when the next VMG or Amasadors event is and show up. -Seth

From the terrain noted, I think it makes sense for you to go Turbo. The 252, 231, Bravo, and Rocket are all fine to use, but O2 with young ones on board may be an issue. A pressurized cabin may make more sense. -Seth

Tony- If you are in MN is is a no brainer to talk with Tim Lundquist at Strategicaircraft.com. The link that Parker posted looks like a nice bird. I purchased my Mooney Missile brokered by Tim at Strategic. I can also recomend the well versed Mooney Mechanic, Jason Doscher, I used for the prebuy (and then eventual work found by the prebuy including engine overhaul - he caught a hugh issue which saved me a lot of money, and then got to work on the plane once I owned it before flying it back to Maryland). Also, Tim knows Bruce Jager and he's the one who conducted the test flight while I was there. You can learn a lot from Bruce. PM me and I can provide you with phone numbers. You also can't go wrong with chatting with Dave at All American - no personal experience, but from what I've heard through others on this board, that's a good outfit. Also, AllSmiles is correct - take your time - don't rush - and call MSCs, they may know someone who's looking to sell and has a great bird for a great value. Bruce Jager is very dialed in as he used to own Wilmar in your backyard. Good luck, -Seth

Yes, the A380 is quiet. I flew on one last June from IAD to Paris. I was in a seat over the wings in coach and was amazed at the sheer size of the aircraft. It didn't really rotate on takeoff but simply levitated off the runway. It has built in cameras so you can see the outside of the aircraft from multiple positions that cycle through including a small camera on the tail. This was the 5th or 6th flight for the particular A380 I was a guest of, and there was a big delay due to losing power twice and having to recycle the computers, twice on the ground for the long overwater, cross country flight. I of course was thinking where can this land if in trouble? The biggest issue with the "quiet" was that now the screeming babies can be heard all over the cabin as opposed to being muffled by the engine drone. Didn't even think that would be an issue. Very cool experience, very much looking forward to flying on a 787 at some point. Take care -Seth

Once, when flying VFR but approaching class C airspace, I called to check in, and pretty soon, a 737 was made aware of my proximity and told to watch out for the traffic at 12:00 opposite direction, 8000 feet, it's a Piper. Then when I was warned of the traffic, I said "Traffic in sight, Mooney 1165N" - ATC then asked my type aircraft, I said a Mooney, M20P, and the controller then let the 737 know (even though he obviously heard everything) that the traffic was a Mooney. -Seth