podair

I have lost track how many times this thing has tried to decapitate me... I am a bit tired of the baggage door crashing on my head when there is a slight gust of wind when loading. Are there any aftermarkets STCs which a sturdier solution, or shall I just call Lasar for a new one? Mine is pretty loose around the bit where it clicks into place, and I can't see how I can fix mine.

actually mine is a 1499-00-19

Hi, I may be interested, just need to check the p/n on mine. Actually, looking to sell a King K97A in great condition with tray and connectors that just came out of my Mooney after an avionics upgrade. Would you be interested in a swap? PM me if you prefer.

interested in the GFC as well, just installed a G5 with a GTN 750 in my M20F which has an STEC 40. Looking for EASA certification, OY-DFD 1967 M20F sn 670327.

did you go for the full M20J type windshield , or the one piece replacement to our split windshield?

I will take the OAT one if still available

Hi, electrical gremlins are back! I am trying to troubleshoot my alternator problem and would be grateful for your collective wisdom... I fly a 1967 Mooney M20F with a Plane Power alternator conversion. The alternator is under two years old , the regulator (Plane Power) is ten years old. Over the last few flights I get increasingly loud static in the intercom and radios to the point I have to pull the Alternator Field breaker to use the radio as the static is very loud, and then only push it back in when volts on the EDM 700 drop under 12.2 volts. Only pulling the alt field breaker kills the noise. On the ground it goes away and only reappears above 2000rpm I have tried every combo possible, pulling every breaker or switching off any electrical device, taking every USB charger out etc etc. What seems to happen is when the alternator is done charging the battery (amps drop to about +2) the noise increases continuously. If I add some load, ie switching on pitot heat or strobes the noise goes away a bit and then comes back after a while. Even when the radios are switched off, the noise goes through the intercom. It is heard at first on my new 8.33 trig radio and then on the older king and then everywhere! Every time I push the field breaker in, the voltage goes up to 14.1v as it should and the output is 20/30 amps, progressively reducing, and then the static comes back. I have checked grounds as far as I can but maybe there is a bad ground somewhere. The alternator seems to be OK as everytime it comes online and the output is OK, but could it be a diode? As it is clearly output driven, I think it is the regulator, any other views?

I have the CYA 100 (www.ackemma.com) easy to install , easy to use, and quite a few Mooniacs have it too. The designer is very responsive on email, helped quite a bit when deciding where to install the probe.

back to the original question... Any objections by anyone if I connect the step to the second port on the vac regulator and connect a gauge to the gauge output on the AI? Just makes more sense to me and helps with the tubing.

transatlantic cousins I guess... original paint too, looks ok when I get around to clean it , apart from abrasion on the leading edges. I once waited for a taxi early evening at a small airfield in the UK and in the space of a quarter of an hour at least half a dozens guys had stopped by on their way back home from work, looked at the apron, taken a notepad out, and snapped a few photos. A few days later the photo was on a website. Whatever floats their boat I guess, much better photographers than I am, so at least I have a decent selection of snaps of my plane on the web. Here is one, as well as one taken at Gatwick airport in 1969 (look at the cars in the parking lot!) ! damn step is sticking out on that one!

Great to hear the Mooney has been in the family that long, fantastic! I have had mine for 10 years now and only missing the first couple years in logs. It was imported new to Denmark from the factory (I have the invoice) in 1967 sn 60327 (what's yours?) and has been on the same registration and orange paint since then. The vac step looks reliable enough to keep going, just slightly annoying at times when the rubber boot falls off. Easy to spot as I lose 3-4kt in cruise!

thanks for the advice Shadrach. Cat scratches indeed, looking at my hands after removing the instruments! What a pain it is to work in that space. That's partly the reason I want to simplify things, everything is packed so tightly and difficult to access. Mind you that photo is a lot nicer than now with all the cable ties removed, a huge mess. I will definitely get one of these cable tie clamps (I have the cutter already). After second thougths I think I will keep the step as is to the AI (maybe look at electric step). I think I will fit new vac hoses to the AI as the new position of the AI puts a lot of stress and bending on the old hoses and I can't see the point of keeping the blocked off Ts and their associated clamps. Not sure yet whether to keep the vac switch and lights or fit a gauge instead, any opinions anyone? G5 is for next Xmas anyway but I will keep the AI as backup. So I will have two hoses coming out of the regulator, one to the AI (and a further one from the AI to the filter in the footwell as well as the smaller one out to the step) , and another to the vac switch or gauge.

OK so not only on mine then. I guess looking at the original parts manual it has always been that way. I hope there is a filter somewhere down that line as I don't like the idea of the AI being the vacuum source for the retract system when sometimes the boot falls off and perhaps debris can get into the system. However thinking about it maybe the small vacuum motor is protected, but when the boot falls off the step doesn't retract, so it must be exposed somewhat. I would prefer to hook it up to the regulator directly but maybe there is a reason to stick to the original setup.

what is this light for, if this is a light? M20F pilot footwell, looks like it is part of the airspeed switch (landing gear safety device, ie don't retract under a certain speed).

Hi I am currently redoing my panel and am looking at the various hoses sticking out of my vacuum regulator in my 1967 M20F, after the two main outputs on the reg. It appears there are a number of them on Tees that are surplus to requirement, considering the M20F came initially with a Brittain a/p and DI which I assume were vacuum driven but are no longer installed. The only two things I believe need Vac are the AI (Sigmatek 5000b) and the retractable step. I have a large black 3/8in hose connected to the vac warning lights. The step is connected to the AI with a 1/8in clear hose. The main 3/8in hose is connected to the AI, and another one is just blocked off. There is another 3/8in hose coming out of the AI as well, going to the air filter in the footwell. They are huge hoses which seem crammed in the place with tight bends so if I can simplify things , the better. As these large black hoses take a lot of space in a cramped area, can I simplify the system as following: -1) connect the 3/8in to the AI as before, and the one going to the filter -2) connect the AI gauge output to a 1in UMA suction gauge and remove the two low and high lights 3) connect the step to the other 3/8in output with an adapter to 1/8 ? I don't like the fact that the step gets its vacuum from the AI , I'd rather it goes to the regulator/filter. Is this normal? From the manuals it seems it was connected to the DI so I guess it is. Alternatively, leave it connected as before , have the retractable step connected to the AI and the vac gauge to a 3/8in fitting instead of where the switch was. Or keep the switch and the two lights but it is all quite bulky. I quite like the idea of a light instead of a gauge for the suction but a gauge is useful as well and less bulky than the two lights and associated wiring. In short, instead of the bulky T below can I just run a new 3/8 hose to the AI and remove that metal clamp on the other one? edited to add... are these black hoses 3/8 as I refer to them above or 5/8 ? I think 5/8 coming from the pump , and 3/8 going to the instruments, correct?

Thanks to the extremely Mooney supportive folks at LASAR I can answer my own question. They supplied me with a complete kit with shock mounts and the elusive litte triangle covering the bit that sticks out if your panel goes vertical. The triangle sides are 9.6in x 1.8 in x 9.5in

my rear seat passengers used to complain systematically they were freezing at the back when flying high. I once measured the difference between pilot seat and rear seat and it was 20deg c! Always nice and toasty for the pilot, I never complained... I tried a few times to run a duct from the centre vent and it helped. I was going to look at a neater solution but we then re did the intrerior and especially re-insulated the cabin. It has made an enormous difference. The better insulation means I never get any complaints and hardly have to use heat.

another twisted M20F owner, completely stock apart from 3 blade Hartzell. I routinely get 143-145 kt tas 9000ft at 8.5 gph leaned peak/slightly lop, usually 2500rpm 22in or so wot. Slower than the exaggerated 1967 poh but not bad. I m looking to do the lower cowl closure and 201windshield at some point, mostly for cosmetics but hope to pck up a few kt too!

nice! that's pretty much exactly what I want to do. I notice you also move the HSI slightly off centre to the right, I guess to avoid the control wheel shaft. Also it is probably more directly in front of the pilot that way. Anything else in particular to watch out for? Did you use Nulites? I think I am going to go ahead with it this winter, if only as an interim panel before a nicer Hendricks one when I upgrade my avionics. I'm leaving the copilot side as is for now.

I have been meaning to do that for a while, using the Lasar jacks with a bolt on top via an access panel. Silly question however. Any risk of dissimilar metal corrosion between the Home Depot bolt and the wing or am I just showing my complete lack of understanding of it?

He's based in France and so am I so not quite sure it is worth the shipping costs! That's partly the reason I am not using Hendricks or LASAR 's panels, as for the cost of shipping alone you could probably have one cut here. Compared to any panel cutting service I have come across, Hendricks is most probably a notch above in quality and helpful with the instrument placement options as they know Mooneys, which obviously LASAR does as well and they sell a good kit. However most of the cost is getting the dimensions and instrument placement right as it is very time consuming , the cutting of the panel itself seems pretty trivial. By doing it locally I can afford to get it wrong the first time around and have another panel cut. Interestingly I looked at having one done in plexiglas first as suggested and the price delta vs aluminium is not that big (but I guess you lose the advantage of doing it transparently first!). The other key thing to consider is how to light the instruments as you are getting rid of the plastic overlay with the post lights. I think I am going to fit Nulites.

great stuff! the G5 is an upgrade I'd like to do in the near future, possibly a dual one. Oh I want a modern EDM too, I have the EDM700 which is great but so 1980s tech... Going back at my quest to figure out the right dimensions, just looking at various photos seen on Mooneyspace it looks like the top edge of the panel on those with a bend on the side and a triangle fill is max 1/1.25in , so the top of the panel sticks out 1.25in to be vertical, probably less. I guess we could allow for 1.5 and cut it to adjust but looks like 1.25in (ie 3cm) looks plenty. I have drawn a .DXF outline file of the panel if anyone wants to have a look with a simple CAD software.

yes I have looked at a lot of different posts and admiring some great panels. Specifically I am looking at the dimension of the curved triangle edge between the avionics stack and the new upright panel. I guess we could start off with an larger approximation and then adjust as needed but if anyone has the dimensions it would be helpful, ie by how much does the top of the vertical new panel stick out.

Hi I am looking to re-arrange my old left hand side scatter gun panel into something (relatively!) more modern. I'd love to go glass etc but for now this will do. I looked at Hendricks Manufacturing fantastic panels and was going to go that route until it appeared my hangar neighbour owns a metalwork facility and CNC machines and offered to help! I have produced the sketch using Front Panel Express and am looking to order from them and then refine it if needed using my friend's help. PDF attached, let me know what you think. I still need to re-arrange some holes etc but that's most of the design work done so far. I am going to have that panel vertical so will need to include the bend on the right hand side to accommodate the old panel layout. Anyone know what the dimensions of the side triangle are? Any advice on replacing the mounts and how to best mount the panel? Also anything to watch out when placing the magneto switch? oydfd left panel curved v1.pdf

I saw a swiss registered M22 being pulled out of a hangar at Fairoaks (UK) a few weeks ago. It looked in very good condition and certainly ready to fly. Stupidly I did not take a picture and only realised how rare a sight it was afterwards.