triple8s

https://newschannel9.com/news/local/small-plane-crashes-at-chattanooga-airport-wednesday-morning Sad

If the engine is idled up as in flight it should be either charging if the battery state is lower than full charge or it may not be charging. You can turn on landing and taxi lights while in flight and see if it keeps up if not it can be a sign of not charging. On the TCM engine there is an sb (I think it’s a service bulletin) any how you are supposed to check the alternator coupling. This is accomplished but removing the alternator and there is a tool like a socket and another thing that locks the alternator shaft or the coupling can’t remember which but one is locked and a torque wrench torque is applied and if it slips before a specified torque setting then the coupling is bad. It’s about .8 k iirc mine was bad a couple of years ago prices have probably changed for the procedure. I think I remember that pieces of said coupling (orange plastic shards) can shed off into the engine oil sump and cause problems if not fixed. Plenty to read on the issue on the beech site and other places. 8’s

Two symptoms makes me lean towards a fuel issue, lower the nose and conditions improve, the higher the nose the more is required to pump the fuel to the engine. I know this from experience. The other thing is the fuel system was touched recently (worked on). When things are working and you disturb them sometimes they cause other issues. The airlines have a thing called “maintenance induced failure” which addresses this phenomenon. Now that I think about it those symptoms remind me of an unpleasantly exciting flight in a Bravo and it was a fuel issue and after maintenance as well. As I recall it was pumping plenty of fuel it just wasn’t all making it to the engine.

Wasn’t Mooney covertly working on this gross weight increase project a few years ago somewhere in a small town in middle Tennessee? Doing testing I think?

I had a similar problem. Mechanic found one brake was sticking a lil bit a quick brake check showed nothing. He then removed the wheel.....lo and behold an wheel bearing shim/spacer was on in the wrong place. There is a tiny round shim that goes on the axle I’m not sure wether it goes on the axle first or behind the axle nut but it was in the wrong place. This was on a 1965 C model.

I work in the maintenance department for a Utility contractor and I always tell the production crews. "The most dangerous time to operate a piece of equipment is just after it's out of maintenance!" Of course I am only parroting what I have heard.....Mike Busch. Seriously I strongly recommend reading what Mike Busch has to say about maintenance induced failure.

I wonder why they didnt or why these couldn't be put on an M22?

VFR vs IFR I flew slower planes for quite a few years before I owned my first Mooney. It was a lil C model 180 hp and I learned something. When you have a Mooney, any model of Mooney besides the mite, which i have zero experience with, any Mooney will open a door... a door of travelling opportunities which will necessitate an instrument rating. A Mooney will cover so much terra firma so quickly you will "want" to travel, you will be able to afford to travel but to do this you REALLY need the instrument rating. Owning a Mooney without an ifr rating is like owning a computer and having no internet connection. Can't emphasize how much an ifr rating will change you as a pilot and increase the usefulness of a Mooney.

(Quote) Good to know but the shortest RW I use is BID or 3N6 where my uncle lives. As for my second Mooney? I'll be moving up from an Archer so anything is better. Don't need or want monster engine. Being an ex A&P monster engines come with their own problems, fuel consumption, oil burn and more. I've been climbing at 500 fpm so a plane that doubles that is more than sufficient. In my experience and please someone else chime in on this. IMHO monster engines if you can call a TCM 550 a monster doesn't neccesarily have more problems than a smaller engine. The 550 in an ovation even the 310 hp ones are not setup to provide their full potential. The same engine set up differently in other aircraft have higher HP output than in the Mooney. The de-rating of this engine makes for less maintenance, good longevity and reliability. Look at the TBO times for the engine at different HP ratings and how it goes down as rated HP is increased. So my point is, just because it is a larger displacement does not mean it is more maintenance or cost (other than fuel burn). A Non turbo engine with larger displacement is going to be less maintenance than a smaller engine with a turbo. So dont let the idea of bigger engine/more cost scare you off. And on the fuel issue an ovation can be fast, push the knobs in and it burns more fuel and goes fast pull them out and it goes Cessna 172 speeds and burns 172 fuel rates. Well almost, but the you have so many options with the Ovation. It is a VERY simple engine to operate. ROP LOP it doesn't care get high enough so that the MP limits engine output to less than 65% and TCM says you can't hurt the engine with the mixture control. How simple can it be. I just can't emphasize enough as to how perfect the Ovation is. The turbocharged planes are great to but there are more moving parts and you have more to look after as far as the engine goes. A 252 may be a little more efficient than the Ovation, do I like them of course I do but the TCM TSIO 360 is a more complex engine and requires more attention and heat management than the big derated 550. And when it is time for an overhaul compare the prices on the two. So dont be afraid of the monster engine, it is also a simple engine.

Damage history is all about 2 things. 1. Was it repaired properly with proper paperwork and quality parts. 2. How long are you going to keep it before you decide to sell it. Of course number one needs little explanation but number two is, a plane with NDH is always going to be easier to sell. With time, actual flying time, trust in the repairs is built and if all the proper documentation of all repairs is in order and the repairs are proper then with a good track record of the repairs holding up and not being continual trouble over the years damage history becomes less of an issue with most people, but NDH aircraft are always easier to sell and bring top dollar. So if you are a buyer and the repairs are good and documented then it is not much more than a negotiating chip for you the buyer and it will be the same to the buyer whom you sell to. Another thought is the 97 O is going to have 23 yrs old instruments in it and after 20 yrs they start showing their age. I have a 96 O and I am on the verge of having to do something with my gyros, so this is also a consideration lots of money ey can be spent here. Oh also the Oxygen tank has a life limit I think its 15 yrs ought check that. There's a 2000$ bill to replace and have valve rebuilt/replaced which ought be done too, and Ovation has a sweet spot (cruise alt.) that is such that you will need it. Mine loves mid teens and LOP operation, it is truly a sweet travelling machine. Very economical. Your trip from NY to FL will be a trip such that FIKI would be very handy so look at your useful load. You won't need as much fuel in an ovation as in other brands, read up on this. Tks/fiki will eat into that useful load some and also they say tks will shave off a few kts of cruise speed. I dont have tks so I only know what I've heard. Good luck and if you decide on an O please share pics and experiences with us. http://www.mooneypilots.com/mapalog/M20R Evaluation/M20R.htm

I'm no aircraft mechanic, so this is owner experience and nothing more. I own a 1996 ovation/ IO 550 G 280hp. I had a starter adapter that just had barely started acting up. Symptoms are when the prop doesn't turn immediately when the starter is energized. Didnt always slip just once in a awhile I did some research into it and the starter adapter on a tcm 550 seems to be prone to failure when paired with a planetary drive starter like the iskra that is OEM on this ovation I have. I was told that the starter adapter must be able to backspin freely once the starter is disengaged and the planetary drive starters dont seem to let this happen freely enough to keep the adapter happy so I replaced it and the starter as well. As recommended I replaced the iskra with a presto lite also was told the Energizer was a good one as well. If the adapter isn't able to backspin freely it will make metal as well as do other nasty things. Just something you might ought read up on. Could be your source of the metal may not be but I would look into it. Have fun with your "O" awesome birds!

I went through the same issue with my Ovation and best to catch it early. There is a place I think Niagra Airparts or something I'd have to look at my logs n see its been awhile but in talking with them I was told about the problems a high torque starter can cause if it doesnt back spin freely. I was told that when a starter wont let the starter adapter spin back freely to let the spring/clutch unwind and release it will burn up the spring and drum producing metal and making a mess of the engine. I was told the best starter was the Energizer or Prestolite and to throw away the Iskra and not to use any geared starter or there would be no warranty on my reman adapter. They didnt have any starters at the time but steered me to a fellow in a small town in Kentucky I called and was back in business in maybe 2 days.The very worst thing to do is to continue flying with the starter adapter not working properly. It can make metal and ruin your engine if not repaired. I looked and couldnt find it again but there are horror stories I had read about some of the Bo Drivers trashing engines because of not getting the issue fixed. I am not an aircraft mechanic and everyone has a different opinion, mine is I would not fly it with a malfunctioning adapter. The place in Brooks Ky. thats the town yes. Good folks

I had to replace the left caliper.Although I do not have co pilot brakes, here is my story. Bled brakes every way we know, AP and I did, bottom up, top down over and over again. He said I may be getting air into the system through the brake master cylinders and we should rebuild them I thought yes he is an AP and has worked on aircraft since Vietnam War where he was a mechanic but I couldn't see how air could get in if no fluid was getting out. He pointed out the fluid level in the reservoir would go up after bleeding and that's why we weren't losing any fluid. So we removed both master cylinders and replaced the o rings in them. Bled the brakes again from the bottom up and no more problems. He said the master cylinders can pull air in around the shafts when the pedal is released. Guess he was right.