mooneyman

You’re right on the mark!

In regards to the discussion about the legality of different paints, all I can say is that the logbook entry documents exactly what was described to me. Anyone with questions should call Flying Colors Aviation and speak directly to Ken Kaminski. He is an unbelievably knowledgeable A&P/ IA. He is also a former Mooney owner and loves to talk about airplanes.

I picked up the plane yesterday. It’s looks even more amazing in person! I conducted a thorough preflight and then had a great one hour flight home. I’d definitely swear that I had an extra knot or two in cruise at 9000’. The biggest surprise came on landing and feeling the cushion of the new gear donuts. Unbelievable compared to the stiff feel of the old donuts.

Plane is finished! Excited to see it in person! Picking up Thursday or Friday!

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I have experience with two other well regarded midwest paint shops. One of the shops did good work at a good price. The other shop did excellent quality work at a higher price, albeit very slowly. When I decided to have this plane repainted, I considered both of these shops, but also decided to research some other options. Priority #1 was finding a shop that I could TRUST. I got several referrals/ suggestions from friends to check out Flying Colors Aviation. When I called them, Ken Kaminski (owner) spent about 40 minutes on the phone with me explaining their process and philosphy. He also expressed a great appreciation for Mooneys and detailed his history with them. He suggested I fly up for a visit. I did and he gave me a tour of their facilities and several planes going through the process. What I saw was a clean, well staffed, professional facility. I was amazed at the attention to detail they gave every plane whether turbine, piston, or warbird. They are not the cheapest option, but I plan on keeping this plane for a while. I placed my deposit in March 2017 and dropped the plane off in January 2018. We are currently in week 5 and they appear to be on schedule. Ken estimated 5-6 weeks for the job. It's interesting that you mention automotive paint because that's what Ken uses at Flying Colors. I knew that I wanted metallic silver as base with some red graphics. Instead of looking at Sherwin-Williams Jet Glo sample charts, he told me to visit various automotive websites and find some colors that I liked. The shade of red that we picked is from Porsche and the silver is from Mercedes. I agree that it looks awesome! Can't wait to see it in person!

It's still there! Definitely, go check it out!

Clear coat applied Mooney symbol hand painted

My front cowling was definitely not that smooth going into the shop. They repaired some delamination of the lower cowl and installed a new heat reflective blanket. They also did some fiberglass repairs to the upper cowl to smooth the surface. I had ding on the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer which they also repaired. They believe this surface prep is critical in the processs to obtain the best overall finish. It’s almost a restoration rather than just a paint job.

Paint being applied!

Graphics applied!

Yes

The VG’s were installed by the previous owner. I had no prior experience with VG’s going in. I figured I would probably not reinstall them when I eventually got the plane repainted but after flying with them for several years, I would now not want to fly without them. Several observations: 1) Low speed handling/ control authority significantly improved (compared with previous F model) 2) Stall speed reduced to 56 knots from 59 (POH) 3) Plane very docile in the stall. I practiced stalls with an instructor at MAPA PPP. He was amazed that he could not get the plane to drop a wing even when uncoordinated. Stall is very similar to DA-40. 4) No noticeable reduction in cruise compared to book values I know that many Mooney purists don’t like them, but I think they definitely improve safety for a relatively low cost. Main downside is aesthetics.

You have to wait and see!

Exactly.

Silver metallic base coat applied!

Do the ones from Plane Covers have a microfiber lining on the plane side?

The pictures were out of order. I have rearranged them. The wing walk was removed prior to placing the primer.

I think it will be more fun to post pics as the work prgresses leading up to the big reveal!

The paint was in worse condition than the pictures show. It looked OK from 20 feet but was peeling in multiple locations. Leading edges and control surfaces were bare metal in spots.

I recently dropped off my M20R at Flying Colors Aviation in Benton Harbor, Mi (KBEH) http://flyingcolorsaviation.com/ They have been awesome to work with! I’m very excited to see the finished project. Here are some pics so far:

We were there on Sunday. Ended up driving instead of flying. In addition to the low ceilings, it was cold and windy. We renewed our tix for 2018. Plan on flying into Eagle Creek (EYE). Hope to meet up with some other Mooney drivers!

I purchased the M7 titanium aviators in medium tint at Osh last summer. They are super light and comfortable! Lens clarity is awesome!

I had not considered positioning the camera in the light lense area. It is an interesting idea but in addition to Rocket's comments above, you would only get a forward facing view and would likely lose some picture clarity. I was never keen on mounting something on the wing but I think in reality the aerodynamic impact is minimal. This Nflighcam mount is very sturdy and secure. It was just a matter of swithcing out for a 1/2 inch longer screw. We also like the view looking back at the plane. We have a forward facing camera with prop filter mounted inside on the glareshield.