Parker_Woodruff

Quote: KSMooniac I will likely do a full custom panel and try to get the audio panel, 530/430 and transponder all stacked together.

If you're in the market for an M20C, I know of a 1966 M20C for sale close by near Kansas City that you don't need to look at. Just delivered it back to the owner with a $12k squawk list. email me for details.

I just test-flew an M20C with 3-blade hartzell. Could definitely tell the harmonics difference. Great looking and it climbed well but it would get old on longer flights.

I just started a pre-pre-buy inspection and test-flight on an M20C today that's flown 60 hours since 2002...and the engine was off the plane for 2 years and 11 months in the middle of that. Big thing is going to be what comes up in the borescope...fortunately the seller has agreed to pay for all of it including new cylinders if Don Maxwell deems necesary. (only 75 smoh) Another thing is hangar rodents. I just delivered another M20C that Don Maxwell opened up and found rodent droppings everywhere. After a $12k estimate for prebuy that the seller won't pay for, guess who's flying it back to KC tomorrow? If anyone is looking for an M20C and wants to avoid a certain plane in MO, let me know and I'll send you the info. Oh and many times hangar queens somehow have the original shock discs on them as is the case with both M20Cs this week. Those ain't cheap to replace. Also if the plane just keeps getting annualed w/o flying, the PC connected to the yoke on older models can get out of proper calibration since it's not flying (vacuum based). Then you get a plane that wants to fly sideways in cruise even with it trimmed as far left or right as you can get it. The only really good thing is you get a plane that has few logbook entries so sorting throught the gotchas is really easy.

I have a KLN94 GPS that I update on the Cessna. I download the database from Bendix/King at a cost of $380/year onto a laptop then bring it out to the plane for upload. The B/K cable was $70 and the recommended Serial-USB adapter was $25. Definitely worth the work to get the database for 1/2 price. It would be nice if we had more than 2 instrument students right now so it would be more worth the money. Going to start a Garmin subscription on my Mooney once the GPS is installed then the plane completes annual. Haven't researched how to do it from Jepp.

Quote: 16LPilot Yeah, but doesn't the annual operating cost run around $24k?

I've got nothing wrong with you flying an Ovation if you get the appropriate training. And a first airplane doesn't need to be fixed gear. The M20R will get you an extra 15-20+ knots. You can also get some very good things for where you live like a TKS de-ice system. If you want reliable travel in the wintertime in IL, you will want this (and an instrument rating).

definitely going to consider this shop in a few years when I'm ready for paint. First thing's first though. Autopilot, speed brakes, interior, then paint.

See if the seller/broker will let you pay to rent/lease the plane for X months time frame with an option to buy at the end of that time. Some/all of the lease money can go towards the final balance on the plane depending on how much the seller and you deem fair for him still holding ownership of the plane.

Nice looking plane.

Well I have good news. The regulator had a loose piece on it so I'm only out about $35.

Quote: N6843N A lot of owners neglect the maintenance on the vacuum system, I dont really know why, I did some work for flight school once that had a fleet of new 172's, all of them had their original filters both inlet and regulator.

Quote: KSMooniac I have a Mid Continent electric AI with a battery backup, and it is a nice unit. I'm very happy with it, especially since the previous owner installed it. I believe it costs about 20x what a rebuilt Rapco 211CC vacuum pump costs. I expect the weight of the pump + regulator + plumbing + vacuum AI will exceed that of the electric gyro and battery pack by a couple of pounds at least, but that is just my educated guess. Unless you have a lot of extra money to add to the upgrade, I'd just check the vacuum plumbing and put on a rebuilt pump for now as long as your AI has been behaving. If your AI acts up in the future, then you might think about ditching the entire system since the AI overhaul will cost 2-3x what the vacuum pump costs. The vacuum pump might also fit your 172, so you could save it for a spare.

Quote: JimR Parker, Your cowl flaps are made out of fiberglass? That's interesting. Mine are aluminum. Jim

Quote: FoxMike Vacuum gyros are less expensive to maintain than mechanical/electric. You may have a trip in your future where the master has to be shut off and you will be glad you have a vacuum system.

How much for just the cowl flaps? One of mine has a very small hole chaffed in the fiberglass from the exhaust pipe at some point in its 7100 hour life......maybe it's repairable though...

Well, I'm set to have all my avionics work done starting Monday afternoon. Unfortunately as I was flying today my vacuum pump was barely holding above 4 inches in cruise and I noticed some slugishness of the attitude indicator on the ground. Since I'm getting a G500, I was planning on leaving my vacuum driven attitude indicator as the standby, but now with the impending failure of the vacuum system, I'm thinking about going the route of getting an electric standby attitude indicator. To be legal, it would have to have the battery pack. So I'm at a crossroads: 1) What is the most budget-minded certified electric standby attitude indicator? In other words, how much more is this going to cost me than replacing a vacuum pump? 2) If I do go that route rather than replacing the pump, can I entirely remove my vacuum system? If I get an autopilot, I can see myself going for one of the less expensive options like the STEC system 30 which would not require one...(correct, right?) ----(a) I have a standby electric vacuum system that is operational. 3) How much useful load could I gain without the primary vacuum system and the backup vacuum system installed?

Quote: KSMooniac I'm not even close to being a potential customer for a new Mooney or any other plane, but it is nice to put my wishes/priorities down on the survey.

Quote: N223MM

Quote: blacknchrome A 252/262 TKS would be a fast airplane, but we are really looking for a long-body for the size. And, the Bravo's have a Lycoming vs the Continental (not trying to start anything, but.... ha). It should be FIKI too - there are actually some Bravos out there that are the inadvertent TKS system. We're moving up from a FG Saratoga - it's for sale. Nice airplane, & extremely well equipped. We think a Bravo is the way to go next time for the capabilities of ice and the speed.

I don't know of any Bravos outside the online advertisers, and unfortunately Jimmy Garrison just sold a 1997 M20K Encore with TKS. However there are many nice M20K 252s for sale and the 252/Encore versions of the M20K can be equipped with TKS. From what I hear they are somewhat negotiable on a FIKI TKS install. http://www.controller.com/list/list.aspx?ETID=1&catid=6&Manu=MOONEY&Mdltxt=M20K+252TSE&mdlx=exact&setype=1

The M-20 was installed on mine when I bought it. I always fly mine between 5.5 and 6 quarts so I really don't know how well it works.

Quote: MHale That's a perfect segway into my next question - I've all but settled on a nice F model that has ~400 SMOH in 2004, but it hasn't flown much in the last year (~5 hrs). It's getting an Annual right now, and 3 compr came up >75, while one came up ~55. The cylinder is going to be replaced by the seller. Two questions: (1) Should this make me worry (2) What is the best brand/type of cylinder and does it make a difference?

Quote: FlyingAggie Finally, are there any special steps you should take the first time you start your engine after it has set for 8 months? Alan

Be careful, have the funds ready to overhaul...hopefully you'll get lucky. Mine is about 10 years old but had only flown ~50 hours in the previous 4 years before I bought it. Compressions high 70s and everything looks great.. That said I really don't like 25hrs/yr.