knute

I don't know what the prior owners of mine used, but those switches were cheap and unreliable. When they died (5 years ago?), I replaced them with David Clark PTT switches, and they've been great. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/av/headsetx_switches/ptt_switch2.php LASAR did the wiring for me to connect them up as appropriate to my audio panel- it was a short job. (Did it during an annual) Hope that helps!

I have about 400hrs on a set of Desser Elites (same sizes) on my 66E, and they're still going strong. Great tire for the money.

That's good advice on the oil cooler lines- thanks. I didn't end up purchasing the Airforms baffles this year, but I continue to want them- ran out of lead time before annual and then budget on this go around. An expensively thorough annual this year included oversized nose gear bushings, new nose gear shock disks, "new" muffler (Dawley), new oil cooler, new alternator, two new magnetos, cylinder work due to a valve problem on #3 (root cause- poor workmanship from a prior engine shop), gascolator overhaul, etc. The plane is now purring, but I'm sure my speed increase is partly due to the weight reduction of my wallet. :-) We sealed up the existing factory baffles and put them back to work, but I'm pretty sure the Airforms baffles will eventually find a home on my engine. Those of you who get them before I do, please post PIREPs!

I used to use Plexus and DuPont Sontara wipes (love those wipes! no lint, no scratches). I switched to Pledge, but it's "gooey" enough compared to Plexus that a Sontara wipe isn't as effective as a micro-fiber cloth. I like Plexus, but for me Pledge does just as good a job at a fraction of the price when used with the right cloth. Costco carries bundles of the yellow micro-fiber cloths, so I just keep a big bag of clean ones in the hangar and a hamper for the used ones, and then run them through a long cycle in the clothes washer at home and send them back to the hangar. A little Aircraft Simple Green added to the wash cycle along with laundry detergent gets any grease right out of the cloths and they look & feel like new again. The micro fiber cloths are also great for a quick "after flight" bug clean up on the leading edges, and the best stuff I've tried is Ardex HydroGloss, recommended by ArtCraft, the shop who painted the plane a couple of years ago. Similar to WashWaxAll, but cuts bugs better, and leaves a gorgeous shine on the finish that the next bug really doesn't stick to. Might make the airplane faster; who knows?

I have a 201 spinner and bulkhead in my hangar from an ARI cowl closure mod on my 66 E- it was removed when I went to an MT prop that uses an MT spinner. PM me, and we can negotiate...

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Paypal sent... Thanks for making the site available! Looking forward to the improvements from the upgrade- this site is a great resource and much appreciated.

Stacey- Glad to see you here! Does Mooney still manufacture or have stock of the doghouse parts for a '66 E? I had been led to believe the answer is no, but I'd be happy to spend on factory parts if the price isn't stratospheric!

My '66 E model has the infamous "doghouse" engine baffling, and after nearly 47 years (first flight was 11/65, for those doing the math) the original baffling is not as happy as it once was. I had a good chat at Oshkosh last week with the foreman from Airforms up in Alaska, and they have a new doghouse that is currently working its way through the PMA approval process. In the interim, with some direction from me as the owner, they suggested that it would be acceptable to do this as an owner fabricated part. Somebody out there with another E-model is currently having this very baffle made at Airform, and I will be receiving pictures by the end of the week to start negotiating with my MSC to see how willing they might be to install and sign off. I'd be very interested in finding out about others who have experienced the process of working with "owner fabricated" parts. I would love to end up with something that seals better than what I have, has fewer "patches" and extra screws, and has a nice powdercoated finish! (And if you happen to be the other E owner having the baffles made, please contact me!)

Quote: gmcd Has anyone noticed that putting the gear DOWN when ready to land can catch the seatbelt latch? I've found myself abeam many times with no seatbelt on becuase of that.... not a good phase of flight to be dealing with seatbealts. I now have a call out- clear gear.... PAX will then hold their seatbelt over to allow a clear path. Mine still catches.

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Quote: BigTex Just heard from Mike Busch and he sends his clients to Aircraft Magneto Service at Bainbridge Island, WA http://aircraftmagnetoservice.net/ Anyone have experience with this shop? Also, it looks like the going rate for a Bendix mag IRAN is $300 at most shops unless they find something major.

We're not there yet, but when the time comes that I can't get parts for my Mooney, my exit strategy will probably be something like a Vans RV-10. Great useful load (>1,100 lbs), fast (160+ KTAS), and efficient like a Mooney. Engine choices are 210HP-260HP, so with the smaller engine, it's pretty much like a J. http://vansaircraft.com/public/rv-10per.htm If I build it myself, I can also legally maintain it. More than one cabin door would also be a plus as my family grows. I think it's the nature of most pilots to always be thinking about what their next plane will be, even when they love the one they have! :-)

As the weather warms up around here, I'm again appreciative of last fall's fix to the heater box flapper! For the first 5 years that I owned 66Q, it was not possible to fully shut off the heat, and summer flying meant lots of icy drinks in a cooler in the back seat. I don't know how the heat is controlled on the later models, but on the early models it's a flap that controls the flow of hot air from the muffler shroud, and the gasket on that flapper doesn't have much pliability after 45 years. The fix is a new gasket, but make sure it gets a rivet, because the first time it got fixed (sans rivet) the heat melted the adhesive, the gasket moved, and the flapper didn't seal. If your Mooney cabin runs hot, this is a wonderfully pleasant fix! I'm looking forward to some great summer flying this year.

Dave- great fly-in! Thanks for organizing the info, lining up the caterer, etc- well done. That was a kick to see the Virgin Galactic mother ship up close. (the giant Antonov AN-2 biplane was also a first for me) I'm sure glad the tower was operating; that was a whole lot of planes. Enjoyed it!

Quote: mooneyflyer Also, please click on my link above, or repeated here from the California PIlots Association that indicates that FOA is a chapter, but does NOT participate in the 501©3. Here's the link again: http://calpilots.org/index.php?option=com_civicrm&task=civicrm/profile&reset=1&gid=36&force=1&search=0&Itemid=135

Phil: You asked for an EIN, and you have it. Verification of Friends of Oceano chapter status with the California Pilots Association (and thus 501©3 eligibility) is quick to verify with a phone call to Cal Pilots, but you haven't done that or you'd know the answer. After 30 seconds with Google: (scroll down to page 7 of this newsletter from Cal Pilots to see a blurb welcoming Friends of Oceano Airport as a Chapter of Cal Pilots) http://calpilots.org/newsletters/March-April%202012.pdf I don't understand why you are trying to make an issue out of something that isn't an issue. If it's personal, it doesn't belong on this forum. I'm done on this issue.

http://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ Limit to the state of California, use the search term "Pilot". The California Pilots Association shows up on the result list as a legitimate, registered 501©3 organization, and Friends of Oceano Airport are a chapter of it.

Seriously? We should act like Mooney pilots, not a lynch mob. We need _more_ cheerleaders for Mooney and general aviation, not fewer. If you think there's an issue with the 501©3 filing status, take it off-line and do your homework before assassinating character. I see good works, and lots of donated personal time. I have not seen them take credit for the work of others. I don't know what triggered the sour grapes, but Jolie & Mitch deserve better than than this kind of insinuation on a public forum. The weather in Northern California is gorgeous today- maybe it was the weather earlier this week that made everybody cranky. Go fly, and have something to smile about!

Prices?

I had an annual and a 201-style windshield done there a couple of years ago, and was very pleased with the work they did. Very thorough, done on time, and excellent communication. They look from the outside like a small shop, but they have a wealth of Mooney experience. If I wasn't based all the way out in California near LASAR (another shop I really like), I'd use SWTA more often- good folks. For example, Russell took the time to meticulously recompile a master AD record and sign off list. I hope that helps!