Mooney217RN

Exactly. SFO is the "Holy Grail" to us lowly single piston operators. Even if you were to file IFR into SFO, you'll get discouraged and/or diverted. With a $286 landing fee, no piston single pilot in their right mind would land there unless they had to.

Correct, a VFR tower enroute clearance. However, you'll be discouraged from filing into SFO from your home airport under normal circumstances. Likely you won't get a clearance. That's for a piston single. If you're a G-V, well, you'll get your clearance.

GeeBee, with all due respect, SFO has a landing fee of $286 for piston singles. The only way it is collected is if you leave the runway environment and taxi to the FBO. I have landed at a few Part 139 airfields, including LAX, ORD, LAS, BUR. SFO has extremely limited runway capacity. It is basically off limits to piston singles in normal times. The way they do it is to deny you clearance into the Bravo airspace. You can file IFR and maybe get sequenced in, maybe. There is a GA airport 8 SE of SFO, San Carlos. They want you landing there.

You've never been in to SFO during normal times. SFO has very limited runway capacity compared to all other major airports. They won't grant you clearance into the Bravo airspace; that's their way of telling you to go away.

The 252 is a fantastic bird. My hangar neighbor has an Encore. Beautiful plane. That said, the Encore's are overpriced. Step up to an Ovation, you'll never regret that decision.

I requested a tower enroute VFR clearance from SQL tower for landing 28L @ SFO. SQL frequently coordinates with SFO tower on Bravo transitions, so I took a guess that they could make it happen.

I called SFO ops. The only way you pay the fee is if you stop in at the FBO. The fee is $286. If I get a bill, well.it was worth it.

John, probably not. I have read of one person who did so in an SR-22 because they had to, but that’s the only one I have heard of in recent years. Generally speaking, they want you landing at SQL, 8 miles SE of SFO. It’s similar to OAK - you must land at North Field.

Back then, I am sure it was just fine. A year ago, forget it.

Forward to minute 22. Listen from there on... https://archive-server.liveatc.net/ksfo/KSFO-Twr2-Apr-29-2020-0000Z.mp3

Pre-pandemic, you could not land at SFO in a piston single. It was virtually unheard of.

Ross, a friend and fellow Mooney owner (Bravo) listened to LiveATC as I was going into SFO. He said it might have been around 1725Z. I’ll try to post some photos tomorrow. still haven’t gotten my go pro mount so I couldn’t video this. I bet it’s been a long time since the tower saw a Mooney land there.

Got some pictures I will try to post tomorrow.

Well, that was an experience. I wonder when the last time was that a Mooney landed 28L at SFO? the great news is you can do it. However, if you’re not on your game, especially with ATC, just don’t do it. If anyone knows how to get the archived ATC recordings at SFO from today around 2215Z, let me know.

American Propellor in Redding is your best bet. For an ECI, they will come to the airport and do it on the ramp while you wait.

That's a good looking ramp.

100LL prices at my local airport have decreased between 80-90 cents per gallon. The decrease is in line with what we've seen at our local gas stations.

We all want lower 100LL pricing. In fact, we should be paid to fill up with AvGas, right? The reality is, as I was telling one of my close friends yesterday, the wholesale cost of 100LL hasn't dropped as dramatically as oil has. In the Western U.S., it is still in the $2.00+ range. Many FBO's are holding onto inventory that they purchased two months ago. You cannot expect that the price of oil is going to translate to an instantaneous reduction the price of 100LL. It is a boutique fuel as refined products go. Last week, I had to fly into the SF Bay Area. My home airport was selling 100LL for $3.95 per gallon. I loaded up. My destination airport in the Bay Area, SQL, was selling 100LL at $4.95 per gallon. I took 5 gallons out of courtesy, as I was the only plane on the ramp and the fuel truck pulled up next to my plane. I have never put 5 gallons onboard in my life, but I felt compelled to take something under the circumstances. Bottom line, if you are expecting 100LL for $2.00 per gallon, manage your expectations - you aren't going to see that. Anything with a $3 in front of the price is a fair deal.

Hard to tell from your picture. First off, from the gear door picture, you have a problem. Don't fly it. My recollection is that your governor is back there, I can see in the photo of the prop control leading to the governor. The governor is as I recall below the oil filter and slightly offset to the right. Look good there first.

Paul, nice looking 252 you have there! It was my #1 choice when I traded up, but I got an Ovation 3GX. Some things were meant to happen, and I am happy I got the Ovation, I love it. My hangar neighbor has an Encore, beautiful bird. My GoPro didn't come with that tray. I like how you mounted it however.

I'd like to mount it on the center post in the wind screen. I won't mount it externally, I want to mount it in the cockpit overhead.

I don't know Caruso, I have a full set of allen wrenches, and I couldn't find the size in my selection, so it must be an oddball allen head.

I have a Garmin GoPro VIRB, and need a recommendation on which mount to use for best views from the cockpit. Your opinion would be greatly appreciated, and I know that there's no lack of opinions around here.

Problem solved. O2 System fixed. Many thanks for all of your good suggestions. So here's the issue in a nutshell. We were thinking the plane was going to have to go into Top Gun but there's a problem with transportation getting out of there, so I would've had to stay with the plane. I was told that if the knob spun without resistance BUT couldn't be pulled off the shaft, the mechanism inside the panel was broken or the cable came loose/off. The O2 knob had no resistance, but I could not pull it off the shaft. I did not have the proper allen wrench to check the set screw. It must be an odd size. My closest friend is an IA/A&P in addition to being a retired ATP with ratings in the DC-10 & 757/767. He has thousands of hours of Mooney time. He had the correct wrench size, checked the set screw on the knob. It was loose! Thank goodness! You don't want to have to pull that side panel. It is a major undertaking. Bottom line - the O2 system is up & running again!

Many thanks for the responses & suggestions. It sounds like the wire is broken at the knob or that it has come loose. But I am going to look in the rear of the fuselage first as Paul recommended above as the easier means of inspection. Thank you all again!