Bob

May want to just flag them down next time and talk to them to get some answers?

Yes, Merlyn offers a couple of different "J" pipes based on your application and intercooler options. The pipe used with the Turboplus tucks it in back.

Looking to do mine in the near future. Some details would be appreciated. Did you bead blast? If so, what media type? Any undercoating or primer under the powder? Powder type? Any other tips? Thanks!

Had ink on light Mooney seats after OSH this year. I used hairspray, rinsed with a wet cloth, then rubbing alcohol on a microfiber cloth. Worked well, the trick is to keep the hairspray wet. Put it on wet, let sit for 30 seconds, wipe off and reapply. Takes a few applications. No color lifting from the seats and no evidence of ink. Took more time to locate the tools (hairspray) than to do the job.

Yes, that is how it happened. We were on the edge of 27. Sad to watch! Right gear collapsed after proper, nice soft, landing. It started sliding right fast and the pilot did a fantastic job correcting and keeping it straight. Great job Mr. Pilot!

Great post and reminder Tom. Just had a autopilot issue on my last flight and my experience was similar. It was nice chatting with you in the UP and seeing you Turboprop Beast! I still can't get it off my mind.....or the drool off my lower lip!

Your cost is only $250 per month and without paying for an empty hangar. I travel about 5 month a year for business and am forced to cover it while away. Don't like it, but don't have a choice many times. I would jump at your option!

Yes! I do enjoy the benefits of an electronic flight bag, but the NOTAM for OSH is not the place. Paper only please! Highlighting, notes, finding the proper page fast and it also allows you to hold it in front of you so you don't have to look down at the ipad and look away from watching everything else. Paper allows you the option to have the copilot do the NOTAM workload and "spoon feed" everything to you as you fly the plane and watch for traffic. Very EZ for Co-pilot to hold up the proper page and point to the info. All this does is reduce stresses and make your arrival trouble free. Here is my personal formula that works well for me. Pilot duties: Fly the plane, watch for traffic and verify copilot provided information. Co-Pilot duties: Serve information to pilot, tune frequencies and watch for traffic.

The hydrostatic test is a D.O.T requirement. The FAA requires us to follow the D.O.T. guidelines. Going by memory, my 77ft tank in my K is a 3HT tank. It is a thin wall, so the hydrostatic test is every 3 years and a service life of 24 years. Thicker wall tanks, that include scuba tanks are thicker and every 5. This link should help. http://www.c-f-c.com/gaslink/docs/dot_cylinder.htm Jerry also gives a nice rundown in this thread:

I drove in and camped for many years. Only a 170 mile drive for me. Then when I purchased my 231, 6 years ago, have been flying in ever since, except last year when my plane was down. If you are IFR rated, just get a reservation and come in IFR. I arrived IFR a couple times and it is very simple! Much lower workload! I am fortunate to only have a 50 minute flight to OSH. A few times I have flown in Saturday or Sunday, set up my campsite, hung out with friends and had beverages for a couple days, departed Tuesday AM and returned Tuesday afternoon with my daughter and enjoyed the rest of the week. I just print a sign that says ROW#???, hold it up and I am directed back to my camp sight. So I have been flying into OSH for 5 years now, but have flown in 8 times. I personally only drive in when I can not fly. If you drive in you do miss a lot of fun that happens in the evening while camping.

Camping N40 all week. Bob + 1

Yep! One time I was following a "Drunk Driver", right, left up 300 down 300. I just slowed down, had a gap and flew it as it should be. Have a printed Notam. It is common for the controllers to direct you and give you a page number. Makes it simple! I think most of it is just good standard piloting. The exception is the tight base, final turn for 18. Good time to open the POH and get speeds to avoid being too slow and doing a stall/spin. Just know the numbers and practice at a safe altitude. The other thing is please be ready for curve balls. One time I got squeezed between a plane ahead of me and a warbirds arrival for 18. I was told to side step over the taxiway and they will get me back in quickly. From my experience that sounds like a couple minutes later. No, I was not even 1/3 of the way down the runway when I was told, ok Mooney make a left turn and follow the warbirds. So I basically had a pause and a left 360 to go behind the plane that was just behind me. Another curve ball was when I was on short final for 27 and cleared to land. The controller told me that my clearance to land was void and to maintain current altitude and heading, the airport is closed. That was 300 gal and runway heading. The cause was a aircraft accident just prior to my landing. Some say to have a copilot. It sure is nice to have someone cross check and hand you what is needed, but if the person in the copilot seat is not a pilot as well, please instruct on proper scanning for traffic. Proper preparation and it is no big deal. Enjoy the show!

May be a great subject for a new thread! Interested in hearing the rundown on what the examiner had you demonstrate and what was included in your oral.

Not sure why you are trying to educate me! My post was simply a gentle way of saying "GROW UP" to some that will never understand.

It is stuff like this, the back and forth pissing contest that makes me want to sign out for two or three weeks. The question I ask myself is "what little part of this is constructive"?

I second the "Right Seat Ready" program. Also think 2-5 hours of good instruction in a trainer plane would be very valuable. Thinking it may be time for a few hours of good training for my daughter. She tends to have the Co-Pilot seat during family travel.

Clow to Waukegan is a pretty wide span. You have a lot of nice options between them as well. http://www.illinoisaviation.com/ at Dupage can help you with proper training. I think Robert and Scott do the Mooney training. I sent another guy over to them and he was well pleased with his 252 training. Good luck and message me if I can help further.

Where are you base?

The one time I was very low on fuel, my dummy light did not come on at 3 gal, as it always does, and the left tank ran dry. I was in Northern Michigan with solid trees as the only emergency landing spot. Stresses were above average and at 300 agl a cayote was on the runway, had to climb a couple hundred and grab the intersecting runway. It felt very wrong climbing out at 25gph, even for only 30 seconds. I filled up and confirmed that I had 5 gallons left. I'll pass on pushing past 1/2 hr of fuel ever again! I currently flight plan at 12gph and burn 11gph with climb and descend. My minimum is 10 gal plus one bonus per hour from difference between 12 planned and 11 actual. I also have my JPI calibrated down to 1/2gal error every 200 gallons, so I have an accurate figure of fuel in the tanks. My other standard practice is, always leave with full fuel, unless weight is an issue. If something causes high stresses during the flight, just remind yourself "fuel buys time" and gives you the time needed to find a safe solution to the problem.

What's the trend? Inaccurate gauges? Pushing the limits or personal fuel minimums? Forgetting / spacing out / workload on other items other than fuel?

Well, that's interesting about the Desser tubes. I had a nose wheel go flat after landing and about 300 ft from my hangar not too long ago. The Desser tube was about 1.5-2 years old. I did replace with the airstop tube. Something just felt wrong to go with Desser again. I think I now may know the cause of my flat? In my case I sent my copilot/friend to fetch the tug, then I grabbed my ha held and talked to ground. 5 total minutes we were back in the hangar. A flat at home field always works well!

I have had 3 different conversations, with 3 pilots over the last couple months. Two in flight and one on the ground. The common element was each of them saying, "that's what the controller told me or wants me to do". I reminded them of the word "unable" and their option to request. Also that an aircraft only has one pilot in command and it's not the controller! Controllers are here to help! They are just like us and members of our team. They will find a solution to allow your request or to overcome a obstacle that you share with them. Mcoyne34, Thanks for coming forward and telling everyone to speak up! Low time or low experience pilots need to hear it from a controller.

Sorry, this starter is sold! I tried to offer it to a Mooneyspace member first, but nobody needed It, so I had to flee bay it. Sorry! http://www.ebay.com/itm/111924193510?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1561.l2649 FYI, I stumbled thru starter options about a year ago. I found that techs have their favorite starter choice and tend to bash the other options. I decide to go with the Skytech just before my engine issue, then transferred it to the new engine. My used Iskra starter stays in my baggage bay as a always available spair. They have an old style and also new style of starter adapters. If I remember properly, the preferred started depends on the style of starter adapter.

Went KDPA-KIMT yesterday. Had my co-pilot Juliana (13 year old daughter) and my sleeping wife in the back. My wife did wake up to play flight attendant and serve some water. It's the system that works for all of us. Flight was 1.5 hrs, thanks to minimal O'hare vectors. I love when Chicago plays nice with others! Other driving family members took 7 hrs with a needed meal stop. Good flight planning allowed me to share a weather lesson with Juliana while overflying GreenBay, just after the storm passed. Logged another 40 min of actual IMC. Now off to see Yooper Rocket Man and see his sexy Lancair building project. If weather clears, I may give some relatives their first flight tomorrow. Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Rocketman, I am going to the UP again on Memorial Day, any time to show off your project? I should land IMT on Friday evening and depart Monday late afternoon. Love to chat and have a tour!