cliffy

All flying surfaces (elevator, rudder and ailerons) need to balance at a certain point (CG of the surface ) to avoid flutter when in flight. Anytime a plane is painted the surfaces have to be balance checked on a rig that lets them hang horizontal from their bearings so the weight of the trailing edge can be measured at a certain point. This has to be done before the surface is mounted on the airplane. It also has to be signed off in the maintenance release as having been done. The full procedure is contained in the specific MM for your airplane. I can't imagine it not being done but do make sure that it is signed off in the log book as such. The sign off should note chapter and verse of the MM.

Inquiring minds want to know

Obviously make sure the control surface balance checks have been done and signed off. Check the Static pressure holes to make sure they are clear and not painted over. Check them to see if paint has run down or formed ridges of bumps right at the static hole. If it has it can disrupt the correct static sense. Wiggle the stabilizer tip fore and aft and up and down for any free play. If there is it could mean loose mount bolts or no bushings put back in. Lift the tail cone lightly to see if there is any vertical play in the jackscrew mount. Slight play is OK. Check over ALL panels and fairings to make sure they are secured properly. If you have the 2 1/4 inch bolts holding the cowl together on either side of the cowl opening (inside the lip) make sure they were put back in. This is something shops not familiar with early Mooneys miss. If you know where to look for nose gear damage from over turning lay on the ground and check it. If you don't know learn. They had to move your plane a lot while it was being painted. Check each and every control surface mounting bolts and wiggle each push pull rod to make sure it is free. No paint on rod ends. Make every surface works smoothly and goes in the correct direction including the flaps. You are the last line of defense to make sure things are correct. You are the one making the test flight after all that maintenance. You may have to sign off the log book that everything is OK after the test flight. Even the best mechanics sometimes miss things. Looking forward to seeing the pictures! Post a bunch of them.

Is the Jake with a turbo? :-)

I'll bet their IT guy is working 3 jobs and just hasn't gotten to all platforms yet.

The main gears need the preload tool The nose gear push/pull rods on the electric gear models have springs on the rods (the manual gear airplanes do not have then). On those you measure the spring "squeeze" between locked down and unlocked. Off the top of my head it is .030-.070" squeeze but look it up. No measurement of the nose gear preload is required other than the spring measurement on electric gear airplanes.

Lassie Lassie! That Timmy? :-) :-) :-)

Maybe their seat belts are off so they can take a stroll around the spacious cabin!

According to Mooney Engineering the elevator tube and the two hinge bolts are the primary tail connection structural points. Messing with the tube and you're messing with the primary connection of your tail. Maybe correct factory parts are the way to go here? Just sayin

Air Craftsman at Prescott is good also.

I did the test flying on the original Mooney wingtip antennas back in the 70s. The VSWR was good and the polar chart looked good also. They worked fine.

The TCDS lists the proper POH/Owners manual to have on board.

Having been at the factory last week let me add a little to the discussion. 1) It will be built in Kerrville! Period, New buildings are planned. 2) They are looking at the long term and sensing a 2 year certification process (much like the Honda Jet has done) and financially planning on same. 3) It looks like a cruise speed of @ 160 kts TAS on less than 8 GPH is possible right now. Maybe way less than 8 GPH. On Jet A. Keep China in mind. Anything going there will need to be diesel or turbine as 100 LL just ain't there. Does anyone remember the Wing Derringer? It too was a 2 place (albeit twin engine) airplane but without financing to produce. The biggest problem with Jet A? It stinks to high heaven. This airplane may make a real good and efficient traveler for a husband and wife with baggage in the 3rd seat area. I've only had more than 2 in my M20 3 times in 15 years.

Not really a gray area One needs to read further down the page- :-) :-) (31) Removing and replacing self-contained, front instrument panel-mounted navigation and communication devices that employ tray-mounted connectors that connect the unit when the unit is installed into the instrument panel, (excluding automatic flight control systems, transponders, and microwave frequency distance measuring equipment (DME)). The approved unit must be designed to be readily and repeatedly removed and replaced, and pertinent instructions must be provided. Prior to the unit's intended use, and operational check must be performed in accordance with the applicable sections of part 91 of this chapter.

Got to thinking about what we in the Mooney world could do for Mr. Wheat given the current circumstances and a thought came to mind Does anyone know how to set up an electronic "Best Wishes" card so that all from around the world can sign it (or even leave a short thank you message) and then have it printed out for delivery? Maybe someone with connections to MAPA can coordinate there also? I plan on being in Kerrville Monday/Tuesday next week and could print it out and deliver it if we could make it happen Anyone know how to do this as I don't?

Tried calling the factory today and all of Kerrville phone systems are dead.

You'll never get by the guy at the guard gate. He's very congenial but he's also the gatekeeper and takes it seriously! Remember, the FAA has to have security on our aircraft manufacturing and repair shops. Any "repair stations" are now required to have an identification process for all visitors and customers to be on the premises. Total BS

I forgot, I'm a dinosaur. Sorry. Maybe some of you are too young to remember George Orwell

Duck, there goes a flock of them! Groucho Marx

Does anyone remember "1984"

Have you removed it and looked to see if the tube inside has any deformations or kinks ? How about evidence of rusty areas cleaned but deeper than allowed? What is the material of the outside tubing?

How deep is the split in the biscuit? 2007 ain't really too old for a J. Have you checked the tolerance at the top of the strut pack per the MM? Yes changing the nose pack is doable with care . Not really a big issue Skygeek tends to have the best pricing on the donuts. There is a wear measurement for the main's donuts when on the ground or just jack the plane up and if you can't turn the donuts by hand they're OK. They should be OK. Brake rotors are a possibility for brake pedal vibrations I would however check the nose gear while you have the airplane on jacks. With the nose wheel off the ground grab it and turn it back and forth in the motion as it would go while making turns on the taxiway. 5 degrees either side of center is OK, 20 degrees is way too much. This indicates that the steering linkage at the top of the nose strut is worn in the bushings and bolts. If the brake pedals vibrate more as the they disc heats up with long brake applications I'd say look for the problem in the discs and calipers.

Meet him 18 months ago at his house. A#1 gentleman. So glad I had the opportunity to meet the legend.

Immelman My O posting dealt with drop in replacement LED light bulbs that replaced incandescent light bulbs in the same fixture. It had nothing to do with currently STC'd LED nav light systems LED drop in bulbs can't fit in the "standard parts" category therefore their installation needs to have some kind of approval authority which no drop in LED bulb has at this time. If it doesn't meet the standard parts category then it MUST meet a PMA approval for manufacture for sale to certified airplanes. Do not pass go do not collect $200. There are no other options. If you don't believe me take a sample of the bulb and paperwork to your Feds office and ask them to OK the installation. Come back here and tell us all what they said and if I'm wrong I'll eat my words. If someone wants to put them in and thumb their nose at the Feds and legality, so be it. Go for it. Let us know if your IA will sign off on your annual after you tell him you changed them yourself and didn't sign off the installation as required. If you won't sign it off as the owner after you put them in No guts-No glory! Better yet, ask your local FSDO to do a ramp check on your airplane after you tell them what you did. Tell us how that works out. Again No guts- no glory! What you are advocating is deliberately violating FARs. If you want to go down that road, have at it. My interest is in trying to help those, who may not know, how to avoid a problem with the Feds. Sorry but I'm far too old and have been in this business far too long and watched far too many people die to be PC knowing from experience that little things lead to big things and big things lead to dead people.

This was covered in another very long thread. There are no qualified "standard part" replacement navigation light bulbs! By definition, LED bulbs are not standard parts as there is no national standard for the design and manufacture of any led bulb. They do don't match EXACTLY any national standard for any of the numbered nav bulbs we use. Just because the base matches the mounting of the incandescent bulb does not make it a legal replacement as a standard part. THEY DO NOT HAVE A GLASS GLOBE AND A TUNGSTEN FILAMENT THAT MATCHES EXACTLY WHAT THE CALLED FOR STANDARD BULB HAS. They have to match the color wave length also called out for navigation lighting- do they? prove it! They have to match the angle of view called out for approval -already in question. What can happen if used? Well the dimmer circuit for one as mentioned (BTW what is the resistance of the bulb when it is illuminated? It will be different than when unlit). Where is the approved process to "alter the design" by installing a resistor across an led bulb to make the circuit work? It is an alteration. BTW you will lose the amperage savings of the LED bulb by doing this. The resistor is bypassing the same amps as the old bulb did. How much amperage is passed through a 5.6 ohm resistor at 12 volts going to ground? Changing the nav lite bulbs comes under "maintenance" or " preventive maintenance" determined by who does it. Both require a legal sign off in the log books. Both persons (A&P or owner) must ascertain that the installed part is legal to install. If it is not, penalties attach. NOT JUST ASKED TO CHANGE BACK TO ORIGINAL! If it is found on a ramp check without a sign off in the maint log book then who is legally responsible? THE OWNER BY REGULATION! If it is signed off who is responsible? THE OWNER AGAIN AND WHOM EVER SIGNED IT OFF. Now the mickey mouse logbook sticker? NOT LEGAL! To qualify as to form, fit and function only requires specific FAA approval by regulation ( see previous led nav light thread). As was mentioned by philplane, the fines go up exponentially with every flight and all the regs they can pile on if they want to. Does anyone not think that the Feds read these boards and get ideas to investigate on ramp checks? Think again. Bottom line?It ain't legal unless the lights have an STC right now!