cliffy

Even with the total production we have today, the total number of "our" GA airplanes is dwindling down. Many times because of avoidable mistakes. With the number of "old" airplanes and their hull values, lots of "other than normal" landings are totalled out to the junkies. Have many of us have ever tracked the number of wrecks in GA every week, week after week after week? Or do we just follow those that make the news cycles? Its sobering to follow the story. What was the phrase in Bubba Gump? Stupid is as stupid does? We, as a group, keep making the same mistakes year after year after year. The same ones made 75 years ago. One would think that we would learn but the knowledge is not being transferred to new pilots or if it is, it's being ignored. Both are not good for us as an industry. After 50+ years of flying from FL450 down to scud running I've formed a couple of positions on flying. One of them is that this business of ours can kill us, as Lt. Selfridge found out back in 1908 while flying with Orville Wright. Hisory repeats itself and those who ignore history are bound to repeat it, up front and very personal!

New airplanes are priced in todays dollars and using today's costs. New parts (no matter what vintage airplane) are priced at the same "today's dollars" costs to produce. Can't make parts today and sell them for yesterday's pricing. Didn't know my C was actually worth 1/2 a million? I'll sell to the first one with $250,000, 1/2 price sale :-) But today only!

It can take 5 or 6 hours for suspended water to filter out in JET fuel tanks but avgas is lots faster More like the 10 to 15 mins. I do both orings on each cap every year without fail.

I'd like to see the difference in "pull" between a 4 cylinder Mooney and a 6 cylinder Mooney on the tail ring as the nose wheel clears the ground. I suspect the forces are much higher even considering the longer arm of the long bodies but I could be wrong. How many tail rings have failed while on the jacks? What kind of "damage" has been encoured by using the tail ring? How many failed tail rings were compromised by having contact with the ground while flying? How many of the failed rings were examined to determine why it failed? Is there emperical data to support the acertion that the tail ring is not able to do the job even after doing it for more than 50 years? Or is the SI just drawn up from speculation or as CYA? How do you lift from the engine lifting ring on a "dog house" vintage Mooney? What if there is no lifting ring? Just asking questions I haven't heard asked or answered yet.

Nice airplane Hope it sells fast

+1 for M20Doc

Oh the life of a freight dog!!!

When was the last time any cockpit oil pressure gauge was calibrated? Sorry to disagree but I'll bet not often- electronic after market systems aside. Setting to a cockpit gauge may not be near where the pressure is supposed to be. The correct pressure is called out in the overhaul manual and should be set with a calibrated gauge tied into the oil pressure port on the engine. It's that important. Think about it for a minute- could you make a log book sign off saying "reset oil presssure to the bottom of the green arc" ? You might find that your Oil Pressure is correct and that gauge needs calibration by doing it correctly.

Twin comamches have their own gear problems. Have you ever done a 1000 hr overhaul on a comanche gear? Lots of work if you do it correctly.

Back to the story line- I once made a maint test flight on a 737 that I will never do again. Picked it up in Costa Rica after a heavy check and the company needed it back for a flight in 12 hrs. Did a preflight and then launched across the Gulf Of Mexico AT NIGHT for MKCI. About half way cross it dawned on me- WHAT IF? Never did it again no matter the need. On my Mooney its a run up sans cowl and then a short flight around a tight pattern and open up again to look see.

In a conversation I had with Bill Wheat last year he mentioned that he got into a 5 or 6 turn spin once in a short body ( I think he said it went inverted)and it was exciting enough that he wished to not ever replay that story again. Now against that there is a youtube on the Piperel(sp) showing a 10 turn spin with all 4 seats occupied and almost full fuel. Quite a good cockpit view.

A couple of items come to mind, Seems I read somewhere that there a 2 different lengths of valve stems available on 600x6 tubes, Short and long. The long ones seem to be impacted by the wheel hub cap and force them to remain "bent" thereby setting up stress on the "long" wall of the bend, right whereif exits the wheel hole and causing stress and heat cracks rather quickly. Looks like a long stem is shown' Short stem tubes are very hard to find in my experience but they can be found. Another option that was mentioned to me was to use an 800x6 tube with the 90 degree brass valve stem. The tube size fits the tire size even though it eays 800 and it is supposed to last for the life of the tire or so hangar fairies tell me.

But should it be painted?

Works fine for me.

All old Aero Commander keys were the same.

The wife always carries a set in her purse (hardly ever go flying without her along) BUT found out last week her ignition key didn't work. We could get in but not start it. Had to go back home for mine that I left there. DUH! i'm going to use the velcro/insp. panel idea also. Learn something new every day.

In my D/C I go 10.5 and 11.5 all the time. The TAS is down a bit from best altitude but its cooler and smoother up there, out here in AZ. 12.5 is doable. (12.5 last week had a DA of 14.6) Not much more out here with high DAs. Did KLAS to KABQ once at 14K (MEA) in the summer and had a hard time holding altitude with down drafts. No climb rate up there for mine.

10s don't date 4s unless there is a reason.

I thought it was more nose down than level. Maybe just the pictures I've seen show it that way. Pipistrel (sp) says that given the terrain, its reapirable after chute decent.

I see several Mooneys each month here in Page and when I do I try to go over and meet them but I've not kept a record. Maybe I should. If any of you get here, I'm tied down at the Jet Center or in the big hangar at American Aviation. They can find me at both places. Let's have lunch.

Sounds like you had breakfast at the Ranch House right near the airport!

It is a pretty damn good looking paint job!

I've always followed- "never buy the first airplane you look at" mantra.

YUP price is too high for the condition. 10K MAY be about right - or more. Depends on what you want in the end Look around some more and you'll see what we mean

The new Pipistrel (sp) has a chute and the plane comes down level and not nose down like the Cirrus. Just thinking, nose down would be better for the shoulder harness/seat belt forces and my back ain't as good as it used to be for dropping in seated upright. Just thinking.