cliffy

MSL altitude is really meaningless. You gotta look at Density Altitude both for airplane performance and human performance. It can be more than 2000 feet higher than MSL altitude. I go to 12,500 quite often but out here in the west it means a DA of 13.5 or more in the summer. I have done the Alt Chamber thingy and I know how my body reacts to altitude. I don't go above 12,500 with out O2. I know I can't do 13.0 without it. 500 feet makes a big difference with me regardless of the DA. My C model does fine at 12.5 once I get to 13 it all pays off out here in the west with the summer time up and down drafts. 13.5 would be usable if it wasn't for the down drafts out here in the west.

Oscar- NICE panel setup! I just did a 6700 msl airport with a density altitude of 8000+' (it was hot) with a 3% upslope on each end of the runway, can't see the other end from the T/O position No wind, dead calm took @1500' to get airborne with just me and 1/2 tanks. Took a while to get to 10,500 msl (probably 12,000 density altitude). On my C once I hit about 13,000 DA I'm pretty well done with climbing.

DrBill- GREAT comment not many know that little trick and struggle after clamping the pump in-or cross thread the B nuts.

How are you able to be rid of the transponder? One has to stay in the airplane and be integrated with the UAT (GL88) or replace an C mode transponder with a 1090ES one. Option 1- standard C mode xponder needs a UAT (for "out" info) and a WAAS engine of some type (stand alone or WAAS GPS panel mount nav unit) for position info at the very least to comply. NOT good above 17,999' Option 2- standard C mode transponder with a WAAS GPS nav system in panel needs at min a UAT for "out". info to comply. Again not above 17.999' Option 3 Remove C mode xponder and install 1090ES one (still need a WAAS engine somewhere, either from panel mounted GPS nav or stand alone) for "out" compliance even above 18,000'. ES has TIS-B in for traffic display but NOT FIS (weather info in). You would need a separate UAT to get weather in for display. All weather "in" has to come from a UAT as it is broadcast on 978 Mhz and only UATs operate at that frequency. That's the way I read it with 2 days study so far. Here is a very good 30 min program on how and why ADS-B works http://adsbuniversity.com/ads-b-university

Have been using plain old clean engine oil to lube the spark plug threads for 40+ years. I have found it far better than anything in a can. A real old time A&P taught me the trick. Put agood drop on finger and spin the threads with the other hand. Works great. At 100 hrs most are still moist with oil in the threads. They come out easy.

After a conversation with Bill Wheat he commented that after 3 turns a Mooney gets REAL tight and FAST in a spin. He didn't like it after 3 turns. I'll take his word for it and not test the edge there.

I guess I should have added "after 1/1/2020 with ADS-B" to my posting about the flight plan and N number blocking. My information came from the FAA seminar and reading the AC governing ADS-B out. I will look it up tomorrow and cut and paste. After 1/1/2020 it all gets transmitted as the rules change to comply with international standards of ICAO. The WAAS GPS today does not send out that info but when combined with a UAT or ES xponder the new rules make it happen. After 2020 no blocking will be allowed under ADS-B and the data base at FAA is public info available to anyone who knows how to suck it in. This was a big discussion at the seminar that the FAA had no comment on. They're not talking about it!

Lets see, how would I know if I'm above the Sierras or Rockies (even at night)? How about the big numbers on every small square on the Sectional Chart? Been using it for half a century. Haven't hit a rock yet. Flying straight and level? Take your half empty water bottle and sight along the top of the water level at the cloud tops. Used it in Boeings.

BTW, if you have a WAAS GPS and you enter a flight plan into it for your trip the entire flight plan is transmitted to ATC and anyone else who knows how to access public data from ATC. cnoe is correct in that the setup of an ADS Out system is complicated and not every shop really knows how to do it. A flyoff with an ATC report will be regular business on a lot of setups.

Forgot to add- I'm willing to bet that TSA/Customs/Border Protection are pushing hard on this because once installed, there is no way to go incognito on any flight. Blocked N numbers are not allowed, period even on 1200. Now if you stay lower than 10,000 and never go to ABC airspace you don't need any of this stuff.

From my studying so far- Bare minimum BELOW 18,000 you need a UAT with WAAS built in (if you don'y already have a WAAS GPS installed) to work with your current xponder for the mandated "OUT" properties (@$5000 installed). All will need ADS-B Out in some manner. Only "OUT" is required so if you don't want weather and traffic you don't have to buy the "IN" side of the equation. If you go UAT you need to check its compatibility with YOUR xponder. Not all UATs work with all xponders. Check the installation manual for the UAT you are considering. If you go above 17,500 you will need an "ES" xponder period. UATs seem better for "in" and "out" info but are not good for 18,000 and above as they are not 1090 frequency which is required for Class A airspace.

I will also predict that come 2019 there will be a depressed sales market for aircraft NOT ADS-B OUT compliant, even more so than the depression from not having a "newer" GPS com/nav system now. Yes. I was referring to the SkyGuard system and as you say, it will be a long uphill climb to get approval.

There is a possible solution in a portable unit for $1000 that requires your xponder code to be set by your iPad wifi BUT the Feds are balking at that function right now as far as approval goes. It would be 1K for "OUT" only and another 1.5K for the "IN" function if you want it (weather, traffic on the iPad).

Just went to an FAA Wings Seminar on ADS-B. Now I am needing to get up to speed on what is the minimum req'd and what CAN be done. It seems Canada and Mexico are going to require the ES Xponder only BUT neither will have the low altitude requirements that we will have here. We can get away with the UATs if we want and still go to either country. For those that are adventurous, Europe will be (is) ES Xponder AND for those of you who go above 17,500' you will need the ES Xponder. For every one else, if you go to Class ABC airspace, fly above 10,000 MSL or go across the Gulf of Mexico you'll need to be ADS-B compliant but you can use the UATs. There are advantages to the UATs even for those needing the ES stuff like ADS-B "IN" weather and traffic (due to band width available on that freq). At the current rate of equipage in the US (@ 600/yr this year) there is no way all will be converted before the Jan 1. 2020 deadline. If you think that there will be a deadline extension- forget it! It ain't going to happen. Start thinking how being closed out of ABC airspace and not going above 9500' will affect you until you can get in line for installations! The Feds have also said that it will cost the GA fleet $1 BILLION dollars to equip BUT they only get $200 MILLION in benefits total! It's a financial loser for us but we are stuck with the mandate (I'll find the citation on this cost and post later). The Feds need to convert so they can decommission half of their RADARS (even though it is a draw on costs to decommission or keep operating EXCEPT for the retirement costs of the controllers who operate them) and they have their side of the equation just about finished. I didn't find any discussion in search on this topic so maybe we need to start talking about this and keep it going for a while to sort it all out. BTW, at the FAA seminars there is NO discussion on the mandate, no debate at all, the general attitude is comply or stay out of ABC or above 10,000'. It's a done deal period! Maybe someone with a radio shop will chime in with good help on this thread.

Excessive slack in Mooney control surfaces can be traced most of the time to rod ends being worn but you probably already know that. Ideally, with our push-pull rods there would be minimal slack but in reality there will always be some play due to wear in all moving joints in the particular system. I don't know of a "limit" but when I feel slack I trace it down by watching all joints when the control is moved in the slack position and replace what I see as being loose. That usually solves my issues. It's always been rod ends in my case.

What LED nav lights did you go with?

Your pump is leaking internally. You are grounded until it is repaired or overhauled.

carusoam Piper did that with the Comanche 180 4 cyl, 250 260 6 cyl and the 400 8 cyl.

I made a set of HF jack stands similar those as shown. Used a large drill to machine the depression in the top of the ram (V shaped, 1/4 inch deep). I use 1/4 by 20 hardened Allen head screws and 4 flat washers each to jack pads. It's a solid as a rock with the tali stand weight (700 lbs). As a C model and having a good and not injured tail ring, I think the old way is OK FOR ME. I wouldn't do it this way with the weight of a big 6 cylinder up front. I will probably make a set of saw horses as mentioned as I like that idea as a secondary backup. The top will be curved to match the bottom of the wing for 6 inches either side of the spar (with carpet padding) and high enough to slide in from the tip and contact about 1 foot outside the jack pad.

I see a couple of issues: 1) No pressurization 2) High labor hour input per unit (this has been the bane of our Mooneys since the beginning) Higher performance Acclaim? What to improve? Turbine power? Again no pressurization available or possible with this airframe. Compete with turbine Malibu? ? I think you reach a point where those who can afford a turbine want and need (age) pressurization. Now, doors on each side/ Not a bad idea! Build in China for a lower cost per airframe labor input-possible solution to compete. Build in China and assemble here? Might be a very good idea. But these are not big steps forward. What's unique about Mooneys? Wing-strong and good performance, no change needed. Tail-good design, unique, recognizable, no change needed. Now what holds those two together? the fuselage! How about a new design (without the labor intensive steel cage, "sacrilege you say"?) that can incorporate pressurization. Not an impossible task. Design it to accept both turbine and avgas power plants. Everything except the fuselage remains the same. Now Mooney can compete with the plastic airplanes and the pressurized S/Es at the same time. The fuselage design could and should be engineered to be much less labor intensive to make. One could even stretch the idea to be able to accept the new diesel power plants now being designed. One fuselage could cover it all and now be competitive in several markets. This could be a very cost effective way to a new/old Mooney design and would be a giant leap forward from the old airframe. You don't have to have a complete new design and the development costs involved therein. Even if you stayed with the current speeds (which ain't too bad!) for flutter, harmonics and vibrations you'd still have a very competitive airplane in today's market.

Do 6 and a hold on Jan 1 you're good for IFR until last day of June. If you do no more than the 6 on Jan 1 then on July 1 until last day of December, no IFR until you do 6 and a hold with a safety pilot/Inst or self certify 6 and a hold in a Redbird Sim (yes you can do that in a Redbird, they have an authorization letter from the Feds to do just that). After last day of December you need a new IPC from a CFII. At least that's the way I've always taught it. Corrections graciously accepted.

If that is a flap gap seal, probably not. But, it is an easy fix for any A&P.

YA, dodos are fun to catch and eat REAL GOOD! Came back from KERV (Kerrville) to KPGA (N AZ) last flight. Stopped at E11 for gas, get some lunch and to walk around, only 1.6 hrs but we like to stretch and they always have a low fuel price. From there to E98 near ABQ for fuel and a walk (OK we're older and need a break :-)and then KPGA. All done at 12,500, smooth air, cool 57 degrees compared to near 100 on ground. Average 8.8 GPH in cruise at 137 kts TAS. Older D/C but we love it. BTW, most of the way with only the Xponder on, no radio noise. I guess I had too many years listening to NYC and LAX Cener all day long!

As said, probably steering horn wear but could also be low tire pressure. Check tire pressure if it's correct you'll need to find an A&P and jack it up. Hope all turns out well. There are only a few things for him to check. The vertical steering pivot bolt (the big one) needs to be torqued every 100 hrs according to a SB. Other than the remote possibility of other hardware being loose, wheel bearings and steering horn are all that is left.

You didn't say if you were holding ailerons in a slight turn to hold straight and level. What happens when you are in cruise and you are hands off of the wheel? Will it hold straight and level? If it doesn't you have a rigging problem. Start by having your mechanic go through the rigging procedure in the MM to get everything "near" correct. Then fly and see what happens. I had to do several flights with small movements of the flap stops and rudder trim tab to get things done. Then I looked at the ailerons and they were both up some. I then shortened the control rods equally on them until they were in perfect trail with the flaps AND the counter balance horn being perfectly lined up fair with the wing (IN FLIGHT)and the plane flew hands off level and straight.