Jeff_S

Did I see an oleo strut on the nose gear of that thing? I was flipping through the pictures from the link and my eye caught on something that surely looks like an oleo strut on the nose gear...was that a feature of some early J models?

The AIM is the place to look for the definition of all these codes. I don't know the exact section but it's in there somewhere.

As a former rescue diver in the cold water environment of Colorado, I can confirm that what Byron and others have said about cold water is spot-on. Exposure to water even as warm as 60 dF for more than an hour can kick in hypothermia. As the temperature declines the danger time shortens considerably, to just a couple of minutes at freezing temps. Now, the good news is that even if you do drown, if the rescue/recovery specialists can get to you within 45 minutes you still have a chance. There's this thing called the cold water near-drowning reflex which kicks in, shuts down your breathing and your heart rate but still leaves just enough electricty going through your system that they can revive you and possibly even make a full recovery. I know of cases where children and young adults were under for up to an hour and are now leading a normal life. Not something you want to plan for, though. Better to wear an exposure suit and have a raft if you're really going over dangerous patches of cold water. Or stay within glide distance of land of course.

I use a PowerTow for my J. There is about a 3% gradient up into my hangar and it handles it with no problem. http://www.powertow.com

I bought my J from the same guy who is now selling N17ME. He asked me if I wanted it but I just can't justify the need for the turbo. I can tell you that he fixed up my J with state-of-the-art (at the time) avionics and all the work was top quality. I've seen the panel he put into 17ME and it looks sweet. There's no way he's getting his money back at the price he's listing it for. Whoever gets that plane will have me as a jealous bystander.

Everything I have always heard is that single-engine Comanches were generally good to great (when they upped the HP in the engine) but that Twinkies always suffered from poor performance on one engine. I know this is trite, and often said, but the more I read the more I think that the main purpose of that second engine in a twin is to speed you to the site of the accident. Yes, if you're in cruise and lose an engine they can be of great benefit. But that isn't typically when you lose an engine. Just a few years ago we had a CFI and student augur into the ground at Rome GA practicing the old engine-out-on-takeoff maneuver. This was from the ATP school and they were flying a Piper Seminole I believe.

I guess if you're not much into fishing then maybe Gaston's isn't the best fit unless you just like to relax and enjoy pleasant countryside. You could use it as a resting point and explore out from there either by car or by plane. The resort gets good reviews on TripAdvisor and other sites.

Yeah, now I'm wishing I'd tried harder to get to OSH this year. There wasn't much in it for me. But I have a friend who is going to be there, and I just received my new re-registration certificate in the mail so maybe I can take out my old one and send it to him so he can pick up my shirt!

Becca, I've got an idea for you. Have you ever heard of or been to Gaston's in Arkansas (3M0 is the airport code, http://www.gastons.com). This is a great little resort nestled in the Arkansas Ozark mountains right next to the White River. They have lodging and I think camping, and water sports and the like. There is a nice restaurant as part of the resort. The runway is well-maintained turf, so you'd have to decide if you want to take your Mooney to a turf strip. But I landed there in my old Warrior and it is fine shape...they get all sorts of retractable gear planes there. This should satisfy your requirements of <500 miles and somewhere cooler than Houston, for sure. Check it out.

On two topics: First, the brake fluid reservoir. The photo that was shown above is admittedly a can in very poor shape. I can assure you that in a well-maintained airplane the can looks just fine and never raised any concerns to me. Plus, it's easy to get to and to check/fill. Remember that most of the Cherokee line are designed to be very simple to own/operate/maintain, as many of them were in the trainer fleet. On the flight characteristics of the Cherokee, it is correct to note the different flight tendencies of the line, as they are not designed with the same performance specs as a Mooney or a Bo. But to say that one is "better" than the other seems too subjective to me, as each has its place in the world. I loved my Warrior and put 450 hours on it in under three years, flying it from New England to OSH to Colorado and Florida and elsewhere. I would actually argue that the lighter wing loading made my Warrior MORE responsive than my J. My first impression with the J was that it took a lot more physical force to turn. (It took me a while to realize that this was a combination of both the speed and the wing loading!).

Yes, that is the specially-designed brake fluid receptable in the PA28 line. I know it well!

This map has filled in considerably in just the last six months. I flew from Atlanta to KC in December, and had no covereage from Western TN all the way across MO until I got near KC. Looks like just the MO portion of that is still not covered.

KLRO is good if you are staying on the east side of the river in the Isle of Palms area. I was there several years ago. At that time the FBO was a dingy trailer that smelled of sewage but as I recall fuel rates were favorable. I think they've spruced things up a bit and fuel prices have risen commensurate, but I haven't been back. KJZI is okay but they are in love with their fuel, as it too is priced quite high.

My brother sent me this yesterday, which I think is pretty cool. If you've got courage and a dead battery it might be the way to go! I tried to embed the video but couldn't figure that out, so here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=401176083333530&set=vb.291480754303064&type=2&theater

Someone has been spending way too much time at the Adam and Eve website!

In response to Gary, if my post seems critical then I apologize but I was trying to make a general point. Anyone who's been around enough aviation forums has to admit that a sense of "holier than thou" mentality is oft on display. This shows up in the early commentary on any crash, but also in posts about others' exploits and foibles. I do think there is some understandable logic behind it. First, as pilots we HAVE achieved something that only a small fraction of the population ever accomplishes, so whether we admit it or not, we do feel special. There's an ego, a bit of (sometimes hidden, sometimes not) arrogance, and that's okay. As Viper would say to Maverick, "I like that in a pilot." So when we see or read about stupid pilot tricks, our natural inclination is to say "well, I'd never do that!" Of course, the stupid pilot trickster undoubtedly said the same thing right up until the point the joke was on him, so most of us also knock on wood and vow to learn from others' mistakes. But I think some of the badmouthing is also related to a different emotion; call it paranoia, fear, insecurity, anxiety...whatever it is, we also know that no matter how much experience we have and how we've factored in the risks, every flight we make has the potential to get ugly. So every time we are critical of the actions of others, we are giving ourselves an emotional boost to help get over those feelings and give us confidence to get into the cockpit again. That's my Dr. Phil moment for the day. This scathing critique of Gary's post has helped me assert my own superiority in Forum Posting and giving me the courage to go out and post again and again!

T&Gs by yourself in a complex plane like the Mooney can be a handful. A lot depends on what you set as your landing configuration. If you use the recommended landing config of full flaps, this will require a great deal of nose-up trim during the landing phase. So when you move to the "go" part of a touch n' go, the aircraft is configured for too much climb and could easily stall. So there is a lot to do to reduce flaps, dial back trim, then raise the gear...it's just a lot of work for a single person. When I was doing my transition training the instructor said he would manage flaps so all I had to do was trim and gear. Now, if you are a thrill seeker and you want to do them alone, use a landing config with half-flaps and trim as needed. In most cases this puts you exactly into a T/O configuration so you can leave flaps and trim alone and just focus on gear. Still a lot to do, but workable.

There is a temptation to judge others by what we see through our own eyes. It's a normal human phenomenon, one that is responsible for stereotypes, racism and any number of other bits of behavior...like bad-mouthing a pilot you know nothing about! I don't refute the OP's assessment, BTW...it does seem like a departure that most sane people wouldn't make. But we are not that pilot and we don't know what experience s/he has or what's in the aircraft to support the flight. I guess with all due respect, my point is "why bother commenting on it?"

Menthol inhalers are definitely just an over-the-counter item that you should be able to find in any drug store. My Google search revealed that Vick's still seems to be the primary purveyor, although I'm sure there are other brands. Just go to the colds and flu section and you should find them. Good luck!

Or perhaps you're talking about the methane that gets produced naturally when you fly after eating Mexican food!

Huh? Methane inhalers? I've never heard of such a thing, and a quick Google search didn't reveal anything of the sort. Are you sure you didn't mean "menthol" inhalers, like those old Vick's Vaporub in a Tube things?

Negative, not hot at all. Sheepskin is first and foremost an insulator, so it protects you from the cold seat in the winter and the hot seat in the summer. Plus, it breathes and wicks moisture away just like any woolen fabric, so it keeps your backside cool and dry in the hotter months even when wearing shorts. Of course, it only works on what it touches, which doesn't include your lower legs. Funny story...first summer I had my Mooney I was flying around on some hot days, and one day I noticed these two patterns of spots on the carpet in front of my seat. "What the heck is that?" I wondered, until it dawned on me that my LEGS were still sweating...but I assure you my butt was cool and dry. Too much information?

Nothing beats the single page laminated checklist. It's quick and easy, fits on the knee board, and has everything you need. I've never quite figured out the logistics of using a checklist that you actually have to CHECK OFF to move from one thing to the next. Seems like overkill to me, but I'm just sayin'...

+1 on the sheepskin seat covers. They are comfortable year-round and I would highly recommend them.

Okay, testing this out. That was it...thanks Bob!