Ron McBride

I was over Oklahoma City a couple of weeks ago. Approach told me that I had a Seneca at 10 oclock 3 miles and a parallel track. A few minutes later, reported the Seneca at 8 oclock, still parallel track, no longer a conflict. This felt fantastic as I was in my stock F. Ron

I talked to Bill Wheat at the MAPA Convention last week. He told me that the laber difference to build a J or an Ovation is about 20 hours. If you factor in the 4 cyl Lyc vs the 6 cyl Cont engine cost. I would bet the difference is amybe $20,000 tops $30,000 difference. You can pull the Ovation throttle back and fly at J speeds and fuel flows. Mooney needs to build planes, but must control expenses. Production has gone from 800 hrs to over 4000 hrs per plane. Why? Management and Labor. The main competition for the J in my opinion is the Cirrus SR20. How many SR 20's are built vs the SR22. I don't know, but 5 or 10 SR22's vs a SR20. Pilots want the fastest, most efficient plane that we can get. This means big motors. The Cessna Corvalis is 300 HP also. Ron

I have been flying for almost 40 years. I learned a lot from the right seat of a Comanche. My Dad owned this. I got my Private in a C150 at 17. I have flown high performance complex aircraft for most of my flying. Some of the most fun flying I did was after having to repo a Cardinal. It was a nice change from flying a 310. I finally got my Instrument 3 years ago. I have not used it much, but I feel much safer with it. I have a 1400 mile flight for Sat to do, I will complete this flight VFR. I have completed this flight VFR many times. I did have to sit out a thunderstorm for a couple of hours. After 7 or more hours in a plane, you will be tired. My F has an autopilot and this helps tremendously. Learn about Avoinics in great detail, so that you know which ones will give you the most. Avionics have changed so much in the last 10 years. Buy the most practical plane that you can, Remember though, DO NOT schedule yourself into a business bind if you can not make that flight safely. It is better to lose business and spend the night(S) in a Hotel, than to be dead. Enjoy Ron

Jolie How about some close up pictures of your E? I know, you are teasing us, and we may have to wait for MAPA. It looks great. Maybe we can get some pictures in the air in Kerrville. Ron

I will be flying from Central CA Sat to Poteau OK, RKR to visit the Grandkids. Then on the 20th down to MAPA KERV. Is there any good places to fly to for a Museum, lunch, dinner in that area? I will have time during the week, kids working etc. Ron

Ron, Who was your examiner? Was she out of Castle or E45? My checkride for my PPL was a female out of Castle and she lived at Pine Mountain. She was really good and most importantly, realistic so I was most likely going to use her for my IFR checkride. Todd, Linda Monohan out of Pine Mountain. She was great. Ron

When I took my Checkride about 2 1/2 years ago, The examiner asked when I scheduled the apointment, What equipment do you have? When I told her a 430, KX155, she said great. We knew what airports were close to her home base. Plan on an ILS, GPS and a VOR approach. She did not cover up my GPS's, and allowed me to use my 496 also. She was very impressed with the panel in my 69F. She also had me do a DME arc of off a VOR. All approach's except the last were missed. If you have an autopilot, you mus toperate it on 1 approach. My last approach was the GPS, using the autopilot and a circle to land. I sure bounced that landing, but recovered nicely. After the debriefing, I walked around the airport o relax before flying home. If you have an ADF, dissable it, or be ready to do an approach, your choice. Ron

Dave I will be coming honme from MAPA to Central CA (MPI). I am planning my fuel stop at AVQ, just outside of Tuscon. It is just about 1/2 for me and the 2nd leg would be a little long for you. This gives me 2 legs of about 4:20. Ron

Dave I will be coming honme from MAPA to Central CA (MPI). I am planning my fuel stop at AVQ, just outside of Tuscon. It is just about 1/2 for me and the 2nd leg would be a little long for you. This gives me 2 legs of about 4:20. Ron

Little Rock, OKC, Ama, ABQ, SJN and SDL. I will be flying from Central CA to Poteau OK (RKR) using roughly this route in 2 weeks. Ron with a 69F

I do it in Word, then I will print it out and attach to a blackboard in my hanger for reference. Most of our AD's are due every 100 hours. I do these every 100 hours or every annual, whichever comes first. Most of these do not cost much money when done at the annual. There are a couple of odd AD's due at different times. Only the Electric gear AD can get expensive. I searched my Log Books and went to the Mooney Web Site and printed out all of the recurring Ad's, to read and understand better. I have copies in my Log Book folders for reference for me, and my mechanic. I do not use an MSC except for real specific maintenance. My Mechanic will send me there as needed.

Matt, Here is the link for the seat stops, they fit perfectly. No drilling required, just install them. I was missing one in my F, and one was beat up badly. I just put these in, and I don't worry about the seats going to far in the tracks. The seats take patience to reinstall after an annual, I would hate to be ready to fly, and find out a passenger slid the copilot seat to far back on accident. Ron http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/cessnaseatstop.php - 3.6kb

Aircraft Spruce. Look for Cessna Seat track stops. They work perfectly, and are U shaped. Ron

Wag Aero has STC/PMA approved LED for about $300.00. Mine is back ordered until late October though. Ron

Paul I would try to sell it whole to someone. That is a very nice plane. I have a 69F, and can only guess how much money has been put into the mods and improvements, on that plane. AS a side note: What TAS are you getting with all these mods on it? Thanks Ron

Matt Fly the plane at the speeds that you are comfortable with. That speed could be 120 or 130 or 150. As time goes on, you will learn to fly faster and to preplan your descents and speed control. I have over 250 hours in my Mooney and over 1200 Total time, and was tired the other night, I goofed my night approach into a mountain airport (home) and had to make a go araound. Just fly the plane at the speeds that you are comfortable with, and continue to learn as time goes on. Ron

Dave I changed the tires on my F by usuing a 3/4" pipe or a 1". The pipe bent while doing it. I would not do it again this way. I put a 4x6 block under the gear when I did it. It was not a comfortable way to do it. Next time, I would do it by building a platform out of 2x4 and put a bottle jack on the platform to lift the plane up. When the tire change is complete, you should have your gear swung. Ron

I'm a happy STEC-30 w/GPSS user. I don't mind having to manage the vertical changes manually as it reduces cost and especially complexity...fair trade IMO. I don't have electric trim either. That combo with a WAAS GPS is incredible for single-pilot IFR ops. I agree with this completely. I have the ability to follow a heading indicator also, gives me more choices. This works great for me. Ron

I have a drawing of this. Please e-mail me off list and I will send it to you. I can not seem to upload this. Ron N9154V@aol.com

Dan Do you still have the tach. Let me know. N9154V@aol.com Thanks Ron

Is your Turbo working correctly? I do not have a turbo, but with my stock 69F I can get 140K TAS at 12,000 ft. I would think that you would get better speeds out of the turbo than this. Hopefully Ken Reed can comment on this. He had a turbo F. Ron

Scott If it will help, I have a 208? in the hanger. Loc, Vor only, no glideslope. If interested, let me know. Ron

Any of you STEC guys need a DG with a heading bug, let me know I have a 69F with an STEC 30, altitude hold, GPSS and a heading bug on the DG. I mainly use the GPSS. I use the heading bug when I want to fly something differsnt. I rarely track VOR's with the system. The other day, in order to avoid class C airspace, I used the heading bug until clear of the airspace. I dio not use it that often. If you are thinking a 430W or newer, the indicator, GPSS, the new DG will almost buy an Aspen. Ron

Austin From Memory, on my 69F. The AD year to year is not much money, just lube the motor. When inspcetion time comes, take the plane to a MSC to remove and inspcet the gears. I think it was $500.00. My gears were bad, I had a choice of 20:1 gears stock for $500.00, or the 40:1 gears $1000.00 plus laber to install, another $500.00. All told about $2000.00. Tom at Top Gun did mine, Laser would be another great shop to get them. I have had my plane at both shops for work or parts. Don Maxwell in Texas has a great rep, as does Wilmar in Minn. The 40:1 gears are a little slower, 6 or 7 seconds instead of 3 seconds, they don't slam into the gear wells, just seems to be less stress on the system. I am very pleased with the 40:1 gears. Ron

Don I have a 69F with a 430W, 496 connected to the 430W, PMA 8000B, KX155 w G/S Garmin 327 Transponder. I have the JPI 700 and FS 450 for fuel info FS 4502 is connected to the 430 also. I also have the STec 30, with heading, Alt hold and GPSS. I did not go the HSI route, but would have loved to. This makes a great platform for me. Check out my pictures here on Mooneyspace. Ron