Sven

It's a heart-wrenching decision but we are selling our rare M20D, one of only three still flying. She's in amazing shape and just passed her last annual with no squawks and a new interior. She's ADSB compliant with a new Stratus transponder. We've created a blog site with all the information, price, and lots of pictures and stories. Hoping she goes to a new owner that appreciates and will maintiain her rarity. https://fixedgearmooney.blogspot.com -Sven

We bought ours because we love it when ATC reminds us to lift our legs, constantly.

Just like Bug Smasher, I'm hangared at KSTS and concur about the horrible weather here late afternoon and evening yesterday. Our local paper has updated all the information on this accident. You can find the link here with more on his story including pictures and video: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/8197786-181/san-diego-county-pilot-dies "Carl Morrison, 75, was piloting his 1990 Mooney M20J propeller-driven plane from the airport back home after a work trip north in his role as a consultant with the Sonoma County Water Agency, according to a Facebook post from his family. Morrison, an attorney and vice commander of the Pacific Region’s Civil Air Patrol, had served in the U.S. Marines and often flew his plane for meetings around the country." Peace be to his memory.

It was announced in July and the day is here. Technically it costs 99 cents but that is donated to charity. The app is for VFR only and has a lot of the functionality of WingX available. I'm downloading it now. My subscription to Jeppesen's VFR product is about to expire so this will be a great alternative. We use Foreflight for the big stuff but I like to have a basic alternative on my iPad, just because.

Ron actually works for Sonoma Jet Center. The Red Cross is not out hat STS as they are in the city. However, if you drop anything off at KSTS use Sonoma Jet Center and they as they have strong contacts with us and we be very good stewards of what you bring in. The big thing is gift cards, especially Target. Kmart burned down as did Kohl's so no gift cards from there, please. We don't need bottled water. I have 45,000 bottles and another truck is on the way. Most of the shelters and distribution centers are receiving goods from Convoy of Hope and other organizations. -Scott

Just to let you know, there's a couple of us Mooney folks here in Santa Rosa. We have all had a horrific week in Sonoma County. The unthinkable happened in the early hours of Monday evening as a firestorm sped from Calistoga over the mountain into the heart of northern Santa Rosa. My wife and I were awakened by a neighbor for an immediate evacuation with a firestorm raging on the hill just above our neighborhood. The smoke, flames, explosions, severe wind and the roar were unbelievable and what I would describe as evil. My wife was injured trying to wake an elderly neighbor and required an ER visit but our hospital seemed to be on fire as did all of Santa Rosa. We left with the clothes on our back and our cat. We were certain we would lose our house. As we became refugees our day was filled with anxiety as we grasped the reality of losing "our stuff." Remembering that I had webcams it was late morning when I saw that, unbelievably, our home had been somehow spared. We actually felt guilty about that as so many of our friends narrowly escaped with just their lives in Fountain Grove, Coffey Park, and Larkfield/Wikiup where we live. One of our Mooney brothers, M20D6607U, lost his home as did many members of his family. So many families had multiple members in these neighborhoods. You would think when something like this happens you could stay with relatives but when every family member loses their home it creates a real dilemma. I am helping to run an evacuation and disaster relief distribution center and I connected with Ron personally today, getting him and his family some relief supplies, loading him up with everything I could from sleeping bags to Gatorade to toothbrushes and socks. He also knows and is helping several other families who lost their homes and we are supplying them as well. I know he's going to be upset with me for telling you all this but I thought it would be great if you left him some words of encouragement. I'm not sure when he'll see this but at some point I'll tell him what I did unless he busts me sooner. He's a great guy with a heart of gold. All of our Mooneys are safe. The airport was about 2 miles from the fire and has been a base for Cal Fire, National Guard, and several GA relief efforts as have the smaller airports near us like Healdsburg, Cloverdale, and Petaluma. There is a sizable TFR overhead of which a small chunk was left open for KSTS in case you're flying in here. When faced with the possibility of losing your home and everything in it, you often wonder what you would take with you. When the evacuation is immediate and dangerous there is no time or decision making. You leave it all. We snuck in past the barricades the second day as the fires were still raging next to us, expecting our home to be destroyed. My wife and I looked around and wondered what we'd pack into our van. All we took were our important papers, old video tape of our daughters, and a couple extra changes of clothing. We left everything else. The night before, when we were convinced we lost everything, we let it all go. It was just stuff at that point. We had each other, our friends, and we were safe. What we used to think was so important now made us feel embarrassed. The new sofa we took so long to find, the perfect giant HDTV, the piano, and on and on and on. It was just stuff. It wasn't important anymore and it seemed a hinderance. On this second trip in all we brought out was a laundry basket with very few things. The van was empty as we headed back to the shelter and we walked away from our home with no regrets. Lean-of-peak vs. rich-of-peak didn't matter anymore (hahaha). Neither did politics, sports, or any other argument or opinion. It all seems so petty now. I drive through the burn area on my way to work every day. There's no way around it. The familiar landmarks that defined my neighborhood are gone, obliterated. I'm hoping that visible scar on our community will be a constant reminder to not get caught up in the "stuff" trap again. Family and friendships are what's important. Giving to others and serving your community, being generous and grateful and all that good stuff, that's what's important. -Scott

If you want to see a real fixed-gear Mooney, ours will be there. I won't be flying it but one of the partners will be and is looking forward to attending. It's only a 15 minute hop over the hill. Lasar always puts on a great event.

Here, hold my Maker's Mark.

Love the pics and the video, Jolie. Wow! What was the lead ship they were shooting from?

Here's our tie downs. I have a great friend who is a metal guy who helped me with this.. Heavy gauge aluminum and the recommended rope. We didn't like the hammer and so during a rainy winter we spent way too much time making a matching set. We even custom embroidered a bag.

Wow, those shots are amazing, Jolie!