HRM

You know, tailors talk too. As for pilots, they never hang around gossiping

Let's see, your C is a '63. Ohms law says that the plane is over 50 years old. I'd say replace the thing. Mine was sort of loose and worn and so I just told my IA to replace it at annual. Easy-peasy and not that expensive. Now it is as tight and smooth as a <insert cockpit humor here>. Good for another 50+ years. (OK, I am assuming that you checked your logs and it has never been replaced.)

Well, I describe that at length in other threads, but I started out wanting a Mooney. A friend many years ago had one. As I was training in Cessgnats, I lusted after the Mooney. When I finally reached a point in life where I could consider owning a plane, the first one I looked at was a Mooney. It had a gorgeous paint job, but a ratty interior and panel. I then looked at Ercoupes and Aerobats, and although those have great features, they are terribly anemic and so I returned to the ragged Mooney. At that point I had never flown one, so I did so. That was it. WGARA about interior, panel, etc. when the plane flies like a Mooney? I decided that the interior and panel were relatively easy to fix and since they were inside with me, I could make them how I wanted them. During my insurance sentence we flew to Brenham for lunch (there is an incredible diner there). A Piper had just landed and three guys had gotten out. As I taxied towards them they just stared--I mean stared. I asked my instructor "Why are they staring? Was my landing that bad?" He chuckled, "They're not staring at you, they're staring at your Mooney."

Mooniacs are probably more cultish than you are willing to admit

Just follow your mission. Mine led me to my E and I have not regretted it. Oh, and hanging around here will help immeasurably. If you do get a Mooney you might as well order one of these now.

What do you want to do the glare shield on my E?

Are we talking this scene?

Not to hijack or get off topic, but... Mooney airplanes have long had a reputation as economical speed demons, and the Acclaim sets the flag farther down the field. The Acclaim’s evolutionary design improves on the wing that was first designed by Al Mooney more than four decades ago. Incorporating a single massive spar, the wing is built as a unit and mated to the airplane, much the way the P-51 Mustang was built in World War II. In fact, there are further similarities between the Mustang and Mooney wings. Like the Mustang wing, the Acclaim retains laminar flow throughout two-thirds of its chord and is one of the most efficient in production today. The factory tested the wing to a 14 G breaking point, and the wing is rumored to have experienced a 12 G recovery during an owner-flown upset situation without failure. You wouldn’t expect an executive travel machine to be more capable than the hottest jet fighter or aerobatic airplane in existence. (Plane & Pilot/August 1, 2006/The New Mooney Acclaim/EXCLUSIVE! First look at the world’s fastest production airplane)

Not really. The cognoscenti pull the entire wing assembly off, strap it to the fuse and haul it away. Of course, 'difficult' and 'expensive' are relative terms. Visit this thread.

Sh*t eating grin? I get it every time I TO, can't help it, reflexive.

Call Maxwell and have a chat, he may be able to set your mind at ease. He has 'rescued' Mooneys as he knows how to disassemble and truck them home as well as do 'field rebuilds' on engines. Even if he doesn't do things like this anymore, I know he loves challenges. Another source of anxiety relief is Mike Busch, the master of all GA engines. Of course, he won't even talk to you if he discovers you don't have an engine monitor

Ask Brittain. I believe you can just fly up there and they'll install it. At minimum they will give you the best advice on what to do next with your C.

OK, never mind...Mooneyspace is so therapeutic: SOUTHCO DZUS #82:

Ok, the PM says "82-32-101-17 RING, SPLIT", but these apparently are made of unobtainium. Spruce has a "#82 SOUTHCO retainer" which is a split ring (82-32-101-20) in SS. So I am guessing that the originals were not SS and the 17→20 in the P/N is just the same washer but now in stainless? I could not find the original P/N anywhere, but I frankly don't care what they are made of as long as they fit and keep the little bugger with the panel

I prefer this suit.

That should work, thanks for the link!

This is a fastener off my empennage access panel and there is a small washer that holds it to the panel that has flown off somewhere. Any suggestions on how to replace the washer (like, what it's called), or do I need a whole new fastener?

Don't get me started...my son is wrapping up a doctorate in molecular biology and considers engineering janitorial.

He is just showing off. After getting a D in organic I decided to go electrical engineering...so much easier.

I replaced the block for mine (after 50 years) last annual. Tight and smooth as a ... now. <...> fill in to your comfort level with cockpit humor.

There is also some handling quirkiness between the two (and both apparently are quirky, though I have never flown an F). Not knowing anything else except anemic Cessgnats and Ercoupes, I have always felt my E flies like a fighter jet.

Very well said.

Depends on your hangar. The elves in mine are astonishingly talented to the amazement of all. My IA hasn't balked yet at anything they've done.

The only thing you need to know about E's is that some of them are Super. Find one, fall in love and live happily ever after.

Totally depends on who does the annual, but I agree, why not combine the PPI with an annual if it is due? Just make sure it is done by a reputable MSC and an extra list of inspection items is included. So this now begs the question: are there disreputable MSC's out there? I frankly do not know.