scottfromiowa

PS-I really like the paint on your new toy. Now let me see some pics of those beautiful Art Deco Piano keys...please....Pleisse, Pretty please

Hey, the pilot WAS instrument rated, but unfamilar with the "new" instruments in the Beechcraft. He had requested MULTIPLE weather updates and got a CRAPPY brief...launched into history... The Day, The Music.....Died.

My bet is that Op'er meant fuel pressure...

Jose is like the great Mafisto....He knows and tells all...Don't even need to insert a nickel.

Come on now...I guess one man's "cool" is another's "Kooky". Or are you talking about the album?

Sorry. some of our vintage avionics got me in a "retro mood"...Pretty silly that upgrades such as fuel level indicators can't be a more cost effective upgrade. Is what it is. Maybe the needle pulsing on the gauge is in time to "clocks-on Dark side"...like an old analoog sound level meter?

Been there...done that. Works well on old tube stereo's too. My son is into retro vinyl. I gave him my Harmon Kardon turntable. He liked my parents old Panasonic receiver (I used to listen to older sisters albums in my mom and dad's "egg Chair"...yes, a chair shaped like an egg with speakes and a light inside....Got to love the 60's...) The receiver needs a sharp rap on top once and a while too...My son says Zepplin and Hendrix sound better on vinyl...I agree.

I have been black and blue on my shoulder from taking a bad hop at third...I am guessing pilots shoulder has "a mark"...Man that is a lot of energy coming to a halt in a hurry there...Glad he walked away and no kids/folks on ground were injured...

There is a five dollar metal rolling spring that could be out of whack. You need to be careful manually lifting the step from the outside as this spring (rolls up like a sardine/kipper can) can get out of position and need replaced...

I think above the call of duty is appropriate for this save. Well done sir.

I could not agree more that the labor for this (including the steering horn) is crazy high...But what do you do after the fact. I have a relationship with my mechanic regarding...straight annual cost and if he gets to a point on labor he calls and lets me know. On a job like this I am NOT payinng the guy to learn...He eats that additional labor beyond what we negoitiated prior to his getting started. Some may say that is wrong...it took longer pay it...If it is done quicker I PAY that amount that was negotiated. Dealers have a book fee...they make money being good and doing work more efficiently...and billing for booked/agreed upon hours. I just don'tt know what you do other than call the guy a liar and refuse to pay the "actual" labor. Conversations and agreements BEFORE the work gets going...in writing are key to keep it amicable.

These threads come up every once and a while. AFTER maintenance is completed the owner is not happy and THEN asks questions. I work hard for my money as I am sure you do. I NEVER let anyone turn a wrench on my plane without giving a valid estimate. On this I would have said before work was initiated. "Don Maxwell can do for $_____labor. Can you commit to that? These discussions are not awkward if you do your research BEFORE it is done....Post completion it turns into a bad situation. Who is to blame? Sorry this happened, but I feel this due diligence to find out what labor should be and who is proficient should have taken place BEFORE work was completed by the mechanic...So, the sore bottom is your @$$ from having funds taken, or the beating you took piror to having biscuits changed?

So why not get one from Brittain? How can you substitute this on a certified airframe? I have been working with Brittain a lot recently and they have "fixes", but they can not do them as they re not approved....they deviate from the original such as rubber compounds. Has this been STC'd for your Mooney? Just curious how this is done...without a hanger fairy.

My plane has it's original 1966 paint scheme. I am not going to repaint in same color. I like the solid bold accent on the Mooney tail.

The title of the thread was "what do you think..." That means give your opinion. Everyone that gives their opinion...Great. Those that say "don't listen to those knuckleheads"...I say "Whatever". Just give your opinion. You can give an opinion with out being disagreeable, can't you? An airframe that has been sitting for 30 years is a crapshoot. Who knows what it will take to be airworthy? Who knows what is going to break in the first couple of years. I know I own a former hanger queen and if it was on the plane it broke and was replaced...talking anything with electricity running to it or vacuum. Prop seals,, cylinders, case halves, tires, bearings, brake lines, flap seals, lights, wing walk, battery, wing leveler servo's....some is pennies, some dollars, some hundreds of dollars, some thousands, some tens of thousands. I am not ragging on the plane because of the paint, interior and avionics...It is EVERYTHING else that is likely compromised thorough benign neglect for three decades. Reagan was President whenn the plane was last out of the hanger. Have fun with your project. Acqusition costs are the least expensive thing on this project.

Barnstormers ad said this airframe has been grounded for 30 years...

Exactly right Dave. Whatever floats your boat Paul. Keep those wheels rolling...and please do elaborate on why your audible gear alert is...alerting...and causing passengers to be alarmed. I look forward to hearing about that.

We both had same insurance carrier. They aren't going to subrogate against thenselves....so..... We both did a check ride. Almost a decade ago. A learning experience for both of us no doubt. I have zero animosity toward her. Went to her wedding.... But I won't choose to user her for a BFR or further instruction. I have posted my details before. Not ashamed. Hope others can learn from and not experience simiilar circumstances. It is/was not a good day. There have been many good Mooney days since.

Your photos are bring back memories...nightmares really. Sorry about the damage to the part...I had similar trials and tribulations with interior re-do. We put one of the window brackets on backwards and need to remove/re-install screws...We have not "got to it" for over a year...I try not to look from outside at top of pilot window...nothing to see here...Oh, well., looks WAY better than before. Perfection is tough with the re-do on the plastic. I found the putty shows up as the grain or lack of it shows if you really look close...so I don't. Hope rest goes smooth. Enjoy your "new budget interior"

Did you dilute? Whatever I am using (thought was Simply Green) comes in a one gallon bottle. Designed to be diluted (with water). I would fill to a line I figured was correct on bottle and rest was water. Spray, wipe with wet cloth, then dry cloth. Works well other than having hands over head on a creeper and having the stuff misting down on you as well as getting your grimy towel in the face. Very rewarding to see the multiple nasty towels after the job.

Yup. My only adventurous day on that runway. It was decommissioned shortly after that. New East West runway is also really wide. Glad your memories are better for that runway

The airport had a displaced runway (Iowa City-Now runway is closed). Really focused on flying a tight pattern and landing beyond the displaced section. _ _ IT Happens... No touch and go's for this guy... Or flying with that CFI... The pre-stall audible alert along with the gear are really cheap insurance... I have had the gear annunce twice. The J-Bar interlock was "NOT QUITE SEATED"? and alarmed. I was right seat with my co-owner and said "Go Around"...Other time was with my wife. I yanked on the gear...appeared locked. I unlocked and re-locked and alarm was silenced. Two potential saves? Glad it is on board. -VFR trying to outclimb a cloud opening...pulling too much??? Nice to have a nanny let you know to ease that back pressure... Since the install was "free" FBO closed and my avionics "guy" got laid off. Never got a bill. NICE....

Flying a Corsair..."Poor Guy" not what I was thinking...

Audible Gear Warning. CHEAP compared to the cost of distraction....My CFI did not say "Oh, sorry I pulled power on downwind after you had flown for two hours...under the hood for one...and already completed four touch and go's and a simulated emergency outside the pattern...What I got was "Sorry, I forgot it had retractable gear"...after she literally had be told to "get out" after we had slid to a halt and I had shut off ignition/master/dturned fuel to off...Then she literally ran away from the plane and asked me to say "I was alone in the aircraft"...Nice. They don't generally pony up to repair the damage. Neither do Controllers that ask you to "Expediate to final for approaching Commercial traffic"... Distractions...Ding, ding...we've got a winner.

I'll just go find a thunderstorm...