DaV8or

Thanks for the responses! I will give these guys a shot. Lots of options it would seem. Some of the wesites were pretty weak, but an endorsement from a fellow Mooniac carries a lot more weight than a website! So far, Davis, San Luis Obispo, La Verne and Lancaster. All are doable, so I just have to get a little time to call them up. Probably tomorrow. Thanks again!

Oh man, that looks good. Would love to go. Have fun everyone!

Won't be flying (myself anyways) this weekend. Going to Long Beach to visit friends on Jet Blue. Anyhow, my plane's still not sorted out. It's turning out to be kind of like a British car, work on it all week to fly on the weekend. In addition to the electrical issues, I now have a broken engine baffle. Small L bracket broke in half last flight, the air pushed the baffle up into the cowl and when I took the top cowl off to see what was up with the alternator, I snagged the baffle and it got all bent up. It has been repaired before as it has been sistered, so I figure it's time to just put a new one in. I called Russel at SWTA, the folks who made the baffle and checked about a new one. He said; "This isn't the 80's anymore, so we don't stock parts for our mods anymore. We have to make each replacement part from scratch when needed. We're super busy right now, so at least a week for us to make you up a new one. If you want it quick, It's pretty easy, why don't you make it yourself?" Ordered the material from Aircraft Spruce and that's what I'ma gunna do. Another project. I swear this plane will actually go somewhere someday... Ken- So sorry to hear of the tradgedy at your airport. What a horror story. A good reminder that flying GA really is more dangerous and unforgiving than anything else we are likely to do in our lives.

Almost exactly 800 hours.

Quote: hansel Woodland Aviation at KDWA might be a good place to look. www.woodlandaviation.com I recently toured the shop. High quality, detailed, and unbelievably clean (your Mooney will reflect off the floor). They usually cater to larger birds, but will treat you the same. I'd get several quotes from various shops, then have Woodland match the low one (which is what they did with an engine monitor I priced out). LASAR is of course a good bet. They installed my audio panel with no bugs. But you're right, it's sort of a pain to get a ride back from Lakeport. They can arrange for ferry flights back home at a reasonable rate. Do not use The Avionics Specialist in Lincoln, CA.

I'd like to offer an alternative. I agree with others that you really need to define your needs before thinking of buying. I might suggest holding off on buying a plane right now and get your IR in rental planes. Since you'll be in Alameda, I would suggest doing it at Oakland Flyers. They have a couple of Warriors, an Archer, an Arrow IV and a Frasca 142 simulator. The advantages are: Oakland is a great place to get your IR. You always fly with ATC anyways, so lots of radio practice and we have a marine layer here much of the year. You will get actual. It's warm enough here that the freezing level is usually high enough that you can still go. You'll want the IR anyways and IMO, doing it in a Warrior would much easier that in a Mooney, paticularly if you end up with a Mooney that has the "shotgun" panel like mine does. There's a lot going on in an instrument approach and when you're first learning, it helps not to have to worry about cowl flaps, landing gear, prop settings, slowing the plane way down and engine manangement on an engine you own. They have a certified simulator. It saves a lot of money, time and it's logable. Between the Warriors and Arrow, your transition time will be like mine was, nothing. When you're done with ticket in hand, you'll have more hours, complex time and an IR. This will make you much more pleasing to the insurance companies. Having said all that, I would seriously consider how important grass strip flying is to you. If the backwoods, outback adventure is what kind of excites you, then I would suggest following the same plan above, but do your training in the Skyhawk, get time in their Skylane. Then consider a tailwheel endorsement (they can do that too, they have a Citabria) and then maybe get a 180.

Maybe they will be making a training video. Here's the latest on this. King's To Train the Police Here's my little tip to the FAA- If a plane is reported stolen and never recovered, how about not reassigning the N number? There are lots of other numbers out there to work with.

Quote: JimR Doesn't the GO-300 have a 1200 hour TBO? I wonder what the TBO is of the geared Subaru engines that are flying in the experimental world? Somehow I doubt that many of them are making it to the 2000 hours that is typical nowadays for the TBOs of many Lycomings and Continentals. I say this simply because, with some notable exceptions, I see very few homebuilts on the market that have acquired that much time on the airframe, much less the engine. Jim

I'm looking to redo my panel and I'm really serious about doing it, but so far, my first choice for the job based on proximity and Mooney experience isn't exactly overwhelming me with enthusiasm for the project. I haven't approached LASAR because they are located in an area that is really painfull to get back from without an airplane. I really want to get going on this, but I want someone who is Mooney comfortable and knowledgable and maybe even needs the work. It would be nice to be able to drive to the shop to check on progress. Every shop I visit seems to have lots of planes and work, few mechanics, work at a relaxed pace, charge a lot and need me less than I need them. Below are photoshops of what I want to do. Anyhow, ideas?

Quote: carusoam [1] How many people listen to music while flying? [2] Is anyone so comfortable with their IFR skills / system capabilities to listen to music while in the clouds?

Quote: Mitch Write your representatives, write AOPA govt. affairs dept., write EAA govt. affairs dept.. Write your local airport/TSA management…………….speak up and speak out. If you’re attending AOPA Summit in Long Beach, take the opportunity to express your opinions to Craig Fuller. Take this opportunity to be heard right now! Apathy and complacency is not the path to take.

Wow! What are the odds that a beaurocratic nightmare gone wrong like this would happen to such famous aviators? Out of all the Cessnas out there that could have randomly shared N numbers with the stolen plane, it ends up being John and Martha King inside. Think they'll make a training video on how to surrender to police?

Quote: Dan DaV8or - Would love to see your F when I return to the Bay if you have interest in showing it off. Should be back in 2-3 weeks.

Way to go Dan!! Where did you do your training? I agree that getting your instrument ticket should be on your radar now. I see you're in Alameda, so you know that we have this annoying marine layer every morning and every evening. It really tends to disrupt your flying. I know because I have my instrument rating, but I'm not current, so I've been doing a fair amount of scud running Alaska style lately and I really don't like it. I intend to get an IPC very soon and get back into cloud busting.

Welcome to the forums Clarence! You might be the only M18 owner here. The Subaru conversion is probably the best auto conversion out there, but I still have concerns about long life in aircraft applications, particularly heavier four place aircraft. The Subaru H6 engine is about 183 cubic inches and Eggenfellner claims 200hp, so that means nearly 1.1 horse power per cubic inch vs. Lycoming's .56 hp per cubic inch. That would suggest a pretty stressed engine at full power. That's OK in a auto application because nobody ever uses full throttle very long in a car, but airplanes go full throttle for quite extended periods. I don't know, maybe somebody will put one in an RV-10 and fly it 2000 hours, but I doubt it.

Quote: CoachTom LOP is the opposite wherein the mixture does not have "enough" fuel in the ratio to burn and it does not generate the heat. Hence in the break in process, 85% LOP uses less fuel and creates more internal pressure on the rings since the engine is working at a higher horsepower than running at 75% ROP using fuel to cool the combustion heat generated.

Quote: Piloto Although the idea of switching to a Diesel engine sounds like the solution for the abscense of AVGAS I personally think a MOGAS engine is the best solution. MOGAS is the most available motor vehicle fuel in the world. MOGAS is driven by a market of more than a billion vehicles in the world. I do not think that either Lycoming or Continental are going to let their business go away because of the abscence of AVGAS. Any smart CEO would see an opportunity here to develop an engine mod to run on MOGAS. This mod can provide the companies with so much needed substantial income. A MOGAS mod to current engines would substantially be cheaper than a new Diesel engine. I would hold to my trusty Lyc. for now. José

Glad you all had a good time! Sorry I missed it. For an explanation as to why I missed it, well, I still am wrestling with electrical demons. I gave it a shot though. My electrical woes.

So, here's how it turned out. Went well enough, but in the rush to get it done, the guys at Top Gun failed to install a required wire. On the way home, the new "Alternator Inop" light came on and then when I switched on all the lights for collision avoidance in pretty hazy conditions, the circuit breaker popped. Landed on battery power. Today I went to the hanger and discovered the wire that was supposed to be there that isn't. So, I'm still working this problem. To be continued... Still, I had fun playing aircraft mechanic for the day when I removed and reinstalled the complete cowling to save money on labor. Here are some photos-

I'm not sure. My audio panel is a Garmin GMA 340 and is capable of stereo, but I really can't for sure that it is wired that way. I don't have any stereo inputs to it.

I finally got the stuff I ordered at Oshkosh! I got my 696 with Gizmo mount for the panel, Lightspeed Zulus, ACR Aqualink PLB and the new vacuum guage. Any hints or tips on the 696? It seems pretty familiar and intuitive so far, but there is a lot in there!

Tomorrow I put my money (I already spent some of it!) where my mouth is. I'm going to Top Gun and installing my shiney new Plane Power alternator conversion kit! While I'm there I hope to speak to them about my panel upgrade (I sent them my photoshops weeks ago) and get my new locks installed. BTW, it is possible to key your door, baggage and ignition to be the same key. $24 at the locksmith and it's done. I'll also show them my new Alpha seatbelts, but I think I'll have them do them when I have it in for the panel. We'll see about Top Gun. I'd like to use them for this project because they really know Mooneys and they are kinda close to me, but I'm not impressed so far with how long it has taken to get back to me.

I have no experience with them, but here is what you can do with them!! Coast to Coast in an M20E

Hope to make it on Saturday. It all depends on how well things go tomorrow at Top Gun and the weather. Not sure when I'll squeek in between closures, but hopefully I'll get there.

Wow! Way to go Knute! Spelled it all out and showed what was needed. Got to love these forums!