Sabremech

I picked up the free ( old dirty hangar) barn find Mooney last year about this time. A 1956 M20. A neat machine and currently making its way back to airworthy. My intent is not to keep it, but get it flying again and sell it. My thoughts going ahead with this project were that I could always part it if I found something beyond economical to making it airworthy. David

Look at the TCDS for which tire you can use.

I manufacture these tools. A set sells for $325 plus shipping. I have plenty of stock. David

I have a nose shock disk tool that I rent as an option. David

Strip the paint and go with a polished wing!

Yes, but again, if GAMI did it, so will some other company. They will have competition.

Really? I don’t think so but hey, whatever.

What could possibly go wrong? Would have to be proven that it was caused directly from the 100UL and everything we’re being sold says its better for our engines.

Who are the STC police at the fuel pumps? What’s to stop you or anyone else from pumping GU100LL into your plane and using it? I don’t know how you can police whether you have the paperwork that gives you the privilege to pay more for your fuel or not! ????

Shouldn’t GAMI repaint your wing? The damage to paint is a known and disclosed problem. Does that mean it’s acceptable for you to incur the damage caused by a vendors product? That’s setting a new precedent which should not be acceptable. I hate to say it Don, but this is the difference between those who don’t have a budget and those who do. The care level meter swings quite a bit depending on which end of the spectrum you’re on. Still unacceptable.

Well the script is almost identical from you and George. I don’t know why you’d feel insulted? Is it because someone else thinks the same as you?

Sounds like you’ve been communicating with George as this is almost a carbon copy of what he sent me. If GAMI came up with an acceptable blend, what makes you think some other company with bigger pockets can’t do the same or better? I’m betting that there will be competition for GAMI in the future. They may be the first but won’t be the only. Give it time.

Thank you for not answering my questions.

What does your question have to do with what I posted and you’re quoting? There are other companies working on a 100UL fuel is what I said. Is that not a true statement? Do you think another company is not capable of producing a product to compete with GAMI?

I don’t give a darn about California and doubt anything they do will change the 2030 target for the other 49 states. As I stated before, give it a rest.

You don’t know that. It’s not 2030 and there are other companies working on an alternative fuel. Give it a rest.

Hi George, From what I’m reading Shell has fuel available in Europe for testing, etc. It makes me wonder if they’re going to go the EASA route for certification and then bring it to the US where the FAA gives a blanket approval. I should have gone that route on my STC’s as the FAA automatically accepts them but the other way around, nope, spend more money with EASA for approval.

I don’t need a history lesson. We’re all keenly aware of what’s on the horizon for 100LL. I never inferred that it was going to be an easy process. We would only have one choice if the government chose to ban 100LL today. That’s not going to happen. Other companies are working on a solution / alternate as well. I for one think Shell has the best potential to supply the system as it’s currently being supplied for 100LL now. That’s going to be determined at the FBO or airport management level and not you or I. The government has thrown trillions of our tax dollars at solutions looking for a problem. Looks like we have plenty of problems out of those tax dollars.

There’s more companies working on this so hold your excitement. There’s Shell with their 100VLL, LyondellBasell/VP Racing working through the PAFI/ EAGLE process and doing well along with Swift fuels. Hopefully we’ll have some choices in the near future.

It’s early in the game. Other companies are working on a fuel as well. You could temper your bias a bit. Are you a silent investor? Might explain your over exuberance.

Where are you located in the UP? None of the work your mechanic is recommending is too difficult. I’ve done the oversized bushing and replaced main gear trusses before. David

Again, we are not required to force the owners to comply with any S/B or overhaul requirements. Unless the aircraft is a flight school aircraft, the requirement you state does not apply and can not be forced. The liability is on the owner and not the mechanic unless we worked on the servo. Then we are liable for the work we did and not the whole servo.

Unless it’s a flight school aircraft, there is no requirement to have it overhauled. Nor can I force an owner to have it overhauled as a mechanic. Where are you coming up with this stuff?

Why should we have to accept this additional maintenance and cost to run a different fuel? None of this is cheap! it sure seems that the mission continues to make flying only possible for the wealthy! Why not design and manufacture a fuel that is a direct drop in replacement that does NOT require additional maintenance and cost to any owner? That should be the priority to not add additional cost going forward! If the new fuel costs a little more per gallon to get it out in the field, that’s understandable. To require me to reseal my poorly maintained 50 + year old tanks because those schmuck mechanics over the years couldn’t do it right is ridiculous. Stop blaming mechanics for this mess. Stop blaming mechanics for not adhering to some obscure letter from the FAA that says we should be replacing o-rings with Viton or Flourosilicone every chance we get. This mess isn’t on us and it shouldn’t be. There’s problems with this fuel for the guy on a budget. Those who don’t have a budget could care less and are over zealous fans of this product because it doesn’t impact their wallet like it does most of us little guys who just want to enjoy the same freedom of flying. @George Braly, good job on making an effort and progress on your unleaded fuel but please stop discounting the little guy on a budget. Paint stains or paint loss matter to us! Don’t brush us off like AOPA does.

I’m well aware of what Skydrol can do as I have worked with it in the past. It doesn’t have the effect you say it does on the corporate aircraft that I’ve maintained that have it. I still have Castor Oil in the top drawer of my toolbox. It’s clear you feel that you know more than many other members of this forum.