M20JFlyer

Recent member and have not seen any talk of lens rehab. Have 1991 J , always hangared but cloudy lens Are Mooney light lens Lexan or Plexiglass? A Booth at 2009 Osh Airventure was rehabing aircraft, auto and boat lenses. The results looked good. Any coments on rehab vs purchase new. Last estimate was approx $160 USD for each lens. Also: Reading MAC will not have booth at 2010 EAA-AV. Will there be a bulletin board or some maner for Mooney Space residents to leave a contact phone # at MAPA booth ..for those interested in putting faces with Mooney Space members at Airventure?? Also any planned Mooney events a 2010 Airventure?? Patrick Lyons M20JFlyer Cell: 832.655.4203

I appreciate the additional input and suggestions for repair of top cowl. An earlier post mentioned the failure of the top cowl is not a rare occasion. Does any one know if Mooney farms-out the building of the cowls?? ... or are they built at Kerrville. If I learn the cowls are built by a supplier near Kerrville, I live in Houston I may be able to visit, and share what I learn with the MooneySpace members. I hope our beloved Mooney Aircraft Co. or someone familiar with the cowl source would share the information. I am open to any suggestions.. I flew my F model for over 20 years, the metal never cracked. I have no experience with fiberglass fabricating and putting a glass like finish on my existing cowl may be above my pay grade.

Jose' Thanks for the feedback with a method to repair cracking of fiberglass cowl top - '91 J model mooney. Grew up on farm in midwest and have turned wrenches, bent aluminnum,bucked rivets and assist at my annual(s) but know didly squat about using fiberglass resins...Is this a job for an experienced EAA builder??? Houston is a big town, should be able to find someone who is experienced in crafting a repair. Was the resin specific to high heat? Did you use any reinforcement in addition to additional coats of the resin?? The cowling is still very airworthy in strength..but is butt ugly and will indeed require re-coating the finish plus paint. Jose' I appreciate the help..anyone else have suggestion please post

This is my first post on Mooney space...so give me a few muligans if procedures are not correct The top cowl of my 1991 J looks terrible. Plane has 1,500 hours and always hangered. Cracks and fissures, most eminate from center over fuel divider. The problem doesn't present as one hot spot or multiple hot spots but is general structural failure (not discoloration of paint). No known airflow problems, and CHT's are always happy on the four probe digital when in operation, and I am only person flying the plane. Use cowl flaps religious when landing...keep thinking this is a heat degeneration thing but am new to fiberglass cowlings . Have had this J model four years and condition is progressing. Any one else experienced similar problem? Am open to sending pictures to anyone with experience in making a fiberglass cowl look legitimate. Also am I missing some important ingrediant to what may be causing this? Thanks in advance for any help

Quote: bgpilot1 Thinking about replacing the bendix starter in my M20F. I believe there are two from Sky Tec that are options. One is the Fly-Weight LS and the other is the High-Torque Inline. Any experience or opinions here? Thanks, Barry