jelswick

Ye lead a dangerous life meinen freund! Guten nacht!

I prefer not to calc the numbers myself these last few years with my flying hours being down a bit due to work schedule. It would be hard to justify having my J by the numbers, but no way I'd give it up. Hopefully this year brings the flight hours back up. Just for your comparison or planning purposes, my J (an '81) is averaging between 2,500-3,000/yr for the annual inspection and she's a dream for not requiring much in the way of maintenance between annuals; a great solid aircraft. Hangar here is $178/mo, but that varies so much around the country and the city your near. For insurance, I'm spending $1,650/yr for $130K coverage with 700+ hrs and an instrument rating and almost all of the hours in my earlier C model and now the J. Where I've spent a small fortune is in upgrades (paint, interior, Aspens, new autopilot, etc.) and I don't really care to total all of that out, but it's made it the aircraft I'd like to keep until I retire from flying (still want to add TKS though in a few years when the kids are out of school even if it is a bit of overkill for a J).

Sorry to hear you're moving out of the area, Mike, but wish you luck with the move back to CT. We'll have a Sporty's Hot Dog there in your honor then this spring.

Great to see so many Mooney folks in WV! I went to high school in Winfield after my father finished his Army career and prior to leaving for USMA myself. Loved West Virginia and good to see this many Mooney people so close by (I'm in Columbus, OH area).

I'll 2nd the experience with Aspen. My PFD1000 has had no issues, but I'd received a database failure in the MFD500 on the way home from the install and Aspen had a new data card to me in days. The 2nd one appears to be doing the same, so we'll see what the issue is whether the data card or the unit, but either way, they are very responsive and I'm very pleased with the decision to go with Aspens. Mike are you based at Blue Ash? Our company (Sogeti) is right across the street and loved flying there for meetings until someone at corporate afraid of airplanes/liability put the k'bosh on that for those of us that fly...too bad. Blue Ash let me walk out of the airport and right across the street to the hotel and office. And let me know the next time there's a mini-meet at I69. I'm always in the mood for Sporty's hot dogs!

Amen Scott! It was the first time I flew with this really nice guy (an Air Force band retiree) and I hate when I see ham fisted pilots jerking the yoke around; makes me nervous. But, I did my fair share of yanking the yoke in that landing and apologized for the same. My instructor always said the yoke likes to be handled like a lady and yesterday I think I handled it more like fighting a lion, but we landed safely and he said he was impressed; I was embarassed by it. Happy Valentine's day everyone! Cleaned the kitchen when I got home so that my honey didn't have to and off to give her a little of the time she very well deserves for all that she puts up with from me!

Nice ideas and need the tail wind wishes! I spent yesterday providing the return ride for a KDLZ fellow pilot from the paint shop in Smoketown, PA (Lancaster Aero Refinishers) who painted my Mooney so that he could drop off his Cardinal for paint. I had 45 kt tail winds on the way there and 54 knot head winds on the way home. I was getting 205 kt ground speeds on the way there, but was punished for it on the way home and altitude from 3,000-9,000 provided no benefit (consistent all the way up and worse if you went higher). It took 1:45 to get there and 3:10 to get home for a really gusty landing. Oh well...I guess it's good practice.

As one of my friends says, "A twin? Good grief that's doubling the chances of an engine failure!" I guess if I'm going to lose an engine at altitude, I'd like to be in a twin. But if the engine goes out near the ground, I'd rather be in my Mooney all day long. My instructor's instructor was lost on an engine out on takeoff instructing in a twin and couldn't get it configured quickly enough before it torqued over on it's back. I dont know that that is a normal outcome, but definitely a sad and scary one to me. I'd rather just be a glider at that point looking for the softest thing around for my imminent landing.

Sounds like a great flight and enjoy the Mooney speed! How was the weather in Goose Bay? I'm guessing from temps this far south of you (Ohio) being very cold, it had to be quite chilly there!

Outstanding and Congratulations Vincent! You'll be happy countless times in the future that you did this. I know I was getting very frustrated not being allowed to look out the windows for nearly a year since I did my training almost exclusively on weekends over close to a year, but the safety you've now gained and ability to fly when you otherwise might not have been able to will be very just reward. As my instructor told me, you'll never be better prepared for IFR than the day you pass your checkride, so stay current, stay safe and enjoy this added freedom you've just gained!

I thought as a whopping 12 hr student pilot that I really wanted a V-Tail Bonanza until I bought Aviation Consumer's Used Aircraft Guide and reading just what you were citing Scott turned me to Mooneys instead. Whether or not the V-Tail's reputation was warranted, I'm very glad now on my 2nd Mooney that it steered me this direction. I just can't let my wife ride in any "bigger" airplanes like a C210 so that she stays happy with the Mooney. I'll be in Mooneys until I'm too old to roll my sorry self out of the cabin and down the wing.

Peter, you have a LOT to be proud of in developing this system. I wish I had the AMUs available to get the reversionary equipment installed in 45T, but went with the MFD 500 and am happy with that. It too is a great unit. My thought is being accustomed to the mechanical backups at this point, if the PFD 1000 fails, I have those to fall back on and to reference until entirely comfortable going electric. But, I'll say the transition to the glass is much easier than I thought it would be. You put the VSpeeds on the PFD and my worry of missing critical speeds like during landing go away since they're highlighted as the tape rolls. So, in my case, the MFD 500 is a great addition while I make sure I'm 100% transitioned and can save up some more AMUs and once I have that, I'll add the MFD 1000 and I'll have the full suite and the backup mechanicals can go. Great system!

Can't wait! Thank you for driving this Jolie and let's hope they come back with a go for us. If we get that, this will be a great event and a great opportunity to promote GA and Mooney in an area easy for us in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia or even a little further away to participate. Good talking to you Jolie today and anyone interested in going or helping, please let us know. I had to think about the three day commitment unable to move the aircraft, but that's only one day off work for those of us working weekdays and what better way to spend a three day weekend than with our Mooneys and a great airshow!

Yeah Brian, I remember getting pretty frustrated not having been able to look out the window for nearly a year except on rare exceptions or takeoffs/landings. Condensing it helps retaining the information better and hence less expensive too. But, it was fun and those are great photos you shared. Clouds have always been pretty things to me even though you learn more respect for them once you learn what they can mean to an airplane, but they're also fun to go through and there's a real sense of accomplishment when you can't see outside yet you end up breaking out with the runway right there in front of you where its supposed to be. And There's nothing like the view looking down at clouds with the sunshine on them instead of the grey view of them from underneath.

Loved your note Joel. I feel horrible for Bob's loss and devastating photos of what it did to N7407V, but learned a lot in this thread and enjoyed all of the feedback. They are just metal, but I'm personally very attached to the metal I own and while we have to remember they're really just machines, they are one of the greatest gifts and why I believe it's easy to credit them with personalities. They've seen a lot of life. I very much enjoyed seeing the wonderful life events this aircraft brought you during your ownership and to Bob for the short time he had her. I've wanted to get in touch with the original owner of 45T to let him see what she is now and that it is a well cared for and appreciated life addition for our family. He was Edwin Hatton and I've not been able to find any way to contact him, but would love to. He purchased her new in '81 in South Bend, IN and he'd flown many aircraft in World War II including L-4s, T-6, P47, C45, C46, C47, B25, B26, B17 and B29s in his role doing Air Ferry. According to the website his family put up he said "They would show you how to start them and shut them down and if you got back, you were checked out." it sounds like most of his time was in B26 Invaders and eventually P51s before leaving the Army Air Corps having received the Distinguished Flying Cross in a mission in Korea in an Invader. Wonderful history of someone I've never known, but shared a connection with this wonderful aircraft that is our families magic carpet that my daughter refers to as "Jim's other woman". They are machines and we have to remember that, I get that, but they're quite the blessing and something I have no issue bestowing personality to, investment in and love for. Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful memories of N7407V!

Congrats on that decision 74657! I did mine at only a few hours each week and spreading it out took me close to a year to complete it, but I think at least living in this area of the country (Ohio), it's probably one of the best safety investments you can make. I scared myself into getting mine coming home from Florida on a business trip when I was a very new pilot and the weather over Kentucky wasn't what was predicted, believed what the other pilots nearby were reporting to ATC was marginal VFR and that I just needed to get used to that if I was going to get any utility from the aircraft. Apparently they just didn't want to report inappropriately flying in less than marginal conditions. Made for a ride that woke me up in the middle of the night after I got home realizing what I'd just gone through and risked (right answer would have been to turn around or land and figure out why it wasn't as forecast). Either way, you'll greatly appreciate the added days you can fly and feel comfortable when you enter IFR conditions. I now love it, but am not a hard core IFR person. e.g. I generally would not go on a multi-hour trip if I knew it was going to be all IMC and no way to get out of it if I wanted to, just personal preference. I think you'll enjoy it and instrument flying will become fun for you. Best of luck!

Exactly Vref! I was in Germany a couple of years ago and don't know how my father navigated there without GPS. Maps work, but a little slower. Loved Antwerp as well. Headed for work, but hearing all of those town names, I'm now have a craving for frites w/ mayo! Have a great day there!

I responded a few minutes ago and our posts might have crossed. Even with low hours on the Aspen, I can tell you what I like about it, but can't give you comparison data on the MX-20 other than the space saving aspect since I've not had an MX-20 installed in my aircraft. I've sold aircraft for customers that had the Garmin unit and they too loved it. From a cost perspective, I believe you'll get the same functionality for a lot less in the Aspen unit, but also a little more narrow presentation of the data. Not an issue for me since my cockpit is finally replete with moving maps between the MFD 500, the Garmin 430 and Garmin 396. A failure in one really shouldn't be an issue due to the number of backups and a very cost effective solution in my opinion.

Just flight plan 18,000 ft with oxygen for everyone except the cat. I haven't figured out the getting him/her to that altitude or back down part when he/she revives (see SleepingSquirrel's recommendations for that part).

Only 4 hrs myself Flyboy 0681 bringing N1145T home Saturday and then flying her again yesterday to get used to the approaches, so not feeling qualified to weigh in yet. My partner in the aircraft sales business we had until last year flew with me yesterday and I let him fly a few approaches with me playing safety pilot. He kept commenting how wonderful the scan was having everything right there on the PFD. I thought getting used to the glideslope indication was going to be difficult, but I like it better already than the standard indicator. The ability to input Minimums and the warnings associated with it afterward are also great (just have to remember to make sure to set them for the current airport because it appears to retain them once set). The MFD approach plates that come free for 3 months as a trial on the MFD 500 are wonderful with the depiction of where your aircraft is on the actual approach chart itself, geo-referenced. Beautiful photos of the keys in your gallery by the way! I so want to find the time to make that trip! And thank you Vref! Muvee Reveal is the software and it makes putting the photos, video and music together a snap. Really easy and it adds the motion to the photos, etc. for you making it something even I can operate. The band is Evanescence's song Bring Me to Life. I'd never heard of them, but my now 18 yr old daughter listened to them all the time and a few of their songs got stuck in my head and really liked that one. Where are you in Belgium? I lived in Mons for 3 yrs as a young child, started school there as an Army brat while my dad was assigned to SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe). That was the best assignment in my opinion during his 23 yrs in the Army.

This board is most entertaining. Love the sense of humor in this group!

You're welcome down here at KDLZ (Delaware Muncipal, just north of Columbus, OH) anytime you'd like Cruiser. I had it most of the flight at 25" and 2500 RPM. Someone from Mooney at Oshkosh had told me a few years ago that this was the sweet spot for cruise from a performance and vibration standpoint for these and firewalled on the throttle if higher where you can't get 25", so I typically run it at that. Fuel burn was running at about 12.5 at 3,000 where I was at times and 11.7-12 at 5,000. I was getting 158 KIAS and 159 TAS at 3,000 and at 5,000 I was getting 155 KIAS and 163 TAS. I liked the 180 kt groundspeeds I was seeing part of the time at 5,000 as well. It actually didn't feel bumpy at all. I'm thinking the bumpiness in the video may have been the fact I was taking the pics with just one hand and not looking through the viewfinder. Without having a 2nd pilot in the other seat, I didn't feel comfortable doing that, so there were about as many throw away photos as there were ones that were worth keeping. Hopefully I can get a friend here at DLZ that flies a Super Viking up with me over the next few weeks with a real video camera that should be a lot clearer and would allow me or him to focus on taping instead of the flying. Hopefully, we'll be at KPCW in the next few months for Phil's Inn spaghetti!

Thank you Dan and Peter. Had a great flight home with it! What great avionics Peter; you should be very proud of what you helped to put together! I agree Dan, I've had that issue with the stock CHT guage for a while and with the EDM 700, my mechanic (that I love; even called today to make sure I made it home fine today knowing the weather and what we were working with last night on the fine tuning of the gear bypass switch last night) has said, not to worry with EDM 700's accuracy. He's tried a few things to correct that, but it seems to have a schizophrenic personality. That white stuff is Indiana and Ohio in the winter time! I love flying over snow and told my wife that is one of my favorite times to fly for the beauty of it and yet have to be so careful about when to fly due to icing. I filed to put myself in the clouds for the practice, but knew where the bases were so that I knew I could get out of it if need be; if that wasn't an option in the forecast, I'd still be in Henderson right now and fine with that. I picked up trace rime at 5,000 and just asked for lower to get out of it and then fine. If the bases are not where I can easily get out of the visible moisture, then I don't go. Too fun, love the avionics you helped develop Peter and thank God to be blessed with such a wonderful machine. I love the one person's tag on here that refers to himself of the "caretaker of ...(tail number)". That's exactly what I feel like and couldn't be more thankful to have this wonderful gift in N1145T. I hope the next owner that gets her when I retire from flying (hopefully I'm very, very old at that point) appreciates her as much!

Brought the Mooney home to Ohio today with the new Aspens, STec 30, shifting things around in the panel and strip and repaint of the panel by Ron Collins Aviation, Henderson, KY. Thrilled with the job they did and having 45T home! I put up video and photos of the flight home (a few out of season photos of 45T to show the exterior) on YouTube this afternoon with the link below.