Steve65E-NC

If you do not have a personal contact at Hampton Roads, I suggest that you visit Jim Miller at Bay Avionics 757-488-7700 . He probably can not help you with your hanger problem, but you will most likely be using his shop for your BiAnnual Transponder / Pitot Static check. It is a good radio shop and they have the bench capability to fix many problems that other shops just pull and ship. And, he just might have an idea of the hanger or at least be able to give you the lay of the land. I like landing at Hampton Roads but you have to keep the antenna farm to the North in mind. The restaurant is pretty good and they have a Pilot Shop. Also, they are in the process or just completed an upgrade to their long runway.

For a temporary/permenant fix of the Nickname problem, I suggest the following. First note the strange looking rear window on my E. I have used black plastic sign film there, and it is going on ten years old, with no problems. I just like the way the extended window looks. Now, go to your local sign shop that cuts plastic film (most do). Pick a color that most closely matches the base color (or some other color that you (or your wife) like). Either just cut a patch piece to cover and stick it on; or, have the sign shop cut a logo or name that you perfer in a contrasting color (probably black) and put it on the patch before sticking it over the old name.

I sent a bent and broken lower front seat frame from a J off to Lasar and got back a proper, rewelded, repainted, Yellow Tagged, repair.

New fuel caps?? Contact Shaw Industries, Naples, FL. Over $360 each when I checked several years ago. Advise going to a machine shop with advanced aluminum welding technology. Talk to your A&P first.

Morganton, about 7miles SW of Foothills, has some good shopping. Also Morganton has a very interesting History Museum of Burke County open Saturday 10-2. Morganton is the County Seat of Burke County which reached to the Mississippi in Colonial times. I was raised there. I am based at Hickory (HKY) about ten miles SE of Foothills. It has a better selection of Hotels near to airport. Morganton, Lenoir and Hickory are in a triangle in the Catawba River Valley. We look at the Blue Ridge (Blowing Rock, LIttle Switzerland, Grandfather Mountain) to the North. To the far West we see Mt. Mitchell (highest in the East) and the associated Black Mountains. Steve 65E-NC

I would call Concorde. I believe they will give you some relief or at least a discount on a replacement. You did not mention the type battery. Is this one of the RG or RGX batteries or a regular lead-acid.

I carry a couple of copies of the poster in my brief case. I am planning an approach training trip today: HKY, RFD (for lunch), MRN, HKY. I will put up posters at Hickory and Rutherfordton if they are not already up. Bob, thanks for organizing this November 15 Mooney fly-in at Morganton-Lenoir Airport.

Sorry, there are just a certain number of things that are likely to go wrong. A competent pilot should have an automatic response to each of them. Examples are: Engine quits making power, Electrical fire, Loss of Electrical power, plugged airspeed, failed landing gear extention, Engine fire, and, (for altitude flyers) loss of pressurization/oxygen. Hypoxia is not new and too many accidents are happening. These pilots, rest there souls, make us all look bad.

We can hope that the revival of the Mooney factory and brand will positively affect the value of our aircraft. I wonder if we will not see a trend toward buying these older airframes and shipping them off-shore. When buyers see the price on the new aircraft and compare capability and operating costs, I believe there will be increased interest. Many buyers are afraid of orphaned products. That is no longer the case for Mooneys. Also, I think the low operating costs and relative simplicity of repair and maintenance will make our older airframes ideal for developing economies and with early entrepreneurs trying to move around quickly.

The fellow who started this string referred to Mod Squad. The conversation seems to have diverted over to Mod Works, a completely different company. As I recall Mod Works was started in Punta Gorda, FL by Coy Jacobs and others. Coy left Mod Works, sold his interest, and was part of the start up of Mod Squad in Venice, Fl. Mod Works, with Tim Coonts as principle, disappeared in a hurricane and apparently its STCs are orphans. This was also the scence of the Mooney Porsche demise. Mod Squad continued on and probably also has some STCs. Actually I think Coy Jacobs could probably guide you to those, if he will. However, I also think a call around the existing vendors at Venice Airport would lead you to someone who owns and controls those Mod Squad STCs. I have a feeling the principals of Mod Squad are still operating in some form at Venice.

I like to personally scout, or have a pilot friend scout any grass runway that I am considering using. Many grass fields have particular areas to look out for. Examples are wet/soft spots or mid field humps. One field I land at has a hump right at mid length that will toss you into the air just before you are ready to fly. I do a short field take-off with lift-off well before that hump. Last year I landed at Cape Cod airport in Mashpee, Ma. Two runways, one short, one plenty long enough with good surface. However the runways are mowed and maintained areas in the middle of a large green field. I had problems with picking up visual cues just before touch down. I had the the aircraft in landing configuration and just continued to touch down with no problem, but not the way I like to land. Next time I land there, and I will go again, I will be ready for it and may even do a low a approach just to orient myself to that wide open space and pre-identify touch down area visual cues. No problem like this on narrow grass strips with lots of visual cues near the runway. In my experience and observation of the record, the real problem comes in taxi and tie down areas. Seems like there are always holes, swales and ditches to grab a prop tip. Keep your eyes open when taxing. Just because a swale is well mowed does not mean your prop is safe. Many years ago, pre computer, I had a trip all planned to Little Caymen. The folks at the airport assured me that many small planes landed there with no problem. When I got to South Florida I found a photo of the field, it showed taxing from grass, accross a bare road, to aircraft parking. I am sure it was fine for a high wing Cessna, but I changed my plans.

Phil, What is your location in the SE. I am in western NC, Hickory. Respond with private message on this site if you would like to talk about Mooneys. Steve 65E Hickory, NC

Ari install looks much cleaner than others I have seen going back to the early 1990s. I understand the interleave option, I put my Lasar closure on that way. Much pretter than just riviting it on top. If my dog house would allow the Lasar Oil Cooler Relocate mod, I would add a taxi light or redundant landing light. Tell us again what the advantage is to the 390 change. Still looks like 200 hp but with new and amazing fit problems. Is the IO-360 not available with oiler??

A hand vacumn pump used to check automotive vacumn systems is invaluable (harbor freight around $28, you will have to come up with appropriate barb fittings (Ace Hdw)) With the pump, you can check each servo and step bellows over full range with engine off. Once I found a sheet metal screw through a green or red tube in the rear of the cabin. I think silicon spray is the only recommended lube for the step shaft. Careful that a big step leak may affect vacumn nav instrument performance. I think the feed for the step comes right off the back of the AH so this can cause a slow AH without showing on vac gauge.

The course at www.faasafety.gov is much like other Wings courses except it is permanant. As I recall it is clear, straightforward, and reasonably brief. The other Wings courses roll and expire. To keep Wings currency you have to continue adding courses. If you are not part of Wings, they have some good on-line courses and you can have AOPA or FAA local courses credited. The other part of Wings is a flight component. It counts as a biannual but the elements covered are much more specific. A Wings flight review, in my experience, takes a lot less time (cost) than a regular biannual.

A decade or more ago I replaced the side window surrounds, cabin roof, and door plastic with products from what is now Plane Plastics (I think). I Purchased yards of a white or off white version of a plastic extrusion similar the item pictured and put it around all bare edges of the panels, including around the side windows. However, around the door itself there is another product like a covered cord with attach tab that I think is called "welting". I did not feel the need to replace that, but did check availability. I am sure that Airtex interiors has it.

Aaron, Just curious what type of borescope do you have, from where, at what price. Some of the devices from say Harbor Freight look interesting but then you realize they may not fit through SP hole and probably will not bend around sufficient to look at valve seats. Steve

The Williamsburg, VA area is worth a visit. Williamsburg, Yorktown town and battlefield, Mariners Museum in Newport News (home of the Moniter recovery and other neat stuff). The little airport at Williamsburg (JGG) used to have a nice restaurant and could arrange rental cars etc. Breakfast in the formal dining room at Williamsburg Inn, while expensive, is worth the price.

Transportation museum in Owl's Head, ME is worth a visit. But, from where in Fl and to where in Ma. Panhandle vs Jacksonville, Cape vs Berkshires. Makes a lot of difference in best route and interesting stops. In one case west of DC and in other east of DC. Owl's Head vs Old Rhinebeck. In either case probably best go to Wings web site and take "Navigating the New DC ADIZ" course, and carry certificate of completion . My small version of permenant Certificate is in my wallet right next to my pilot license. To the east is pretty straightforward, to the west watch out for Camp David TFRs.

Gary, Fly through some moderate to severe turbulance with everything lose, including the pilot, hitting the ceiling and you will understand what I mean. Just duck through some of those building cumulus columns instead of flying around them. Steve

How do you mount it to the co-pilot pull bar without risking that odd angle G loads will release the seat to slide??

I sat in my cockpit today for 30 minutes trying to figure this one out. I would probably have purchased these two items long ago if I could just figure out how to sto them so easily accessable to seated pilot. Otherwise a waste of money (IMHO). Just could not see a place without creating incumbrance or clutter. Best I could think of was maybe two tubes, one buried in each side of pilot seat cushion. I have a larger extinguisher mounted next to baggage door for ramp or wreck fires. I carry a fair amount of safety gear but try to limit it too stuff that I can see how to access when I need it. How have others solved this problem??

I thought you said the paint job was by Mod Squad (Coy Jacobs). As I recall, In the 2000 period when Mod Works had the excellent paint shop, Coy was long gone from there and had moved up to Venice airport to start Mod Squad. Perhaps someone, on the list, who had Mod Works do a paint job during that period could give you the name and license # of the I/A that signed off paint jobs for Mod Works. I know they bought in a guy to set up and operate their very modern paint shop. Folks who were in involved in Mod Works, possibly as owners, during that period included Tim Coonts and Kevin Surrell (who went on to establish a mid west tank reseal business).

Mod Works of Punta Gorta, Fl disappeared in a hurricane, a puff of smoke and a skirt tail. However, I think elements and maybe even a sucessor business of Mod Squad, Venice, Fl may still be in existance. I have a feeling they were and are just professional enough to have properly logged a paint job and that the records of work done by Mod Squad are still in existance. I think Coy Jacobs was involved with Mod Squad around that time and you might want to start with him.

Unless you are looking to source brand new ones this list is probably the place to come. I bet 30% of the folks here have a set of the old ones that they pulled and replaced with new. I think I have a set somewhere.