Shadrach

The Ignition switch should have a large nut that affixes it to the panel (see attached image). The knurled nut is there to hide the threads and hold the overlay to the switch. You are right to want a means of hearing that the SOS is engaged (there is another thread about this running right now). If you are looking for a low risk, economical solution, BAS has a used switch (not the one pictured below) for $75 that has a 90 day guarantee. It does not have a key so you will need to have one made. Should be under $200 total excluding the install costs. If you have a large shop on the field, they may have a collection of Bendix ignition keys with one that fits your lock. I learned this when I scheduled my plane for service but needed to drive an hour to deliver a key to the shop. They said don't bother, I'm sure we have one that will work...and they did. Yes, these switches go bad over many, many decades, in my experience, their shortcomings are overblown.

Had no idea that Porsche "owned" Mooney at some point...

No doubt. Extra energy is nice while bouncing down final but can become a liability as one enters the runway environment if there is any significant X wind component. I think using raw numbers is a boondoggle. 15 Kts is likely well under 10% of Vref for an airline, but it’s quite a bit more than 20% of threshold speed for the heaviest of Mooneys at MGW and over 25% of threshold speed for me when typically loaded. I have landed in god awful gusting winds sometimes into sub 2000’ strips. I add an extra 5kts if it’s gusting heavily otherwise 1.3Vso is plenty of margin (I use ~1.2Vso in calm to light winds). I have yet to fall out of the sky. Have had some uncomfortable low level, wind shear experiences but then low level, wind shear is going to be uncomfortable at any practical approach speed.

Rich gives good advice above. We had that issue but it was limited to one of several ignition keys. The switch is likely warn as well but it functions as it should with the other keys. In your case just take the switch and key to the oldest locksmith in your area. Hopefully he has some grey hair. Bonus points for a white beard.

Interesting tidbit about the OP’s set up - The first thing I did when I started troubleshooting the issue was to determine type of starting system. It was clearly an SOS setup. I engaged the key in the start position but no buzz from the vibrator. I bumped the starter by pushing the key but left it at that. Given the OP reported that engine only starts when the key is returned to both, I assumed there was a problem with the switch or the vibrator and therefore no spark through the retard points. OP is clearly mechanically inclined so I left him with some additional trouble shooting tasks for another day. He was able to get the vibrator to buzz with a jumper wire. He determined that the vibrator is wired to the starter (a la Cessna twin). So the vibrator engages with the starter. However, he has no spark at the plugs. I am left thinking that the retard breaker points are the issue. What is odd to me is that someone installed a very expensive “push to start” Bendix switch (currently >$700) and didn’t bother to use the start position for the vibrator, The switch does not have the “push” label plate, but clearly requires a push to engage starter. The system is equipped with a starter defeat switch under the cowl for hand propping. Switch setup aside, this looks to me like the the retard breaker is either not being energized or is not discharging. What the OP is trying to determine is if something aft of the mag could be causing this. He did verify that the vibrator lead is seated in the left mag. @N201MKTurbo your input would be welcomed!

That switch does not have separate positions for activating the SOS and the starter. Most SOS equipped Mooneys have a “push” position to activate the starter.

What’s wrong with your switch? Recurring inspections? To comply with the AD you simply set the engine at idle and turn it off with the key. If it kills the engine, it is airworthy. I’m not going to try to talk you out of buying an emag if that’s what you want to do. The Surefly will replace your left mag. It operates at TDC below 400 rpm to facilitate starts. The starter vibrator (shower of sparks) can be removed with that setup as you will no longer be using a mag with a retard breaker.

Interesting side note. Statistically this pilot was super lucky. The fatal accident rate for the Lancair is 10X the GA average and ~ 40X that of the ubiquitous C172. That data came from the Lancair Owners and Builders Organization.

Probably happens more often that you think. They just don't get reported. I personally know of several successful dead stick landings, though some were just relayed as stories from the past. I know of two that happened recently enough for me to hear about it from the source on the same or next day. One was a Cessna (Carb Ice) and other a Cirrus SR22T. Cirrus was in cruise at 12.5, almost directly above a large airport. No concerns about adequate altitude, only proper energy management. Landing was quiet but otherwise uneventful. The pilot was chastised by the factory for not pulling the chute (AC was still under warranty).

It is an ethical question but a hard one to grapple with in real time. If one were in a car with no brakes at 45mph and had the option of continuing through an active, red lighted intersection or running head on into a concrete overpass pillar, I think many if not most would roll the dice with the intersection. This guy did a good job. Technically speaking, at any altitude of 2900msl he had a shot at KTTA (~250msl), but everything would’ve had to go very well and the margins would still be pretty thin. 14:1 glide ratio so he had just under 7 miles before arriving at 250msl if perfectly set up and no wind. The outcome could’ve been a little better or much, much, worse. This gamble paid off.

Plenty of folks have screwed up weighing procedures and miscalculated both empty weight and CG.

Sorry Lance….

I like everything about this plane including the paint scheme and colors. If it had manual gear it would be nearly perfect.

There is a really cool stinger tailed F model out there somewhere that has a full 201 cowl and windshield, plus a rayjay turbo normalizer. Used to be based at Truckee IIRC. In some ways it’s literally a Mooney unicorn. Edit- The plane I mention is actually N6717V which was posted earlier. It was based in South Lake Tahoe at KTVL or KMEV.

That is a sad accident report. Potential gear up into a poorly executed go around into a low level stall… glad the pilot walked away. Did he continue to fly after the incident?

That’s an interesting observation, but doesn’t really make sense to me logically. I would not assume there to be much of a difference in force required to crank any of these engines. Whether four or six cylinder, the displacements are similar. The four cylinder has 2 compression strokes per rpm and the six has 3. However the Bravo has a modest 7.5 CR compared to the Lycoming’s 8.7. Seems like the differences to the starter would be negligible.

We were discussing the 2740 birds but sure, the heavier birds need more speed to maintain the same margins. Plenty of evidence that the heavier Mooneys are being frequently flown too fast on approach as well. Indeed under some conditions, I would likely add more speed margin to a 3200 lb Encore or a 2900lb J model as for all of their fine attributes, at max gross, they have the lowest power to weight ratios of the breed.

Exactly. Garrison has some insight into transaction prices. Asking prices are all over the place. I have a friend that routinely sent me listings for 80 and 90k Cherokee 140s last summer. He finally purchased a reasonably equipped Cherokee 140 locally for under 40K. There are still plenty of those 80-90k 140s for sale, but I am not sure who if anyone is buying.

You may find a Mechanic that will weld it but those kinds of folks are getting scarce. I would take it to a local machine shop/metal fabricator. Most could repair that easily.

I think if you polled vintage owners with Brittain equipped aircraft, you would be surprised how many well preserved, air tight, vacuum servos are still in service after 5 decades. It’s not that I am avoiding maintenance. On the contrary, I have a stack of replacement servos bagged on the shelf that I procured in anticipation of a failure. It’s yet to happen. I’m not saying they don’t dry out eventually. I am saying that high quality rubber that is unexposed to UV and high heat can last a very, very long time.

Figure out the stall speed envelope and then you can interpolate based on estimated weight. For me landing weight can vary between 1950lbs (pilot, 1 hr of reserves, oil) and 2740lbs (MGW). At MGW stall is 55KIAS. That means 1.3Vso (72KIAS) on final slowing to 1.2Vso (66KIAS) crossing the fence. At 1950lbs stall is calculated as follows: (1950/2740)Sqrt * 55 = 46KIAS 46KIAS * 1.3 = 60KIAS on final slowing to 55KIAS across the fence. This gives a VFR approach speed spectrum of 60 to 72KIAS and a threshold speed spectrum of 55-66KIAS. Fairly easy to interpolate the numbers in between. The truth is many just fly too fast for any legal weight. There is rarely a need to cross the threshold above 70KIAS, yet many do as a matter of practice.

$125 https://baspartsales.com/69452-lycoming-generator-support-bracket-sa-/

Do you have the stock windshield? If so, just get a lighted SIRS Compass and be done with it.

Feds only require fences at airports with scheduled air service or military operations. Beyond that, security is decided at the local level. At a lot of small airports it’s a fine line. You want the community to feel comfortable and welcome, but you don’t want them impeding intended use. I’m of the opinion that at small fields without the resources to keep an attendant on duty, it’s best to put up signage and let sleeping dogs lie.

I miss Dennis Farina…Not because he was a great character actor, but more because he was such a great personality that he was able to make an acting career out of just playing himself.