SkyPilot

I find my F model does not slip worth a darn. But then most of my flying time is on deHavilland Otters with the 1000 HP PZL piston engine. Those babies really slip nicely with the huge rudder. Perhaps I am desensitized?

I'm thinking about the speed brake mod for May. My flights take me from 2200' ASL up to 14500' to clear the mountains, and then down to sea level. I find that I have to do a long dog-leg to drop the altitude without shock cooling. If I could leave my power up I'd fly direct to destination and just pop the brakes and drop down nice and easy. I'll be putting in the electric ones. Lucky for me, my mechanic is an experienced airframe guy and also charges only $50 per hour. I'm going to do the windshield upgrade at the same time. My interior is still ugly, but it is comfortable. I'll do it last because it doesn't improve the performance other than a little weight loss maybe. Like TWinter, I have too much in my airplane to sell it without a huge loss, and if I can't sell it I can't buy a faster one. May as well just keep playing with the one I've got..

Congrats on the new plane Matt! I love my little F model but I want more speed. I'd trade up or sell mine and buy a newer model, but the market is tough and I have more into it then I'll ever get out. Might as well just burn the fuel eh?

Makes sense. I have to take-off from 2200', climb to 14,500', then drop down to a sea level airport after being kept high by 3 hours of Mountains. (CYLL to CYYJ, Lloydminster Alberta to Victoria). I find the F is hard to slow down unless really reducing power. Plus I already have an indash GPS, a good Brittain Autopilot (just overhauled - no alt control though). My mechanic is independant and charges only $50 per hour. Makes it affordable.

Hi Folks, My name is Paul Kroeker (pronounced Cray Ker). I'm quickly approaching the Feb 2014 third year anniversary of Mooney ownership. I've been flying seaplanes mostly in Canadian uncontrolled airspace since 1984 and am having a little difficulty talking to ATC on the radio. It's not something I've done much of in the last 7000 hrs. I've decided to get my IFR though so that I can get in and out of Victoria from Lloydminster where I live. That way my daughter can pick me up at the airport and I can save 16 hours of my time each way versus driving. I have a 1967 M20F with a 3 blade prop. It is an unusual color combo of black with silver and maroon stripes which the previous owner copied from the cover of a 1980 Flying Magazine featuring a Mooney. I like it. The interior need refit and I just got a new 8 hole instrument panel made up. I prefer the steam guages for primary flight indications. I have not done much to it yet (except pay it off) but I intend to install speed-brakes this spring and also the cowl closure. Thanks all for your great comments and things. I have bought a Skytec starter on your advice. It work great! Paul K

Full throttle is good. Also some flap and a decent amount of air in the tires. And get on a treadmill Merry Christmas all. I'll check this thread New Year's Eve...

It took me a long time but today I flight tested the Brittain autopilot and it works beautifully. Kevin at Brittain did a great job. I am totally satisfied. My T & B aileron adjust screw is a bit tight so I will send that in next. If they can't fix it that will be next on the list or repairs. But so far $9 per year for maintenance on an autopilot system? WOW! Beat that King...

In the past I usually didn't use flaps on takeoff. That is the way I was checked out. But I found that the break from the runway is much cleaner when using flaps and they are 100% necessary when taking off hot and heavy unless you have a lot of runway to burn off. Landing I always use full flaps (not really huge anyways) and trim the nose very carefully. I usually fly alone and find myself quite nose heavy so an approach at 85 mph and full nose up trim results in frequent squeakers

Yes stay away. Chances are if it's sat there for any length of time you won't have any radio upgrades and you will get a long list of bad parts at your next annual inspection. My bird was flown about 10 hours a year by the mechanic after the owner died. Every year the annual got done. The compressions were still good when I bought it 3 years ago but the list of things I replaced in the first 1.5 years totalled over $10,000. Among them all the fuel lines, leaking fuel tanks, fuel gaskets on the sending units, starter, etc. mostly it was labour. I just put in another $8000 worth of radios last year and this year I started on stage one of the autopilot overhaul. Thankfully I have a Brittain so it is affordable and the service is great. Remember, my plane was flown 10 hours a year and received routine maintenance. Plus it was hangered. Be afraid of an outside stored bird that hasn't flown for a long time.

I had starter issues too. The first problem was hot starts. It seemed like a huge chore to start hot. Part of the solution here was proper technique. When the bendix started to stick too, enough was enough. She was definitely due for a change. I bought a Skytec. As far as hot start technique goes, I just shut off at 1000 rpm or so and don't touch the controls for start up. Once she fires I increase the mixture fairly quickly. The faster turning Skytec goes a long way to making proper technique work. No more problems

Good bunch of info. My pump is still ok so this was just research reading. Thanks Folks.

Where did you find a 100 pound girlfriend

My F the nosewheel pressure is also 49 psi.

I have the wing leveler and heading bug autopilot. It was hunting back and forth and had a broken peice on the front on the switch for the HDG, TRK, etc. I sent it in 3 weeks ago and it is fixed now for a total of $417.00 (plus shipping). They changed out a couple of the capacitors inside. I have not yet received it back but it will be home before I am. Not bad. It looks like that is the first "box" repair in 46 years so that works out to just of $9 per year for maintenance (not including shipping) Not bad. I bet a King would be Waaaaay more. I have not yet re-installed or test flown it so I can't be sure that was the only problem. I'll update this early in December. Paul

Enjoy it! I'm modifying mine little by little but saving most of the money for FUEL

Hey Spam Pilot, I bought an M20F about 3 years ago and had similar hot-start problems not including your stopping dead issue. Sounds like you have either a weak starter or a timing problem. Definitely change the starter out and put a Sky-Tec in. It won't fix bad start procedure or other mechanical issues but it will turn your prop over much faster. I never had problems with cold starts, but the hot starts were completely embarrassing at the fuel pump. The first couple of months I owned the airplane, I'd go for lunch after fueling, just to avoid the "hot start scenario". But with the Sky-Tech starter helping out, I do my hot-starts like this: (Prior shut-down at 1100 rpm) Don't touch the throttle or mixture (assuming they have not been moved), turn the key, advance the mixture once she starts up. That's it. It works every time, sometimes with more blades, sometimes less. Have fun. Don't spend too much on upgrades, avgas is the best way to spend your money SkyPilot

I just received the pilot side panel from Lyle at Hendricks Manufacturing. It's getting old school steam gauges, but that's what I like for flight instruments. I've got a new spot opened up for the 2nd ILS to go with the new Garmin SL30 I'm hoping the recessed ring lighting fits in but I'll have to check. Good-bye fake woodgrain...

This is something I never thought of. I'll look into getting rated. I'm a Canadian eh so probably not too many ham operators out there.

Hey folks thanks for all the interesting and helpful information. The trip is only the first leg as it looks like I am being transferred full time in 6 months to a year. Final destination is Borneo. I'll be preparing the bird a huge amount including an engine overhaul if necessary but at the moment it runs great. Being only an M20F with a cruise speed of 142kts, the range is limited. I'm planning the 100 gallon Monroy mod, plus a 100 gallon turtlepac in the back seat. Presently I'm working on the instrument panel to upgrade it to IFR and if I have room will add an ADF, but space is limited. I'm also working on my own fuselage and jogging 4 km per day. Excellent health can keep you alive in bad situations and I have proven this to myself at least once... I had the airplane for sale looking for a faster one, but the market is horrible as you all know. I've got more into the bird now than I'll ever get out of it, plus I am comfortable with the old beastie.. Keep the comments rolling it's all appreciated.

I used my iPad 3 going to Niagara falls in October. It's a bit bulky. Nice but I found myself sliding the finger over the screen alot and dicking around. I ended up sticking my iPhone 4 on the dash and using it instead. But I do admit it was helpful for coming down over Lake Superior in the schag. I have a nice little older King GPS for that but the moving map display is lacking. I think I will just start using the VORs again and do more intense preflight planning. Seems I'm getting too much stress caused by electronic junk. I yearn for simpler times. Paper maps only cause trouble if you don't use them correctly and they never run out of juice. The second Beaver I ever flew had a non-funtioning ADF and a VHF. Plus the maps. It worked for me. And I like looking out the window.

I looked into the turbo mods. Both rayjay (used) and M20. I can buy a lot of avgas for the money I saved not doing it. I'm stuck in the slowlane at 142 kts but I can fly over the Canadian rockies at 14,500' so good enough...

I'm planning a ferry flight to Honolulu from SFO in my Mooney. Has anyone here done it, and can it be done VFR or is IFR mandatory? Also, do the rules require the use of an HF radio? It is really difficult to find info on the web. Even Earth Rounders is not too helpful.