David Mazer

I keep adding I know of an M20F that has a new engine and should be in excellent mechanical condition. It has no A/P and the avionics will likely be a target for upgrading but the price might be right and I have found the F to be a very nice airplane.

Ah, but if I had only known to check his reputation at MooneySpace before I let him touch my plane. Mia culpa though since I must have not done due diligence sufficient to uncover what appears to be one of the worst kept secrets in the Mooney world - stay away from them.

So you know of them, do you? I have taken to wearing this T shirt at SNF to express my opinion of their work.

My Rocket was taking about 1 qt/4 hr until last year when I had some interior work down in Venice FL. When it came back it took 2qt/hr for a few hours and then settled back to about 1 qt/2 hr. Needless to say, the engine was rebuilt and in the about 100hrs of flying since then, I have not added 1 qt of oil except at oil changes (10 hrs for the first and 30 hrs increments after that). I have been adding CamGaurd at each oil change now. I should have added it before I let the guys in Venice let my plane sit for a couple months. Lesson learned. Or, should I say, expensive lesson learned.

So, that just begs the question, how do I get a service manual for my 1986 M20K Rocket?

We have a member who just purchased a Rocket and needs to sell his Diamond in NY and I know an IA selling his M20F in GA with a new or rebuilt engine if anyone is interested. I don't know much about the Diamond but I know the M20F is now in excellent mechanical condition but may need some interior and avionics.

Would someone be so kind as to tell this neophyte how to get to the landing gear light between the seats. I tried to get into it last night but could not find a way to the light. Is there an access panel under the plane?

Powder coating is really the way to go if you want it to look best and last longest but, if you need to cut a little cost, you can just paint it. I had one small section of my panel that was black while the rest was off white (I have no idea how that was allowed to happen by the previous owner) and it just didn't make sense to do more than paint that section. It has held up pretty well and the color match is pretty good too.

Parker, I have the lighter panel and really prefer it. It makes the entire cockpit lighter and feel more open. Try it awhile before you change it.

Ski tubes? Has anyone installed one in a Mooney? I thought it was a joke but here is a 337 for a Bonanza ski tube installation.

Yes, the lever in the cockpit. Thanks.

The cooling, and the cowl flaps, are more important above 16,000 ft. My high altitude climbs usually include a reduced climb above 16,000, say 600 ft/min from there on, and an occasional respite at that altitude for a few miles and then resumption of the climb. Also, my ambient temperature in FL is probably higher than yours. Do you have a picture of your cowl flap actuator?

Well, here is a picture of the new manual cowl flap control. Works great on the ground. Unfortunately, not so good in the air. The manuals mention the need to close the flap as you arrive at altitude as the air flow tends to pull the flap open and the manual is right because I can't seem to pull this closed in flight. I tried slowing down to about 120 kts but that didn't help either. The installer is aware of the problem but doesn't have a ready answer yet. If anyone knows any easy answers, I'd appreciate it.

Oh, absolutely. Never, ever go near Mooney Mart at SRQ. I've dealt with Coy Jacobs once and won't ever again. Parker may be your best bet but I know a guy that does training in an M20J at Bob White, just west of Orlando) if you are interested in actually flying the plane. As far as M20J v M20K, for that flight, I don't think the K would really warrant the extra cost and risks of a turbo. I may be talking a little out of school since my only other Mooney flying is an M20F but I think the differences aren't that significant (F v J) and the J would cost you less upfront and on maintenance. As far as why a Mooney, please, there are many reasons a Mooney is the best choice. Stregnth (tubular, 9 G frame), economy, and speed are great on a Mooney. There are weight limitations if you carry a lot of passengers or cargo and there are planes with a lot more room if you need it but for a considerable group of pilots, a Mooney IS the right choice. Your plane needs to fit your mission. Your plane doesn't need to fit someone else's idea of the "right" plane.

If you are still even reading these posts, I know of an M20F in that price range with a new engine but no A/P. If you are interested, PM me and I will get the owner's name and phone number for you.

I did have to replace the units but since then, not one problem. As far as electronics go, these have been pretty good. Sorry if I made it sound worse than it was.

I have an Arctic Air portable AC and it works great in FL. I can count on a 15-25 degree temperature drop when I use it. Dealing with the ice can be a pain but the ability to remove it is great. I had a special aluminum bucket made to the right size and I pre-freeze a block of ice and then pack the remaining space with cubes. That gives me over an hour of cooling and that is usually plenty because, once at altitude, I can turn it off in cruise and just use it for taxi, takeoff, descent, and landing. Probably a lot easier to buy a commercially available unit than make one yourself. However, I substantially altered mine by replacing the 500 gph pump with an 800 gph pump and replaced the .25 in tubing to .5 in. All in all, it works much better this way and the cost to upgrade was about $40-$50 depending on the bilge pump.

I have a PFD/MFD installed prior to the availability of the EA100 (I still depend on my AI for that). I also had infant mortality and the units were replaced quickly. I have never flown a G1000 or G500 unit but I really believe the compact scan on the Aspen is terrific. It's like there is no scan at all. All the information is right there, all the time. I've mentioned this to numerous others considering upgrading and a lot continue to say they want the bigger screens anyway. I don't get it. The biggest problem I have is with subscriptions. I have one for the Garmin, one for my EFB from Seattle Avionics,one for XM weather, and one for the Aspens. On top of that, I would need to buy two chart subscriptions if I wanted to use the charts on the Aspen as well as my EFB. Since the geo-ref on the Aspen has never worked even after I went through the verification process on the free trial, I passed that $200/yr up. It just keeps adding up and nobody seems to be interested in packaging with discounts for add-ons.

As silly as this sounds, I was having a problem with my A/P kicking off because the electric trim rocker switch was accidentally getting turned off when I pushed the throttle forward and hit it with my knuckle. It took me a while, too long, to realize the problem was me!

I know someone getting his M20F O/H right now and expects it to cost $25,000. So, $30,000 isn't out of the realm of possibility depending on what needs to be done. There is also a guy at FXE that specializes in Mooney wing tanks. He did mine in 2007 and I haven't had any leaks since then. A couple problems with the sump leaking, but the tanks have been fine.

Thanks for the great input from everyone. To complete this thread, I gave up for now and ordered replacement lamps. At this moment there doesn't appear to be an acceptable LED alternative but maybe next time.

My cowl flap motor wasn't adjustable at all other than open or closed. I have no explanation other than Rocket said they didn't install or change the motor and Mooney said this was the original equipment even though it looks like an after thought. It is only an upgrade if it is better, it works, and a motor could be found. At present, the motor isn't available (I don't know how long the back order is) and the cable is more reliable (I hope). In addition, we shall see if any perspective buyer down the road will really know what was original, what wasn't, and what is important. I doubt they will want me to take out the Aspens and put back the steam gauges. I didn't see the same argument being made about the new LED landing/taxi lights. What makes one think this would be different? I am interested in the increased visibility the recognition lights may provide. How I get there is still open and, with the way things are going with the resale on planes these day, my sizable investment is diminishing way faster as a result of the market than I am with improvements and maintenance. From an economic perspective only, paying later at the same price is always better. Its a time value of money thing. Value is in the eye of the beholder.

Maybe my electrical reserve concern is colored by my two Aspen tube display. On a recent 40 min flight, the alternator went out. Later it was traced to something in the annunciator panel breaker that had popped. Despite having plenty of power in the ship's batteries, the backup battery on the Aspens kept coming on and they only last about 30 min. So, regardless of my total battery capacity, my useful time frame is only around 30 min. I am sure the rest of the plane's systems would operate, and did operate fine on that trip, but it has made me more conscious of the total picture. However, it is nice of you to take me through the exercise to realize my real limitation probably isn't the ship's electrical system and prod me to find out why the Aspens went to backup so soon. Kortopates - on further reflection about the lack of recognition lights in the Aveo's, I remembered that they strobe white light forward as well as abeam. Not a true replacement for the recognition lights, maybe, but it is something. Worth the cost and effort to replace. Probably not but I'm not done investigating and all of you are so helpful in making sure my investigation is thorough and valid. Thank you all for your time and information. It is very helpful.

That has given me lots to think about. Thank you. The only argument to your information is that I have a 252 Rocket and it only has one alternator and two batteries in the Rocket conversion. One of the big drawbacks to the Rocket. The single alternator is why I worry about electric consumption.

The foot print isn't exact but it isn't too different either. Yes, just replacing the bulbs would be the easiest and cheapest route except for three other reasons. First, LEDs are more reliable. Second, they draw a lot less power and my plane is taxing the 26 year old electrical design with all the electrical demand it has. Third, my lens covers have already been replaced at least once and they are warping again (I know the lens still wouldn't cost this much). The 71110 won't fit. I checked with Whelen. I have been told, and we are working on confirming, that the STC with a 337 is available. I thought a 337 was required if you didn't have an STC but the IA says both are needed. What do I know?