201er

Ok... but is there harm in ramming the throttle in when the RPM is set pretty low (like 2000-2300RPM)? They always say to put the prop forward first so the prop is prepared to take the power.

Actually it's supposed to last more than 2000 hours! That is just a recommended point of overhaul. So there really shouldn't be any excuse for a properly maintained engine not making it that far. From talking to a few guys with this going on, the one thing that seems common is that it took 200 hours after buying a sitting engine for the wear to show. It is really sounding like this is the amount of time it takes for corroded lifters to break off sufficiently to be noticeable in the oil filter. I guess as it corrodes, it just sits there and it takes some motion to actually exploit that weakness and break it off such that we could detect it in the oil.

This Saturday there will be two regional events and I hope to see a lot of Mooneys there. First is the 99s Poker Run From 9:30AM-2:30PM. If we can coordinate our timing, maybe we can even fly it together and have it rain Mooneys on these airports. Airports include: 9D4, MIV, EVY, N14, PTW Then, just 20 miles away from the finish at Pottstown is the Fly In at Chester County which will be on from 9AM-5PM. Since it ends later than the Poker run, I suggest we fly the poker run first and then end the day at Chester County. The site won't allow me to upload the PDF posters for some reason so just contact me if you need more details.

The tach on a Mooney M20J is based on 2500RPM?

Here's some raw data I collected on a 4 hour xcountry to Wisscaset Maine (lobster rolls) and back. I know others of you here are in the process of breaking in engines as well so I wonder if mine still has improvement ahead. I am now at about 15 hours into this factory rebuilt engine. Should I consider it broken in or lots more to go? I never had a drop in CHTs and oil consumption has been minimal all along. I've only added a quart at about the 11 hour mark. 7000ft 2600RPM 24.0"MP 12.6GPH 120ROP 8C-OAT 139KIAS 157KTAS 166GS CHTS-315,355,379,366 7000ft 2600RPM 24.1"MP 10.3GPH 20LOP 7C-OAT 130KIAS 146KTAS 155GS CHTS-301,322,360,353 6000ft 2500RPM 24.7"MP 12.2GPH 120ROP 10C-OAT 140KIAS 155KTAS 138GS CHTS-319,361,383,369 6000ft 2500RPM 24.7"MP 9.9GPH 12LOP 13C-OAT 134KIAS 149KTAS 136GS CHTS-306,331,363,355 Numbers look pretty consistent to me and were taken based on the average flight condition. Seems close to what I was able to cruise at on the A3B6d but not quite there. More like 160-165KTAS 100ROP and 150KTAS 20LOP at similar density altitudes and power settings. I also have engine data from the EDM830 so if anyone is expert at analyzing those and might be able to tell me something I don't know, would be appreciated. Anyone else breaking in an engine or flying behind an A3B6, I'd appreciate your numbers and feedback. For the full power 3 leg speed test I got 159KTAS average based on GPS at 1500ft DA, KIAS was also 159.

Congratulations! Sounds like your initial flight went very well. Not so fast with the overhauled A3B6! And over 10 hours into it, still not broken in.

I would just like to point out that you may be a bit off on the numbers (or I'm a bit off on guessing your weight). First of all, the useful load on every single individual plane will be different so pay attention to it regardless of make/model. My 201 has a 987lb useful load. This means I can take full (full for standard tanks, I have increased capacity but just for arguments sake, 64 gallons) and 3 people and bags! 987 - 384 - 170 - 170 - 170 = 93lbs remaining for bags and that is 6 hours of range with reserve. Some people weigh more but others less so for generalization purposes 170 works well, custom to your own profile. At the sacrifice of 10 gallons/1hour you get another 60lbs of baggage. Fuel doesn't have to be sacrificed until you fill the 4th seat. Depending on baggage, that leaves you with 40-50 gallons which amount to 3-4 hours with your comfort reserve. And believe me, with that many people you're not going longer than that regardless. I know it doesn't look it, but a Mooney packs a lot more useful load and comfort than you'd think. I get over 100lbs more useful load in my 201 than my friend's Bonanza. Also, the 201 handles just fine through gross weight so you don't have to worry about buffer below gross (unless runway is short or DA is high). It's a stupendous airplane, after a year of owning it I am still amazed at how ingenious its design is and outstanding performance.

New Jersey Mooney Pilots Group would like to welcome everyone to fly to Lancaster (KLNS) Saturday morning for their Air Fest. I hope a lot of Mooneys show up and we can organize joint parking in full force. The event is from 7:30AM till noon so come and go as you wish but we'll aim the official meeting time from 9-11AM so please at least stick around for that span. Here is the schedule of events: 7:30-10:30AM Pancake Breakfast 8:00-9:00AM The A, B, C's of ATC Al Hubler, FAASTeam Lead Representative, CFI, ATP, ATC 9:30-10:30AM ADS-B--See What You've Been Missing Don Walker, AIR 130 11:00-12:00 NTSB-Regional Investigations: A Brief Overview Allison Violette, Safety Investigator, NTSB Tower tours running throughout the morning on a first-come-first-served basis.Register for tour at registration table in Airport Terminal. Aircraft Competiton/Judging 09:00-11:00 Awards presented at 12:15 (Be sure to spruce up your Mooney!) Hope to see a lot of Mooneys there and to see a Mooney take the aircraft competition award! Please pre-register if you plan to attend.

Please vote what type of oil you primarily use and whether you use it with Camguard. If you use a different additive just let us know in your post. I'm also curious why a lot of pilots are choosing to use Camguard so vote on that and discuss. While we're at it, what oil is best for flying LOP?

Don't you have a RAM AIR warning light on the annunciator panel?

I think you're missing the point. It CAN happen but there is no way a TFR could stop it. Why should we all pay the price for something that could happen regardless of the existence of this rule called a TFR when we wouldn't be the ones to ever dream of doing something like that? The 3 mile TFR around sporting events or the UN for example. How long would it take an innocent seeming aircraft with nefarious causes to cross the distance and do harm? At 180mph, easy for a Mooney perhaps in a dive for other planes, it would only take 1 minute. Neither the rule nor a fighter could ever stop a rogue plane from doing this so what is the validity of wasting so much resources creating and enforcing this rule? Thus far a TFR has never been maliciously broken, yet how many pilots have had enforcement action over flying into one unaware? Except you don't make any rational sense. We're not disagreeing with you about MOAs and applying a similar approach to most TFRs would make tremendous sense. I don't think most pilots object to rules that keep them or others safe but this just isn't the case with many (perhaps not all, but many) TFRs. But see, you don't even understand the kinds of TFRs others of us have to deal with. They make 30 mile TFRs here that block off dozens of GA airports here for VFR and IFR with extreme delays. If it was just for the moment Air Force 1 were landing, ok, but no... this TFRs go on for the entire duration that the President is in the vicinity of this city. Why does a VFR pilot in a 172 pose such a severe threat but a TBM or Biz Jet IFR does not? There is a rational contradiction here that you seem to refuse to see.

May I remind you that the attacks were carried out without any regard to FAA rules.... so I don't think creating rules for VFR GA pilots not to go there will stop the odd nut from doing so. As for IFR, the delays are very long on a normal day, add a TFR and they're impossible. If the TFRs were genuinely able to guarantee safety, there might be some argument for them but in reality they provide nothing more than a false sense of security and extensive delays or prohibitions for the rest of us.

Yes, more like dozens of flights! We get VIP TFRs in NY probably around 30 days a year. Every time the UN meets we get the Hudson VFR corridor blocked off which sends north/south bound traffic 40 miles around. Then there's the sporting events TFR. We have to keep tabs on the Yankees home schedule because it blocks the VFR corridor off about another 30 days a year. It has gotten to the point of outright ridiculous and to no one's safety. In fact it makes the public feel less safe when the newspapers report someone violated a TFR unknowingly (yet nothing happened and no threat was even present). Or let's remember the multi-week TFR on Martha's Vineyard when the Obama's were vacationing. President takes a vacation and all of GA has to be put on hold...

Same here! What is it with airports being run by criminals? With all these security fears and whatnot, you'd think they would do a closer check of who is allowed to run an airport?

In contemplation of some sort of group chats or videos conferences I'd like to start by getting a ballpark of what time folks are collectively on the website to see if there are any well overlapping times? I put all choices in EST and UTC so that folks wouldn't end up mixing UTC and local so please vote accordingly.

What lubricants do you use for components such as ailerons, flaps, elevator, seat rails, yokes, engine control knobs, door hinges, etc? How often do you apply? What do you use for cleaning? Do you apply the same product to everything or different per application? Please go over what you do in detail.

Guys, there is the hard way of figuring this out (spreadsheets, calculations, etc) and the easy way to solve this once and for all. Just see how many gallons it takes each way! If you don't have accurate fuel gauges or a fuel flow, you can do it using the pump. One time fly the flight half tanks (or whatever you normally do). Top it off on arrival, see how much that used. Fly back (assuming neutral winds) and top off again. Compare number of gallons on the pump. I'll be curious what you find. I can tell you for a fact it pays for me to fly to an airport 10 minutes away to get gas and not at my field. 10 minutes at 10gph is 1.6 gallons and times 2 is 3.3 gallons round trip. We'll round up to 4 for run up and all other factors. $6.90 vs $5.54 justifies the cost of flying to get the fuel and I see it as free flying and a saving. Usually I pick up 80 gallons at a time $443 vs $552 at todays prices! That's $108 difference. Yet the cost in gas to fly back and forth for the gas is $22.16, $40 at most if you factor every nuance in. I know this doesn't attack your specific dilemma of flying heavy (and on my short flight it's irrelevant) but just to illustrate the huge difference in pricing. In your case, you are saving $30 by topping cheap. I doubt it takes an extra 6 gallons to haul 30 gallons for 3 hours so without testing it, sounds like a good plan.

This is a great point. Everyone who can avoid flying during a TFR does and everyone else goes IFR or gets permission anyway. It just makes it a lot harder and ramps up delays. If it was a TAA, I'm sure gliders, students, etc would opt to avoid it anyway. When you read through the exceptions to a VIP TFR, it's practically everyone anyway so it makes you wonder what's the point anyway?

Guys, be careful. I don't think a "but foreflight didn't show it" excuse would go very far.

Ok, who forgot there was a TFR today? http://news.yahoo.com/aircraft-violate-airspace-restrictions-un-162456805.html Just a reminder that if you're going to fly without talking to ATC, you'd better make damn sure you got a briefing.

600nm is a piece of cake in a Mooney and you can do it nonstop even with standard tanks. I know some might think I'm biased, but honestly I find the Mooney more comfortable than my friend's Bonanza. The Bonanza looks more comfortable but really isn't. Yes, you sit higher and leg goes vertical ahead of you, however, you can't stretch your legs forward because the rudder pedals are practically under you as well. It's nice that there is no center console so stretching sideways is possible but you can't put your legs forward. It makes me feel like flying economy class with the my bag under the seat so I can't stretch my legs. In my M20J, I can stretch my legs forward or bend my knee, or slide back and put my leg sideways toward the middle. I think the variety of positions that you can sit in is key to long term comfort. I've flown 5 hours, 6 hours, and 8 hours nonstop. It's doable. The panel (M20J and forward or retrofitted earlier models) and systems are simpler. The weight/balance is simple, the fuel tanks are simple. The Mooney is simpler and more logical. The Bonanza (at least the model I've flown in) adds a lot of complexity (such as having 4 separate tanks or a changing CG) but no benefit over the Mooney for it. Worst yet, the useful load on that Bonanza is worse than on my Mooney. So not only does the Bonanza burn more fuel, take less load, not go as far, but the whole "more comfortable and more cabin space argument" really doesn't float. I haven't sat back seat in the Bonanza but visually it looks like less leg room for backseaters than M20J as well. For your specific mission a Bonanza would be a viable substitute but that's my four half pennies about Bonanza vs Mooney.

Byron, could you send me the articles as well.

If nothing else, it's worth a few degrees cooler CHT while LOP

I think it would be a mistake to do primary training in a Mooney. A lot of basics such as stick & rudder are replaced by aides such as auto pilots, interconnected rudder pedals, etc. Granted this is done mostly for convenience, it is also to free the pilot up to handle more complex tasks such as IFR and engine management. These are non factors in a trainer and in fact you shouldn't be thinking about "managing your engine" or avionics, etc during basic training. I started by flying gliders, then piper cub, then 152 and many more planes before getting to a Mooney. All of those experiences added up and made me far more prepared to by flying my plane today. It's not only cheaper but also more fun this way. I really can't think of one good reason to overwhelm yourself and outspend yourself to do the basics in a Mooney.

Ouch. Sorry to hear that. Any abnormal flying go down lately? What kind of power/mixture have you been flying?