rangermb

The twist fasteners that hold the cowl pieces (77J) together along the sides keep jumping ship. What is the proper name for these and how do I know what size to get as replacements? Thanks

Had the same issue with my J. We thought that the fact that the brake cylinders being pretty much level were allowing air to hide. We jacked up the nose to get some angle working and out came the air.

If I do move, I'll be working near (but not with) CIA HQ on the south side of the river. Looking at living somewhere around Manassas, but that isn't set yet.

Well...it looks like I may be relocating to the Washington DC area. So, I would be interested in hearing from the gang on recommendations for a new airport. I will be on the SW side of the district so will probably live in northern Virginia. Ideally, I would like to find a hangar (yeah, right!!!) but sometimes it's any port in a storm. Any suggestions/input would be appreciated. Mike

The time based is for the average c172 pilot to complete the form. Mooney drivers do things a lot faster!!!

Hey Scott...I have a 77J as well and am interested in someday moving the selector to the center as I am not built like either an NBA star of Chinese contortionist. Is there any info and/or drawings available for the move? Any guesses on the overall cost? Thanks Mike

It looks like a previous owner tried to paint over the covering. I was going to get it out of the plane so I could give it a good cleaning and see what the best way forward would be.

I have a 77J with good cosmetics, except for the panel and yokes. I'm looking at powder coating the yokes when the weather breaks and would also like to do something for the panel. The panel looks like it is covered with some sort of material (maybe leather or nauga skin). I'd like to take it off and clean it up. There are four screws around each instrument. My question is...If I remove all those screws, will the panel come off like my old Cherokee, or am I risking a lot of expensive boxes coming loose?

Four AR-15 rifles, sitting up in the back seat. Got excellent service from the FBO at my fuel stop!

You guys are awesome, thanks so much.

Finally, the weather in NW Indiana was tolerable for a spin around the patch. After a week of cold frozen stuff, it was clear and mild. Get to the hanger and find a wet spot on the floor under the engine. The edges OD the spot are blue. There is a drip every few seconds. First thought was the sump was weeping, but it was dripping from the outlet in front of the drain. Got the mechanic and low and behold, it's the boost pump. So, it looks like I'm in the market for a replacement. Anyone know where to get one of these without sacrificing a mortgage payment? This is for a 1977 J. Thanks for your answers (I hope!)

Yes, that's exactly what I was looking for. A million thanks Bill

Please excuse, but I am starting another thread to try and cast a wider net for an answer. I have a 77J with a bad strobe tube. Pretty sure I have an original Hoskins power supply. I understand that the replacement tubes aren't available, but a Whelen tube can be used if the wires are reversed. What I don't know is what tube to order and from where. Does anyone out there have an actual part number for the replacement tube? Thanks Mike

Ok, so it looks like I'm joining the "my strobe don't work" club. The tube is pretty blacked up. I'm not sure if I have a Hoskins or Whelen supply. at this point I'm guessing that it is a Hoskins because I can't find a record of a replaceemnt in the aircraft records and the strobe, when it worked, was a single flash pattern. I haven't opened up the plate to get ot the supply, but did pull the tube out and, of course, it has no markings on it. Has anyone had any luck with Aircraft Spruce replacing these? Mike N201JV

Quote: smccray Why? I respect your decision, but I'd like to understand your concern.

Has anyone tried one of these. It temporarily replaces the dipstick to put heat into the engine? I use an external heater now, but don't really want to glue a pad heater to the case.

So I don't have to worry about it swelling too much when I get to 9000'?

OK, so the J I just bought has an inflatable door seal. Great. but it doesn't have any instructions. I know, pump it up to seal it and turn the knob to deflate. My question is when to do it. I would assume pumping it on the ground will result in over pressurizing of the seal as altitude is gained (enough to damage the seal or door frame?). Is this one more thing to futz with as I climb and decend? Any non-political pointers out there? Mike

"Perhaps I am losing my mind, but did I read on here in the last three days about someone buying a plane form All American and flying around Texas for some training?" That would be me... I did a lot of Internet shopping before actually getting my hands on some planes. I had a Cherokee 180 for about 12 years and decided the time was right to move up in complexity and speed. I spent a lot of time looking into the exact model I wanted. Saw a lot of ads. Learned to read between the lines (people generally don't put a one piece belly and three blade prop on unless something bad happened to the originals). Once i was focused, I made a list of the most likely prospects and started traveling. In early November, I visited with Dave McGee at All American. The guy has a lifetime of experience in Mooneys and is a great source of information. We flew one of the planes I was interested in for about an hour. Took it home to Kerrville so I could try a landing (the plane was sitting at their hanger at Kestral, a pretty hair raising runway for a Mooney newby). We talked a bit and I thanked him for his time. Very matter-of-fact, no pushy sales effort. He understood that I was serious and wanted to make sure I got the best plane for my needs and budget. I think that secretly he knew I would be back! And, after looking at some others in different places, I was. I bought a nice 1977 J with a very recent overhaul, new prop and great cosmetics. Wanting to be careful, I got a pre-buy on the plane. A couple of things popped up, which were addressed by Dave as "of course we will fix those" things. Half-way through the training hours, the #2 com/nav radio went toes up. Dave didn't hesitate to come through with a replacement and Bob and I slipped it in for an easy fix. Dave not only made the transaction very easy, he also hooked me up with Bob Cabe for transition training. Bob is truly an outstanding instructor. We flew all around the San Antonio area. Big airports, small airports. Wide runways and narrow strips. I learned an awful lot and also experienced some of the best BBQ I've ever had. After spending 2 days with Bob, I had no issues with launching from SAT to bring my plane back to NW Indiana. I can't really speak to the whole Mooney Mart issue, but I can say that if All American has a bird you are interested in, it's worth the plane ticket to pay them a visit. Mike

Well, I’ve gone and done it. I closed this week on a new to me 1977 J. The plane is in great condition and I look forward to our future adventures. I brought it back from Texas on New Years Eve and not only enjoyed the added cruise speed from my old Cherokee but also got a kick in the pants from a 40 kt tailwind (Dallas to NW Indiana in 4 hours!). I want to take this opportunity to thank Dave McGee at All American Aircraft. He gave me a fair deal on the plane. But, above all, he really went the extra mile to make sure I was satisfied. When the pre-buy inspection found a couple of items, he didn’t hesitate to make it right. During training flights around San Antonio, one radio failed. Dave got me a replacement right away. He also worked with me to schedule the transfer in a simple and easy way. Best of all, Dave arranged for Bob Cabe to provide the transition instruction required of my insurance carrier. Bob is an outstanding teacher and I learned an awful lot in our time together as we ate our way across Texas (hard to beat the lunch stops!). All in all, they’re a tough act to follow. Folks in the market should consider talking with the guys in Texas before making a final decision. Mike

Since the charts are a product of the government, the intellectual property is suppose to be copyright free and available for public use. The government can charge a reasonable fee to recover the cost of production and distribution of the publication, but is not suppose to use that as a source of revenue. In other words, the information is free, but the media costs. Seems to me that the costs being tossed around for the distribution of electronic copies of charts and plates is a bit beyond covering actual costs. Mike

Ok...Went to All American last Friday and flew a J for the first time. Wow, what a change from the old Cherokee! Fast, tight, and not at all difficult to get back on the ground. Even took a quick trip to Kerrville for sport. Definately lets me know I'm moving in the right direction. Dave has probably forgotten more about planes that I will ever learn. I do have a question fo the group. As far as teh tank valve goes in the '77 model, how does one go about actually switching tanks while in the air. Is ther an after-market prosthetic available to reach the lever? Is there a secret society of contortionists who rent out there services? I'm a bit bafffled on how to do it without pulling a muscle or getting stuck under the panel. Thanks Mike

What about this one? Opinions? http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/MOONEY-M20J-201/1978-MOONEY-M20J-201/1219111.htm?dlr=1&pcid=17527 Thanks Mike

Byron: Saw the one you posted. The pictures look really good, but I am concerned about the total time being over 5000 hours. Does this seem to be an issue? Also, how is All-American reputation wise? Mike

Well...I watched my Cherokee fly off into the sunset yeaterday. I flew to the bank to deposit the check. Now I'm grounded! Time to get moving on a purchase. Does anyone know anything about this one? I've been looking at the ad for some time. http://www.usedairplanes.com/Aircraft-for-Sale/Single-Engine-Piston/Mooney-M20J-201/1977-MOONEY-M20J-201-ad7144.html or this one? http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/Single+Engine+Piston/1978/Mooney/M20J+201/1126077.html Thanks Mike