exM20K

So this happpened a couple times on both batteries. It's intermittent and goes back to normal -1 or 0. Any ideas on how to troubleshoot?

I was told a long time ago by one of the manufacturers that it is because of the extremely fine filtering standards demanded by the spec. I don't know if 0.5 micron filtering is all that costly to do, but that's the company line.

It looks like the AC Track Tech device still turns the nose gear. That's obviously a big Mooney problem not solved by this device. It's pretty spendy, but the TowBot has a turntable for the nose gear and steers the device only, not the nose gear. I know an owner who moves a variety of planes from a DA42 to a Citation Mustang with one of these. I'll make do with a powertow and careful observation of the pitiful tow limits on the Acclaim, but if i didn't have a powertow, I'd take a careful look at the towbot.

Brad, Good call. I picked up 1/2" of clear ice on my car driving from west 'burbs to O'hare this morning. Freezing drizzle is nothing to mess with.

Another potential hazard to the nozzle is the tether connecting cowl plugs. It can pass into the gap behind the spinner, and if you're not careful, you can find yourself yanking on the nozzle. I'm always careful to route the tether in front of the blades.

i use a Powertow 3.5Hp model which works ok on the Acclaim. It does require regular fiddling to align properly, and the Acclaim is about as much plane as it's capable of moving. I've used the Sidewinder on DA42's, and it is a very good product provided that: You don't plan on moving the plane far You don't have to deal with snow and ice. Being able to take it along for the ride saved me a couple times when I'd taxied into one-way rows of planes. the DA42 is, like the long-body mooneys, very difficult to move by hand. On snow and ice, there's really nothing I've found short of a tractor or truck that will work well. I scatter sand on my ramp for traction, and drop the air pressure in the power tow tire, but haven't yet resorted to snow chains. This time of year, I'm envious of your FXE location!

Financially, it is probably better to trade for a FIKI aircraft rather than to do an installation. Used values are bumped by maybe $20k for TKS, and you can buy a discounted avionics upgrade at the same time or at least find a similar setup to what you've built. Or you can convert yours knowing that you won't get back more than half the spend. I installed non-fiki on my 231 20 years ago, and IIRC, it was something like $17,000. It was worth every penny to me since I commuted in the Northeast in the Mooney. There is a speed penalty of 8-ish knots that I've observed on both the Acclaim and the 231. That speed loss seems less at high altitudes, which makes sense given the lower IAS up high. TKS is also a leading-edge paint saver. The panels take the hit from rain, so you won't get the bald spots many Mooney's have on the leading edge.

I saw yours come and go from controller very quickly! Congrats on your hangar and being able to keep the plane. I bought a very similar 2009 acclaim within the last six weeks and am thrilled to be back in the mooney fold. Illinois is brutal in their use tax collection and enforcement, and trying to game it is likely to yield treble fines. There are services that specialize in gaming the cali taxes, and it is worth a few dollars to see about legal avoidance. -Dan

The G1000 planes had the gear switch tucked up behind the yoke, below the PFD. That was unfortunate, because one of the great things about the Mooney panel has always been the high / center gear lever. eg: this from a new Acclaim.

...and they got the gear lever back up where it's supposed to be!

Lasar did mine many years ago - they covered repaired, formerly cracked mess with fabric, and the result was excellent.

Derek, My home drome is 2250x30. I operated a 231 here for four years w/o incident. A friend brought a Bravo in landing to the south (2500') with no excitement at all, and I believe the Bravo is probably the worst short field mooney. Maybe the 2-bladed Ovations are worse. Search YouTube for "Mooney Landing 36 @ Naper" for proof! We also had the 231 and a 201 into North Captiva, FL (FL90) a number of times. While the field is only 1800' of grass, the approaches are clear, so you can drag it in with power. Practice, practice, practice and you should be able to get the mooney in most places.