Mooneymite

When bought my Mooney, the logbook documenting the first 8 years was missing. However, the IA did a good job documenting what was of value in that first logbook based on "other records". The "new" first logbook" had all the AD compliance and service bulletin information included from day one. Other paper work supplied the names/dates of previous annuals, etc. So while the logbook was technically gone, most of the information had been reconstructed. However....and here's the kicker: if someone wants to hide something, a lost logbook is a good try. In my case, the owner had continued to fly/maintain the airplane for 15 years after the loss of the logbook, so I felt confident that it was an okay airplane....and it has been....for the last 18 years. However, when I decide to sell, I'm sure prospective buyers will beat me up over that logbook.

>>>>I know hangaring is best, I have an airport 3 minutes from my house. They likely aren't going to have any hangars for a while. Should I take the airplane to an airport 40 minutes away so I can get the hangar? <<< Yes, a hangar is important for many reasons. Piece of mind during bad weather is just one of them. The fact is that when you first own an airplane, a 40 minute drive is pure pleasure, but after the novelty of ownership has worn off, the longer the drive to the airport, the less you will fly it. It won't take more than a time, or two, arriving after a 40 minute drive that you forgot to bring some vital piece of flight gear, or paperwork and you will begin to hate the drive. "Bopping over" to put a charger on your battery will involve an hour and 20 minutes of driving.... ...so you won't. The closer to your home, the better! Yes, get on that hangar list yesterday. At some airports, it will move pretty fast because not everyone on the list really wants the hangar when it comes available.

Everything you need to know about safe landing distance: http://www.boldmethod.com/blog/video/2015/05/this-is-the-definition-of-a-short-field-landing/

Good for you! To survive we have to keep being student pilots....always learning.

Well..... If this thread is going to go in a predictable manner, someone needs to mention Marvel Mystery oil about now.

I don't. Never have.

Make sure it's not residue from the filter housing itself. During the cutting-open operation, it's possible to get a few slivers of contaminants, that will show up on the magnet.

I know an automotive engineer, who ran Havoline 10W-30 in his Mooney for years. I do not know what became of his Mooney after he died; I'd love to know if the engine ever had oil issues. Note....this is neither and endorsement, nor recommendation.....just the facts. (It was an 'F' model. I think he sold it to some dude in DE who liked pictures of fat chicks....)

Hmmmm. I guess I'm the "other guy". I change oil and filter every 50 hours. My previous engine went to 2400 hours and was still running well when I decided that was far enough beyond TBO for me. No oil issues on either engine. I get about 10-10.5 hours/quart. I've never run anything but Aeroshell W-100 until a couple of years ago when I switched to W-100+. I don't think one can change oil "too often", the more often the better, but I've had satisfactory results at 50 hours. YMMV.

Bob, I agree that flying with an inoperative ASI is an abnormal situation. However, it is something that does occur....sometimes something as simple as a bug in the pitot tube can bring it on, but a badly iced airplane would be much trickier. Each of us must be prepared to deal with it, but if you think about it, in most of our cockpits we have lots of resources. Knowing your pitch/power combinations and where your trim is "normally" set for various configurations/conditions is paramount, but we can also make educated guesses about airspeed based on GPS groundspeed and estimated wind information. The feel of the airplane's controls as you approach stall speed, the noise level (if you take off those noise cancelling headsets!) and the indications of other working instruments all go a long way toward mitigating loss of IAS. Remember, too that ATC can provide groundspeed information if they can see you. Abnormal, yes....emergency, maybe, but your training can mitigate this situation.

On some BFR's it's nice when the pilot can identify the ASI and tell me what it does.....

And that, sir, is the guiding light behind all of Darwinism. However, for some to be free, some must die and that is the Darwin effect. All errors are (eventually) self-correcting.

I love stories with happy endings. That's a good tip....thanks for sharing.

There are several well documented "sight picture" illusions that have repeatedly fooled pilots. As we become accustomed to an aircraft, we do develop a "sight picture", but we must always cross check it with our instruments.

The problem with "just looking out the window" is that the picture can be very different. One picture is not necessarily safe in all conditions and I think the number of accidents that occur either on the downwind turn, or the base to final turn bear this out. If you've ever done much instructing, you know how pilots can get a very wrong perspective based on runway slope, strong headwinds, narrow runways lined with trees, extremely wide runways, and so forth. Don't ignore the seat of your pants, but "Fly the numbers"....or for those who have AOA sytems, the angel of attack.

I hope this change works out for you! You deserve a break!

This question dove-tails into a question I asked about max-endurance speed/power settings for holding. http://mooneyspace.com/topic/6024-holding-power-settingsbest-econ-speed/?hl=%2Bmooneymite+%2Bholding+%2Bspeed#entry77146 Seems like we're always interested in flying fast and getting to our destinations efficiently, but there really are no numbers that I'm aware of for just staying aloft going nowhere. When my son was building time in our 'C', he used 1900 RPM a lot, but I really don't know what kind of performance he experienced. I do know fuel-wise, it was cheaper than a C-172 for similar speed.

Big reason to keep the step is to encourage your passengers not to step on the flaps!

No, the $20 is "additional". The subsequent post breaks it down, but what the gal told me is accurate. The $31 stop/drop fee is an unadvertised special for pilots who act nice and don't complain. :-)

Actually, many nav devices store mag var data and apply it to true track data for derrived mag track, or vice versa. Generally, the 430 is set up to display mag track, but internally it computes both mag and true. If you have mag compass and air data computer inputs, it can give you wind info which is really not wind, but the computed difference between heading/TAS and track/GS which for all intents and purposes is "wind". Anyone here remember the days of the drift-meter and later, the Doppler GS/Drift angle! No, I don't want to live in a world without GPS!

My guess would be M=magnetic, T= True since that tends to be the standard for compass nomenclature. I haven't a clue if it displays heading, or track info.

I just happened to be at ATL Landmark, so I asked about fees....here it is from the receptionist: Stop/drop on ramp for 15 minutes or less, no fuel purchase: $31 Stop/drop on ramp for more than 15 minutes, but not overnight: $51 Stop/drop buy 15, or more gallons of ($9) avgas: $11 Overnight fees for small single: $20.

As I tell my wife.....much more expensive than the care and feeding of a Mooney!

I suspect there might be a derelict/abandoned aircraft in Bangladesh.....just look around.

>>>>Has anyone actually landed at ATL?<<<<< I see single engine airplanes parked there from time to time, so "someone" is landing there. Ramp/landing fees are one thing, but fitting in with all the commercial traffic at certain times of the day would not be my idea of fun. The separation/wake turbulence issues would be a headache for the controllers and the pilot. The MARTA runs from inside the ATL terminal directly up to a station within a mile of PDK and costs about $2....that would be my solution. Alternatively, a cab ride to FTY would be less than the ramp fee at ATL!