Mooneymite

I was looking for a oximeter with an audible alarm. I don't want to have to figure out what the numbers mean while I'm going hypoxic. Unfortunately, the only models I could find were in the $250 range! Seems like there's a market opportunity for someone. Anyone know of a "cheapie" with an alarm?

+3

When we stay overnight downtown Knoxville, we use the Holiday Inn (Worlds Fair Park) because it's the only hotel with a free shuttle to/from Island airport. That's a super nice little airport! No soul-sucking was observed in the hotel van. :-)

As people "up-greade" from their Britain autopilots (both Mooney and Beechcraft), old Accutrak systems are beginning to show up on the shelves at the smaller avionics shops and entire systems can be bought very reasonably. You gotta look around, but I've boughgt several Britain components at really good prices. Look for one at a shop near you.

Hank, if you hadn't been using your tanks to haul moonshine out of WV, they probably would never have needed re-seal. I understand that stuff is really hard on the sealant.

Well, they were included in the negotiated purchase price. I'm not sure that's the same as not paying for them.

Mike, I never bought the bladders.....the previous owner gave up on re-seals and did the installation about 6 years before he sold it to me, so the decision was made for me. Dumb me, I really didn't even appreciate that the aircraft had bladders when I bought it. I do now! As far as "what if...."? No clue. I suspect that the re-seal process back in '92 wasn't as good as it is today. But had they been resealed instead of "bladderized", that re-seal would be coming up on 23 years old. With me operating off of turf, I can only guess that I'd be facing another re-seal today. As it is, the bladders still look perfect and there's no evidence that they will need any attention any time soon. Just speculating, obviously..... With the new sealing processes, I think there are two excellent options for us. I'm not sure why the bladder/re-seal subject always stirs up so much discussion. Each group seems happy with their choce, so what's not to like about that!

Unmodified M-20C 2300X23" 8.2 GPH .21 Mach.

Are you kidding? No way! My aircraft was less than 20 years old when the previous owner gave up on re-seals and did the bladders....the aircraft has now gone more than 20 years without a hint of a leak operating off of a turf runway. There's no evidence that the bladders are even close to end of life. If a bladder does leak, I just open the access plates and stuff a new bladder in and hook it up. Short term, bladders are expensive, long term not so much.

I would suspect that "limitations-wise", no there's no way to change the flap speed. However, from a practical perspective, if the spar mod is done and one "accidentally" over-speeds the flaps....say, up to 125 mph there would probably be no damage done.

I'd listen to what Joey recommends. He knows Mooneys and has seen plenty of tank leak/seeps/weeps. He has done bladder installs (I don't think he particularly likes to do them.) and knows the pros and cons. You have to make a determination of how long a fix you want. How long will you probably be keeping the plane?

Reading all these posts about fuselage air leaks makes me wonder if CO is a problem....particularly if the leaks are on/near the belly.

That's already been done. Wasn't it Gulfstream that charged first officers to fly for them in exchange for getting "airline experience"? My neighbor quips that he can't find college educated, hard workers starting at $60,000/year, but he can hire highly trained pilots with college degrees for $20K. Don't worry though. I've been told for the last 40 years that the pilot shortage is coming, so I know it's about to happen.

"Paying your dues" working in aviation seems to be a tradition. After I paid my dues in the Navy, I was rewarded with a job with a major airline in 1978. Starting pay while in my probationary year: $500/mo. gross (before taxes, etc.). My house payment at that time was $680/mo. I was delighted to get the job and there was no shortage of applicants. (Fishheads and rice can be really tasty!) Why do businesses pay pilots so poorly? Because they can.

All you need is a good union. You'll be making the big bucks in no time!

Well, quicker, too.

These events certainly made the disassemble-crate-ship-reassemble route look shorter than the MRY-HNL route!

I'm not sure what it would mean if my doctor referred me to a doctor he hated.... Is that professionalism, or does he have a death wish...for me.

When I bought my C, the seller had both a C and an F for sale. I had my choice; the F was 10K more and I went with the C. No regrets. I knew that 90% of my flying would be solo, or with my wife. Very occasionally, I've flown with three passengers and other than the clowns-in-the-phone-booth ingress/egress (which is pretty much the same for the C, or the F), it is very doable once the front seat passengers pull their seats forward, there's enough room. However, the bottom line is to buy a plane that meets 90% of your flying. If you need to carry 4 and lots of weight, rent a plane for those trips. Over the years, things that I didn't think much about before I bought turned out to be advantages of a later year C model: * Carbureted engine....simple, cheap to overhaul, reliable, and always starts easily....no dreaded hot starts. * Electric gear....fast, easy, no technique reqired. There's a 100 hr. AD that I do myself and have my IA sign off. Never had an issue. * Electric flaps....higher flap speeds and it doesn't break the aft spar stub if you over-speed them. * Bladder tanks....in 17 years, not a hint of a fuel leak. I operate off of grass, so this has been pretty important to me. * Overall investment is lower, but you get all those "Mooney advantages". * Lots of very affordable used parts available for the C should you ever need any. The C is a great basic airplane. Owning a C will make you an honorary member of the CB club since it's pretty obvious you're a guy who demands the most bang for the buck!

That's what's on my C since I've owned it. I didn't know there was another style bracket.

KSBA-PNHL=2156NM KHAF-PHHN=2009NM http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=haf-phhn&DU=nm&SG=130&SU=kts Either way, it's a long way to swim.....

Thanks for the tip! That's a great deal. Good detective work. How did you determine that the GMW-5 is a legal replacement? If it is, anyone who uses these in their lighting rheostat should buy a few spares before the close-out ends.

If you decide to fly, check with CarolAnn Garratt, Ocala, FL. She's done it several times in her J. http://alsworldflight.als.net/OurStory.aspx

I'd start by checking for a hangar. :-)

http://www.donmaxwell.com/publications/MAPA_TEXT/Shower%20of%20Sparks/Shower%20of%20Sparks.htm :-)