Mooneymite

I love this board! Everyone has at least one opinion and facts to back it up. Just to enter the fray, I'm in the "use flaps for takeoff" camp since: .I fly off of grass .My POH says to do so .All the planes I've made a living flying make a lot of noise if the pilot fails to deploy flaps prior to applying take-off power! In other words, it is part of my habit pattern. Having said that, I can agree that the flaps are a "tool" to be used as the circumstances dictate....even if the POH doesn't. One HUGE reason NOT to use flaps for takeoff is that you don't have to worry about over-speeding them when you forget to retract them....something I've obviously NEVER done....or at least never admitted doing. Happily, ROP/LOP is not a hot topic for us "carburetor guys". Otherwise, I'm sure I'd have a strong opinion on that too. So....what do you think about Marvel Mystery oil?

If you fly the Smoky Mountains leaf-peeking, Knoxille has an airport very close to downtown, right on an island in the river. ( http://www.airnav.com/airport/KDKX). TYS approach control is very accomodating. Your approach will take you right over the city. The FBO is very friendly (as is most everyone in Knoxville). The downtown Holiday Inn will pick up/drop off for free if you are a guest. Once at the hotel, everything is walking distance. Don't even try to get a reservation on a football weekend!

Our military aviators may start out in turboprops, or (in years past) the T-37, but they don't have to find insurance. That's taken care of by their rich uncle. Were I an underwriter, I would definitely take an interest in the details of the deal.

Actually, unless you step up to a jet, there won't be a vast increase in anything!

Gutsy move. Keep us posted! I have a doctor friend who bought a brand new, from the factory A-36 to train in. He never soloed, but he really looked good in his sunglasses and new airplane and that's what's important!

Gotta be careful comparing fuel flows. My 9 GPH is "block to block average", not the fuel flow at 135 kts. Typicallly, cruising at 135 I'm burning less than 9 depending on atmospherics. The Arrow burns more in the MPG category than the Mooney in my (very limited) experience. YMMV.

KTYS actually has multiple hotels easy walking distance from TacAir. The Courtyard is directly across the street. Most offer some sort of "Deal".

If you ever get a chance to see/stay, do so. It is very unusual. The WWII officer's club is terrific.

Not the same situation as yours, but my "Over-voltage" light started coming on occassionally. Since I was going on a long cross-country, I went to Aircraft Spruce and bought a replacement voltage regulator (controller?) and put it in the baggage compartment, lest I have trouble on the road I'd have the part. When got back, I cleaned several electrical grounding points. I've never had another "over-voltage", but that is probably because that new part is still stored in the baggage compartment...not because I cleaned the grounding points.

Most convenient overnight I've had recently was in St. Petersburg, FL. KSPG. http://www.airnav.com/airport/KSPG There is a great Hilton Hotel virtually right across the street from the FBO. http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/hilton-st-petersburg-bayfront-SPTSHHF/index.html Since the airport is right downtown, you won't need a car. You can see your parked plane from the concierge lounge! The FBO charged me less to park my airplane than the hotel would have charged to park a car!

I have a '74 C model, no speed mods what-so-ever. I consistently get 135 TAS and 9 GPH (block to block on trips 1 hour, or more.). I've had the plane for 15 years and have a lot of performance history to validate this. Obviously any given flight will vary slightly due to atmospherics, but "on average", 135 TAS and 9GPH. I've got time in a 200HP Arrow and never got close to 135 at Mooney fuel flows.

I agree with those who suggest turning off the landing light(s). Unless you make yourself look down-field, your eyes are drawn to the illuminated area close to the plane and you lose your vertical cues. In the Navy we called this "spotting the deck"....or as some quipped, "splotting the deck". Turning off the landing lights was a technique I used when a student made hard landings at night. Usually worked like a charm. Once he got the picture, we started using the lights again. Don't try this on an unlighted airport.

Looks like they have a system for experimental planes at $116. (For those of us who also fly "on the dark side"). http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/navstrobesextant1.php?clickkey=961319

Yes. Maybe not so much if you don't fly IFR. I don't think Garmin is supporting the Non-WAAS units anymore. If your non-WAAS breaks, you have to do the up-grade as part of the repair.

Me, too. I've bought several up-dates from him. I met him once passing through Naples. Nice fellow, prompt and does what he says.

I read somewhere that airlines generally replace main tires on the right side more often due to most pilots being "right-footed" and consequently braking more heavily on that side. Anyone else remember this?

I've always replaced tires "on condition". No problems noted. However, what do I know about tires? I operate off of grass. My tires dry rot before they wear out! Do not go cheap on the tube! Some tubes leak down, others don't.

A few years ago, I had a long correspondence with a Garmin Rep about the ridiculous cost of the data cards. With memory chips being so cheap, it's pretty obvious Garmin is just charging "what it can". The rep stead-fastly maintained that these memory cards are "very special" and that they have to pass all sorts of quality tests that make them expensive and well worth the price Garmin charges. Apparently durability is not one of the tests. As far as I've been able to determine they are cheaply made and Garmin knows that after a certain number of removals for up-date that we'll have to buy replacements. While I don't want to see Garmin go out of business by giving its products away, there seems to be plenty of middle ground for a huge price reduction on the cost of the WAAS memory cards. However, based on my conversation with Garmin they have no interest in what consumers think. The rep hinted that on future products, memory cards would not be interchangeable and that the unit, the subscription and the cards would all have to be factory matched to preclude sharing data cards between users. While I generally like Garmin products, it seems Garmin has lost touch with the consumers.

I bought a Kidde CO detector for our house and took it along on a trip in my Mooney. I was surprised to find the memory reading was above 50 ppm when I got back. Definitely got my attention. After looking over the exhaust system and around the engine compartment, I went flying again and watched the detector display. Very quickly I discovered that the highest reading was during taxi-out with the door cracked open (poor man's AC). When I closed the door, the readings dropped to zero and stayed there. Apparently the exhaust gets sucked in while taxiiing. I now carry that cheapee detector with me on most flights. I just set it on the back seat where it is more, or less, in the flow of vent air. I know it's not "aircraft quality", but it is sure better than what I had before. It's comforting to see it read "0".

Ah! Yes, those are some of the millions of dry wells owned by airline pilots who invested in "developmental drilling" in order to get rich quick. Gold, indeed!

Perhaps someone with a better memory can help, but I seem to remember that there is a problem with Mooney Power Flow exhaust longevity. I think I read "somewhere" that after a few years, the interior pipes collapse and restrict the exhaust.... Anyone else remember?

I carry a standard bolt as an emergency fuel quick drain. If one leaks on the road, I can use this to stop the fuel leak while I scout out a proper replacement. About $.40 at Lowes and there's no O-ring life limit on it. Happily, I've never needed it.

From my experience, I can tell you the best way to never need a certain part is to have a spare one! If you really want to make sure you'll never need that part again, have two spares!

Oh, I understand that an efficient machine needs to be compact, but anyone who has worked on Mooney's knows there are lots of simple things Mooney could have done to make it more mechanic friendly. Mooney could save owners a lot of money over the life of the plane by reducing shop hours for routine maintenance items, so it's on my wish list. If you love wrenching on your Mooney, you may be masochistic!

An "easier, cheaper-to-maintain" Mooney! Instead of 12 screws to attach an access panel, how about two screws and a hinged panel? Easy to open engine cowling? Oil filters that are easy to get to and safety wire? Minimize the specialized tools! For example, the "gear rigging tool" could have been a hex head on the gear links. Talk to mechanics who do routine maintenance tasks and find out how to cut their shop time. A lot of the shop time required by our Mooneys is just to get access to the troubled part. Learn from the experimental guys and avoid specialized, fabricated parts. Make the people who design Mooneys do routine maintenance on them. I think they'd have a lot better idea how to improve maintainability! We own the most efficient machines in the air.....but not in the shop!