Mooneymite

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!

Welcome! Always nice to hear from folks just getting Mooney lust! One piece of advice I'd offer: Buy the plane you want. Do not buy something with plans to up-grade it. Up-grades are very expensive and you'll only get a percentage back when you sell. The perfect airplane for you is out there....be patient and wait for it. In my opinion, it's hard to go wrong with a Mooney, so you're on the right track!

Yes, Mooneys rock. My wife and I frequently fly our Mooney from our home south of Atlanta to Roanoke to visit. Takes about two hours and a half. This week, due to "circumstances" we took the airline: We left the house 2 hours before scheduled takeoff to allow for parking the car, the TSA and walking the miles of concourses to the plane. Naturally, the plane was delayed for oxygen servicing. 18 minutes of taxi time....the actual flight was only 56 minutes. Then we had to wait while our carry-on luggage was brought up from the belly of the RJ and make our way out to the street. All together it was almost 4 hours to go by jet. Did I mention that the tickets were almost $600? Yes, I love my Mooney, too.

I have no suggestions other than suspecting corrosion, but if you're rheostat is like mine, those ity-bity fuses are pretty expensive! I wonder why a more "standard fuse" was not used.

Not all prop strikes are created equal! Sounds like yours was "significant", but your A&P will have to decide on the degree of inspection/teardown. Here's the AD that defines a prop strike and directs you to the Lycoming service bulletin: http://www.caa.si/fileadmin/user_upload/pageuploads/AD-NOTE/AD-2004/038_FAA_AD_2004-10-14.pdf The Lycoming bulletin is at: http://www.lycoming.com/Portals/0/techpublications/servicebulletins/SB%20475C%20(01-30-2003)/Crankshaft%20Gear%20Modification%20and%20Assembly%20Procedures.pdf Notice that while there is virtually no "wiggle room" on what constitutes a prop strike, other than the replacement of the crank bolt and lockplate, the AD doesn't address much else. Changing out the crank bolt does not entail splitting the case, just removing the accessory section and sump of the O-360. I have two acquaintances that had engine failure directly attributable to previous, un-reported "minor" prop strike damage. It is something to be taken very seriously. Think about that while flying over W. Virginia on a dark night.

I'm old enough to remember when Americans felt the same way about Japanese products. "Jap-junk" was just starting to enter the U. S. Market when I was a kid. Cheap toys and bottom of the market merchandise were the entry point, but their progress was slow, but steady. I don't know that the Chinese have the same ability to constantly improve their products, but starting at the bottom worked out pretty well for at least that Asian country. Time will tell. If given the choice between Mooney being out of business, or Chinese, I think we'll all agree a Chinese Mooney is better than no Mooney at all.

I'm no lawyer, or physics major, but I suspect the asymetric forces are the culprit. Cycling the prop on run-up certainly causes a sudden RPM loss, but hopefully no damage. I think prop strikes are grossly under-reported. I have seen prop strikes where the "corrective action" by the owner was to clean off the prop. I saw a twin engine aircraft hit both props as he crested a grassy knoll with subsequent RPM decrease. No recognition, or remedial action. The owner/pilot seemed to have no understanding that what had occurred was a prop strike and required both engines to be inspected! I've had two friends who had engine failures (one on the ground, one in flight) because the crankshaft bolt sheared. I can only speculate that there had been an un-reported prop strike in the past. That bolt/lockplate must be replaced with a new one using a specific anti-seize to give the proper torque reading. Lycoming is very specific..... According to the AD, there's not much wiggle room on what constitutes a prop-strike, but if it isn't in the logbook, it didn't happen.....apparently.

Two references for you: http://www.caa.si/fileadmin/user_upload/pageuploads/AD-NOTE/AD-2004/038_FAA_AD_2004-10-14.pdf http://www.lycoming.com/Portals/0/techpublications/servicebulletins/SB%20475C%20(01-30-2003)/Crankshaft%20Gear%20Modification%20and%20Assembly%20Procedures.pdf Exerpts: Compliance (e) Compliance with this AD is required as indicated before further flight if the engine has experienced a propeller strike as defined in paragraphs (i) and (j) of this AD, unless already done. (f) Inspect, and if necessary repair, the crankshaft counter bored recess, the alignment dowel, the bolt hole threads, and the crankshaft gear for wear, galling, corrosion, and fretting in accordance with steps 1 through 5 of Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. 475C, dated January 30, 2003. (g) Remove the existing gear retaining bolt and lockplate from service, and install a new bolt and lockplate, in accordance with steps 6 and 7 of Lycoming MSB No. 475C, dated January 30, 2003. http://www.lycoming.com/Portals/0/techpublications/servicebulletins/SB%20475C%20(01-30-2003)/Crankshaft%20Gear%20Modification%20and%20Assembly%20Procedures.pdf Definition of Propeller Strike (i) For the purposes of this AD, a propeller strike is defined as follows: (1) Any incident, whether or not the engine is operating, that requires repair to the propeller other than minor dressing of the blades. (2) Any incident during engine operation in which the propeller impacts a solid object that causes a drop in revolutions per minute (RPM) and also requires structural repair of the propeller (incidents requiring only paint touch-up are not included). This is not restricted to propeller strikes against the ground. (3) A sudden RPM drop while impacting water, tall grass, or similar yielding medium, where propeller damage is not normally incurred. (j) The preceding definitions include situations where an aircraft is stationary and the landing gear collapses causing one or more blades to be substantially bent, or where a hanger door (or other object) strikes the propeller blade. These cases should be handled as sudden stoppages because of potentially severe side loading on the crankshaft flange, front bearing, and seal.

I bought a Mooneymite years ago. It's a single place, so there's no flight checkout. When I picked the plane up, I got a short explanation of how the manual gear worked. I got to my first destination okay and spent the night. The next morning I flew a very short flight to a nearby airport for fuel. When I took off, I forgot to RETRACT the gear. Entering downwind at the destination, I knew I had to do "something" with the gear and I raised the gear, thinking I was extenidng it! Low speed, short flight segment, the gear didn't seem to make any difference up or down. I had virtually no experience with the plane. On short final, I just could't seem to slow down....that was a clue. I looked around and realized the gear was up and that I was about to join "those who had". Happy ending. Good lesson.

I resemble that remark!

If you're looking for that elusive gain in useful load, do NOT weigh your plane! Ask me how I know! Okay, I'll tell you anyway. I bought my plane in 1998. Years ago, after a concentrated program of getting rid of "stuff" like boat-anchor DME, ADF and useless wires, connectors, etc. I was carrying, I had my plane weighed and the empty weight was still MORE than the weight and balance showed. We rechecked everything...amount of oil, fuel on board, dust, dirt, EVERYTHING. Then we checked the scales....dead on. Planes gain weight with age. It's a proven fact. Owners and their mechanics tend to under estimate modifications . From now on, all my empty weight numbers will be derived mathematically! No more reality for me. .

Thanks. PM sent.

Thanks. Lots of choices for throttle linkages, but no luck finding the stop nut. I'm still looking.

Generally, the same thing that makes you forget to put the gear down will also make you forget your checklist.