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Everything posted by Mooneymite
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If landing at a lot of different airports is your goal, go work for a fractional. After 30 years of Navy and airline flying, I had only landed at about 100 different locations....I hadn't even landed at all the airports served by my airline. After the first 12 years with the fractional I was up to well over 650 airports...I'm not sure what the total was when I quit. The rich and the famous definitely fly into some unusual locations...some of them private airports. Question for you carrier pilots: if you land on the same carrier, but it changes locations, does that count toward a different airport?
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Additional Shock Absorber on Nose Wheel
Mooneymite replied to D-EDDN's topic in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)
I operated my C off of grass for 24 years with the nose gear shock in place. I never had a porpoise-event, but thought it was just due to my superlative piloting..., but maybe that shock was compensating for some less than perfect landings? -
Every time I read one of these threads about hangar availability/cost/restrictions, I wonder why more pilots don't go the fly-in community route. Owning your own hangar on your own land on a community owned/controlled runway is hard to beat. While building your own hangar to include all of the required add-ons (man cave, workshop, beer cooler, etc) is not cheap, there will be a chance to recoup all that when you sell. With so many people working remotely, living with your plane has never been more doable.
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Plastic Gear Retraction/Extension Handle on Panel
Mooneymite replied to Echo's topic in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)
I happened to find these pictures in my files...a 74 C model. Perhaps these will help you find the part? -
You might give these folks a call....several experience CFIs associated: https://www.apaflyers.com/
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Don't tell Lindbergh. The Mooney is a fabulous flying airplane. Try it. You might like it!
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At the end of the day, it's still an M-20C. There has to be a rational relationship between what the bare bones plane is worth and the extras you add. Looks to me you have a great airplane. Turn the autopilot off and fly it.
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BK/TT CANCELLS ALL AEROCRUZE ORDERS WITH AC SPRUCE
Mooneymite replied to cliffy's topic in Avionics/Panel Discussion
I think @cliffy is right. So, following his analysis/projecting into the future, will we not all be better off sidestepping into the world of experimental where all the latest and greatest is first introduced and is actually available? Apparently, certification has destroyed the ability to produce planes, parts, or avionics and make a profit. We are wilting on the FAA vine. At this point, why buy a certified aircraft? -
Just guessing you will find a bent push rod under the belly skin. Why it bent is another question, but I'm guessing the gear preload was not correct. Glad there was no injury and no further damage.
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ANOTHER PATTERN COLLISION - NOT M20
Mooneymite replied to DCarlton's topic in Mooney Safety & Accident Discussion
Rarely, but occasionally. Usually a "seemingly" false alert is triggered by a target without altitude reporting. TCAS may be reacting to a target thousands of feet away vertically, but without mode C, "how do it know"? -
Truly the voice of experience!
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ANOTHER PATTERN COLLISION - NOT M20
Mooneymite replied to DCarlton's topic in Mooney Safety & Accident Discussion
With full blown TCAS installed, it is interesting how often the pilots' instincts are exactly opposite what the boxes are telling the pilots to do. Simple things like relative altitude and closure rate can be very deciptive. The first rule of TCAS is "Do what TCAS says". the pilot is to ignore ATC instructions and his own instncts. TCAS does not give lateral guidance, merely vertical guidance. Keeping the problem one dimensional seems to have merits. -
ANOTHER PATTERN COLLISION - NOT M20
Mooneymite replied to DCarlton's topic in Mooney Safety & Accident Discussion
I'm sorry that your experience at PRB with jets is so bad. I can assure you that when a jet driver, I had exactly the same the same goal as everyone else in the pattern: a safe operation. I have done many (many!) go arounds, and extended patterns to accomodate slower traffic that had the right of way and many that didn't. A VFR pattern is a "high-tension event" when flying a jet into an uncontrolled environment. Mr. Moneybags, in the back, pays a lot of money for a safe flight, that's what his pilots are providing. Being first, fastest, or badest is nowhere on the list of priorities. As an aside, thank you to the many (many!) pilots who voluntairily gave way in the interest of efficiency and safety. -
As the OP, I am amazed at the incredible collective technical knowledge of Mooneyspace. You guys are incredible...not just in your technical expertise, but your ability to explain difficult concepts to us, "less than brilliant" pilots. However, I have been so distracted by the erudite discussion that I have missed the answer to my original question: "....can anyone explain why Lycoming does not make recommendations for straight weight viscosity based on the average engine oil operating temperature instead of just ambient temperature at startup? " Can I actually use W80 in Atlanta in the summertime if the ground runup ambient temperature is less than about 90 degrees F? My biplane oil temp runs about 190F summer, or winter. Lycoming would have me believe the answer is "Yes, W80 is fine".
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Oder to get things done. M20C
Mooneymite replied to Will74's topic in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)
On Mooneys of that age and era, how is the aft spar? How is the nose gear truss? -
If you want ever-lasting tire tread, land on grass.
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I seem to remember multiple posts about this phenomenon on Mooneyspace over the years and I have experienced it myself with my O-360. Just a very brief "roughness" then everything returns to normal. When It happened to me, I presumed it was a "bubble" of water that had failed to show up in the fuel sample. No long term ill effects, no answers, no solutions....just an "anomaly". However, as the previous poster alluded, expect this as soon as you go feet-wet on your trip to the Bahamas. "It's all in your head, mon."
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Best UV protection is a hangar. Good for paint and plexiglass. Also effective against wind, hail and vandals.
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Happily, in a free market, buyers and sellers can do as they please. There's a lot more to a transfer of ownership than just the PPI. If there's no agreement on how the PPI will be conducted, the other 700 steps probably won't go smoothly either. Best that the owner keep looking for a buyer and the buyer keep looking for a seller. Not every combination of Mooney lover works.
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So, as a seller, rather than take a chance, it is a simple thing to say, "Bring your A&P/IA/friend/whatever to my hangar and have a look. If you can't do your PPI in my hangar, have a nice day." As long as the airplane is in the owner's hangar, he's in control. Once the airplane leaves the owner's hangar....not so much.
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Insurance renewal shock
Mooneymite replied to Chris Briley's topic in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)
Ha! I guess the insurance companies think statistically I'm way overdue for a crash! Much as I hate the situation, the insurance companies hold all the cards. We just thought the FAA, the big FBO's and the tax man were our worst nightmares. The underwriters have got to pay for the 737 Max debacle one way, or another. -
I agree, completely. As an owner, if a potential buyer finds "something wrong", how does that hurt anyone except an unscrupulous seller?
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And does the seller supply all the tools and equipment? Depends on who has what. This is a "discussion item". And if I shop holds a plane hostage, that is when you call the local police. The problem arises when there's a difference of opinion about what's airworthy. Any owner would be reticent to fly his plane home after an A&P declares something "unairworthy". The owner is stuck. Calling the police won't help. Keeping the plane in one's own hangar simplifies the process.
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If you want to know about an airplane, get to know the owner...
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This is not unreasonable in my opinion. As long as the seller allows you and your mechanic access, I understand a seller's reticence to ferry his plane "hither and yon". A good PPI can take place in the owner's hangar; the buyer may have to pay more to make it happen. Too many stories of airplanes being held hostage by the buyer's shop. A ferry flight from one local airport to another, might work, but an hour cross country flight? No way!