Dave Marten

Mooney Caravan to Oshkosh XVII: An Invitation to Participants The Mooney Caravan organization is pleased to announce that planning and preparations are well underway for the 17th annual Mooney Caravan to Oshkosh on Sunday July 27, 2014. The Mooney Caravan is a formation mass-arrival to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh each summer and first flew in 1998 as a means for fellow Mooney pilots to camp together in the North 40 (see history). This is absolutely the best and safest alternative to the Fisk arrival and is the only viable option if you want to camp beside your friends. This event grew over the years with a peak of 97 aircraft participating in 2000. In 2009, Caravan organizers made the decision to overhaul the organization and flight format in order to improve the safety and quality of the mass flight into Oshkosh. Our organization is dedicated to facilitating a safe and enjoyable mass arrival formation flight into EAA AirVenture Oshkosh each year, as well as developing opportunities throughout the year to get together and fly our fantastic airplanes. Our participants share a strong sense of camaraderie and the friendship’s borne via our common interests in aviation and Mooney aircraft span the continent and the entire year between Caravan flights. The Mooney Caravan is sponsored by Mooney International. Our organization has developed a great relationship with Mooney’s new management team, who will be participating in the Caravan flight and many of our events during EAA AirVenture. Check out Mooney’s new website www.mooney.com. Caravan 2014 Our twelve person volunteer team has been working very hard since last year’s very successful full formation 25-ship mission in preparation for this year’s flight. The 2014 Mooney Caravan is scheduled to leave Madison (KMSN) Sunday July 27 at 10:30 A.M. The Caravan 2014 flight will consist of 3-ship elements (per our LOA with the FAA). The flights will be separated slightly more than the inter-element spacing to absorb and correct for compression and expansion effects as the flight progresses from MSN to OSH. In order to participate in the Caravan flight, pilots will be required to have demonstrated formation flight proficiency preferably by prior formation clinic attendance (strongly recommended) and must attend the briefing at 8 A.M Sunday morning. Most pilots will arrive at Madison during the day on Saturday July 26. There will be opportunities to fly formation sorties for fun and practice during the day Saturday. Saturday evening festivities include the annual Mexican dinner, pilot's "roast" and "naming" ceremonies. The easiest way to demonstrate formation flight proficiency is to attend one of the many formation clinics across the nation organized by our team (see https://sites.google.com/site/mooneycaravan/training) as well as our very supportive colleagues in the Bonanzas to Oshkosh (B2OSH) and Cherokees to Oshkosh groups. With prior coordination, most B2OSH clinics are open to Mooney pilots and all who have participated in these clinics have been warmly welcomed and immediately made part of their community. The learning opportunities have been absolutely outstanding and the experience exceptional. The watershed realization for most participants with no prior formation experience is that it is so much easier being 50 feet away from another plane as compared to 500 or 1500 feet away in terms of station keeping. With basic exposure to the principles of station-keeping (no overlap, wingman never passes lead, establish and constantly reference a sightline on lead, utilize very small control inputs), the learning has been quick and in very short order, pilots were conducting 2-ship formation take-offs, executing a series of turns and returning to a formation landing after 30 – 40 minute sorties with relative ease – and a ton of fun! In one weekend, with a little classroom time and 3 - 4 sorties followed by thorough debriefs of every flight (SOP for formation flying!), pilots are comfortable and qualified to fly in simple formation manoeuvres (most of which are beyond the requirements for the Caravan flight!). At this time, many Caravan formation flight candidates have already attended a clinic. If not, we are offering two more clinics between now and late July as follows: NE clinic - May 31- June 1 Lancaster, PA TX clinic - June 21-23 San Marcos, TX There are also seven B2OSH regional clinics scheduled over the same time period (see http://www.b2osh.org). Please don't be deterred if you haven’t flown formation and can’t make it to a clinic but still want to fly the in Caravan this summer - contact us now! Someone may be able to fly with you to allow you to demonstrate proficiency as we have resources and pilots all over the country. Please visit our website https://sites.google.com/site/mooneycaravan/home to find out more and to register for the 2014 Mooney Caravan. For many photos and videos of recent events and clinics, please visit https://mooneycaravan.shutterfly.com/. Check out our Facebook page by searching Mooney Caravan! I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all past Caravan participants to return for 2014 and to invite all Mooney pilots considering a trip to AirVenture this year to join us in Madison this summer. Chris “Toro” Shopperly President, Mooney Caravan Educational and Safety Foundation www.mooneycaravan.com

Thanks guys! What a great quiz. http://www.aopa.org/apps/quizzes/ I tried to imagine the stereotypical Mooney pilot and plugged in those answers.....the quiz is spot-on! Found a way to answer with a little bit of Friday humor! This combo seriously leads to a Mooney! Have a good laugh The "Mooney Pilot" - God help us all! 1.I wanna fly before 1980! Gas is too expensive now even LOP! 2. My favorite aviator: Lindbergh- Of course the one who flew the furthest on the least gas! 3. My favorite aviation movie is: The magic of flight - The one that doesn't involve combat and mostly keeps the wings level! 4. Will buy a new car, but......the last new one I bought was nearly 20yrs ago! 5. The car I'd most like to drive is a: Porsche - speed and efficiency. Little engines can do big things too! 6. The motorcycle I'd most like to ride is a: VESPA! (smallest engine of course!) 7. I love rollercoasters! NO - remeber keep the wings level damn it! 8. I bought my first smartphone in: I STILL DON'T OWN ONE! 9. An airframe parachute is: Nice, but not necessary 10. I'm willing to pay over $50 for a fine bottle of wine because I can taste the difference and the better product is worth it. - HELL NO! 11. My dream aviation trip would take me - Distant Island - I enjoy the long range flight (lean of peak) and I have been known to be socially awkard at times. Hiking is too much work. Sports involves too many people and too much excitement. 12. I prefer driving a car with: Automatic - they invented those things for a reason. Let's keep this simple please. 13. Reducing my carbon footprint is: If you don't make me work at it I'll do it. I consider flying LOP to be my contribution to reducing my emissions. 14. If I were a U.S. military pilot, the airplane I'd most like to fly is a: Ok, an F/A-18, I have a bit of an edge, but let's not get too exicted about this. C-17 is just too big, remember I prefer the Vespa over the Harley! AND THE ANSWER IS..... MOONEY 201. Congrats YOU ARE A MOONEY PILOT! Now crack open those hangars doors and go fly 'em! Note: I put in my own answers and got a P-51, great, but I'll never be able to afford to own one. So cheers to the Mooney! Blue Skies!

Gents, Location and date will solidify soon. The Texas clinic will be discussed at Kerrville this weekend during Homecoming. Leaning toward mid-late June. North Texas Regional (KGYI) is high on my list as is Kerrville. I'm working with our B2Osh friends to assist with safety pilot support as we do not yet have enough formation qualified Mooney drivers in Texas to handle the volume on our own. Gathering a cadre of safety pilots to facilitate training will impact our choice of location. We WILL make this happen! Details will be available soon! For those of you who are saddled up with your spurs on and have no problem flying north of the Red River you're welcome to attend the Caravan clinic in Wichita, KS 16-18 May. https://sites.google.com/site/mooneycaravan/training/2014-wichita

Go knock the rust off with that BFR and then come on out and fly formation. Since you're in NorCal talk to Don Kaye if you want to get your money's worth out of the flight review. www.donkaye.com In addition to being a Master CFI and "Maestro of the Mooney" he's also a Caravan pilot.

Fantom, What are your plans for '14?

DaV8or, NorCal is right around the corner and in your area! Bonanzas are hosting. Come on out: https://www.b2osh.org/MbrPgm/Events/EventsOne.asp?R8r06=IDI There is a very active group of Mooney Caravan pilots in NorCal who'd be happy to get you in the air. PM me if you'd like direct contact info. Let's go fly! BTW, Chris Shopperly, Canadian 252 owner and Caravan Pres, was down in Phoenix on business so he spent the weekend in Yuma helping train new formation pilots! 20 Mooneys spent the weekend flying on the border. pics at www.mooneycaravan.shutterfly.com

In this example the pilot had NOT be issued an approach clearance and was under IFR control. No release granted or implied by approach control. The pilot should not intiate his own contact with the tower while still under IFR control with approach. That is the procedural foul. In this case the pilot, by initiating his own switch while under positive IFR control is wrong. In this case if the pilot initiated a descent out of his IFR assigned altitude without clearance he's wrong. Be patient, report the field, recieve your clearance for the visual and handoff to tower, and have a nice day. For the 5th time.....if you want to ship yourself over to tower and descend on your own you need to say the magic words...Cancel IFR. Study up on your instrument procedures boys! IPC's for all my friends!

Banjo, We really enjoyed meeting you at Oshkosh and loved your banjo playing each evening! Please join us if you find yourself in the States this summer. Thanks for the video!

You should not switch to tower on your own when under IFR control...period. So dump the IFR! For the fourth time.....if VMC key the mic, CANCEL IFR, squawk 1200.....THEN proceed inbound VFR. Establish your two way comm prior to entering the class D and land. Don't hand yourself off to the next controlling agency. Nothing will piss off ATC more then a pilot trying to do their job for them. There may be a damn good reason why they aren't talking to you at the moment. So either be patient or cancel your IFR services.

If you are VMC and able to maintain VMC to the field your best answer is to CANCEL IFR. State your cancellation, squawk 1200, and contact tower outside their Class D. The busy controller will hear your cancellation and/or SEE your VFR sqwauk. Proceed with a VFR arrival. Gotta state that IFR cancellation! If you are not able to maintain VMC then your stuck waiting on the controller. If on that IFR clearance you must maintain your last assigned altitude (3000MSL in your case) until reaching your clearance limit (FDK) if still unable to get a word in you need to hold at the clearance limit AIM: "If the requested clearance is not received prior to reaching the clearance limit fix, the pilot will be expected to enter into a standard holding pattern on the radial or course to the fix unless a holding pattern for the clearance limit fix is depicted on a U.S. Government or commercially produced (meeting FAA requirements) low or high altitude enroute, area or STAR chart. In this case the pilot will hold according to the depicted pattern." For your example: Best Answer in VMC - State your IFR cancellation, squawk 1200, contact tower outside the Class D, and proceed with a VFR arrival. Do not descend for the field on your own while still under on an IFR clearance - cancellation is key (3rd reminder).

NO. This is NOT a lost comm situation. Lost comm procedures are not a solution for busy radios.

Yes.

Amen brother! Your first love is always the sweetest. This one's for you Fantom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrNiA-_gF1A Cheers!

Only mentioned the P-39 for the driveshaft/engine configuration. Remote-mounted engines in aircraft, while a challenge, has been successful. Just to be clear the little Airacobra is not on my top beauty or performance list. But in all fairness she found her niche and did her job.

Extended driveshafts in aircraft were solved 70 years ago with the P-39 Airacobra and P-63 King Cobra. The P-63 was powered by mid fuselage mounted 1800hp V-12 and ran the driveshaft forward under the pilot. They didn't have a problem. Incidentally more of these quirky little P-39s and P-63s were built then the total production of run of all Mooney aircraft to date. The Bugatti guys do have two articulated shafts to deal with. I eagerly look forward to their success! To me the most beautiful airplane is the XB-70 Valkyrie. Of course I'm biased toward such types.

You probably do most of your flying in areas of benign terrain within radar coverage and are normally afforded radar vectors from fields where diverse departures are authorized (no obstacles penetrating the 40:1 obstacle identifcation surface) hence standard climb gradients (no trouble "T"). When rocks get in the way then you may well find yourself on the SID. Remeber from the AIM: Standard Instrument Departures are air traffic control (ATC) procedures printed for pilot/controller use in graphic form to provide obstruction clearance and a transition from the terminal area to the appropriate en route structure. SIDs are primarily designed for system enhancement and to reduce pilot/controller workload. ATC clearance must be received prior to flying a SID. BL: if there is a published SID review it to determine why its there. If there is a non-standard climb gradient then the procedure is published to help keep you outta the dirt. Sure, if the radar coverage is good you may still get that friendly radar vector departure.

VetRepp, Just to be clear - There is no purpose to tapping the brakes on your M20R. Just fly the plane. If your main wheel tires are contacting anything in the wheel well you have a rigging problem. You're flying an Ovation 2, flush your old habit.