231flyer

Soon after Apple's iPad was released in 2010, aeronautical chart manufacturers and operators quickly recognised the advantages of using lightweight, portable tablets to replace paper manuals in the cockpit. However, it was not until June 2012 that the US Federal Aviation Administration gave airlines the green light to start using tablets during all critical phases of flight as "class 1" devices, rather than having to stow them during take-off and landing. The new rules allow tablets to be mounted in the cockpit, accessible to the pilot throughout all phases of flight without the need for a special supplemental type certificate (STC) for the mount or the device itself. United and Continental pilots were issued with iPads in 2011 Airlines are looking ahead at future functionality of tablet-based electronic flightbags (EFB) such as the iPad, and several plan to use the devices not only to store aeronautical charts and manuals but to provide additional features such as maintenance logs and extra situational awareness on the ground. Aerospace-built class 2 and class 3 EFBs have traditionally provided this type of information, but these functions are now being integrated into class 1 portable consumer devices as well.

Annual Costs for PA-46-350P Hangar $5000 Insurance $5000 Annual (owner assist) $2000 Maintenance/Squak fix $6000 Subscriptions $2500 Gas/Oil (200 hrs) $5000 Engine Reserves $6000 Maintenance Reserve $5000 Annual Costs: $26.5K + $11k (Reserves) Close to the $40k discussed above.

I have owned my 231 since 1992 and sprang for the Eclipse Jet in 1998 (#31). Unfortunately I lived through the whole Eclipse saga (VFR, Non FIKI jet with Engine issues) and finally pulled the plug(sold at a major loss) in 2010 after the bankruptcy. I bought my Malibu Mirage (PA46-350P) in July 2010 and I have been quite satisfied. My girls are 12 and 15 (10 and 13 then) and both the 231 and my Lancair IVP were getting quite cramped. The Mirage actually has more room than the Eclipse and the interior furnishings are nice. Its a solid IFR platform and very easy to fly (landings are easier to grease than the Mooney). I can count on 200 KTAS (the book says 215) on 21 gph in the flt levels with a realistic range of 1000 KNM plus comfortable IFR reserves (140 gal extended tanks). Although not as fast as my Lancair or the VLJ I find the utility to be quite high for my type of family flying. My girls are happy to stay on board for 4 hrs (it does have a pee-tube for emergencies) and we just flew all over Alaska this summer. I mostly fly within Texas or to our house in the Colorado mountains (GNB elv 8200) and the Mirage handles elevations and shorter fields (3000 ft) with ease. Annuals have averaged around $2000 (owner assist) and insurance was way lower than I expected after my VLJ experience. I am happy with the Mirage experience while I wait for my DiamondJet

Dan, I totally agree with your refrain on crusing to Alaska. We ran into several cruisers at the various activities all along the SE and to a person they all woold never do the cruise again. Apparently the ships are not as nice (older and smaller) compared to their Caribbean sisters and port calls are rushed given all there is to do. It is cool to "buzz" them though as you fly along the various inlets and fjords. The flying experience is unique to say the least. Simply amazing!!

Quote: 231flyer We had a fantastic visit to Alaska. We decided to focus on SouthEast Alaska rather than try to do the entire state in 10 days. Clearly 10 days was not even enough time for the relatively small area we covered (around Ketchikan to Juneau) so we will need to make several trips back. We flew into Ketchikan from Bellingham, WA (KBLI) and overflew Canada completely thus avoiding border crossings/ fire arm declerations etc. On the way back we flew directly from Juneau to Bellingham. The flying was incredible and very comfortable. We did the coastal route and found the airways to be very helpful along with ATC (Vancouver and Anchorage Centers). The weather Gods were good to us.....we even got two sunny days in Juneau. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to experience our last frontier state. Photos to follow.

We had a fantastic visit to Alaska. We decided to focus on SouthEast Alaska rather than try to do the entire state in 10 days. Clearly 10 days was not even enough time for the relatively small area we covered (around Ketchikan to Juneau) so we will need to make several trips back. We flew into Ketchikan from Bellingham, WA (KBLI) and overflew Canada completely thus avoiding border crossings/ fire arm declerations etc. On the way back we flew directly from Juneau to Bellingham. The flying was incredible and very comfortable. We did the coastal route and found the airways to be very helpful along with ATC (Vancouver and Anchorage Centers). The weather Gods were good to us.....we even got two sunny days in Juneau. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to experience our last frontier state. Photos to follow.

I have a friend who sold his Bravo and bought a 300. He was a low time pilot and the retract gear made him very nervous. Anyway he was not very happy with the performance of the 300 and ended up trading up to the 400 within the year. I think he has been in his 400 for 5 years and seems quite happy with his decision. His mission profile is mostly VFR 300-500 miles.

I have done most of the options: camping, hotel, motel, dorm, house, room for rent, Fond Du Lac, Appleton, Milwaukee, Madison, and even Chicago (airline to ORD). My preference in order; 1) Camping OSH 2) Hotel OSH (Hilton ran shuttles to the field) 3) House OSH 4) Motel OSH 5) FLD then hotel/motel/house/dorm in Oshkosh 6) Flying into Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton 7) Commercial flight into ORD The trick is to arrive into OSH early before the show starts or mid-week after a few departures. The Mooney caravan sounds great but I have never tried it. Again an early arrival is key, spend the night at a nearby airport and flyin as soon as the field opens at 7AM (I think). Unlike sun-n-fun, Oshkosh does turn away planes if parking is full. Hope the weather gods cooperate and y'all have a great time. I am off to Alaska for 2 weeks starting the 15th

I am flying into Denver (KAPA) and then on to our home in the mountains (KGNB) tomorrow afternoon. My buddy flew in on Monday and reported the smoke/haze from the various fires was not too bad. Any updates since both the Colorado Springs and Bolder fires started up in the last couple of days? The devestation looks absolutely aweful on TV.

Ok so how do we petition our webmaster Craig (Mooniac58?) to add a forum under "General". I suggest calling it " SHOP TALK: A place for the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY". Everyone welcome, retorts and all.

"Our online community is dedicated to those who own, fly or just simply love Mooney aircraft. As a registered member you can post in our forums, create your own photo gallery and much more!" The purpose of this board is quite clear and we sign on accepting above. I am happy if the A&Ps setup their own forum/board/club house/frat house etc. to discuss errant owners. We have uncovered an unmet need for owners/pilots. A separate area (Forum) on this board would help collect the current wealth of mechanic reviews already on this board. Its all in here folks if you are willing to search. People will post their own expereince and we can each judge for ourselves if its legit or not. The same would go for any retorts from A&Ps or non-paying owners. This isn't about exacting revenge or passing judgement, simply exchanging info.

First congratulations on your new plane and getting to fly 100 hrs in 2 months!! 100 hr inspections are normally mandated "for hire" a/c such as flight schools etc. For most of us Part 91 owner operators the annual sufficies for the FAA. However most a/c have recommended MX at 50hrs, 100 hrs etc. Your 201 maintenance manual will have a great check-list for recommended items such as lube, inspect etc. The maintenance manual checklist should be used as the basis for your own MX program. If you are flying that often you probably are already getting the oil changed at 50 hrs. Its good practice to incorporate a "progressive maintenance" philosophy during the oil change when the plane is opened up anyways. While lubing the wheel bearings every quarter maybe too much, its always a good idea to check the mags, vaccum pump, and alternators etc. Personally i replace/IRAN these items at 500 hrs religiously. I would recommend you work with your trusted mechanic to build a custom mantenance schedule based on the 201 maintenance maunual.

Quote: 29-0363 Can anyone on this list help me find/introduce me to a reputable travel agency in Canada? I want to make it to Oshkosh from Australia and the fare is far cheaper and more flexible if I buy it from Canada even though I start and finish my journey in Australia.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/118168 repost of an excellent video. Enjoy!!!

Count me in.

So how do we solve the problem. We want to encourage and reward good mechanics while at the same time prevent owners from being taken by shoddy/dishonest A&Ps. I absolutely will grant a fair share of owners are cheapskates etc. As discussed here the recourse against owners is straight forward and quite effective. How can we help owners deal with the shoddy mechanic? I really do want to reward the good ones so they prosper and bring on the next generation of interns. I do fear for the health of GA. Our numbers are dwindling fast, you all should read the latest FAA report. Pilots are at an all time low, many leaving the active ranks while new pilot starts are a fraction of the past. The airframe manufacturers are all in, out, or near bankruptcy. GA airframe sales last year were 13% of the 1980 high point. We have to figure out a better way to work together else we all lose! David, I do hope you have not infered this discussion as bashing all mechanics. As stated before, in the 20 years of ownership I have run into just 3 bad ones and numerous great mechanics.

" The FAA claims ~180,000 active A&P licenses. Assuming half work in commercial aviation 90,000 A&Ps are focused on the GA space. With an active fleet of ~400,000 a/c in the US thats 4.44 a/c per mechanic. According to my mechanic (single operator shop now) he tries to have ~50 a/c in his stable. That gives him an average of one annual per week and standard break/fix during the interim. He runs the shop with his wife so grossing ~$300k per year works for him but obviously he is not rolling in it. This clearly illustrates a supply/demand imbalance in favor of the owners (local supply may vary). We have 8 shops on our field alone, 70+ shops in the DFW area." Sorry David but the numbers don't bear that out......lots of A&Ps out there. Maybe a shortage of really good ones. Thats the issue isn't it, a few bad mechanics are giving the others a bad name.

I recognize David's point of view as a professional mechanic. However, from an owners and pilots POV, we are trying to help each other maintain a passion thats under attack from rising costs and dwindling numbers (pilots and suppliers). I for one am very interested in hearing Byron's episode with his incompetent and dishonest mechanic. Frankly I dont care what the mechanic's side of the story was in this case. It is never acceptable to gloss over such obvious discrepencies and jeopardize pilots' lives. Most pilots/owners are smart enough to discern an isolated incidence from a pattern as Eric notes. I will never consider using that particular mechanic, if stuck in the Houston area I will be sure to call Byron first. Similarly if anyone is stuck in the DFW area, give me a buzz. Btw many professionals have their livelyhoods hinge on consumer complaints, this is not unique to A&Ps. Lawyers and Doctors are licensed by the state Bar Association and State Medical Boards respectively. Client/Patient complaints are reported on the respective websites and can absolutely sink a career. Professional Engineers similarly have their own associations and businesses are always at the mercy of their customers and the numerous websites/BBB etc. discussed here. Maybe a poll will help us decide if we should launch a forum for MX issues.

David, Our members will continue to post bad reviews of shops regardless. Its in human nature to complain if you feel wronged, however the reverse is not always true. We are less prone to post praise even though we are delighted (CRM 101). Search "Mooney Mart" or "Coy Jacobs" and you will find numerous posts on this board, let alone other "public forums" or even google. A destination forum would allow our members better access to the intel. and providers like yourself a place to go check for bad reviews which can be corrected. In the internet age you cannot prevent a consumer from blabbing about their own experience. Federal and State laws are quite strong on preserving consumer rights. I would like to encourage the reverse, have members highlight the great shops out there. With ~4000 Mooneys in the US fleet, assume ~50% owners visit this board or MAPA you are looking at a potential $10Mil market (2000 a/c X $5000/yr in MX spend). As a businessman I woould be delighted to have such concentrated access to my market. The FAA claims ~180,000 active A&P licenses. Assuming half work in commercial aviation 90,000 A&Ps are focused on the GA space. With an active fleet of ~400,000 a/c in the US thats 4.44 a/c per mechanic. According to my mechanic (single operator shop now) he tries to have ~50 a/c in his stable. That gives him an average of one annual per week and standard break/fix during the interim. He runs the shop with his wife so grossing ~$300k per year works for him but obviously he is not rolling in it. This clearly illustrates a supply/demand imbalance in favor of the owners (local supply may vary). We have 8 shops on our field alone, 70+ shops in the DFW area. Public forums have the potential to help you build your business given the intense economics. The downside is relatively small given people are posting bad reviews anyway.

In my 20 years of aircraft ownership and 38 years of flying/gliding I have run into a grand total of 3 incompetent mechanics. I am a self admitted aviation nut and I find our small community (~500,000 in GA) to be incredible. We are passionate about flying and always trying to infect others with this great gift we share. I have orders of magnitude more stories of mechanics who were not only professional but went out of their way to get me going whether stuck with a dead battery or a dead mag. I believe all of us pilots realize most mechanics are honest professionals who truly take pride in their work and keep us and our families safe in the skies. Sabermech, I do believe in symmetry. Maybe we can have a Forum to highlight A&Ps, the great ones who deserve our increased patronage, and the few crappy ones who don't. I would love my personal mechanic, Gary Haltom, at KDTO to be known everywhere for being truly great and to drive more business to him. I shared Gary's info with one of our members looking to do a pre-buy at our field, advising him against the offending shop. He did his own due dilligence and came up with corroborating evidence for Gary and against the other shop. In order to keep GA alive, we need all the good A&Ps we can find especially since the GA fleet is quickly aging past an average age of 40 years. As Becca says most of this intel. is already shared within your local EAA, AOPA, or hangar talk group. Its about rewarding the good mechanics out there and rehabilitating the habitually dishonest or incompetent. Btw I must admit I have never been turned away by a mechanic - ever! And I am openly opinionated. As for deadbeat pilots, contact your local collection agency if the hassle of a lien seems unwarranted. Absolutely no reason to tolerate a thief.

Becca, I agree annonymity won't protect you from a libel law-suit, its easy to figure out your identity. Many of us use AirNav FBO reviews before we launch into the wild blue yonder. The FBO reviews are invaluable to us pilots but smart FBO operators find them great for business too. My friend, Damon, runs BusinessAir at KDTO. Although happy with a great review he is always looking to correct any bad reviews. FBOs can post a retort to a bad review and for the most part the exchange is usually very positive. I try to review as many FBOs as possible especially the great ones. With the GA economy in the dole-drums I hardly expect your favorite A&P to turn you away because you posted a bad review about a fellow mechanic. Black-balling only works if demand far exceeds the supply of A&Ps. Our field now has 8 different A&P shops......lots of options. I have personally had bad expereinces with 2 of the 8 over the past 12 years and have freely shared my experience in person and on this board. I find the process no different than sharing a resteraunt or movie review. Lets be brave and help the newbies from getting taken. We already share our views on new products and services (eg: Stratus, foreflight, Garmin GTN etc), how is this any different. Just stick to the truth and the truth will keep you libel FREE

We need the equivalent of an "Angie's List" here. At the very least we could start a separate top level FORUM for Mechanic/Shop complaints and then cross-link to MAPA, AOPA etc. As long as we stick to our own expereince and not here-say the chances of a successful libel suit are remote. The model has been proven with "Angie's List" so our members can be candid without worry of recourse. My wife, an attorney, can draft a boiler-plate disclaimer so as protect us from the a-hole litigious types. How do we get a new forum injected into this board?

Law-suits to recover damages for shoddy workmanship and/or over-charging are not as effective as we would like. Typically the process is slow and expensive for the plaintiff. The outcome is sheldom as we desire even if you win, collecting a judgement is another matter completely. Although the FAA and your local FSDO can be used to bring an errant shop to heal, typically the violation needs to be egregious and pertain to specific rules and regulations. Time keeping and overcharging for jobs not backed up by time cards are a good example as is general paperwork (records, yellow tags etc.). The FAA will not help you recover your money! If a shop has wronged you, its best to withhold payment or failing that pay by credit card and then dispute the charges. Inform the flying community around you (like this forum) so they can avoid the shop and strave out the business. Be careful to be very specific about your own expereince so as to avoid any charges of libel. Remember the truth is always on your side, just stick to your own facts not what happened to someone else. Sorry to hear about your friend's situation but reputations do have a nasty habit of catching up eventually. Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and this is not legal advise.

Nice report and congratulations on your Mexican adventure. I got married in Cancun(17 yrs ago) so have a soft spot for the place even though its sort of overrun with high school kids now. I think the FBOs at Cancun, Cozumel, and Cabo are great, friendly, and efficient. Sounds like security is stepped up now with gun toting soldiers etc....hopefully that means no one messes with your bird while you are enjoying margaritas at Senior Frogs! Btw I just flew KNEW to KCRP a couple of weeks ago. I filed KNEW-KUGLE-KCRP but once airborne with Houston center, they asked if I would like the short-cut and cleared me direct KCRP. According to my GPS I was way outside the ADIZ and saved a few miles. The controller was great and we discussed UT sports till she had to hand me over. I am always amazed by the number of oil rigs in the gulf and the huge armada of ships waiting to get into the Houston shipping channel (stopped counting at 53 ships). I had life vests on board but did not bring my life raft since I expected to stay within gliding distance of shore. No issues with center regarding HF radio and/or marine euipment. You have inspired me to fly back to Cancun after our Alaska trip next month. Cheers!

Last September I was stuck with a VPOTUS (Biden) restriction at Boca Raton. I tried to file to BCT but the system would not accept the flightplan. I filed for Palm Beach and took off from Cross City (CTY). The Miami Center controller finally solved the mystery BCT issue since the NOTAM was not specific of who or what was going in Boca. The Miami controller was very helpful and asked me to request a divert once on frequency with Palm Beach approach. I did and BCT opened up five minutes before I got in. Turns out Biden was in Boca for his neice's wedding. His brother lives in the sub-division next to my brother-in-law and all surface streets were blocked. There were cops all over the place and a royal pain to get around town.