M20F-1968

I have a highly modified 68 F model. I put on a one-piece belly using the STC and parts from LASAR. I assume they are still available. It is quite a bit of work. Explain to the insurance company that you will be repairing the gear-up with a one-piece belly. They should have no issue with that since the original parts are unavailable. You will need a great sheet metal person who knows what he is doing. John Breda

If you want to build it into the edge of the glare-shield, I have a compass from a 1998 Ovation for sale. John Breda

I have a 1968 F model, with a full retrofitted Ovation interior, and the Ovation Oxygen system installed. I downgraded the O2 tank to 50 gallons to save weight, rewrote the POH chapter using Cessna data of the 50 cubic foot bottle, and submitted it to the FAA for approval. All can be done, just takes time and money. John Breda

I have a 68 F that was a project plane, now highly modified and a great plane. The Johnson bar, if rigged properly can be locked up using two fingers. It should not be an issue. I consider it an upgrade. Low maintenance, fast and simple. John Breda

There is a way the fix that problem as well.... See the attached picture. John Breda

For landing gear on Vintage Mooney's I have two Dial type torque wrenches. One is 0-150 inch lbs and the other is 0-300 inch lbs. One for nose gear and one for mains. Both are 3/8" drive. You can get an adapter to fit the Mooney tool 3/8 --> 1/4". That way you stay in the middle of the range for both. Both have a needle pointer to indicate max reading. I have Snap-On and Precision Instruments. The Precision Instruments has made all of the Snap-On dial torque wrenches. They are in Illinois, close by to Snap=On which I believe is in Wisconsin or Illinois. They can be gotten in very nice shape on e-bay if you watch the listings. New the Precision Instruments wrench has been about $150 on Amazon. John Breda

Go to your local Thrift Store, buy a solid leather belt, wrap it in a piece of goof leather, hand stitch one edge and you are done. That way it looks original. You can find leather punches and leather tools on e-bay. You will want to get a leather punch that will punch about 4-6 holes in a row. The needles will be blunt and you will use 2 of them, one from each side with heavy thread. Look at YouTube videos. John Breda

I substituted an Ovation baggage door for my original F-model door. The installation required pulling the hinge-pin, mounting a new 1/2 of the piano hinge to the airframe so that it aligns with the hinge on the door. The door seal that is on my airplane now is the one from the Ovation. The lock works perfectly. Easiest modification possible, but needs a DER sign-off which I have. John Breda

RAM? Contact info please. John Breda

The speedbrakes are also useful in Vintage Mooneys, such as the F, since the gear speed and flap speed is so low. They help slow down on the approach if needed. Some people have raised the question, should they use speed brakes late in the approach. I would not do this at all given that the loss in lift is quite rapid in cruise. Yes I realize that at slower speed this is lees dramatic, but my experience suggests that if you use speed brakes on the approach, you do so early and set up the airplane as you need to for the approad with the speed brakes deployed and carry that configuration into the landing. It seems to be OK to stow them late in the approach, but there is no real reason to do so. If you are low, add power. But I would not add them late into the approach. That said, I did so once with a 25 knt crosswind without any problems, but I may have had abut more power given the circumstances. John Breda

I was introduced to landing with speed brakes deployed by my mechanic, a high-time Mooney pilot who is very Mooney-connected with a great deal of modern Mooney time. Some of my best landings have been with speed brakes deployed. I try not to use them for landings for some of the reasons already mentioned. I have however done one or two go-arounds with the plane fully dirty (gear down, full flaps, and speed brakes) and it will climb but not as fast as without the speed brakes. The one situation when they seem to reliably help is in a strong crosswind. They allow me to carry more power for the same airspeed. Stall speeds do not seem to appreciably change. If someone has more information about this or a means to calculate the stall speed considering the speed brakes, and/or speed brakes, gear, flaps, and weight please respond. The plane feels heavier and more stable when landing with more power with speed brakes deployed, and is not so affected by the cross wind due to increased power. John Breda

As you are probably aware, my airplane follows none of the Mooney drawings. It has a retrofitted Ovation interior and I had my mechanic put in a 3-position switch replacing the baggage compartment light on/off switch. Its 3-positions are wired as On - Off - On but will shut off if the baggage door is closed and locked (there is a switch that is triggered by locking the door). The intent is to protect against leaving it on by having the third position. You likely would not walk away from the plane with the baggage door open. The only position that leaves me at risk is the first position, an always-on position. Perhaps a timer would make some sense in that position. What I have is maintenance-free, but is not foolproof. What drives the timer in your circuit? Can you send me some details? What is the physical size and cost? John Breda

I have one for an Ovation if it can be used. John Breda

I have a 3 position rocker switch: On; OFF; On but turns off when the baggage door is closed I do not use that light much. Does it make sense to put a timer on the circuit that is always on? John Breda