M20F-1968

I was reading the final report on the Minnesota crash and read the reports on the belief that the pilot was steering the airplane by rudder only. This led me to think of the times that we intentionally cross-control the airplane, such as landing in a crosswind. The only time I intentionally cross-control is when I'm landing in a crosswind. Speed brakes take care of any need to slip the airplane to lose altitude. does anyone have any information about how far away from a problem we are by cross-controlling the airplane to land in 20 knot or better 90° crosswind? John Breda

Thought I would chime in on this one. My 68 highly modified F will do as much and a lot more than any J. That is because I built into it modifications that were incorporated in the J and that were also incorporated into the later models. So mine is truly a one-of-a-kind airplane. My message here is to not only decide what your mission is, and obtain what you will need to obtain your mission, but also look at yourself and decide what kind, complexity, and type of airplane you want and feel comfortable being married to! If you simply buy and live with what you find on the market, you can always sell it. If you invest yourself in to the airplane, you are likely married to it. Like the J, mine is a 160-knot airplane at 75% power at 10,000 feet. Full forward at the same altitude, it is a 168-knot airplane. Both 100° rich of peak. Since it is turbo normalized, at 17,000-18,000 ft altitude, it is a 175-knot airplane, which is something the J will not do. I do like the Johnson bar upgrade. The hydraulic flaps are a PITA to rig, but once fig them, there is not much maintenance but to keep the reservoir topped off. No limit switches to fail and troubleshoot. The remainder of the plane is a Modern Mooney. Ovation style panel, Glass Garmin equipment, 90 gallons of fuel, ROP v. LOP with Gami Injectors, speed brakes which I do use, Ovation interior and seats, Ovation O2 System (downsized to 50 cubic feet), STEC 60-2 with electric trim and altitude preselector..... These are the advantages of a project airplane. I must say that it is likely the best imaginable retirement Mooney. BUT..........It is a lot of work to get there. I bought the airplane when it was advertised on e-bay. It had sat in a hanger for many years. The Mooney factory folks looked at it, Russell Stallings looked at it and took it more apart....and I jumped in with both feet. The final design was the result of many delays and many redesigns. One never knows what you will get in the end until you are very close to the end....same is true about cost. A project like this is not for the faint of heart. So yes, my best advice is simple and basic. Decide how much airplane you need and want...Of the Vintage birds, the F is a sweet spot, but an F that is upgraded to become J, while keeping the aspects of the F that a J cannot give you is quite interesting. When I bought mine, I thought ahead and wanted a stable IFR airplane, that was not a maintenance hog, and is an excellent compromise between speed, complexity, cost to maintain, and efficiency. My airplane strikes that compromise-point well. I also thought that a plane with manual systems is easier to keep flying after the factory quits making them than a more modern version with motors that drive actuators.....yes, I did think of this 20 years ago. Plan out what you will do, and have the personnel identified that will help you do it. I wasted many years finding the one sheet metal mechanic that helped me get the airplane airborne. He was a 40-year-old, 20-year experienced sheet-metal mechanic/manager who worked for Gulfstream. He did excellent work. If you do buy a plane as a project, make sure you have the resources to finish it. I never set out to win Outstanding Mooney and a Lindy award at Oshkosh. Entering those competitions was an afterthought. I just set out to make a unique airplane that fit what I could not find, was rebuilt completely so I knew what I had (buying a used plane and not recognizing hidden damage did not feel comfortable). In the end, I know what I have from the inside out. John Breda

I made a new engine baffling for the pilot side. I started out thinking that I would make the baffle Springs/ wire assembly so as to hold the cylinder baffles against the cylinder. last version that was installed were not Springs but rather just safety wire twisted so as to pull the baffling against the cylinders. I bought the piano wire that I needed Springs on eBay and made a bunch of baffles spring similar to what you see pictured. The piano wire is relatively easy to band. You need a good size solid rod so as to make the loop and stable vice hold the material while you're bending. My cylinder baffles are made out of 0.090" aluminum, and in speaking to my mechanic we decided the baffle springs may not be needed given the thickness of the material that I made the cylinder baffles from. The baffle Springs and wires tend to corrode the aluminum over time making it necessary to build new baffles. We thought it would be less of a problem to leave the baffles springs and wires off completely and install the baffling as it is, but coat the surface which lies next to the cylinder with high temperature RTV. That is the configuration I now have on the airplane. Cylinder temperatures seem fine and I may have eliminated the headache of the baffle springs and wires. John Breda

How do you upload pictures to a post. I no longer so an upload button. John Breda

I have a lightly used Whelen Tail light without strobe. SN: 00101. Looks and functions like new. I have a couple of pictures but the website has apparently changed, I do not see how it upload them. John Breda

Sorry, thinking about valve cover gaskets. John Breda

Be sure to re-torque them after putting the Real Gasket seals on, per their specs. John Breda

Yes it is. John Breda

A lot to the right buyer given there are not many restored vintage birds on the market. My F was appraised for $250,000.00 about 4 years ago. John Breda

Make sure the mixture is fully forward. The pump is likely is dry. Bearings do not go bad in 1 week. John Breda

If you have a G model you have the very old senders. I would not rebuild them. I have some Rochester senders which are the newer senders used (But before the Digital Cies senders which I now have). I would upgrade to the Rochester senders assuming that you do not have the ability to go all digital, including a digital engine monitor). I have rebuild senders which were rebuilt by Air Parts of Lockhaven. The price of new senders is crazy now and I can sell the ones I have, which I bought and rebuilt as back-up units, for a reasonable price. John Breda Cell (617) 877-0025

It will work. See my PM. John Breda

One of the best structural shops in the US is Beegles Aircraft Service in Greeley, Colorado. Located in: Greeley-Weld County Airport Address: 635 Airport Rd, Greeley, CO 80631 Phone: (970) 353-9200 John Breda

Three AI's since my rebuild: One in G600 One 3" Vacuum One 2" Electric Mid-Continent Back-up alternator - RAT John Breda

that is under not inder John Breda

Please describe further your statement, "use a 3/8 stainless washer under the flange to clear the bulge." I have the 4000 on the cowl to cowl deck/side skin interface and the 2000 series wide flange between the upper and lower cowling. I am not using any washers inder the Skybolt flange. John Breda

One word for you "Skybolt" They have the replacements you need and have them with a larger flange which decreases the hole wear against the fiberglass. Replace all of them with the newer style. They are not that expensive. The 2000 series should work well, but you want the ones with the larger flange. Talk ti Skybolt to describe your needs. Buy several sizes and enough to keep on the shelf for replacement. They need to be fitted for length individually.

Left one side of the hinge on the airframe. Pulled the hinge pin out of the hinge on the door. Installed the door, put the hinge pin back in. I did nothing and never needed to so much as change the door seal. John Breda

Does anyone have a picture of the interior baggage door release mechanism from a 1998 Ovation. I replaced my entire baggage door from a 1998 Ovation and it is all assembled. I do not want to take it apart (I have taken enough apart of that airplane) but would like to soo how the interior lock release opens if someone has ready access. John Breda

Buy your Snap-On stuff on e-bay. Even the nice, nearly new pieces are at least 1/2 price. John Breda

I have a couple of these as well as a small Dewalt gun style screwdriver. The Gyroscopic screwdrivers (I have a DeWalt and Craftman) really do give you a feel of the screw tightness and you can easily control speed. They are worth the money. A Snap-On Ratcheting screwdriver, even a 2X the cost of the gyroscopic one, believe it or not, is also worth the money. By your Snap-On tools on ebay. I also found that magnetic sockets are helpful to remove or replace nuts from tight places. There is a set of deep magnetic sockets with the magnets on springs so the you and get to nuts when there is a long bolt involved. John Breda

Do you still have your check valves? John Breda

I am seeking a new or used (but repairable or serviceable) check valve, either Dukes part No. RJ5315-001 or Dukes part No. 5316-00-1. Please advise if you have one or have any leads on where to find one. Thanks, John Breda

Your wiring is 48 years old. Take it all out and replace it with new Milspec wiring. Old insulation is brittle and unreliable. Now that you have the airplane opened up with the panel out, you can and should do this. It will also add to your resale. Design a panel so that new equipment can be easily added and use a standard configuration. John Breda

I have a very nicely made concrete tail stand on wheels which I began using, and then went to the engine hoist when Mooney said to do so, but still use the tail weight as well. Two Meyers A6 style jacks with the engine hoist and tail stand provides a very stable amount of support. The Engine hoist was from Harbor Freight and needs a locking collar for the piston. It is a metric size which I bought on e-bay for about $3 from China. I bought the Meyers jacks on e-bay for about 1/2 price and were almost new in appearance. John Breda