M20F-1968

What oil pressure are you all running in an IO-360 A1A, both in cruise? What is the highest oil pressure you see at start-up. John Breda

If you run the fused cord supplied with the Battery Minder that terminates in the Male/Female connector to the Battery Minder, that cord will pass between the outer skin and the metal housing of the external 3-prong plug (Cessna Type Connector). When not using the Battery Minder and flying, the Male/Female plug can be secured inside the External 3-prong connector and the spring-loaded door closed. John Breda

I have a custom version of this annunciator in my plane. It is made by Proscan and has a regular stall warning from the stall vane, and also an accelerated stall warning based on its own electronics. The web site is: https://sites.google.com/site/proscanaerospace/ John Breda

I have a set of right and left ceiling/window panels for an Ovation (see picture). I purchased them new back when I started working on the interior on my 1968 F (which is now as close to an MSE as you can get when starting with an F model). (See my profile pictures). After buying these two initial panels, I got my hands on a crashed 1998 Ovation and purchased the entire interior from that airplane. This means I now had two sets of these panels. I retrofitted the 1998 Ovation interior into my F model and have these two panels left over. The aft end has been cut to fit the F/J model cabin length. They can be worked to fit the F model as I have dome in my airplane. Fiberglass can be cut and pasted as you need to for them to work. I will sell them inexpensively as I wish to clean out my hangar of left over parts (of which there are still many). If interested, I can be reached at (617) 877-0025 or at john.breda@gmail.com. John Breda

For someone looking to do a Rajay conversion for an E or F, I have an inexpensive option for you. I have a set of original servicable Rajay exhaust pipes from the original Rajay system. I also have some of the specialty parts, hoses, ducts, vernier control, turbo mounting bracket. I also have the two STC's, parts and installation manuals, all referenced diagrams and FAA POH. The Rajay turbo and scavenger pump are both available rebuilt. I would be willing to sell my remaining stuff cheap enough that you should be able to put together a working system, installed for less than $15,000 if an A&P does the work, less labor costs were not an issue. The pipes and parts I have are worth about $6,000. The remainder is overhauled turbo ($2500-$3000), scavenger pump ($2000). The rest is miscellaneous smaller parts and labor. I can be reached at (617) 877-0025 or john.breda@gmail.com. If you have a nice E or F, this system will turn it into a 165 kt airplane at 12,000 ft and a 175 kt airplane at 18,000 ft, burning 11 gph. John Breda

I am confused by your comment: It’s more than just a hex bolt. It’s actually a pin with a slot, a hex nut and cotter key with a couple washers that need to be installed in the right order to not allow slippage and smooth operation in flight. I have the same Scott dual regulator assembly (removed from a 1998 Ovation). When I last had mine overhauled, we changed the slotted screw to an AN machine screw and used the same binder nut. We did this to allow a phillips head screw which was a bit longer to allow for easier application of a screwdriver and wrench to loosen and tighten it. The original was nothing more than a machine screw. Am I mising something here? John Breda

Now the question is do you trust that the work is being done properly giving the shennanigans with the bill! An improperly rigged gear could give you some expensive problems. It should only be done by mechanics who are very familiar and do it all the time. John Breda

I used the yokes and shafts from an Ovation, but also had to change out the bellcrank. The aft connection to the bellcrank has bronze bearings that are not on the earlier versions. Of course to to this I had to pay for a DER to confirm the engineering and sign of the application from approved data. John Breda

I have not gone out and tested critical altitude but I have had it to 18,000 ft and did not have problems retaining manifold pressure. The old RayJay Manuals, as I recalled, indicated different critical altitudes, the lowest of which was 20,000 ft. I should take it out and do some experimenting now that I know the plane better. John Breda

Turbonormalized. It can be brought up to 29" MP (or 27" to be a bit kinder with temperatures). At that MP, %HP will be > 75% where it is not advisable to lean and thus will be burning full fuel. I try not to run it that way however there are people such as Bob Kromer who said to us (as I recall) at one of the Mooney Summits, that these airplanes and their engines were designed to be flown with "everything forward." If he is there again this Sept. I will confirm with him. Run that way it is 168-170 kts at 12000ft. The plane as been lean of peak, at 17000 ft, burning 8.5 gallons per hour with TAS of about 172. John Breda

Highly Modified 1968 F (essentially a J) TAS 165, 77% HP, 2400 RPM/23.8 MP, 11.2 GPH, 17000 ft. Obviously at higher MP it would be faster. This was flying back from Oshkosh in July. John Breda

Likely the best mechanic is Air Mods in NJ. There was a Mooney Service Center in Bedford, MA years ago. They relocated to Nashua, NH, ? under a different name. John Breda

There was a lot of work that went into the plane before the 2009 ferry flight. I bought it as a project airplane. I sat in a hangar in Dallas for some 26 years in a non-flying condition. The prior owner reportedly wanted to do a bunch of modifications but never pulled them off. Fortunately, he did no damage to the plane and I took it fully apart, stripping it to a shell and made a modern airplane out of it. John Breda

Bob, When I pulled into the parking space and saw your plane (not knowing it was you), I figured it was my competition. John Breda

We have to keep getting the Mooney name out there. These are highly modifiable birds and make for a pretty unique plane when updated. John Breda

Just got back from Oshkosh. Flew over Friday morning to enter 954N into the Vintage Aircraft Competition and came home with an award in the Contemporary Class. John Breda

I just flew from Central TX to Appleton, WI with one fuel stop (over 1100 nm) and Appleton to Eastern MA non-stop (800 nm) in my highly modified F. I filled the plane (90 gallons) in Appleton and had 30 gallons left over when I landed. Appleton to eastern MA took 5 hours. The highest level flight speed on Foreflight at 16,900 feet was 192 kts (perhaps 20 kt tailwind). Fuel burn was 10.5 to perhaps 11 gallons per hour 100-125 ROP. It makes for a pretty respectable retirement plane. John Breda

I put an original J model cowling on my F. The advantage is that the cowling can be removed quickly, but it does take 2 people to do it safely. It also eliminated the "chin" on the original cowling which cuts into speed improvements. I bought a used cowling for $2000 and rebuilt it completely for $8000. The installation costs are more since you need to install a new cowl deck (with 201 windshield to do it right), cut the thickness of the firewall flange and install cowl flanges which the 201 cowl rests on to keep the cowl flush to the airframe. All the J mode updates to my plane make it a 160 kt. airplane at 9000ft and 175 kt airplane at 17000 ft. John Breda

I lived in Portland , OR for 8 years and learned to fly there. The weather in the summer of course is much better than the other ten months. There still can be low ceiling days. VFR following valleys and highways, I would be concerned that you would be following a highway in a valley/pass and find lower ceilings. with little outs. You want to pick your days that have predictably great weather. You do not want to follow the Columbia river eastward as the Columbia Gorge near Portland is a potential hazard with high winds. You could follow airways on the low IFR chart in VFR conditions, and at VFR altitudes (even 1000's plus 500 feet). This will keep you above the minimum enroute altitude so you will know you have sufficient altitude for what is to come. You will be anywhere from 10,500ft - 13,500ft. at the lowest in the highest mountains. It may be somewhat lower in the very northern route. Sit with Foreflight and run some flight plans. The southern route is easy. That will also give you an opportunity to fly up the west coast which is worth the diversion. Many good places to stop along the way. Once you are west of the Sierras you are clear. The coastal range is easy to navigate.

If the Citation guy was "given priority" (into an uncontrolled field - whatever that means), he would still have been on an IFR flight plan for which ATC is responsible for providing separation. Obviously, that did not occur as there was no emergency. If the Citation was talking to ATC on an IFR flight plan, ATC would be advising him of the traffic ahead of him on the center's frequency, not asking him to radio you on the comm frequency to demand that you get out of his way. I would research the communication files and dig up the evidence. John Breda

When I first got the airplane flying I could not get the gear up. It required 2 people. I too went to 2 different MSC who did not recognize the problem. It took reviewing the original drawings at the Mooney factory which showed that there were three different compression rod lengths and the correct one was the longest which was not what was installed. With the new length rods, the assist springs are under more tension, and yes, I unlock the J bar, swing it towards the floor, turn my grip around and lock the gear up with two fingers. The whole thing takes about 4 seconds. I do not have to do any gyrations or dips with the plane to get the gear up easily. Just keep on flying. I do try to get the gear up early in the climb. John Breda