M20F-1968

I have a T hangar with an attached storage area at Laconia Airport (KLCI), New Hampshire. Steel building, sliding steel doors. Please call or e-mail if interested. Cell (617) 877-0025 or e-mail at john.breda@gmail.com Thanks, John Breda

As you put more expensive avionics under that aluminum cowl deck, I would want it to be one piece with nothing to possibly leak. Leaks can become very expensive and time consuming. The answer to access is by removing the glare shield, but even more importantly how the panel is designed so you have access through the panel. John Breda

I am thinking of going to Niagra Falls area. Any recommendations of best GA airport nearby. Is it best to land on the US side even if I am planning on staying on the Canadian side? John Breda

Jolie: I may be able to come July 12 in Plymouth, MA if I can swap a work shift. I'll keep you posted. John Breda

You can test the turbo normalizer above 8,000. Once the throttle is full forward and you start to loose manifold pressure, you turn in the wastegate which will restore your manifold pressure to sea level manifold pressure. That will tell you that the system is working. Take it up to 12,000. John Breda

I have a turbo normalized F with manual gear and manual flaps. It is highly modified in other ways however with speed mods, modern interior and modern instruments. I get 231 speeds with a less complex engine and turbonormalizing instead of turboboosting. The turbonormalized is a simpler way to achieve similar speeds with less maintenance. The manual gear and hydraulic flaps are a plus. Simpler systems yields more reliability and less maintenance costs. Manual gear is as quick in operation and cycling as the electric gear. It will also leave you money for avionics upgrades to the stuff you want, not what is just there. John Breda

I got involved with Mooney aircraft when I purchased my 1968 F as a project airplane. It had 1900 hours and sat for many years in a Dallas hangar. I stripped everything out of the airplane and proceeded with the rebuild starting with an empty airframe. For those of you that know it today, it is a modern looking Mooney with a Johnson bar and hydraulic flaps. I have been a pilot since 1985 and learned to fly when I lived in Portland, Oregon (which I might add was a great place to get my IFR ticket since all my time, from the 50 -125 hours then required then for the IFR checkride, were in actual conditions). I was a symphonic clarinetist back then and then went to medical school at age 37. Now I am back in the Boston area where I grew up. I remain a frustrated engineer (which is probably why I took on the rebuild project). I would love to meet other Mooney owners in New England and elsewhere. John Breda

In answer to you question, the interior of my plane is all Ovation parts, with some cut and paste fiberglass work to make them fit into the F model body length. You can do anything you want when remodeling with fiberglass. Pictures are in my gallery. I am just about to finish all of the interior work and will post some pics. If you wanted to replace the old style vents with Wemac vents, you probably should fashion a funnel type arrangement on the back side of the vent to act as a venturi or you may loose a lot of air to the smaller vent size. John Breda

Having read through the many posts and responses, I have to chime in. Samuri Husky, I am hearing you rationalize and analyze each step of your decision to purchase an airplane. You have spent a fair amount of your discussions focusing on equipment, speed, space, room for dogs, and time from point A to point B. What I have not heard you focus on is the process of learning to fly and the process of gaining experience and incorporating the skill of flying into your very being. I used to be a symphonic musician where you needed to practice and over-prepare passages so when your were before an audience, or at an audition where your life would be decided, you instinctively performed well. Then I went to medical school, where you learned mechanisms of disease, bodily systems, and thought analytically. In both fields, it took years if not decades for me to truly incorporate that information into who I am. Flying and aviation is much the same. That is perhaps why I fly. I ski for the same reason. You never can be good enough. When one learns to fly, just like practicing and orchestra passage, or learning to assess a patient's illness and make a diagnosis, it is what is in your long term memory and seasoned bodies of knowledge that will carry you through. This takes time. Not having such seasoned knowledge will bite you quicker than you want to know in aviation. It takes time to incorporate the various complexities of aviation, weather, how the airplane feels, what you missed on this flight that you recognize a year later. This all takes time. Enjoy the process so you will have a better chance of keeping yourself out of trouble. You have the finances to do it right. Learn to fly. Get your PPL and IFR ratings. Experience as a renter. Come to the Florida Mooney Summit where you will meet other Mooney owners with an eye on their need to learn. You will know when you are ready to purchase. You do not need to chart out the full course now. Take it a week at a time, slow down the process and enjoy the journey. John Breda

I submitted a donation a few weeks back. Please update my status to supporter. Thanks, John Breda M20F-1968

How much for fuel selector and flap pump? What model are the bungee springs and rods from? John Breda

What model was this stuff taken out of? What price do you want for the flap pump and fuel selector? You can reach me at john.breda@yahoo.com or cell (617) 877-0025. John Breda

I used Skybolt fasteners throughout the cowling. The larger 4000 series fasteners are the preferred ones and I used then on the rear cowling edge/firewall interface. I started with a J model cowling and the 2000 series Skybolts are on the upper cowling/lower cowling interface. The 4000's are adjustable. The 2000's are not but you can get a variety of lengths to get what you need for a flush fit. They work well. John Breda

I restored a 1967 F model and turned it into a modern airplane. When it came to the interior, I retrofitted the new Mooney Ovation interior into my F model. Fiberglass is much better to work with as you can remodel it repeatedly to make a custom part. I have the L and R ceiling panels from an Ovation which I did not use (I had 2 sets) which you might be interested in. If you have questions about what is possible, I may be able to help. John Breda

Han: I would like to get an electronic copy of the service manual and parts manuals you have on pdf. I could send you some postage and you could send me a CD. If you put them on Google Drive or similar my e-mail is john.breda@gmail.com. Please let me know if you put them on drop box or other electronic site. Thanks, John Breda

Looking for some recommendations for tires. Going to change all 3. The choice is between Michelin Air v. Goodyear Flight Custom III. I live in New England so I will see some ice and snow if that makes a difference. 6.00 X 6 6 ply for mains and 5.00 X 5, 6 ply for nose. Also, look at air stop tubes. Any experiences? Any tire recommendations? Please state reasons why you prefer one over another. Thanks, John Breda

Looking for some recommendations for tires. Going to change all 3. The choice is between Michelin Air v. Goodyear Flight Custom III. I live in New England so I will see some ice and snow if that makes a difference. 6.00 X 6 6 ply for mains and 5.00 X 5, 6 ply for nose. Also, look at air stop tubes. Any experiences? Any tire recommendations? Please state reasons why you prefer one over another. Thanks, John Breda

I am looking to make a set of travel boards. I can make a set for my self by hand, or could have them commercially made if there is enough interest by other owners. Please PM me if interested in getting involved in this project, with an indication of which model Mooney you have, and which of the 3 travel boards you would like. I will in turn investigate options on having them made. Naturally, in everything involving fabrication, the more you make at a time, the less expensive each piece becomes. If I made them by hand, I would make them from wood and my expense is really my time. If I had them made, I most likely would make them from aluminum but could look into other substances as well. John Breda

The wing is the same up to the present day, except for fuel tank configurations and positions and wing tips. John Breda

Don't forget us in the northeast. Please give us some lead time to get days off. John Breda

The process can be predictable: 1. Find shop you can get the airplane to. 2. Get quote for work and quote for time. Three months from start to finish. 3. Order parts, 2 month lead time quoted. 4. Watch shop put airplane in back corner while they accept other smaller jobs to "increase cash flow." 5. Multiply wait time for parts X 2. 6. Multiply time to finish for shop X 3 7. Multiply cost X4. 8. Continue to argue with insurance Co. 9. Welcome to GA John Breda

Is the cable that SWTA had listed, Part No. 660190-005 a McFarland cable or a Mooney cable. I know it may be one in the same but one eliminates paperwork. Does Mooney still stock the older cables for the Vintage birds with the cutout for the throttle switch? Bill Wheat was having some of these cables made suggesting they might be hard to find new. John Breda

Just reading through this thread. For you guys with Vintage Birds: I would take a block of aluminum or brass (something easily machinable and not magnetic) and make a split block designed to mount onto the steel bar above the compass (In fact you could also machine it so the compass mounted to it as well) with bolts that pulled the 2 sides together. Each block would have a machined flat with a threaded hole to allow a bolt (probably mounted though the bottom to make the bolt head easily assessable) to mount the attachment points of the Rosen visors. The Rosen attach points will be near the center post rather than on the L and rgt corners of the windshield. Then trim the tinted lens so they fit and are the size you want. John Breda