Bob_Belville

Most every time I have the cowl off I spend several minutes looking for potential rubbing of hoses, wire bundles, and metal. After 7 years I am still finding stuff that can be routed more elegantly, tied back, or set off with, clamps, tie wraps, or rtv. Mooneys are tightly cowled and there’s a lot going on. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If this is the engine I think it is there may be an issue with a Continental service bulletin changing the cotter pins and/or the way the pins are to be bent. I think there was an issue of clearances. So, this was a known condition. The sb was issued before the engine was overhauled. I could be confused, I am neither a mechanic nor the son of a mechanic. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

There are 3 pages when you have SV and AOA. I have to toggle to page 3 to select the SV view I want every time I power up. I then have to toggle back to page 1 to get the GPSS hot button back. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I bought my first Mooney at age 34 financing it through a bank for 5 years. I averaged 250 hours per year for 11 years, 90% business. When at 68 and long retired I bought my 2nd Mooney. I used cash for the initial purchase and for all the improvements. I now fly ~75 hours a year, zero percent business. I think I did it the right way both times.

Pete, you want to defend that position? Vbg and 45 deg bank are being taught to reverse course with minimum loss of altitude. Going faster than best glide will cost more precious altitude. Banking steeper than 45 deg will require airspeed greater the best glide to avert a stall.

Well, only the hangar bill hits you every month. Annual expenses get compared to annual hours.

I am scheduled to have an STEC 3100 installed a few months from now... Affordable? Well cheaper than a BRS...

There's one somewhat subjective factor... it is less painful when you're not able to fly for a month or two if there isn't a loan payment every month to rub salt in your wound.

Mike, I assume you've done the math on all this. At Vbg and 45 deg bank it takes 15 seconds to turn 180 degs, right? At Vbg and 45 deg bank according to the glide ratio for my E at gross weight it appears the rate of descent is about 875'/min. Executed with precision, it seems turning back (180 degrees) can be done in ~220' of altitude. Add to that what it might take to get lined up. Your 2 45 deg turns should be a worse case. With any cross wind those turns are reduced. Then add to that whatever margin of error you like with consideration for what the terrain ahead looks like. Just don't stall it dummy! ISTM the key is prior planning. If I lose the engine on T.O. what am I going to do? At 1000' AGL? At 800..., 600... 400...? Monitoring the changing context should be priority one for the first minute after rotation.

Sure Mike. Vy is close enough to best glide... in my E, clean, I'd want to pitch for ~ 90 kias, bank to ~ 45 deg and then be heads up to judge and adjust... the last would be hard to simulate at 4500 agl... 270 degree turn?... into the cross wind?... long runway might allow gear down if lined up at 50' AGL otherwise gear up for very short "roll" out.

At my last Mooney Safety Foundation PPP my instructor offered to show me the impossible turn (at altitude), I declined and later wished I had done it. Basics: 500' AGL, maintain Vy, maintain 45 deg bank - there may be some other considerations, e.g. make the turn into a crosswind...

I hope that Mooney is pricing new planes based on where Bonanza, Cirrus, C182, Arrow... are priced.

I suppose that figure includes the higher prices the manufacturer pays for each component that has its own liability to cover.

So, does anyone still wonder why Amazon Prime has taken over the world?

Against my better judgement I'll weigh in one more time. Marketing 101. Costs do not determine prices. The market, i.e. competition, perceived relative values, and subjective considerations all factor in. (Cost accountants and engineers usually have a hard time grasping this idea.) It is usually not helpful to know what a new product costs to make when setting the price. Cost based pricing is apt to leave money on the table. Costs determine whether you can make a margin at the prices set by the market. Compared to other products in the market the prices for the new Ultra models seem to be about right to me. What should Mooney do? As with any product the company should continually work on reducing costs to improve margins. Market and sell. Promote our advantages. There are plenty. Don't get bogged down discussing some other product's advantages. We're not a 5 skill player, in this business no one is. Get over it. Live on the apparently substantial amount of revenue received from aerospace subcontract work and the also substantial parts business supporting the fleets of 500(?) flying Mooneys.

Update - Twin Lakes Avionics just called to go over specs for upgrading STEC50 to 3100. Genesys advised them that Mooney STC will start in August to complete mid September. That seems to be just a little slip from what @Barry LeBlancposted here in Feb. I am scheduled at Twin Lakes Avionics for 10/28. We plan to do the Aspen MAX upgrade at the same time.

Where is @Marauder this month? Been missing him. I think he was traveling abroad...

Y'all need to use the MS search function. This is a thread repeated every year or so around here. All the sidewalk superintendent and armchair quarterback opines have been expressed here. More. Than. Once. What I know is that I've been flying Mooneys for 50 years. They are fun to fly. They're strong. They're fast and economical. Having seen both more than once, I like it better when the factory is open than when it is closed. If I was 36 (or 46 or 56) instead of 76 and my accountant told me I needed to spend the money I'd be calling Lee Drumheller and @mike_elliott and getting in the line which is several months out the last I heard. But what do I know, I've never owned a Toyota.

I believe the news he reported seeing was issued April 1.

I have an old WX900 with its dedicated display. When things get interesting I can change range and clear the past data. I hesitate to going 500 due to the clutter factor, plus I don't need the panel space. But I have not flown with a 500 displaying on the GTN, Aspen and Ipad so I might well be wrong.

Paul, IMNSHO that otherwise well equipped 252 needs a Stormscope.

I had to leave Falcon a couple of years ago after several years with them. Mike Travers found me a 50% savings.

Fixed, thanks John.

In my opinion the paint scheme is a big factor. Pic is my short body. Borrowing a scheme from a new (long body) plane may need considerable modification to use on a plane with a much different profile.

If you have not sought other quotes you probably should. @Parker_Woodruff s a broker who helps us with insurance questions here on MS. Many Mooney owners use Falcon (TX). I have had great service from Travis in St. Louis. https://falconinsurance.com/ https://www.traversaviation.com/ I don't have an Ovation but those rates sound high considering your time in type etc. No claims or accidents? $100 hull costs me about $1000. (76 years old, PPL, Inst. 3000 hours in make/model.)