Bob_Belville

Sure hope you don't get run over by a beer truck while driving the USA in your Chevrolet.

I think my experience is the opposite. As a VFR pilot almost every cross country flight is tricky. Weather is forecast but reality can be pretty perverse. A current instrument rated pilot has much easier decisions to make: low ceilings? winter icing? summer convective activity? If those conditions are not going to be a factor the pilot need not fret about scud running below an overcast in limited visibility, getting caught on top, or even inadvertently getting into IMC. I suspect that almost all of us had tough times making decisions before we got a ticket.

The original PC system (provided by Brittain) was a big help in my first '66 E. (I did add a STEC) It would indeed keep wings level. It had a small trim knob which could be tweaked to pretty effectively hold a heading. I think it was primarily intended to hold the wings level while the pilot looked away from the panel, to tune a radio, read a chart, etc. But I think it could save a VFR pilot under poor visibility conditions. I often notice that passengers often react dramatically to entering IMC. They sense that the plane is turning even though the pilot, trusting his instruments, is scanning AI, DG, ASI, etc. and is paying no attention to what his body might be sensing.

Chris, what had happened to the engine?

I would not, in fact I did not, glue down carpet. I used several strips of "industrial strength" Velcro. http://www.amazon.com/VELCRO-Industrial-Strength-Wide-Black/dp/B00006RSP1

About 50#. Go to page 5 to find your model: http://hartzellprop.com//wp-content/uploads/2012/12/SA02414CH-D_INST-_rev_E.pdf

When I returned to flying 4 years ago after a 20 year hiatus I bought a plane with a KNS80. I had had Narco DME and RNAV in my 1st Mooney and loved what they allowed us to do. I hated the fancy KNS80. It and concern for getting sevice for the Narco HSI were the motivation to upgrade my panel.

Well Ross, I do not intend to provide details on all my sins... but this one might be useful to some other poor slob and it's been 45 years so the statue of limitation must have run out by now. I had 150 hours (most of it in an M20E) when I rented a M20G at Dr. Bill's home field, Charlotte Wilgrove, to make a trip to Columbus GA. I should have had plenty of fuel and to spare so I did not fill up in Columbus for the return flight. I had run one tank to the empty line on the gauge and was nearing home when the other tank coughed dry while indicating over 1/3 tank. I immediately switched backed to the "empty tank" and the (carburated) engine came to life. I grabbed the sectional off my passenger's lap, estimated where we were (we'd been just gabbing - it was CAVU) and told Earl to look for a runway just south of a crossing interstate. Newberry SC was practically right under us. I spiraled down but I was not through screwing up. I came in so high to stay safe that about midfield I decided I had to go around! I held my breath and the engine kept running. Taxied in and put 50.2 in the 52 gallon tanks. 50.2 is a number I will never forget and I doubt I've ever landed an airplane with less than 12 gallons on board since. I checked log book #1: 11/8/70, remark: "refueled @ KEOE!".

The dumbest stunts that I got away with while "learning to fly" were really not IMC experiences. (Taking off from AUW zero/zero, getting caught on top at night at the end of a long xcountry before being instrument rated, running out of fuel @ 5500' VFR cross country.) I hope I learned from those poor decisions in the first few hundred of 3100 TT. I've landed my first M20E @ HKY, MDW, IAD and many more at night in 200&1/2 in rain and fog but the only serious IFR scare was over eastern KY returning from Chicago to NC at night. IMC on a moonless night, no Stormscope or other on board weather. ATC advised that they were painting scattered cells and the controller was providing heading advice to keep me clear of same. I don't know whether he got busy or it was a cell he was not painting on his old radar (which in the '70s was set up to screen out weather in favor of xponder targets) but I suddenly found myself in what was mess. Severe turbulence, VSI pegged in both directions, wings banking suddenly in excess of 60 degrees, lightning, heavy precip. I usually keep the seat belt cinched tight but the big Jepp binders on the co-pilot seat were bouncing around. It's been more that 30 years and I can't say whether it went of for 5 or 30 minutes but with one hand on the yoke and the other on the throttle I tried to hold maneuvering speed and wings level. It was all I could do. When the controller helpfully pointed out my +3000'+ altitude excursions I thanked him and I assured him I would returned to assigned (probably 9 or 11,000) when able. I bought the Stormscope I had been thinking about immediately after that flight. And I became an even bigger fan of Al Mooney as well. I was confident that if I could keeping flying that the plane would hold together.

My '66 M20E still has the shorter rudder. With the trailing edge tube. http://mooneyspace.com/gallery/image/36719-img-20150608-201156113/

I had to go back to Dec. 1997 to find where my M20E got a new Skytec Flywt starter (7.8#). 18 years and ~900 hours. Still there. Knock on wood.

Yeah! That's exactly what Paul Ryan believed could be plotted.

Barrel of laughs. Right up there with A-N range and the instrument approach centered on the cone of silence. Not! I still have several slide rules in my desk. Lots of fun and unlikely to break your neck.

I used to listen to navigate toward AM radio on my ADF 30 years ago! Now I have Sirius/XM radio coming through a GPS 696. Listen to jazz, or CNBC or a ballgame through the Audio Panel, auto mutes when anything else comes on. (Subscription is pretty cheap piggybacking on a package for the car.)

I like some features of Savvy but I don't think it allows loading multiple flights like EZTrends does. It is often useful to have 2 or more flights graphed side by side to see changes. (It is possible Savvy does that as well, I've looked around as little and have not found it.)

Think of it, flight data, charts, as you do insurance. You choose to pay for it but flying is better if you do not have to use it.

There is of course no difference at all. There are a lot of fans who are obviously jealous of New England. Go Pats.

You may have predicted it but I think Carl actually invited B26's eyeball pain.

110 stones? Looks like a job for you F guys with big back seats and useless load.

1675#, 900# useful. (Empty weight @ factory: 1611.) Bladders, Speed brakes. and one piece belly add about 50# to empty wt. Light weight starter, alternator lowered weight by 18#. Modern avionics are lighter than KNS80, ADF...the new panel gained me 17# useful.

Carl, I had tried, not too hard, to find Mr. Westbrook back when I bought the plane in Feb. 2012. What a sad end for a decorated vet, sorry to hear it but thanks for the info. Westbrook sold the plane to a Delta Air captain whose wife also was a pilot. They owned it for 5-1/2 years and sold it to a retired air force pilot who owned it 6-1/2 years before selling it to me. I feel sure it has been well cared for for many years.

Yes, plus Poweflow tune exhaust. In 1997 a previous owner, Ron Westbrook of Chickamauga GA, whose wife was born in Sep 1943, changed to tail # to 943RW modified this E by the following STCs: 1) Oil cooler relocated by Lake Aero Style STC SA2513NM (included 2nd landing light.) 2) Fiberglass nose cowl by AeroResources Inc STC SA7589SW 3) Mooney 201 M20J Spinner & spinner bulkhead assys from Aero Resources Inc STC SA7589SW 4) Speed brakes by Precise Flight Inc STC SA5708NM 5) Standby Vacuum System III by Precise Flight Inc, STC SA2168NM 6) Mooney Bladder Tank 6 bay system by O&N Aircraft Modifications Inc STC SA2350CE 7) Dorsal Fin Fairing by Lake Aero Styling, STC SA4443NM 8) Tail Root Fairing Horizontal by Lake Aero Styling, STC SA4443NM 9) Wheel well liner covers by Lake Aero Styling, STC SA4443NM 10) Wing Root Leading Edge Fairing by Lake Aero Styling, STC SA4443NM 11) Relocated Cleveland wheel brake assys by Lake Aero Styling, STC SA4443NM 12) Hinge cover on Aileron, Elevator, & Rudder assy by Lake Aero Styling , STC SA4443NM 13) Aileron lower gap seals by Lake Aero Styling, STC SA4443NM 14) Flap gap seals by Lake Aero Styling, STC SA4443NM 15) One piece fiberglass belly pan fairing with skid runners by Aero Mod Inc, STC SA4080NM Westbrook owned the plane 5 years (May '95-May 2000) and flew it a total of 58 hours. I'd love to understand that story.

Hum, was the gear down?

And you'll note I have the ram air closed and I'm running 2360 rpm so there's more speed in reserve in case I sight a F and need to go around it.

I sandbagged you. 146 kts tas, 8.2 gph, 8500' JPI shows nominal 65% power but per FF LOP formula it was 61.5%.