TWinter

Thanks for the comps.. As far as the #s go Dave has it right. Only 2" required on our years. I used "Mena Aircraft Paint". There are several paint shops at Mena airport. They all seem to keep busy. Price was pretty close, as I got a quote from all. There was one that was a smaller shop and a good bit higher then the rest. The area is a mini-industrial park w/ all types of services. My fly time was about 2 hrs from my home base WDYR. It is near Hot Springs Arkansas so the flight was over some pretty scenery. Some low flying MOA to our west that was active, but no issue. I picked Mena because they had just done a local construction companies Navajo and the work was great. I'm sure they are all good. Now it's fly for an hour and polish for two hours after .

Ray, I'm just getting active on the site..I have not had luck posting on the old style forum. I'll work on posting a few Sunday and see if I can get some detail pics posted. The scheme was a take-off that I came up with from the newer Mooney schemes, but a combination of two or three paint schemes. Many of the new designs have "Swooping" lines. I wanted more of a straight accent lines going to the rear, no swoops. The plane was too short and stubby. I did not think the lines looked right with something like the up/down swoosh and splash (if that makes any sense). Thanks for the positive input.. The colors are AcryGlo Sherwin Williams Skyscape. Matterhorn Base, Imperial Red Metallic, Black Velvet Metallic.

I went from a 20 yr lay-off from flying. I just got back into it last December. After getting the bug I had to get a plane. I bought a 69' 140. Great plane to get back in the saddle, but after a few months I quickly became bored with it. I stepped into a Mooney M20E in Jun. I'm a old retired Powerlifter. Now fitness club owner and less time on the gym floor, but still 270 pounds at 5'11". More into the business aspect of it, I kept the body weight, just lost the muscle, so you say were did the 270 pounds go..umm, I guess about mid-section. My Mooney is tight getting in, but much like getting into my Z06 Vette. Once you slide the seat back then up and wedge in you feel like a racecar driver, low and in command. Great two person plane, four would be tight for more than a few hours..they need to be pretty small (under 5'9" to have any comfort) in the rear, it can be done though. Bottom line..nothing will be cooler than a Mooney, maybe there are more comfortable models. A J might fit your needs? Just my .02.

Thanks. It's a 73 M20E. It was painted at Mena, Arkansas..Great job. Extras included polished fuel caps, all new hardware and just a overall good shop to work with. Down time was only about three weeks.

Had the 70s era lime green prior. Time to get looking current http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk98/TomsBossHoss/Mooneyside3_zps83e285d0.jpg Had to cheat on the pic attach..I could not get it to post right. Mods feel free to adjust if you need to. Came out better than expected.

Hello all, Fairly new to the forum. Just transitioned from my Cherokee into my 74' M20E. Life is great! Does anybody know of a conversion kit to go from manual trim to electric trim? My A&P said he was not aware of a simple conversion without going full blown auto-pilot change over. Any help is appreciated. Getting my hand down between the seats is a small PIA, but it's worth the change from my Cherokee to the Mooney Thanks in advance. Tom

Thanks for the great replies. They really just started the annual this past Monday and I've called pretty much daily (probably bugging the cra# out of them), but I'm pretty cautious and buying sight unseen is difficult. No other info regarding any findings just yet. The seller has sent me all the logs etc. I've looked them over pretty well, but will dig into them deeper tonight and look at all the compression readings over the past few years and see what that one has been showing. There is lots of info regarding compression on different sites. Most has been what was relayed here. 68 is not bad and it may just be a lower end reading for various reasons (lower engine temps or whatever as mentioned). The scope would give a more accurate indication. I'll bug them with that one now. There was a mention independent inspection. The balance of the purchase is not paid until my A/P takes a look. So I've got that covered. The seller is bringing the plane to me so our first stop is my A/Ps shop. Why I took a twenty year lay-off?.Well it took me that long to build a business so I could fly these birds when I felt like flying and actually enjoy looking out the window and flying. Twenty years ago I think I was concerned about how much fuel I was burning and how many hours I had rented for and what I owed for plane rental. Back then $65 an hour wet for a Warrior was pretty tough. LOL.. We won't even get into how times have changed..and now with GPS..Life is good..Ha Looks like a great forum..thanks again

Hello all, I've been lurking around the forum for a short while and trying to get re-educated after a twenty year lay-off from flying. I just got back into flying last December and it feels great being back in the air. I currently have a 69 Piper Cherokee that I have been playng with over the last six months. I recently struck a deal on a 74 Mooney M20E. It is waiting in the wings for a pre-buy and annual. All looks pretty good on the pre-buy/annual. I have some slight concern over the compression readings. The plane has just under 3000 TT about 990 SMOH. The current compressions are 68,76,76,75. Last years annual was 70 on the current 68 reading. No issues found so far. I've tried to research and see what a respectable variable is with regard to compression and pretty much get answers all over the place. I don't want it to be a deal breaker for me, but I'm usually seeing mid 70s on my aircraft. I know there are different factors as well and not all shops read the same.. This shop has done the annual on this particular aircraft for the last ten years plus. They say it's not a big deal. I have yet to fly the plane..or had my A/P look at it. I'm in TN and the aircraft is in Ohio. It is being serviced by the seller's service center. They are a recognized Mooney service center (Akron, Ohio), for some of you that may know them. I have confidence, just concerned over the 68 on cylinder 1. Should I have any concerns? Any input is appreciated. Thanks and glad to be a part of the forum. Thanks, Tom