Nokomis449

While techniques and opinions will vary, I'm concerned about the statement "...much more thorough inspection". Attached are screengrabs of last year's 8 minute video inspection. In what way(s) is this method inferior to yours, so I can inform the IA?

I was in a similar boat with my G a few years ago. Needed an exhaust NOW; no time to send out for a rebuild/OH. No one in the U.S. had an overhauled on the shelf, but Knisley had their version in stock and ready to ship. Install was easy/straight forward. New tail pipe is longer than stock, similar in looks to the Powerflow, but the G cowl flaps are fixed and there's no interference. I don't have before/after numbers, but I swear it's 4-5 knots faster. I questioned Knisley about the extra performance, and all they'd say is that it wasn't certified with performance claims, so they can't comment on it. Per the 3-way GPS speed test at 6,000, 7,000, and 8,000 ft I true out at 143 knots at cruise settings, which is not too shabby for "The slowest Mooney model". You might ask them if they can help you make a decision by lowering their price; seems mine was $1,700-$1,800 a few years ago. I liked the fact that theirs was a totally new exhaust replacement from risers to tailpipe; no worries about repairing/replacing something today and something else tomorrow. (*Exception: you'll re-use your existing heater shroud.) Another advantage to the Knisley over stock is that the stock muffler is "ribbed" like a soup can, with the heater shroud resting against the ribs. Inspection requires the heater shroud to be removed to inspect the muffler. The Knisley uses short standoffs welded in rows to hold off the heater shroud. Simply loosening the shroud and running a cheap borescope camera up and down the rows allows you to inspect/video the entire muffler without removing the shroud. Good luck with whatever you decide.

It's a GoDaddy site, and I reported it to GoDaddy. Wouldn't hurt for others to do the same.

I'm hoping to make it but my wife is wanting to fly to south Georgia so... we'll see. Be aware that Cullman is a jump zone and the LZ is in the center of the field, so monitor the freq for the jump plane and avoid overflying mid field if they're active.

I bought one of these to pump smoke oil from the 30gal drum to a can. Works great, but a little slow. It's the submersible type, so you'd need to CB some type of fitting on the base so it can lie on the bottom of the tank and still drink up the lowest levels, but should be doable.Or maybe that site has an in-line fersion that you can use. https://www.tmart.com/12V-Mini-Portable-Stainless-Steel-Diesel-Water-Oil-Submersible-Pump-with-Removable-Filter_p356621.html

Avidyne fan/owner here. To expand on something that's already been mentioned: as long as a few caveats are met, installing a 540 in the 530 slot can be as simple as the owner removing the 530 and sliding in the 540; about a 5 minute process if you go slow. Avidyne even has detailed instructions including what to enter in the logbook to make it a legal owner performed install. Using wifi from the Avidyne, you can push a flight plan from ForeFlight/et al to the Avidyne and from the Avidyne to ForeFlight. You can even have your Avidyne connect to a different wifi source (such as a Stratux) as a client so that ForeFlight can get traffic/wx from the Stratux and still push/pull flight plans from the Avidyne. Additionally, Avidyne provides a free iPad app, IFD100, that will also wirelessly connect to the Avidyne and essentially gives you a 2nd instance of a 540 while also pushing the traffic/wx to the 100. You can change the flight plan, look up airports/freqs/wx, change radio freqs, view different pages, and anything else the 540 can do while the panel IFD remains unchanged. It's like having a 2nd IFD installed for free, but with a screen the size of an iPad. Now to show some insight (or ignorance if I'm wrong): The 440 and 540 both have Synthetic Vision, as mentioned previously. However, only the 550 has the electronic gyros to give you true AHRS. Synthetic Vision (GPS based) and AHRS (gyro based) are not the same thing. I thought I'd be able to get ForeFlight's Attitude Indicator to work off of my certified IFD440's brains instead of my DIY $15 Stratux AHRS board but after failing to get it to work, I read the Avidyne marketing literature more closely and realized that AHRS is only available on the 550. The huge advantage to me of the Avidyne over Garmin (I replaced a 430 with the 440) is the fact that I can do everything on the IFD using the touch screen OR using the knobs and soft keys. Touchscreen is great in smooth air, but in turbulence it's nearly impossible to touch the correct spot, especially if you're typing in waypoint or other lengthy entry. That's when the knobs and buttons make up for the slightly smaller screen. Also as mentioned before, the (free!) bluetooth keyboard is ideal for data entry whether the air is smooth or bumpy. You can enter lengthy routes at the speed of txt'ing. Add all that together along with huge $$ savings and you'd really have to be faithfully married to Garmin to not give Avidyne a wink. PP thoughts only, not a normal person.

Congrats! Want a twin Mooney? Don't forget that Mooney assembled and delivered MU-2's in Texas from '65 until '69. Mooney TwinTurbine ZOOM!!!

Here's where it's mentioned. A lengthy read, and nothing more than 3rd party speculation (I.E., "my sources confirm...") about drugs/alcohol although there is a link to a news article stating the controller is no longer an FAA employee. That fact alone is pretty damning - a bonafide medical issue wouldn't lead to an almost immediate firing/resignation, especially from a government job. https://www.beechtalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=159980

I'm interested. Cullman is 14 minutes away, Eufaula is 1:14. Never been to EUF; always like trying new places.

Cullman Airport in Cullman, AL (KCMD) has an on-again, off-again restaurant on the 2nd floor of the FBO. Good food and prices, and the wrap-around windows give a great view of the runway and the skydivers when they're jumping.

Campbell Field is a licensed, uncharted grass strip that's been in use since the 60's. Well maintained 1,700ish ft strip with obstacles both ends, and Campbell Field Restaurant is through the pasture gate and across the road. Great food and prices; we usually have 3 to 10 planes meet for breakfast on fair weather Sundays. It's about 21 miles NNW of the Birmingham, AL airport (KBHM). Coordinates are 33.844, -86.898. Don't just practice short fields, use it! Overhead view: Breakfast run parking:

Here's my CB fix for my prop vernier that likes to gradually increase RPM when I'm not looking: I keep a pony tail holder on the adjacent vernier. When I'm ready for the prop to stay put, I loop the pony tail holder over both. It provides just enough tension to keep the RPM from creeping, and doesn't interfere with subsequent adjustments of either. TIP: Make sure your wife knows what you're doing BEFORE you get one. Explaining a rogue (to her) pony tail holder in the plane can get expensive, especially when she doesn't sport a pony tail.

I replaced mine a few years ago with one from Knisely Welding. Theirs was a complete replacement, risers and all, but it was shipped immediately whereas noone else in the country had a muffler on the shelf and I didn't have time for an overhaul.

+1 on the strobe. My Mooney came with both strobe AND rotating beacon and when the beacon stopped rotating,the mechanic suggested removing it rather than repairing it, so I did. Increased useful load by 5 lbs and picked up 10 knots. ;)

Mine did the same thing when I made it. I solved it by putting about 1/2" of silicone inside the very top of the tube, and placing a toothpick-sized hole in the silicone. That slowed the fuel exit enough that an accurate measurement could be seen before the fuel started dripping out. I found it necessary to give the tube a few seconds for the air to displace thru the tiny hole, else the reading would be shy of actual. I marked the tube with a Sharpie and it's been in use for about 6 years and still readable. My tube was not rigid, so I safety wired it to a small rod slightly larger than a coat hanger. This also allowed me to raise the bottom of the tube slightly above the bottom of the rod so the bottom of the wing wouldn't prevent fuel from entering the tube.

Cool video! Thanks for sharing. re: Johnson bar: been dere, done dat! My Mooney instructor taught me to leave the gear down until there's no runway left to land on. So I lift off, level off until best climb, and retract the gear when an aborted takeoff is no longer an option. I'll adjust this for the situation - the <2,000ft grass strip in summer requires an immediate cleanup to avoid tree trimming and parts shedding. For me, swinging the gears either way is one constant motion. Someone (on here maybe, or in the Mooney Flyer or MAPA Log) once described in detail how it should be done. There's springs to help in either direction - that's why the bar stays at about 45deg when you let go. The trick is to keep the momentum from the first spring going as you rotate your hand over the top of the bar and start to overcome the force from the 2nd spring. My personal opinion is that your technique needs a little work, not the Mooney. It can be an awkward handful until you find the right combination of technique, airspeed, and G-force. It probably takes me 2 seconds in either direction. The process seems silly simple to me with 1,000+ hours of experience with Johnson bars, but when I allow others to fly left seat it's comical to watch their first attempts. And then I reach down from the right seat to show them how it's done, and my (unpracticed) actions with the opposite arm are just as comical. re: inner gear doors: I was picking up a Comanche once, and departure was delayed because the runway was fouled with a Mooney that'd landed with a flat tire and the extra gear door. The door had already left a mark down the asphalt and there was no way to tow it without further damage. So the shop had to change the tire while still on the only runway. Luckily it wasn't a busy place. You have a very nice Mooney! I've flown a Missile with speed brakes. Wow what a difference they make! Someone put a lot of upgrades/money into your airplane for you to enjoy!

I'm planning on being there and I think another Mooney from across the hangar is planning it. But then I broke my tibia at the ankle with surgery scheduled for next week, so it'll depend on whether I can operate the toe brakes by then.

A Louisiana tower controller, after stumbling on the number for the second time, asked me how much I paid to get that particular number (the implication was *why* would I want it?). I told him I have a picture of its very first test flight in Kerrville Texas in 1968 with the Mooney factory in the background, and it plainly shows that she was born with that number.

You've got us confused, he was referring to his own tail number - he IS N676N... And I'M N6776N, and YES, they're BOTH palindromes.

+1 on the stutter. It must be contagious, because ATC and sometimes me stumble on it. I'm in north Alabama, near Huntsville.

HA... We have almost identical tail numbers, @Mooney-Mark!

4 or 5 years ago I had to replace my M20G, O-360A1D muffler due to cracks. There wasn't one on a shelf in all of America, and I didn't have time for a rebuild. So I went with a complete system, risers and all, from Knisley Welding. The only part I reused was the stainless heater shroud. I swear I picked up 3-5 knots. The exhaust pipe is noticeably longer than original, and the guys I fly formation with call me names like "Donkey" and ask "what's that hanging under your plane?". Total jealousy, especially when I advance the throttle in response. Just this weekend I flew alongside a healthy C model with a 3 blade prop (mine's 2) and was surprised that I had a few knots on him, since my G (with 2,300 hrs SREM) is supposed to be the "slowest" Mooney. Maintenance on the Knisley has been nil outside of normal inspections. I still have the complete old system if anyone needs a rebuildable exhaust. I think I got PowerFlow performance at a Knisley price. @Raptor05121, I haven't been on here in a long while, and it looks like you've added several states since then. Congrats! Did you ever check out that private strip on a south Georgia island for camping? Can't remember the name or exact location but it was being restored and seemed like a good grass strip/camping destination.

I can +1 Aeromotors. They rebuilt mine a few years ago with fast turn-around.

It also asks for magnetic heading, and my compass dances around like a drunken bobblehead. That's why I finally decided to try the GPS method.

I used this method: http://www.eaa62.org/technotes/speed.htm