Smiles201

I worked on a reservation in New Mexico. Jicarilla Apache, and with other native tribes in the state. There was a beautiful airstrip that got very little use. Unless you've been there, it is hard to believe or understand how things work. Yes there are rules and laws, but what counts is who you know. In an agency with ten employees, such as the police department, depending on the day, you will get several opinions and assurances. Not to disparage native culture, there are good reasons for the fragmented nature of the tribe, but things work differently on the rez.

Dumb question: can you just peel back enough skin in each section to get inside and clean up? Guess you have to inspect fuselage, tail and interior too. Must be people who are familiar with this problem. Air Mods in New Jersey might be worth a call.

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Don't know why no one has asked how much the 'two adults' that the OP mentions weighs? Closer to 150 or 250 each? Obviously higher weight especially with seats far forward (short legs) would make any aircraft want to hug the ground.

I was new pilot, 60 hours and no instrument ticket, and almost became a statistic. Just did some training with foogles. Somehow, I stumbled into the clouds after departing ocean city one night. Really focusing on the instruments, I thought they had failed, and was disoriented for seversl long seconds, i remeber thinking that the dg was turning right and the ai was pointed left. It did make sense at the time. I sort of figured it out, got the wings level and survived to start working on my instrument rating, but it was a long time before I ventured out at night again.

Could have helped you out twenty years ago, had a j model based in Los Alamos. 182 is bigger inside, slower. Burns more fuel. Carries more of a load, better view for passengers,.I like the feeling of sitting on the wing versus hanging under it. Mooneys are more exciting to look at. I'm prejudiced. The southwest is the best place for flying. Go to Sedona or grand canyon for the day, or up to Pagosa springs. Miles

Not to cast aspersions on military service or downplay any of the overwhelmingly legitimate suffering that persons are sometimes left with from service to our country, but I am the guy who evaluates people for ssi disability and find that a small proportion of people claiming PTSD from their military time do not actually have symptoms of PTSD, and that the VA sometimes advises individuals to stop working to justify the diagnosis and their receipt of benefits from the VA.

I lived in La Junta for several months twenty six years ago. No maintenance on the field then, the town was surrounded by feed lots and a hanger was $60 a month. Eventually everything will be sorted out and you will help to keep the fleet going strong!

From most map pages....from the manual...."The map orientation can be changed by moving the cursor to the bottom line of the pop-up menu and rotating the right inner knob. The map orientation choices are the same as for the NAV 5 page: North up, desired track up, actual track up, or heading up (if a proper source of heading is provided). Remember that for actual track up, Graphics are displayed only when the aircraft’s ground-speed is greater than 2 knots."

This all reminds me of how long it takes to build a new cathedral. Even in this day and age it can take over 200 years. They are still working on The National Cathedral in Washington. Well worth the effort for something the next generation will appreciate.

I had a Cherokee 180 before my Mooney 201. Very different experiences Mooney more comfortable to sit in. Legs straight out not bent. Piper better view, more glass. Mooney is real plane! Retractable gear, controllable prop, good autopilot, much faster. Piper is friendlier, simple, more enjoyable in a way. I was getting a little bored with it. Mooney is more masculine feel, you are encased in the plane. Piper you are more aware of the sky. Mooney heavier, better in turbulence, big speed difference for longer trips, which I did often. Plus the cool factor of seeing bigger numbers, especially with good tail wind.

So interesting to hear comments about health risks from aviators. We enjoy flying as we must put aside the obvious risks of our hobby. Thus, we like to deny the reality that some of us, and it is partly random who it will be, will be hurt by flying. Likewise, we tend to discount any information that implies any other possible danger in our love of aviation. We have invested much time and money, and this also contributes to our bias. Safety legislation is one area where we need government help. Otherwise, we would continue to operate unsafe factories, breath in too many chemicals, drink bad water, etc. I don't know about 100LL, but I know we all hate to comply with rules that do not seem to have an immediate impact on ourselves or others, and that affect our way of life. We love our freedom to do as we please! I hate speed limits and love to drive fast. I have the illusion that my superior skill will keep me and others safe. So far I am correct. But the odds are not in my favor. Being a stupid, selfish human, I will continue to drive fast, except when the wife is with me!

The best way to clean bugs and debris is to soak the windscreen with lots of water and rub with your hand, that way no scratches from the cloth. They apply any type of auto wax or other protective product. Buff, and apply another coat. Next time will be easier to clean as you have layer of wax, which also protects the plastic windscreen from scratches

This is a hazard for all aircraft. If there would have been no problem seen now, there is a good chance that the problem would have developed later. Check the rest of the airframe closely, with an eye towards spotting the next trouble area. Checked inside the fuel tanks?

Lesson I learned the hard way. After vacuum pump failure you have to clean the lines out of material from the broken pump vanes, vacuum out the debris with shop vac. Otherwise new AI will be damaged by the carbon bits and dust.