Moving to Tampa

[Jeev]

Hello - In May I will be moving the Mooney down to KVDF Tampa Executive from Vegas. Any one based in the surrounding area or at VDF? Im looking forward to some Bahamas, Keys, tropical flying! Any preference of airport? I am not stuck in the hangar I'm renting and open to other surrounding airports. I like VDF because it is inland (away from salt water) and has good approaches. Both St Pete and Peter O Knight look nice too... Any recommendations?

Thanks,

SP

[FloridaMan]

I am based at KSPG. KVDF has much cheaper hangars and I'm curious how you like it. Sheltair is the FBO at KPIE and KSPG; the nice thing about having the same FBO at both airports is that when I've had to divert to KPIE due to needing a precision approach, they've given me a ride to my car and back to my plane the next day. 

[mike_elliott]

Welcome! the second sat. of every month, there is the Mooney Lunch group that meets. A lot of fun!

[gsxrpilot]

Buy a box of CamGuard!

[mike_elliott]

Buy a box of CamGuard!

A engine dehumidifier is in order, but then again, it is in order in any state for a Lycoming "we don't need no steenkin' valve stem lubrication" engine. As far as the cam guard goes, yes, Use it if you don't plan to fly your plane often.

Meanwhile, let the naysayers have at it with how your plane will be a pile of corrosion and junk if you move it here. They will be right if you don't take care of it or take care of it like a lot of them do up north where they park it and forget it for the winter. But if you fly it often, annual corrosion proofing, and keep it out of the Sun, Your plane will like it here just fine. YMMV

[fantom]

Your plane will like it here just fine.

 

So will you. Rejex for the plane, sun screen for you, and lots of friendly folks waiting for your arrival.

 

[mike_elliott]

So will you. Rejex for the plane, sun screen for you, and lots of friendly folks waiting for your arrival.

 

 Groping is allowed in my plane....

[fantom]

 Groping is allowed in my plane....

 

Mike...this is a picture from Panama City Beach

[jetdriven]

I am based at KSPG. KVDF has much cheaper hangars and I'm curious how you like it. Sheltair is the FBO at KPIE and KSPG; the nice thing about having the same FBO at both airports is that when I've had to divert to KPIE due to needing a precision approach, they've given me a ride to my car and back to my plane the next day.

VDF sure has some high priced avgas though. More than 2$ higher than some others in the area.

[mike_elliott]

VDF sure has some high priced avgas though. More than 2$ higher than some others in the area.

 

BKV just a few miles away 4.64 full service 

[mike_elliott]

Mike...this is a picture from Panama City Beach

 

..yea, isn't it a good venue?  

[Jeev]

Thanks for the advise guys!! Yeah I just had it fogged with ACF 50 in November and have been running Camgaurd for the last 50hrs in anticipation for the move.  I have been flying the J about 180 - 250hrs per year over the last 5 and don't plan on less than 150.  I have been to the Bahamas in the J two times in 2013 from Vegas and noticed surface rust on exposed screws and things like the oil pressure sending unit mounting clamp after a few days in FL / Bahamas.  I plan on washing it more frequently, running Camgaurd, REJEX, treating with ACF 50 or similar every annual and touching up any bare aluminum paint ASAP.  The bird is corrosion free, new paint two years ago and just got a new IO360 last April that has about 200hrs on it. Any more advise as well as good places for annuals and general manintience would be appreciated.  I am sure I will be seeing many of you at flyinn's.

 

JetDriven - Yeah the fuel is expensive at VDF but they do give a discount of around $.50 per gallon to the "residents", it has good precision approaches, fair hangar prices and is as far inland (away from salt water) as I am willing to drive from my new house (bout 30min).  Those are the factors that swayed me.

 

Thanks again guys!!!

 

SP

[Jeev]

A engine dehumidifier is in order, but then again, it is in order in any state for a Lycoming "we don't need no steenkin' valve stem lubrication" engine. As far as the cam guard goes, yes, Use it if you don't plan to fly your plane often.

Meanwhile, let the naysayers have at it with how your plane will be a pile of corrosion and junk if you move it here. They will be right if you don't take care of it or take care of it like a lot of them do up north where they park it and forget it for the winter. But if you fly it often, annual corrosion proofing, and keep it out of the Sun, Your plane will like it here just fine. YMMV

 

Anyone using this: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/engsaver.php?clickkey=30293

[mike_elliott]

Anyone using this: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/engsaver.php?clickkey=30293

 

Mine is a homemade rig that I have about $50 into. A couple of Orange juice bottles, one filled with desiccant, one filled with kitty litter, an aquarium pump, a couple of brass rods with aquarium pump filters on the ends, 2 test tube stoppers and some aquarium air hose/ Run a hose from a test tube stopper with a hole in it from your crankcase vent tube to the kitty litter bottle. Come from the kitty litter bottle to the desiccant bottle, out the desiccant bottle to the intake of the aquarium pump, out the aquarium pump to the stopper that fits into the oil dipstick tube. You have to modify the aquarium pump to make sure it is "airtight" and provide an intake port you can hook a tube to. Easily done with RTV and a drill bit. You have to seal the orange juice jars with RTV where the 2 tubes go thru the holes in the cap you drilled are. This is a closed loop system and the desiccant lasts quite a while before needing recharging. The purpose of the kitty litter is to remove oil vapors from the air so it doesn't coat the desiccant, like the first "model" I made did, thus ruining it. 

Works well, and in the spirit of being a Mooney owner, cheap.

[Piloto]

I think the corrosion issue near a coast line has been exagerated. If you keep the plane in hangar there is no corrosion or sunlight damage issues. I have seen the same on cars kept in garages vs those on the street for houses on the beach.

 

Jose