I'm new here...

[22 others]

I guess it's time to say hello and show off my new-to-me Mooney.  I've been stalking (lurking) here for about 6 months as I searched for the bird for me. This is the most expensive club I've ever joined and Mooneyspace has been an extremely valuable resource. Thank you all.

I bought 63M about a week ago from some pretty cool Texans who upgraded.

 

The first day I owned it, I broke the avionics master switch while hangar flying and learned the difference between a regular toggle switch and a lever lock toggle. That was embarrassing. The local A&P replaced the broken lever lock with the more traditional variety after he got a good laugh at my expense. "You'll probably break something else before the year is over" he said. I hope he's wrong.

 

While doing a preflight a few days ago, I noticed a little spring loaded button near the left wing root. I have no idea what it is, but I'll bet some of you know... What is it?

 

[BigTex]

Welcome!  Tell us about yourself.

 

That's a drain for the static line.  Mine has a second one right behind the trailing edge of the wing on the left side as well.

[Cody Stallings]

I'm based just south west of you in Mt.view. Are you havin your maintiance done there at the FBO?

That's a pretty nice bird you have there

[mulro767]

Welcome and Congrats! Nice looking Mooney:)

[AlanA]

Congrats!  You are going to love it.

[mikesalman]

Congratulations on your purchase. I owned my M20F for 14 months and never knew that little spring loaded button even existed until I hired Mike Elliot for some Mooney specific training. Boy was that money well spent. Welcome to Mooneyspace and remember, keep the dirty side down.

[Jeff_S]

This is the most expensive club I've ever joined and Mooneyspace has been an extremely valuable resource. Thank you all.

 

Ha, you're not wrong about that. It only gets worse from here on out, my friend. Not because your plane will necessarily need a lot of maintenance or chew into your wallet too much. You'll spend a bit more than you budgeted for in the first year, getting things to work just right, but then if you maintain it properly and don't let the squawks aggregate there shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

The money comes in because you'll always be trying to add more things, improve the panel, give it a nicer paint job, etc etc etc.  But it's a labor of love and from my experience you'll enjoy spending every penny. If the time comes when you don't enjoy spending it, then you should get out, because that's when you might be tempted to skimp on something that could compromise safety.

 

Have fun! And if your wife/partner every wonders how much you're spending, just announce everything in terms of an "aviation unit" which is a cool $1000. Seems like anything you do to an airplane costs at least $1AU, so it lessens the blow of thinking about it.

 

[rbridges]

good to see another C model joining the ranks.  

[Nathan Peterson]

Nice looking Bird.  Welcome

 

Nate

[Marauder]

I guess it's time to say hello and show off my new-to-me Mooney. I've been stalking (lurking) here for about 6 months as I searched for the bird for me. This is the most expensive club I've ever joined and Mooneyspace has been an extremely valuable resource. Thank you all.

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I bought 63M about a week ago from some pretty cool Texans who upgraded.

The first day I owned it, I broke the avionics master switch while hangar flying and learned the difference between a regular toggle switch and a lever lock toggle. That was embarrassing. The local A&P replaced the broken lever lock with the more traditional variety after he got a good laugh at my expense. "You'll probably break something else before the year is over" he said. I hope he's wrong.

While doing a preflight a few days ago, I noticed a little spring loaded button near the left wing root. I have no idea what it is, but I'll bet some of you know... What is it?

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There are actually two drains on your Mooney. The one you are showing is the pitot drain. The second one is located on bottom of the fuselage below your avionics access bay door (left side). That one is for the two static ports.

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[carusoam]

Welcome aboard!

Consider signing up for some Mooney specific training.

It could save you an AMU or two...

It could magically save a fair amount of bacon, as well!

Best regards,

-a-

[mooneygirl]

Welcome to the Mooney Family.  It is great to have more among our ranks flying the best airplane out there.  In addition to Mooney specific training I would also suggest you join MAPA, our professional association if you haven't already.  And if you are wanting to do some volunteer work, check out the Mooney Ambassadors. We are a service club that displays our Mooneys to support Mooney and promote GA.

 

Again, welcome to the fold.

[jlunseth]

The one you found, under the front of the left wing, is the pitot system drain.  The one on the left side of the fuselage behind the left wing is the static system drain. You should push them for a few seconds during every pre-flight, to make sure there is no fluid in either line. 

[22 others]

Welcome!  Tell us about yourself.

 

That's a drain for the static line.  Mine has a second one right behind the trailing edge of the wing on the left side as well.

I've posted a few times here under the name jmurph. I changed it so when I click "like this" it will say "22 others like this post."

I'm a South Carolinian by birth. Spent a few years in the Arctic... I fix teeth for a living and landed here in Arkansas with a bride and two little ones.

 

I'm based just south west of you in Mt.view. Are you havin your maintiance done there at the FBO?

That's a pretty nice bird you have there

I'm sure time and experience will help determine what the best balance is between maintenance that is local and convenient vs. Mooney specific. I've see you've been balancing propellers across the country. 

 

Ha, you're not wrong about that. It only gets worse from here on out, my friend. Not because your plane will necessarily need a lot of maintenance or chew into your wallet too much. You'll spend a bit more than you budgeted for in the first year, getting things to work just right, but then if you maintain it properly and don't let the squawks aggregate there shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

The money comes in because you'll always be trying to add more things, improve the panel, give it a nicer paint job, etc etc etc.  But it's a labor of love and from my experience you'll enjoy spending every penny. If the time comes when you don't enjoy spending it, then you should ge0t out, because that's when you might be tempted to skimp on something that could compromise safety.

 

Have fun! And if your wife/partner every wonders how much you're spending, just announce everything in terms of an "aviation unit" which is a cool $1000. Seems like anything you do to an airplane costs at least $1AU, so it lessens the blow of thinking about it.

 

Darn.. my wife just read this looking over my shoulder.  I should have hid it with a browser window opened to Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. That would have been easier to explain.

 

Welcome aboard!

Consider signing up for some Mooney specific training.

It could save you an AMU or two...

It could magically save a fair amount of bacon, as well!

Best regards,

-a-

Will do. My current instructor was a Mooney owner. The MAPA group looks like a pretty good investment.  With a little luck... some of the local guys will want to meet up for lunch and share some of their bacon-saving tips.

 

The one you found, under the front of the left wing, is the pitot system drain.  The one on the left side of the fuselage behind the left wing is the static system drain. You should push them for a few seconds during every pre-flight, to make sure there is no fluid in either line. 

Got it. Push them.