Mooney 231 has sat idle. Want to get it flying.

[drmda]

I'm a little embarrased by this, but I have a Mooney that hasn't flown in 6 years. (Long story short, we got a boat, and yada, yada, yada...No longer flying.)

 

My 1983 Mooney 231 (M20K) is hangered in Indianapolis at KEYE.  It was maintained by John Fogle at J&S Flying service in Woodsfield, OH until his passing. The aircraft is in good shape and was airworthy until it began resting in a hanger.

 

So, now I want to get it airworthy again. My question is, which maintenance shop would be the best to get it ready to fly? 

Based on my past experience, I felt like the shop at KEYE considered small aircraft as an undesired, yet necessary part of their business.  Although, that may have changed in 6 years.

I've had Montgomery Aviation do annuals and repairs in the past, and Muncie Aviation has done some avionics and minor repair work awhile ago for me.  Is Muncie still a Mooney Service Center?

 

But I'm really interested in someone that specializes in Mooneys, ala John Fogle.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks for your help, guys and gals.

 

Bob

 

p.s. Please, aircraft dealers and individuals, I am not interested in selling.  Don't deluge me with offers to purchase my Mooney.

[Hank]

It will need a good, thorough inspection. The engine may have issues, ditto for accessories. Battery is dead, ELT battery is dead. Are the tires flat and cracked, or did you manage to keep them sort of inflated? Tubes, too; stupid things cost as much as the tires. This could be relatively inexpensive, or it could require a boatload of cash. I'd also worry about the electronics, they don't appreciate sitting.

Sudden thought: what kind of battery? A wet cell could have corroded the tray it's in. Do you have 1 or 2 batteries? I don't remember when the change was made, or the differences between the various K models.

Interior: the seats are probably OK, carpet too, but what about the headliner?

My C flew 9 hours between annuals before I bought it, and I had no problems. But six years would worry me. I hope this doesn't cost you too much. Muncie should still have Mooney-savvy people; Midwest Mooney isn't too far, either (Flora, IL). Seems I recall hearing about someone around Cinci, but Indy should have several, too.

Welcome back, and good luck!

[flyingvee201]

It will need a good, thorough inspection. The engine may have issues, ditto for accessories. Battery is dead, ELT battery is dead. Are the tires flat and cracked, or did you manage to keep them sort of inflated? Tubes, too; stupid things cost as much as the tires. This could be relatively inexpensive, or it could require a boatload of cash. I'd also worry about the electronics, they don't appreciate sitting.

Sudden thought: what kind of battery? A wet cell could have corroded the tray it's in. Do you have 1 or 2 batteries? I don't remember when the change was made, or the differences between the various K models.

Interior: the seats are probably OK, carpet too, but what about the headliner?

My C flew 9 hours between annuals before I bought it, and I had no problems. But six years would worry me. I hope this doesn't cost you too much. Muncie should still have Mooney-savvy people; Midwest Mooney isn't too far, either (Flora, IL). Seems I recall hearing about someone around Cinci, but Indy should have several, too.

Welcome back, and good luck!

 

I agree....if you want to go full bore with a Mooney shop....your best bets are: Muncie and the shop in Flora, IL.

[urbanti]

It is possible that you will encounter problems with avionics either not working or having balky switches.

If you do, before panicking, have an avionics guy apply aerosol electronic contact cleaner on connections and try re-racking the radios - sometimes everything will just start working again.

Good luck

Tim

[David Mazer]

I doubt you have to worry about a deluge of purchase requests.  The market has been pretty soft for the last 6-8 years.

 

Personally, I wouldn't fly it to another field for this initial annual.  From a distance only, I've heard of too many planes that have crashed as they were ferried to another field for inspections or repairs after a long idle period.

 

I believe all the M20Ks have one battery unless they are Rockets.  The 231 is 14v and the 252 is 28v.

[chrisk]

I doubt you have to worry about a deluge of purchase requests.  The market has been pretty soft for the last 6-8 years.

 

Personally, I wouldn't fly it to another field for this initial annual.  From a distance only, I've heard of too many planes that have crashed as they were ferried to another field for inspections or repairs after a long idle period.

 

I believe all the M20Ks have one battery unless they are Rockets.  The 231 is 14v and the 252 is 28v.

 

Wow that is a tough one, as I can see both sides.  If I was unfamiliar, I would not fly the plane with a typical pre-flight inspection.  On the other hand, if I was familiar, and did a really good pre-flight (up on jack stands with a gear swing, etc), I would have to consider it.  I'd probably start with a ground run up, then a few high speed taxi runs, a second oil change.  Up and around the pattern a few times.  Then look at the filter again.  Then I might fly it on a clear day.  --Of course, I have never done anything like this before, so I don't know what getting a ferry permit involves, or if it would even let you take the plane up for a few laps around the pattern before  ferrying it.

[1964-M20E]

Good luck getting you Mooney flying again. I don’t know how mechanically inclined you are but if you are and if you have participated in an owner assisted annual on a Mooney before you can always start by doing the things you can legally do yourself anyway.

 

1. Find a flight school and get current on you PPL
2. Replace the batteries ELT and main
3. Open all of the inspection covers clean and lubricate all points inside the wing and fuselage.
4. Get the plane on jack stands and cycle the gear you may have some type of speed switch to deal with.
5. Change the oil and filter
6. Drain the fuel from the tanks and put 5 to 10 gallons of fresh fuel in each
7. Check out all the avionics and make sure they are functioning correctly from a pilot an owner standpoint.

[N201MKTurbo]

I resurrected a 231 that had set for 10 years. I had to fly it to another field for the annual. It was at KPHX and it had to go to KIWA

 

The FSDO guy said we had to fly it with the gear down.

 

After blowing about an inch of dirt off of it we did the following:

 

Drained the oil

 

Drained the fuel

 

replaced the battery

 

Replaced all the tires and tubes

 

Replaced the brake fluid. (Yellow syrup)

 

Changed the oil filter.

 

Added new fuel.

 

Added new oil.

 

Did a 15 minute run up and checked for leaks.

 

Off I went.....

 

The ferry permit only said we could go from point A to point B. Nothing about flights around the pattern.

 

It is the only ferry permit I ever got so I'm no expert. This was in 1994 things could have changed.

[AZ231]

I bought my 231 back in March.  It was in-annual at the time, but mostly sat for the past seven years without annual inspections being performed.  I had a thorough pre-buy before flying from Billings back to Phoenix.  Several items needed attention, but we got them handled and made the trip without incident.  We are now in the middle of a very expensive annual to restore items that deteriorated (number two cylinder included). 

 

Glad that you are up flying again, but be prepared for a laundry list once your service center starts opening things up.  Aircraft don't like to sit for years without activity.  I feel your pain!  

[mmgreve]

I did a pre-buy on a 231 that had been sitting idle for 2-3 years and while it looked prestine on the surface (it was in a hangar), we had to give the guy a really low offer due to the required work

- Half the electronics not working

- Everything needing to be re-greased

- All rubber perished

....and the big one.  There was water in the oil and rust in the cylinders

 

All in around £35K of work needing done.  We didn't agree in the end, and I ended up paying much more for well looked after example.

 

I'm sure yours is better, but just wanted to share my experience

[aaronk25]

There always is a hot shot new CFI around, maybe he would fly it to the other field ? Ya I know bad advise....

[mike_elliott]

Bob, call Boyd birchler. He lives on indy, is a masterful ia, and has owned a 231, a 201 and other mooneys for many years. PM me for his number, let him know I suggested you call

[toomanyswitches]

My C stood in a hangar for 8 months before I bought it, still airworthy though . All the fuel selector o rings was perished and leaking inside the cabin when we filled the tanks for the first time.

[Alan Fox]

I bought back an E that sat for 12 years ..... I threw the house at it , ended up with a very solid plane...

[Bill Dunn]

it can be done, we just resurrected a C-172 here at our shop that had sat outside for 10+ years and the guys ex-wife destroyed his logs.... just make sure your shop is very thorough and doesn't leave any part uninspected.